De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020

Subject: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Dec 18 - 01:31 PM

Getting a jump on the New Year by starting this a little early. The other thread ran for two years, and most people probably know about clicking on the little 100^d next to the numbers of posts, but for those reading on tablets or phones, shorter threads are more accessible. So we'll start out with a space easy for lurkers and regulars to read on any device.

The past thread can be read in it's entirety here. There are other threads that can be located by searching the forum for "De-clutter" or "Declutter." There have been a few spin off threads, the most remarkable being the one several years ago in which LilyFestre received a cancer diagnosis and the discussion was moved to a thread that allowed everyone to focus on that topic. (She recovered and is doing great!)

Katlaughing started these, our late Mudcat moderator and writer, crafter, and grandmother of Morgan. We all became Mudcat aunties to Morgan as we learned of his adventures.

Most of the time we just keep tabs on progress here, sometimes it is used as a place to posts lists and goals that can be easily found (versus writing a note to oneself and losing it in the house or office clutter.) Lurkers drop in, and it's my observation that most of them are less chatty and more efficient in the tasks they decide to take on than some of us who putter along pushing the extra stuff slowly out the door. Those lurkers are often heard from only a couple of times, at the beginning and end of the personal episode they are reporting on.

We all have a music connection but this is less about music and more about achieving harmony with the stuff in our houses.

If you're in a hurry to get to the task, there is the practice of döstädning, which translates to “death cleaning.”

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 23 Dec 18 - 03:59 PM

PA:

For those new to this group, I'm close to finishing a 4-year downsize and move from 5000+ (two stories) sq ft in PA to our 1000 sq ft (one story) SE Ohio retirement home. I've gone back and forth delivering furniture, etc with open cargo trailers, vans, and a rented truck.

I'm close to the end of a month in PA to enjoy our last Christmas here and NOT to pack ANYTHING, for a change, until we throw a few essential items into our van when Greg retires January 1. We'll come back for a quick March trip to empty the house of last furniture pieces and boxes.

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 24 Dec 18 - 10:55 AM

As you say, Stilly, some of us lurk more than others.

The move from Ottawa successfully decluttered us of a great deal of clag, and I am pleased to note that I don't miss it one bit. What's more, I'm pretty sure Himself doesn't miss it, either.

We still have far too many books, but they are here to stay; if I were to launch any kind of library purge, let alone a major sweep, I would get fierce push-back. Instead, I focus on switching to ebooks as much as possible. Pulp novels work just as well on screen as on paper -- maybe better, as ebooks don't collect dust.

I confess to being a dust denier. I also have a great talent for ignoring spider webs. One of these days I'll get me one of those long-handled wool things for taking down spider webs from ceilings, but on the whole I'm not in any hurry.

And now that we have a kitchen range with a self-cleaning oven, life is seriously good. I recommend the self-cleaning oven to anyone out there who is still messing with caustic soda, or putting off cleaning the stove because caustic soda is scary stuff. Yes, a new stove with a self-cleaning oven is expensive, but so worth it. Stay out of Starbucks for the foreseeable future and put your latte money in a Mason jar; in a year, you can get yourself a new stove with a self-cleaning oven. Just do it.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Dec 18 - 11:00 AM

Charmion, agreed about the oven. Mine is the lowest end stove that includes a self-cleaning feature, and I used it last week.

It's time for a xmas eve run past the recycle bin before people fill it up with the annual glut of corrugated cardboard from gift giving. And to pick up a few remaining ingredients for dinner tonight.

I've cleaned up the kitchen and finally this morning took the glass full of xmas cactus pieces and planted them in a dozen small terracotta pots that are now stored in my sunroom window and hopefully some will sprout and be nice gifts next year. The kitchen window sill is much clearer since several other things went into the donate or the e-waste bin. I have a box of the "still good but I can't use" stuff that my ex and the kids can pick over before it goes to Goodwill.

Cookie distribution to a few close-by neighbors will begin a little later today.

Have a good holiday season, whatever you celebrate. We don't practice a religion so we celebrate family and the opportunity to get together and laugh (and bicker) over the preparation of a meal that is at least partly composed of family recipes from my ex's mother. The kids grew up with my cooking, that's not a mystery, but we want them to know how to make a few of the dishes their father grew up with in Puerto Rico. We take a risk every year because chances are that more than once during the cooking he's going to say "that's NOT how you're supposed to do it" or "you forgot the X ingredient." We are saving our gift giving until later in the week when the fourth of our family group will arrive.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 24 Dec 18 - 06:16 PM

We celebrate Christmas in this house. Our Christmas tree has been up for about 2 weeks and as of last night, all the presents are wrapped and Christmas cards are done, waiting to be sent. We spent some time working together to tidy up the house today and then have been just enjoying the day as we please.

Tomorrow we will celebrate in our traditional fashion and then I return to work the following day. It's a difficult time of year for many of my clients so off to work I go. The full moon on top of the holiday will be interesting to be sure. My decorations are still up at work and will need to come down. I have a lovely windowsill in my cubby and will need to decide what to do with it once all the holiday decorations are done. Currently I have a cute little nativity set lining the window, a winter bird and a framed photo of my family that is winter themed with the word JOY on it. I also have a small tree decorated in maroon, browns and antiqued gold ornaments, some beads and teeny tiny white lights. I've really enjoyed that and maybe will keep the tree until New Year's.

As for normal household work, I tidied up in the kitchen and bathroom today. Pete has almost 2 weeks off and will be redoing the bathroom floor while I'm at work. The current flooring is now over 20 years old and past it's prime. On Friday, we picked out a few different flooring samples to bring home and try out....I think we have settled on a mottled gray floor....it's much darker than what we currently have but we are both up for a change. While we were at the store, we also looked into glass tiles for a backsplash in the kitchen. It's much more affordable than I thought it would be and looks fairly simple to install....we shall see.

I'm off to make tacos....Jeremiah's request for this Christmas Eve dinner.

Merry Christmas and Love to all!!

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 25 Dec 18 - 08:28 AM

PA:

The game's afoot.

(What often looks like planning, here, has sometimes actually been the result of going to bed or waking up wits the semi-conscious thoughy: "HOW the EFF am I going to EVER get outta here!" And then my semiconscious auto-pilot creates a scope and sequence to fit.)

So that inner sense woke up this AM screaming, and we're discussing how that's MY process these last 4 years, not Greg's. (HIS process is more like how we always get going on vacation.) So we're laughing about the eggs I thought I'd make this AM that were just thrown out, and smoothly adjusting to mesh!

But it's beginning-- that afooting game -- and it's exciting!!!

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 25 Dec 18 - 04:53 PM

I have just signed up to the "What do you promise to do in 2019?" thread and that is, to massively de-clutter this house and double garage we've had for 32 years! Yes, it's that "don't leave it to your kids" thing, with us both being over 70, albeit both having had long surviving parents (all went to late 80s or first half of 90s, despite 3 out of 4 having been smokers!) Haven't been able to put either car in the garage for at least 15, if not 20, years, because of all the assorted bits of wood, stuff from our parents' houses, stuff that might possibly be mendable (NOT, but himself thinks it is!)
And heaven knows what's up in the loft! And "summerhouse" woth various unridden for years bikes, etc. And glasshouse, and shed.....
We are both retired so the job bit doesn't come into it, tho' the life bit does: "don't know how I ever had time to go to work" - then there's music (me), rugby, gardening (him), culture in a city renowned for it, minding the grandchildren (both) .......

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Dec 18 - 05:47 PM

Something has messed up my main computer and restore isn't working. If I refresh the software I lose my installed apps and some of them I don't have disks for.

Logging on via my laptop just to see that one computer is working. The Microsoft update may have caused the cascade of failure in my security software.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 25 Dec 18 - 08:12 PM

Best of luck, Tattie Bogle!

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Dec 18 - 01:00 AM

I think the problem is the security software (Kaspersky) not the Windows. It used to be more highly rated; I don't know if it merely got pushed aside with this current administration wrangling over Russia (Kaspersky was taken out of US govt computers) or something else. After several attempts to fix the Windows, and being unwilling to lose all of the software already installed, I will use the security software from my Internet provider (the price is right, and it's Norton - I think I can run thirty devices using that software if I want. I have three.) This afternoon was quiet after the comraderie this morning; friends went out to movies and if the computer hadn't seemed to be a pressing problem, I would have gone. Maybe tomorrow.

I have a handful of things for Goodwill, and yesterday dropped off recycling. The bins were completely empty, in preparation for the recyclables generated today. I sold and shipped two eBay items and have identified a few more things to list soon.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 26 Dec 18 - 08:51 AM

PA:

Departure fever will, this time, result in gathering up loose trash and goodwill as we check each room.

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 26 Dec 18 - 09:40 AM

Three weeks into this bout of bronchitis, having completed the course of antibiotics and faithfully huffed all the doses from all the puffers, I am still coughing. If not quite as violently convulsive as it was at its peak, it’s loud, phlegmy, and definitely not the kind of thing you want to hear in the grocery store. Or, indeed, anywhere else. So Christmas was a bit isolated: just Himself, the cats and me — and the cough.

I was sick enough that no decorating was done, and fancy cooking was limited to a roast duck. Fortunately, there was a Christmas pudding in the freezer from last year, when I made a whole flock of them.

Tomorrow we take the road to Windsor, to see Himself’s sisters and to get our festive ticket punched with the extended kin-group. Alas, the cough is coming with us ...

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Dec 18 - 12:12 PM

As far as illness near the holiday goes, I got lucky with the type that visited, a virus that was unpleasant for a couple of days and led to careful food choices for a couple more, but didn't cancel the holiday or cooking. This bug seems to be making the rounds, but since it isn't transmitted by a cough or sneeze as far as I know, it's really sneaky.

My decorating is modest by modern standards, I think, and I've put most of it off, but the whole family will be here over the weekend so I'll put some garland on the mantle and a couple of other favorite ornaments around. Our delayed holiday could, in theory, give us the opportunity to do deeply discounted gift shopping but no one is such a glutton for punishment. Stores are not to be approached this time of year.

There is a lot to do around the house for the next few days so decluttering isn't a huge focus, but since things are being pulled out that are seasonal, I can choose to thin collections of things on the fly.

The dogs and I went for a two-part walk today; the exercise around a large block, then the excursion into the woods across the road. We haven't gone often because it was bad for ticks this year, and it's warm now, so I still need to check everyone over. Next time we head over I'll take my clippers because there were a lot of greenbriar across the path. Fitness for all of us, and an attitude adjustment for the newest dog who has gotten progressively rowdy lately and needed a reminder of who is the pack leader. When we go for the walk it is the dogs' job, ala Cesar Milan, and I am in charge. And after the walk, breakfast. They had a lovely morning of it!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Dec 18 - 12:11 AM

I have quite a stash of beads, fake rhinestones, glitter, seed beads, etc. and tonight I worked on embellishing a felt stocking that was quickly assembled last year at this time, when on spur of the moment I pulled out the felt, handed my childhood felt stocking to my daughter as the model, and along with some gold bric-a-brac and a contrasting color felt, she made two quick stockings for two visiting-durable-partners-who-aren't-yet-spouses. I promised myself they'd be tarted up for this year. Only one of them will be in use this year, and that one has more contrasting felt characters (reindeer and sleigh), and various sequins and beads attached. And a bit more to come. What else are these little packs of sparkly things going to be used for? If I need more in the future I know where to get them.

Tomorrow I start working on a man's plaid flannel shirt. Better to get the smaller stocking task out of the way first. My goal is to have the shirt on a hanger in plain view on our gift-giving day (probably Sunday). Technically it's last year's gift, but the shopping for fabric and pattern and such was so close to xmas last year that the shirt wasn't made. And it was put off, but now I have time and a clear dining room table and I really love the magic of assembling a garment. It goes from being yardage to something someone you love will wear for many years to come. This is probably an 8-10 hour project so I should get some good movie viewing in (background noise/accompaniment) in the next couple of days. I listened and glanced up at the Kennedy Center Honors while I worked on the stocking.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 27 Dec 18 - 11:32 AM

I am not a crafty person, and I read the accounts of those who are with a degree of bemusement. It's quite clear to me how crafters are even more vulnerable to the clutter bug than most people. When you can credibly whip up cute novelties out of this 'n' that, how could you bear to throw anything out?

My artisanal skills are limited to food, so I have a freezer full of chicken carcasses because, you know, soup ...

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: mg
Date: 27 Dec 18 - 02:10 PM

I love the idea of quilting so whenever i get the urge i buy material i like and send to quilters at rosebud reservation in sd. Some support their families this way. If you have extra cloth. Thread, batting etc. They might like it but check first. I donot have a good address now

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Dec 18 - 01:03 PM

Mary, do they make a quilt for you, or is sending the fabric more along the lines of "wait a few moments and the urge will pass"?

Tweaking eBay listings to see what will budge some of them. One is offered regular price and shipping is extra. Another price is raised by the shipping costs and offered "free shipping." Seriously, people don't do the math, at least, some people don't.

The last few days were unseasonably warm, but now we're back to clear and very cold weather. I did some yard work in the warm weather and walked the dogs and emptied one of the compost buckets beside driveway door (it breaks down more there before I take it to the heap in the back yard). Yesterday the trash wasn't picked up, staggered a day due to the holiday (no one got that memo - trash was out up and down the street), so this morning when it was all still at the curb a red sedan pulled up at the end of my driveway and sat for a bit. Then someone got out and picked up the discarded hose piled on top of the trash bag. Fine. I gave them a little privacy with the hose, but the idiot was blocking view of the trash when the trash collection truck went by so everyone else's trash was picked up - except mine. Minus one hose. I've carried the bag back up to the bin next to the garage.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 28 Dec 18 - 06:38 PM

Beaver:

Robin arrived before Christmas and has de-cluttered tremendous quantities of ice and snow from strategic areas. And moved items from house to van that were too heavy for me. And made the back sheds more accessible. I have cooked - and de-cluttered frig and freezer!

Today was above freezing (+3C) and much ice was eradicated!!

He has yet to install shelf in utility room and remove, and replace, moldy, icky looking caulk around bath tub. My big requests.

We attended two wonderful Community Christmas dinners and met a new interesting human, explored further north, visited Madonna House on the beautiful Madawaska River and intend to go back tomorrow for a tour - to view the Russian style chapel in the woods - and a visit to a ---Arghhh! --- used book store of considerable interest. Have managed not to acquire more stuff but ... Oh, an antique and very interesting electric waffle iron; we have not ascertained if it works. It looks older than the one we had when I was a child but not as old as the one I have that is designed to sit on a gas or wood stove.

R arrived with a copy of the very interesting, and appropriate, book The Organized Mind by David J. Levitin.

At the moment he is snoring while waiting to go to the 7-11 Cafe, hosted by my dear musician friend of 40 years. Wakey, wakey!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 29 Dec 18 - 11:49 AM

PA:

Wakey, wakie indeed. Last wknd of parochial ministry here is off with a bang-- tiny wedding today (shortly), last Sat svc tonight, 3 liturgies tmrw including two YUGE ones. Decks are cleared to fully be present at all and record several.

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Dec 18 - 10:33 PM

Cutting out a pattern for a shirt this evening I realize that they've changed a lot over the years. I thought the tissue paper was as thin as it would ever be, but it's gossimer now. And they save ink by not printing on various things like seam allowances. And along the edge I see that it isn't 5/8th of an inch in all instances, they seem to expect me to be using a serger. I'll check with my daughter tomorrow since she has used these more recently than I have. Ironic that just last week I found the right sized box to store all of my old patterns in, the ones I've bought in the past and never made or made, but that have more heft and information.

This time of year in cold weather and right after the holidays is generally a pretty good time of year to sell things on eBay, so I'll be busy with that as soon as the various holiday activities subside. A family event tomorrow and friends over for lunch on New Year's Day and then I'll get that stuff listed. I've photographed several items already.

I don't have any resolutions to declare or act on, I have the usual things I'm trying to accomplish year round to keep me busy. But every so often an idea of how to do something in a new way will be presented or will pops into my head, and it probably happens with each of you also. So here's wishing you luck finding those good ideas or helpful goals as you move through the new year.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: KarenH
Date: 30 Dec 18 - 04:20 AM

When working in the kitchen, take a dishcloth and place it under your right foot, being careful not to lose it when moving about. This ensures that if any crumbs are dropped in the kitchen they are not trodden into the carpets when you move around the house. Just one tip I picked up this year.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Dec 18 - 11:03 AM

That's fine if you live alone, but I have dogs! No crumb on the floor goes undetected for long. On the other hand, my dogs might tear up or eat a towel on the floor. One of them drags all sorts of things out into the yard via the dog door. :)

Family is coming over today so the dogs got an early walk. When we started out Pepper was all alert and twitching around on her shared lead with the lab (a double or split lead clips onto the leash), but after a couple of blocks she settled into the pace with the other two. That helps reduce her excitement a little for the day ahead and gives us all some necessary exercise.

Sounds like today is going to be a big/sad/happy/emotional one in a particular part of Pennsylvania. I hope you have a great time, Susan!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 30 Dec 18 - 07:42 PM

PA:

Omg

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Hrothgar
Date: 30 Dec 18 - 07:56 PM

Charmion, there is nothing wrong in being a dust denier.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 30 Dec 18 - 08:45 PM

Beaver:

Uh,oh! Trip to the bookstore netted two boxes of books (his) and three books for me. Very interesting: The Healing Trees by Robbie Anderman is an excellent resource on using tree leaves, bark, twigs, etc, for healing - very specific and clearly laid out - for the Northeastern woodlands.

No shelf yet as there are too many books to read! However, after R cleared the doors to the cabinet in front of the house (beside the front door) - designed for pottery storage - which has migrated to the screen house - I realized there are two folding tables in there, one of which might be used to lay out fabric for cutting purposes and then returned to the cabinet; I could sew something! I also use the cabinet to store trash until making a dump run, which we did today - about 6 weeks netted one small bag of recycling and two of trash. All paper goes into the wood stove.

The 3 current boxes of pots, soon to be 4 or 5, will go to Quebec next trip as Mary informs she has money for me, meaning she has sold a number of pots. YAY! I must keep her shop "cluttered" with pots!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 31 Dec 18 - 12:00 AM

We had several cooking things on the agenda for our family holiday and while it all turned out, I think it's safe to say that we wore out everyone by overdoing it. While the kids were still here I pulled out my phone calendar, navigated to Dec. 25, 2019, and entered "grill steaks or chicken or get takeout" for that holiday as a reminder.

As people cooked I cleaned as I could and the dishwasher is running a second load right now. Having a clean kitchen at the end of a long day like this is a gift to me tomorrow.

One of the dogs must have swallowed something after I let them into the house; I didn't want any tripping or problems while we cooked or opened gifts so they were in the yard for several hours. He might have eaten dirt in the yard, or might have grabbed who knows what - paper? plastic? a washcloth? Whatever it was, he's drooling all over the place now. I'll see how he is in the morning and we may have a vet visit in our very near future. That will declutter the wallet.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 31 Dec 18 - 08:04 PM

The pooch seems to have recovered from whatever ailed him. And I'm about recovered from that full day of cooking - I didn't cook a thing today except warm leftovers. Tomorrow I have more cooking to do and that's plenty soon enough.

eBay has been picking up since it's cold out and more people are poking around on the computer during the holidays. I have to keep puttering with those listings.

My daughter asked for an organizing book on her xmas list this year, the one by Marie Kondo; the reviews of this book lead me to believe the content is rather esoteric so I gave her partner my favorite organizing book, Don Aslet's Clutter's Last Stand. He has a straightforward approach and discusses the psychology of why we keep and fail to discard so many things. The kids know that if there are old things around here that they no longer want and they are found to sell on eBay that I'll add ours into play and send it out the door.

Finishing paperwork and doing some filing as a year-end activity, and keeping the dogs in when the neighborhood fireworks start. And as I flip over to Antiques Roadshow their first items this evening are fine art found in thrift stores by the woman who brought them in. Oh, my.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 31 Dec 18 - 09:42 PM

Beaver:

No fireworks out here in the swamp!!! No precipitation for the next couple days so R can go back to Montreal safely! Shelf installed! Bathtub job in progress. Several books read! A fun week generally. No work in studio at all. After he leaves I shall try to get back on track, however, Mary informs she is having to move the shop so may not have a lot of space. But there are a few things that folks have requested, so I shall do what I can and take it to Quebec when I go - whenever that will be. Did a laundry today so he can wear the clothes in which he arrived and keep "here" clothes here for next time.

Ahh! the tub is done with sparkling clean white caulk! Super YAY!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 01 Jan 19 - 11:29 AM

I agree with you, Stilly, on the superiority of Aslett over Kondo with respect to clutter theory. Aslett does not get into the joy potential of stuff; he's all about the utility. The older I get, the more I agree with him.

Should I find myself on my own again (God forbid), I would send the whole houseful of stuff to auction and move to a bed-sit within tottering distance of the public library.

Marie Kondo's approach is too emotional, in my opinion, and no check on the true hoarder. My mother could have quite honestly said that she derived joy from every single plate, cup, Royal Doulton figurine, stack of newspapers, box of doorknobs, shelf of books, pile of books on the floor, bag of old letters, etc., etc., packed into her very large house.

I'm still a bit coughy and shaky, but determined to launch the new year as I hope to continue, with a productive visit to the gym and a nice supper of mushroom omelette. There's enough bread in the freezer to last us a couple of weeks yet, so baking is not on the agenda. I must, however, attack the messy basement TV room with the full force of vacuum cleaner and duster; even I cannot deny that the pattern of the Bokhara rug is disappearing under the accumulation of cat hair.

To infinity and beyond! Or at least to the gym. That's infinity enough for me right now.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Jan 19 - 11:40 AM

Not a resolution, just a realization over the last couple of weeks that I've moved forward from the recovery stage after retirement and now I need to subscribe myself to enough activities and a part-time job to fill the general human social requirements that going to the job in the past fulfilled. Doing this without the toxic stew of bad management should be beneficial. I must have dreamt about getting a job last night because I remember thinking I'd been so tired from the first day at work that I overslept and was late on the second. Not sure where that job was. This is a cognate to the forgot-to-drop-the-college-class-and-now-it's-finals dream.

Late in the afternoon on Monday someone bought the antique tea pot I'd had listed forever on eBay. I had dropped it to within a dollar of what I paid for it (Goodwill) and was ready to pull it next month and take it back to Goodwill. Lesson learned - if it isn't a regular item on eBay that you can see routinely sells, leave it at the thrift store. It's time of year to do a few clearance listings since I seem to have a glut of some items I routinely pick up every time I see them.

And as a parting observation this morning, I turned on (and muted) the Rose Parade. The Rose Queen and court are on the screen now - and amazingly, the Rose Queen is wearing her glasses! You never see a beauty queen wearing glasses.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 01 Jan 19 - 05:23 PM

The ornaments are all off the tree and the tree is out of the house and will soon be put to good use. Pete and I selected the flooring for the bathroom and although we had hoped to get it all down during the break, it just didn't happen. Some other repairs around the house took precedence and I am completely happy with at least having made a decision.

In just a few minutes, I'll be doing some picking up of other decorations and rearranging the living room back to normal. The floors have been swept and mopped already so that's all done.

I worked yesterday and then hit 4 grocery stores, gassed up the Subaru and picked up a pizza for our New Year's Eve get together. We spent the evening at my Mom's playing cards....Uno Spin to be exact. It was a fun evening for everyone!

Happy New Year Everybody!
All My Best,

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 01 Jan 19 - 06:41 PM

PA:

Departure prep gently began today with prepping containers for upstairs, to go up with us at bedtime-- a 55 gal trash bin lined with a bag that size and a recycle bin to use as a catcher to bag up goodwill items.

The first attack is the master BR closet, because off season items are stored there in zipped garment bags (the wide ones for portable closets, etc. Greg brought home the next segment of his vestments collection-- the antique set is presently hanging unprotected in the dusty laundry room, so two of these zip bags are coming down to shield those pending March truck-packing.

That BR in general is full of depressing litter to sort/wash/purge, and I figure tidying our room will hopefully motivate the next steps. Before we can start packing the van, we need to unload some of what we brought home from our church work spaces... and make final decisions on what to take and which day to hit the road. Neither of us has that vision quite yet.

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 01 Jan 19 - 07:04 PM

I forgot to add that Jeremiah and I have added some dance activity to our daily schedule....about 20 minutes worth or so...great fun!

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 01 Jan 19 - 07:33 PM

Beaver:

The montreal house

I may or may not have done the "blue clicky"... Thought you might enjoy seeing the house in its new incarnation - after R spent a month, almost full time, clearing it of excess stuff. Amazing what a pro photographer can do. Looks beautiful if you do not know the K is barely usable and the travail of living in a house while it is being shown - so one cannot really LIVE in it.

Life here is cosy. Snow is under control. Wood pile is accessible. R worked hard and even took a long walk in the woods on this beautiful day. I hemmed a pair of his pants and am waiting for him to try them before doing two more pairs. The clothes he came with are clean and ready to wear back to Montreal. The frig and freezer are nicely de-cluttered, as R plans to leave tomorrow. I shall endeavour to get back to Keto. I have no idea when I will leave for Montreal. The "new" house is still in limbo.

Could not open the van due to freezing so stuff that would have been stored is still clutter in house.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Jan 19 - 09:10 PM

This afternoon I finished making a favorite dish that is the annual gift for my ex; the other evening we made a different dish for dinner and he took home the extra. It makes sense to give him consumable gifts since he usually tends to buy himself whatever he needs during the year. He'll put it in the freezer in single portions and use them up over the next few months. The house is going to smell like oil for a couple of days but at least the kitchen is cleaned up again. There isn't a dollar amount to attach to this kind of gift, but it is one that is exactly what he wants and my pocketbook is happy at the low cost. The value-added is in the preparation and cooking.

The dogs and I are going to watch a movie in the living room this evening - the dog cover on the sofa can be covered with a towel for me and if they want to hop up and join me we'll have a good scratch-and-tickle time. It'll be a treat after the noise last night that the youngest dog found to be quite frightening. The neighbors apparently set off artillery shells in their yards on the other side of our creek. Shotguns? Firecrackers? M-80s?

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 02 Jan 19 - 09:28 AM

PA:

Recruiting help today. Closet tasks done before my back quit.

We hope to set departure date today.

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Jan 19 - 11:43 AM

Day two of the year dawned with sleet coating all of the tree branches and tiling the patio cover. It's now raining but travelling out is not advised, so it was good thing I caught the mail carrier at the porch and handed over the eBay box that ships today. She's out there in layers: rain pants and jacket, rubber galoshes and a rain-proof safari hat. I put the barky blue heeler into my office so she wouldn't bark at the door but the lab insisted on pushing through the door to greet her (no barking, just wags). We have to work on door etiquette with the youngest one.

Time to start a new expanding 12-slot file for bills for the year. I started this system a long time ago and for the occasions when I have to go back to find a receipt or prove I paid a bill it is an invaluable resource. I have two that I use, meaning that I'll take the contents of the file from 2017 and bundle them all together into a large manila envelope and reuse that file because the most recent past year is probably the only place I have to search. After a few years I shred or burn the contents of the old folders after giving contents a cursory glance.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 02 Jan 19 - 03:59 PM

PA: Departure set for Sunday AM-- that'll be different. Help recruitment is underway. Departure tasks have been identified and allocated. We're making a point of doing fun along with work, along with watching the weather to avoid doing things in ice or mud better done in sunshine. Hockey game Friday!

But omg!

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 02 Jan 19 - 06:41 PM

Beaver:

WOW! susan is almost on her way! It has been a long and difficult journey to get to this point. May the change be everything you have hoped it would be. Bon voyage to this new phase of life.

De-cluttered of R! It was wonderful having him here for almost 12 days. As I worried about him leaving early enough to get to Montreal at a reasonable time: 10 passed, then 11, then we had to go to the Thrift Warehouse before he left... a cabinet that would fit in a specific space and improve the situation, so we came back for the pick-up and went back for the solid wood cabinet---Oops! too tall when we got it into house! I need to find someone to cut off about 8 inches and re-do it in a civilized manner. Then it will do the job and two other cabinets will go elsewhere and the china show case will finally have a home base. Maybe Dan can do it... It would have been perfect but for the ladder to the upstairs.

In the meantime, R left about 2 and phoned from Renfrew at 4 to let me know he was now going to be on civilized roads for the rest of the trip. After he stops at places of interest - thrift shops...

He really is recognizing that he has too much stuff and seriously looking at a future of divesting. Another dozen or so books today. Reading The Organized Mind was helpful in many ways. Also an intro to Thich Nhat Hanh via a little calendar I bought for my grandson. I was stunned that R had never heard of this amazing human; he loved the quotes in the calendar.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 02 Jan 19 - 08:44 PM

Thx DP. Tdy we especially focused on FUN, which we two intense and cerebral ppl don't come to easily. We're way too good at crises, so we simplified the packlist in favor of couple-health!

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Jan 19 - 11:28 PM

I figured out how to download the monthly free e-book from the University of Chicago Press (BatGoddess originally told me about these books) into my Fire tablet. Each month Chicago offers a free eBook, but I didn't want to have to sit at the computer to read it. I figured out that downloading the $2.99 "Aldiko" app and "side-loading" - moving the downloaded book from the computer via cable to the Amazon Fire - will let me read the books on the more reader-friendly tablet. Books on the tablet don't take up any space.

On the culinary front, I added some of the odds and ends in my fridge to a batch of beans, and after a bowl for dinner I saved a bowl's-worth for this week and the rest is frozen in jars for later.

Unreleated to clutter, is anyone else struggling to remember what day of the week it is this first week of the year?

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 03 Jan 19 - 06:58 AM

Free audiobooks? Librivox.

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Kim C
Date: 03 Jan 19 - 09:28 AM

I collected two big bags of clothes for donation, which made room for me to hang up things I actually do wear.

One piece at a time, I reckon.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Jan 19 - 12:44 PM

Ah. Corrected to read "e-book." I have audiobooks covered as far as listening. I'll look into Librivox as another source.

Yes, Kim, absolutely one piece at a time! It doesn't take much to notice that a chair in the bedroom no longer has clothing draped on it or that your dresser top has been organized. I did a big purge in the closet last summer and still enjoy the benefits of actually looking at clothes I can wear and not having a bunch of too-small garments hogging the space. Some of the removed clothes are in a bin on the shelf because I do expect to eventually fit back into them, but a lot were either put in eBay or sent to Goodwill.

I've decided to do a month of the "no spend" exercise I did a couple of years ago, in particular to make myself draw down even more the fridge and freezer. I'll use my favorite deeply-discounted grocery outlet for the fresh stuff I need (I use yogurt as a major source of dairy and they also have a lot of produce.) The local museums have free attendance days that I'll start taking more advantage of. I made it through several months the last time before a whole bunch of bills kind of blew it out of the water, but the previous months did put me in a better position to deal with those bills.

Here's a starting point, an article from 2015 that doesn't seem to be promoting products along the way. And here's a frugal living article. They offer a link to how to stockpile groceries and frequently used goods, though I suspect anyone who has been following along these threads has that down pat. Trying to get rid of the extra stockpile is part of our effort, but smart shopping never hurts. A recent Lifehacker article.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 03 Jan 19 - 05:13 PM

PA:

That reacher-grabber reduced an overwhelming BR mess to manageable chaos (order) this aftn while Greg briefly napped. We're both making great progreys on the long task list we made ydy.

It's frustrating that this time there are so many tasks that can only actually be done at the last minute-- the morning we depart. We never left the PA house empty for vacation either in winter or for 60-90 days. But essentially they're just the sorts of things we've done for every vacay here the last 25 years. (It just feels crazy but actually isn't.) And we're having trouble meshing our schedules/body rhythms-- it will settle into place better once we're in Ohio.

The number of things we can't do today though DOES "force" us to have a little more fun. It's all good. I just don't like this little part!

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 03 Jan 19 - 07:37 PM

PA:

Departure plan:

Tentative plan as of Thursday eve:
Tonight - puttering thru DR prep and other in-house stuff till early bedtime w benadryl

Friday - latish wakies to omelets and earlywarm aftn van rearrange/preloading; oil change & probable last Elmira hockey evening.

Saturday - rainy day, prep of hitch load and prep of house closing/food and misc containerizing; preload what can be and stage the rest on back porch; poss landlady house tour

Sunday - early AM complete loading and leave by noon for projected dry route w poss Sunday arrival by 10pm; option for crash and burn overnight if/where needed.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Donuel
Date: 03 Jan 19 - 08:30 PM

This thread will prove invaluable as 2019 will become a recession year.

Meanwhile on odd days I have to throw stuff/somthing out, even days I have to recycle and the first and last days of the month are vacations.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 04 Jan 19 - 02:57 PM

PA:

Preload done with no casualties. Lots of typical pre-vacay stuff done. Lvg soon for oil change and hockey. Think I'll dress up this time!

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Jan 19 - 05:52 PM

Working on a task list for the month and for the quarter, involving things I can work on with materials already here (the no-spend project).

Today was a free entrance to one of the museums in town but because the exhibit required low light and no flash, and the printed the information cards with white text on black cards, I spent my entire time leaning in trying to read cards without getting in everyone's way. If I'd had my office glasses with me it would have been much easier. And this afternoon I've made my appointment for a checkup. So much for my no-spend month, I've hit a couple of co-pays already, but those appointments must be made.

It has warmed up for a few days so the dogs get a walk in the fitness portion of my day, and it helps the youngest one remember I am the pack leader. Our last walk was a few days ago and after about a block she calmed down and got with the program.

One of my larger eBay boxes shipped this week and leaves space to rearrange what is left and list a few more items.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 04 Jan 19 - 11:09 PM

PA:

Lovely closet surprise! Wanting to tart up for the hockey game, and knowing my hockey jersey is in Ohio, I pulled a red fleece vest I normally have reserved for choir parties-- SO not my color. What to wear under it, I wondered as I headed for a shower. Maybe nothing plus scarf and jacket OVER it. Gee it's awful heavy on that hanger-- oooo, an oversized cotton red v-neck sweater!!! BRAND NEW AND NEVER WORN, neatly folded over the hanger's trouser rod. I foreswore the vest. I added a striped scarf in BOLD Me icon colors including a bit of red. WOW!!! I have zero memory of buying that sweater. With that scarf-- million bucks and a great barrier between the red and my face.

Thank you, Closet!

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 05 Jan 19 - 10:15 AM

PA:

What seemed impossible (Sunday departure) now seems potentially doable ttoday (Saturday departure).

Because retired ppl rock! "Plans" can be tossed out the window-- no one is controlling us now.

Omg.

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 05 Jan 19 - 11:42 AM

Susan, congratulations on your long-awaited liberation from career shackles, both yours and Hardi's. It will take you a while to get accustomed to being in control of your own lives.

My sister-in-law and brother recently retired, both on the same day (30 November), and are going through the same detox process. SIL worked in the federal government as a speechwriter, a sometimes miserable job in which everybody in her chain of command imposed ridiculous expectations that constantly impinged on her personal life and eventually robbed her every speck of free time; for example, she was expected not only to carry a BlackBerry that was always turned on, but also to check it repeatedly every day, even Sunday, so she could "maintain situational awareness" and "respond appropriately" to "emergencies". Not surprisingly, she had nightmares about getting fired for missing a midnight email and not being able to pay the mortgage and then losing the house.

She told me yesterday that, for the first time in at least five years, she slept through the night and suffered no night terrors.

I quit my last government job on 1 February 2013, nearly six years ago, and HAVEN'T MISSED IT ONE G-D BIT. I confess to missing the money a bit, but not enough to regret having quit. We sleep better, we eat better, and all around, in general, we live better.

Himself is a bit bored, now that he is not travelling all over the country doing courts-martial, but he's finding ways to fix that. He's even talking about doing a Ph.D. in law (the University of Western Ontario is just down the road). Me, I don't know how to be bored. There's always lots to do, and if I don't want to do any of it, there's always a book I haven't read yet, or dinner to make.

Life is so good on the other side of the Great Barrier of retirement, even if the pennies need a bit more pinching than one might have imagined.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Jan 19 - 12:47 PM

I'm also thinking about going back to school; as you get older here in Texas it is possible to do coursework for very little expense or for free.

I pulled out the 2002 five-disk sampler The Mudcat Cafe Blue Plate Special. We're losing so many people lately I think a day of listening to their voices is a good celebration of the lives of those now passed.

eBay and sewing this weekend. Walking the dogs when it gets warmer out and while the sun is bright - that light on the forehead is good for combating the winter blues (SAD).

As the seasons change, so do the re-run offerings on the various television channels. Last week I was up late each evening watching the early programs of a favorite series, but it was just too late. Last night I checked to see if it still streams on Amazon Prime - yes - so I went to bed earlier. I'll watch it on my own schedule.

Gotta clear off my office desk again after paying bills and an annual ritual - choosing an electric company. I renewed my contract for two years with the same company this time; I'm thinking I probably should have done it for just a year since the rate (everywhere) went up a couple of cents a kWh and will be about 25% higher for the next contract. If I'd gone for only a year it might be lower next winter - or not. The gas prices are coming down because of the oil industry, but the electric power grid doesn't run on gasoline. My crystal ball is cloudy on this topic. The company is a good one, transparent billing, easy to understand statements. And as it is, some companies weren't on the list because they didn't have Spanish language materials and were kicked off of the Power To Choose site. I should probably have checked a couple of the old places I've used before. I have three business days to change my mind, so I should spend time hunting down a couple of other companies. It's possible to easily outsmart yourself doing this.
[sigh]

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 05 Jan 19 - 03:55 PM

Charmion-- bingo! Again. In so many respects not to enumerate here.

PA:

Our 65 year old bodies got 95% done on what our 40 year old "autopilots" thought might just send us down the road today, but we're opting now for 1 more night with TV and dinner by personal chef.

Sorry for any yptos but good techance is packed and loaded.

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 05 Jan 19 - 04:10 PM

Having a nice, quiet weekend at home. We are all puttering at will, doing a little bit of this and that. I am working on cleaning out some cupboards and doing a bit of re-organizing in the kitchen, specifically the Lazy Susan. It's really the first weekend in awhile that we haven't been busy/on the go with something and I am quite enjoying it.

Tomorrow is church with the family and then more of the same.

Life is good.

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 06 Jan 19 - 07:39 AM

PA:

Of course on vacation Greg has sometimes slept in on a Sunday, but I'm still thrilled for him that he's slept past "Unlock the Church" mental alarm, beside me, this first Sunday of his retirement.

We weren't sure how recliner sleeping s time would go--the mattresses are already loaded-- but we'd prepped for possibly sleeping separately, with Greg potentially going up to use the bed we'd prepped for Leo. (We usually share a dbl recliner when we visit my son and DIL, but....)

So we expect to get going about noon.

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Jan 19 - 12:39 PM

Have a safe and interesting drive to Ohio. Is this the last trip, or will you return for more furniture and such again in the spring?

This morning I reset the daily steps I want to achieve in my fitness tracker and I reinstalled Google Fit on my phone. The last time I tried Fit it didn't seem to register very accurately, but I was in a building that had sometimes spotty WiFi.

Last night I let the Labrador retriever sleep on the bed but he puts out way too much heat and wants to lean up against me. I woke up a couple of times because I was too hot, so I don't think I'll conduct that experiment again.

I'm heading into the yard today since it is supposed to reach almost 70^o. Raking leaves from the gutter into the yard and I'll run the mower to mulch them into the turf.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 06 Jan 19 - 07:36 PM

Beaver:

Susan well on her way to Ohio! May she have an uneventful trip!

Me - did manage to get some sorting and organizing done today on a day that was sunny ---oops! snowing!! oh, gee, sunny again! And it has cooled - from freezing to -10C now. I did bring in as much wood as space allowed, sensing the impending drop in temp after a couple mild days - mild means hovering around zero Celsius. Thankful for the work R did to clear ice and snow from around the wood pile.

Dan came by yesterday and we gave consideration to a structure for next year so I do not have to struggle with the tarp. I would like something moderately interesting, only on the part of the deck that is necessary to hold the winter's wood as it must not block any windows.

Checked out Bob's Greenhouse Poly for prices, as a possibility.

Also something on the other deck, connected to the studio; kind of dependent on how much pottery I will be making in the future. I did manage to glaze in the studio last month but now need to clear that out so I can start throwing pots again. Challenge is to find room for everything - just like in the house.

Little Red had a busy day; she found a bag of blue organic nacho chips that I put outside - slightly off but more a temptation for me. I sat at the window, on computer, also watching her, or him, fetching a chip and running across the road into the woods, then back for another one?? OR just sitting out on the snow nibbling. At least she can no longer come in and sit on sofa!

Almost had inclination to work in studio; "almost"... Almost had inclination to do sewing; almost... Now it is 7:30 pm. Am I really just going to read until bedtime?? Maybe clear some more papers? Maybe...

Contents of 6 of 8 drawers in bureau that is leaving are now well cleared. Need clearness on how to arrange storage for papers that need to be available - as if in file drawers. And all those odds and sods of officey type stuffs, to access easily....

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Jan 19 - 09:35 PM

Finishing the holiday cleanup, lights boxed up, live boughs that may have contributed to recent sneezing are out the door, and I did some cleanup in the front yard this afternoon to enjoy the sunshine and warm weather.

I've reset some of the goals in my fitness tracker, added another phone app that may do a better job of identifying activities, and have decided to try to track hydration better this time of year when I don't feel very thirsty. I have a 2-quart jar that I filled this morning and when I walked through the kitchen made a point of filling a glass. Let's see how long I will remember to do that.

An eBay box is ready to ship tomorrow. Every little bit out the door helps!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 07 Jan 19 - 08:41 AM

OH:

Reached 2/3 twds destination and stopped. We're adventuring. Home tonight.

SRS, in March we go back to PA to close the house. I've been posting about that but it's just gotten more interesting.

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Jan 19 - 11:37 AM

I thought you said you'd be back to PA, but the recent posts were sounding final.

Supposed to be up to 80^o today so I will get out the mower and mulch in leaves and finish knocking down stuff left in the garden after the first frost (some tomato vines were tangled on a tomato cage and I didn't bother to pull it all apart.)

Busy week. Happily this morning I found the movie gift card my daughter passed along recently - after the Golden Globes last night there are a couple of films I'd like to see, if they're still in the mainstream theaters. I also have a duplicated gift I need to exchange before we're out of the easy exchange season. I spoke with the next door neighbor about my work on extending the new fence he put up and mentioned that I'd done the work with the sole bit that came with the new power driver, so drill bits were on my holiday wish list. And I told him I'm going to use some of his old fence to build raised beds; I should do that today and tomorrow while it's warm and because it's time to plant potatoes.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 07 Jan 19 - 12:59 PM

Final ministry fishbowl . Final driving alone. Never final beloved county. Final set of huge house decisions for that house. Bittersweet, all.

One cool new thing is that habing a landlord/lady that's a hoarder plays well with ACOA tenants worried about how the house looks. Another cool thing is that we both shot fine video to guide paid help costs and landlord repairs, which also facilitates knowing what work we need to do on our end to leave the house the way they want it. This is good because I only tracked down the paid crew chief for March the night before we left. I'd begun prepping my head for handling all 5000 sq feet by myself. Labor in those parts can be hard to track down except by face encounter.

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 07 Jan 19 - 02:44 PM

OH:

HOME.

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Jan 19 - 10:16 PM

Welcome home!

My son and his dad were here for dinner and then I took him to the airport; the gifts that won't fit into the luggage are going into a box I'll mail this week.

Amazing interview today (not declutter or anything else, just very interesting) to do with precision medicine. It is an interview with the author of this National Geographic article.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Jan 19 - 01:28 PM

Still drawing down the freezer today; made a batch of banana bread (with frozen fruit) that I baked in small pans. These will be given away, they won't go back into the freezer. Chicken tenders and a jar of turkey stock are thawing to make a batch of chicken and rice (in the rice cooker, using basmati). Finally, I have frozen broccoli and a box of gluten-free cornbread mix, to make my friend's recipe that calls for chopped onions sauteed in a lot of butter (I'll do half-and-half butter and olive oil) and then submerge the florets in the batter before baking. That will be for me to have with meals this week (when I'm not eating the rice.) I have frozen jars of my Puerto Rican red beans that can be two servings; I make enough rice to eat for several days, so later in the week I may defrost one of those jars because those beans are best served over rice.

I like having the USPS "Informed Delivery" in place for my post office box, it saves me driving over especially when I'm waiting for a couple of freelance jobs to finally send their payments. No trip to the post office today or yesterday, there's just junk mail there now.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 08 Jan 19 - 01:39 PM

Beaver:
Congratulations, Susan! No place like home!!

My home was invaded by noise ALL Morning. By noon I was ready to scream. It would have been better if I had gone elsewhere but with four large trucks parked along the road, engines running, I was doubtful about getting out AND where would I go? It started just as I was thinking about the lack of traffic on this road - the red truck, the blue truck, the white truck, the black car, the white car, the grey car and the snow plow/sander are the sum total of what I might see in a day. THEN: a sort of snowplow with HUGE tires, a truck with flat bed trailer, a truck with a crane - in front of house - and another truck down the road a couple hundred feet. The crane lifted huge chains off the flat bed and arranged them on the road and 3-4 men wrestled them onto the huge tires with the help of the crane truck and some noisy machine. They have left a short while ago and I am exhausted from the noise. NOW I need to go to the library. Then come back and re-collapse. I did clear the snow off the porch and car - about 4 inches and the weather - from minus 14C last night to plus 4 and drippy wet out there. Warm enough to work in studio but shoulder aches from snow removal. Not a very good day! I shall cancel it after trip to library - books are due.

The plow might not have made it up the hill without the chains.

Oh yeah! SRS! up to 80? plant potatoes!! HAH! and ho ho ho!! Pulling covers over head! Eating chocolate! Maybe stop in at Community Trust for a pep talk? I did write an article for Jane this am, and edited hers on home sharing, just a tiny bit.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 08 Jan 19 - 04:50 PM

OH:

And NO free senior svcs I do NOT have to wake up hubby OR ME to train one of THREE Yano's you said might come at 9AM our first day waking up in our house! To clean a house what's clean! We go back to BED after calling to cancel!

;-)

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 09 Jan 19 - 12:51 PM

An "active rest day" in the fitness world isn't couch potato-ing. We're having one today as trip recovery.

OH:

By noon, freezing, and without tramadol, I:

. Treated infected ears
. Had early brekky (snack sz)
. Took AM meds
. Purged accumulated email
. Set up puder and peripherals
Installed next audiobook
- Re-ordered misc items passed as I circulated to various rooms
. Considered where to stow silver
. Welcomed waking late-sleeping husband to the day
. Managed dog out
. Made half of my 2nd brekky
. Sorted and purged mail
. Paid 2 bills
. Found and activated insurance card and set it up as paperless
. Had and gave session
. Assessed closet resources to offer Greg
. Put on swimsuit for later
. Suggested higher daytime heat setting while the concrete pad reaches heated winter temp after the 30 day "empty house" setting
Stowed heavy silver chest by removing several heavy components and reassembling in the designated space-- more walking and less lifting.
. Reassembled one purse, and a spare I'd also used is almost empty.
. Found and stowed house tramadol supply.

Next, warm pool and haircut.

Greg's closet if second wind after supper.

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 10 Jan 19 - 02:25 PM

Beaver:

Well, managed to get car stuck in the drive again last night. Phooey! Left that for morning. After some BF - no way! Body said not a good job for me. Thought about who could help bu called my 92 year old Friend in PA (69 days to the equinox!) and after a long chat, and more food, my body DID it - some shoveling, some work with the ice breaker and some gravel. YAY! Then I cleared as much of the ice and snow as possible. Thinking about how to put something at the corners to indicate the safe way to back in. Maybe a pole on each side, with a flag on it...

Laundry done anyway and drying in BR. Now to bring in wood while the sun -SUN!!!!! - is on that side.

I did not need to go anywhere but my body is reaching the stage where I wonder who would I phone to take me to the hospital if the car is stuck. Considering the state of my health, that is fairly silly but perhaps better to be prepared than not. I hear, "call an ambulance!" but I would have to be in very bad shape... Like when I injured my back in PA. I never mess with a back injury!

20 years ago, I drove myself 18 miles with excruciating pain - pneumonia. An xray - which I would usually refuse - and 3 different antibiotics - to the shock of my doctor! - then I was fine. Doubt I missed any work; figure the cause was doing blown in insulation without a respirator.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 10 Jan 19 - 03:36 PM

DP, it's never too early to make a plan.

OH-- it's all OH now until the March clear-out.

New fones late last night. Both temporarily working-- ydy's long list of premature chores is on the other one so will post separately.

Today is fone configuring and such. Greg is out now replacing the awkward and failing PA TV with a lightweight OH one-- when we started to plan padding the other we looked at prices for new and elected to donate it to the parish yard sale with the rest of what was long planned to leave. Arrangements were made before his last day, for all that.

I've almost found my kitchen. It's that superb space surrounding the just- done pork roast. Mister is doing the sides.

Cello concert this evening after I fix my new haircut.

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 10 Jan 19 - 04:16 PM

Beaver:
DID the wood. Then sat back and watched the snow dancing down and thought about Snowflake Bentley. This is a good time for that wonderful story. Maybe Michelle...? I googled and there is a lot:
Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin is the children's book I have and I sat and read it again. Cannot give it up!

It intrigue's me that I can sit here: "I don't feel like... I'm too tired... Maybe it can wait..." But once I force myself to get started on bringing in the wood it becomes like the Sorcerer's Apprentice! "Where else can I put some?" So there is plenty of wood for a couple days and the tarp is not going to get frozen to anything AND the snow on top of the tarp will keep it from blowing off! I am safe and warm. And the sun has come out again, in time to go behind the hill. And snowflakes are still dancing!? Almost down to 5F, it is going to be a very cold night. The reason I back in to the drive is in case the car has trouble starting; I also have a booster pack, charged and handy. I DO plan, sometimes. Probably most of the time.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 10 Jan 19 - 06:23 PM

By noon, freezing, and without tramadol, I:

Treated infected ears
Had early brekky (snack sz)
Took AM meds
Purged month of accumulated email
Set up puder and peripherals
Installed next audiobook
Reordered misc items passed
Considered where to stow silver
Welcomed waking late-sleeping husband to the day
Managed dog out
Made half of my 2nd brekky
Sorted mail
Paid 2 bills
Found and activated insurance card and set up account as paperless
Had and gave session
Assessed closet resources to offer G
Put on swimsuit for later
Suggested higher daytime heat setting while the concrete pad reaches heated winter temp
Stowed heavy silver chest by removing several heavy components and reassembling in the designated space-- more walking and less lifting
Reassembled one purse and a spare I'd also used is almost empty.
Found and stowed house tramadol supply
Got free Y membership sorted--Free Bennie
45 minutes pool workout
Reconnected with new friend Cathy
Got haircut
Collapsed

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 10 Jan 19 - 06:26 PM

I see now that some of that is duplicate, but in any event it grew.

Most trips back I'm still moribund this soon after arrival. A real dinner is usually weeks into thst arrival. Now here we are stepping out after a home cooked dinner.

Planet Weird. To Cello Springs!

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Jan 19 - 10:25 PM

Over lunch today I met with an office manager of a web site about contract work to be done on the site, for 10-15 hours a week. In the next few weeks I will be training with the local webhost company on their content management system, prioritizing tasks, etc.

Boxes need to be packed and put in the mail tomorrow, to several recipients.

This week I set up a couple of new apps for fitness tracking, and I found that my phone app for Weather Underground (I pay $2 a year to have it ad free) has a feature to choose activities and set the conditions that are preferred and/or acceptable so it is tied with the forecast. For walking, for example, I would like it to be from 50 to 75^o, wind 10mph or lower, humidity at 50% or lower, and the acceptable range is larger, from 45 to 85^o, wind up to 20mph, humidity up to 75%. Both them them are set to daylight hours only. The representation for the day shows each hour with the optimal conditions with a long blue line rising from the time, each hour with acceptable conditions has a blue dot at the time. I can look at the next few days and see that there will be good conditions for going out to walk (with the dogs, primarily).

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 11 Jan 19 - 12:25 PM

Beaver:
Maggie: WOW! the things you/one can do on tech stuff boggles my mind. Well, I often remember to check the 7 day forecast but mostly I just look at the window and the thermometer - 0 F at 8:30 this am!

Last night the propane froze in the middle of trying to cook. I tried using the microwave and it quit! Cooked in toaster oven. This morning the microwave works!? (I went to the back shed for the "spare" and did not find it.) Poured a bucket of hot water on the propane tank and cooked! It took a second bucket of encouragement. But most of all---- the car started - without any aid from the booster pack! Managed to remove ice at door to studio and water the plants. Went to library for a stack of books. I will not be doing much more than bringing in wood and staying warm for a few days. Beautiful day. I hope little red and friends are in safe places.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 11 Jan 19 - 03:08 PM

I cannot believe how hard it is to acclimate to this new fone. Greg got a great deal on two Cadillacs. He had been using a later-gen fone than mine, so it's not such a huge change for him, but mine was a circa-2009 fone, so..... Oy!

Besides fone learning, I've only gotten a few clothes stowed try and made rice, but they were the important ones-- we're going to see a Friday night rock band, to check out a new-to-us pub that also hosts weekly blues jams.

Also stowed was the really good, all-purpose dressy outfit-- I added, into the garment bag protecting my long black dress skirt, the new silk kimono my PA dressmaker had created from a bed jacket design I've loved as casual wear over jeans. My son sent us the silk from his Navy stop years ago in Thailand, so my dressmaker spec'd out lining fabric I picked up cheap, and she made it while I was in OH. She has one more project of mine to finish-- copying a fabulous dress coat which is like a flowy trench coat. I love the way she fits things to my body.

https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=153649&messages=38#3971161

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 12 Jan 19 - 10:24 PM

I spent about 4 hours reorganizing the kitchen today. I didn't really plan it that way but one thing led to another and another and another....LOL. I'm happy with the way things have turned out. I cleaned, organized, boxed up about 2 boxes of stuff that I never use and our pig, Elwood, is having himself a feast tonight of goodies I was going to toss. He's one happy pig!!! In addition, the dishes are done, the table is cleared, pills are sorted for the next 2 weeks, the hutch is cleaned off and dusted, I roasted a chicken, some squash and potatoes for dinner as well as made a large pot of homemade chili for tomorrow and weekday lunches. I'll make some cornbread to go with it tomorrow.

I've been seeing a new endocrinologist and his changes have proven to be very beneficial. I had blood work done yesterday and the results are all in...everything is in normal range with the exception of my triglycerides which are lower than last time so I'll take it! My blood sugars, which were averaging in the mid 250s are resting comfortably in the 120 range for the first time in a LONG time. I have 3 different insulins going and a sensor attached to my arm at all times for really tight tracking but it's working!!! I am most happy about that! Getting to the point where a "normal" blood sugar doesn't feel like a diabetic low took some patience and trust on my part but it's all good now!

It felt really good to get a substantial amount of work around the house done today. I'm hoping to do more again tomorrow.

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Jan 19 - 11:58 PM

I spent this evening editing a resume and a couple of cover letters for jobs for a friend who has been unemployed for a while. Fresh eyes on the documents can help.

My fitness tracker is unhappy, it has been a sedentary day, but my weather app just sent a notification that tomorrow afternoon after 3pm will be perfect for walking.

A friend and I are comparing notes on tomatoes we want to grow this year and will be sharing seeds. His local library has a seed bank, where he found a variety intended for our southern climate, and I have organic seeds from my Mudcat Secret Santa - we're going to grow both in our gardens and compare results. I may grow some in pots this year. I haven't started the raised beds yet, but that will come soon, and in the meantime will start seeds in the house or the greenhouse. There's a lot of winter left that can hit the greenhouse, so I'll only use it if I can get it weather-proofed first. I didn't do much this fall as far as covering the louvered vents, leveling the doors so they close tightly, etc.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 13 Jan 19 - 03:37 PM

We've puttered our way thru a number of minor furniture arrangement tweaks, partly thanks to the 8-10 inches of snow were mired in while we await the driveway plow. My favorite was the one that ended with Greg's bass and being set up and played.

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 14 Jan 19 - 01:07 PM

Beaver:

Down to minus 20C again last night and the day started out bright and sunny - and COLD. But the clouds gathered and it is warming - up to minus 6C! I really almost hibernated during the cold snap! Today I may actually get some things done.

The studio door had - well something , anyway it would not close and I am heating it! So last night, realizing the impact on finances - I thought about it - unfroze brain briefly - and took a hammer out into the COLD and banged the offending piece into place so the door closed. Today I will find something to put over the much-too-wide crack at the top, rather than heat the great out of doors. Not snowing!

The other day, I opened a new cargo trolley and took it out to the wood pile and loaded it, as much as I could without stuff falling back off. I was able to bring it in the house to dry and warm up, as well as filling the usual space. Today I can off load it into the now almost empty spaces and re-fill it, and them. Preparing for the next cold snap!

R phoned on 11th and informed me that there is money for the new house; re selling the M house, he needs a realtor that will bother putting up a sign; and two business bugaboos were sorted last week. All of which de-cluttered his mind - for a while. I told him I will come back to M after there is some furniture in the new house. A bed and kitchen ware would suffice. As long as the BR is painted.

Today I have managed an excellent BF and washed the week's dishes. Hoping to get myself on track to do more than read novels. Need to keep my feet off the COLD floor. It affects the whole brain and body!

Will do wood when the temp reaches a probable high point - somewhere closer to the freezing point; it will not go above freezing in the next couple weeks.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Jan 19 - 02:14 PM

The friend I was helping with the letter-writing has a phone interview this week! Whether my assistance made a difference or it was simply moral support to get him moving forward, this was wonderful news this morning. (He considered apologizing for applying past the deadline when he saw it had passed, but the link still worked. I told him that once the letters and resumes were printed in a stack no one would know his was late unless he apologized, so just don't do it. He backdated his letter to the due date.)

This morning I made a list of things I keep thinking I need to get done but always end up forgetting about during the course of each day. Things that need to be done before other things on the larger list can be started. It's always something.

Every year I try to get started on my taxes as soon as possible, because it's too easy these days for identity thieves to claim your refund if any of your important numbers were compromised (like seems to happen monthly with many important sites with online presences). Get the forms in as early as possible to head off the crooks. But due to the government shutdown the IRS is mostly closed and I use the Free File Fillable Forms (not affiliated with any tax preparation company, just the tax forms online that can be filled out and turned in). They usually open up in late January, but all bets are off this year. I decluttered my files this year so all of my documents are in one file drawer.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 14 Jan 19 - 05:07 PM

Another Yano tmrw followed by a care mgr visit to detemine continuing needs and eligibility. If we're continuing I want to get back to afternoons.

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 15 Jan 19 - 11:57 AM

Today's Yano is chatty Ms. Billie. I've lost count who else has been here.

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Jan 19 - 04:06 PM

Big job finished - the huge cardboard boxes that were flattened and stored between trusses in the attic have been removed. The folding steps to the attic and the hole they're mounted in is a narrow area but I managed to get all but one of the boxes down after turning or folding them to fit the best edge through first. I took the box-cutter up to dismantle one that refused to fit and I wasn't going to try to remember how I got it up there in the first place. All of these were stacked in the SUV on a tarp, then slid through the big door in the recycle bin. One of them wouldn't fit so I had to cut one side and fold it up on itself. I found three invoices on the boxes that can go in a file that I keep for insurance purposes. This clear out is in advance of some work that I need to have done up there.

The top item on the this week's task list is now crossed out and a couple of more added. It's meant to be a list for just this week, and weather is nice until the weekend when wintry weather and extreme cold (for us) arrives. I'm cat sitting for a friend on the weekend so I will have to get out in it, here's hoping it's just cold and not icy.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 16 Jan 19 - 09:01 AM

Huge day ydy ending with our surprisingly cooperative assembly of what I think is Camp Ridgebury bed 4.0.

Our mtg with the county care mgrd portends change I'll summarize later, none of it bad.

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 16 Jan 19 - 02:25 PM

So... ydy was a long day of household biz, working alongside and supervidising an awful Yano 9am - 1pm and wonderful Brandon 2:40-4:30pm, with a county care mgr mtg sandwiched between (with very short breaks). By the end of all that, which included a Goodwill trip for me, I was whipped and brainfogged and grateful that Greg suggested dining out. Arepas! Then another hour of physical work after supper, assembling our very complicated bed. Ow!!!

The wonderful results of that hard day:

Two recliners set at the curb
A heavy analog TV (and small obsolete flat screen TV loaded in the car for recycling)
A small box of clothes and sneakers to Goodwill
Two recliners allocated to different rooms
Much more open space in Greg's sewing/music room.
Our normal bed height, and no more pitted foam camping mattresses requiring re-stuffing every six weeks
Clean bedding
Improved settings on the new lightweight smart TV Greg found on sale
Assurance that the two file cabinets (needed to free up floor space in the TV section of the library) will indeed fit in the closet formerly occupied by the heavy analog TV
Discussion w Brandon about keeping Tues aftns open for us and confirmed he's moving those file cabinets next Tuesday
Discussions w Brandon re how to work best here w two bosses w very different working styles, and a raise
More space in garage (one recliner had been there) for Greg's workout equipment
A better garage locay for my walker/chair (replacing that recliner)-- SO useful for grocery unloading and/or waiting for a ride
Reallocation of warm fleeces for each chair
An improved TV area for us to share
Rug runners to cross painfully cold but necessarily bare tile floor to TV chairs
A warmer sleeping space for Greg-- his side was so much colder than mine and it took awhile to understand why
A new step for my side
A better Arepa recipe (3 kinds)
More music and sewing furniture for Greg

Care mgr Daejanna affirmed my frustrations w clnrs and turnover. It emerged that her notes indicating personal care needs were wrong, so straight clng companies the county contracts with have not been an option before. All three of us agreed that taking a break from weekly services makes sense while she reassesses our eligibility/copay rates now that there are two seniors here, and a change in income and costs. Can we state now what help we actually need? No. Do we know now our exact income? No. Do we know now our new medical copay rates, annualized? No. Do we know our annual anticipated Rx costs? No.

She affirms that Retiring Is Like That, and that there's a lot more stress involved than we'd anticipated. Says we're doing really well and its normal that it doesn't feel that way! ;-)

She'll drop off a new financial form later this aftn.

Today:

Progress re-pillowing newly re-allotted chairs from ydy work day and removing my items from (his) sewing room. This led to a discussion during my rest from an hour of working hard in the house, re orthopedic pillows and the level of concern with blocking my chairs. Everyone does it, and it has to stop immediately. I'm going to dress each medically necessary chair in an old but vividly pink t-shirt or top!

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Jan 19 - 02:50 PM

I get the gist of the job they come to do but have no idea what "Yano" stands for.

Fitness today - starting the NY Times challenge for January (once you join they start you from the beginning with an email every day.) It started with a six-minute small workout, and I followed it with a mile or so walk with the dogs. My Weather Underground phone app alerted me to a good chunk of time today to plan on and it was spot-on.

The fridge clearing process is moving along, and I'm being frugal with purchases (the "no-spend" month) but I did treat myself to a sandwich out yesterday after that big dusty attic episode and two trips to the recycle bins. This afternoon I'm preparing to do some audio work, receiver to computer stuff (setting up the cables now). This first job is for my daughter, and once that is taken care of, then I need to start work on my Dad's musical collection. I received some stuff in the mail this week from Deckman (Bob Nelson) who led the way for several folks to donate their collections to the Pacific NW collection folks at the University of Washington. It's now officially my turn to work on this.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 16 Jan 19 - 07:44 PM

I had a visit with my endocrinologist today. My blood pressure was beautiful, my thyroid is at a functioning level and my A1C dropped from 9.7 to 7.2!!!!   He was most happy with me and so am I!!!!   Finally someone has gotten it figured out!!!!   The A1C is still a little high but it's on the way down and that's a significant drop in 3 months time!

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 16 Jan 19 - 09:17 PM

Re: Yano

It was after about the 8th "Surprise! No warning!" worker landed on my lap before coffee or breakfast (as I've posted about) that I created a generic term to term to refer to them-- (even the agency gets their actual names wrong):

Yet Another New One.

We're up to at leastr 10 and maybe 12 such women to whom I have had to explain intensely private toileting details. And I am not even a 'personal care' client.

I'm past remembering every name by now.

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Jan 19 - 09:55 PM

So much for my frugal month - sometimes you have to set aside those intentions if a great opportunity presents itself.

I have a Macy's gift card that needs to be used, so I headed to the mall and parked at the Sears end, intending to walk the length of the mall for exercise. But I was only a few steps in the door when I encountered Joe Boxer fleece pajama pants on a really good sale. So while I checked out I chatted with the clerk. Was Sears going to close this store? No, but they were discontinuing the Land's End part of the business and everything down there is 90% off, including mannequins. Mannequins? They are so expensive as dress forms (what these are - jersey-covered fiberglass torsos on sturdy brushed aluminum stands) and these were $40 each. I caught my daughter before she left town and she came down and we put a large male torso on a sturdy short aluminum stand from one of the child-sized torsos (all had the same interchangeable bases, just different length rods). This way she can use it on a table in a closed space. I picked up the smallest adult male torso (probably "medium" size) on the tall stand. I can use this for eBay sales and my own sewing.

I never made it to Macy's.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 17 Jan 19 - 03:50 PM

Beaver:

Oh Susan! LOVE the Yano term! R's Mom used to comment on the amount of energy it took for her to take care of he "caregivers". She too would have enjoyed your "Yano" term.

Now that the house is a done deal, we are both in that stage of anticipation and trepidation! It is BIG. It will take a lot of heat! and a lot of care! But, I remind Mr Stressed-out, once the other house is sold, there will be funds and one less property to care for. And two others are probably getting sorted out in the next couple months. And if "you would just stop stressing and actually DO something about things..." I am hoping for early to mid February to get started on making the house a home.

In the meantime, cold weather and snow will keep me moving - bringing in wood. I have to watch for a break in the weather to pack up plants,etc and move them to QC. And winterize everything here for the time I am gone. At least a month.

Even though this house is warm enough, the cold seems to weigh me down. It is moderately tidy but the vacuum would be helpful. Cannot do that and be here - due to dust. So I am living with it. Too cold to even shake out the throw rugs!

Car refused to start this am and I could not use the booster pack due to inability to open hood - failure to attend to this when R was here and we knew it took two to do the job. Later it started; I had missed the meeting I wanted to attend, but I drove out for gas and then kept an eye out for someone who could be part of the team. Did not find a helper so I came home. It was very cold to co-opt a volunteer! Maybe tomorrow if I go anywhere. I will, however, start the car a couple times a day in this cold snap as that might help. I did not do that yesterday. It was minus 22C this am at 9 am. Below zero F.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Jan 19 - 04:21 PM

Congratulations on the house, Dorothy! And great news that there will be fewer properties to manage.

I crossed everything off my list for this week except one - to groom the dogs. Big Job. Mainly just brushing and looking for anything that needs the vet; it's not likely they'll get baths this time of year. Their annual exams come up soon.

The greenhouse needed sorting and I spent time adding line to the replacement cartridges for my string trimmer, clearing out stuff on the workbench, putting tools away, and I decided the mice need thinning. I didn't have luck with the "walk the plank" mousetrap in the garage because I got it after cleaning and getting rid of hiding places there didn't seem to be any left to take the bait. The greenhouse is a different story. It's about time to start seeds and get the raised beds into shape.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 17 Jan 19 - 06:35 PM

Go DP!!!

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Jan 19 - 11:29 AM

Last night I pulled out the various brushing and hair-removal appliances and brushed the dogs (the strangest device is a serrated edged blade with plastic handles - draw it across the coat and it does the best job on the older blue heeler with all of her fluffy undercoat). The old tick collars came off (put on last summer, supposed to work for three months - time to visit the vet for more).

I set up a bucket of water with baited mousetrap on the rim for the mice and wood rats that have been in and out of the greenhouse - the photo I put up on Facebook brought protests from a lot of my urban friends, who want them caught and released or perhaps repelled with oils. Oils? Really? They're a real problem in the garden, I don't put up the bird feeders any more because of them, and I would like them gone. Poppy used to be a good ratter but she's very old now. I haven't seen Pepper catch any yet, but she's fast enough to catch birds, so perhaps she'll take on the job.

A short additional list for this week includes mowing the back yard today. I'll have to get out there before the rain predicted this afternoon. It's gorgeous out right now but there's heavy dew on the lawn at the moment. (I know - Dorothy is trying to force a path through the ice to her wood pile - I'm not complaining about the conditions here!) I set up Google Fit on my phone and am interested to see that it track my walks with the dogs, and I think it'll show the back and forth of the mower in the long narrow yard. My fitness tracker supposedly does the GPS thing also, but I haven't figured out all of the phone settings (it does this via bluetooth connections to the phone.) I'm curious to compare Nokia and Google results side-by-side.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 18 Jan 19 - 11:56 AM

SRS, shedding blade for horses? (How do you get the dog to hold still?)

We spent our AM coffee planning-chat thinking thru some upcoming garage rearrangement with a view to making space for the March truckload as well as long-term layout after the March load is unpacked.

Next we're off for what Friday's have been for our last 25+ years... Greg may have seven days off a week now instead of the occasional one, but this should be a good piece of getting our rhythms on the same track. Something relatively normal will be a relief!

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 18 Jan 19 - 05:21 PM

Incredible mouth pain in 4 soft tissue spots and several cold-sensitive teeth, all on the left side of center-- same areas that had responded so differently to novocaine for recent major periodontal work.

Old glasses (needed for wearing while new lenses are made next week for current frames) dropped off for repair and new insurance info registered. Confirmed I'm still covered for EyeMed.

Confirmed my PCP and on-site Urgent Care are "in network" w new insurance, and that no copay is charged-- Process: Medicare pays, then supplemental insurance pays, and then patient is billed for anything remaining. Made appt w PCP for Feb. 1 to test system/costs.

Urgently needed hygiene items found. Shower rod sleeves found. Oriental market w ear picks found. Potential Korean restaurant found.

Arabic spices wanted, found.

We survived 4.5 hours away from home with no meltdowns (but I was close until I took Tylenol).

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Jan 19 - 12:34 PM

The Retriever shedding blade works well on all of the dogs but the oldest one who is mostly blue heeler likes it best.

I did mow the yard and the short Bermuda, native grasses, and weeds look so nice! This was followed by a concerted amount of scooping and adding dog droppings to the compost (it might make sense to scoop before mowing, but the weeds make that job difficult.) No mice in the bucket but I'll leave it there for a couple of weeks at least. It didn't work in the garage, but it might work in the greenhouse. The final place to deploy it is in the attic. After clearing out all of those flat cardboard boxes it will be easier to place at some point in the future. In cold weather it is most likely there are uninvited inhabitants up there now.

Overnight the wind arrived and things tipped over and blew around all night and will continue until this evening, apparently. I expect to find yard furniture, trash cans, and more out in the street later. One of my metal chairs rattled around in the gusts so it wasn't a good night's sleep.

Several months ago the earwire of one of my favorite pairs of sterling silver earrings vanished, and I didn't really want to buy a new pair. It finally dawned on me to replace the wire, so a dozen new wires arrived from Hong Kong (!) and I replaced both wires since the new ones didn't match the remaining old one. They're actually nicer, and give me ideas about making more earrings. It's time to start using a lot of the beads I discussed over the years with Katlaughing and a few other Mudcat crafters.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 19 Jan 19 - 02:10 PM

SRS, yes, the horse version is very similar.

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 19 Jan 19 - 07:58 PM

As we did a zillion other things today waiting for Snowgeddon II, we made a big crockpot of soup together. Faboo supper.

Lots of things put away today.

Most of soup now in freezer and other frozen soups found. We'll cream and/or thicken the part I didn't have freezer containers for, for variety.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 20 Jan 19 - 09:53 AM

ALL my ADL tasks are off kilter and way behind functionality levels now that Yano structure is on hold. On Maslow's hierarchy were stuck at shelter, food, water. So try we focus on getting me caught up. We've been focusing almost exclusively on tech transitions and getting Greg settled. Necessary but cost me. Back to back wknd winter storms our first two weeks here ain't helped.

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 20 Jan 19 - 01:01 PM

Typos in prev post.... Try = tdy. New fone autocorrect is a slow learner.

We are agreed that Yano services (with a new company) should resume on 2hrs/wk, even if we have to pay 100%-- as soon as Daejanna can start us with the non-personal care provider she now realizes was needed all along. I've emailed her.

Done this AM:

Coffee chat re finances and transfer of all bill paying to Greg for now, so he can consolidate his internal budgeting senses, with all info managed via our shared office space and frequent communication. Ohio bills I've paid via various means will now go thru his paperless system. For now my monthly SS will go to groceries, haircuts, dog costs, and savings. He plans to visit the local SS ofc to check on increasing mine and other tax related Q's. (There will be another system agreed for the start of the 2nd quarter.)

We are agreed that until the PA utility expenses and moving costs are done in March, we will undertake no increase in cable, other monthly bills, or other large expenditures.

We are agreed to find a 2019 tax preparer ASAP to determine Ohio State taxes, and that we will keep 2019 receipts for possible itemization, should our final choice of tax preparer advise itemizing as they become more familiar with the insane new Trump tax code.

My ADL stuff:
. Week's synthroid pill sorter set back to Sunday or Monday weekly setup.
. Newbie meds ditto.
. Last wk's pee bucket emptied and soaking.
. This wk's fresh pee bucket moved outside BR door into my dressing alcove w privacy curtain. Wiping materials there also, incl new reacher made today. We are agreed the house needs this camping potty, pending adding the second toilet near the kitchen. Now there's a toidy at each end of the hallway.
. Bathroom reacher and wiping cloths added to bathroom. As my UTI's become Lee frequent I can get back to the real loo at night.
. Clean laundry all put away including those cloth wipes in both locations.
. Next laundry running.
. BR hamper for dirty laundry is empty and back in the BR.
. Large hamper for emptying dryer is empty and back on top of the dryer.
. The LR bench that had held all clothes imported from PA is once again empty except for one linens dept. item of unascertained destination, and ready for Newbie napping or laundry folding (or a guest to sit).
. Sewing items have been discussed for either Greg to do or the pricey local tailor, and set aside where they can be seen and either used as is or sent to house or tailor sewing dept.
. The clothes drying rack taking up the sewing room space is put away in its spot.
. I missed brekky but had early lunch.
. Dinner items are set, on hand or to be made.

Another round of ADL remediation is planned for the afternoon, after Greg hems his jeans he hoped to hem today.

Then we can dig out from Snowmageddon II.

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 20 Jan 19 - 01:49 PM

Round two ADL remediation:

. DW loaded and running.
. Chairside water refills started.
. Kitchen trash pulled and relined.
. Snowblowers instructed.
. Candy put away.
. Samsung fone found n charging-- stored GF restaurant docs there. Fone is now camera, memo, Wi-Fi only. Maybe navigation.
. Water station towel set out

Round three soon: putting away Thursday's groceries.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 20 Jan 19 - 02:16 PM

We did not get as much snow as was predicted but I'd say we got about 14 inches here on the mountain top. The frigid temperatures, however, are steadily dropping and I won't be a bit surprised it we hit the -20F that is being called for.

I am thankful that the 3 of us have Monday off where we can stay in and keep the house warm. I am also thankful to say that all my clients currently are housed, something I would not have been able to say a month ago. There are shelters in place in the area where I work however they are small, with the largest being able to hold 14 people. However, they are also putting people up in hotels.

Jeremiah has been playing in the snow, Pete plowed the driveway and I made a nice hot lunch to warm everybody up. I have several stacks of paperwork that I hope to get through today and to pay bills. Yee Haw. Such fun. It needs to be done and it's a nice quiet day to do it. I also scrubbed the toilet and folded some laundry. It's nice to have this day be leisurely as I normally would be getting things around for work.

We have steaks to BBQ, a Lawrence Family tradition for blizzard weather and a ham to go in the crockpot tomorrow. I have some things I want to get ready for the work week, including hanging my clothes out for the week....I've not been so good with that lately and it really does slow me down in the morning. I could get up earlier to make things go more smoothly but I know myself and that just isn't going to happen.

Perhaps I'll get some sewing in...we shall see.

Have a great week everybody!

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 20 Jan 19 - 06:04 PM

The paperwork mountain is no more (why, for the love that all is holy, do I keep all of that stuff when 97% of it is JUNK MAIL)!!! Hooray! The monthly bills have been paid, signed up for our Flex card which is used for all prescriptions and deductibles. It used to be that we'd have to pay for the meds, co-pays, etc., then turn in the receipt and wait a few weeks to be reimbursed. Now we have a debit card that can be used for medical purposes only...but how cool that there is no more scanning, pay out or wait time for the cash to be returned!!! YAY!!!!

I also sent in another payment for our vacation for this year....it's a few months off and I already can't wait!!! :)

The first winter grilling event is about to happen...steaks on the grill (first steaks for us in well over a year), sauteed mushrooms, baked potatoes and a salad. It's good being snowed in!!!! ;)

Night All!

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Jan 19 - 07:12 PM

The card sounds excellent - years ago I did the Flex thing for child care and it was nerve-wracking to have all of the documents and get everything filed at the right time. And the steaks sound like a great push-back against the weather.

I found broccoli on a great sale last week and bought far more than I can eat fresh myself. Some to give to friends in a few days, some to blanch and freeze, and last night I made broccoli beef after thawing a NY strip steak I got in another great sale at the same store. Good leftovers for a couple of days.

eBay sales are moving along so it's time to organize and list some more. The sunroom is a bit stacked up with boxes left over from the holidays (the boxes I recycled last week were from the attic). I'll see how many of them can be used for shipping items and flatten the rest.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 20 Jan 19 - 08:28 PM

The ADL remediation has continued all day and Greg has finally begun to see this house (and my running of it) in everyday normal mode-- it's been so good to attack all the backlogged tasks, and with help at the ready each time I called out for a lift or a 2nd pair of hands. One last load is in the dryer to fold and sort for destinations in the house, during hockey internissions.

Almost know who I am again.

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 20 Jan 19 - 08:42 PM

Beaver:
"Get some sewing in"! Maybe someday I will.

Told a friend about "yano". Her mom has round the clock caregivers but they are all Phillipino and they always make sure there is someone to replace anyone leaving, and train the newbies! A tight community.

Only about 4 inches of light fluffy snow last night! YAY! But I managed to get car stuck in driveway on Saturday so I finally called on a neighbour for help. He shoveled the snow and extricated the car; his shovels looked more effective - a trip to Home Hardware. His muscles are much more effective - OH well. He came back after the snowplow and cleared what it had done!

COLD, windy. Only down to minus 20 C so far tonight. Last night I turned the cube heater in the studio all the way up and it was only 38F in there this am. If it gets colder, there are no options. Hope!

The house is OK and I brought in more wood today after clearing a good path. Find the dolly very effective as it saves me carrying and the wheels are adequate to go though the bit of snow and even over the throw rugs. It takes up room in the LR but all things considered, that is a minor detail. When one of the usual (2) spaces become empty, I can wheel it over and offload so it is ready for the next load. And I only have to open the door once, a bit longer, to bring in the equivalent of 6 armloads! This was a great idea!

Otherwise, I am still in semi-hibernation.

Eclipse any minute now??

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 20 Jan 19 - 08:57 PM

Aaaand.... the last load of laundry has now been put away. This led to clearing out two plastic drawers for Greg's stuff, that I hadn't had time to clear for him before I went back to PA in December, now he has room for his stuff pending March dresser delivery.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 21 Jan 19 - 07:43 AM

With a surprising but welcome early waking, I restored the last personal schedule here with only very slight updates. I'm in sync finally.

I've been showering at the Y. Tdy was my first shower here in 6 weeks.

Omg!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 21 Jan 19 - 09:27 AM

DP, the last agency promised they'd train newbies... but after 3 w/o keeping that promise, I put it all into a Word doc they read upon arrival.

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Jan 19 - 12:42 PM

I forgot about the eclipse and when I did get out there I had to return to the house a couple of times (tripod, flashlight) and hoped to get lucky with speed alone but the aperture setting needed adjustment (not auto) and my shots were all overexposed. I have good shots from previous years.

Another eBay item has sold, nickle and diming my PayPal account back to a robust state. I estimate about $100 a month in sales, enough to pay a bill or two and I use PayPal for all of my USPS mailing. It's easier that way.

Daffodil stalks are tall and there are a couple of buds swelling on those nearest the front of the house where they get protection from the wind and some radiant heat bounced from the stone wall.

I think the pledge drive is about finished on my local NPR station. I'm a sustaining member so I don't need to call in, and when you participate it sometimes makes the pledge drive less onerous, but this year it palls. Good thing I can stream other stations; Washington, D.C. and Boston are on a different pledge drive schedule.

eBay and editing today. It's still too cold outside for yard work. My no-spend January has lurched along so I'll extend it into February. When weather is cold it's easier to stay in and not spend locally, but we had nice weather last week and I discovered a couple of great sales. Nothing frivolous, but not entirely essential either. #GoodIntentions

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 21 Jan 19 - 01:44 PM

Daffodils!!!!   On this arctic day, I had forgotten all about them...thanks for the reminder and something to look forward to in a few months!

Our water was frozen this morning. Pete spent about 4 hours getting it all thawed out. We have water for the toilet and kitchen sink but the drain in the tub is frozen (at least for now). It is reported to be minus 30+ degrees in the town nearest us. Schools are closed for either Martin Luther King, Jr. Day or due to the temperatures.

I have a ham in the crock pot, all the dishes are done, the fridge has been cleaned out and soon I'll be folding laundry and preparing for my work week. We were going to play some cards this afternoon and maybe we still will but at the moment, Pete is sacked out in front of the fire with Oatie snuggling right up with him. He works hard and I'm going to let him nap...he certainly deserves to!

I am toying with the idea of starting a new blog to track my weight loss progress but also for tracking my health and things that I find to be of motivation. I'm not sure just yet...but it surely did help the last time I had any real success. I'll let you know if and when I decide to do that as you are welcome to tag along. :)

I'm ready to make some changes.

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 21 Jan 19 - 01:49 PM

Beaver:

"Daffodil stalks are tall and there are a couple of buds swelling on those nearest the front of the house where they get protection from the wind and some radiant heat bounced from the stone wall." Now you have really done it, Maggie! Last year there was so much snow on top of the daffies, one never did grow - I saw it, a bit of green leaves but... Trying to be careful that the snow does not get piled on there this year. Did not get the protection around that special bed that I had sort of planned. Darn, I see there is already too much! Well, about the end of April, I might see them. Maybe.

The studio was at 33F this am so I bought a new heater, suspecting the old one of wearing out. Does not appear the anything actually froze but it is a warning. The next round of work in there will be to organize so things that might freeze are up higher. Tonight will tell me if the new heater is the answer. Maybe some tall sticks and burlap around it...? So more snow does not get thrown there.

Also bought a new wider shovel with a metal edge so I can move snow more efficiently. Found two very nice boxes at the grocery that I can use as file boxes to use in the new cabinet - after Dan cuts it down to size.

Our friendly neighbourhood ermine was just outside the back window yesterday, long enough for me to see she had supper (a mouse I think) that she took up to the sleeping loft, clearly making herself at home. I heard the patter of tiny feet up there. I thought she might come down for a visit but, happily, she did not. We actually delight in her presence. As cold as it has been I was wanting to invite all the wildlings in to our warm place! She is so flat, I cannot imagine being able to exclude her. We shall see what she has done come spring. Most of what is up there is in plastic bins. I would offer some old sweaters but do not want to open the trap door and let any of the precious heat out!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 21 Jan 19 - 05:58 PM

I saved big daffs and an iris to force, from the big sewer dig last fall. Just need gravel.

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Jan 19 - 10:44 PM

I sent some of my daffodils to Janie in North Carolina last fall, and perhaps she'll be greeting them when spring arrives in her neck of the woods. I also gave some irises to a friend here in North Texas and expect she'll be seeing them bloom by March or early April.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Jan 19 - 11:35 AM

I cat sat for several days and used the dish soap there to wash out the cat bowls and trays that are placed under bowl to food to keep crumbs off of the floor. It's what the cats are used to so I went with it. Anyway, her brand of dish soap is Palmolive, and now my hands are broken out because that variety of detergent has a coconut ingredient. I always buy Dawn because it doesn't cause this problem.

The little cracks that have formed on my fingertips (at the corner of the nails) is a common winter-time affliction if one is in water a lot, but these days I'm generally not. Every so often something comes along that reminds me that a particular product is a problem, and this episode was it.

Contact dermatitis to coconut is more common than food allergy
Coconut-derived products (such as coconut diethanolamide, cocamide sulphate, cocamide DEA, CDEA) can cause contact allergic dermatitis, present in cosmetics including some hair shampoos, moisturisers, soaps, cleansers and hand washing liquids. As with any contact dermatitis, an itchy blistering rash may arise a day or two after contact with the allergen, and take several days to resolve. If contact dermatitis to coconut products is suspected, then patch testing is an appropriate method for diagnosis. From here.

I am my own living "patch test." The list of coconut-derived products is really long, and there are dozens of different named chemicals that cause this problem (the biggest being sodium lauryl sulfate or sodium laureth sulfate).

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 22 Jan 19 - 01:07 PM

Spent some time this AM planning a new shelving configuration to maximize the media side of the Liberation Library's double closet.

Brandon is coming this aftn to stow two file cabinets in the other side-- which will substantially clear walk-space in that now-frustratingly-crowded room. Then I can map more shelving around them, and Brandon can put all these in for us next week during his Tool Time with Greg.

-S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 22 Jan 19 - 03:48 PM

Note to self:

When 2 men measure, the woman who knows how to make it fit loses her whole project.

I'll call Girl Power!

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 22 Jan 19 - 05:50 PM

A hard day here. Brandon mismeasured last week for today's most important job, leaving me to invent yet another creative workaround.

X = done

(---) = not, maybe next week

With me:

X Water the garaged peony

X Make and tape/staple garage signs up high to guide upcoig rearrangements of garage items:
L for Library - 1 in corner and one over big door
G for Garden- 1 on L side and 1 on R-- GL and GR
H for Hardware
A for Artwork and Decor
F for Furniture
W for Wood and Lumber

X Corner desk shelf?
Cut and mocked up to raise printer and increase corner desktop laptop or writing space.

X -1 File cabs to Library closet
Only 1 fit. The other is now a temporary side table for my chair, which makes me hate it all but eases walk space a wee bit (not enough) in Library.

X Ramp out of van and stored in now-emptier L corner

X Mats out of van to Library for cold feet

(Plywood?) Bother day when snow melts

(Cut green/gold rug in garage for patio door area of kitchen)

Check paints n spackle n 5/1 tool

(Raise dog fence if we haz zip ties (lost) )

(Can't bcuz cabinet protrudes: Add rod sleeve to library closet rod)

(In patio, tilt lattice panel more)

(Reassess if ext cords needed for sliding libraary) desk-- it ran over cords which got trapped

With Greg,

Find double tap and see if kitchen outlet can safely be reactivated at appliance counter

Confirm circuit labels and add any missed

Dbl tap if retained may better be done on BR circuits-- lowert load there than prev occupants who originated the dbl tap

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 23 Jan 19 - 11:30 AM

Beaver:
Waiting for the snow to stop so I can shovel! Lots of snow and, I am told, freezing rain later. Warmer today - just below freezing at the moment. Studio is toasty! but I don't want to wade through the snow until I shovel most of it. And still the snow comes down - 8-10 inches, I estimate.

In the meantime, I am planning what needs to be done in case the hydro/electric goes off. Need to find the propane tank under the snow! for the propane heater in studio. The house is no problem the wood stove is keeping it cosy. Store up some water, just in case. So far, in the cold snaps, the water has not frozen!!! It did in Montreal because R did not leave it running enough.

Also waiting for R to phone and tell me the papers are signed. He commented that this house, too, could be an albatross but I exclaimed that it will be cared for; "I will not live like this anymore!" (that was in caps!) I am saving up my pittance just in case he refuses to do what I believe in necessary WHEN it is necessary.

Laundry in machine; will hang it inside. Every time, I think the snow has stopped, it starts again. I may have to get to it and get wet; the old work coat will dry.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 23 Jan 19 - 11:52 AM

DP: Great reiteration of your strong position!

All the people who helped screw up my closet project ydy woke up smarter today. Film at 11.

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Jan 19 - 02:57 PM

I'm suffering due to a disconnect between my phone's weather app and what is actually happening outside. I was ready for it to warm up more today (my phone said it would be lovely by now). But today it says "Today is forecast to be MUCH COOLER than yesterday." And my brain just hasn't caught up.

Today's to-do list included a couple of phone calls that have been made. On my fridge I have a printout of a form Michelle shared back in December with a schedule for cleaning in preparation for the holidays. I did a few days of it then forgot, but yesterday I decided to pick another activity and in this instance, it said clean bathrooms. I did just one, the hall bathroom, and I'll do the master bath today. This is the deeper-level dusting all of the wood edges on drawers, doors, and trim, getting out the glass cleaner, and scrubbing porcelain with cleanser. (Usually it's sweep, give the bowl a quick scrub, and empty the trash.)

A local radio talk show this afternoon was discussing Millennials and their habits, needs, interests, etc. And said again what I have observed with my own millennial children - where my mother saved family antiques for us, the family antiques I've saved for my children may hold little interest. They don't now, anyway. I'll keep decluttering and as it gets to the bigger pieces of furniture that I don't need I'll give them an opportunity to express interest before I list them somewhere.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 23 Jan 19 - 05:36 PM

Beaver:

IT is done!!! R met the former owner and they got on well and he is terrifically excited about our new house which we will soon be making into a home! There were those moments, you know. But it has come to pass... Now we have to deal with the reality of it. Lots of good news and the former owner is supportive and delighted that we will respect the integrity of this beautiful listed Heritage house (1902). First I've heard about that! Means we must have permission to make changes.

Snow is shoveled, freezing rain started about 4:00 so I rushed out and finished the entrance to drive while it was still OK. Wood is in. All is well at Beaver. In Montreal, the roads are a nightmare and R is on to the next crisis - trucks coming to pick up machinery tomorrow and freezing rain and dreadful snow and ...

Laundry dry. And I have worked hard enough today to take a break for the evening.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 23 Jan 19 - 08:22 PM

YAY, Dorothy!

Spontaneous coffee planning is now a regular thing. Today it started with new thoughts on the closet project, and a consensus on poss approaches. Then the weather caused us to plan a getaway while roads are good.

We went to a huge Amish bulk food grocery about an hour away, where we picked up special goodies and ordered bulk peanuts. I was able to gather pricing info on other staples we've been getting at a much smaller PA Mennonite bulk food store-- won't need to juggle THAT with our March moving trip!

We had some good talks about how it's been going since formal retirement, cleared up a sticky item from ydy, and explored a state park Judy and I found which Greg agrees we will love for day trips. Finished w affordable supper at the little restaurant Judy and I had found. A good day.

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Jan 19 - 11:05 AM

I mentioned deep cleaning one time yesterday, in this thread, and now on Amazon I'm seeing an ad for Amazon services to have someone come in and do a deep cleaning in my home.

Congratulations on consolidating the household and property to a smaller footprint, Dorothy! Will the location of the new house give you the same feeling of retreat from town as the Beaver location? I think your photos or map posted ages ago on Facebook showed in adjacent to a large park? (Perhaps Amazon will start offering you links to moving companies!)

I'm restoring blog pages to their old illustrated selves with the photos I downloaded from Photobucket (they stopped allowing third-party hosting unless you paid a high annual fee) and am loading them onto the Wordpress site. I could have put them there before but I was using the free site and it didn't offer much space. Now I'm paying for space there and won't pay Photobucket. I also recently pretty much demolished my old Flickr account because they also sold and are imposing new restrictions. #TooGoodToLast

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 Jan 19 - 12:40 PM

Brandon's closet and file cabinet measurements... plus my idea to simply remove 3 pieces of molding... plus Greg's rethinking and great tools on hand = YAY, and Brandon's not having to wear a dust mask to remove closet wallboard Tuesday! And, the carpentry/garage rearrangement work for his upcoming Tuesday will be a LOT more fun--for all!

It MAY also be possible to end the cord maze in the library which is making several of us NUTS.

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 24 Jan 19 - 07:47 PM

Beaver:

We are not giving up Beaver; we are moving from the Montreal house to the Chateauguay house for the sake of having a decent home that has heat! and off the street parking! and a bit more room around the house for a garden and the trees behind that are not ours but go all the way to the next highway and provides an area for walks, and a house large enough to have company, even overnight company! And R can have his very own office that bro cannot take over. And it is a solid brick house in good condition with beautiful original woodwork. I would have settled happily for something smaller but the fact is that we need ROOM/SPACE! POTTING SPACE, WOODWORKING SPACE, entertainment space. We could even have house concerts! And R has enough Victorian furniture to fill the whole place. The former owner is delighted that we are on the same page and will be caring for his home of 22 years much as he has.

Right now I am trying to work out the logistics of getting back there to be part of making it into OUR home. The weather is not cooperating and I miss Robin and also want to see our new house and get on with the next phase of my life! IF it is not warm enough to take plants in the car, I have to come back in a couple weeks to water them OR ask my kind neighbour to do so... No moving truck will be used; R and his chosen ones will do the job. And it will take time! I will deal with small stuff.

Those who are coffee addicts could help me out by suggesting ways to make coffee for occasional guests who MUST have their coffee. I have never had a cup in my life and would like to be able to offer it so people do not have to go out to a cafe...!! Not that single serving stuff but can I keep coffee in the freezer and prepare it easily. The last cup I made someone (instant, 30 years ago) was poured out on the ground!

After all the shoveling yesterday, I took a hot bath but still did not sleep well, with heating pad on back. I did not get much done today but more snow clearing. It hovered around freezing all day and I still had no get up... Now the temp is going down again for a while.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Jan 19 - 01:20 AM

Dorothy, I never drink coffee, but I have a coffee maker, filters, and a good grind of coffee in the freezer. And I get out these and let coffee drinkers make their own. I also have a French press if they don't want to go to all of the trouble. My usual offer is "I'm not a coffee drinker, but if you'd like me to make you a cup, I will." Funny how quickly they step up to make their own brew! :)

Sounds like it will be interesting, filling that house with Victorian furniture!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 25 Jan 19 - 07:16 AM

DP, YES on a French press and freezing the coffee. If you REALLY want to impress, but a cheap grinder for you or your guest's use and freeze the beans whole. You grind, guests smell the addictive aroma and jump to use the French press.

We use one of our grinders to grind cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, etc. They take up hardly any counter space. Invest in a good press, but the cheap grinders are great.

Another impressive but cheap coffee workhorse is the stove top espresso thingie with two parts that screw together, found at big box kitchen stores or sometimes where coffee is sold. You'll want the larger size for that or the French press.

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Jan 19 - 11:59 AM

Yesterday was the first of three weekly gel injections in my knee; the time has come to go through these steps in order to keep stepping. I'm not ready for replacement parts yet. Just in time for gardening season, since I need to prepare beds for onions and potatoes. I won't get the full effect of the shots for a few weeks, but at least it won't get worse than it was.

Last night I waded past the clutter of boxes in the sunroom to show a friend my setup for eBay (the shipping boxes from the holidays haven't been flattened yet). She makes jewelry and is wanting to display necklaces without having the house or table or wherever she is working in view. I use a photo cube and a mannequin torso, the torso is covered with black jersey and I put a black knit top over that to give an attractive neckline look for things I photograph (last month I listed three leather handbags so I put the form into the photo cube and draped the long shoulder strap over the mannequin for photos that give a good idea of scale and are in a neutral space.) I really do need to tackle that area.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 25 Jan 19 - 12:13 PM

It's snowing in Stratford, with a wind stiff enough to drive the flakes at an acute angle to the ground. So I'm staying in, and cleaning the house.

I have this thing about bathrooms. I like the surface around the sink to be clear of clutter -- nothing on it at all. But modern bathroom decor tends to not include cabinets where one can stow all the clag that people keep in bathrooms; in fact, our present abode is quite innocent even of a medicine cabinet. How did that happen? This inquiring mind wants to know. (It's a good thing Himself and I do not share a bathroom, because we would have come to blows by now over the way he leaves heaps of clutter around the bathroom sink.)

So today I hung a little metal shelf thingy on the wall to hold the clag that I use every day, leaving only the soapdish on the counter top.

Apart from that, the agenda is vacuuming and dusting, or dusting and vacuuming. It's January, and the alternatives are worse.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 25 Jan 19 - 02:11 PM

Charmion-- how this happened is: countertop baskets and vanity drawers. And transient relationships with overnight bags.

Great news this aftn:

We're now eligible for a 60% copay on County Council on Aging services for the next 3 months and are agreed that we can afford their 9$/Hr YANO (minus 40%) for two hours a week for the rest of the first quarter.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Jan 19 - 05:04 PM

I had the same issue in both of my bathrooms, Charmion. Back when I was building a large shelf unit for my daughter's room I decided to use some of the remnants to make some smaller things I needed. I created a small open double-shelf unit that is 18" wide, 16" high, and the top shelf is 10" above the lower one. There isn't a top to this thing, but this way there are a few inches of wood that keep things on the top shelf from pitching off of the sides. It's only about 3.5" deep, and it was made to fit into the space beside the sink, between the door and the wall where the very large mirror covers the wall over the sinks. It's enough to hold bottles of alcohol, witch hazel, a few lotions, sore throat spray, etc.

The shelf is a good quality birch plywood and I used iron-on oak trim on all of the edges before sanding and staining it a golden oak that matches the cabinets.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 25 Jan 19 - 08:42 PM

I got to the warm pool just early enough to be in time for a quiet and hard mixed hour of ai chi, backhab, aquajogging, and PT exercises. Afterwards I called my ex-PT, hoping for a printout of my last aquatic program with her.

I think I hurt every muscle just enough, ground off arthritic knees just enough, and stretched problematic tendons just enough. TBTG I perfectly recall that PT's pain monitoring/effort eval system. I went to bed knowing she'd laugh WITH me in the morning.

(She did.) Not only is she sending the names of the exercises-- many of which I've been recalling--the whole program in pictures is on its way.... along with several new exercises I can do in the warm pool's unique setup. Such generosity!

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 25 Jan 19 - 09:41 PM

Beaver:

Finally woke up today with a sense of energy to get things done. Did home in house things and ate carefully lest that rob my energy, waited for studio to be warm enough and the sun was shining- but not much coming in. And I glazed a load and filled the kiln and ...YAY! With any luck I will have mugs - if they turn out- for Carole in Quebec. Now I need to get them to her in the first week of Feb.

Then I still felt good so I brought in two dolly loads of wood. Then I was tired and achey so I sat on bed with heating pad on back for a while. I was elated to get the kiln loaded and find it a helpful learning that only doing the wood is the cause of aches. Not potting or glazing!

Still working on logistics of trip to Quebec re plants that cannot be moved in cold, studio that must be kept above freezing,... and waiting for word from R that there is a bed in place, for starters! In time to get mugs to Carole and to hear a fav group on 1 Feb.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 26 Jan 19 - 06:19 PM

Corrected/amended post:


Service dog Newbie was excluded from a planned family event today, so I sent Greg with the food I'd made and am re-ordering the Library now that the storage-dedicated file cabinet is indoors; I also labeled our shared home office corner in that room, to catch the home administrivia we're generating.

It's very new, for Greg for things to be so organized without a secretary... so we check in with other about it often, as the orderliness possible here makes itself obvious.

With a home 1/5 the size of the PA house-- and a home office about 1/5 the size of his recent Rector's Office-- this new opportunity to play house is often hilarious. The press of blending families and searching out a new parish during our newlywed year didn't really allow us to do this before with any intentionality. Thank God for all the Tiny House shows we watched the last few years for ideas, or we'd both be nuts by now!

As the day went on, a bunch of cluttery containers disappeared from various spots in the house, their contents swallowed up into the file cabinets. The larger recliner swapped in last week was swiveled to its Library Is Open position, and viola! There was that spacious room again!

So I spent some time with my camera, planning the next work with Brandon on Tuesday, to add even more storage shelving.

I also reorganized a long counter in the kitchen that recently had its outlet restored to function-- back to the pre-Tyler Appliance Counter configuration. That's part of a long process of making the L-shaped cooking area a real two-cooks' kitchen.

This new fone has a really slow-learning autocorrect!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Jan 19 - 11:07 PM

It was a lovely day, almost the entire time away from social media (including Mudcat). I did read the paper online this morning and forwarded a couple of articles, but most of the day I was preparing for and visiting with friends here for a long afternoon visit. Now to record meals on My Fitness Pal and see how much calcium I need to take to reach 100%, and it's off the computer again. I have a book of essays to read before it's due at the library.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Jan 19 - 12:16 PM

Making a short list of things to work on (and hopefully finish) today. Right now, I have a fresh cup of tea at my elbow, so while I enjoy that tea I'll work on an eBay listing. I have other stuff to do, it won't be eBay all day, but if I had done a cup-of-tea's worth of eBay every day I'd have a robust set of offerings by now. Today is the first in that proposed daily exercise.

It may seem torturous to our more northerly participants in this thread, but I must get my onion sets into the ground and prepare the area for my red lasoda potatoes. If the soil isn't fully turned over and a large area loosened up few potatoes are produced. There are daffodils blooming up the street so I know I'm already getting a late start.

There are other items on the list, it isn't my intention to enumerate all tasks here. But over the last couple of weeks I've had a running list, adding new items to the bottom for each day and crossing off what I finished. It's working.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 27 Jan 19 - 12:52 PM

The wind here has been ferocious today. It woke me up around 4am this morning, I got up to check that both fires were ok and went back to bed, snuggling deep into my little nest. We decided to forgo church this morning as it has been snowing quite a bit and for a long stretch of time, sometimes with whiteout conditions.

I spent some time this morning putting clothes away, clearing the table, getting meds ready for the next two weeks. Laundry is going at the moment too.

We celebrated Christmas with Pete's family last night. It was a nice evening for all. With that being said, I have some gifts that need to be unpackaged and put away. They stayed in the car all night as it was dark when we got home and our yard is a sheet of ice. Pete brought the boxes down to the house awhile ago and I am waiting for them to come up to room temperature before putting those away.

I am taking tomorrow off from work as my mom is having some medical tests done at a non-local hospital and I am going to go with her. I'm packing some overnight items just in case they are needed.

I am envisioning an afternoon with popcorn and Netflix. I'm hoping to read for a bit and also some time to search for a new quilt pattern. That might be sorting through some in my sewing room or maybe finding something altogether new online. I have a retreat coming up and it's time to plan! Speaking of planning, I also need to make a list for Pete of the items I would like to incorporate into this year's garden. He likes to play the layout at this time of year. I have taken a real liking to Thai Eggplant which uses Japanese Eggplant. Have any of you ever grown Japanese eggplant and might be able to suggest a certain variety?

Stay warm!

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 27 Jan 19 - 01:37 PM

Beaver:

I see a French press in my future! Thank you!

Trip to Quebec is further in the future than I had hoped. After tedious repeated perusal of 14 day forecasts for here and there, it appears that next monday or tues can be suitable temperature wise and possibly free of snow falling.

R does not have the slightest understanding of my wanting to get into the new house! "You can stay here." Trying to explain without totally losing it that I would be happy to never see that place again! And NO, I cannot move plants in sub-zero weather! I am fuming!

So I shall go clear the fresh 4-5 inches of snow off the back deck and bring in wood. Then use the heating pad and more GS and MSM for the aching shoulder. I did manage to get the mirror over the K sink almost clean before I ran out of that energy spurt.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 27 Jan 19 - 04:00 PM

After our first two Sundays here were snow-closure Sundays at church, it was great to be able to go this AM and reconnect with old friends-- and actually get to sit in a pew with my husband. On the way home we stopped for brunch at a restaurant a friend had introduced me to-- and yay! Our church's later service time got us there after the Sunday rush!

It's a day off house projects today.

Tomorrow is forecast to be warm and rainy-- perfect day (45°) to finish the last of the fall file purge.

Tuesday Brandon will cart in all those banker's boxes to the LL and I can purge their contents further in coming weeks, picking pages for a program guide I'm writing and recycling the duplicates.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 27 Jan 19 - 06:58 PM

For light entertainment this evening, we toured the nearby Indian Ripple/Dorothy Lane corridor to a Dorothy Lane Market, and then explored that (think Kroger's natural section or Wegman's, on steroids). There are three DLM's in the area, one of which hosts a Meetup I want to use to find new friends.

Along the way back we noted (and entered into our GPS) a number of places we know or want to know. I was pleased that my mental map is filling in.

Every city should have a set of key corridors to explore first. I'm grateful a friend told me about this one.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 27 Jan 19 - 07:42 PM

Beaver:

Paths on deck, wood in, kiln unloaded - some new interesting glazes/ combos, car cleared and drive about half cleared. Below zeroF already! (7:30) Fire perking, Shoulder aching. Bed/book/heating pad and more MSM and GS.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Jan 19 - 12:15 PM

We're closing in on a month into the new year - I wonder how many lurkers have simply put on their work boots and gloves and scruffy clothes, gotten out the donate boxes and trash bags, and taken care of the clutter they've been meaning to clear out? Please drop in and share your progress with us!

This morning I finished the second part of my attic cardboard box removal. There was still Styrofoam in in the garage from several of the boxes, so this morning it was broken up to fit in the trash bag and left at the curb. It's rare to find a recycle program that will take it, and when you do, how much gas will it take to drive a few pieces there?

While up in the attic I found two boxes that will work to ship bread machines I've found at thrift stores to sell on eBay. My bread machine doesn't need a box, it lives on a shelf.

Yesterday I made the mistake of buying a caffeinated soft drink in the late afternoon and it kept me awake till later than I usually head to bed. That messes up the next day. I need to find an acceptable caffeine free cola that doesn't have the toxic sweeteners (and I don't drink sugary drinks). I decluttered most of the pop out of my diet years ago but these occasional soft drinks are meant to be a reward for myself when I've run an errand, etc. Are there any soft drinks out there sweetened with Stevia that any of you have tried and like?

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 28 Jan 19 - 03:03 PM

Today so far has been the dreary-now but eventually-rewarding scutwork of massaging garaged items thru the Purge Funnel and into the house. This is to make room in the garage for the balance of PA items which we'll bring in March.

Today it was reacquainting myself with a garage archive-sorting project from the fall, left then very close to completion. So I got it finished-- which is now a pile of banker's boxes for B to bring in tmrw. Still need to prep library closet space for the non-FPH batch of these boxes, and allocate space in there to sort/purge/organize the FPH batch that will become that program guide I'm writing.

In the garage-- where folks have been tossing crap right on top of that on-hold project-- I saved several of my Anti-Racism workshop items before they'd been irretrievably damaged, and set them to bring in tmrw too. My bad-- just before leaving for PA I'd unloaded these from a borrowed car and failed to bring them in then.

Most of the crap was empty boxes to recycle, so I set those near the recycle bin (It's full already). Other stuff was trash and tbtg it fit into the trash bin.

When I came in--

. Found drill bits for my cordless drill/driver, and bagged them after using the cordless to repair the dash mount for my GPS.
. Cleaned out the "misc hardware" kitchen drawer and recycled a few odd items found in there. Sorted others to where they actually belong. (The garage area B will clear of my banker's boxes tmrw has been blocking hardware shelves we can resume using to keep this drawer clear.)
. Found and brought in next empty Goodwill catch box. Requested current GW box to go tdy if possible.
. Left garage set up to resume tmrw.

I also eyeballs another area ppl have been crapping up, which is the area the next Yano gets to help me clear out--Artwork for Greg and I to hang.

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 29 Jan 19 - 11:07 AM

The annual fye-out of the closet and chest of drawers is under way. I find that I wear only two kind of socks these days: the padded white kind made for summer walking, and the wool kind made for not freezing the toes in Ontario winters. Consequently, all other types of socks are excess to requirements. But who wants second-hand (sorry) socks, even if they are perfectly sound? Likewise underpants?

Tax time is approaching, so I am also turning out the top drawer of the filing cabinet to assemble last year's expenses and bank statements. Everything older than seven years goes into the fire. That's because There Can Be Only One filing cabinet.

Apart from that, things are quiet on the home front in Stratford. The weather is complicated -- a veritable tempest of snow over the last few days, and now the thermometer is tumbling toward minus lots and lots -- so I don't feel like going anywhere much. Himself toddles off to court and the gym, but otherwise logs most of his time at his desk grinding out legal stuff, or in front of the goggle-box, where he makes the cat happy by remaining quite still for long periods.

It's winter, otherwise known as television season.

Come spring, we have to get busy on landscaping. We have a large deck that looks pleasant in fine weather but unfortunately covers two basement windows and rather too much of the foundation; consequently, it must go, to be replaced with a stone patio. Oddly, none of the basement windows of this house have proper window-wells, so it's a good thing we have not had any long periods of torrential rain lately -- the result would be water pouring in over the basement window-sills. So we need the services of guys with shovels, rakes, and other implements of destruction to shift dirt, lay gravel, and fit paving stones. Every time I look at the deck, I wonder what multitude of maintenance sins of omission it might be hiding.

That will cost money. Sigh.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 29 Jan 19 - 11:35 AM

Charmion, I see socks all the time at Goodwill. Also they make great dog toys for shelters.

Here, we're working thru a good test of the 2-cooks kitchen shaping up-- it's a cooking morning bcuz Yano doesn't start this week:

. Sweet taters are boiling on the stovetop for tater salad, for a guest poss joining us for a casual supper tmrw eve
. Orange rice is going on the appliance counter, in my venerable rice cooker, for the house and the guest supper
. Flat crockpot next to the stove is going for pork/chix liver in 2x chix stock
. Half butternut squash is roasting in the oven for the house (or as a tater salad replacement if skins on taters aren't edible)

Brandon is coming at 2:30, and we planned that work during Coffee Chat.

This is the 1st Xmas we've packed up in 20 years....

Now I have an empty picture window to decorate for the next season or neighborhood meeting, yay!

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 29 Jan 19 - 02:36 PM

Beaver:

Socks: needed for street people yes, and even used underwear.

Boxes: reminds me that I need to get some.

After I went out to shovel the drive of a huge amount of snow and saw the folks down the road were getting plowed out YAY!!!!! Yes, he did mine also with his wonderful machine and agreed to keep it clear while I am in Quebec.

Then I went off to the library and Home Hardware - found my wallet was not with me! Came home without fuses (but did not blow mine). wallet in work coat from paying the man. That drive was getting me down. I feel de-cluttered!! Went out back and cleared path to the wood pile. THAT I could manage!

Need boxes. Another trip to town - with wallet. Look at French presses and buy fuses for kiln.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 29 Jan 19 - 03:38 PM

Decently cleaned used undies = women's shelter gratitude.


Brandon bailed on work I've been prepping for a week and, today, intensely-- which left the house non-functional. Greg bailed out the day by volunteering for the most important task, which resulted in clearing out a nasty garage area.

That area had been designated for hardware and small tools-- which Tyler and friends had crapped up, and which others kept crapping up more. Now it only contains my scooter, and open shelves waiting to be used.

My missing gardening handtools also turned up, which can go to another already-prepared area.

A bag of trash and recycling also left the garage. Yay!

Thank you, Greg Hinton??!

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 29 Jan 19 - 08:49 PM

Also my program guide box is now in the house, and so are a bunch of other banker's boxes, with the not-immediately-needed but freshly-labeled boxes stowed at a height I can reach-- behind a curtain, atop file cabinets in library closet. (Resume box next after guide box.) For about 10 minutes (until we started another project off the Brandon list), I could see my library again. Which made me burst into happy tears. So many delays....

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Jan 19 - 11:16 PM

This morning I shared some seeds with a friend and we plan to compare notes on how the tomatoes grow and produce in each yard. These were from my Secret Santa in 2018. From there I saw some other friends at the library where I worked, and then did a lot of driving to meet folks at a different library location I'd never been to before in a town that used to be small and isn't any more. The drive home was leisurely, a "back road" that took me on a cook's tour of the county, from the prosperous little town that is all new construction through the northeast part of my town that is much older. Interesting to look at the demographics and businesses that are in each place.

I've added a couple of books to my Amazon wish list but I'll see if I can get either of them at a local library before I make the purchase. I should go add them to the "want to read" category in GoodReads.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 30 Jan 19 - 08:21 AM

Does anyone else wake up with storage solutions needed for solving a previous day's project?

It's too complicated to explain all the permutations, but I awoke with one of these "global solves" for the home office corner, involving electrical outlet placement---making several things possible to solve a month-long problem.... without unloading heavy bookcases to move them.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Jan 19 - 01:45 PM

That's referred to as "sleeping on it" for a reason. In graduate school I discovered the usefulness of a "power nap." If I was struggling with some aspect of a paper or such, and felt an overwhelming need to take a nap, I stopped resisting it. Set a timer for 15-20 minutes, and invariably when I woke an answer presented itself. My brain just needed the down time to sort it out.

We are lucky in Texas to not be in the deep freeze that so many are, but I have to say that I have this feeling of general cold in just thinking about that polar vortex splitting and descending from the north pole. I have a pot of beans simmering on the stove; I imagine it is beef stew or chicken pot pie weather in the north. Stay warm, everyone.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 30 Jan 19 - 02:23 PM

A pressing task is my bed/livingroom light which I’ve been without for the last 2 days. I’m using a LED camping lantern, powered by a small sealed lead acid battery that gives some light but not as much as I’d like and things are a bit dim. All the same, that btw turned out a good purchase a few years back. When not in use, I charge it once a month and it’s helped us through a few power cuts (not that common an occurrence but they do happen). If (not often these days) mum and I do get out for say an evening of music, I always leave this one in easy reach for dad in case of a power cut (and there is also a mains plug in night light by the living room door that would come on) so he’d be left in darkness or be tempted to try a risky walk while waiting for us (he’d call us if there was a problem) to get home.

I’m hoping the problem does turn out to be the switch (I’ve not checked power is getting to it and that would need an electrician).   The part came today but to late for me to fit. It’s a Z Wave module and my memory says that “auto calibrate” does not work with the led panel it drives so (as the controller won’t allow me to view current settings for a device it claims no longer exits), it will be a slow trial and error job to set the min/max dimming levels. I don’t know, I can get drawn into tech but can also find myself cursing it at times.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 30 Jan 19 - 03:41 PM

Beaver:

Slept too well last night and woke to a BR at 59F. Minus 26C outside. Too cold to get up but if I don't it will get colder. So I did, fed fire, and went back to bed. Eventually it got warm enough to get up.

I did get boxes yesterday - some for me and some for friends who sell on amazon. Today, met them at Timmy's and gave them boxes. Came home and did NOT feel like doing wood. BUT it is still COLD outside and the pile was dwindling so I brought in two loads, cleared snow to the studio and watered plants. Considering one more load but want feet to get warmer. Sunny this am but cloudy now and feels/looks like more snow. So much easier here than in Montreal!

Trip to Chateauguay with plants may be put off to Tuesday - weather! So much easier to face the inevitable snow when there is off street parking AND someone clearing the drive!

The house had warmed again after the door openings to bring in wood. Another load is doable.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Jan 19 - 06:39 PM

In the wee hours last night a smoke detector started chirping (low battery). I listened for a few minutes to figure out it was the one in the hall outside the bedrooms, then struggled for several minutes to get the replacement battery into the little compartment and for it to line up with the contacts. It's the 9V type that is typically plugged into one of those caps for the positive and negative terminals, but this one you slide into the plastic case and it rests against the connections. I need to change the others so they're all in sync instead of playing the "where is the chirp coming from" game throughout the year.

A batch of beans is finished and stored in jars in the freezer, with a bowl for dinner tonight, served over rice. I have just a couple of more purchases to make tomorrow, then am entering a "no spend" month challenge for myself. I'm inspired by a friend who has taken his bullet journalling to a level I've never seen, but he's keeping good track of the bills as he pays off credit accounts. I think adding a couple of dedicated bill-pay pages to mine will do the same thing without all of the arts and crafts he put into play.

I have a package I prepared to list on eBay, but when I got ready to write up the listing realized I need to take another photo of the item so have to unpack it and set it back into the photo cube. Then repack it. Bummer

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 30 Jan 19 - 06:48 PM

I changed ours last year, SRS. They were individual battery ones but we now have linked ones, still battery but fixed and supposed to last 10 years. It can make quite a racket when put on "test".

It can be quite fun trying to trace a beep can't it. There seem to be quite a few things here that can emit a warning beep...

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Jan 19 - 07:31 PM

These are linked, and were put in back in 2011. Each has it's own battery backup so when I replaced the battery in the one and pressed the test button they all went off. And yes, quite a racket!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 30 Jan 19 - 08:52 PM

I'm so proud of our amazing kitchen, which just performed beautifully for a relaxed, casual supper with a guest. The counter space allocated for appliances and the 2nd cook just swallowed up each courses's dishes; I cleared them from my swivel chair just by placing them behind me. The sink and other food prep area are totally unaffected-- it can all sit til the morning with no brekky impediment.

Good job, Camp Ridgebury Kitchen!

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 31 Jan 19 - 12:38 PM

Comparing packing tape on Amazon (reading reviews) today. Right now I'm using Scotch, and it's so heavy duty as to be overkill. I've used others that were too light, and there were some that were a good weight but not the name brand of Scotch so were cheaper. Reading reviews it seems like the smell of the tape is an issue. Hmmm. I remember smelling tape before but not being particularly affected by it. Put this in the category of occasionally revisiting decisions about products that are regularly in use.

Another product review that I'm acting on is to finally purchase a small bottle of gear oil for lubricating the paper shredders here. I have one to list on eBay and as I did research on this particular brand I found a reviewer making sense - don't buy a household shredder and complain when you can't use it all day long every day. And lubricate it.

This morning I made a pass through the front yard to pick up litter that has drifted down the street and lodged in the shrubs. I need to make an effort to improve the look of the stretch of garden along the curb (where the trash collects). And I still need to re-contour parts of the lawn where the new sewer line went in the the piled up dirt wasn't completely leveled.

The gardening friend who I swapped seeds with said he's planning to start his tomatoes in pots next week. I made the case that they can get awfully leggy that way by the time the weather is right for planting. He said he always puts them way-deep in the ground and swears by how well the roots get established (the stem will root when in contact with soil) so I'll give that a try. Over the next few days I'll see if I can weatherproof the greenhouse enough to put the pots out there, otherwise they'll be in my very crowded sunroom windows. I could start them in tiny pots and repot them for the greenhouse later, on the way to planting in the garden.

I know some of you are shoveling snow and dragging firewood. I'm seeing Instagram posts of friends dressed in jackets indoors because they've been asked to keep the thermostat low to use less energy. Stay safe and warm - your spring will be all the sweeter and dramatic after such a rugged winter.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 31 Jan 19 - 01:41 PM

I don't know about smell but some tape on the UK market is awful. We got a roll of brown packing tape for some Christmas things. It split no matter how careful you tried to be. The bit you pulled would get thinner, break off and then you would fight to get the tape restarted and it was at least very good at sticking to itself. It did the jobs in the end but I don't think I could have imagined a simple matter of using a roll of tape could be so frustrating.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 31 Jan 19 - 03:00 PM

Post-guest dishes whipped, even the good silverware we used.

The table to sort that FPH box into a program guide is now set outside the Library door, ready to go to work Monday.

The Anti-Racism gig is prepped except for getting a mic out of Greg's closet.

Off to Joann's for elastic.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 31 Jan 19 - 07:00 PM

Jeremiah did not have school today due to the very cold temperatures so I stayed home with him and kept the wood fire going all day and the house at a reasonable temperature. It was a luxury to be here all day!!!   I made homemade spaghetti sauce out of the summer tomatoes we canned the summer before last and have it simmering in the crock pot. The dishes are all done, the pile of socks that have been waiting to be matched up are all paired up and put away, two boxes of Christmas presents received last weekend have been sorted and put away. The rest of the day has been spent relaxing and keeping the house warm with a beautiful fire.

There is a 2 hour delay for tomorrow as well due to the bitter temperatures.

Hope all of you are warm tonight.

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 31 Jan 19 - 07:03 PM

Beaver:

Oh, Jon, I have had tape like that! SO aggravating!

SRS: your friend is using an accepted way to do tomatoes, a good idea. IF I can get to that point of organization, I shall try to start some - in March! Planting them deeply when the time comes does give them a better root system. The daffodils are now under about 3 feet of snow. I may try to remove some in late February, if I can get near.

My friends might be selling on Ebay rather than Amazon. It is all Greek to me. But I went for more boxes today, for them and for my traveling plants and pots.

Did another load yesterday and one load today. Below zero at 7:30. The wood stove is working! The cold continues to weigh me down. Supposed to go up to freezing on Sunday!!!!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 01 Feb 19 - 10:50 AM

Friend Judy was admitted via ER to the local hospital ydy, the next day after our supper with her where she'd mentioned how much she's been tablet-addicted and hibernating. When we stopped at the hospital for keys to feed her cat, the reality, she warned us, would be bad.

And indeed it was-- a kitchen full to bursting with science experiments and both sinks full. Zero counter space to unpile the sinks.... I opened the oven and used the racks.

, . After I figured out where the single sink stopper was and sorted everything by shape for nesting to soak, and Greg emptied the very inconveniently located dishwasher, I was able to whip it all and get the first sinkful of Corelle into the dishwasher. Three hours after arrival, we had trash from several piled up areas bagged, and left the worst still soaking for grand dau Emma-- a young nurse Judy adores, who lives an hour away. She arrives today to take charge of discharge planning. Emma wants to pick up where I left off, to get the apartment ready for the home health care Judy is now able to indicate she will accept after a nursing home week.

I was so grateful that I'd left my own kitchen whipped, and could spare the energy/ legs/back! Ended the night very sore but bounced back already.

Greg ran her fone charger back to the hospital and gassed up her van, which we'd picked up from the store where she'd fallen. It was good having the pastoral care skills to initiate good conversations with Judy's circle to fulfill what she'd asked of me when we met as two older women who were both living alone, just blocks apart.

Emma will see just enough of the science experiments to see how her Grammy has actually been doing, but not more than Judy's dignity can stand. All the helpers Judy has praised in the past are on standby, and connected to Emma.

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Feb 19 - 11:25 AM

I visited an estate sale that was on my route through town yesterday and made the mental note to sell a lot of the stuff the is just on storage or in cases and never used. The house in question was full of that kind of item. I picked up one long mirror that I'll use to replace the cloudy one on my dressing room door.

Warmer weather ahead, with a chance of rain. Good for gardening.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 02 Feb 19 - 11:43 AM

Apparently I did too much the day Judy fell... We'd designated that as an Errands With Walker day (no scooters), and it was after completing that successful challenge when we got Judy's news... and I suspect it was that last time I got up after resting, to do one more round at Judy's, that was the "too much" thing, because my house is out of joint again and I have to choose between Y pool and house. I chose house, because or other standing plans. And I came down with a new cold ydy.

Not the muscle thing this time-- the stamina thing. But a great doc visit ydy, and I'm spontaneously losing the PA pounds again.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Feb 19 - 11:53 AM

One of my eBay listings is a used crosscut paper shredder, and as I researched the brand I found a review for it in which a guy making a good case for using a light oil lubricant for the blades every couple of times you empty the bin. I never have used such a thing, but the Fellowes brand is inexpensive so a couple of days ago I ordered some to give it a try. It should arrive on the porch this afternoon.

My daughter told me about a website where she orders her glasses, and they look good. I have been paying through the nose at my optometrist's office (for example - those with insurance, they charge full price so you end up paying about $150 for your frames. For people without insurance, they give them a 50% discount, so they, too, end up paying $150 for their frames. They make twice as much from those of us with insurance because the actual cost of frames is about $20.) I went along with it for the usual inertia reasons; I was there, could try them on, and if your glasses break within a year they replace them free. But you already paid for them, and in all of these years I've only had one pair break. The site is https://www.zennioptical.com. She has been paying $30-$40 a pair, with a heavy-duty Rx.

I am aiming at a no-spend month, primarily to do with groceries and household stuff. When I need something I must go look in the garage, in the greenhouse, in the pantry first and see if I already have it, or something that will work just as well. I have a couple of gift cards in place and as usual the freezer is stocked. I may go ahead and order the glasses because I'd already have a pair for megabucks more if I'd gotten them when I was at the optometrist a couple of weeks ago. My regular vision is the same but the bifocal measurement has changed and will make a difference (it's stronger, no surprise.) But I'll put off any extra pairs (another set of office glasses) till after this month is past.

The other possible purchase is a new computer. I'll do the research and hem and haw and can easily put it off for a while. Knock wood this one keeps running (it has a few bugs that appear more often now - it is nine years old.)

Oooooh - pissed at Amazon this morning. I ordered a set of Scotch shipping tape intending to get the large rolls for my dispenser and it was instead those dinky little rolls on their own cheap plastic dispensers. And if I try to return them they'll keep their shipping out of it and return less than half. I'm stuck keeping them.

Susan, I'm sorry you're not feeling good today, but you certainly must feel great for having helped your friend so substantially the day before!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Feb 19 - 12:58 PM

I poked around a few of my usual places and think the best price for the 3" roll of Scotch shipping tape is at Home Depot for about $3 a roll. I've made a note to myself for when I finish all of these dinky little rolls.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 02 Feb 19 - 03:59 PM

Yes thanks SRS I do. It's important to sort out whether it's bone, muscle, or stamina... I knew I stressed the first two but thought I was farther along on stamina. So today we feed and play with her cat-- but don't visit. My walking today is to go into a new music lounge we want to try. Other nearby friends are wearing her out w visits, so we will wait till their urgency wears off-- IMNSHO nursing home visiting requires an invitation, knowing how the PT and daily round there will wear her out.

Something "normal" today: it's warm here today, and the path is presently open and nonskid-- so I got up to get my down slippers out of the van in the garage, to make and insert thicker insoles with items bought ydy which fit perfectly-- both layers of extra-insulating insoles. Warm toesies at the tavern we found, after I kick off horrible boots (or shoes) w soles too thick for my best knee angle. All by myself.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 02 Feb 19 - 04:14 PM

SRS,

    I order from Zenni optical often for clients with Medicaid who have lost or broken their glasses and won't be approved for another pair for a year or more. I've been able to get frames and single lens glasses for under $20.00 (of course this will depend on the prescription as well). They seem to be of decent quality.

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Feb 19 - 05:57 PM

Good to get a second opinion! My daughter said there are lots of options and their instructions for measuring the distance between the pupils is straightforward. My bifocals will probably cost more, but proportionately lower than the optometrist.

Friends came over this afternoon to meet Pepper the blue heeler and she's always thrilled to meet people. The weather has been nice so I cleared out stuff and moved some furniture from the back patio. One old chair is now down at the curb, probably to be broken up on Monday morning and planks put in the bin for pickup. Who knows - someone might decide they can do something with it and cart it off.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Feb 19 - 12:38 PM

Then next few days are the ones that, if I was still driving to the office every day, I would be so sorry to miss as a gardener. Looking forward to spring-like weather to make a big push out there.

Revised a few eBay items that used to sell regularly but not as often now. Mulling over which items in my china cabinet should get listed - after recently visiting an estate sale with all of that similar stuff sitting out, I am reminded that I need to move it so the kids don't have to.

Changing out the rest of the house smoke detector batteries. One chirped during the night a few days ago (up on the stepladder at zero-dark-thirty to change the thing), and they can stand to be synced up with new batteries.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 03 Feb 19 - 01:59 PM

My shoulder is really bad today but I got a soup batch going, and made text contact w moving help. Sent Greg to see Judy and try to wheel her to some warm sunshine.

We discussed next steps w garage work to get more space cleared, which Brandon is booked to help with tomorrow and Tuesday.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Feb 19 - 02:41 PM

A friend told me about her uncle's estate that she recently had to work on with her mother. He was unhealthy and gave up caring and they were confronted with an abomination of an apartment. He had generally untreated diabetes and no will to live. And apparently never took out the trash.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 03 Feb 19 - 07:28 PM

SRS, yes, we see this all the time in ministry.

Today-- the new batch of soup is done. I made contact with moving helpers on the PA end.

We mapped out the post-move garage layout with some smart shared xecisions.

I tended Judy's cat and we got a spare key made for her house. Greg enjoyed the Simpsons on her TV while I played with the cat.

Newbie got about 10 minutes of scootering, it's that warm here.

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Feb 19 - 11:39 AM

Yesterday I filled three large trashbags with mulch at the city parks free compost site and have them ready to use in the garden on top of layers of newspaper or cardboard to mark the paths. Last year's paths are still clear of weeds after the same treatment. I prefer cardboard, though not as heavy as the stuff I recycled a couple of weeks ago. I have a few small boxes here and I can usually pull more out of the village recycle bins. Small boxes that are unfolded and laid out under mulch are perfect.

This morning I broke apart the pallet-board Adirondack-style chair that had crumbling planks so it's now in a tall trashcan at the curb. I dragged it out on Saturday and a couple of times I heard people slow or stop to look at it, but they moved on (this is a good way to discard workable things). And now it's down to it's elemental planks.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 04 Feb 19 - 01:14 PM

The next Yano may start tmrw. If not, next week.

Brandon will work further miracles here with me today and with Greg tmrw.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 04 Feb 19 - 05:53 PM

We did work further miracles, including sending a lotta stuff from the garage to Goodwill, and a lotta stuff to trash and recycling bins.

Yano resumes next Tuesday at 10:30am.

Judy is checking herself out of hospital several days early. Greg went to (literally) pick her up. I'll go sit with her when he gets back.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 05 Feb 19 - 11:05 AM

Two large boxes carried into LR from garage ydy-- totally unpacked, stowed, labeled. As one box empties it becomes the next Goodwill box, and so far no hard decisions there. Also no "Gee, wish I'd donated it in PA!" items. Also a lot of what is unpacked replaces worn-out items here; some favorite nightgowns are being trashed, for example.

The items still IN PA will be more harshly sorted in March, as I see storage spaces here a bit differently with Greg's input (which has not been possible until now).

Two boxes/day is my current limit, even with help. Need to raise limit to three. :-( Stamina.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Feb 19 - 11:09 PM

There's a deep discount grocery store I visit that has lots of gourmet items, has foods from all sorts of ethnic markets, and from regular grocery wholesalers who didn't sell items before they would soon reach the sell-by date (apologies if I've already mentioned it a dozen times). Any meat they buy like that is always frozen in time to be still in excellent shape. A few weeks ago I bought a 3.5 pound frozen package of organic chicken thighs, skinless and boneless (because that's what they had) that was half-price from the original marked on it (signaled by being crossed through the price with a red marker). And if you bought two, the second was one cent. Seven pounds of organic chicken for $5. I thawed and made one of those packages into chicken teriyaki this evening and it was marvelous. I have lots of leftovers. (The recipe is in the "What Are We Eating" thread.)

The front yard was mowed, but oh does my knee smart from it! The last of three gel shots is later this week and that should remedy the problem - it is kind of lopsided right now, having been injected once on each side. The third shot will be on the problem side again and should give me more cushion. But after mowing it was too much to also walk the dogs. My lab just mopes along sometimes and a friend suggested that he needs more time in the rough to get to investigate his surroundings. But to do that, my knee needs to feel better.

My list on the kitchen counter is different than I've made before, but it's working. I've remembered to put small stuff down as well so I can actually see my progress through the day. Laundry washed, dried, and folded along with finally changing a porch light bulb, doing various errands that need doing, etc.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Feb 19 - 12:00 PM

A gardening friend spoke recently about switching out from using some short little cedar boards to edge his garden - "I'm too old for all of this!" - so I am taking him several used, but in good shape, steel edging strips. They've been leaning up against a garden edge for a while, and more were added to it in 2017 when I took apart a couple of beds in preparation for the work on the sewer line. I won't put those back and if I plan to create more beds I still have a few. This will clear up one small obstacle in the front when I mow.

After I discarded the dilapidated chair I hosed off the layer of mud that was over much of the patio (dog feet track a lot of mud!). I didn't get all of it, but the seating and table are rearranged and the space is easier to navigate. The freeze returns this weekend so the hoses are stowed away again and the faucet cover is in place.

Later in the month I'm going to start taking down some of the heavy outer limbs on the vitex in the front yard. It's a multi-stem tree that has gotten so huge there isn't enough light for some things I want to grow. (Ironic - when I moved in there was NO shade out there and I was desperate to create some.) I also have one vitex limb in the back yard that wants to grow into the power and cable lines. I'll time this work so I can stack the limbs and branches at the curb for my street's bulky waste quarterly pickup (second week in March.)

The running to-do list on the kitchen counter, with a few small items added for the current or next day, is working out well. Sometimes something sits there for a couple of days before being attended to, but most of them are giving me a way to organize the day and plan when to stay here and work or head out to run errands. It gives me a feeling of accomplishment and lets me pace myself so I get out with people regularly. The dogs are good company, but not the same as having humans to talk to.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 06 Feb 19 - 08:04 PM

Slept late enuf to rush wakies time, but got 2 lg flats of chix sink-thawed, in time to start the large crockpot with thawed stock; also a small oven batch that wouldn't fit in the crock. The daily coffee chat with Greg: we planned fetching 25 lbs of bulk peanuts later in the day.

While Greg was at the Y, I spelunked an old travel-pillow bag in the garage for road pillows, which replace some ortho supports I'd loaned to Judy ydy; these brace my knees straight in the van to minimize soft tissue strain and pain. I set that huge rolling bag to bring in/unpack later, and brought in several pillowcases from it, to wash. I found a power tool Greg or Brandon had left on my scooter seat ydy (NEVER block a disabled person's only place to sit OR their mobility aid), and stowed it on the tool shelf Brandon and I had cleared the day before-- FOR TOOLS-- behind the scooter.

Had lunch then did rough draft of notes for our PA landlord-- these will accompany fone videos we'd shot to remind me of info they will want re repairs needed and how to live in that crazy house (what/how to winterize, etc.).

Done in time to go fetch order of bulk peanuts-- the nice long trip in the country Judy can't do as we'd planned.

We ate the supper I'd pre-made.

Bulk peanuts are now divided and stowed.

Bulk tater flakes are also refilled.

A sugar bottle for the counter is refilled.

Most of the crockpotted chicken is cooked and cooling. The balance is finishing cooking in time to cool the chix and broth, and add the broth to a waiting saucepan in the fridge. Chix to be boned tmrw and 2/3 of it frozen. A third for the fridge for lunches.

I miss my 2nd fridge, my freezer, and my manifold food storage containers SO MUCH-- my motivation to keep clearing garage space before March, which can't come too soon!

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Feb 19 - 10:57 PM

So you'll bring the second fridge and the freezer and the storage containers from PA and put them in the garage in Ohio?

I wish I could put my freezer in the garage, but it gets way too hot out there. I'm afraid it would work way too hard.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 07 Feb 19 - 09:25 AM

Yep. And all my plastic food storage stuff in my kitchen.

Feeding two out of the small fridge here, economically, is creating more work than we're up to. The extra refrigeration isn't "extra" for us.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 07 Feb 19 - 11:15 AM

.,.. we had a hilarious giggle about needing a Chefty Retirement Village more than an Old Folkies Home....

Brekkys and premature day planning followed by coffee chat win/win/win plan made and executed. I'm off to pool to check out early warm pool usage feasibility, while Greg works on his desired task of wall prep to paint the sewing room. When I get back, he goes to Y for my session time. After session time, we'll UNbox most of A-corner/garage, for Tuesday Yano un-filth ingredients with will leave a box of clean, framed art we can start pulling from to get pix up... and another box of decor for Yano next week. We're packing excelsior to reuse in PA but recycling a lot of cardboard and packing pillows.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 07 Feb 19 - 07:15 PM

Montreal:

Tuesday: 2 hours packing car and a 5 hour drive. Arrived at the "new house" at 3 pm and offloaded plants into house in just above freezing temp - VERY carefully as the yard and steps were ICY! My first trip to house now that it really is ours! I did not spend much time as needed to cross the bridge before rush hour. Only 25 min to Montreal house - at that time of day. We went out to dinner that was a day!

Weds: drove to southern Q to deliver mugs to Carole, then back toward M, via picking up money from Serenplicity! Stop at thrift shop for "saucers" for plants as many were left behind due to space and time. Then grocery, then house and did some watering and arranging, then back to city. Later equals longer! But still only about 30 minutes to R's office.

Today! I hate flyers! But the ones I picked up in Chateauguay were looked at - new locale, what can I learn? Linen Chest having major sales so I went early to the closest one, looking for a non-toxic mattress - $700. nice young woman suggested the outlet store on the other side of major bridge. I thought of waiting for R to drive us there but after drinking some water and a couple squares of choc, decided that 1 pm was a good time to cross. "I can do this!" "Same" mattress for $400 plus 10% off on anything else I bought, so I walked up and down every aisle and filled the cart - towels, sheets, a French press, and an Australian wool topper for mattress. Really major SALE! I had fun spending/saving money. Really needed towels for guests and even for us. Have not bought any in at least 15 years, other than at thrift shops.

The woman who helped me is designated an honorary granddaughter! We had such a good chat about all sorts of common interests! I asked her to email me and come visit. She assisted me throughout shopping expedition and cash, and loaded the numerous bags into car! I drove home in freezing rain! But the roads were still ok. That did the day and since, I have been in recuperation!

R popped home to charge phone and reminded me of his wool allergy! I can put a cotton coverlet over it if need be.

Another good reminder from SRS: Re compost, I wonder if Chateauguay has compost for residents to use. Likely.

And, btw, I love the house and we are both excited about what is going to go where and what room used for what and what repairs need to be done first... Now waiting for BR to be painted, bed to be delivered, weather to be OK for moving things. The back porch has two feet of snow on it! So I stood inside and tried to visualize where to put the 3 cherry trees - if they survive the Ontario winter. Lots of great windows for plants. And radiators. It was nice and warm in the house!!!!!

The Montreal house is a test of endurance and the fact that so much is packed away that I feel crippled in the K. I bought hot pads, dish cloths and one dish towel at a dollar store; there were none here. I have not yet found the guts to clear out the frig. Maybe tomorrow...

On Saturday, hoping to get to the mill and gather some things for the house so I can start getting the K organized and get internet in and have a chair to sit in a warm space during the day until we get the bed and a few pieces of furniture, frig, washing machine - for clothing, K table and chairs.... Requires R and truck and a day free of precipitation.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 07 Feb 19 - 11:03 PM

Dorothy, it's great to hear you so fired up! You go girl!

The garage is looking so empty, suddenly. So much was accomplished this week that we're awarding ourselves a day off tomorrow to preview a hockey rink with Valentine's tickets in mind.

With scooter!

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Feb 19 - 11:39 PM

Temperatures took a nose-dive here so the next week will feature mostly indoor activities. I did mail another eBay box today and had an interesting conversation with a young man who sells make-up and things like eyelashes through his business; what caught my eye were the reflective mylar wrappers of the padded envelopes that were at the counter when he dropped them off. I first noticed them earlier in the week, and today he was there in the building so I asked him. I will research the costs - he is convinced that having an attractive parcel arrive for his customers helps his business. Not that I would use this trick often, but there are times it would be perfect.

My office is awash in paper, something I need to remedy during these cold days spent indoors.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 08 Feb 19 - 07:24 AM

.... WHERE... To put... The large pile of boxed decor.... For Yano to unbox and clean... And then where will decor items go until the furniture to display them in a month....? NOT IN THE HOUSE....,

(Sleeeeep.....)

Oh. Of course. In the garage pantry I emptied yesterday! In plastic bags to keep them clean and ready to display. Because I can't use the pantry for food items till my food storage glass and plastic and metal arrive, too.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Feb 19 - 11:58 PM

It's too cold out now to go outside for any activities that will test my knee with the full dose of gel that has been injected. It should last six or more months, so I'll have an easier time planting and tending a spring garden.

Today I started doing some contract web work, I'm doing some pet sitting, and starting up volunteer work in an area park next week. A friend wrote with details about a book club she participates in; I ordered the book they'll discuss on the second Monday in March. In other terms, I'm working on recluttering my life with people and activity.

This evening I made a batch of my zucchini casserole with onion, green pepper, Italian sausage, pasta sauce, Parmesan cheese, egg noodles, some wine, and I cleared out some partial things in the fridge and freezer. A couple of peppers I needed to dice and freeze, some went in the skillet, a small container of frozen diced tomato, the rest of a jar of fancy roasted red peppers and feta cheese (by Peloponnese) from lunch a couple of weeks ago. That last ingredient made this dish amazing. I guess I should share this in the "what are we eating" thread also, but it started out as a way to use up a bunch of little containers of things. Dual-purpose decluttering!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 09 Feb 19 - 10:00 AM

Go Stilly! Re-cluttering-- yes.

Here, I think the closet shelves Brandon measured for are going up while I see a film at the local Black history center, go to Y, and get groceries.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 09 Feb 19 - 04:08 PM

We're going on week 4 of being down to 1 car....it sure makes life interesting especially with the commutes we have! Hopefully next week will be the end of all this!

Grocery shopping was completed this morning along with 2 trips to the drug store. One of the prescriptions contains codeine so it had to be hand delivered. I hate waiting around so that's when I completed my grocery shopping along with a trip to the local butcher shop and back to the drug store. Pete, while sick, opted to drop Jeremiah and I off to grocery shop while he went to Tractor Supply. We are now all home, have had a wonderful lunch of chicken pot pie, dishes are done, floors are somewhat decent (can you say MUD season?), Pete has meds in his system and we are calling it an early day.

Work has been crazy busy and interesting this week.....that's about all I can say on that front! :)

I am feeling pretty cooped up these days and am planning a mini adventure. Of course, this will wait until Pete is feeling better but I can't wait to just get out of here for a little break. In addition to that, our summer vacation is just about paid for....can't wait for then either!

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 09 Feb 19 - 05:02 PM

Greg had indeed gotten the shelves up by the time I returned from the film. We discussed the height for the next shelf to go in, which will hold the TV at our perfect viewing height, and then headed off for lumber.

Got back, and on my way into the house I shimmed the pesky armoire so it's door no longer hangs itself open. Then I reorganized items he and Brandon had set on top of the armoire so the space will hold more, and stowed a "Yano Clean" box there. When it's empty, it will become a drawer under the armoire. All the "Yano Clean" boxes are now cleared out of space needed for March deliveries.

Now I can list the gas stove for a quick sale and removal. That leaves a bit of garden supply clutter to neaten up and stow-- some alongside the garage in a resin trashcan "garage" out there.

We have one small box of framed (unboxed) art for Yano cleaning Tuesday, and that, plus the above, will about finish the huge, monthlong job of making space out there. There's a nicely consolidated pile of packing peanuts, etc. to take to PA with us, sitting in place of all the stuff we've been unpacking.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 09 Feb 19 - 09:52 PM

Custom shelves added to media closet in the Liberation Library:

https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2103281436417808&id=100002079158985&set=a.489955677750400&source=48

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Feb 19 - 12:12 PM

Those shelves have the look of some of the Scandia wood shelves. Looks good!

My fitness tracker has lost it's mind - it still does some bluetooth connected features, but the most important ones (tracking steps, tracking sleep, and reporting those details to the phone app are no longer working.) Disappointing because I've had it for only about 15 months this time. The first one of this model had a condensation problem so they replaced it (under warranty at the time) with this newer model. No more condensation, but in a device that looks like a regular wrist watch and costs this much I'd expect it to last longer. I'll send a note with the serial number and the folks at the company can tell me what part of the watch has failed and if it is fixable (with an update or refresh of some sort).

I ordered glasses online from Zenni - this will be my first pair of the photo-sensitive ones that turn dark in the sunshine. And they came in under $80. They usually come out many hundreds at the optometrist's glasses store side of her business. It looks pretty easy to come up with a far less costly pair of glasses on that site. Thanks for the endorsement, Michelle!

And it was Michelle's description of her chicken pot pie that got me thinking about the possible things to bake today. I have a brunch for myself of a "Dutch baby" - a large sort of turnover with equal parts milk and flour, an egg, and baking in a puddle of butter. Later I'll make either muffins or my Mom's recipe for a baking powder biscuit that is roll out thin, cut in 12 or 16 (depending on your muffin tin) and then a filling of raisins, walnuts, melted butter with cinnamon and brown sugar is spooned onto them. Four corners pinched together and placed that way into the ungreased tin. I guarantee that if I post of photo of these on Facebook my daughter will post a remark or hearts or tell me she's making some for herself and her roommates. (You want your children's attention? Make their favorite foods!) The best compliment at a meal is when everyone sits eats for a while before talking because they're so happy with the food. My Mom remarked on that when I was a kid, and I've seen it with my own on occasion.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 10 Feb 19 - 04:02 PM

Thanks, Stilly.

The topmost shelf holds boxed items to rip to MP3 and then donate. The lower shelves will hold items to watch/hear and either hold to enjoy again or graduate to the donate shelf.

The shelf just above the TV will hold small instruments, my storytelling kit, and a boombox that still plays both cassette tapes and MP3 discs plus CD and FM radio.

The space between the cabinet and closet wall is for the folding rocker that needs to be out of the way, whenever the Library is open and we're not glued to hockey.

The whole shebang disappears behind a curtain.

On the left side of the closet (not shown): the two file cabinets the men had to admit would actually fit, with archived files stacked on top-- also disappearable behind the curtain.

The file cabinets protrude a few inches into the room, but I just need a different curtain rod to make the curtain hang straight.

At the moment, the closet looks a bit preggers. ;-)

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 11 Feb 19 - 10:06 AM

Montreal:

Progress is slow. Our whole world is a huge skating rink! Then there are the "side dishes". Started out Sat with a car full of stuff to go to "Dupont" (for lack of more creative name). We got a decent start and offloaded towels and pottery. Stopped at a thrift shop and found a wonderful recliner, almost new, $15! Got it into back of car but had to leave gate open; even though it was a bitterly cold day, as long as we kept moving we did not get cold. Which was good as we did not get to offload it until about 9 pm! And the gate supports are ruined and will need to be replaced.

Next stop was the blues music of two local musicians (southern QC) - incredible! Then a call from a new friend took us down a country road and a LONG driveway/ice rink to a lovely renovated old home and a pleasant aft in the sun room. As the sun started to set ---Hey, we had sun! --- we took our leave and went down to the mill - surrounded by about a foot of ice crusted snow. And bitterly cold. R went in to try to find two snow tires - of course he could not - and distiller or distilled water. I was not clear enough and he struggled back to car with two large water bottles; fortunately one was distilled. When I treated us to a great meal at Bo-Thai and we managed to get the chair into "D" without killing ourselves. It is light in weight, forest green in colour and looks great in the den AND is comfortable. Our first piece of furniture.

Sunday we went there to get things done. R was going to paint the BR - he has been going to do that for almost two weeks but I thought it would happen... I managed to de-ice the steps and part of the walkway!! Sorted towels and looked around at what need to be done. R found we needed light bulbs and one trip did not suffice; he went out again - after HWare stores were closed, and by the time he came back and we conferred some more, we came back to the city, had a good meal - Indian, then "home" and a bit of tv and bed!

We are both excited about the house but weather, time, and energy are being difficult. I would like frig and washing machine from the mill; this requires him taking a truck and helper -2 hours each way. We did finally realize we can bring things out the one entrance that is not snow bound. Bed arrives on thurs! This am at BF, I suggested Thomas could do the painting and I need to hire someone to clean cabinets as my right arm aches, just from ice removal. I believe he is willing to have Thomas do both tasks, she says hopefully! Most rooms need painting and we have agreed to the cream colour he used here in M. The BR will be pale yellow, the colour my father did my BR when I was four.

At the moment R is loading boxes that I can carry, from storage into my car so I can take a load down on this last non-snowy, for a while, day.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Feb 19 - 08:42 PM

Dorothy, will you call the new house something other than The New House? The Final House? The [neighborhood name] house? Will you be able to stop using the mill?

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 11 Feb 19 - 10:46 PM

The late afternoon nap helped all this happen:

Urgent pre-brekky trip to house-sit at Judy's for poss lift chair delivery-- medically necessary
. WA940 racial justice doc converted (re use of deadly force), and studied at Judy's and pastoral visit with her there
. Full spectrum lamp sent to Judy
. Box of misc. caused to leave K table
. Last of ydy groceries stowed
. Numerous items stowed on ADL catchup perambulations thru house (active rest exercise day)
. Sewing Room boxes, etc, removed and stowed
. Laundry from Sewing Room going
. Plan for further clearing of Guest Room items from Sewing Room made-- TV hockey intermission action
. Benadryl pillboxes set up for car
. Plans for Yano and Brandon made for tmrw
. KPH billing resolved w Medicare
. Insights doc sent to counselor
. WA940 questions doc started and non-Q version sent to Sabrina
. Valentine plan made w Judy for movie/Yaffa Grill dinner Thursday evening

Kitchen whipped or soaking, with Yano Clean areas more obvious.

Benadryl pill cases to car, YAY!

Water bottles refilled before sinks filled, YAY.

Key items in Sewing Room uncovered and stowed, YAY.

Good discussion and decisions on March parameters and processes, YAY.

More hockey. One or two cooperative jobs left for next intermission.

2nd DVR remote found today YAY.

More Guest Room items removed from Sewing Room, a few left to police tmrw.

More items designated for Goodwill. No hard decisions. Yet. Linen closet very full....

Superb teamwork thruout the day!

Space for framed clergy certificates from the church office found, pending planned BR installation, in BR closet. Future resources for that closet discussed.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 12 Feb 19 - 10:42 AM

It's a snow day here in the northern tier of Pennsylvania....currently snowing pretty hard...can't see the mountains across the way...with predicted ice to follow. Schools are closed and my place of business is closing down early. I called off earlier today.

Pete has been sick for the last week and is slowly getting better. I am thankful for that. My mom had some pretty scary medical tests going on over the last few weeks but thankfully, she is doing well....I have to say that I am beyond thankful, really.

Work is work. Busy, busy, busy.

However, like I said, today I am home. At the moment I am sitting by the fire with my slippers on and an old, well loved wrap around my shoulders that was given to me by my college roommate.

I was thinking about doing some sewing today but I'm learning more towards doing some cooking. I think I'm going to make beef stew and cornbread and an upside down pineapple cake. The cake has been calling to me for a few months....truly...LOL..today might be the day!

Maggie, I'll be anxious to hear how the glasses work out...hoping they are just what you are looking for!!!

I'm off to turn on some music and cook for a bit.

Stay warm y'all!

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Feb 19 - 11:29 AM

This is cooking and baking weather, to be sure! On the weekend I posted photos on Facebook of a Dutch Baby and it got quite a few remarks and the request for a recipe. I'm drawing down the freezer this month, and tonight I'll thaw a piece of fish. then head for the cupboard for lentils and and onion for a batch of soup. Catching up with my sister last night she mentioned baking cookies, though she will give away 3/4 of them - Seattle is snowed in right now and the baking was a simple reflexive response. Enjoy your stew - the warm smell all afternoon and the eating and reheating for leftovers.

I did my income taxes. The initial form may be shorter, but it isn't any less work once you start hunting down the schedules and filling out worksheets. Now I wait to see if the IRS rejects it because I missed some checkbox or other.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 12 Feb 19 - 02:31 PM

New Yano tdy who did a few house things (arrived late), and then we walked thru the process of unpacking and clng decor or art in the garage and only bringing CLEAN items in. Buh-bye farm road grunge. Next week it'll be framed art, but tdy's box was the last one on the garage floor-- everything else is neatly stowed for methodical attention.

Brandon due shortly to help massage the remaining gardening items over to their planned spot, organizing as we go, and spare pieces of upholstery foam up into the rafters.

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 12 Feb 19 - 04:32 PM

Done:

Garage blowout
Garden dept moved
Overdoor storage of upholstery foam
Ext cord relocated for scooter
Gathered up trailer strapping
Sorted out former travel pillow bag
Pitched old cell phones
Created mucho recycling/trash
Created two misc boxes I'll have to sort
Rescued icons
Consolidated drop hose parts

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Feb 19 - 09:54 PM

Yesterday the village code enforcement officer left a hang-tag on my mailbox to say that my trees out front need trimming. I purposely planted within a few feet of the curb, but in doing so, I know that to achieve the "street tree" look I need to keep them from growing too low over the street. I want branches that reach out toward those across the street, but they need to be up high. I pruned the lower plants a few weeks ago, the things growing out of beds and draping over the curb into the street. This evening I went out at sunset with the long lopper and took down the offending limbs on a pine; tomorrow I'll attend to the baldcypress. There is a Silverado sage that probably needs attention (it also blocks my view a bit as I back out of the driveway, so I try to keep it under control).

Several items were crossed off of my kitchen counter list today; it grows, but as long as the tasks are broken into steps I can keep up. I'm getting closer and closer to The Big Task - processing my father's music collection. Toward that, and other work I'm doing, I'm comparing computers, to update from this nine-year-old workhorse. It seems there are President's Day sales coming up (and I have an account with Dell in long-standing).

I'm looking forward to more news of Dorothy's house, a report on Michelle's baking, and though she hasn't posted here in a while, on Linn's travels. It's a difficult time of year to travel across the northern tier, but she will make a trip early next week. Safe travels, Batgoddess.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 13 Feb 19 - 05:12 AM

BBC - Hancock's Half Hour
The Junk Man
Series 5 - Episode 16 of 20

Griselda's plan to clear out the lad's house backfires spectacularly.

Starring Tony Hancock. With Sidney James, Bill Kerr, Hattie Jacques and Kenneth Williams.
Written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson.
Theme and incidental music written by Wally Stott.
Producer: Tom Ronald

First broadcast on the BBC Light Programme in May 1958.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b008f307 

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 13 Feb 19 - 10:28 AM

Before going back to PA:

(Omg)

Glasses
Pap
Manmo
FPH rough sort
Artwork up on walls
Boxed decor cleaned and
boxed in plastic
Garage ready and labeled
Plan for Deere and blower
Chairs out
Patio cleaned up, pots out
Dog fence raised
Sewer dig neatened up
Wicker stowed
Meds refilled
Soups waiting
Brandon set to weed beds
Car player loaded
Power bars waiting
Burgers waiting
Bread waiting
Painting done
Rug cut and stowed/pitched
Mike or Dave ready
Stove gone
Camryn and Brandon confirmed
Van cleaned out
Move drawers to closet
Clean room for new rug/furniture
BR curtains tied and pinned
Foam mattress ready for us w pillows

~omg

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Feb 19 - 05:22 PM

One dog to vet tomorrow afternoon. Guaranteed to declutter the wallet.

Second plant trimmed out front, now the largest one will get attention later this afternoon (after the village public works guys are off the clock and stop cruising the street. I don't want to give them the satisfaction of actually seeing me out there trimming the trees. There is a bit of an adversarial tension in the village regarding these guys.)

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 13 Feb 19 - 06:54 PM

Montreal:

Load of boxes made it into house; included pots for plants, a few of which were helpful already. Bro sent photo of dining set at thrift shop that R likes. We went in truck to pick up a sofa I loved and took it out to "Dupont", for lack of more creative name. Went a long way round so R had to get to work and I went to look at DR set, purchased it and R will pick up before Tuesday. Tomorrow mattress will arrive - roads willing! I phoned Geri and got phone number of a friend who lives near Dupont (the street name). This friend told us a friend of hers lives across the street. So, I will phone her tonight to see if the cross-the-street-neighbour could receive the mattress for us if the roads are terrible! They already clear the snow for us! R has met them but I have not.

I "cancelled today" and have done only computer and TV. We were asked to stay home/off the streets if at all possible. R cleared our front steps and vehicles and went off to work.

This storm is being compared to the one in 1971 but I was here for that. Two of us made it to class; I walked and the other skied over the mountain; the prof did not show. Snowmobiles were taking people to emergencies... Not the same!! Yet.

One of my frustrations is that I cannot stay awake much after 9 pm; most music starts at 9 or later so I was delighted to find today that the Wheel Club is having a jam on Saturday night starting at 7!! It is under new supervision so maybe I have hopes of more. I only found out because an unknown (I think) person asked to "Friend" me and I found him to be a Wheel Club person with good info posted, and two mutuals. I always check!

Once the frig is moved from the mill - I would be happy not to have to go there ever again! - I will be pushing for full time living at Dupont. There may be nights when R stays in city due to working too late or bad roads; I hope those will be few and will diminish as he gets the idea of dealing with being 30 minutes away instead of 20. As in, "No, I cannot dash over to fix/talk to/..." He is recognizing his diminishing energy levels.

We still need to fetch snow tires from mill so they can installed when I go next week for rear brakes. I found the distiller tucked in a cabinet (I did it) here, so able to replenish supply. (After R searched in vain.)

Between car repairs and house, my wallet is undergoing much de-cluttering!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 14 Feb 19 - 08:28 AM

Apparently until ydy I was on autopilot plus blissful ignorance regarding the coordination of the last moving process. Tbtg for the autopilot though because it woke me up with time to spare and my head on straight.

I worked on the list during my AM peer counseling session, and my counselor took notes as I added room by room details (Ohio rooms).

That now-longer list was quite overwhelming to see so I instinctively asked myself "Why", and a sensible goal immediately emerged. I put that down as a header, and in two minutes had sorted the list by subhead. Now it's print and do.

And feels doable. That's the denial again! ;-)

-Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Feb 19 - 08:56 PM

Trip to the vet with the oldest dog; she is okay, though her occasional whimpering may be because of low-grade pain from arthritis. She's on a mild painkiller to test if that makes a difference. He also offered a veterinary supplement for older dogs, but it was $60 for a large jar of the powder that had to be measured over their food. It contains glucosamine chondroitin as the main ingredient. She has eaten a regular wheat-free food (I get because Zeke needs that). She and Zeke were on a senior food for a while but she was kind of fussy about the larger bites. That said, she and Zeke are now back on the senior food because it has less protein, more fiber, and it has glucosamine chondroitin. She does need to lose weight, so she'll be on reduced rations for a while. I'll do the math on the amount of glucosamine per serving in the food, and I can compare with the dose in the vet powder and can supplement with a human version if the food doesn't make enough of a difference. I'm willing to bet that the OTC people type at Costco is going to cost a lot less than a vet Rx (as long as it's only glucosamine, no additives). I also see several OTC brands meant for dogs.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Feb 19 - 11:42 AM

Warm weather means that today is the day to repair the gas trimmer and to go ahead and mow the lawn. And I need to start planting potatoes and onion sets. I'll do a low-calorie day (in the alternate day fasting routine that works better in warmer weather). My fitness tracker is back up and running after a factory reset so perhaps I'll exceed my steps goal.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Feb 19 - 12:32 PM

It took about an hour to change out the gas and uptake lines on the trimmer, but then I took a spin around the yard and made progress against some tall weeds coming up in the gap between the fences at the bottom of the back yard.

I also got out a couple of saws and a long lopper and took out the final offending limb that extended out over the curb and street too low for the happiness of the code enforcement folks. There's a stack of branches in the yard that will be wrangled to the curb for trash pickup the next warm day. And the smallest of them can be run through my electric chipper.

Today is cold and back to winter, so I'll work in the house.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 16 Feb 19 - 08:24 PM

I think I forgot to share this tip earlier, but for anyone downsizing, moving, and/or purging--

Leaf bags. They hold a ton with a small footprint; one each: Keep, Donate, Recycle, Trash.

Recyclable/biodegradable, themselves.

And easily labeled.

When I pack up the balance of our clothes, linens, pillows, small rugs-- leaf bags that can cushion furniture I don't want chafing on other furniture. Crevice fillers. They'll keep stuff in them clean, and I'll use them, after I unpack them, for lasagna gardening.

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 16 Feb 19 - 08:28 PM

Montreal:
R had rented a box truck for business so yesterday we used it to fetch the DR set and also purchased a number of other items while at this furniture thrift shop. Then drove to Dupont and offloaded easily with the ramp from truck to front door! I suspect there is another rental in the future as it was SO much easier!

Now: DR set (round table with 3 leaves); Oak pedestal table for K, matches the wainscoting; two unique old oak chairs - K; Comfy swivel rocker for TV room; Lovely old book or curio cabinet with glass door; and two modern (IKEA) benches, that could be used for many things, destination undetermined as they do not suit the house but may be useful in case of house concert.

Today I woke with pain which we finally established as major gas pain; went off Keto and ate some "junk" this week, esp last night. Apple cider vinegar in water all day - first reduced it appreciably and then has kept it down.

R took us to home depot today as we were both mindful of the orchid needing a real pot - tired of it tipping and spilling! As it continues to survive and is growing another new leaf, it deserves a proper container. Planting medium needs to be soaked for 24 hours so pot is sitting in the new orchid pot until tomorrow. The rest of the plants are happy in their new home. The tomato and pepper plants continue to thrive and are producing new, small, crops. It intrigues me that they continue to get new growth and fruits more than a year after they were started. I always though they would just quit and die...

We also bought a large tile to top a kind of interesting wood table we found for $10. And a short trip to a library so I could spend rest of day resting.

Cooked us a nice supper. R will have his when he gets home... Parking improves as snow is SLOWLY removed! Walking is daunting as snow turns to mush, then freezes. Also freezing rain late last night.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 16 Feb 19 - 09:13 PM

Go Dorothy! You sound happy.

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 16 Feb 19 - 09:13 PM

I spent a few hours in my sewing room today...mostly organizing. I am going on a quilting retreat soon and while I ALWAYS love going to the fabric shop about an hour and a half from here, the truth is, I have enough started projects and other projects bagged and labeled with the pattern inside (I SO love that I bagged up both the fabric WITH the pattern...YAY ME) to keep me busy for months! However, some of those projects, while already pieced to completion, need either a backing or binding or both. My mom really is wanting to go to the fabric shop so I have picked a few items to take along to match with with an appropriate binding or backing. Not very exciting but it will allow me to finish up some pieces. I also have decided to give away several baby quilts that are finished and waiting for homes. A woman I work with is expecting a baby girl so I will set those aside for her. I'm sure I can find someone with baby boys to take the others. I also have a toddler sized Cars quilt that will go to a new home as soon as I get the binding put on. And there there are 4 little pre-school nap quilts that are all set to go too. I have a friend that runs a pre-school and think she will make good use of them. It's amazing to me how much space is used up by nicely folded quilts....LOL...can't wait to share them and get them out of my space!!! I am also ready to sew as I haven't done it since the completion of the very large, oversized Survivor's quilt that is currently hanging at Knapper Clinic (chemo clinic) at Geisinger Medical Center. I have decided that I'm not going to do any more BIG projects like that for a long time, nor will I do another quilt to donate that has a timeline. I'll still make quilts to donate but will do them as the mood strikes and then share them with organizations.

I did the dishes today and did some errands which included taking Pete to get his car which is FINALLY fixed! It's been about a month since he's had his car....I'm happy that it's back to normal but sure will miss his company on my commute to and from work! :)

I'm not sure if I have shared this before or not but my sewing room is at least twice as large as Jeremiah's bedroom. The goal is to eventually switch rooms so that he has more space and I've downsized. So while the organizing in the sewing room felt good and helped me make some decisions regarding the retreat project/s, the end result will be to clean out enough stuff that we can switch rooms. Pete and I had agreed that when he was 9 or 10 we'd make the switch....and well....Jeremiah will be 9 years old next month! I can hardly believe it.....he's getting so tall and reading like the wind!!! He's made honor roll for each school quarter this year.

Happy President's Day Weekend!

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Feb 19 - 11:37 AM

It seems easier, when facing a move, to load up everything and sort it out when you get there. But that means you took all of the stuff you don't really need and it is commingled with what you intend to actually use. Good luck in taking just what you want to the house and disposing of the rest, Dorothy (and Susan!).

Over-thinking the process of how to replace the 9-year-old computer yet keep access to all of the installed software. And I should run the comparison software to get rid of the duplicates before I move data into a new computer. Virtual or physical, there is clutter.

Added a couple of new tasks to my list this morning - another eBay item will ship on Tuesday and the listings are a bit thin now, so I need to put up more stuff, and I noticed I still haven't finished putting in the grout in one part of the dressing room tile. It won't take more than a cup or two to do the job. This will abut the old Linoleum floor in the bathroom that needs to be replaced.

I have some cooking to do today, more drawing down from the freezer to make stuff for the week, and I have a book to read to participate in a book club meeting next month.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 17 Feb 19 - 11:40 AM

I was sick all week, so ADL's are out of whack again.

Personal portion of impossible mountain of laundry stowed-- I'd folded it all somehow one feverish night Hard choices ahead on what to purge, what to hang-- hangers are in PA closet, so stowing in drawers is not fun now.

Clean linens yet to stow-- ditto no fun. A few loved sheets are headed to the camper, but it's not warm enough yet to be safe to pop the vinyl.

This winter has been a hard one on our moving ahead!

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Feb 19 - 05:31 PM

Frozen beef, diced onions, peppers, and tomatoes and tomato juice, fresh garlic (it keeps for a long time, this is from the yard), cilantro from the freezer. Black beans I cooked and froze are also going in, and a bunch of spices ground together. There are a few gaps showing in the freezer now. I'll be able to defrost again this spring in preparation for the summer garden harvest.

Cooking doesn't put many steps on the fitness tracker, so I'm going to go walk around the perimeter of the sheltered back yard for a few minutes. The dogs will enjoy the excursion, even in the yard.

I took down the clouded mirror from the dressing room door and put up the new one and used the old one as a template to put in drill holes. The frame had enough space from the mirror to the outer frame edge that drilling through didn't hit the glass. I'll prop the old mirror at the curb the day before trash during the week to see if someone driving past wants it.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 18 Feb 19 - 09:22 AM

This will appear a number of times until we move, with completed items marked X.

This one reflects the weekend's work.

~S~

ARRIVE TO UNPACK April 1?

Camryn and Brandon confirmed

Arrive home, look around, leave immediately for lunch or Ramada to make plan

GOAL: Most furniture comes in same day unloaded, straight to destination (ideal) or sewing room

BOXES to garage, in letter-designated areas, except for a very few labeled 1st-open, and those can stack on sideboard.




Bedroom

Bed delay? Alterrnative Ramada sleep?

Prep for rug to go down

Greg's cube to library

X Artwork up on walls
X Move drawers to closet
Clean room for new rug/furniture
BR curtains tied and pinned
Foam mattress ready for us w pillows


Sewing room - painted & ready for furniture & boxes

X Painting done
Brown curtain up

Repair outlet & add 2 flat-plug extension cords on wall adj BR

Cut-out stained carpet goes to dog corner!!! Other pieces for around rolling chair in sewing room—measure, then roll
Finish service dog vest


Library

Clear DVR to be able to record hockey games while gone

Extension cord for desk power

FPH rough sort


Bathroom

X New toilet seat from garage

 


Laundry area

Neaten up laundry supplies; furniture may need to be wheeled to sewing room

Measure for cabinet depth/height

X Relocate alarm panel

 

Living room

X Purge wicker coffee table,
love seat & lamp table (need contractors’ bags)—stow under LL window

Clear sideboard top

Artwork up on walls


Kitchen

Kitchen boxes to sideboard (room divider of kitchen boxes)

Doctor visits:

X Glasses
Pap
Manmo


Shopping

Meds refilled
Soups waiting

Contractors’ bags

Power bars waiting
Burgers waiting
Bread waiting


Garage

Corners marked

Boxed decor in garage cleaned and boxed in plastic
Garage ready and labeled
Plan for Deere and blower
Chairs out into patio

Decide about picking stools
Mike or Dave ready
Stove gone
Lock up kayak



Patio

Patio cleaned up, pots out w rock/soil
Dog fence raised


Yards

Sewer dig neatened up
Wicker stowed
Brandon set to weed beds


Travel Amenities

X Car player loaded
Van cleaned out

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 18 Feb 19 - 05:34 PM

W Greg--
Replaced outlet
Boosted a mattress up into the rafters
Re-rolled a carpet

with me--
Moved woodpile to GR?
2x6's overhead under white plastic sheeting
LR paneling over white plastic sheeting
Library-- reorganize media shelf contents
Swap out cord
LR curtain rod and box of rods, up on top of sheeting

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Feb 19 - 08:02 PM

I would happily discard the background sinus ache this time of year. I was out in the weather for a while this afternoon contributing to the problem.

It's time I get back to the sewing I've had in the works for a while. The dining table is clear and I'll add a couple of leaves to give myself the space. I keep seeing these old sewing machines in tables (with the hinge to fold out a longer work surface) - I'd like one of those for my oldest machine, but I doubt the hole in each table is the same. I'll have to make a template of my machine as it would fit and measure the tables when I see them. I remember when Michelle first started doing all of the quilting, and now she's going great guns. And I turned on Sewing With Nancy yesterday and they were sewing interesting little squares for larger squares - I'm sure I have enough fabric here for dozens of quilts.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 18 Feb 19 - 08:30 PM

Oops, lost in paste in previous post-- that's what Brandon wrought today, with us as his helpers/teachers.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Feb 19 - 11:40 PM

A glass of Old Vine Zinfandel and a shredder - clearing paper in my office. I haven't managed to do the no-alcohol February, but about once a week is modest consumption, and I'm being frugal, not buying any, only drawing down the existing collection. I'm an sticking closely to the frugal end of things for everything else, though I did find something at Goodwill today to list on eBay. I go in because I have a set of plates that I'd like to fill out, so when I'm near a thrift store I go look at the housewares. Sometimes I stumble on other good stuff. (I sold three PERFECT aqua colored Luminarc glasses on eBay last fall to a woman who tried to claim they were cloudy and hoped to get to keep them and get her money back. She got them for about $8 a glass - I just found the same type today on eBay for over $40 per glass. Darn. The twit who tried the scam clobbered my perfect feedback score, but she never returned the glasses so the sale stood. Maybe she turned $25 into $120.) I'll try again on blue colored drink glasses.

Anyway, going through cards, printouts, and scribbles. I just opened a brown envelope with the last birthday card from my library co-workers: [cover] YOU'RE ONE YEAR OLDER [inside] YOU'RE GETTING CLOSER AND CLOSER TO THAT AGE WHERE A LIFE SENTENCE ISN'T REALLY THAT BIG OF A THREAT
They picked good cards. :)

I have a spiral notebook for those oddball notes on scraps of paper that don't file away easily, but I want to keep the information. This notebook lets me write it down or cut out and tape in the note or business card or whatever the fragment is, compressing the information into one more durable collection. Other things that are on whole pages are going into the filing cabinet.

I plan to finish clearing the second desktop in my office before I head for bed. It's a good goal for the evening.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: mg
Date: 19 Feb 19 - 07:51 AM

Whenever i get the urge to quilt i buy material and ship to rosebud reservation in sd.. Some support families by quilting...

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 19 Feb 19 - 07:54 AM

Last week I found what I believe is the last FPH box. Yesterday I picked up post-it tabs to alpha-label the file pockets I'll use to purge out all the duplicate copies of the paper they hold....
For that job I'll just alphabetize pages by whatever the top line reads, and as the portable file gets full I can whip thru to whiz out (recycle bin) the dupes.

That process will re-familiarize me with which sub-group in the program will need each document, in their section of the guide. (Using a zoo as a metaphor, "does this page go into the parrot section or the lion section?")

By then the paper should be down to one binder per group, with narrative to introduce each and a copy of the model and report in each-- NOT purging those duplicates.

So each binder will include: Here's what your group will be supporting as the groups collaborate to create this program (model), and here are the likely results you can surpass (report). End with a template: What are your goals (blank chart per long range goals page).

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Feb 19 - 11:10 AM

Further information on my "purchase" during my frugal month - these cobalt glasses (12 of them, 6 500 size, 6 tall tumblers) were .89 apiece at Goodwill, and a set of six of either size sells for $45-50 on eBay. A good return for a frugal hobby.

Mary, you'll have to tell us more about how the quilting on the rez operation works. You've mentioned it before.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 19 Feb 19 - 06:10 PM

Dupont!

Unlimited internet installed today! I feel SO much freer! Tomorrow Ephraim will make it Wifi! Triple YAY!

Thomas is painting up a storm: Yellow BR near done, the black and dark blue room is cream, R's office-to-be is moving toward cream. T will return tomorrow to finish that and the Den (the room with the fireplace). I wonder if I can negotiate a cream K... Would love the hall and L/DR done but that might break the bank.

I could not find "shelf paper" but unpacked four boxes of K stuff. Went to Staples this aft and found "wrapping paper" that I hope will do. Washing shelves is not adequate for me; they are OLD wood and used for 116 years!

It may be another few days before we "move in". Need a frig first. Today R dragged in the first piece of "What are you doing dragging in that piece of trash?????" A section of a piece of "early american" junk with a mirror - "Better than what is in the powder room now" NOT! There will be a discussion tonight and I will get Thomas to help me drag it out tomorrow!

Well, today's reminder is that I can put the leaves in the dining table and use it to cut fabric - if I protect it first. I will finally have space for the sewing machine! Just maybe I will get some sewing done!

This is a wonderful house. We love it and so does everyone else who has seen it. Now, to schlep Thomas back to the city.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Feb 19 - 10:23 PM

Dorothy, I have that thick clear flexible vinyl sheeting that came in 54" wide bolts (with a detached paper backing) at the fabric store and cut it to length for the various work tables (kitchen, tall kitchen work table, and the dining room table). It can be folded up and set aside or table cloths can be spread out over it. I just looked at Joann and find various gauge thicknesses. I probably got 16 or 20, just because it seemed more durable, but I'd have to look in the store to compare for sure. I know, it is reminiscent of crinkly plastic covers our grandparents put over the sofa and armchair back in the 60s, but it's less conspicuous and more practical.

Good luck getting the mirrored piece of furniture monstrosity out of the house quickly!

More bits of paper cleared off of my office work spaces, some filed, some noted on the spiral binder, others simply tossed. Office supplies discovered and organized.

I set up my HDMI monitor to give sound and use my web cam today for a conversation and to share screens (using the app you may have heard of - GoToMeeting - I've figured out how to make it work after a couple of meetings with it.) Since I've set that up again I'm thinking of once again removing the separate speakers on my desk, though I like having the box behind the monitor that offers the base sound. I think I turned off the monitor sound because it wasn't very loud, but there are two adjustments and I think I wasn't addressing both (monitor volume and computer volume). That would give me a little more room on the physical desktop.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 20 Feb 19 - 07:06 AM

Re plastic sheeting, we had access in PA to one store we will miss a lot-- Surplus City. Far from having anything in common with the Big Lots chain you may be picturing, it's largely plumbing, electrical, automotive, tarps, fabric, and crafts-- housed in an enormous funky, dusty old pole building with a concrete floor.

One of our favorite finds there was the steel prison trays we used at Mudgathers and later gave, in pairs, to admiring friends and fam. (They were $1 each, and I have 8 left. So much fun to use at church potlucks.) Surplus City had hundreds, in stacks. Once. Another great item was the $5 metal ballot boxes; the 14" square by 24" tall size made wonderful dog food bins, and the 8" x 14" model held cinders for the worst ice by the back porch.

You never knew what treasures they'd have, and one day it was 54" rolls of plastic in various gauges, about 1/5 of retail price. I bought a thick-gauge roll to cover the sideboard I'll use in Ohio seasonally as my germination station. Over top of the plastic is a blue prayer shawl I received after my botched surgery.

I also used this plastic to cover our long kitchen table, which seats 6-8 people. In one of Greg's earlier rectories, it was the even longer DR table, and it matches a china cabinet; their finish harmonizes with the vast array of kitchen cabinets, so they ended up in there and the china cabinet now holds arty decor. A beloved vinyl tablecloth was starting to show wear with little rips, and I just won't give it up until I come across another pattern I love, so we covered it. (For state dinners, we'll roll up both layers and set the table with a runner, and enjoy the more formal look of the wood. It's also my everyday food prep table.)
.
.
I have another leaf bag started for Goodwill items. The boxes of "misc" are piling up as I unpack and come across items I'm not sure where to put (since our bookshelves aren't here yet). I'm going to whip thru those this week and donate about half, as we consult briefly on each item. It's so weird to actually have Greg around to consult with him!

Yesterday Yano and I cleared the remaining quarter of the cardboard crate our boxed, framed art had traveled in, in May. All the flat and shredded packing paper was kept to go back with us, to pack up the kitchen and last big framed art we left on the walls. (The crate box too, for the last frames to bring.) I was so impressed with Greg's composition, when he hung all his gold-framed ordination certificates last week, that I asked him to hang all the kitchen art we unpacked in the AM. When I came back from the Y, there it all was, beautifully displayed. Replacing the squiggles of curling ribbon I'd hung on nails the seller had left, to break up an ugly-painted section of kitchen wall. (The framed colors took away the ugly.)

We're unpacking this whole category-- items packed with shredded paper-- in the garage. All the mess never comes into the house (static cling and dust issues). Yano cleans each item of dirt-road-dust and dust bunnies that gathered while I was unable to clean, and none of that filth comes into the house, either. Yet to bring in are the boxed decor awaiting our shelving, but we'll unpack, clean, and rebox those next week. (Right now the boxes occupy the garage pantry we brought, which Brandon will move a few feet to its designated corner next week. I'm looking forward to ejecting some of the canned and dry goods clogging up my kitchen, very soon.)

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 20 Feb 19 - 10:22 AM

Today's plan: the misc boxes

Newly revised with more to-do's than "done"s:

ARRIVE TO UNPACK April 1?

Camryn and Brandon confirmed

Arrive home, look around, leave immediately for lunch or Ramada to make plan

GOAL: Most furniture comes in same day unloaded, straight to destination (ideal) or sewing room

BOXES to garage, in letter-designated areas, except for a very few labeled 1st-open, and those can stack on sideboard.




BEDROOM

Bed delay? Alterrnative Ramada sleep?

Prep for rug to go down

Greg's cube to library

X Artwork up on walls
X Move drawers to closet
Clean room for new rug/furniture
BR curtains tied and pinned
Foam mattress ready for us w pillows


SEWING ROOM

Painted & ready for furniture & boxes

X Painting done
X Brown curtain up
Kitchen curtains fit here?

X Repair outlet
Add flat-plug extension cords on wallsadj BR

Cut-out stained carpet goes to dog corner!!! Other pieces for around rolling chair in sewing room—measure, then roll
Finish service dog vest


LIBRARY

Clear DVR to be able to record hockey games while gone

X Extension cord for desk power
Mount desk strips
Hang corner shelf

FPH rough sort


BATHROOM

X New toilet seat from garage
Pockets on door?

 


LAUNDRY AREA

Neaten up laundry supplies; furniture may need to be wheeled to sewing room

Measure for cabinet depth/height

X Relocate alarm panel

 

LIVING ROOM

X Hart art up/designed
X Purge wicker coffee table,
Purge wicker love seat & lamp table
X (need contractors’ bags)—
stow under LL window

Clear sideboard top

Artwork up on walls
Clear table and remove vinyl cloth (repair, make clear cover, roll both)
Remove chair covers and re-dress relocated wing chair
Remove green recliner to garage
Relocate autoharp and stand
Collapse tension rod for windowsill


KITCHEN

Kitchen boxes to sideboard (room divider of kitchen boxes)

Doctor visits:

X Glasses
Pap
Manmo



SHOPPING

Meds refilled
Soups waiting

X Contractors’ bags

Power bars waiting
Burgers waiting
Bread waiting



GARAGE

Corners marked

Boxed decor in garage cleaned and boxed in plastic
Garage ready and labeled
Plan for Deere and blower
Chairs out into patio

X Decide about picking stools
Mike or Dave ready
Stove gone
Lock up kayak
Box spring gone



PATIO

Patio cleaned up, pots out w rock/soil
Dog fence raised


YARDS

Sewer dig neatened up
Wicker stowed
Brandon set to weed beds


TRAVEL

X Car player loaded
Van cleaned out

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Feb 19 - 11:23 AM

Good idea, using this for a potting bench. In case this type of vinyl has an off gas that might be a problem, here is an article about the types. It's an article from 2005, but it might help. I never noticed a smell, but Dorothy might be more sensitive.

https://www.onlinefabricstore.net/makersmill/clear-vinyl-fabric/ gives more general information about thickness and uses (and might be a good use for the small place you're still working on - I've suddenly forgotten what you call it, now that "Dupont" is in my head.)

Beaver! Just before I hit "submit message."

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Feb 19 - 04:19 PM

I went to the Lowe's hardware site online and used their "shopping cart" feature to calculate the price of the materials I need for the last panel of new fence on the south side of the house. 19 cedar pickets, 3 10' 2x4s, and a box of deck screws. I still have about a half gallon of the weather-proof treatment, no need for more yet. It is estimated to be $83.46, and my time and labor. I have the reclaimed hardware from taking down the rest of the fence, so that's a nice savings. I need the 2x4s to be just a little under 9', so if the 10' pieces don't fit in the SUV I'll take along a carpenter's saw and trim off a foot in the parking lot. I'm pretty sure those will fit (everything was 6' and 8' on the other panels I worked on, this is the last piece and it extends just a little longer from the last post to the brick side of the house.)

This is me doing the math, I'm not working on it right now, maybe in a week or two. Right now I need to mow and then head for the garden.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 20 Feb 19 - 05:20 PM

We did in fact plow thru the 3 large and 1 small Misc boxes, using the 5-second rule.

As we consulted, I was surrounded by boxes labeled for each room, plus garbage sack, recycle bag, and the Goodwill leaf bag. Each room's box went there once filled, and no room's items feel overwhelming now or difficult.


The last room's box contained items to operate on, which I did while Greg ferried the others; then that one went.

Then we hung kitchen art, and set four framed items on easels above the kitchen cabinets. Greg has a great eye, and I think making many of these choices is helping him feel more at home-- like a DIY episode of Merge.

Then we went ahead on a few trickier art projects, and added a hook to the back of his sewing room door. (That man has overcoats the way some women have shoes!)

The tricky art was hilarious-- we started with several framed icons that can only go in one narrow spot. I had planned rotating them seasonally... but then last week, in the damp garage, I found the calendar they'd all been taken from-- hidden by Tyler-- with seven more. So we went thru these, noting that the watercolor-type paper they're printed on had resumed its flat shape with water stains only on the edges the matte will cover-- I'd laid the mess flat on the kitchen table, and our HVAC restored them.

So we went thru those, and kept the ones we both liked that will fit the ONE available, large frame. We bagged these in a leftover clear plastic bag, and taped that to the back of the currently-framed icon! This packet disappeared within the back of the frame's profile, stabilized with mortite to prevent sagging. And so we hung it up. One large statement frame.

He liked the 2nd framed icon, and claimed that for the sewing room, so it went there to await a hanger on its back.

A third hangerless (and much smaller) icon went on the same wall, but over the high shelf above the framed icon; it floats above the top shelf, luminescent, because unlike the others, metallic paint was used and the whole base layer is pearly, pale blue (Ukrainian Orthodox style). Other items on the top shelf are spaced around that Ukie St. Cyril as if he were standing on the shelf, but he ethereally floats. (The good friend who gave it to us will love it when we send a photo!) The shelf also includes two Madonnas (more are coming for a suitable odd-number collection).

The ones we didn't personally care for were bagged in a similar leftover bag-- I suspect some appliance had come in these-- and added to the Goodwill bag.

On the LR art wall, space remaining will be dotted with tiny shelves holding decor or statuary Greg will choose as we get into the remaining decor boxes, and he can decide where most of the rest will go for display, once our shelves arrive.

It's so cool to be doing this layer of decorating BEFORE the walls get hard to access because bigger furniture is coming to replace MudDorm items.

It's also cool to see him manifest what I've envisioned in these spaces, and love it, and add all these with his own decorating eye. He composes spaces less symmetrically than I tend to do-- that's a challenge my matchy-matchy upbringing can't quite bridge, but I love it once I see it, and can add items in balance from there.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Feb 19 - 11:38 PM

Some days just getting the dirty dishes into the dishwasher (after finally emptying the clean ones) feels like an accomplishment. But wait! I also previewed the NetFlix disks I have here, the first two discs from a TV series that started in 2016. The pilot was charming, and I watched part of a couple others, but I the series is calculated to wrench one's emotions around way too much, and I don't feel like that right now. Next.

Since I awoke to dogs pushing open the bedroom door during a thunderstorm it wasn't a day for mowing or gardening, but tomorrow is supposed to be better. My grocery list is relatively short considering how long it has been since I did much shopping. Last night I was setting up to make pumpkin bread (the Joy of Cooking recipe) and though I was almost out of raisins I have lots of dried dates from the Halal market that are even better. I made a double batch and used four small pans, so three loaves are frozen, one for a friend, and one is out for breakfast.

How's the house, Dorothy? Does the WiFi reach every corner of the house and out into the yard? Do you have a date for the big move to begin?

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Feb 19 - 05:23 PM

Still drawing down the freezer and still surprised at how many meals have been prepared without needing anything from the grocery store.

The yard is soggy and the tile floor in the den is heavily tracked. Maybe if I spread mulch over the muddy area then less will be tracked in; I don't foresee grass growing back in those areas any time soon with as much dog traffic as there is. More rain is predicted during the next week.

Time to take my household recycling over to the bins behind city hall, and I want to retrieve some newspapers and cardboard to use in the garden. I'll take a look at the bins on Tuesday, getting there before the trucks come to empty them - they tend to be quite full and there might be stuff I can use within easy reach. No way I'd ever climb into one of them.

It's also time to pay serious attention to starting plants from seed. Greenhouse, here I come.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 22 Feb 19 - 08:42 PM

A day off from most projects, to deliver the space-hogging gas range to a lucky recipient in need. Found a great new runaway town, with several GF restaurants.


Before departure, huge progress was made on decisions re snowblower/tractor storage: Temp storage to be, for both, under tarps, not in garage but under security light outside our BR window. Eventual crate-sized shed for snowblower only, by winter. This planhugely relieves garage storage pressure for the next phase, which means Greg will be able to set up his garage woodworking shop quicker, when we unload the Last Move.

At our found-town we looked at sheds, and then came home to find DIY plans for the odd size we want.

A great audio book on a new cheap player made the driving fun.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 23 Feb 19 - 11:24 AM

Example of Greg's gallery wall composition:

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2126290887450196&id=100002079158985&__tn__=-R

We just emptied the rest of the decor boxes, for Yano to clean Tuesday. Plates to set over the cabinets on easels are in the DW.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Feb 19 - 11:26 AM

Sunshine and a stiff breeze this morning; so far everything underfoot is soggy, but by the afternoon I may be able to set foot in the front yard to start dragging branches and mow.

Before heading out to mow I crossed an annoying and messy task off of my to-do list: finishing the grout in one part of my dressing room. I did most of it ages ago but ran out, and never got around to the rest (probably with the idea that if I grouted something else I'd use the extra in here. But I never grouted anything else.) I also did a few lines in the den where dog nails have dug it out and it is now blocked by furniture to let it dry. I'll give it another sponge-off later today then move the sofa over the top of the area so they can't walk on it and gouge it out.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Feb 19 - 10:26 PM

I splashed gasoline onto my jeans when I was refueling the mower, so everything has to go into the laundry tonight. After finishing the lawn I didn't get much else done. It may be time for a new mower, this one requires a lot of muscle to get it around the yard. The self-propelled belt is off (it kept slipping off) and the mower has places where the handle dips low near the platform, because the metal frame slumps from the pressure. I have to push it low to make any turns, or lift the back two wheels off the ground. Neither is good. It is 17 years old. My fitness tracker was happy with the exercise.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 Feb 19 - 10:42 AM

Now that the date for Dick's memorial has been set, our next decluttering task is to set our truck rental rate. The landlord has not expressed any concerns about extending the mid-March date due to transition issues, and the early April memorial date is close to the vague early April date I posited.

The rest of the needful household tasks look do-able on that timeframe as well. I can breathe now.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 Feb 19 - 11:13 AM

Very cool article--

https://www.realtor.com/advice/home-improvement/types-of-clutter-how-to-declutter/

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 Feb 19 - 12:08 PM

Productive puttering AM bcuz feet too swollen to go to church today:

Spelunked linen closet looking for the backs to complete a listed project.

Rebagged some linen shelf items.

Bagged double bed set for camper, incl coverlet Q sheet.

Rebagged Greg Hinton??'s grandmother-made quilt for protection, set in sewing room for his display.

No tiebacks found for BR drapes, but made plan B not possibile to complete b4 departure, so crossing that off list.

Donated a loved double sheet, but am keeping the matching pillowcsses for memory.

Donated a decor pillow no longer needed, that has high-maintenance embroidery in a color not wanted here.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Feb 19 - 03:19 PM

I couldn't wait till Tuesday to take the recycling over; in the bin there were several very large round heavy-duty cardboard containers that used to contain rolls of wire (instead of spooling it). I couldn't think of anything I'd do with them or I'd have brought one or more home. Gardening in them? They'd fall apart. Put them in the ground? The metal rims would be in the ground later. Nope. Someone else may find a use before they're buried in the bins. Not bringing it home to begin with is half the battle.

Starting the new compost pile for the year and digging out the remainder of the compost from a pile a couple of years ago. The piles and large bin need attention, combine it all or pull out the sticks that aren't breaking down and see what's left.

This morning I started weeding the garden bed where I'll put in the onions, and I'll put the potatoes in a separate spot that was dug up late enough last fall it will be easy to work on now. The good thing about starting the garden this year is that I don't need to wait till next weekend to finish what I start today since all week is forecast to be perfect for yard work. I'm doing some contract work but it isn't set hours and it's only 10-15 hours a week.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, j
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 Feb 19 - 04:25 PM

When Greg got home from church we used dry-erase calendars this house came with, to lay out his excellent idea of how to get it all done, over 5 weeks.

FPH project materials are now set and waiting for Tuesday.

Plan: Yano and I will alphabetize pgs into my red accordion folder, one banker's box at a time. (She has confirmed that she can alohabetize.)

As each alpha section fills, I'll sort the pages into hanging files that are labeled by ROLE played in the program.

I think I have enough tabbed hanging files, but I also have re-usable post-it tabs if the flimsy, clear plastic tabs fail and/or new roles emerge. I had to make label inserts and reinforced a fee.

I hope to have enough copies of the model for each role to have a copy. Each role will get a binder with their role, some basic listening skills stuff, the program model, the general goals for their role, and overall goals as set by the implementer cohort. And items for just their

Some narrative will need to be written once the binders are set up.

The program coordinator and maybe the supt. will get that too, but like an EFM coordinator's manual, it will immediately be updated daily and therefore the supt copy will be immediately obsolete.

A better plan in replication will be that at year-end, the coordinator manual is copied for the next coord/supt pair (or coord/principal pair).


~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 25 Feb 19 - 05:56 AM

Whoo-hoo!!!

Early wakies drew me to the Library to open a big box I'd labeled "FPH Model, etc-- Dig!"

Expecting it to be mostly FPH paper for the Big Sort, I was thrilled to find that only one manila envelope is actually FPH. The rest easily divided into smaller boxes with actual destinations in the Library.

Under that box was "the pile" of other FPH boxes. Two were empty banker's boxes I'd set there to help sort and store the final product.

That leaves JUST TWO banker's boxes of actual FPH paper, to sort! That is a ONE DAY project I can FINISH TOMORROW, which means cleaning up the LR sorting area this week.

Now I can draft the connecting narrative bits on my notebook, any time, and print them up when we get back from the Big Move, and complete the superintendent's binder before school lets out.

It also means that if I were to be run over by a truck, my 1999 partner could whip that paper as well as I can, to give that program new legs.

~Susan

Subject: FPH PLAN
From: wysiwyg
Date: 25 Feb 19 - 05:58 AM

FPH plan, preceding posts.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 25 Feb 19 - 01:22 PM

Dupont:

Weather, paint sensitivity and inertia = no wifi yet. But I happily sit in LR on sofa that is to go upstairs eventually... and use the unlimited. Two days the roads were bad so I stayed in the city and suffered no computer. Sat we went to an auction --- with the usual result! All manner of junk AND a very nice washer dryer set (Maytag in burgundy!)which will eventually make its way here! Prob today!

The auction was #$%^&* otherwise. We went because R wanted to bid on a handcarved wooden eagle! It was an inch taller than our nine foot ceiling! And went for almost $3000! I am SO glad he did not get the eagle!!!!!!! It was an amazing piece but I would not be fond of a vicious looking eagle, even with two eaglets...

The trouble, as usual was the tail of the auction when there was all manner of STUFF left and the auctioneer kept saying, "deux piece (two dollars), Robin?" and "Where's Robin?" And I ended up standing there shouting "NO!" Won a few, lost a lot and now there is a carload of stuff to sort and, mostly, take to thrift shops. But not until is is warm enough/not snowing/raining and the drive is not a sheet of ice... That piece that snuck in last week is still here, also due to weather.

But I am looking forward to washer/dryer and have hopes of a frig in my future - maybe this week? Meanwhile, Thomas is, "as we speak" painting the K and pantry - ceilings white and walls cream. And I picked up paint chips for possible colours for R's office. Thomas is a painting maniac (Very sweet and lovable) and needs to be fed - painting work!! He also does other things so when he calls and says, I can... I can get more done!

The LR has a white ceiling and pale grey walls. The grey is Ok because there are big windows: S, W (2), N! And there is a very attractive trim around the top that would be challenging to paint up to. Once the furniture is in, there will be much walnut and mahogany not be so much grey.

There will be NO "big move". Inch by inch... Some major furniture will stay at the city house until it is sold. I am content with what is here and the promise of a frig soon, maybe this week? In the meantime, I am enjoying a warm, attractive, light-filled house, when weather permits.

I need to go back to Beaver soon and need to watch the weather for a break to go, and then return. This is needful.

As for the vinyl: A good idea but not for me. I already had to leave home due to paint fumes. I use as little plastic stuff as possible.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Feb 19 - 09:30 PM

I'm digging the garden beds a few square feet at a time this week, working on it more gradually since I don't have to wait till the weekend to do it all. I've started in the raised bed first. I bought onion sets a while back and kept them alive but they're not looking great; I'm getting those planted this week and should get enough onions to more than break even on the cost. My knee is still tender, so the slow pace is to keep from injuring it.

The dogs enjoyed a walk this evening, and we stopped by a little piece of grassy & wooded city right-of-way property on the way so the dogs could sniff. I guess Pepper's early years didn't give her much opportunity to explore - she seems remarkably incurious about who and what has passed by there before, strolling along behind me while the other two move across the area noses to the ground, paying particular attention to spots where I see nothing remarkable. I know that Zeke learned outdoor stuff from Cinnamon and Poppy - he was a house dog with a small Bermuda grass lawn with a pool, but over time he has learned to be an outside dog. He leads the pack to the back fence at night to bark at coyotes, something he never did when he first got here.

Watching the Antique Roadshow this evening, and understanding that most of these things that are receiving price estimates are largely going to be insurance prices - how would these people actually sell any of these items to realize the prices they're being quoted? They might sell to dealers who would offer much less to get a profit out of it. The program gives me ideas about what to dig out and list, but I have no interest in collecting any of these things. This is a good thing.

Diet-wise, it's almost spring, a time of year when more exercise and weight loss are possible. I've resolved to start by avoiding the empty calories of soft drinks, juice, and wine. I use milk as a source of calcium or I'd avoid it also (and I don't have soft drinks very often so that's the easiest thing to give up.)

Good job curtailing the auction purchases, Dorothy! Keep up the good work as you create this new (old) home.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Feb 19 - 12:15 PM

A new cap for my gas line trimmer arrived; the backup neoprene gasket I made last week will live in the greenhouse as a spare, but the old cap and the new one both have a cork gasket, most resistant to the destructive properties of gasoline. The trimmer probably cost $125/$150, and while it is easiest to simply buy a new one, I prefer to repair and replace parts as long as it will run, keeping the materials out of the trash stream. And if I donate it someone else is simply going to do the same thing.

Years ago I sold a trimmer at a garage sale, I couldn't get it to work for a while. A guy puttered and worked on it and before he left he had it running. I honored the sale, and vowed that I wouldn't do that again. I have a guy who fixes this kind of stuff for a reasonable amount, so I go there first. My mower still runs, but is harder and harder to use, so it *may* get replaced in order to have a machine that I don't have to struggle with so much. Or not. The effect of the slow onset of PMR was that I gained weight, and that has been hard on my knees. Now that I've been off of the steroids for a few months and the stress of an awful employer has subsided, it's spring and I need to pick myself up and lose the weight. When that happens I think my strength will be back to the usual level and the mower might be less of a problem.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 26 Feb 19 - 04:01 PM

FPH ROUGH SORT DONE, beyond alpha-- by role. Duplicates distributed thru ldrshp roles. More can be created with our printer's copy function.

FPH still occupies two bankers boxes--the two sturdy ones I started with in 1992-- but now sorted into labeled hanging folders. Yano took the better used manila folders,and recycled the rest.

There's much more material than I feared, and much less waste than I'd assumed.

The program could be run, now, from these boxes, tho ill still binderize it in due time. A bonus is that I found several reiterations of the unique model-from grant conception thru the replication phase-- written from various leaders' viewpoints-- all consistent with the original vision.

It replicated itself more deeply than I had realized-- I did a better job of developing new leaders and changing the school climate than I had been able to see at the time.

Time to marinate!

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 26 Feb 19 - 06:44 PM

FPH boxes stowed. Plastic hanging m file bin allocated to garage for heavy/long/outdoor extension cords.

Measurements taken for LL closet modification, laundry area cabinet, and LL shelf base. The laundry area cabinet is coming from PA and that measurement will determine whether it comes right in or needs to be disassembled and cut down a tad. It will sit alongside the stacking washer/dryer, with a slot between them. In the slot goes a resin folding table presser into use as needed, plus a curtain on a tension rodabove that which extends bathroom privacy about 30" in front of the bathroom door. The tiny loo gets humid fast, and that extra space is great for getting into a towel without bumping into damp surfaces (or trailing the towel into the potty).

Cinder blocks and bricks needed for bulb bed counted--12 each. Planting site for peony eyeballed.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 27 Feb 19 - 10:31 AM

Truck reservation confirmed

Helpers lined up.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Feb 19 - 11:00 AM

Weird dream last night, and a lot of this decluttering and yard work were part of it; dreamed I moved to a small apartment yet somehow had everything with me, including the dogs; the apartment patio was fenced with three spread out layers of fence and a hole at the corner where a critter was living. As I woke I was preparing to soak a paper towel in ammonia to toss into the hole and I realized I left behind the patio chairs at the house. Funny.

In the real world I have finished weeding and turning soil in the rock-rimmed raised bed and will begin on the bed for the potatoes next. This is where the old fence slats will come in; I can put the 2-3 picket section against the downhill side and have a deep, well-worked bed for potatoes to grow in.

This week I started a new book so I'm prepared to participate in a book club in a couple of weeks. I'm not sure that this is the group I'll stick with, it's about 25 miles from here and there may be something here in town that works as well, but it's a start, and people at that meeting will probably know about other book clubs to recommend. This one reads fiction, and I was told that there is a related group that reads all nonfiction. Decisions, decisions! They're both affiliated with AAUW (American Association of University Women). Their membership fees each year are hefty, but they are a group involved in providing scholarships to young women in the North Texas region.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 27 Feb 19 - 04:10 PM

Dupont:

Sometimes I do not push for what I need. I really wanted to go back to Beaver yesterday for a meeting about tree care, and a few days to visit and pick up a load of stuff. As often happens, I did not realize how important the meeting was for me until it was too late to go. The only reason I did not leave was that my car was full of stuff from the auction! So I complained this morning and the car is now empty. I will leave tomorrow early - waiting for the weather to warm up 10 degrees! Come back Sunday, weather permitting.

Auction stuff is sorted and most is ready to leave for thrift shop (a full car load) - next week when I am back. What a waste of time and energy! I did, however, find a beautiful oval tablecloth - white with a special sort of lace work (it has a name), safely ensconced in a heavy plastic bag and now in a drawer in the pantry.

It is possible that the frig will appear while I am gone - maybe... And the bed frame??? Maybe. Then we can live in warm house. One can only hope!

Montreal:
Came back to the city to rest for trip, also avoiding paint fumes which are sometimes sneaky. Alas, it is so cold, even in the BR, under two quilts! If I had hammer! and two nails and a ladder--- I would put the quilt across the doorway to keep the pittance of heat in the BR. But I don't. ... I opened an adjacent closet door across the opening in attempt to keep in some of the heat. ...It may be working; Does not seem as cold! (No, there is not a door on BR.)

R is involved in a very exciting project; Ephraim is leading and researching with him the history of a piece of property (belonging to R & bro) back into the 1800's and earlier, in old Montreal. They found info that led to more info... more and more interesting and exciting and, potentially, profitable. (Why I hesitate to bug R re matters of little significance like being COLD!)

It is predicted to warm by about 10 degrees the next few days. It will be nice to get back to the wood stove!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Feb 19 - 05:51 PM

It sounds like camping out in the house, Dorothy!

Today was warm when I left to run errands but the temperatures dropped by about 20 degrees in an hour and the wind picked up. Nothing like the cold you're feeling in the house or out, but it means that all of us who left home without a jacket were regretting that decision.

I went through Costco and looked at the various computers they have available, to compare with what I can order online. I'm willing to get under the hood to update when there's room and it saves me money. All part of the process - every time I get ready to buy a new device I have to research current trends and what is the next new thing (that costs a fortune) to consider or avoid. I snapped photos of the particulars listed on each box.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 28 Feb 19 - 08:22 AM

Not done anything in a while but yesterday’s project was a solar pond pump kit for a pebble pond. There had been a low voltage pump in this location for years but it had been abandoned as the pond clogged up with increasing frequency. Anyway an oak tree has since been lopped, the area is clearer and the changes may or may not be enough to make the difference.

The old system was in a mess though and I wasn’t prepared to check the wiring and redo/replace as needed for a “may/ may not be OK now” and said to mum, the only thing I was prepared to try was a solar kit. She bought a cheap one.

That job turned out more complicated than I’d anticipated as having got the kit, it I realised that the very small panel intended to be ground mounted on a spike was not going to get much sunlight. It can get quite bright but the bungalow soon blocks the sun when the sun is low. I decided the best answer was to mount the panel near the top of what remains of the oak tree – say about 12-15 ft.

That probably would have been easy for most but I get nervous even a few feet up (and I only needed to be 3 or 4 steps up to reach) and the step ladder had to be close to the edge of the pebble pond. It might sound odd but it became a case of getting one of the 4 coach screws for the (rather big but the best I could find) bracket in and coming inside and settling down for ½ hour before doing the next one.

Fitted and working it looked quite good late afternoon yesterday. Unfortunately today is very grey, the pump hasn’t started and there’s no chance of seeing how things might work out in more typical days.

There is one change already that I might look into making if things look ok and I can find out how (I can run to soldering, ohms law, playing with PICs, etc. but my electronics are not up to much) though. The pump runs on battery backup until it drops to certain level of charge. That in itself is good but is not all I want. I’m not interested in the pump running in darkness (and it ran till 9pm last night) when no one is around but would like to reserve whatever charge is in the battery for better cover when the weather is just overcast. So maybe some form of switch the pump side using a photo cell in future?

–

The bits for a new PC (mentioned in another thread) should arrive this evening. I’ve just realised I didn’t order a dvd drive but may well install from USB and forget about that. I’ll probably do the build tomorrow. And am likely spend a bit of time scratching my head – hopefully not for the build but I’ve not yet worked out a plan where I’m sure how I’m going to replace the existing PC with this new build.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 28 Feb 19 - 05:09 PM

In packing to be away at an all-weekend workshop, it was identified that my old bones just can't do that amount of sitting without an ottoman. So I've just finished making one, based on Greg's excellent idea: using the folding stepstool we use between the van seats as an armrest, with pillows on top? For that purpose, we recently discussed that it needed to be taller and firmer. For a footrest, firm also, and wider.

The stepstool itself is tough plastic that locks once it's opened, and holds 300 pounds. It folds to a compact and lightweight 3" wide; I used it for years to access tall Liberation Library shelves, until the Library moved to Ohio. Then it was a handy PA kitchen stepstool. (There were cracks between bookshelves or cabinets, where it could be slipped in until needed.)

Eventually it arrived in Ohio.

So I've cut foam of various densities already on hand, to raise its top and widen it. Greg cut me a plank for a wider (and firm) footrest. Whatever height the chair they give me turns out to be, I'll be able to add enough foam layers to make my knees and hips smile deliciously. I'll top it off with pretty (red) fleece to camouflage its humbler parts.

There have been many times at festivals, etc when I wished I had something like this. It may even work when I sit on my Rollator.

Since all the parts will stack between the van seats and can travel in a backpack, I suspect I'll use this often!

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 01 Mar 19 - 06:45 PM

Dupont:

It is a wonder I know where I am. Went to Beaver yesterday. Front door was frozen shut. Had to climb through knee high snow around to the back door. Poured hot water from tap through the screening and melted the ice so I could bring things in through the front. Otherwise they would have mostly stayed in car. Getting through that much snow- partly light and partly frozen - is not easy. Sorted myself out, took overdue book to library, picked up mail, noted there was a movie happening so I ate a nice meal I had brought along and went to movie. Won door prize! A start-a-lavender pot, two lovely photo cards by Mary Lou and a candle. M is a photographer and gardener; she arranged for the film showing.

Used "new" electric blanket on bed; put it on about 4 pm, after starting the wood stove, and at 10 the bed was warm!!! And the house was 69F. The movie was a better idea than sitting next to the fire for two hours! However, the back deck had two feet of snow and I was not up for shoveling a path to the wood pile. SO, having used most of the available wood to heat the house for the night...

Today I drove back to Dupont with the stuff I had managed to load into car - after it deigned to start about 9:45 am. Arrived back and off loaded car, ate, went through 255 emails and now I am here. Ready to head out to music tonight. Slightly bleary eyed but awake. Hope the music is good!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 01 Mar 19 - 09:07 PM

Dorothy, you are indefatigable!

My workshop canceled, but led to good things, including bonus time with Greg, and a fee reallocated to good things for the freezer.

And gazing time: I'm seeing a whole decor area in the alcove off our bedroom. Pix when done, with before/after.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Mar 19 - 12:31 AM

My Zenni optical glasses arrived today, and they're every bit as great as I hoped they'd be. We didn't have any sunshine to test the "transitions" type lenses, and I'll have to see how that works when I'm using the camera.

Dorothy, I've never had an electric blanket, but there's a friend I visit periodically who has one in her guest room, and I admit it's very nice to turn it on ahead of time so the bed is warm; I usually turn it off once I'm in bed, I don't want to be too warm, but not having to shiver for a couple of minutes under cool covers is nice.

Jon, I'd love to have a pond with a fountain, but I fear the dogs would be in it all of the time. As it is I have a great big water feature at the back of the yard beyond the fence - a year round creek that is a tributary to the Trinity River.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Mar 19 - 05:33 PM

Hunkering down for a wave of cold air to arrive tomorrow, and in preparation I'm making a batch of stew. I think also I'll make some soup.

My Frugal February passed and it was indeed a month of few purchases. I do have things I have to buy so today I made a run to the drug store, to Tractor Supply for dog food, and a couple of other stops. When I tried this last time I found that it's difficult to keep up the practice every month, because you tend to set yourself up to fail, but when you've had a frugal month it means you enter the next one with the goal of preserving the savings that you managed previously. Toward that end, my shopping today was primarily in the bulk food section of the neighborhood Winco where I pay with cash, not a card.

I stopped by a friend's house, and the smell of fresh baked bread met me at the door and I immediately resolved to make some of my dinner rolls; I couldn't eat a whole batch while they're fresh but they freeze well.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 03 Mar 19 - 11:53 AM

Two of our brother Dharmabum's scrollwork pieces are featured here:

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2139327329479885&id=100002079158985

Cooperative hanging job, for the nearly-complete Nature corner. White cutouts shown represent antlers on the way.

The folding chess board just showing against the wall is a family heirloom, also suitable for the brown mini-backgammon set from my pub years, shown with the books.

Enjoy!

~Susan & Greg

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 04 Mar 19 - 11:53 AM

Another area coming along:

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2140840172661934&id=100002079158985&ref=bookmarks

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Mar 19 - 02:05 PM

[sigh]

The work I did in the garden stands - the beds that were turned over and ready to be planted - but the onions I put out so far, the sprouting asparagus, the bay tree, and a few potted things that made it over the winter are now toast, burned by the cold last night. Must begin again later in the week when it warms back up to near 80^o.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 04 Mar 19 - 02:25 PM

Oh no, SRS!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 04 Mar 19 - 03:22 PM

Dupont:

Indefatigable I am not. Exhausted, still! Then there is gratefulness for the unlimited internet but not some idiotic websites that offer no help and one not so great that offered a phone number and a lovely helpful person responded helpfully.

After an hour of frustration yesterday, I went into the local Koodo store this am and the nice young man not only sorted out the billing problem but also provided me with a new phone (I had garnered lots of credit!) and a slightly less monthly fee as well as 3gb -and it automatically quits without going over! The learning curve may be long!

For the other, the nice woman at the Turtle Trauma Centre bore with me as I attempted to renew membership on internet while on phone with her so she could clue in to the problems I was having and inform their web master. In the end, she took my info and agreed to get it all straight. It may have helped that I know the "Turtle Lady" and extolled the virtues of the wonderful Centre.

Still one bill to pay on internet if I can manage it. But all else is up to date and I still have some money left!

The move continues to snail pace along. The washer/dryer are nominally attached but...??? Something not yet clear. The bathtub is full of laundry... The spool bed frame is in the BR but... R wants to reformat the putting together aspect. It is partly antique and partly not.

We have now found several possible eateries - ate at a second one last night - for "emergencies"- "when you do not feel like cooking". Still no frig until R gets time/energy/truck/helper to go to mill for a number of items, rather than piece meal. I suspect spring. Maybe it will come in April. In any case, I am not trying to make that long trip again until clement weather. When a neighbour tells me I can access the wood pile!

Sorry about frost in Texas! In my areas, nothing is planted "until 24th May weekend" more or less. Other than those things that can be fall planted. Looking through pics, I see lots of snow at end of April! I would start some seedlings now - if I had not left seeds at Beaver. Oh, well. We may join a CSA this year if I have a decent freezer in the basement. Some friends do one (organic) that delivers to Chateauguay, where Dupont is.

The ugly piece of furniture is gone and replaced with a beautiful antique oak medicine cabinet with mirror, for the 2nd floor powder room. Other detritus from auction is packed and ready for me to have energy to load it in car and take it to thrift shop. Almost a car full!

Agreement that the ends of a single spool bed, from auction, can be made into a bed/sofa for the TV room, with a mattress and lots of big cushions - easy to come by!

R bought four more bags of books at the library Sat. Many book cases may soon appear???

The upside of trip to Beaver was that drive was cleared. Now to google the fellow who did it so I can tell him not to do anymore AND pay him!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 05 Mar 19 - 11:02 AM

DP, indefatigability isn't a 24 hour cycle.

Yano canceled for today so we're off to go walkering.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Mar 19 - 12:49 PM

My father's family is from the New England area, and I was one of the heirs of the family home in Connecticut after the youngest of my grandfather's siblings died. One thing I happily had transported home was the piano that my great aunt told me was purchased new in about 1885 and is a big beautiful rosewood-veneered Victorian Weber upright grand. I've played it a lot over the years, but it does need work. It is tuned a whole note low because the strings kept breaking, and the pins holding strings are the old four-sided, not modern hex pins (the tuner mentioned this to me.) It will be several thousands of dollars to restore it, but these particular pianos retain value.

My kids don't play piano, and who knows if grandkids with an interest in playing will come along. But I have a niece who plays, as does her husband's family. So I have offered the piano to my brother, who has time, cash, and interest in this kind of huge and complicated project. I sent him photos and links to more information. We will see how this works out. This piano would be returning to New England. If he takes it I may simply get a keyboard or find a smaller spinet (as long as it has all 88 keys) and go back to playing more.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Mar 19 - 11:39 AM

This morning is already much warmer than the last three days, and tomorrow's high will be in the low-70's. Looks like the first day to approach the garden injured by the freeze. My bay laurel was looking good, but I'm sure I lost the tallest sprig and this may be the death knell for that shrub in that location. I like having bay, but it needs to be in the front yard where it is more protected from cold weather.

My to-do list has a number of items that are more complicated to complete before crossing them off. They don't necessarily cost any more, they simply take extra planning and execution. Seeing things crossed out regularly gives a remarkable feeling of accomplishment, so other small tasks that will make their way onto the list to balance it out.

Easter is late this year, but now is the time to start many of my garden plants from seed, and they may get transplanted to the garden before late April. The rule of thumb my neighbor uses is "don't plant tomatoes before Easter," but the soil will be warm enough before that date. Maybe I'll get beans and lettuce this year.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Mar 19 - 09:51 PM

I took an existing pair of glasses to my optometrist's eyeglasses business and am having them replace the lenses with the Rx for my office glasses. Plastic lenses that are covered by the plan (she started to say I'd be out of pocket for the polycarbonate and anti-glare coating - nope. Just because what I handed her glasses with those features, don't assume I want them again.) I always try to use part of the plan since I've paid for it. That's crossed off of my list.

Today wasn't as warm as I mentioned yesterday, it was only in the 50s, but tomorrow is supposed to be a warm one. I'm looking forward to it; this big step backward into winter was a real bummer. Now in addition to repairing the garden I need to start cutting and dragging limbs for next week's bulky waste pickup.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Mar 19 - 08:45 PM

Me again. Today I tackled a project that has moved around my office for several weeks, a small Japanese vinyl record my daughter wanted digitized. I've done this kind of thing before, but a long time ago, and I had several software questions and one hardware question to sort out.

I finally dug out a cable with 3.5mm stereo plugs that would fit into the 1/4" adapter for the receiver and would plug into the back of the computer. My several attempts with RCA cables went nowhere - they refuse to connect. I moved the receiver, swapping positions with the turntable, and captured the signal with Audible and then converted the WAV file to mp3 with Nero WaveEditor. As a bonus for her I scanned the cover and I'll add the art to the music in Windows Media Player.

Now that I have figured out the parts, I have many other things to start converting. I've ordered a longer cable so I can put the receiver back where it was.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 08 Mar 19 - 05:11 PM

We purchased some anti-tarnish cloth today and got started de-gouming years of tarnish and dust, plus more tarnish from exposure to a damp summer and fall in the garage. The silver polish doesn't seem as good as formerly, but we worked away, got about a third of the way through the decor and trays, and wrapped them up to sit on a dry place until we decide what to display. That cloth was super thin, so I'm glad Greg got too much-- we'll double it.

We also cleared up the table baskets, washed apples, made GF pasta, did laundry, gathered up trash-- ADA remediation.... a million small things let go in the last few weeks. Oh and converted an 8 pound tub of badly separated tahini to well-mixed tahini, and made some dressing with it out of the tahini that had stuck to the mixing bowls.

A bunch of the laundry to put away will have to wait, because Brandon and Greg can't finish the linen closet doors till tomorrow, and I can't get in there today.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Mar 19 - 06:28 PM

Susan, do you know the quick tarnish remover trick with Calgon and an aluminum pie plate? I think I got the tip from one of Haley's tips (and who knows any more where I saw those? PBS?) and made a note, but here's information from one of those eHow sites. I keep one of the disposable aluminum cake pans to do this in:

Set out an aluminum pie plate. If you don't have one, you can cover another type of pie plate with aluminum foil, shiny side up.

Pour two to three cups of hot water into the plate, enough to cover your silver items.

Add 1 tbsp. of table salt and 1 tbsp. of powdered water softener to the water. Stir to dissolve.

Place the discolored silver onto the aluminum for a few seconds and then remove. Often this is all that's needed to clean off the tarnish.

Rub the silver item with a clean soft cloth after removing it if the silver is badly tarnished.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 09 Mar 19 - 01:25 PM

Thanks... Items left are too big but might be handy in future.

I think I have a date with the dreaded TarnX. I prefer leaving grooves antiqued, but....

Today it was the six "Break Em and Die" china plates, which are drying in the dishwasher. They're going into the USE cabinet, not the Display cabinet. I have big white chargers to go under them... The antique pattern is pretty pink and green floral on white. With linen napkins that coordinate. And coordinating sterling flatware.

Also today, a box of madonnas, with more to come.

Because display space is so limited, I'm storing decor items in destination spots, grouped. As more bookshelves arrive, we'll pull from these collections to decorate those-- AND offer individual pieces from the collections to godchildren. The end result will be reasonable, small groupings on small wall shelves and side tables, not case after case of glass curio cabinets to live between. I want all these shapes touchable-- stroke-able!-- and out in actual use.

TBTG for Swiffers and dishwashers.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Mar 19 - 02:49 PM

Yesterday I stopped by DSW (shoe store) and browsed the clearance section for a satchel I've been wanting to use. I found a better design than the one I was using that is modestly priced, and found one pair of loafers that are the type that instantly feel good on your feet. Since I'm not in the near future dressing up to go to the office I have some shoes I no longer need. They either looked better than they fit or had a slick sole. So I brought home one pair and I put one pair of boots and one pair of loafers in the donate bin, another pair of worn-out loafers in the trash, and I still have plenty of shoes, but they're only the most comfortable ones. And the DSW shopping bag is now in the laundry room with the donation stuff loaded in it.

Susan, you can scale up the size of the container for cleaning tarnished silver. I can put the aluminum pan in a large plastic dishpan and fill the whole thing with hot water and Calgon - and then put the silver in. But it doesn't leave it as shiny as the TarnX, it does need a polishing rag still.

Lovely weather today, but we had a hard and fast thunderstorm race through at 7am so the lawn is fairly damp. I may mow in the late afternoon. This is my weekend for taking down limbs for bulky waste, and I have a book to finish for book club on Monday. So I'd better stop playing on the computer!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 09 Mar 19 - 04:08 PM

(SRS, I have trays too big for my dishpan.)

Brandon is here to finish the linen closet doors. First we cleared more garage space, and hung more section labels in the rafters for a well-organized truck-unloading operation. We also consolidated all the packing materials I'll re-use packing up my kitchen, and loaded them in the van.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 09 Mar 19 - 04:33 PM

Dupont:

Still pecking away at this moving thing. I finally feel as though I am "owning" the K. Today R helped with some chores I could not manage, fixed a leaky faucet and took a hard look at the non-functional dish washer - a Bosch. He was told it leaks so he pulled out the dead gasket and googled about a new one, And cleaned up the interior, then started on the oven!!! I love that he loves cleaning things! It is often too much for my right shoulder.

Meanwhile, Ephraim worked on connecting the wifi and looked at connecting to a TV - need special cable; E will find it. E also extolled the virtues of my new phone, hooked R's up to the wifi and tried to hook it to Bluetooth to no avail. Then we went to lunch and R took E back to the city in his truck. Hope R returns for more progress.

Yesterday, my main task was applying Murphy's Oil Soap to the antique spool bed, not an easy task with all the crannies. It looks SO much nicer! The wood was thirsty! Still need finishing. Took some stuff to thrift shop. Still more to go.

I am still looking forward to the time when - bed assembled and frig in place - we can actually LIVE HERE! Last night R came in his truck and we went to the music in my car and directly back to the city, leaving truck - IT slept here! This am, picked up E in city and came here.

Still hoping for final washer and dryer connections to be made! The bathtub is getting full of washing to be done.

R brought us a large, nice looking, early Canadian looking piece of pine furniture, with six good drawers and a two door cupboard section. We agree on putting it in TV/sewing room for fabrics etc!! WOW! I can empty the plastic bins and sort out the wheat from the chaff! After I bring them down from Beaver in the spring.

And we have another mascot. We talked about getting a dog for the yard but ... A nice black and white stuffie named Bowser has a spot on the hearth. The best sort of dog - for us!

Only -1C and sunny today!! And over two feet of snow on yard.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Mar 19 - 09:59 PM

One dog to the vet this morning, three cats fed twice today, and tomorrow morning is the last cat run. The fee for cat feeding was soaked up by the vet visit, but for the most part we think we've figured out this problem and I hope to not pay more than the set fee for the recheck.

The back yard is about 2/3 mowed; I stopped when the sun was setting, and will finish tomorrow, then move onto the limb trimming. Before mowing I decided to get rid of one of the posts that is left from the fence I took down last fall. It is right up against one of the front two panels that face the street, with the concrete footer a bit under the fence. I had to take off three of the new pickets (they were screwed on so it was easy enough with a power tool) and then tip the post and concrete footer over completely, fill in that hole, and put the pickets back up. Now when I finally replace the second old pine pickets with a new panel of cedar, there won't be a random extra post in view or in the way.

Carry on carrying on with all of those houses, Dorothy!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Mar 19 - 07:49 PM

The last few days a mildew smell in the kitchen has developed near the sink, but there is nothing behind or under that seems to be the reason. I fear it is the dishwasher, next to the sink, and I'm going to have to pull it to see if there is a leaking line behind it. It works fine, so would be a matter of replacing them; it's well-over 20 years old but I'll keep it working as long as possible.

The day never warmed up enough to make yard work appealing, and we have a few days of rain ahead. I have plenty to do indoors, but am itching for more time in the yard.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 10 Mar 19 - 09:50 PM

New fitness goals, schedule, and infrastructure set today. Begins tomorrow AM, early.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 11 Mar 19 - 05:53 AM

Up extra early so used the time to prep a pool laminate. Gym bag ready and off shortly. It's good to catch the time change wave-- and use it to our advantage!

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 11 Mar 19 - 11:33 AM

Dupont:

Well, time for R&R? R suggested I come back to the city and we could go to the movies. "I'll be there in 30 minutes." He, however, was not. At 7:30, it was dicey but we agreed to go anyway. Parked, walked up the hill to the theatre, avoiding ice! Looked at what was on offer - none of which had any meaning to either of us. As we tried to figure out what the films were about, I saw another couple about our age who looked to be doing the same thing. The four of us went for "coffee" and had a very pleasant R&R evening! It is necessary to research before "going to the movies!" But if we had been movie focused, we would not have met these wonderful folks.

Big Boo Boo! Breakfast Sunday was French toast; it was delicious with maple syrup and yogurt. My first bread in months. We both slept most of the afternoon. No more wheat in my life! I am still exhausted today. I am hoping to get over this and get a little done here today.

Someone came to see the house and said she is "interested"! Hope! If the house actually sells, R will be motivated to complete this move! We can bring the nice furniture here and get organized. Well, as much as... Hope...

above freezing today (+3C), very windy, some sun, some snow, wet ice on driveway. And the same two feet of snow on yard with icing of 5cm yesterday.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Mar 19 - 10:56 PM

I got out to a book club meeting tonight after finishing the book in question this afternoon. This group meets in the next town over, so I'll look around for something closer to home - or I suppose I could get a few like-minded friends together for a new group. It was a nice evening. And now that that reading is out of the way, the week is wide open.

Touching on my earlier discussion of shoes, I have a three level cedar shoe rack I built at least a dozen years ago. I can fit all of my shoes on it except for two pair on the floor in front of it. I'm not going to thin the shoes more, this isn't an oppressive number of shoes, and those on the floor in front of the shelf look good. The donation bag is still in the laundry room - there's room for more in it before I take it to Goodwill.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 12 Mar 19 - 12:09 PM

With Yano Becky-- this is all team-cleaning, not pointy finger maid supervision, and my end counts as a workout:

Soaked dishes
Folded and sorted laundry on wicker coffee table
Put away linens
Washed and stowed last decor items
Made up ear meds bottle
Cleared wicker coffee table
Wrapped wicker coffee table and stowed in garage
Photographed garage corners
Moved tool bins
Dustpanned spilled garage paper
Carried out and recycled box
Carried out travel foam
Gave away rocker base
Carried out LR trash and changed basket liners
Moved leaf bags to PA pile
Put away clean dishes
Moved patio chairs and pois to patio
Cleaned loo

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Mar 19 - 08:40 PM

You know what's really wonderful this week? There's no painful sleep-deprivation because of Daylight Savings Time. I've decluttered my life of the need to suffer through the week after the loss of an hour on Sunday night. #Retirement

Dorothy, stay safe in all of that driving back and forth with the snow and ice. I look forward soon to reading about you doing everything you want in one location.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Mar 19 - 11:07 AM

Something about spring this year - every morning this week it seems I have been greeted by a colossal clap of thunder. Spring seems to be fighting its way into existence.

My list in the kitchen is getting long; one thing I started a few days ago was to tip over and drag a fence post away from the new front fence, and now there are another 10 standing a few feet out from the side fence. Last time I had fence posts like this was when my garage was built and several posts were removed from the area where the driveway was extended to the new building. I used a sledge hammer to knock off the concrete footers and reused the posts (clothes line, new parts of the fence, etc.) I am thinking that one way to fill the holes left behind by all of these posts being removed is to push the chunks of concrete chipped off of the base into each hole and fill that over with dirt. This time I'll be smarter about the concrete footer part and get a chisel meant for concrete work. It sometimes only takes a couple of blows to knock these things off. (The friend who offered to bring over the farmer's jack to pull them out has been hard to reach and I don't want to be a pest.) I can probably dig out and knock off most of these fence posts in a day. Then I need something like a step edger (one of those half-rounds on a handle used to trim the lawn next to the curb) to run a shallow cut that I can create enough of a slim space where I can push the Invisible Fence line underground a few inches. I could use a blade like this or a tool like this one

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 13 Mar 19 - 03:45 PM

Dupont:

"I look forward soon to reading about you doing everything you want in one location" Not a tenth as much as I! Day by day, I hope for a frig, for the washing machine as I run out of clean clothes and R's jacket gains yet another layer of crud! Maybe THIS weekend??? It is +2C this afternoon!!!!! I am almost moved to go for a walk. Almost.

I am chaffing to get back to Beaver for a few days but not until the snow is down to - well, enough that I can get to the firewood! Dear Larry offered to help but he is busy with good works. I am SO tired of asking for/needing help. If there were someone I could pay for this sort of 15 minute job...! I will ask him to watch the snow go down in my yard as he drives by, so I have a clue if it is safe to go home. BUT, I guess it would be best to hang out with R until this major project either comes to pass or - GASP! - does not. Yes, I had best do that. In the meantime, I do not feel terrifically motivated to do much here - in fact: no furniture = no place to put things away! No wonder I sit here on computer all day! And water the plants. And try to get my head around changing my residence to Quebec; the French do love their bureaucracies and I so hate them. I will let it perk until I feel the energy impel/empower me. Maybe tomorrow.

OK, an hour later and the odious calls, and appointments, are made. "All" I need to do now is change my address on something to provide me with a proof of residency. And pay money and more money... And could not get an appointment soon enough to avoid paying insurance in Ontario, most of which I will get back but.... But that is because I have dragged my feet. Another, "Oh well!" Remember, I am doing this for love. It is certainly not the most pragmatic thing I have ever done. Have I ever done anything truly pragmatic? I would need to consider that for a while!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 13 Mar 19 - 06:37 PM

Poor sleep totaling 5 hours in two segments and two naps.

Scheduled: Aquatic and Office Wednesdays-- 8AM Y; 10:30 am Coco Ceidlen; 2pm TOC ofc and errands.

Actual: Aquatic and Office Wednesdays-- 9:15AM Y; 10:30 am Coco Ceidlen; aftn tv nap plus stowing ydy's Costco buy.

Pleased to get to Y though late, but end at sked time despite no shower. Evening shower and hockey plus holding hands.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 13 Mar 19 - 10:06 PM

I've been busy working and while it's been hectic, it's all good and I enjoy it. I am not crazy about the time change as I just got used to driving to work during daylight and now it's dark again. It is, however, a glorious thing to get home later and have it still be light outside...it won't be too much longer and it will be light out again in the early morning!

I did some major grocery shopping last Friday and did a deep cleaning of the fridge. The rest of the weekend was pretty much just hanging out and enjoying being home and the company of my two boys. Jeremiah turned 9 this weekend and while we had plans of Barnes and Noble, dinner and a hockey game, we ended up staying home as it was icy out. We opted for a Harry Potter Marathon instead. It was perfect timing as he just finished reading the entire series and we had told him he could watch the movies AFTER he had finished the series....so popcorn and a few movies for our family followed by a requested chocolate cake that I made myself. :)

Tonight I did 3 days worth of dishes as I've just been all tuckered out at the end of the day. Today I a package arrived that I've been waiting for. We have laminate floors on the main floor of the house. The mud this year has been RIDICULOUS so my floors, while swept daily, Swiffered every 3 or 4 days....still could use some attention. I ordered myself a Bissel Spin Wave to use on weekends. I think it will be just what I need, fingers crossed!

Hoping to hit the bookstore this weekend as a late something special for Jeremiah's birthday....he has birthday money that is burning a hole in his pocket and who am I to say no to a few new books? :)

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Mar 19 - 12:25 AM

Michelle, is this Jeremiah's spring break? Were you able to take off the same days, or were you all at home because of the ice?

I did some shopping also today, but no groceries; I picked up a box of T8 4' florescent bulbs (my hall bathroom is down to one in the four-bulb fixture - it's surreal it's so dim in there!) and a 12" concrete chisel. I haven't quite got the whole cement block off of the bottom of the first fence post, but I'm figuring out how to make this work best, and seeing the way the concrete fragments, it will be great for filling in between the larger chunks when it does come off of the post. I don't know that I'm going to knock concrete off of 10 more posts, though.

I've ordered the April book for the AAUW book group I went to on Monday. This week's book was a dense 200 pages; the next one I think is lighter but closer to 500. I've tracked the book package but if it looks like it will take very long I'll pick a copy up at the library and get started (I buy a copy so I can write in it and keep track of things with post-it notes).

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 14 Mar 19 - 11:20 AM

Dupont:

Having "slept on it", I am cancelling appointments and maintaining Ontario for a while longer. Just not ready for this big change.

I am sure SRS will be wearing safety goggles with that chisel! What an odious job!

Stayed up "late" to go to movie Green Book, well worth the loss of sleep. It was, in fact, a great movie, to us. Not forgettable.

This am, arrived at what I have started to refer to as "home", after a side visit to a grocery store - exploratory but fairly quick. A great huge hovercraft was on the river so I walked back down to see what was going on. A number of folks were taking pics, so I did also, I think. I want to be able to show R but not sure I worked the new phone correctly. And no idea how to get them to computer. Oh! It was breaking up the ice on the river so it would flow down stream more easily and not cause a huge build up at that bridge. The craft was at least 50 feet long!

Walking 3 blocks up hill to the theatre - twice this week! - then down again and, today, down to the river only a couple hundred yards and back up the slight hill, shows me how dreadfully out of shape I am. Temp is just at freezing point now and a walk this aft is possible. And a few small household chores as a break from computer!

But, now to see if FB is working today.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Mar 19 - 12:17 PM

Dorothy, depending on your phone, you'll probably use a cable and it often times has to be the cable that came with the phone to work properly. Open your computer's Explorer folder and look for the phone as if it's a new drive. You'll have to look for the file (DMCI) that houses photos. I have a couple of storage sites on my phone and I just looked - they're going into my Microsoft OneDrive account (I'd forgotten about that) and my free Dropbox account, so I have plenty of backups. They were also going into FLickr, but that was sold to a new company and they don't give you more than 1000 photos free now. My phone uploads photos when I'm in WiFi settings.

Yes, I am using goggles for the concrete chipping, though yesterday when I left my glasses on the outside table to wear just goggles, Pepper decided to check them out. I found them on the ground, licked but otherwise intact. Titanium glasses aren't just for hikers and busy moms and such. :) I'll put them up higher again, but she was there when I found them and I scolded her and she knows she's the only one who got on the table. (And I think she'll be like Cinnamon, sometimes wanting to carry around something that is mine. I dropped my phone case in the yard one day and found Cinnamon gingerly carrying it in her powerful jaws. Not a mark on it.)

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 14 Mar 19 - 07:08 PM

This AM we added to our Do Before PA list and checked off a bunch of completed items. X = done and Y = do with Yano help.

Sat. April 13 - 17 unloading days


ARRIVE TO UNPACK April 1?

Where is the fun for arrival day? Bike, scooter, stretch, or pool?

X Jim, Camryn and Brandon confirmed
Brandon confirmed to check gatage
Judy confirmed to water plants

Arrive home, look around, leave immediately for lunch or Ramada to make plan

GOAL: Most furniture comes in same day unloaded, straight to destination (ideal) or sewing room

BOXES to garage, in letter-designated areas, except for a very few labeled 1st-open, and those can stack on sideboard. DON'T BLOCK SCOOTER PATH.


BEDROOM

Bed delay? Alterrnative Ramada sleep?
Prep for rug to go down
Greg's cube to library
X Artwork up on walls
X Move drawers to closet
Clean room for new rug/furniture
BR pinned and tieback plan made.
Mattress ready for us w pillows
Swap existing rugs re cutout
My vestment space
Dowel Rods for curtains
Cleaners bags hung


SEWING ROOM

X Painted & ready for furniture & boxes
X Painting done
X Brown curtain up
Kitchen curtains fit here?
X Repair outlet
X Add flat-plug extension cords on wallsadj BR
X Cut-out stained carpet goes to dog corner!!! Other pieces for around rolling chair in sewing room
X Finish service dog vest
Discuss vestment space
Clear walls
Measure bookcase wall


HALLWAY
Art under shelf? Some kids pix?
Linen closet knobs


LIBRARY

Room screen to garage for now
Clear DVR to be able to record hockey games while gone
X Extension cord for desk power
Mount desk strips
Hang corner shelf
X FPH rough sort
Soundproof door with arrows
X Shelf base plan made
Add green recliner
Folding rocker to garage F corner, hung up


BATHROOM

X New toilet seat from garage
X Pockets on door?
X Fix art on door
Fix curtain rings
Caulk cabinet
Caulk tub


LAUNDRY AREA

Neaten up laundry supplies; furniture may need to be wheeled to sewing room
X Measure for cabinet depth/height
X Relocate alarm panel
Fill and put away laundry soap
Fix pull rod again


LIVING ROOM

X Hart art up/designed
X Purge wicker coffee table,
Y. Purge wicker love seat
Move lamp table
Move wicker love seat
Y. Clear sideboard top
X Artwork up on walls
Clear table and remove vinyl cloth (repair, make clear cover, roll both)
Polish table
Clear boxes around table
Remove chair covers and re-dress relocated wing chair
Remove green recliner to library
Relocate autoharp and stand? May go by jelly or inside TV cabinet
Collapse tension rod for windowsill
Boxes by sideboard


KITCHEN

Essential unpack-first boxes will go to sideboard (room divider of boxes up to ceiling if necessary)
Clear out windowing w Becky
Stands for plates


DOCTOR VISITS:

X Glasses
X Dentist
Pap
Mammo


SHOPPING

Meds refilled - inventory
X Soups waiting
X Contractors’ bags
X Power bars waiting
Burgers waiting
X Bread waiting
Meal waiting


GARAGE

X Corners marked
X Boxed decor in garage cleaned and boxed in plastic
X Garage ready and labeled
X Plan for Deere and blower- DONT BLOCK SCOOTER PATH
X Chairs out into patio
X Decide about picking stools
X Mike or Dave ready
X Stove gone
Lock up kayak
Box spring gone
Judy bins temp out


PATIO

Y. Patio cleaned up, pots out w rock/soil
X Dog fence raised
Get rock and soil, cover w plastic


YARDS

X Sewer dig neatened up
Wicker stowed
X Brandon set to weed beds
Move camper and reblock? Maybe later, and use black tarp then to retard weeds.
Plan for fences and gates
Board for weed gap


TRAVEL

X Car player loaded
Van cleaned out

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 14 Mar 19 - 08:11 PM

Jeremiah is not on spring break, that all happened over the weekend. I had Friday off for some medical stuff.

Michelle

PS. Ice last weekend and today, on Thursday, it was 65. Crazy weather!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Mar 19 - 12:00 PM

I had two lists wandering front and back of different sheets of paper, so yesterday I compiled one list and it's mostly big stuff. Those tend to be the things that wait a little longer to get attention.

I have Poppy on some big antibiotics to be taken at mealtime to prevent nausea, and the vet said if she vomited to give her half - she's been on them for a week but only overnight did I find evidence that she might have an upset stomach. I'm not sure who "cleaned up" after her, but this morning I gave her a half dose (a vet suggestion) so at least today we'll do the half pill dosage.

Yesterday I finished mowing the back yard, though after three days the part I started mowing earlier needs mowing again. I trimmed all of the vitex limbs on the ground from last month's street-side pruning and stuffed them into a trash bin. I left the baldcypress limbs because they're straight and relatively free of twigs, making them easy to run through my electric wood chipper for mulch. I didn't cut the limbs I planned to remove from various trees around the yard (to place at the curb for bulky waste this week) because last week's weather didn't cooperate and one the one warm sunny day we had I mowed and thought I could trim the next day. But it again turned chilly. I'll do my incremental trimming that I've mentioned in the past—one big limb at a time cuts down into enough pieces that the fit in the big plastic trash can for trash day. Do that twice a week for a few weeks and the trees are trimmed.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 15 Mar 19 - 12:23 PM

Dupont:

Inch by inch: finding places to put things, learning a new neighbourhood...

Another showing for house today; no action yet.

I did take another walk down to the river yesterday; no ice on river! (It, at least, is decluttered!) Ice in drive is melting; still about 2 feet of snow on yard and back deck. I have seen soil in some places; hope for spring. Today is 8C - feels like spring! But going below freezing again in a couple days. Try for another walk this aft while not raining. There is a folk dance event on 1 April; I would like to build up strength to do a few dances.

Learning curve for phone: I did manage to find and download photos to computer, and send one to R. I can sometimes manage texts without hitting the "emoji" button. I can manage the very useful calendar feature. And R can use it to find movies and other things; I will try that when I feel the need. I have no idea where to find Explorer but thank you SRS for trying. I will try looking on line for more help with phone.

Two sump pumps in cellar are very busy de-cluttering water trying to get in!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Mar 19 - 07:19 PM

Hopefully the sump pumps are in the OLD house!

Windows Explorer is a small program with an ico that looks like a manila file folder and the text under says "File Explorer." That is on my Windows 7 emulation desktop, and if you're using Windows. You're on your own if you're a Mac user. (The newer Win 8 and 10 icon is a stylized folder image).

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Mar 19 - 11:43 AM

Several years ago I created a tally-sheet document for myself in self-defense - to be able to show the exact number of widgets I processed in a metadata way, and today I modified it. It had five columns because that was the number of days I worked at that job, but for the contract work I'm doing now it can happen in small amounts any day of the week, and I realized the other day that if my notes overlap from one sheet to the next I'm liable to short-change myself hours (or work too many and have to move them around to the next week). So, this is now a seven-column landscape document with a couple fewer rows. In the end it's just a piece of paper with a table on it, but it helps me keep track.

Several days ago a cable arrived so that I can run it from my AIWA receiver to the back of my computer to start digitizing things. I did a vinyl album for my daughter with a short cable and equipment moved to accommodate it, but now I can leave things where they belong and do it. And I need to start reaching into the box of cassette tapes from my father's house for digitizing them and transcribing contents. This means a spreadsheet, a naming and numbering protocol. I could do a new Word document for each tape, but I want this to be a conversation between the discrete disks (and external hard drive) that will come out of it, I want to know how many versions of a particular song and who sang them and on what date. Searchable. Ugg. But this needs to be done by me, not left to my children to mess with. Time up pull up the Lynda training software and figure out how I want to use Access.

The week is gradually warming so I'll be able to do some work in the yard, but no predicting right now which thing out there will capture my attention. Who knows what it is that tells me that in order to mow the back yard I must finish digging out a fence post first? Or to weed the garden I need to start by getting the string trimmer in working order to take the tender tops off of weeds? It seems to make sense at the time. Perhaps the compost piles will get the attention they richly deserve - they need to be combined.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 16 Mar 19 - 06:35 PM

We spent some time out in the warm sun/freezing wind today shoring up fencing battered by the winter winds.... One year, a whole panel blew right off and this year another almost went airborne before Greg caught it with a tarp strap.

There's also a gap between two panels that has been encouraging a weed tree who's parent plant I spent 3 years eradicating. Sunshine streams through the gap and the tree suckers respond by reaching back through the gap to wave at traffic. So I determined that we would add a board to cover the gap.

Of course as soon as we started reinforcing panels with lag screws, we spotted every shortcut the sellers had taken when they installed it, and more spots to patch up.

Soon we had spotted several other gaps to cover, and that led to a really pretty effect: when we covered a corner gap with two boards butted tight, viola! A pretty corner "post" effect of new wood on top of dark gray weathered wood.

Now, the gaps between panels, covered, make a "look, they renovated" effect; we're adding one board for looks at each end, as well. They'll all weather together, or we may paint each new board white to coordinate with the house and garage's white siding.

Above each new board I'll add a plant hanger. Much prettier than a finial, and those puppies are pricey! If I have to spend money, better it should flower. And now that well be here full time to water things, it's time for hanging baskets under the eaves, in front.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Donuel
Date: 17 Mar 19 - 11:16 AM

Old decaying projects and new projects I will never do along with carving wood slabs in the backyard was removed yesterday by two gents from Zimbabwe. It only took two heaping dump truck loads!
The only thing I'll miss was a church display sign with a door to keep the lettering crisp that I repurposed for the celebration of diversity with humorous differently named tree leaves. The apparent age of the sign said more about the fading respect for diversity than the subject itself.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Donuel
Date: 17 Mar 19 - 11:25 AM

I already tried the shoring up method for fencing. Its time for new wood fencing but this time the outside will be painted with linseed oil and WD 40. A spray system will make it an easy job. with a mask of course.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Mar 19 - 11:50 AM

Don, last autumn I used something like this Olympic wood sealer on my fence pickets. On my brother's advice I stacked the pickets on a tarp in the garage and with a paint brush I painted each side of the stack, along with the bottom and top, then spread them out on that tarp and painted the top side. After a day of drying I turned them over and painted the other side. This way the sealant is on all sides and edges before they're put up. If you wait till the fence is up you'll never get between the slats or the bottom or top.

I did two panels (8' lengths between the posts) and have one more to do on that side of the house. Then I'll start working on the other side, where I have a street-facing panel to replace and five or six facing the other neighbor. They help with the cost of replacing the fence the first time I did it, but the next time I'll pay for it and do it in stages. (Though once they see me working I won't be surprised if they offer again, they're very nice people. On the other side, that neighbor paid for all of the fence between us, though I had offered to share.) I'm very lucky with my neighbors.

My to-do list is getting longer, I must do something today to cross off a few chores. Not just to finish the chores, but to feel good about accomplishing something today.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 17 Mar 19 - 02:31 PM

Dupont:

The sumps are in "New" house; as snow melts, water goes into basement - from below, I think. Even though we are high and would not expect this. I suspect there is not adequate something or other on the outside of this 120 year old house. But the sumps work adequately. I had a similar problem in PA. The house was on the side of a hill and water would come into the basement on its way down to the stream below - a stream that would expand from a few feet wide to about 30-40 feet wide in the spring. The first time it happened, there was a place for a pump but no pump! At 10 pm, I was using a shop vac to suck up water, then lifting it up and pouring the water into the utility sink. I phoned my bro and he went out and got a pump from his plumber friends, brought it over and installed it. A VERY GOOD brother!

Here all is working as expected. No problem as long as the electric is working! And it is. Hearing the pumps going off and on is comforting! Something is working!

First thing this am, I came up, out loud, with "The Unfinished Life" as a possible title for a book. The fact that R Almost installed the washer and Almost installed the dryer was the topic that followed my comment. I suggested that this is frustrating because the bathtub is full of laundry so.... And his filthy jacket could be washed so I could stop telling him to put it on the floor - not on anything fabric what would then also be filthy...

Then I rec'd dissertation - already heard at least once - on why they were not finished. I did not shout... However, when I went upstairs later to see what he was doing - reading an article on people who itch!!!!!!!!!! which noted it would take 29 minutes reading time.... I may have shouted. There were noises of possible movement on this subject - meaningless. I have been making excuses for him because he is busy... The spring thaw has created all manner of problems, such as roof leaks , and there is machinery to be found and moved and shipped.... But if he has time to read ... Last night he read the Sat paper AND we went to a movie. Good! Now I want to be able to wash the clothes - before I run out!

So, here I am on the computer, again. A little of the time is useful stuff and the rest is filler. I have arranged to go on Tuesday to see if I can volunteer to help with English classes for adults. My need to do something useful!

Moving has come to a dead halt. And the people never showed on Friday.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Mar 19 - 03:43 PM

Down time is important when one is working on a series of tasks, so I hope R is simply recharging his batteries with the reading (though you could tactfully point out that clean laundry leads to less itching!) Good luck with being able to wash laundry at home soon. It is a luxury!

This afternoon I completed an online training on Sexual Abuse Awareness Training that is required before doing many of the public activities at a place where I will be volunteering. It took me ages to get around to it, but thankfully the link was still good so they now know I took the course. It took about 2 hours and is very well developed. Depressing in the numbers they're talking about, but the message was clear and easy to understand.

It's 70^o out there this afternoon - I need to go work in the yard!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 17 Mar 19 - 07:43 PM

Greg and I just mentally tiptoed thru the PA house's contents (by my visual memory tho I do have videos we'll check tmrw), and the garage, here, with sections lalbeled to receive cargo. A great and sobering exercise in What to Donate, as well as a teambuilding exercise. This will SO guide my packing! And minimize chaos on return to Ohio.


LOADING/UNLOADING PLAN

Unless otherwise specified for Van, Cruiser, or Trailer, items will be onboard the truck.


¤ Z far back center - open armoire
BR items not in van
Hallway items not in van


¤ X front center right inside door
Kitchen boxes


¤ F back corner bowman hse
Box springs
Camp chairs


¤ W
Fridge
Freezer
Maybe kitchen items if small in pantry


¤ L front corner Bowman hse
Giant cabinet


¤ A front corner Ridgebury side
Book boxes


¤ GR mid side, Bowman, and twds center of garage:
Workshop boxes
Shop vac


¤ Gl mid side, Ridgebury
Garden supply
Long handled tools
Hardware


¤ TRAILER
Deere
Weight bench and weights
Sm garage tools
Weed whacker
Leaf blower
Fuel cans
Compressor


¤ Van
BR
Hallway


¤ Cruiser (towed behind truck, on trailer)
Bike
Skis
Snowshoes
Vestments?

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Mar 19 - 03:53 PM

Chipping away with the chisel gave me a surface area where I could finally just whale away at the thing with the 2-pound sledge and dislodge large chunks until it all dropped off. The post is now moved out of the way and I've almost finished excavating the base of the next post. I came in to get the camera to get photos around the yard and of this project, so am bothering to update in the middle of the project.

With each of these digging exercises I am moving the Invisible Fence wire out of the way to avoid tripping or cutting with a shovel. Soon I'll be able to make the shallow cut and poke it 3-4 inches underground. And be able to mow right up to the new fence. And once I finish replacing the last old fence panel I'm going to landscape that corner with something shade-loving. A fellow retiree from the library is a fabulous gardener (in both ways - a fabulous person with a fabulous garden!) recommends Hellebores, but I looked them up, they're toxic to dogs. So those would have to go in the shady part of the front yard. I could probably get some transplants from him, they seem to self-propagate nicely.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 18 Mar 19 - 04:29 PM

Dupont:

YAY for getting the post out of the way!

Back to the laundry: So I "sit all day doing nothing". Well... IF I thought I had made any progress... Lorna phoned and had a crisis; R fixed her crisis and I did nothing all day. This am my line was: "I want to be out of this neighbourhood by the first of April! I am sick of worrying about what side of the street my vehicle is on!" That seems to R to be a good idea... Stay tuned!

Today: decided the bed frame needs no more attention - other than being together - a two person job; used some cleaner on K cabinets and they look somewhat better. Went for Vit E oil. Two separate staff could not find it. Went to pharmacy dept and asked. She found it and informed two staff of its existence and location. Picked up a few groceries. Found a box that was meant to stay at Beaver. Walked around and found naught else I could accomplish. Here I sit. Still below freezing.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 18 Mar 19 - 06:06 PM

DP, April 1, go go go!

We're in Last Week chaos here. Helper Brandon took a day job and SAYS he'll be able to squeeze in those last projects to prep for our return, but... can't say when, due to work sked..... This has been happening with four years worth of young helpers, and while I always salute their gainful employment.... Oh Crap.

So this time is different because GREG IS HERE, so we sat down and made a plan. A great plan. And Judy is coming tmrw aftn to help play with dirt, prepping containers awaiting my return and taking four big bins of hers temporarily out of the garage, plus planning to water our house plants....

It always feels better to get up and DO stuff when this phase hits, so I refilled a bunch of kitchen canisters and filled a freezer container with stock/veggies to eat when we get back.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Mar 19 - 06:59 PM

Fingers crossed that you're out by April 1, Dorothy. No fooling around with that move!

The post I started digging today is shorter than the others by about two feet and is really deep - so deep that it isn't rocking out of the hole and too short to get as much leverage as the last one. I'm not going to try a dead lift out so I ran over to Home Depot and picked up a bagged length of about 1/2" dock line to use with a pulley. I'll wrap one end around the post I'm pulling out and the other end through a pulley attached to the next post over. I could use a carabiner and make a second pass on the first post in a block-and-tackle setup that would reduce even more the force needed to pull it out.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 18 Mar 19 - 08:53 PM

We put a post IN. Because all of the stockade fencing butts up to neighbors', and we've all agreed to tie into each others' on the next round of replacements, for now we're just reinforcing, on the cheap.

So we used a 36" post spike to sister in a pressure treated 4x4 we already had, where the idiot sellers used a mere landscape timber instead of good, pressure-treated 4x4 posts in concrete. The wind snaps these off from time to time, where the base is rotted, so one got sistered in, today with spike and lag screws.

Also we put up the corner shelf in the Library.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 19 Mar 19 - 10:26 AM

New living room PC build has run a while. A bit of a niggle with sat tuner card (random crashes that seem to happen on “idle” but change of setting to keep the card on rather than having it released by the recording program when not needed may have fixed that) but otherwise OK. Still got Samba (share with Windows work groups) to set up some time. I'll try to keep to regular software updates with it this time as well as hope that like the last one it largely keeps running 24/7 without hassle.

I’ve got some bits including a small (say 1 ½ x 3/4”) Arduino board that should enable me to try to modify the solar pond pump, I think… Perhaps an electronics person could do it rather more simply but if I can program something to switch in response to an input (light level – light dependent resistor and a voltage divider is within my limits) change, I’m in with a chance. I’ll try it some day…

Junk has been one of the main things here. We’ve had someone in whose taken away a lot of stuff that had accumulated in a corner outside over several years. We’ve still got some plastic and electronic bits they couldn’t take to dispose of but things are much better.

Rats have been a bigger problem here than I realised. I’ve known for some time that the roof space hasn’t been particularly nice. A plumber did some work up there last year for the new boiler and the “rat man” has visited but somehow, the extent of the problem got missed. The “odd job” company (same as did the junk disposal) had to go up there for some reason and they took some photos from some parts. This triggered getting all the roof insulation stripped out and replaced. Fortunately, they said they saw no evidence of damage to the mains electric cables. We also think that all points of entry are sealed now but we’ve been there before...

The grass is growing faster than I want it to and the first cut of the season is overdue. Weather and a couple of other things have got got in the way of cutting but I’d like to think I can do some mowing later in the week. Gardening wise, I aslo want to get the propagator out and start some aubergine and tomato seeds growing.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Mar 19 - 12:08 PM

Jon, you remind me that I have a vent on one corner of the house that is sagging from the soffit. I'll use a combination of adhesive and a new screw to stick it into place. The boards used under there are some kind of stranded fiber (but not so heavy as MDF) and don't respond well to simply having the old screw hole filled with a wood filler and re-drilled.

No report on the system to pull out the post, I haven't started that setup but will later today. This morning I've emptied all of the 4" pots that didn't grow anything last year when I started seeds - that soil will commingle with this year's homemade potting mix to start seeds now.

My to-do list is a full page with seasonal tasks now so I need to get moving.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 19 Mar 19 - 12:12 PM

Many pre-departure tasks done w Yano Becky's help; sad to be saying goodbye to my pretty wicker for now, but good to prep spaces for next-envisioned items coming all too soon.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 19 Mar 19 - 03:22 PM

Dupont:

Went to my first English class as a volunteer. Not sure what I was meant to do as the teacher ran the whole show. Five women - russian, Venezuelan, Chinese, Quebecoise, Morrocan, and one man - unknown. The acoustics were so bad I understood little and wonder how much it helped the students but they seemed able to converse fairly effectively. They were proficient and highly intelligent generally. Word I have never heard or seen: "lapidated". I'll look it up shortly.

Then looked for Vit E oil; All the junk in pharmacies but not pure vitamin E oil. Will order on line. With last effort - one more pharmacy, I discovered a shopping mall; I have driven by many many times and had no idea it was there. Rather tatty looking but some decent stores behind the tatty facade! I actually found one that had a few items I may go back and try on in the morning- when I am not so tired. Most of my shopping is done in thrift shops but I have not been finding anything in a while and have a hankering for something a little different. Still not set up for sewing.

Beautiful day, just above freezing. The snow in back yard is down to about 12 inches! I am eyeing the yard for where to plant the 3 cherry trees, if they survived their winter in pots under a couple feet of snow!

R received a wedding invite from godson. Guess we will be going to a June wedding in or near Mystic, Connecticut. So much for my vow not to cross the border until ... The RSVP requests knowledge of "camping on family property?", "coming in van?" and "song request?" Logan was ship's carpenter on the Picton Castle for a few years and studied art in Halifax after that. Should be an interesting bunch of folks! Need to plan our end.

Otherwise doing nothing - but computer - nothing else to do.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Mar 19 - 04:50 PM

A rope and pulley system works to lift weight, but there was way too much drag with that concrete footer so it didn't budge. I'm out $9.98 for a nice piece of rope that will work for other things, and I had everything else. A winch would have done it, but that's too much expense for this one task.

The post was at the corner and may have been anchored extra deep for that reason. The next one over is the one that will decide if I take the rest out on my own or have someone come do it. The others are taller, meaning they probably aren't sunk as deep.

I ended up using the chisel and hammer and knocking off the top 1/4 of the concrete footer while it was still in the hole, then bringing out a gardening weeding tool (looks like a big screwdriver with a wide pronged tip) to dig out the final part of the post. The bottom narrow end of the hole was filled with small bits of concrete and the larger cavity was filled with the large chunks and smaller pieces filling between them, and the top three inches is just soil. This got rid of all of the concrete chipped off so far.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 19 Mar 19 - 08:05 PM

Wonder Boy did indeed show up, and miracles were wrought. Judy came too, and so did Camryn from next door. Weather being perfect, everyone kicked butt including me with new superpowers thanks to recent rehab work. And then after supper Greg and I reassembled the bed.

The LR wicker loveseat I will miss was set in a perfect garage spot I'll see each time I enter the garage, and is handy for lawn parties.

Camryn has to say goodbye for 9 months due to a family situation, at which sobering news several of us cried.

Brandon has a last day before we go (Friday), and is set for weekly weeding. Son and DIL confirmed, amidst all this work today, that they are on board to help-- not on truck unloading day but 10 days later to unpack BOXES and help Greg set up his woodshop.

The updated list below has only a few easy items to finish Friday w Brandon. Tmrw we reward ourselves w a Cincy hockey game.


Sat. April 13 - 17 unloading days

Where is the fun for arrival day? Bike, scooter, stretch, or pool?

X Jim, Camryn and Brandon confirmed
X Brandon confirmed to check garage
X Judy confirmed to water plants

Arrive home, look around, leave immediately for lunch or Ramada to make plan

GOAL: Most furniture comes in same day unloaded, straight to destination (ideal) or sewing room

BOXES to garage, in letter-designated areas, except for a very few labeled 1st-open, and those can stack on sideboard. DON'T BLOCK SCOOTER PATH.


BEDROOM
X Bed delay
X Greg's cube to library
X Artwork up on walls
X Move drawers to closet
BR pinned and tieback plan made
X Mattress ready for us w pillows
Swap existing rugs re cutout
X My vestment space
Dowel Rods for curtains
X Cleaners bags hung


SEWING ROOM
X Painted & ready for furniture & boxes
X Painting done
X Brown curtain up
Kitchen curtains fit here?
X Repair outlet
X Add flat-plug extension cords on wallsadj BR
X Cut-out stained carpet goes to dog corner!!! 
X Finish service dog vest
X Discuss vestment space
Clear walls
Measure bookcase wall


HALLWAY
X Art under shelf? Kids' 3 portraits
Linen closet knobs


LIBRARY
X Room screen to garage for now
Clear DVR to be able to record hockey games while gone
X Extension cord for desk power
Mount desk strips
X Hang corner shelf
X FPH rough sort
Soundproof door with arrows
X Shelf base plan made
Add green recliner
Folding rocker to garage F corner, hung up


BATHROOM
X New toilet seat from garage
X Pockets on door?
X Fix art on door
Fix shower curtain rings
Caulk cabinet
Caulk tub
X Caulk tub overflow


LAUNDRY AREA
Neaten up laundry supplies; furniture may need to be wheeled to sewing room
X Measure for cabinet depth/height
X Relocate alarm panel
X Fill and put away laundry soap
X Fix pull rod again


LIVING ROOM
X Hart art up/designed
X Purge wicker coffee table,
X Purge wicker love seat
X Move lamp table
X Move wicker love seat
X Clear sideboard top
X Artwork up on walls
Clear table and remove vinyl cloth (repair, make clear cover, roll both)
Polish table
X Clear boxes around table
X Remove chair covers
Remove green recliner to library
Relocate autoharp and stand? May go by jelly cabinet or inside TV cabinet
Collapse tension rod for windowsill
X Boxes by sideboard


KITCHEN
Essential unpack-first boxes will go to sideboard (room divider of boxes up to ceiling if necessary)
X Clear out window box w Becky
Stands for plates


DOCTOR VISITS:
X Glasses
X Dentist
Pap - busy w Y, do later
Mammo - busy w Y, do later
Greg Doc appt


SHOPPING
Meds refilled - inventory
X Newbie meds
X Soups waiting
X Contractors’ bags
X Power bars waiting
X Burgers waiting
X Bread waiting
X Meal waiting


GARAGE
X Corners marked
X Boxed decor in garage cleaned and boxed in plastic
X Garage ready and labeled
X Plan for Deere and blower - DON'T BLOCK SCOOTER PATH
X Chairs out into patio
X Decide about picking stools
X Mike or Dave ready
X Stove gone
Lock up kayak
X Box spring gone
X Judy bins temp out


PATIO
X Patio cleaned up, pots out w rock/soil
X Dog fence raised
Xx Get rock and soil, cover w mulch/plastic


YARDS
X Sewer dig neatened up
X Wicker stowed
X Brandon set to weed beds
X Move camper and reblock? Maybe later, and use black tarp then to retard weeds.
X Plan for fences and gates
X Board for weed gap


TRAVEL
X Car player loaded
Van cleaned out


PA SHOPLIST
Surplus City foam and tarps

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 20 Mar 19 - 05:07 PM

Dupont:

this am helped R find clean clothes for important meeting. "I can't find my good red shirt..." "It's probably in the laundry." He put on a too tight shirt which E bought him ($90.00!!! for a too tight denim dress shirt) when they were going to a meeting last week and R had on a dirty shirt - the collar was... E had insisted they could not go to the meeting like that! YAY, Ephraim! Maybe this week - washing machine?

As for R reading: I do not generally complain as I realize it is important but there are times when something really needs to be done. In the last two weeks we have gone to one movie and met the couple from NB with whom we conversed rather than go to a movie, been to the cafes for music four times and had a couple meals out. But no washing machine.

Now that snow is leaving-!!!!!- perhaps we can get to the mill for the frig and other stuff. Perhaps even move some furniture - that which is not vital to the showing of the house. He is in no hurry to sell; it is more important to get the price he wants. I want the new house furnished with THAT furniture. Not going to happen. Spring is house selling time: "please sell, House!"

All I want is to be living in one place. So today I did a bit more exploring of shops. I did try on the things I saw the other day - felt like a blimp. Oh well.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Mar 19 - 11:56 AM

Mowed the back yard and walked the dogs yesterday and my scale still shows me gaining incrementally. It's time to seriously adopt the alternate day fasting routine. No point in doing it much in cold weather, your brain works against you then, but now it's nice out most days and getting much warmer for the next six months before it cools off again.

I picked up my office glasses, having the new lenses (covered by insurance) replace the existing lenses in frames I used several years ago. I looked at insurance premiums; there's no point in dropping this, it's pretty low and it covers my annual vision exam. But I won't be buying many new pairs of glasses through my optometrist with insurance - they gouge horribly. I'll simply replace lenses in existing frames.

This afternoon is one of my shopping and reference runs. My current lawnmower is 17 years old (built to last about 10) and has a couple of problems that make it mechanically difficult to use. I need to check with my mower repair guy to find out which brands being made today are the ones he would consider buying himself. I printed out the last two-years mower articles in the Consumer Reports Buying Guide for reference. My next-door neighbor has a self-propelled mower I've borrowed once when mine was in the shop and it weighs a ton. I don't need all of that extra hardware and I see by the ratings that self-propelled comes in various flavors, so I'll ask about that. Or if my mower guy could replace or restore the part of the mower frame that is so dented from long use, I wouldn't need to shop for a new one at all.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 21 Mar 19 - 12:39 PM

SRS, firstly #I'll just make the comment a previous post of your had me looking up how to do pulleys. I can be practical on some things and less so on others...

On mowers, we have 2 now. One is a fairly heavy self propelled (Toro which I believe is a popular American make). It's a bit of a pain to get in and out of the shed as I need full height to clear a step and go to lowest to park it but otherwise is pretty good. The task now is to keep what is really a farm track (but includes that bit of "lawn" on the land we rent) clear. A few hundred yards but not that great a width. I do it in stages but am pretty well unaware of the weight of the machine (which responds to how fast you walk/ press on the bar) going in a straight line and overall, with a 55cm cut,I'd think gets the job done with minimal passes. It also mulches the grass pretty well.

The other is a (Ryobi) battery one, for some places where the big one is just too wide and bulky. It has its limitations in that it does not like wet grass or the grass being too long so you want to keep on to of things when possible but I'd say it's as good as the old mains electric machine we used to have, without the hassle of a cable and would meet all our needs if we now didn't feel it a good idea to keep the (off our patch) rest of the path clear for log delivery and access to a septic tank. This around 12" cut thing is feather light.

I guess much would depend on the size of your garden and the terrain (and I don't think I could provide you with reasonable pointers) but I wonder have you looked into the battery ones?

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 21 Mar 19 - 08:24 PM

We started the day reviewing tasks yet to complete before Monday's departure, and sorting them into the remaining days. Brandon has a full worklist for tmrw aftn, including a re-fix of the bed we just fixed-- it's killing my back.

So the day's work focused on a few areas:


Picking up needed items at Lowe's and a dog Rx plus last groceries (eggs, yogurt). Then a long country drive with ice cream and a discovered church. Then back to the house to work.


BEDROOM
X BR curtains pinned and tieback plan made
Mattress ready for us w pillows (Friday)
X Dowel Rods for curtains


SEWING ROOM
X Kitchen curtains fit in here? Yes, perhaps set wider than desk.
X Window casing = 53" tall x 41.5
X Curtains = 79"
Clear walls and install ext cords (Saturday)
X Measure bookcase wall = 10'4"


HALLWAY
X Linen closet knobs
X Hallway hooks for hats


KITCHEN
X Stands for plates - inventory. Michael's in Bvrcreek carries these. Dave will put up the plates in late April. Decided-- display all. Plates set in empty K cabinet.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Mar 19 - 08:25 PM

Jon, I have a half-acre pie-shaped lot and a nine-month mowing season, so it needs to stand up to a lot of work - mowing most of the year and mulching leaves several times during the fall and winter. I've used an electric one when nothing else was available - dragging a cord over that much yard is a pain in the backside. My old mower is still working, but it's showing its age.

Lots of running today and I didn't finish everything, but I'm satisfied with a good start on my to-do list.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: mg
Date: 22 Mar 19 - 03:08 AM

My to do list... Find lunch spot in paris.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 22 Mar 19 - 09:26 AM

Sure, I think corded mowers are a pain in the arse, even on smaller areas. At one time before I took over and dad was more mobile, the pair of them would do the mowing together, really – dad just keeping the cable out of the way. I’ve also had to repair the cable in the past… Our little battery mower avoids all that hassle and, conveniently, uses the same battery as I use in my 2 (one hammer and one drill/driver) drills and a garden sprayer but it wouldn’t come close to meeting your needs.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 22 Mar 19 - 10:46 AM

MG, can't you detour to Ohio to help us move?

Horrible and pain-making foam layer now deleted from bed in clever trick-- I've scheduled my excellent DIL Jaclyn to help us repeat this in their April visit.

Problem: Remove, in replace-able form, eight layers of mattress padding to work on mattresses, box springs, frame.

Trick: We rolled them all up in one swell foop from the foot end of the king bed formed of 2 twins, left it rolled at the head, and (from the foot end) pulled out the king camping foam mattress causing the back problems. When we do this in April we will tie that roll at each end so the men can carefully carry it to the LR.

They will take apart the bed and lay the Oriental rug, place the headboards, nightstands, and lamps. They will add the box springs and mattresses to the raised frames and bring back the roll of mattress padding. Greg and I will remake the bed. Jaclyn and I will work on curtains while the men play with the heavy stuff, and add the pretty pillows at the end.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 22 Mar 19 - 12:22 PM

Dupont:

Yesterday: fetched some tween season clothes from the mill; stopped at a garage to have noise in car checked, "no noise"; lunch with Geri and back here - noise disturbing me more and more but sporadic; went to great music and to city to sleep - "Be nice when we can sleep here.." There was still considerable ice and snow around the mill; slightly challenging to walk from where I had to park to the door so one trip was all.

Today: good bf; drove to Toyota dealer and requested "check on noise"; wheel bearings in both front wheels, "very dangerous". I got a ride home while they replace right(worst) one; will have parts Monday for the other. I am beginning to feel as though I am rebuilding this car piece by piece but in between times, it runs beautifully. A large de-clutter of finances. Looked at the prices of new ones!!!!! HO, HO and HO!

Killing time while waiting for diagnosis, I went across the road to shop selling bath and kitchen fixtures- ugly bathtubs! No back slope; what is the point of a bathtub that is not comfortable?? The prices were educational!

So I sit here computering, having put clothes in closet, and happy to have worn, not a sweat shirt but a nice T and a silk shirt last night.

I can see grass around the edges of house and yard and some hosta peeking out.   Expecting snow tonight!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 22 Mar 19 - 01:01 PM

DP, now that you know what bearing noise sounds like, next time you will be able to schedule that routine item in non-emergency mode.

As female friends and I have discussed so often, women's work (Proverbs 31) is seldom discussed or credited in the patriarchy, as WORK. So I'm making an effort to list it ALL during this period of no-Y, house-"work"outs:

. Jeans button re-replaced and jeans now fit comfortably, so now have a pair to wear and a pair to pack for moving time-- VERY few duds are left in PA...
. Old, beloved sewing box found at last, recently, sorted out; newer crap box ditto. Result: a good box I like of loved tools for the house, and a small zippered case of travel tools to add to car when we get back w furniture.
. Everlasting laundry going to fold later
. Twist pins for deferred April project set with project
. LR items stowed to make room for furniture coming
. April worklist started w names of best ppl to partner with on each
. LR table slowly clearing
. K table slowly clearing
. Caulking job decided and streamlined
. Two hygiene brushes encased in custom cases created today
. Untaken giveaway items tossed

~Susan

All while on standby to pick up the paid male helper sked for later in the day.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 22 Mar 19 - 04:56 PM

I couldn't find the sidewalk chalk I'd bought to mark out the garage sections, but when I bemoaned that fact Brandon said he'd actually found some in a recent garage cleanout here, so viola!

DONE:
X Flashing Repair
X Move green recliner to Library
X Hang rocker and 1 director chair
X Sweep garage
X Mark scooter path and lettered sections
X Gather items to fill and mulch out patio pots while we're gone
X Move parrot cage planter to patio
X Modify folding chairs w foam, pack and hang up church pillow duffel
X Mount two outlet strips, ofc
X Set out and discuss mosquito dunks to stay ahead of mosquito breeding

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Mar 19 - 10:35 AM

Lots of running yesterday afternoon, including the trip over to the little converted ancient gas station (you know the look - the small concrete building with bay doors, a covered portico where the pumps once stood, situated on a convenient corner) where my guy who repairs mowers, trimmers, and probably other small engines has his business. I had printouts with me, and asked if he could tell me what were the manufacturers he liked best, when he sees them come through his shop. He was pleased to answer questions and see the consumer reviews - when you ask someone about the thing they do and the work they love, it isn't an imposition. He had a couple of customers come in while we were talking and I stepped aside and announced "you have a real customer" so the newcomer wouldn't feel like they had to wait for me to finish. It was very helpful, and he walked me out to the shop where various models are stored and showed me things he things one should look for (does the handle part attached to the mower and platform part wobble when you try to lift one side and then the other? Front wheel vs rear wheel drive (he likes rear wheel drive better)? Steel or plastic platform? Surprisingly, the Honda plastic is very durable (more than 20 years) and makes less noise than a steel casing.)

Good to know!

I think, when I do finally get the new mower, that I'll take the old mower over to him. I'm willing to bet he occasionally has moms come in looking for a mower they can afford - he sells used machines, he sold one while I was talking to him. He's one of those christian folks who isn't obnoxious about it but seems to have a charitable streak a mile wide that he ties to his religious beliefs. So if he has a mower that works and he will tune up and offer for a small amount for that kind of customer, he'll do it. I'm willing to support that kind of enterprise. If I take it to Goodwill it might be a problem because of the fumes if it's indoors.

Kitchen cleaned last night, a load of laundry done, and a bonus (discovered when the laundry was put into the dryer - "clonk!" "Clonk!") my pocketknife got washed. It's now drying completely on my dresser top.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 23 Mar 19 - 12:36 PM

Dupont:

Waiting, sort of, with some hope, for R to arrive and connect the washer so I can wash clothes. Hoping he can also ensure dryer is correctly installed. There must be 6 or more loads awaiting. It is a BIG machine, too big probably for our needs, but it sure is nice. I am assuming it will work because the home from which it came was highly organized in every way.

Picked up a good bit of a strong wall paper at a T.S. the other day. That is the best for lining shelves, I believe, so I was happy to get it. A piece of furniture for powder room arrived - more Louis Quatorze than Victorian! I asked for storage; this is suitable for against the back of a sofa - 3 tiny drawers and a large empty space for tall vases or some such. Looks good but only takes up space. Oh well! It can be replaced. Nice love seat for TV room also arrived.

Last night's snow amounted to nothing so there is hope that we can get frig et al from the mill this week.

R suggested we might also get the "sewing cabinet" upstairs (it is big!) and set up the TV on it. With the little bookcase to put things on, I could move computer to TV room and de-clutter the LR for its next incarnation. Ephraim is going to find me a cord to connect computer to TV as a larger monitor.

I enjoyed being part of the English conversation class this week and have it on calendar weekly. Thinking of going to Beaver on 2 April for 6 days to live that life and bring back a carload of stuff.

Slowly learning to use new phone. Now that there is no ice, I park further from stores to get some walking in. Today might be warm enough to walk down to the river - which is getting high. I heard, and saw, lots of Canada Geese Thursday! Wonderful!! Hmm, I'll try that walk now, while the SUN! is high.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 23 Mar 19 - 01:11 PM

We had a Honda over 20 years ago. It was always an easy starter and quiet runner compared to the more common Briggs and Stratton engines of that era (although current mower has a B&S engine and I think they’ve moved on). It coped well with the aprox ½ acre and in places quite sloping terrain it had to deal with. Mum gave it away when she moved here.

I don’t believe there was any requirement for mowing here then. I gather (I didn’t live here then) there was a little grass (and the Honda would have been too big) at the front but she had other plans for that area and renting a patch behind the house hadn’t even been thought of then. That only came about later when she was looking for an allotment and a conversation with the landowner for the field made a nice offer – sort of “if you want to clear this overgrown area we can’t use and maintain it, you can have the use of it for a nominal rent”. Things change...

It can be nice to have people like your mower man. I’d be less sure about the local place mum used to use. It strikes me as more of a place for new sales (including those big John Deere garden tractors) and service contracts than repairing older and cheaper equipment.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 23 Mar 19 - 03:03 PM

Well, I can't walk now.

Busy day here....

AM coffee and dayplan

Joint booking of Clarion motel for drive to PA

Joint folding of clean king bedding

Greg off errranding while I fold laundry mountain and sort out items to take

Top alcove drawer cleared of scarves and pretty scarves hung on alcove hooks and scarf hangers

Swim bag loaded for return use

Swim player set w packing items to use while away

Brief fone conference w Mary Kerr re checking PA house, and email re heat/water sent to landlord GF Teresa

Put away clean laundry

Whipped dishes

Chose travel toiletries and neatened up Library chairside area

Set up and distributed chairside water bottles

Sent neighbor texts re departure

Sent William confirmation for packing help to begin Thursday-- Greg to start Weds w trash trips from shed while I recover and plan.
Movie for tonight arrived with the mail. Van preloading done except for our stuff, fud, electronics.

Scootered the block w dog but battery dies now long before block is circled.


Saturday Pre-Packing:

Pack exercise player (evening)
Pack easy dry suit in pool bag (evening)
Pack puders, clothes, meds (evening)

X Load black foam mattress
X Fold and secure walker
X Load folding stool
X Pre-load tools
X Rural King: Roundup, sm dog fud
X Folding laundry
X Detrash van
X Post office hold mail
X Notify neighbors
X Confirm PA helpers
X Level parrot cage (tomato plant house)

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 23 Mar 19 - 04:10 PM

Dupont:

R arrived! So far, he has dithered around about other things, and I had to strongly refuse two wall pieces. We did agree on the several boxes and bags to go to TShops. The cabinet will not go upstairs until someone stronger comes to help; it appears to be fastened to the floor! The drawers have gone up. WE agreed for a spot, in the pantry, for a tool box but currently have only a changeable screwdriver and a wrench. The screwdriver lives in my car, generally; the only reason it is available. Two hours later, still dithering...

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 23 Mar 19 - 04:14 PM

Dupont:
When I say dithering, I mean fooling around with objects that have nothing to do with anything useful in the house - a light that was here and which I asked to be removed - OUT! But he had to take it apart and wash the filthy thing instead of doing the necessary job. I could have done two loads of laundry by now. Oh well.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 23 Mar 19 - 04:51 PM

Dupont:

Load one is washing!! YAY!!! Dryer is ready,too!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Mar 19 - 05:51 PM

While waiting for lunch guests to arrive I did a load of laundry (dog beds) and went into my zippered plastic sweater storage compartment that hangs from two hangers. A handful that I bought years ago but rarely wear are now in a bag in the donation bin. I need to be ruthless and remove a few more, but this was a start.

We had a leisurely lunch and spent the afternoon visiting, and thunderstorms threaten this evening. Looks like an eBay evening.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 23 Mar 19 - 06:04 PM

Work: I planted some Marigold seeds and put them in the window outside my office. I also trimmed and dead-headed the plants that needed it. I changed out all the winter decor from my own office and window sill, added a plant and a hand carved Robin that I love. I now have two monitors on my desk, the CPU (not sure what else to call it) is about the size of a box of butter and that is new to my desk top space as well. I also have a new internet phone which is a bit more bulky than the last one. Given that I need to be home some afternoons for Jeremiah, working with children poses a problem as many of them need to be seen after school hours so I have requested that my caseload on children be reduced and the adult caseload increased. In that light, I have also requested that the responsibility of being the trainer for the Children's Program be passed on to someone else. I've been doing it for 2 years and it's time for someone else to lead that horse. My caseload is larger than it's ever been and last week I received a 5% raise. YAY ME!

Home: My yard continue to be MUD. MUD. And MORE MUD. Ugh. I am looking forward to the day when the ground firms up, there is grass to mow, temperatures are warmer and leaves on the trees! Daily chores are being kept up with...dishes, laundry, clear table, someone decent floors (I'm allowing slack on this because it's MUD season plus we heat with wood and pellets...both are creators of dust. Jeremiah is in charge of sweeping almost daily and does a decent job. I'm thankful for the help. I cleaned out the fridge last night and emptied all the various Rubbermaid containers, washed them all by hand (they don't come out clean from the dishwasher) and today I had some family time and some me time. We all got haircuts this morning, I got some highlights and then went on to get my nails done. I don't do that often but I sure do love having them painted an all pretty! We went to the bookstore and then out to a place we've been wanting to try for a long time for our lunch....It's called Curly's Chicken House. It's a down home, straight forward family restaurant...a bit run down but the food was great! I had friend chicken which I don't think I've had in years...surely I will be paying for it later tonight...it was worth it! While we were there a woman came over and started hugging me...I didn't know who it was until she took a few steps back....turns out it was a friend that I used to work with in the 1990s....she's retired now...sure was great to see her though!

I have a huge undertaking that I'm hoping to get at least halfway done tomorrow. I have made the decision that I am going to get rid of 95% of the clothes that I don't wear or that don't fit. I'm keeping a few special pieces but the other stuff...all 8 sizes of it all is going to be GONE. I'm feeling ruthless and tomorrow is the day!   I might start tonight...we shall see.

I am headed to a college reunion in May and recently purchased some new clothes that I feel good in...including SHOES!!! Normally, I might get one or two pairs of new shoes per year and sometimes not even that. I recently picked up FOUR pairs...one new set of cute kick abouts, sandals and two pairs of Espadrille sandals, one black and the others are a sassy hot pink....*GRIN*....love it!

Oh...also taking my car into the shop for a tune up so I have no worries on my drive to Vermont for the reunion.   I have rented a cottage for myself a very close girlfriend who actually is the reason that I met Pete....I can't wait to see her...it's been *GASP* over 25 years!!!!

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 Mar 19 - 10:51 AM

Like during vacay time, a retired priest gets to skip an occasional Sunday morning church service. I'm so glad we both went back to sleep this morning!

It's forecast to be warm enough overnight to load the tech/meds box TODAY, and it's ready to top off with meds.


~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 Mar 19 - 12:19 PM

Tech/meds box full and loading as the innocuous BANKERS BOX (the only one onboard).

Found two neutral beige curtains when we took apart doggie dust sheets, to replace current see-thru hallway privacy curtains, to hang later or tmrw.

Ydy, I got my mother's pretty antique dresser sorted and restored to a pretty, welcome-home state-- the overflowing top drawer's scarves hung on display hooks to grab as needed, and messy top shelf items stowed in the nearly empty drawer. Adding the full length curtain to replace the half-curtain will make for a real dressing space. I'll post pix when the pretty PA boudoir lamp is added and the candelabra sconces get their tapers.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Mar 19 - 12:25 PM

Susan – your next trip to Pennsylvania is a week away? And this is the final trip as far as emptying that house and moving contents? Big job!

Michelle, for the first 16 years I worked in the library I was in an upper floor with north facing windows and I didn't keep plants, but co-workers kept their plants in my window. As long as the fruit flies (or fungus gnats) were kept under control we were all fine. It was nice to have a smallish-jungle in the cubicle.

I'm washing dog beds this weekend; Poppy may be over the bladder infection but the incontinence is back and I'm going to have to address that this week. It isn't enough to take her out at bedtime any more. I'm going to have to set up a place on the tile floor where she sleeps on beds in an enclosure so she doesn't leave spots of piddle. I'll be steam-cleaning carpets this week. Most of the house is tile floors, but there are a couple of carpets. This project bumps a few others down the list.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 Mar 19 - 03:11 PM

SRS, we leave tomorrow morning!

Privacy curtains are up. Food bags are loaded.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 Mar 19 - 05:33 PM

Kitchen cleaned
DW loaded to run overnight
Laundry going
Towels changed

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 24 Mar 19 - 06:26 PM

Dupont:

Laundry continues; washer and dryer running and I have lost count - 4 of each maybe, and more to go. R even fetched a different jacket so I could wash the incredibly filthy one! Picked up another swivel rocker for the TV room today (T.S.). R repaired the cabinet door he, inadvertently, broke yesterday. He has been exploring the cellar to see what useful pieces have been left behind while I wash stuff left behind and put some in trash and some in T.S. bags. We picked up a nice set of drapes (T.S.) for across the laundry area. Perfect for the current colours of the room. Can be used elsewhere if it changes. Good heavy fabric with ferny print in shades of green only. Might even work to "black out" BR.

Great Laundry area and equipment - after one reads the directions!

Email from neighbour Larry that Beaver is getting wet indoors. He has done what he could and I asked him to consult with Dan if any more needs to be done; L is better at texting than I and Dan prefers texts. When we have someone as wonderful as Dan, it is important to keep him happy! I owe Larry big time. Great neighbour!

Good neighbour here kept drive cleared all winter and when R drives in with Truck and stuff, M comes running to help, if home.

Bed construct will be along any day now! Frig to follow when weather cooperates. Yesterday, R dug out enough of the back deck that we could open the back door and appreciate the woods. I am happier to have a front door AND a back door.

Guess I shall not complain about R enjoying his explorations.

Safe travels, Susan!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 Mar 19 - 07:59 PM

Thanks, DP!

Our plan is to get home to Ohio with furniture and boxes, April 13. I'll be posting on slow Wi-Fi while we're in PA packing.

Our first helper, William, will come Thursday afternoon and I've never worked with him. I expect brawn and humor, but don't know yet how he is on nonverbal partnering. I anticipate making a tentative plan of attack Wednesday and revising it after working with him Thursday.

A lot will depend how my back holds uo and how well we sleep on a makeshift bed.

But the real challenge of it hit us today: we've developed a wonderful rhythm here of working hard every other day and doing fun, silly stuff on the days between. And there's just not the fun there that is so plentiful here. Add to that the reality of being public figures again, and we've yet to figure out how to make space for US apart from the project of moving. My physical limitations complicate that. But we'll talk more about it in the van tomorrow.

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Mar 19 - 09:27 PM

Last night I compared the mowers and prices reviewed by Consumer Reports – Honda gets the highest rating, Toro ranked second. Toro costs less than half of the Honda, because it doesn't have some of the fancy features but is still robust construction. The thing about Honda is that they don't seem to produce any lower-end models, so I can't really compare the companies. I may decide on that pretty soon.

I took a vitex limb out in the back yard today, it's the one that was growing into the power and cable lines in my back yard. It was just enough to completely fill a large trashcan when cut up. I have several more, but if I do them like this I don't have to fool with a pile of brush sitting around.

There is dog bedding drying now (I didn't do as much laundry as Dorothy, but it was critical!) and I tossed a large bed. I hadn't thought when I bought it but they all need to be washed sometime and that one wouldn't even have fit a commercial washer. I'll keep the outer case and put rag-type dog bedding I used to use in the garage in it. All of that can come out for laundry.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 25 Mar 19 - 12:12 AM

I guess that markets vary a fair bit. Looking around UK wise now, Honda do offer a straightforward 16” cut push model. Fwiw, we have the Toro 20958 which, at current prices, I can find for £560. I think the closest in Honda would be the Honda 536 VY which I can find for £720.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Mar 19 - 01:32 PM

I'm looking at 21" or 22" inch blade - there are wider double-blade mowers but they're way out of my budget.

Wonderful thunderstorm overnight and we got the rain part (other portions of the region got the tennis-ball-sized hail). In a couple of days the garden will be just dry enough to work on.

I need to make a run to Goodwill, and before that I'll take one more tour of my sweater cabinet. I'm feeling ruthless about removing sweaters I rarely wear, even if they are the right size.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 25 Mar 19 - 01:52 PM

And ours. The Toro we got was right on our limit, perhaps a fraction over. Besides that, I'd not get anything bigger in the shed. In inches, our Toro has a 21.7" cut and the Honda as a comparison, 20.9".

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 25 Mar 19 - 02:03 PM

(Also, wimp or otherwise, I think 22" is as large as I'd want to handle here)

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Mar 19 - 02:52 PM

I went through my list again - there is a lower-end Honda for $399, and the Toro I was looking at is $369. Brings them into the same range. The lower-end Honda doesn't have the nexite deck (makes mowing a lot quieter) - the lowest one with that feature is $599.

Now I ask myself - I have an elderly mower that works and has "issues." Would I mow more often with a newer mower? Yes, undoubtedly. Will I feel buyer's remorse for getting a new mower? I might if I bought the more expensive one. I've identified a shop about 3 miles from the house that has the Hondas, and a shop about 7 miles from the house that has the Toros. Right now, before heading over to the Northern Equipment that sells the Hondas, I'm predicting I'll end up with the lower end Honda. Anything is going to be new to me and wonderful compared to the struggle I have now with the old mower. There were a couple of "sturdiness" points the repair guy made, when he wiggled the handle (or not) depending on how well it was reinforced. I have to tighten a screw on the handle of my current mower because it vibrates loose, and the original screw with the molded head that fit the handle perfectly so I could tighten easily dropped off. Now I have to hold onto the head of a carriage bolt to twist the nut head - so I've had a lot of time with a wobbly handle and would like to leave that behind.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 25 Mar 19 - 03:18 PM

Dupont:

Every community needs a wonderful person like a neighbour who just collected and repaired junk mowers and sold them for $30 to those of us who needed them. Worked fine and if it didn't, he helped. There must still be sweet men like that in the world - or women!

Still doing laundry! Threw that coat in without emptying the pockets - he gave it to me to wash, I thought. Well, there was not a pocket full of nuts and bolts, as he feared! But a couple newspaper articles are history. Enough left that he can find them again, if necessary. The coat looks great! There are a few more yet to go. Today the current bedding went through the laundry! And the drapes for the BR. AND a huge object - I guess king size and thick! is drying over the banister around the basement stairs, under the addition.

These stairs are open with a glass and wood surround at the top and a "stairs" that resembles a ladder. I refuse to use them and avoid the top opening carefully. R is considering an elevator. There is a separate stairs (original to the house) to the cellar part under the main house. These are negotiable only with an improved banister - or sliding board? I greatly resist any opportunities for injury!

R installed an under-cabinet light yesterday (the "filthy one I complained about) and it really is fine; and investigated the bed; now he really does have a pocket of nuts and washers! (There were not enough.)

Dan called and told me about damage, from melting snow running amok, at Beaver - fairly minimal compared to what could have been! The plywood underneath was preserved by the heavy gray paint I used before the "underlay" was placed. The underlay was a mess - buckled! Dan has it under control, has a fan going, and will also clean chimney and fire up wood stove to help dry out K floor so he can replace "underlay". I am SO lucky! And I get to sit here and look out at the woods in back of house.

As I put that drapery fabric up on a shelf until a rod is available, I realized it is marvelously heavy,with the pattern woven in!, and lined! Four panels for $16!

Left wheel bearings and an alignment today, then grocery shopping and back to city to cook a good supper. A frig was talked about but still in future. Inch by inch...

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Mar 19 - 05:44 PM

Dorothy, was the reason for the leak an ice dam? I've never seen one but I've read about them often enough (mostly from Mudcat members who live in the north).

Picked up the Honda mower. It's set up, oil has been added (they ship without oil). Now the directions booklet is on the kitchen table and I'm reading (got an email about a website correction that needed making, so I'm going to get back to reading in a few minutes.) While at the tool store I also found some longer pruning blades for my Ryobi reciprocating saw. Northern Tool is the high end of tool stores, the low end being Harbor Freight. And I still will take coupons over to HF, but what a lovely trip to see all of the name-brand tools I'd love to own or learn to use.

Yesterday I repositioned the cedar chest that used to live at the foot of my bed, it's now against the wall, far enough along so the door won't hit it. I've only tripped on it once in the dark so far. I pulled out a bunch of dust puppies after moving it, and no, I STILL haven't found my vacuum cleaner wand. I'm convinced it is hiding in plain sight.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 25 Mar 19 - 07:03 PM

I hope the new mower gives you years of good service, SRS. And yes, on a different subject, I think one could spend a fortune on tools and equipment. I know I could…

I did some mowing yesterday and “our patch” round the back looks better for it. I didn’t intend using it but tried to start the Toro – no joy and I suspect the problem is stale petrol – I’d intended one last cut last year, that didn’t happen and running the fuel off got forgotten... I did get the trimmer started but I’m a touch concerned that the throttle assembly handle feels a bit loose. There are rubber anti vibration dampers in there and I’ve a suspicion that, even though the machine is fairly new, they might need replacing.

I’ve got the propogator in the porch and am waiting for a delivery of a bag of compost which should come on Thu. We’ve got a few bags of general purpose compost around but I use a potting on compost both for starting the seeds off and for growing on in pots before planting in the greenhouse in May.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Donuel
Date: 26 Mar 19 - 09:17 AM

Oxi cleaning carpets gives much better results than shampooing

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Mar 19 - 11:33 AM

How do you Oxyclean a carpet, Don? With a shampooer?

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 26 Mar 19 - 12:52 PM

PA

Here.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Mar 19 - 02:46 PM

Good job on the safe arrival! Now for the huge task of the final distribution of stuff and move out.

I'm making a push to finish the front garden bed on the southwest side of the house and put back the steel edging. It's laying out of the way but can still be a tripping hazard (this was pulled for the sewer line work in 2017, so I haven't exactly rushed to finish this part of the job.)

It's nice to have the house still looking pretty good after lunch guests on the weekend. I need to keep it this way, and consider if any pieces of furniture need to be moved or removed. I'll have to move some to steam clean the carpet, hence the consideration at this time.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Donuel
Date: 26 Mar 19 - 04:30 PM

Step 1 isolate pets, vacuum, assemble plastic bin towel and gloves
Step 2 make oxi clean solution, soak towel and lay on carpet
Step 3 walk on towel and repeat for entire carpet
Step 4 wait 20 minutes and rinse with water with shampooer and extract

or
fill water compartment on shampooer, wash with oxiclean solution and rinse after 20 minutes
The shampooer will overflow with foam but so what

parole pets

hard to clean or shag carpets will look great with little effort.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 26 Mar 19 - 05:24 PM

PA

Essentials unloaded from van.

Dog fed/watered.

People fed/watered.

"Bed" "manufactured"-- "make me down a pallet on your..." box springs.

Tech hooked up and working. Frozen essential items
thawed.

Bed pallet successfully passed pressure point tests, and appears set until final loading morning. Soiled linens found in the process on their way to laundry room.

The first packing plan decision has been made-- a staging area is needed for lamos/furniture/misc bagged items to donate. A nearly empty room has been chosen to empty first with helper William, Thursday, if anything is too heavy for Greg to shift tomorrow.

Next, SLEEP.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Mar 19 - 09:41 PM

I worked at a steady pace today, weeding in the front yard (around the asparagus, and around the daffodils). I haven't finished either bed, but I weeded enough so that I could spread a wheelbarrow full of mulch over the finished area. It didn't rain enough the other night to soak the soil as much as I hoped, so I may have to hose down the rest before I work on it.

I mowed the back yard, and even though the new mower is an inch or two narrower than the old mower, it's easier to maneuver and I was able to finish more quickly. In my effort to help Poppy tighten those muscles I took the dogs out again for a half-mile walk (we'll try to do that every day for now on - they have a huge yard so it doesn't always seem necessary, but Poppy doesn't run around all day any more). My Nokia tracker and Google Fit are also happy at the number of steps, duration, and distance covered.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Mar 19 - 01:52 PM

Parceling out my energy and hours today: the next of the fence posts to be removed confirmed what I suspected—the rest of them are just as long as the first difficult one, but since they sit higher they aren't buried as deep. In a few minutes I've dug around the next one enough that it already wobbles. One a week will have them all gone before summer is here.

Tomorrow is trash pickup so I have to prune out one more of the large limbs, this time in front, and this time I have a longer pruning blade to use on the reciprocating saw. I cut it into 4' lengths and push all of the pieces into a tall black and decrepit Rubbermaid trash bin. One of these days that bin will have to go with the trash, but I'm still getting some service from it now. If I do a couple of these limbs a week I'll also have this job finished by summer, and by then I look forward to planting some things that need more sun.

The garden also needs attention, so what's left of the day will go to weeding and shaping more beds. And I have to fill the pots with my mix of compost and soil and get a bunch of seeds started. I should have done it weeks ago.

I've had a good start to the alternate-day fasting, and will do the fasting (modified - around 500 calories) at least twice a week. I can be done alternately, but that is a more difficult schedule to stick to.

Rest period over.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 27 Mar 19 - 05:50 PM

PA Purge Prep, first full day

Brekky out
Short Mansfield tour
Wally provisioning and Lisa, Tom "word"
Bank, errands

Codes agreed for Chaos Prevention (my job), Bull/China Shop Prevention ("dear, do you need to breathe?"), Outing Needed code, KFH/Public Incursion ("bouncy bouncy...")

Weight room items marked with garage letter codes off fone to consolidate for room tmrw-- prep for setting up a Donations staging area by the treadmill

1st wayback room set to heat, to work on later as breaks from tv hockey (and tmrw AM), to again mark items to keep, give, trash, recycle

I'm looking for the better post its (found)

Groceries were brought in and putting-away begun

Chair break: I Married an Angel, TCM

Outing: bike dropoff for spring inspection, and then a sunny, hilly explore from Covington, remembering cemeteries frequented and actually finding one we'd never "planted" at

Parthemers no longer appear to reside in fmr rental

Laundry w ammonia started (gross stuff), used up ammonia gallon and laundry soap bottle; may have more ammonia; did buy detergent

Dinner chix is thawing now for evening Instant-Pot supper and salt-free bedtime snack; we'll make a batch of chix salad tmrw and taters will also be potting later for tater salad tmrw

I almost know what to do with 3pm help tmrw.

~Susan

Recycling just loaded for transit tmrw

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Donuel
Date: 27 Mar 19 - 05:50 PM

Having energy to parcel out is a wonderful thing.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 28 Mar 19 - 05:15 AM

PA

The landlady dropped in unannounced last night requesting a major accommodation, which ate up my whole evening and will majorly f*%k up the next few precious days as well.

It also took up time I should have been eating the supper-- late due to a blown fuse earliersr-- which I could smell while she "visited".

Blown--evening laundry, packing, and break time. Potential impact on my limited physical wellbeing.... Profound and an increased pain level. Oddly, life has shown me I can figure this out. But there goes one "slop" day I'd built into the sked in case of travel vagaries getting to and from Dick's memorial service.

Clearly I'm going to need more help to getting this done, so I hope the landlady has people up her sleeve.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Mar 19 - 11:26 AM

What did she request? Usually when a long-term tenant leaves a dwelling the landlord does the carpets, painting, etc. It's part of the cost of being the landlord. Maybe you need to come up with a counter offer to her request. (A shot in the dark since you didn't tell us what her request was. But it's a shame to see a big crimp in your plans.)

My dog-corral arrived yesterday, so one day soon I will move furniture out of the front room and shampoo that carpet, then block it off completely to all of the dogs. Then I'll set up the corral, and fill it with dog bedding. The younger dogs will be able to get in and out (the height is 32"), but the oldest won't, and she's the one I want overnight on tile on washable dog bedding with access to the dog door into the yard. I still have to decide what to do with the carpet under the dining table. Shampoo it once more just for the heck of it, and see what evolves.

My ex told me about an Iraqi guy he visits every so often who specializes in cleaning Persian carpets. It occurs to me that this old dog sometimes comes into my room during thunderstorms and may have dribbled on that carpet. Time to take it over for the first cleaning it has probably had in 100 years.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 28 Mar 19 - 12:06 PM

Dupont:

Poor Dan replaced the flooring at Beaver and put on coat of varthane, went off to let it dry and when he came back --- the roof in K had leaked on new area! "Hell of a day" he texted. We will look at prevention plans when I get there. Two separate issues: 1. Water running down the hill and under the front door - need to trench the water away from house, maybe lower the area in vicinity of Front door, make room for a moat to form? 2. the valley in the roof between two sections builds up ice and snow where the sun never shines. It leaked the first year but not the next ones, so I bought that wiring for melting roof ice but we never installed it. I am sure Dan will have some ideas, in addition to words he does not generally use!

Tomato question: Each "patio" plant in LR has one tomato. Each have been there for several weeks - looking ripe. But R wanted to wait and they seem to be perfectly happy to stay on plant with no change, whatsoever, in appearance!???? (Some kids never leave home!)

I am starting to have some routine around this house - places to shop, things to do, discovering/experimenting with dif routes. Above freezing today. Patches of clear ground are gradually expanding! Ice is still cluttering the river, with wide open spaces and many mallards!

Today, for the first time, I am cooking a lentil/cabbage stew! I have been snacking on cheese and choc when here. The stove burner works; that one anyway. OF course, I expect something to not work or go wrong; R bought with no guarantees; he prefers a low price and do-it-yourself repairs. He loves fixing and cleaning up dirt/messes. So I let him, with delighted relief!

Picked up a wood shelf unit for the studio at Beaver this am. I have a spot for it. USEFUL!

Stew time!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 28 Mar 19 - 12:21 PM

PA

Thanks, SRS. These neighbors, with whom we have 25 years of multiple relationships, are in no way professional landlords. They're farmfolk who own houses on farm properties the family bought out over the last 100 years. This is one they like to rent out separate from the farmland itself because the farmland adjoins their cattle herd pasture, and they themselves use the barn here.
I spent a number of years in tenant's rights, and have rented all my life, so I am well aware of what should be happening, none of which applies here to the interlocking blessings that have historically flowed between our families.

We've lived here longer than anyone since they acquired this property, and thus her ideas about renovation suddenly changed when I shared the house's realities with her, last night. Such as, when we toured the former MudDorm presently storing boxes for our packing: "No, actually that stain in the attic ceiling is not water damage. The contractor who repaired the housefire damage, in 2001, miscalculated ventilation, and this annual mold is from condensation. This one window, left cracked, is too small, and this non-opening window here needs to be replaced with one that opens for cross-ventilation. The standing seam roof was replaced then, and this whole addition is dry." And "No, this brand-new-looking dishwasher did not wear out. A rat run goes under it, as we reported when one day it suddenly was dead, to your fiancee three years ago, just before you met him and became the family's property manager."

So while I was nuts when she left, she apparently appreciated the money I had saved them.

Suffice to say that when we countered on her request first thing this AM, the request was withdrawn and I can just about get on track again.

~Susan

Subject: Garage Codes
From: wysiwyg
Date: 29 Mar 19 - 09:29 AM

PA

Greg is picking up labels and I'm printing 11x17 posters for Garage codes:

T trash
SP donate to St P or Gift
R recycle
Or use below key to pack



¤ S, on top of Sideboard in kitchen- stacked first-open boxes


¤ Z, far back center - open armoire
BR items not in van
Hallway items not in van
LL items not in van
Sewing Room items not in vang

¤ X, front center right inside door
Kitchen boxes


¤ F, back corner bowman hse
Box springs
Camp chairs


¤ W, fmr lumber corner
Fridge
Freezer
Boxed foods in pantry


¤ L, front corner Bowman hse
Giant cabinet


¤ A, front corner Ridgebury side
Book boxes


¤ GR mid side, Bowman, and twds center of garage:
Workshop boxes
Shop vac


¤ GL mid side, Ridgebury and shelves
Garden supply
Long handled tools
Hardware


¤ TR, TRAILER
Deere
Weight bench and weights
Sm garage tools
Weed whacker
Leaf blower
Fuel cans
Compressor


¤ V Van
BR
Hallway


¤ C Cruiser
Bike
Skis
Snowshoes
Vestments?

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 29 Mar 19 - 11:06 AM

PA

Good AM coffee chat planning the morning.

Greg is dropping Goodwill load and bringing back trash bags.

Here, all but one Wayback box in LR purged; the rest are to box or consult w Greg on.

Not bad for an hour's work!

Another Goodwill box filled. Several boxes needed for packing these items are empty now.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 29 Mar 19 - 01:34 PM

Dupont:

Crisis of the day - so far - no pen within reach. I need more pens! I need one within reach no matter where, in which home, or car, I am sitting!

Life would be far less cluttered if the road construction was not so all pervasive. As soon as I leave the house, my mind is totally concerned with "how to get there today". Which routes will be closed. I have taken to using one which, so far, has no barriers, I do not get lost - the other night I was in and out of dark alleys trying to find the way home! - and it takes a bit longer but is less stressful.

Spent extra time on internet giving info on wildlife rehab at this birthing season. And still neglected to post about the turtles crossing the road - soon! Time enough when Kelly does it and I can share.

Other than watering plants and shopping, not much is getting done here. Looking at the time, I could still look at starting a sewing project....

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 29 Mar 19 - 03:01 PM

Dupont:

This internet thing is too time consuming. Especially when one finally stops and goes to look at doing something. Like: go out on the mini deck to enjoy the sun not realizing the door would lock behind me! No way off without doing serious damage to the railing. I waved at each car - at least 4! Phoned the volunteer agency 2 streets away - the only local number I had; left message. Finally, the cross-the-street neighbour whom I had not met came out and recognized I had a problem! YAY, Sophie. She came in the front door and opened the other front door and let me in! So, we got acquainted; she gave me her phone number! Fortunately it was not too cold and not raining, or snowing! I see no way of unlocking that door completely!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Mar 19 - 05:17 PM

I one time locked myself out and had to walk down to the street, around my next door neighbor's house, around the back of their fence to my back fence to the point where I knew I could climb over, into my back yard. And then I had to slide open the glass door but the wrought iron gate wouldn't let me through—I was able to reach the key on the mantle next to the door to unlock the security gate. Now I have spare house keys in a fake sprinkler head in the garden near one of the doors. You might need to hide a key out there to play it safe.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 29 Mar 19 - 06:52 PM

SRS, you just told us how to get into your house.

PA

Progress continues per plan.

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Mar 19 - 11:49 PM

Possibly. The yard is very large and the arrangement of things described have changed.

Today I took the old mower over to the repair shop, and told him I had an offer. I knew he had people who came in asking to buy mowers, and he agreed - I'd seen one last time I was there. "And you probably have people come in who can't afford much but really need a mower - single moms with no money and a lawn to mow, looking for something used that works (or some variant on that theme)? "Yes." He nodded, he sees those also, and knows the difference between the two groups.

"I'd like to give you this mower—it has issues, but it runs, and whether you want to do any work on it or not, give or sell it low when the customer-in-need comes by." He was pleased and noted a couple of those issues he could address. I suspect, knowing this guy in passing for several years now, that he has an idea of what the used mower is worth, and will add about that much in parts or upgrade, and give or sell it very low.

And in other news, this week I exceeded my daily step quota on my fitness tracker three times this week. The dog walk each evening helps push me over the top.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 30 Mar 19 - 05:35 PM

Montreal:

Came back to city due to ice on banister on front steps at Dupont, also ice on every twig on the way to bridge. No ice in city!

Clutter: Every morning my brain works on which route today? I tried the "usual"; 35 minutes later, having gone E, N, S, W and a few more, I found myself detoured back onto the road I had left; ten minutes drive would have gotten me there in the first place. Arghhhh! No guarantee that tomorrow will be the same.

There is no key for any doors at Dupont but I did figure out how to unlock that door! It shall stay that way. Also plan to take out the railings and be able to use that separate entrance- more direct route to washroom if working outdoors. There is also one in basement - after the snow leaves! MAybe next week???

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 30 Mar 19 - 05:35 PM

PA

The sewing room, a large bedroom, and the large linen closet in the landing are cleared. The van is full of Goodwill again, and the trailer has two 55-gal bags of trash awaiting a recliner to load Monday. Several more boxes have been loaded out to the staging area porch.

The room for parish donation is getting full. (They'll pick up after we leave.)

An enormous box (it originally shipped a grandfather clock) has been designated out on the back porch for paper recyclables, which accumulate quickly as I sort. A plastic trash bin has been set to catch plastic recycling, which also piles up in my sorting area.

No helpers tomorrow-- peace, quiet, and sorting about 20 boxes William set in my packing area, into boxes labeled for the rooms where they'll go.

A pair of heavy cast iron griddles and a similarly sized crockpot for my son are ready to pack.

Tonight I hope to finish putting away groceries bought Wednesday, get a long shower, and go to bed early.

We have a backup plan for fellow clergy spouse Mary to supervise William (her son) to finish anything we can't, and we wiill discuss this with her Monday.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 30 Mar 19 - 06:06 PM

Great day out and about with my Mom. We checked out the newest location for one of our favorite stores and then hit BJ's where she joined as a member and added me as an associate. It's been awhile since I've been grocery shopping so I did some damage there. I didn't get everything we need (after all, who needs THAT many avocados all at once!?!?!) so I will stop at Wegmans during the week..hate to do it but staples are getting low.

It was just really nice to spend some time with my mom. She's the best! We have a quilting retreat coming up soon too...3 days of quilting with some good friends...I can't wait!

The boys are visiting Pete's mom this afternoon and I am home alone....a rarity for sure. The quiet feels good to me for this little bit.

Work is super busy lately, I think my client list is nearing it's limits. I will be interviewing 2 people on Tuesday and have another beginning next week so hopefully, in a month or so, things will settle down a bit. Whew. I like to be busy but not so busy that I forget to eat. I had taken my insulin around 7:45am and then had a full on client load until about 11:30.....started feeling funky and then I remembered....insulin in but no food. Whoopsie. I have juice and frosting in one of my filing cabinets so all was well. I also treated one of the guys to lunch on Friday....he does our intakes, gets all the basic consents signed, etc and he's been ridiculously busy too and he was most appreciative of my appreciating him..LOL!

Jeremiah had a church event this week. The youth program put on an interactive puppet/singing program and then dinner for all the kids and their families. He had fun sitting at the kids table while we got to chat with some of the church women that I have been seeing for some time now but we never seem have time to chat. We were there for probably an hour and a half...new friends made....felt wonderful. <3 There are two sisters who play the piano and organ and have asked me to play with them on Sundays....still thinking about it but it's likely I will sometime soon.

Tomorrow brings church and a relaxing day at home before it all starts again!

Have a great week everybody!

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: mg
Date: 31 Mar 19 - 10:19 AM

Greetings from Carcassonne france. Amazing medieval walled city. Might spend few days in rural england.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 31 Mar 19 - 11:15 AM

PA

New rule: brekky is to be OUT on work days minus helpers, no matter how much fud is on hand (still not put away).


Today's plan:

Our focus now is capturing those items we must take ourselves, and continuing to load the trailer with items we must take, ourselves, to the dump, before that day comes when we must start loading the trailer with OUR cargo.

This focus may leave larger donation-items tagged and left in place, for post-departure helpers to carry to the parish donation area (and other items to Goodwill). But we need helpers to focus this week on moving OUR stuff-- so we can get out on time.

It's all downstairs work today.

Me: I have about a cubic yard and a half of items to sort, to clear workspace for an intense day tmrw full of helpers. My goal with that batch is further purging of this batch down to no more than 1 book box per Ohio room plus 2 distinct storage cases in the garage, and a stack of labeled boxes for tmrw's helpers to carry out front (or to the Goodwill train).

Greg will work on de-goofing the DR by carrying out items William cluttered it with ydy by mistake, so we can designate a distinct, labeled staging area for Van Cargo. We have notified William to clear out the car we've lent him to get here, so we can start loading its back end with its cargo-- we're towing it behind the truck.

Together: Another focus today will be Instant-Potting army food groups on hand, so one of tmrw's helpers can make army food to feed the army on the days she's not here. Before I pack the food storage containers and huge mixing bowl. That will involve me organizing the kitchen a bit today and Greg running the Pot.

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 31 Mar 19 - 03:02 PM

PA

Very close to finishing my pile... It took quite awhile to set up all the catch-boxes. I filled one GW bag doing it, so Greg took it (and yesterday's full van load to drop off, while my overdue AM meds kicked in. Then we both had lunch and I made him stop for a chair break while HIS overdue meds kick in.

By evening I'll have that stack of boxes ready to take and send out.

A brief break for fresh air later will be ice cream, on the way back from Wal-Mart for yet more tape.

Newbie got out loose for a few hours this AM, but TBTG stayed near the house and came looking for me at the same moment I went out to look for her. Close call-- we're right on the road-- so, several doors CLOSED.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 31 Mar 19 - 07:08 PM

PA

Only two boxes ready because the rest still have room for more items-- so,much got trashed/donated that they'll wait until our BR/bathroom sort are done in the next few days.

Card table done, and boxes arrayed better.

Maybe:

. BR sort/tag tmrw, pack DR decor and frames

. Blue bathroom sorting Tuesday or Monday evening w William

. Back porch Weds bcuz warmest this week, and recliner there I'll sit in to sort goes to dump at end of day

Thursday:

Friday: depart for Philly

Hockey time--we're winning!

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 31 Mar 19 - 10:19 PM

They're late, but my homemade potting soil is finished and terracotta pots are filled, ready for seeds tomorrow. I'll start some outside and some in the greenhouse. The rest of the day and weekend was general housekeeping.

There is a weight-loss program offered through the retiree/employee health benefits that starts tomorrow, though I haven't seen their first email. They sent a box with a measuring tape, some kind of rubber wristband, a package of peanuts and a package of Pringles (chips). I'm not fond of Pringles. I don't usually participate in these, but I'll see what it's about and decide if I want to stay with the alternate fasting or try this for eight weeks. Or a bit of both.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 01 Apr 19 - 01:38 PM

Dupont:

Birthday of my second son; I begged him, "NOT on April Fool's Day!" but he insisted. When he was old enough, I suggested, "if anyone teases you about an April Fool birthday, just tell them: YES! I was born on April Fool's Day. Mother was the fool!!" So he did. I heard him.

Sunny, below freezing day. Ice is slowly heading down to the sea but still huge chunks on the river banks.

ALL the thrift shop stuff has left and some things for other places, including the cellar! So nice to clear the hall and more.

Trip to Beaver put off as my wonderful "handyman" suggested it would be better not to break the "snow dam" that is keeping water from house. ---still thinking about the sense of that. Maybe I could park without wrecking it? Three events I wanted to attend this week...

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Apr 19 - 02:19 PM

This morning I dug through files looking for the paperwork for the current desktop computer; I keep that material religiously but it is not showing itself in any files or usual storage places. As I searched I found a number of old files that need destruction, too many for the shredder, so it's time for the burning barrel again. This burning ritual takes place only 2-3 times a year, helpful because this much paper was never intended to go through a home personal shredder. Every time I go through this burning ritual I'm sure I've tackled all of the old stuff, only to have more turn up.

I'm going to have to review my Photoshop stuff; a couple of images I've worked with lately (contract work) haven't had the features they want. On one, it's outlining the art and pasting it onto a transparent background, on the other, it's outlining the text so it shows up against an image.

I'm watching the requests on the Freecycle listings, with the goal of filling a request one of these days. I'm also looking at some of the really old books that came from a family estate - why am I keeping them? I'll see about Amazon or eBay for listing some of them, but I suspect they'll go to the used book store where they sell old books by the foot for interior designer to stage rooms. Just because it's old doesn't mean it has any value, and I haven't opened any of these in 35 years.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Apr 19 - 05:54 PM

I found a bunch of training certificates, lists of courses I took for various tasks I was doing at the university. I suppose I can make a list of those in my CV. I found some things misfiled that will go in my CV (conferences I attended but couldn't remember all of the particulars). Lots of forms with social security numbers on them. Old phone bills, insurance bills, documents going back 15 years and more. I was sure I'd purged the files of the old stuff the last time or two I went through them, but apparently not. So there's another six-inch stack of papers in the burn barrel and I have that tell-tale smokey smell on my clothing and hair.

I have three two-drawer file cabinets and I'm getting close to having one empty drawer now. There is room to possibly reorganize all of them and make them more user-friendly; some of those drawers are full all of the way to the back, making it difficult to reach everything.

This isn't what I thought I'd be doing today, but it's still progress.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 01 Apr 19 - 07:02 PM

PA

The day started with short sleep, but great peace and quiet. (The family that is helping us has various openly-shared brain chemistry issues, so we need those islands of solitude and peace to stay focused and gracious.)

I stripped chairs that are going to the dump and made a slight rearrangement in the packing corner, making more space for carry-downs and paper shredding. The shredder.Mary will start with is in place.

Greg took down DR and stairwell framed family pix that are about to get blocked in with furniture, and we set these with their room-labeled boxes to wrap later.

With an early, prescient call from the ordained member of the helping family, the day's personnel and food is settled, and we've coordinated who is working with whom. She's also sending some brief tips on working with the member William has been disparaging, who I've never met, so her insight will be very helpful. We're planning a successful day, with BS preventively disentagled.

Newbie has had a bit of extra meds to stay happily out of the fray. My challenge will be staying mobile, and not getting stuck anywhere in chatter.

Later....

The upstairs hallway and Monica's room are all but cleared. Mary had agreed to superintend final removals of Goodwill and trash, and to facilitate St. Paul's pickup of their items. Rooms are labeled with these destinations, and I have another 20 boxes now to purge and sort.

William is due shortly but we're watching Deadpool because we're too tired to think up his jobs. (That will change when he gets here, hopefully!)


Still later....

William degoofed the DR with me and helped crate a jackalope and a set of antlers.

Greg degoofed the front porch.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 01 Apr 19 - 08:22 PM

PA

The staging area for Van cargo was cleared and put to immediate use today.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 02 Apr 19 - 03:06 PM

Dupont:

Time to put a few things in car to go to Beaver tomorrow. Looking forward to renewed connections in my home community. Four events this week, that I know of so far.

English class this am was a bore but I have my own one on one student next week. Connected with one of the other teachers in a terrific way.

Text from son offering to phone this eve! Hope his life is moving in good ways!

So nice to have clutter out of house! And a bit more leaving in a few minutes. River is de-cluttering too! and the yard!! Iris, day lilies and ?? sprouting through the clutter of river rocks along front of house.

International Folk Dancing for an hour last night was wonderful, great exercise and good for my mental health. Knees are not happy but I think I can fix that with MSM/GS. Now!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 02 Apr 19 - 07:29 PM

PA

BR and lower bath cleared. Emotional, dunno why. A good friend was here to help as a surprise, that was so nice!

More Goodwill of course. Also a box of dry goods packed and out w cargo, a bag for my friend's kitchen and a bag for her foid pantry.

6-7 LR catch boxes topped off, taped, and out to porch.

Large framed art crated. Some fragile decor packed, and all this is off to their staging areas.

Box of cast iron for my son crated up.

Tired!

Tomorrow: clear back porch and measure all staging areas' cargo vs truck cubic footage, to consider options.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Apr 19 - 10:35 PM

The papers smoldered and burned most of the evening and at bedtime it was still warm, but that warmth kept dew from forming on the can overnight. I try to put it away before it gets wet because it can rust if it's left out.

Last night I wasn't feeling 100% so I didn't walk the dogs, but today we took an extra-long walk to make it up. I wear a fitness tracker and carry my phone, so I get the number of steps from the tracker and the phone tracks the route and tells me how far we walked. They don't always agree with each other, but success-breeds-success, when you see that you've been walking every day and meeting goals that were programmed into each device.

I went to lunch with my daughter today; she texted and said she had a hankering for a seafood cob salad. Pappadeaux's has one on the menu that used to be offered as medium or large, then they went to just large, which is humongous. Way too much for a normal person to eat, so when we go over now we split one salad, the shrimp and crab meat version, and both leave there completely stuffed. If I get it and am not sharing I ask them to box half and only bring me half to the table. Restaurants are culprits when it comes to enabling people who really need to cut back and lose weight.

On my way back I stopped a couple of places, including the thrift store where I usually buy jeans, and found two pair. They went into the wash when I got home, and just now were hung in the closet, where the pair that needed replacing was removed and dropped onto the stack of jeans material for craft projects. I also found one of the Romertopf clay bakers, never used, that I sell on eBay. I have one myself that I use several times a year and chickens come out so moist and tender and falling off the bone. Anyway, two pairs of jeans and the clay baker and I think it all cost about $10. I'll sell the baker for probably $30 on eBay.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 03 Apr 19 - 04:03 PM

PA

We're so far ahead of expected progress that we ran away for a movie and pizza afternoon, leaving William to measure cargo and advise if the reserved truck needs to be upgraded or other plans made, such as shipping lightweight boxes of decor.

We'll meet up with him soon to whip thru back porch clearing in "night shift,"

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Apr 19 - 06:18 PM

Running errands today after an appointment and stopped in only one thrift store (I have a couple of items on my regular list to look for - primarily, matching plates to the incomplete set I'm using now). No luck there, but a couple of other small useful items showed up.

My garden is standing there still full of weeds, and I see the sunflowers starting to sprout, but I haven't had rain in over a week and I need everything to get a good soaking before I start the next stage of digging and planting. The ten day forecast shows rain over the weekend.

An old friend (literally - she is 82!) is coming to town for a few days and asked if we can do a pot luck dinner at my house on Sunday, so I'm going to have to hurry and get some of my cleaning (dog related - including shampooing a carpet) out of the way soon. I'm not sure if she'll stay here for any of the days she's in town, but the guest room is ready if needed. Her family is spread all over the area but not all of them have guest accommodations.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 03 Apr 19 - 09:08 PM

PA

William's estimate has resulted in a truck upsizing, because otherwise we must: pack less, ship some, or drive back for items. None of those are simplifying. We choose simple.

A huge plywood cabinet which our first helper built us for a mini-fridge and storage-- that is both too tall to remove and too tall for rented trucks-- is now disassembled, after Greg and William numbered all the parts for reassembly.

Ninety percent of the back porch's contents are now in the trailer for the dump.

My sorting area is full of the other 10%, and half is for Goodwill. A spare bathing suit I really can use was buried in one container, apparently not of interest to nesting mice. Finding it was worth freezing as the men did my bidding in record time.

I have arrived at a way to define the difference between being a hoarder and being a saver. A Hoarder goes back through Goodwill bags and trash bins after the work is done, and takes stuff back out. A Saver takes a moment to clean up an item of value, tosses it into a Goodwill bin, and enjoys knowing it will be appreciated as a treasure. It's not about the amount of stuff.

Tomorrow we will set up the last staging area here-- a downstairs Goodwill space like the one upstairs. It's not fun to tote it anymore, and it's time to start packing the van for our trip to Philly for Dick's memorial, so we will leave that pile's delivery for William to complete after we depart for Ohio.

A small job remains-- my closet-- and I only want about 6 pieces out of it. Greg's closet, ditto. The larger and last area we have to tackle is the kitchen, and I've already started the Goodwill pile from there.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Apr 19 - 09:26 AM

I have a couple of low-priced items on eBay that didn't sell despite repeated listings, so this morning they came out of their packaging and are in the Goodwill bin.

That rain chance seems to be shrinking so I may have to break out the hoses and sprinklers to get going on the garden.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 04 Apr 19 - 01:12 PM

Beaver!

Arrived on Weds about 3 pm to a pile of mail that included 3 items to be dealt with "yesterday". Wish I could find second key to mailbox! Two have been adequately managed with some fury involved at incomprehensible voice messages. Went in car to Service Ontario this am and one of the wonderful staff dealt with one quickly and efficiently, "You made my day!" (have to take class to renew driving license 15 May; I can manage that.) One required lengthy time on phone; two separate businesses. Wonderful tech support finally figured out problem and solved! (I hope.) then, this am, I rec'd text from the business involved so - THEY ARE NOT supposed to send text! Later...

Maybe I need to put these sorts of things into a log book for future info. Maybe I will, and maybe I will not misplace the book! If it were not for this thread, I would not know where I was, when!

Weather not bad, sun shining, snow and ice melting - but still LOTS! Parked on road - safe as there are perhaps a dozen vehicles a day! I can access enough wood for now and today is above freezing and supposed to continue for a few days! Wood stove and solar gain are doing good job. Still over a foot of snow on yard and raised beds. Cannot get into tool shed or studio as the snow is frozen; trip to back sheds... Not until some thaw happens! Hope that it progresses before I leave on Monday so I can take a bunch of stuff for Dupont. Remember I put stuff into the VW van for storage? Snow is still piled halfway up the doors! No way!

So cleaning up after work that was done in K, bringing in wood, had a good meal, went to women's group last eve and a good visit from great neighbour Larry this am. Larry admonished me for not phoning him last month - when I just turned around and drove back to Montreal. I explained that I need to give back to the community to feel I deserve to ask for help. He tells me he is now ready to start potting! So I assured him he is entitled to the half of the studio with the beige clay; "make it feel like it is your space!" (Then I will feel as though I am giving him something back!)

We discussed the important issue of where I want/need to be living; Robin vs home/here. He helps me de-clutter my thinking. I explained the ways in which I am making Dupont feel like it too can feel like home - the Eng class, dancing, perhaps more after I meet with volunteer coordinator next week. But I am renewing my license in Ontario.

Maybe next month R can come too.

With my new phone and its very helpful calendar feature, I can keep track of what is happening where and discern where I want/need to be, when.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Apr 19 - 03:32 PM

Putzed around the house this morning and didn't put anything out at the curb for pickup, but I have two bins now stuffed with limbs that were on top of the old compost pile. Those will go to the curb on Monday. Now to get out the safety googles and use the string trimmer to take out the tall grass that grew up around the compost, before I start trying to move it all into one large pile. Much of the oldest of them will go by the wheelbarrow-full out to the garden.

It's over 80^o right now, still rather warm for this time of year, and cooling off tomorrow some. I've had to come in to get my big tankard of water and ice that I keep nearby during yard work on hot days.

Dorothy, I use a Google calendar (tied to one of my gmail accounts) and it feeds into my phone, so I can enter things while I'm working at the computer or when I'm somewhere and need to make a quick reminder on the phone. I tend to find it easier to add things using the phone.

I agree with you about "giving back" to the neighborhood. I get out and visit with people in their yards to catch up, and the ones closest around me I take over garden produce or food. They're always good about letting me know if the garage door was left open or something forgotten in the yard. This is a big favor!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 04 Apr 19 - 09:22 PM

PA

AM-- Our AM coffee chat confirmed what my gut was warning me about-- that today is the crunch day that will determine whether we can actually stay over a 2nd night in Lansdale for Dick's memorial, or whether we'll need to drive back late after dinner Saturday night. There's an awful lot to plow thru today, and I'm very sore and concerned.

Later-- A lot got done tdy but I'm still not sure. Every time I check a "cleared" area, it's not cleared. Whichever of us has cleared it.

A lot of personnel issues for loading and unloading were juggled today. Not entirely successfully.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Apr 19 - 11:22 AM

Big house cleaning and lawn mowing push today, as guest could possibly arrive tomorrow (sez she's staying with family, but sometimes that doesn't happen so she comes over here).

Down a few pounds in the attempt to take pressure off of my bad knee. And I need to keep up the progress for many more pounds.

Laundry is in, dishwasher is loaded. An hour or two of contract work, then back to tidying.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 05 Apr 19 - 01:24 PM

PA

William pack trucks for a living and has, himself, moved quite often. So we were very reassured by his quick and cheerful reply last night, when we asked if he thought we're on track to get done in time.

Other good news last night was the landlady formally OKing the plan for William and fam to finish house clearing, after we take off. Further good news this AM was Greg's brother Jim volunteering for additional UN-loading days-- I'm having trouble confirming the Ohio personnel. (It's hard when your day laborers land full time jobs-- you're happy for them, but OY!)

One of yesterday's BEST surprises was from my very young and still new Ohio doc. Through text messaging alone, I got two badly needed prescriptions here, that he'd have really had to stretch policy to authorize. These two Rx's will make it possible for me to continue in SuperGeezerette mode AND get home safely.

His message indicating that he believed me and would trust me on the two requests-- well, tears of relief burst out of me, and all day, I wept the good tears possible when something wonderful hits you like.... a ton of fuzzy bricks!

We depart soon forc2 nights in Philly. Before going, Greg helped gathermost of my 1st priority items, which I boxed and labeled:

X Silverware
V Leg pillow
Food storage-- many gone, some in freezer, some lids missing --wait till fridge cleared
X Boudoir lamp
X Spatulas
Cousin Art -- pack Monday
Ninja-- pack Monday
X Kitchen scale
X Stainless measures
Instant pot-- pack Monday
X SAS shoes
X Cloth napkins
X White trash cans
Cookbooks, Dave's? Yet to box but are bagged in LR

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 05 Apr 19 - 02:34 PM

PS, one of my favorite tricks this move has been running my wardrobe out of a laundry hamper as I purge and pack other clothes. It's so much simpler than living out of a suitcase, and as it's the last item to load before locking the truck, I'll easily remember: folded = clean to wear, and the rest will need to be washed!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 05 Apr 19 - 06:58 PM

Beaver:

3 degrees above freezing and snowing! Brought in some wood this am. Grateful for mild weather. Visit from Dan to consider prophylactic measures re water intruding - under door and through roof!   and a wood shed. I still cannot get into studio or tool shed. Still hoping I can get in by Sunday afternoon. I see the tarp has blown over the small wood pile! Thank you, breeze!

Sorting things to go to Dupont; time for some summer clothes - soon??? Well, less wintry ones, anyway! Supposed to be much warmer tomorrow - 12 degrees above freezing!

Had hoped to change to summer tires but cannot even get to them. Maybe Sunday but then I will have to take up cargo space - or keep using winter ones until May - wasteful.

Community Lunch (free!) today. I wish more people had attended to get to know one another. Connected with some rarely seen folks, some often seen and some I did not even get to talk with. And one man with whom I had a serious mis-communication a few years ago, came to me and explained very nicely that he had been going through a rough time. WOW! Right there in the middle of the crowded room - which may have made it easier for both of us. Now I can see him in a very different light, having been apprehensive about going anywhere near him.   

SRS: Google hates me; I have a g-mail account, apparently, but it refuses to let me in and there are no apparent come backs. And, I cannot get a new one because "there is already an account under that name." I gave up years ago; I do not need it. I just have the one email and that is sufficient. I never wanted gmail but the art gallery used it for a volunteer calendar and I was a volunteer so I tried. It was a nuisance. I am better off with the phone which is always with me (except when I forget it). I am very happy with its calendar.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Apr 19 - 11:46 PM

Set up another account with a different name. I have six of them, serving different purposes. One of them is my main account, but they're linked together as backup accounts and such, so Google knows they're all mine.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Apr 19 - 11:13 AM

I made some progress on the house yesterday, but not enough. I'll leave on a couple of radios or televisions and work back and forth between rooms, with the programming keeping me more interested and on task - background entertainment that I don't need to pay strict attention to.

After two weeks of waiting we now have a heavy-duty rainstorm going on. It means that next week I'll be able to put in the garden; the soil is too wet for a couple of days, then it's perfect to work for as much as a week, and then it is rock hard till the next rain.

The effect of a heavy thunderstorm means I have two dogs who want to stay right by my side. I'll be careful not to trip over them today while I'm coming and going getting ready for multiple (and overlapping) house guests this week.

Looks like a good day to wash winter bedding that can go back in the closet, and then I also have some dog bedding to wash.

It's just as well it's as rainy as it is because I need this indoor time for stuff that just doesn't interest me as much as the yard during the nice weather. A childhood of being told "go outside and play" has imprinted on me the love of puttering in the yard.

The rain has lifted and it looks like several dry hours, so I set up the burning barrel and this time have placed several years' worth of receipts ablaze. I keep records in a 12-month expanding folder and the register receipts go into an envelope for the month. At the end of the year I package the large pages and bills in a large manila envelope and put the envelopes of receipts in a basket. I just realized they go back to 2006.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 06 Apr 19 - 11:02 PM

Summer child care secured.
Long overdue package sent.
Taxes complete.
Dinner out with my guys to celebrate our promotions.
Prescriptions picked up.
Grocery shopping complete and put away.
Bills paid.
Relaxation Time.

This week I am passing on the title of Champion Trainer (YAY!!!) so tomorrow I have a little bit of prep work so I can train the Trainer in the online environment which is a pseudo set up of the program we use (during training, all trainees are given a pretend client and then we work our way through the program from intake to discharge). Given the increase of my caseload, I am thankful to pass this responsibility on.

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Apr 19 - 12:19 PM

Michelle you have been busy! And the training/mentoring job is very important - I hope it all passes to the next person smoothly.

Newest frisky whippersnapper of a dog dug her way under the hard plastic siding around the composting food waste, ate a bunch of really gross decomposed stuff (had been in 5-gallon buckets for weeks before being moved to the compost) then threw up and was revisiting it when I discovered this situation. I had to poke around that compost bin to find where she got in; the day before I'd shoveled out most of the finished compost from the bottom and added a lot of fresh stuff into which I dropped the buckets of kitchen waste. (There are two lidded buckets by the side door for kitchen stuff that is periodically toted back to the big piles and supposedly "dog proof.")

My solution (I hope) was to go around the yard and scoop dog droppings and leave a berm of poop around that corner. And last night before bed I pulled the bricks out of the cool burning barrel and scattered all of those ashes over the top so there is a white powder on and around the new pile and container—so far it shows no sign of disturbance. However, the dog continues her antics: this morning she dove headfirst into Zeke's bowl after finishing her own! She was chased off and has spent the last couple of hours groveling. I'd think with all of the team-building walks we're taking she'd mellow some, but not so far.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Donuel
Date: 07 Apr 19 - 06:28 PM

a wall/berm of poop? That's practically diabolical and Trumpian.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 07 Apr 19 - 07:32 PM

PA

After brunch w Susan near Philly and driving home, we've completed the planned evening task:

X Sunday 7th Arrive PA by 4 rest and clear/pack DR, LR drawers/shelves

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 07 Apr 19 - 07:37 PM

Beaver:

Still not able to get into the studio; everything is packed to go to QC that can be; And it was not yet noon. So I thought of leaving for QC today; picked up a bag of clothes; middle finger on left hand closed and refused to open. Noonish, I started thinking it too late to leave, not able to load car and wondered about driving with finger in that position... Decided to finish library book and leave tomorrow early. Decided to leave tires until next time. Better part of valour as I already fell once.

Finger unfolded, finished novel, finished packing car, went looking for a specific product at supermarket, not found. Returned book.

Stopped at Magda's cafe and she negotiated studio time next time I am here. Surely the snow will be gone in another ten days??? Was over 50F today! I have two Tuesdays without Eng. classes. Could stay here most of that time.

Call from R this am: no frig or bed yet. Oh well. His big project not progressing as hoped. Guess he needs a break.

Freed a few more pieces of wood from ice. There is now enough inside for tonight and for the night the next time I come. By then I hope it will be easier to access!

Ate a salad. Computering. Soon I shall go to bed with an in-house book. Ate too much choc again. Ate badly the last couple weeks but did not gain any weight - or lose any. Hoping for more exercise when the ice and snow leave.

SRS: I am not interested in an adversarial relationship with google which is what I find when I try! It is not worth the frustration. And certainly do not want more anythings. Even if Ephraim, or you, were sitting next to me! I will, if necessary, phone Whidbey tech support and they can help me find the white list and the black list. When I am back to Dupont and the unlimited internet.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Apr 19 - 12:01 AM

"diabolical and Trumpian" - gah! It's an organic approach to keeping the dogs out of the compost. My organic guru talks about using a "tea" made of putting dog droppings into a bucket and adding water. Let it sit for a little while then pour it over the area you want the dogs to leave alone. They're usually averse to eating or digging anywhere that they can smell their own poop. So that's what I did around the compost.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 08 Apr 19 - 04:08 AM

Petrol mower is running now. It just needed the old fuel drained off and the carburettor cleaning but I’ve treated it to a new spark plug, air filter change and general look over for the season.

I’ve done a few odds and ends including fixing a couple of outside leaks (just drips) and setting the front micro irrigation up for the season.

Tomatoes are doing well in the propogator.

I had a rethink about my idea for the solar pump and decided to see if I could do something that might (or might not…) work inline and without the Arduino. A bit of searching and some trial and error led me to this. I’ve stuck the bits on a bit of strip board and it looks OK with a meter. I want to get a box to put it in and a couple of jack sockets before trying it and finding out whether it actually works in practice.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 08 Apr 19 - 06:58 AM

PA

Gathered upstairs clng supplies and brought down 2 fragiles to pack; gathered 2 more from dnstrs bathroom to fill my packing table.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Apr 19 - 01:28 PM

A friend came to dinner last night and asked if I could pack and ship a painting for her. As she followed me into my sun room I stopped, turned her around, and told her to wait in the doorway. "I don't want you getting lost or injured in here."

I found a box that should work and she'll give me back the box and picture tomorrow and I'll pad it and ship it for her. And I do need to keep working on taming the mess in the sun room.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 08 Apr 19 - 02:50 PM

PA

The kitchen is largely purged of Goodwill items. The whole stale spice department is trashed. Plastic to recycle is next, after I match tops and bottoms and discover topless or bottomless pieces.

We've discussed which pots and pans are coming with us and found many of the countertop appliances' original boxes. So.... Serious kitchen packing starts soon, to run tonight and tomorrow with William tonight and Jason tomorrow, probably with Mary's help tmrw.

I made a plastic shoebox and a half of GF tuna pasta for the crew, to go with that last bag of Red Delicious apples (almost everyone voted for tuna), and a smaller batch of chicken salad for Greg (not a tuna fan). Two boxes of rotini may not seem like a lot, but add a bulk can of tuna and an almost equal amount of sliced veggies.... and that is a LOT of tuna pasta!

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Apr 19 - 04:13 PM

I was using some of my old business cards from the university, crossing off much of the information, and adding my cell phone. Today I bit the bullet and ordered new cards for myself, reflecting my freelance/contract work, my gardening, and contact information. The design looks kind of like Truffula Trees. Four-color, one sided. Not too bad, but I'd have preferred to pick them up at the store and save the hefty postage charge. This is good - moving on.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 08 Apr 19 - 05:02 PM

Cleared every last box out of that "spare room": cleaned the room, dusted the boxes......then put them all back in again tho' they do look neater now! To be fair, some of them were boxes full of boxes, which had originally contained new electronic items, and were kept in case said items malfunctioned and had to be returned (although not a legal requirement in the UK to "return item in original packaging" if it should be faulty!) Recycling bin now full of cardboard.
Now all I have to do is go through all of the remaining boxes, one by one and keep on throwing out, shredding, etc. Probably enough to shred for a commercial shredding company!
What to do with a whole load of floppy disks that contain sensitive info? Smash them with a hammer? Who can still run floppy disks anyway?
Even found my husband's old hard disk that was replaced: comfortably cocooned in spongy stuff that the new one came in! Another hammer job?
Wardrobes and chests of drawers have to be done sometime. Not worn it for last 10 years? OUT then! (Or more like, can't fit into it any more, nor ever likely to again!)

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Apr 19 - 05:45 PM

Tattie, many of the heavy-duty paper shredders will also shred credit cards, CDs, old floppy disks, etc. Maybe your local library or a shipping and office supply place (in the US, UPS Stores, Office Depot, FedEx, etc.)

I've had a stomach ache much of the day, the result of reaching to pickup an item and twisting as I stood up last night, so I took it easy today. There are some grape hyacinth in the turf that I transplanted to a shaded flower bed.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 08 Apr 19 - 06:53 PM

PA

Dishes and mugs packed

Pyrex packed

Food storage prepacked

Metal mixing bowls prepacked

A few fragiles set aside for tmrw packing

Giant mugs soaking and box for them found

Giant box of re-used shredded paper empty!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 08 Apr 19 - 07:12 PM

PA

PS, I finally hit the wall. It's too much today on top of the weekend of travel, and my guts are now in full rebellion. The good news-- I made up that slop day I'd lost and lots of help coming tmrw.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 08 Apr 19 - 08:57 PM

Montreal:

Had planned to go directly to Dupont to offload stuff from Beaver, however, freezing rain about 90 minutes out and I decided not to go over two bridges in freezing rain. Slowed down and got here. Ate salad - and cookies. Watched TV and computered, R came for a visit and went back to work, supper is on the stove for when he gets back. I may not wait that long.

SRS: in spite of my ineptitude otherwise, I have designed several business cards that I can print out as needed. Not fantastic but quite respectable.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Apr 19 - 10:10 PM

Why would we presume "ineptitude?" Perhaps in getting the printer to cooperate, but not in the art or design aspects.

Front yard mowed after moving the flowers. Dogs walked. I'm bushed.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 09 Apr 19 - 01:05 PM

PA

The morning began with packing a few more fragiles, and especially a complicated, multi-part antique, formal oil lamp (converted to electric) from Louise Brown.

Kitchen packing and purging continues.

The backlog of packed boxes has gone out to the porch staging area.

I have my data backups off the old hard drives.

The LR is much emptier now and mugs are drying to pack. A box for the standing mixer has been found.

I closed and labeled a number of boxes originally packed last spring, so they too can go out, now.

Laundry is going.

I have enough packing paper left to stuff the fridge's glass shelves for transit.

Greg is ferrying another load to the dump and recycling center, bringing the trash batch for this month to just under 2000 pounds.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 09 Apr 19 - 04:04 PM

PA

We're substantially done packing-- one last junk box the day we leave, probably, with drawer trays, a few pieces of silverware, and the coffee pot. All but the boxes requiring a dolly to move them are out front now.

William is due shortly to carry down nightstands from our bedsides, and add their lamps with a few other items to the Goodwill room upstairs. He'll help Greg disassemble the big outdoor griddle for transit, roll up a few area rugs, and vacuum.

Then we'll discuss truck loading plans for tomorrow evening, and what each crew member will do under William's direction. The crew will be Greg, William and a friend, and Jason. Well spend the AM prepping the fridge and taking a last bag of food trash to the dump.

Mary and Jason already took home most of the freezer's contents after their afternoon help, and William will take the rest tonight.

We did the paperwork today to sell Greg's car to William, which we opted to leave instead of towing behind the longer truck we're renting. We gave him a very good deal, as part of his bonus; that deal will also, coincidentally, just about cover the truck rental fee.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 09 Apr 19 - 04:46 PM

On the “ineptitude” bit, we vary. I’d claim that for art work and I can’t freehand draw anything. A very simple lay out (which sometimes can be OK) is my lot. I’d not claim expertise on the other side but getting a printer to play is likely to be the lesser challenge.

Shredders: Ours (probably sold for home/small office target) will handle CDs, credit cards and staples left in paper. It’s not built for high volume/continuous use though.

I should have some twin slot shelving stuff tomorrow. Part of that will go to squeezing another shelf above my bed. It should take my Yamaha guitar (in its case) and I may just squeeze the lighter of the tenor banjos on there too. I want to get them off the floor in my bed/living room. I’ve also got one one Multi draw cabinet to wall mount in there and may add one more which would end available wall space. Some bits to chuck out but overall, I keep expanding in a limited area.

The rest of the shelving bits (I bought in packs of 10 ) will go towards a project that might happen later this year. The shelves in our smallest (6x8) shed (fitted rather hastily by mum and another brother over 20 years ago) are warped and collapsing and it really needs starting from scratch with new shelving.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Apr 19 - 10:58 AM

I dug around in the closet for a lumbar pack (big waist strap, no shoulder straps, it's meant for things like biking) to put in a water bottle and my large camera; my goal is a walk with the dogs through the flowers in the small park up the hill from the house. Of all of the duplicated things around the house, backpacks are something that stick around, only a few flimsy ones have been sent to Goodwill.

My week of guests has thinned a bit, one who meant to arrive on Tuesday probably won't arrive till this evening. The guest room is ready, and happily, she's leaving her little dog at her daughter's house. Sweet as she is, Maisy has been known to poop in the corner of the dining room carpet on each visit, despite knowing how to use the dog door.

3/4 of a case of canning jars are sitting waiting attention after they were brought in by a friend a couple of weeks ago. I need to run them through the dishwasher and have them ready for use later in the season, and it will clear one tripping hazard from the sun room floor. But there's so much more to do in there!

Good luck with the final push out of the old house to Susan, and soon to Dorothy. I hope all of the measuring will pay off!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 10 Apr 19 - 04:23 PM

Thx SRS. The longer truck is also taller-- 1200 cubic feet vs 800.

We'll have 2 box springs and two recliners to load in the AM, and final instructions for Mary to supervise after we go, so she and spouse (my friend) are bringing her son Jason up in the AM, and after goodbyes, we go.

One overnight stop planned, and we'll be in our snug Ohio home Friday night, with unloading help from Greg's brother Jim the next morning.

Luckily we're leaving a porch fridge, so we emptied the kitchen fridge into it and will have brekky stuff handy.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 10 Apr 19 - 05:37 PM

Dupont:

SRS: I consider myself terrifically inept re tech stuff and was amazed when I managed to get the computer to provide me with a serviceable card for our folk dance group because I was desperately trying to improve the PR so enough folks would come. That and the posters I managed and adding an email list for reminders - and the group is still muddling happily on without me. I still get the emails and hope to return for dancing after the regime changes.

The English "class" went well and my one student is a kindred spirit; I can hardly wait for next week. She needs to improve her English; we can converse and seek better words, grammar, and pronunciation.

The tomato plants suffered severely by my absence; one may not recover. But all else is well.

R came to the house with two very nice wingback chairs for the LR and a lovely small table for somewhere. Four pics have been hung, prob not in permanent places but off the floor at least! We now have plenty of places to sit but no frig or bed. I am becoming militant/pushy; "Saturday is going to be warm and dry. If you plan..."

Yesterday was a dreadfully wet day of snow and rain and ice on the trees and shrubs but, thankfully, not on the roads. Today is like spring!!!

I offloaded the car today. Still need to take stuff upstairs. No snow or rain! Lovely sun! Walked to the volunteer centre, about 3 blocks away along the river. They were having an open house so I copped a yummy brownie and an interview re volunteering. In a few minutes, she asked, "Did you used to have a booth at the Huntingdon Farmer's Market?" This lovely Scot had bought a number of my pots, and took several to Scotland for gifts! I suspect she will find me some more places to volunteer and I shall be seeing her more. I did not even recognize this good customer!

I am being somewhat encouraged to set up a studio here and give lessons. I never "make money" doing this but it is fun, more of a community service. R would encourage it; another Scot, he seems to be ok with my lack of business acumen.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 10 Apr 19 - 06:55 PM

I took today off from work to celebrate my birthday! Presents were kept to a minimum and are all things I can use or plant! My mom is taking me on a quilting retreat....I am SO looking forward to it and also very happy that we are not adding addition THINGS. :) Also, friends and family raised over $200.00 for an organization that I support...HOORAY!

Pete and I spent the day toodling around the woods, taking photos, enjoying the spring air and enjoying the beauty of this area....it was perfection!

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Apr 19 - 09:47 PM

I finished mowing the back yard as the last light of the day was fading; this used to happen a lot when I was working and mowed after I got home from work. Today it was simply a matter of putting it off and deciding to do it now because my friend will finally arrive tomorrow and we can enjoy the pretty yard and not wade through my weeds. With the evening mow and a morning walk with the dogs my fitness tracker and Google Fit are both happy.

We have a day of rain coming again on Saturday, so I hope on Friday to get more done in the garden and let the rain soak it all in and make it happy. Tomorrow is a visit, Friday is work.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 10 Apr 19 - 10:00 PM

PA

What a great crew!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Apr 19 - 11:20 AM

Decluttered some virtual surplus - about 2 gigabytes of photos that are duplicated in my Dropbox account.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 11 Apr 19 - 12:40 PM

PA

The truck is fully loaded and the van is 95% loaded, except for both of our computer bags. We're out for a bite, and to drop off cable TV equipment,. After lunch, we'll take a last look thru the house while my laundry dries, load the dog, and go.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 11 Apr 19 - 06:13 PM

Dupont:

Started de-clutter of flower bed at mill and a bit of the one here. Lots of good stuff coming up! Gorgeous day. Most of snow is gone here and most of ice off rivers!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 11 Apr 19 - 08:29 PM

Arrived at overnight stop without incident.

Nightio!!!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 12 Apr 19 - 12:57 PM

Dupont:

Did song and dance routine for R last night: "frig and bed, frig and bed, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!!!" etc. Maybe tomorrow? Maybe I can find some pom poms for a reprise?

Bought a pot of daffodils this am. Yay, daffodils! So cheerful! I can plant them later. Funny: red kalanchoe, pink af violets, fire engine red geraniums I have but the daffodils are IT! on DR table in a large blue bowl.

Tried a Zumba class this am, also. Lasted about five minutes; hated the music - thump, thump... exercise need not be torture! Nice venue and people, and I joined a local "network"; will receive email newsletter and may find other volunteer opps. Another few pieces of info re our new community. Also learned that the arm movements were not appreciated by either shoulder. Trying to think of activities we might do where arms are raised above shoulders... Only if I lift things above shoulder height; putting clothes on hangers in closet...

Need to find exercise to strengthen shoulder muscles without hurting them.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 12 Apr 19 - 04:51 PM

OH

I've arrived and Greg is due w truck shortly.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Apr 19 - 05:26 PM

Houseguests this week, and the second one arrived later in the week than expected. Here till Saturday, so little will get accomplished outside of old-home-week drives and such. It's also too much to try to maintain a fasting or diet schedule. One thing I will insist upon is that my friend take her purse into her bedroom tonight and her phone on her side table. I was awakened by 5 minutes of a phone alarm way-too-early this morning because her phone in the kitchen was clangoring the whole house awake and she in her room without her hearing aid didn't hear a peep. It apparently goes off every day at the same time.

I mailed a parcel for the first friend who was here; it was a painting that needed a box large enough and packing to protect it. My home's eBay packing station was more than able to accommodate it. No mailing for this other friend, but this morning we worked on my laptop to log into her gmail account and empty out most of the seven-plus years worth of mail in there (so full she couldn't find anything). I think when I cleared out a bunch of updates things she meant to keep went also - I don't like the way mail ends up in more than one folder in Gmail. But her contacts should be intact.

Rain due tomorrow. I haven't gotten as much walking in this week, so I'll walk the dogs tonight by myself before the rain, my friend isn't up to the longer route we take. The dogs have all gotten along pretty well - my three and her little King Charles Cavalier (is that shortened to KCC?) spaniel. My two older dogs know this one, and Cinnamon used to get down on the floor and roll around with her when she was a pup. Pepper did okay after the first few exciting minutes, and since the other dogs were fine, so was she.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Apr 19 - 10:00 AM

Susan, when the unloading happens will everything go exactly where you planned and measured, or is there a staging area in the garage for the time being? It is always nice if the largest pieces can go exactly where they're supposed to while you have strong backs there to help move it.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 13 Apr 19 - 11:05 AM

Unloading is underway.

SRS, all furniture but one piece is coming right into its spot, and several are already in. All boxes except those labeled "1" are letter-coded for a letter-coded, floor-chalked section of the garage.

The three killer-heavy pieces are coming off the truck last, when the strongest helper is here, straight to a garage spot for two and a house spot, prepped, for one.

None of the non-1 boxes are urgent, and can sit in the garage "warehouse" until fall. But each section out there corresponds to a room in here, and boxes are labeled with their contents so I can find wanted items, unpack that box right in the garage, clean the items, and bring them in to put away.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 13 Apr 19 - 07:42 PM

Well. Things here are turned upside down.

Pete is in the hospital and will be for a few days. This is the first time EVER that I have been at home without him. Jeremiah and I are doing our best to keep things in order and staying on top of Pete's farm chores.

I'm a bundle of I don't know what...sometimes ok, sometimes not, sometimes overly busy, sometimes crashing.

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 13 Apr 19 - 07:47 PM

OH

The truck is unloaded, a day early. We're taking tmrw off but Jim and Brandon return Monday to organize things a bit and custom fit a cabinet.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Apr 19 - 10:05 PM

I hope Pete recovers and leaves the hospital soon!

It's a bit upside down here, also, but not due to anyone's health. Just the need to put the SUV in the shop and figuring out how I'm going to do some of the running around I was planning on in what will probably be a smaller rental car for a few days.

Heavy rain today and tomorrow won't be much improved. I hope the weather is better for all of the moving and unloading.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 14 Apr 19 - 07:35 AM

It's incredible how much cleaning I get done when I'm worried.

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 14 Apr 19 - 10:36 AM

OH

True to usual trip form, I mostly sat and yawned ydy after meds-inducing sleep, post-drive-caff. (I unpacked two boxes while the men unloaded the truck.) Grateful not to have to go to the store, yet, after sleeping in and a good brekky from items left ready for same. No desire to unpack, whatever, except for deciding where the plastic drawers of toiletries can move to, out of the temporarily too-crowded bathroom.

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Apr 19 - 11:38 AM

Lots of catching up to do now that friends have come and gone, one of the dogs lost her expensive Invisible Fence collar overnight, and the car needs to go into the shop. It'll be searching for one and planning how to live without the other (I'll drive a loaner and I'm sure it will be smaller than can carry gardening supplies, fence pickets, etc.).

But that all said, the weekend awful weather seems to have cleared and it's gorgeous out. The decluttering I'll work on this afternoon is to cut up and load branches into a tall trash can. I kept a bunch of long baldcypress limbs, thinking I could make a trellis, but I never have and the time has come to clear them out. Big ones to the trash, smaller ones to the chipper. And who knows, maybe the collar will turn up. She might have ploughed through those branches and snagged it in there. This morning I did one tiny gardening chore; I transplanted three cannas from where they had sprouted in the yard to back inside the steel edging of the canna bed.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 14 Apr 19 - 03:51 PM

OH

Some clean travel clothes put away, but half are blocked by furniture that can't move out of the way until next weekend. :-(

Hard decisions coming on clothes in leaf bags... Some can hang in the upper section of my closet but a lot of what's here probably has to go. But those bags ain't coming in until after next wknd, when our room gets straightened out.

~S~



Ditto linens. But those bags ain't coming in until after next wknd, and our room is straightened out.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Apr 19 - 08:08 PM

Too wet to mow or do much digging today, so I played pick-up-sticks and cleared out limbs that were piled up under a pine in the back. Now the yard art pieces (an old push mower and a falling-apart wheelbarrow) are in view. The electric chipper dispatched a bunch of it, resulting in two bags of wood chip mulch. There are two trash cans at the curb, filled with stuff that was too large for the chipper. I think I got a sunburn on the back of my neck.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 14 Apr 19 - 10:40 PM

Jeremiah and I spent most of the day at the hospital with Pete. I am tired today but managed to cook 2 of the 3 meals (lunch was out on the town), the dishes are done, animals are all fed and watered, plants are watered and load 2 of the laundry is in the dryer. I decided to take tomorrow off from work and to do only half days the rest of the week. It's going to make for a very busy next week but family comes first...no question about it and I am lucky enough to have a supervisor that is on board with that.

We're having tornado watches and warnings at the moment...lots of gusting wind...feels like someone is slapping our house!

Goodnight All.

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Apr 19 - 03:50 PM

New business cards have arrived with my retiree contact information, no longer tied to the university, the source of my cards for a couple of decades. A small ornamental wire and glass box that I was considering donating is now suddenly perfect to hold cards.

However, this box (the size of a box of checks) leads to the whole question of where to store the box so I don't lose it when I need to fill the card container. I'll tape one onto the outside to catch my eye, and consider what shelf it will live on. And looking inside the storage closet where the shelves are, realizing I have more stuff to organize and discard. You never know when some new thing will trigger the impulse to clear out. Always take advantage of that wave of enthusiasm when possible!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 15 Apr 19 - 04:09 PM

OH

Truck returned. Custom cabinet fitted, and is ready for new shelves to be added. Got groceries this AM. Greg is unloading the Deere and snowblower from the trailer, and parking the trailer off the street.


~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 15 Apr 19 - 04:34 PM

Today has been spent at the hospital. We've had some twists and turns so I am staying here, maybe for the night. While Pete sleeps, I have been able to do some charting and things for work. It keeps me quiet and occupied so he can rest and I can still be here with him. I just want to be with him....sleeping or awake.

Funny...I find myself tidying up the room. I fold blankets, I have his magazines, papers and book stacked nicely and even his snack bucket looks good. He has a very large 3 pain window that looks out over a field and the mountains in the background. There are 6 smallish trees outside with while Christmas lights still on and turned on....it's very peaceful. Today there was an older gentleman that sat in the hallway with his amplifier and guitar and he played for about an hour...nothing too loud or busy....it was really relaxing and enjoyable. Bonus: The staff here are really nice too....that makes a rough situation just a little bit easier.

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 15 Apr 19 - 04:51 PM

Dupont:

It worked!!! or maybe the time was right for R. Saturday: the bed was completed, and other things happened in the house; a not so great discussion about where a couple OK pieces of furniture can go; unsettled. Sunday; lots of small things including a bruhaw(?)that started: ME - you aren't bringing that piece of garbage in this house are you? Responding to me stated need for furniture in which I can put stuff away - two of the ugliest pieces of junk and a nice chest of drawers needing substantial repairs. Totally insulted that I rejected these priceless antiques, R took the two bits of junk into the garage and the needy piece into what has - UH, OH! - become a store room by default. This will take my usual "diplomacy": "Get this stuff out of here!"

Then we went to the Farmers' Market and socialized, then, finally to the Mill for the frig!!!! I did take time to visit with Geri, getting to the Mill at same time as R who had taken time to... Giving him full credit: he moved the frig out and onto the truck, drove very slowly with me behind with flashers (about 30 miles on the hghwy) and then moved it into the house from the truck!!!! THEN, he helped me clean it, inside and out and put it into its slot. I refilled it with the food I had taken out- not thawed! I also had brought some other items of use from the mill, which I sorted and placed in new homes.

Then we had a simple supper. AND - much later - went to bed in our lovely comfortable bed in our wonderful new house!!!!! Dark drapes kept street lights out and it was a quiet neighbourhood. YAY! R heard the neighbour's rooster this am. We think the neighbours two down have the chickens. Such a wonderful treat to not wake up sliding off the lousy, bed in the city.

With fairness to R, he did comment this am: "We are cluttering our beautiful house."

Happy this am to make BF and talk about which chair in the den would be whose; resolved amicably. Then R went off to the city to work. I spent the rest of am recovering from unhappy gut, then went foraging in Chateauguay rather than drive to the city for needful stuff. Checked in wih Koodo about problem: resolved!

And off to St. I to talk with friends at the bistro - trying to see if there is a way I could help; I have been concerned of L. After she went elsewhere, I checked with her helper (whose name I should know after 8 years...). L is getting tired. She is basically running a sort of social service, encouraging the community without adequate help. Better PR??? They do a beautiful job of PR but perhaps not reaching enough, or the right folks. I continue to seek possible helpful ideas.

Now that the ice and snow is gone, the weather has turned cold and DAMP. I can only think about what I can do in the yard - in better weather. Maybe Weds.

Now to make a yummy supper that might not get et until 9 or 10 pm.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Apr 19 - 07:28 PM

Dorothy, I'm so glad to read that it's a comfortable bed in a house in a quiet neighborhood. And roosters! And Susan, good to have turned the truck in, and now to proceed with the distribution phase.

My examination of the closet shelves for a place to store a box of cards resulted in identifying another stack of about 8" of papers that need to be destroyed; too much for the shredder so the burn barrel is set up. And after setting those papers to burn I found another 6" stack, but I can't add it now or the barrel will be too full. Between this newly-cleared shelf and file drawers, I need to start looking at other storage furniture and see if some of their contents can be moved into the closet. The object of moving and organizing is to put things in logical places where they can be easily located later. That's a really good trick when you do it correctly!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 15 Apr 19 - 07:39 PM

OH

A friend's family loaded us.

Family crew 1 got us unloaded, and that custom cabinet fitted. It creates a closet next to the stacking washer/dryer.

Family crew 2 comes for a few days a week from tomorrow, to help us totally re-set up our bedroom. It's complicated:

Day 1
Remove two dressers' drawers to LR
Remove dressers to LR
Purchase frame supports
Put up kitchen decor plates, load DJ boxes into their bus

Day 2
Disassemble bed
Re-lay existing or gray rugs, cutting 1 around door/closet
Lay oriental rug, with fold at head/register, centered on the bed
Pin curtain by head like other curtains in room
Assemble and remake bed, adding headboards and a nighstand without remanufacturing them. (They'll slip out easily for work later)

Day 3
Reassemble dressers
Jaclyn help me with door arrows
Dave help Greg with workshop area, poss restack of boxes


In between, Yano Becky resumes tomorrow to clean furniture we added (this week),and unboxed items (next week and for several months of slow unpacking).

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Apr 19 - 10:01 PM

I was able to burn most of the pages, but the last bundle I opted to shred and spread into the compost. I was tired of poking the barrel to keep it burning and not smoldering. Heading to the shower soon and everything I'm wearing goes into the laundry.

The floor in the office closet is now clear of boxes and obstacles, and on that same shelf I've been clearing I found a couple of obsolete computer software manuals to recycle. Back in the day you had to keep the earlier book to use the less expensive upgrade for a program already on your computer. Now you're lucky if you can find a book.

Susan, do you have to requalify for the "Yano" help you have coming to the house, now that Greg has retired and is there? It sounds like you're getting a lot of good use out of the program.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 16 Apr 19 - 09:06 AM

SRS, no, we requalified at his arrival here in January, and went from zero copay to 50%. We're economizing elsewhere to keep the service.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Apr 19 - 01:24 PM

Fire destroyed a big chunk of Notre Dame yesterday, but it's a valuable tool helping me discard paper documents.

I'm going to make a push to finish the fence on the south side where I worked last fall, then turn to working on the other side of the house. I have wood preservative so after I bring home pickets they'll be laid out on a plastic tarp in the garage to be treated. It looks like another bout of rain coming this week, so they'll be ready to go once it's dry again. I have a lot of mounting hardware from the fence portions I disassembled, saving ~ $9 per panel).

It comes in at about $90 a section (three cross members, ~ 17 pickets, and screws) so I can pace myself and do the rest of the fence on my own as time and cash allow. I get satisfaction from this kind of work so there is entertainment/workmanship value in the job.

In other work, back to that office closet, I looked through some of the notebooks and papers from graduate school and find some that still interest me enough from a writer's standpoint that they can stay. They are the roots of articles I wanted to pursue outside of class. The stack is shorter by about two inches by getting rid of really old class notes and photocopied reading assignments. Slow progress. This paper goes to the recycle bin.

I have journal boxes with a bunch of pages of the newspaper I used to write for, and I should take those over to the university and use one of the overhead scanners to save the entire pages in digital form. Once you start focusing on stuff like this it all jumps out for attention.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 16 Apr 19 - 01:48 PM

OH

Well, Yano Becky saw the huge pile of garaged boxes awaiting her in future weeks, and did not run away screaming....

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Apr 19 - 11:42 AM

Heavy weather predicted here this afternoon and overnight. I think before that hits I'll get the close-up photos of my yard iris collection that is at it's peak now, and won't be after a rain storm. Too bad it is drizzling now; when it's sunny and the lawn is freshly mown they look fabulous.

This week I've made forays into one particular shelf in the office closet, but there is so much more in there to address. Christmas ornaments that haven't been used in years, boxes full of slides and prints and packages of archival housing for slides and negatives that haven't been used yet. Soft backpacks, tote bags, some camping stuff. Personal items that used to live at my university office and now are boxed here. Part of Spring Cleaning seems to be riding that impulse to get rid of a lot of the redundant unused but otherwise functional stuff. And eBay. There is a lot that needs to be photographed, measured, described, packed, and listed.

One thing about being retired - there are probably 6 to 12 times a year in the working-person's life around here when the weather is such that one has to wait out the storm at work or leave early and still have a really difficult drive. I don't miss pulling onto the shoulder of a highway and watching the rainwater fill in the adjacent ditch, hoping the deluge stops before I have to move out of the way of the rising water and back into slow-moving traffic on the highway. It's still possible to have to drive in nasty weather, but not as often.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: mg
Date: 17 Apr 19 - 03:40 PM

when children are removed from unsuitable home situations, they often carry their possessions in garbage sacks..and often there is a stated need for backpacks, luggage, etc.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Apr 19 - 04:48 PM

None of these is large enough to be significant as far as clothes and other belongings, but point taken.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 17 Apr 19 - 06:49 PM

Dupont:

Three nights in our comfortable bed in our nice house! Still need to find more needful items that are packed away somewhere: an iron to press beautiful valances for window toppers; no need for major coverings. We are comfortable. R goes off to work in the city and comes home for supper - not too late, and no complaints about the added distance! The trip may help him de-compress as the road wends through the reserve.

I collected my good work gloves from the mill but could not find them today, a gorgeous day; may have to purchase a new pair.

So nice to be able to drive along the river to some places and miss the traffic --- not missing it at all! Went to city yesterday and emptied frig there and fitted it in here. The city freezer section must wait a while. It took just over an hour, return! What a difference that distance makes! Trees and fresh air, less noise!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Apr 19 - 07:35 PM

One more dive into the office closet this afternoon, to recycle boxes from various current and old technology items. Nothing is within warranty to still need its original packaging. And more paper! Old tax forms back to 2007 (everything before 2012 can go), and I filed some stray donation receipts into the envelopes for the years they were made. I haven't been able to itemize these for several years so I no longer ask for tax receipts or document donations (I found a pack of photos in one of the older tax packages.) My main file box now has just the 2018 tax forms, and I'll use those to give me clues as to how to do them for 2019. The older ones live in a case in the office closet shelving. This is the box that if I should ever need to leave quickly, would go with me, for all of the current information.

I also have some sturdy tote bags that people have given me from various interesting places (Library of Congress, etc.) and I have moved them to a row of hooks in the hall so I might actually use them more often. These are printed or woven and smaller and better fabric than all of the cloth bags that live in the back seat of the car for taking into grocery stores.

Dorothy, a drive that allows you to avoid traffic sounds wonderful! And it's nice to live somewhere that you don't need to put up full curtains (though you may find that winter heat stays in better if windows are covered.)

I got my flower photos this afternoon, and for now it's sunny outside, so I'll walk the dogs soon. The storms are looming, but not here yet.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 17 Apr 19 - 09:00 PM

Pete continues to be in the hospital. I worked half a day, spent time at the hospital, took care of things at home for Jeremiah and just finished taking out the trash, doing some light dusting and just general picking up.

I think tomorrow I will run the Spin Wave as we've had more rain which means muddy floors. It's a never ending battle.

There are things happening at home that are adding to the stress of Pete being sick including my main source of heat isn't working (the house is not freezing but it's damp and chilly), the washing machine decided it's not wanting to do a proper spin cycle and my car feels like something is wrong. Pete would be able to fix the heat and the washing machine. I will have to wait it out. I do have a place to go if it gets too cold and also a place to do laundry if need be. I will tinker with the washing machine tomorrow and see what I can do. We are such a team in this household that it's been an eye opener to see just how much he does and how much I do that he should be aware of. We'll be working on getting that information down on paper when he gets home. I also managed to screw up the television...don't ask me how as I'm not sure but I can't seem to get the satellite back to where it needs to be. I'm ok with that...I can read, fuss online or watch Netflix on the computer if I really need to watch something.

I am taking tomorrow off to be with Pete, run errands (need more animal feed), tend to the house and maybe try to get some rest...maybe not so much on the rest end...I know I should but it seems to be a struggle at the moment.

I keep thinking about my Nana who was married for over 60 years when she lost her husband. I can't imagine what it took for her to get through every day. Pete has been inpatient for almost a week and I can physically feel his absence. It's the first time in 28 years that he hasn't been here with me. I have traveled away for overnights but he has ALWAYS been at home with me. It's a very strange feeling for me....not one I want to get used to.

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Apr 19 - 12:10 AM

Don't scare yourself, Michelle! I can see how stressful his prolonged recovery is, and patience is all I can counsel, but it is the best thing right now. You like the medical team, this is their job, and they'll send him home to you soon.

I understand how your teamwork is vital - even though my children's father and I divorced nearly 20 years ago, we're still a team when it comes to supporting the kids and helping each other. I think it's because of the friendship that transcends everything else. Your friend is ill and you miss him.

The old saying "when it rains, it pours" seems to be in effect - the hospital, the car, the washer. (When my washer starts doing the old "tilt" of uneven loads, after I've washed some large off-balanced thing, I do several small well-distributed loads and that seems to re-calibrate it's little computer brain.)

Good luck, and take naps when you can, even at the hospital.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 18 Apr 19 - 10:43 AM

Dupont:

We will be terrifically mindful of heat leaks -there are tons!!! - before winter arrives in Quebec! First - the fireplace chimney; we plan to put in an insert/wood stove and close off that major heat leak. The 1902 windows: even with "modern" storm windows, the breezes are amazing. Lots to do.

Today is chilly and drismal. Wrote a couple emails and need to do a few more, then decide what energy level I have for what needful things. Oddly, I don't want to go to the city on such a yucky day even though it makes more sense than going on a gorgeous day. This am at BF, we felt a real need for the, as yet unmoved, microwave which I did not feel up to carrying yesterday. I have often wondered if there are heated plates/bowls for adults like the ones we used to have for little kids. R eats so slowly, he often reheats things twice during a meal.   

R did not get home until 11 pm. I am concerned that the trip (30 min) may become odious for him, so I asked. No nasty headlights on the quiet, traffic-free trip through the Reserve, a time to decompress and glad to get home to a parking space and trees around him. And I had food ready, then the local paper to read and a comfie bed to crawl into.

I do miss him when I am away, and he misses me. Thinking of you, Michelle!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 18 Apr 19 - 04:29 PM

Dupont:

The weather changed and so did my energy level - a good dose of negative ions from the spring winds. I went to town and fetched back a few more boxes of stuff. R showed up just as I was pondering the possibility of carrying the microwave out to the car! Everything else is in the house now, and put away! We still do not have a real place to put it but shall need to improvise - so he can have warm food!

Nice chat with cross the street neighbour as she was putting out the trash bin; her English is well up to a good converse! And she is a reader! Having a rough time dealing with her husband's Alzheimer's; she does not feel like reading. I suggested it as a good escape. As the weather improves - surely it will! - we can connect more, maybe even have a cup of tea. She has help 3 times a week so she can do errands and such.

I need to find out why, all of a sudden, since moving here, my hands are DRY! And there are water spots on "clean" pots; everything needs to be wiped dry to prevent spotting. City water... Sophia does not seem to have a problem: maybe she has always wiped things dry. And had dry skin??? I am finding it, esp the skin, a nuisance. Using olive oil on hands and face.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 18 Apr 19 - 05:28 PM

SRS,

   I wasn't scaring myself but rather how I was noticing how the absence felt. I was just thinking that if that's how it felt to me after being together for less than half the years of my grandparents, I couldn't help but think about my Nana.

   Pete was able to come home today!!!! There are still ongoing concerns that I won't go into here so he is on watch but at least he is HOME. We are most happy about that! <3 Thank you for the good thoughts. <3

    We got home around noon and I slept until about 4:30. I have tomorrow off and I'm pretty sure we will all sleep in for a very long time! <3


Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Apr 19 - 04:51 PM

Things have suddenly become very busy here, and it's a half-day holiday for some companies and not for others, so I can't get everything I'd like to do this instant taken care of right now. I will instead turn my attention to things I can do: I have all of the fence panel parts, and that's scheduled for early next week once I get all of the pickets painted on the edges and both sides with the wood preservative (an in-the-garage task). I took the chipper out and demolished a stack of slim sticks into two bags of mulch.

I'm cat sitting for a friend for a couple of days so I'll push the dog walk earlier in the afternoon. I have more limbs to trim and put at the curb, and others to chip. Mow mow mow the lawn these days sometimes twice a week it grows so fast in the spring.

It's good to read that Pete is back home and that R. is helping move stuff into the house. I imagine Everyone is moving stuff at Susan's house.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 19 Apr 19 - 06:12 PM

Dupont:

Most animals like their family members to be together! Glad Pete is home for Easter.

This am looked hopeful - R was asking what things needed work and started on Bathroom faucet... Phone call! and he was gone about 9:30, with me harboring hope of an early return. Not so! I spent most of this cold drismal day on internet: arranged hospitality for June wedding, new dates for Magda to pot, updates to a couple friends... Did laundry, washed dishes, read. Nothing else to do unless I went out into the rain; what a silly idea! Hope R gets home in time for tonight's music. Hoping Monday, Earth Day, will be non-rainy and we can fetch useful things from the mill. And attend This Changes Everything at the Little Green Library.

Maybe tomorrow...

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 20 Apr 19 - 09:17 AM

OH

The bedroom redo is Tuesday-Thursday next week. I had the dates wrong.

Almost every night I'm dreaming I'm back at the PA house trying to finish leaving. Very unpleasant. Hope it stops soon!

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 20 Apr 19 - 05:46 PM

I've been busy cooking. Pete isn't really eating much but at least it's there and ready for when Jeremiah and I are hungry. I didn't cook much last week while Pete was inpatient....I wasn't really very interested in eating and it was just easier to pick up a pizza or subs.

I did some rearranging in the kitchen this afternoon, putting away some bowls and water bottles/metal reusable types/getting them off the counter. Our hens are laying copious amounts of eggs and we keep them in bowls on the counter until we are ready to wash and use them....hence the need for the extra counter space.

Today it's breezy but really nice out...finally a break from the rain. We have the windows and doors all open.....hooray for fresh air!

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Apr 19 - 10:30 PM

I was up early to feed a friend's cats before turning around with my oldest dog and heading to the vet's office in time for Saturday half-day hours as a walk-in; she has been coughing (may have picked up something from the dog visiting last week?) and is incontinent part of the time (usually overnight). So she has cough tablets and treatments for the rest. At least the big pills can go in her dish with the rest of her food. The cough tablets will be in peanut butter till they're gone and the other dogs will also get peanut butter, because you can't not share the peanut butter! More running around, another trip for cat feeding, and finally back home. I took the dogs for a walk (it's perfect right now - I wish it would stay this way for summer!) as a stress reliever at the end of the day. It was funny - my level-headed lab was watching a red squirrel running along the curb ahead of us and he got so excited - if he hadn't been on a leash, that squirrel would have been history. He was beside himself with joy at seeing that critter.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Apr 19 - 12:39 PM

I need to wait till tomorrow to declutter myself of a rental car that was part of a process that resulted in a new vehicle. The old one was damaged and totaled (unibody construction is very safe, but hard to repair - and everyone involved is fine). And I've arranged file folders to keep all of this organized and not piled on my desk. The airport has staff to dispatch and receive vehicles 24/7, but the neighborhood locations have much shorter hours.

It's gorgeous today, so I imagine there are egg hunts proceeding across the region. Since I don't practice a religion or have small children to hunt eggs and candy, I will step into the garden and transplant a few iris that popped up where they weren't expected. Cut the flower for a vase and move the plant seems the best plan.

I'm reminded of how well my parents hid eggs (when I was a kid it was the pastel hard coated candy eggs and they didn't come individually wrapped back then). Mom would occasionally find them in the kitchen cupboards or the pull out drawer in the stove, many weeks later and somewhat melted with time. :)

The friend I was cat sitting for had one that was feeling bad, but she couldn't tell which of the three it was (someone threw up in the kitchen, but there was no identification as to source). I was able to narrow it down to the youngest cat who didn't finish his dinner last night--diagnostic services no extra charge! Here at my house I'm decluttering dog hair and such, and will I'll make the push to steam clean my two carpets and wash all of the dog bedding. The vet says the incontinence pills work after 3-4 days, so I'll be ready!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 21 Apr 19 - 07:52 PM

OH

The parish we attend here had a lovely Easter Vigil last night, meaning Greg could sleep in today and skip the morning service.

Then we lunched at a Palestinan restaurant here that we love, and spent almost two hours at WalMart restocking groceries.

The meat prices were great, so we took the crumpled paper stuffing out of the spare fridge we brought, to hold some. Yano Becky will wipe out its glass shelves Tuesday, so we left items in their bags. Just could not wait to use!

~S`

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 22 Apr 19 - 09:26 AM

OH

In recent days I've done dishes, laundry, and groceries (once). Made dinner once. Other than that, zip. Greg's really taken up the slack. I have zero desire to open boxes.

~Susan

,

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Apr 19 - 11:10 AM

If you have everything you need WITHOUT opening boxes, perhaps that's a clue about what to do with the box contents!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 22 Apr 19 - 04:40 PM

OH

SRS, yes, there's the rub. We've camped out here for four years without "the good stuff." What it means is that as we unpack, the make-do items go to Goodwill, where many of them came from. In a few cases I liked the Goodwill items better than the corresponding PA items, so the PA one went into the parish pile.

Several huge boxes in front of the sideboard dividing LR and kitchen were unpacked today to make room for a dresser tomorrow, because I have a dishwasher and all PA kitchen items need to be washed before I can think where to put them away!

As we unpack, one empty box is labeled Goodwill. One box for them for every three-four unpacked is about right.

Greg's making lots of new friends at the city recycling center, with all these vanloads of cardboard. Most of the boxes aren't suitable for someone else's next move-- worn out and crazy oddc sizes.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 22 Apr 19 - 11:10 PM

Dupont:
A trip to the mill yesterday netted two smallish Victorian desks; both need work and are in "store room"; one bookcase - site undecided; and some boxes of books and stuff. Boxes of books are long term storage - until R has time to get them organized; I might live that long! But they are not in the way. "New" dishes, bought for here and stored at mill, were unwrapped and homed, and the recently purchased ones packed to leave, along with a bunch of other stuff!

Doing fairly well at holding the line on clutter; only one spare room being used to gather things until they have repairs or someone to help carry them upstairs. Arranged neat piles of my clothes on floor of BR; still waiting for bureau; requires a second person for moving. NOT me!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Apr 19 - 11:41 AM

I'm debating about removing old books from a "lawyer's bookcase," one of those glass-front ones that has stacking levels. They're books I'll never read, or use for reference. They're just old.

Company coming this weekend, so it's time to clear up the clutter on tabletops, make sure the guest room is ready, and clean up general public areas.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 23 Apr 19 - 05:37 PM

Dupont:

Had to walk down to local garage for someone to start car this morning; R left key in ignition overnight (Sat)and left for city before jumping it with his truck. He owes me $20!

Went foraging re food, etc. Found a small, solid wooden (fairly nice) shelf unit for the microwave. Cleaned and in use. Two empty shelves until I decide best use. Side table that had served temporarily has a new useful spot next to a chair in den. Dropped off stuff at the Thrift shop prior to acquiring shelf.

Good lunch at an Indian restaurant with Literacy group. Great folks. Happy to find a good restaurant; lunch is reasonable; dinners not so!

Bought 3 pots of lovely daffies on sale. Will plant in yard later.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 23 Apr 19 - 05:52 PM

OH

The bedroom switcheroo is in progress....


~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Apr 19 - 08:47 PM

I should have walked the dogs this afternoon, by 5pm it was rumbling out there; we usually walk around 7pm. Though the chance of rain is high tomorrow, it doesn't usually rain all day long, so we'll probably have a chance to get out.

The oldest dog is on medications that I have to disguise; she managed to spit out a couple of them yesterday (found on the kitchen floor today). I'm going to steam clean the rugs this week and hope for the best.

This afternoon I did some virtual declutter, trying to get some malware to go away; system restore finally took care of it. I have resolved to leave my ad blockers in place; those sites that insist you can't read them unless you turn off the ad blockers are contributing to the reason malware is spreading; it enters through adware these days. I just won't read it if I have to turn off the add blocker. I have trusted sites, but the rest of them, nope.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 23 Apr 19 - 10:26 PM

OH

Dressers are out and, happily, only the smaller one is in the LR, reserving that space for a delightful visit as we discussed various approaches to the big work of tomorrow.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Apr 19 - 11:31 AM

Huge noisy thunderstorms clanging around outside for at least three hours overnight (starting around midnight) drove away any pretense of sleep last night. Ugg. The yard looks intact, but I'll poke around after it stops drizzling to see if my trash cans are still out there or if someone else's have blown into the yard.

I'm working on computer stuff this week and right now have been trying to undo the anti-virus system that has glommed onto my default browser. It's a pain in the butt. I ran a System Restore to get rid of a piece of malware that kept coming back as soon as Malwarebytes quarantined it. That was the origination of the rest of the computer work.

More rain today so I had best turn my attention to indoor pursuits. There is a lot to choose from here.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 Apr 19 - 01:21 PM

OH

Rug fun.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 Apr 19 - 05:47 PM

OH

Bedroom is put back together, a day early, thanks to Brandon. Bed is all dressed.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Apr 19 - 12:04 AM

Driving through a new-to-me terminal at the regional airport, following a shuttle bus, I had to pause when they did, and apparently was astride a crosswalk. No one was in it when I crossed over, but a British fellow decided I needed to be made an example of, and advanced into the road and pounded on the back of my vehicle. So now I'm in the crosswalk, not because of the vehicle ahead of me, but because I dare not move that something might be wrong, and this lunatic is shouting something.

I rolled down my window and asked what was his problem? He was indignant that I was in the crosswalk. Well, that was due entirely to him. If I'd simply told him to "sod off, asshole," would that be rude enough for the occasion? He needs to take his Manchester United behavior back to the UK, it isn't welcome in Texas.

Paperwork today, with all of the rain preventing much else. The dogs tracked in mud and I just found a strange dry mud spot in the closet of my office - Pepper doesn't like the thunder so probably came in muddy and huddled in there. I cleared out the closet of boxes and papers and have instead made room for a dog cave.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 25 Apr 19 - 04:55 PM

OH

As of today, I have no life-sized projects to coordinate!

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 25 Apr 19 - 09:43 PM

Dupont:

Spent a good chunk of today recovering old posts- so far have managed Jan thru April 2011! It is interesting to see my history. And some of the rest as well. Lots of memories, thing I had forgotten. Finally we have made it to actually having this lovely home! Slow getting it all together but such a relief after much of the history. The cabin in the woods was nice as long as we were there and Beaver continues to be a delight; the 5 hour drive is starting to be a bit much. I shall be going off tomorrow, with or without R, though I am waiting/hoping he will be able to manage a few days away.

The copying and pasteing is tedious and I could not get started until I realized that I could not copy and paste on Firefox - my usual - and had to go back to Safari. I think I used to be able to do such on Firefox but rather than argue I tried an end run. Computers do what they do.

I am at standstill in organizing the house until I get more furniture! I could go to the mill and pot - if it were warmer! Maybe next week. Supper is ready and naught else to do. Ah! R just pulled in!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Apr 19 - 12:55 AM

So did the suggestions about using the Printer Friendly setting and saving the file work for you, Dorothy? I was hoping you could figure it out, and it sounds like you have!

I spent a delightful evening as a volunteer at a long-running (March through mid-May) series of fundraising events in the local Botanic Garden. Last time I was down there I was handing out maps and putting wrist bands on; this time I was in the garden talking to people and quite often taking group photos for them with their own cameras.

The house and yard need attention tomorrow. I've wound down a little bit and now it's off to bed. It should be a lovely day and I hope to do some major weeding in the garden.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 26 Apr 19 - 08:19 AM

My mind is back! Spontaneous ideas of SMALL projects requiring minimal or no help.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 26 Apr 19 - 09:45 AM

Small projects...I was trying to think of something to do with an Arduino board the other night but that one got out of hand. The idea was a mechanical clock, with a motor to pulse every second. I thought I’d be in with a half a chance using timing belts and pulleys. So I look up and pick a range of pulleys and a motor, managed to work out the ratios. By this point, the project had expanded to a clock probably with a 2 foot dial and a wild guess of £200-£300 for belts and pulleys alone!

That really ended the notion but I was still curious to see if I could do it (unlikely) and started trying to sketch things and looking for software that might help (deciding that it would take me ages to even get started with FreeCad…). One thing I did find though was one site where, by coincidence, the owner had at one time hit on a very similar clock idea, down to the same range of pulleys and abandoned for similar reasons to me.

That at least led me to a site that kept me amused for a few hours while I couldn’t sleep and may perhaps have some practical use one day. That gear arrangement btw is some form of approximation (with a couple of gears added and this doesn’t take what would be the hands to a common central point) of what I’d have needed with the belts and pulleys. I’d have liked to have speeded it up so the final (hour) gears showed a ratio of 1RPM rather than the minute stage but the program wont run that fast.

Oh well back to more sensible things like getting the green houses ready.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 26 Apr 19 - 11:27 AM

Dupont:

Yes, SRS, your suggestions did, definitely, help but Firefox refusing to let me copy and paste stalled me. Then, phooey on this! Try a different route!

Wonderful to have your mind back, Susan!

Going back over history can be fraught with hazard also - some "Why on earth did I?" as well as "wow! progress!" Things I thought would happen or that I would do - never, never land! And reminders, as I often find here - big and small.

That was not R; he was another hour later. Sitting in the company office, on computer, doing some good stuff but in a toxic space at a desk piled with stuff, so basically un-useable! So we talked about the importance of focusing on getting his office here, with a good computer and room to move and NO bro. In the end, however, the straw that got him to leave was bro coming to ask him - one more thing...

And yes he can go with me but we have to come back late on Monday as he has a court date on Tues - as well as the major "deal" they have been working on for.... Five hours each way... But he will be away from it ALL! But not turn off his phone... Wonder of wonders, Ephraim took him out yesterday (I asked him to) and bought him an ear-fitted hands-free and set it up for him!! Now we will not have to stop the car if he is driving. A great de-clutter. We are all happy!

Big OOPS! Resident wasp was on computer and when I tried to wisk it away with piece of paper, it disappeared .... Took off sweat shirt and searched all around... One or more? live in house and are generally no trouble. Did not want to injure it. But now it is somewhere else. Maybe next time I will endeavour to put it outside; it is warm enough now.

Time to get ready to leave, to pick up R in city. Rainy weekend; he may sleep through the whole thing but not if we stay here.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Apr 19 - 01:34 PM

Dorothy, the different browsers have strengths and weaknesses, but select/copy/paste is pretty universal. I hope your method isn't too time consuming for you!

Jon, your clock was a thought-exercise, and it was a good decision to work out the design then decide it was a solution in search of a problem and stop there. That gear site is entertaining!

Time to start treating the fence pickets with wood preservative so I can put up that section of fence next week, and then time to plan to work on the fence on the other side of the house.

The ground is still pretty soggy from all of our rain, I think tomorrow will be about perfect for digging and weeding. Today I can work on clearing out stuff, a run to the recycle bin, move furniture in the front room in preparation for cleaning that rug. I'm tired of tripping over dogs in the den, now that the oldest one is on a medication that should have taken care of her leakiness, I'll open up that space to them. All of the portable dog beds were washed again yesterday.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 26 Apr 19 - 07:11 PM

I’m glad I’m not the only one who can be entertained by rotating gears, SRS.

Btw, the light switch for the pond pump worked. It can’t make up for the combination of the kit’s small size panel and battery and the great British weather, etc. but I can now have the pump running sort of sunrise through to sunset on fine summer days.

If, and it’s a big if, I try a larger, more tech project this year, I think it could be setting up a larger solar panel system at the front. I think one 12V 100W panel would do the job (with allowances for our poor winter sunlight hours and not wanting to run things in darkness) and, while not strictly needed, it might be rather nice to have the bits at the front (including windmill but not the main security lights) off grid/stand alone. Well I call it stand alone but I could link it to indoors via wi-fi.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 26 Apr 19 - 07:15 PM

"Fine summer days" - just realised we are still only in Spring...

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Apr 19 - 11:26 AM

The medication the old dog is taking has affected her appetite and she's lethargic, could hardly keep up on our (shortened) evening walk. I'm considering the executive decision to take her off of these pills and wait a few days and go back and ask about the other medication. If she isn't enjoying her favorite activities then the medication is not very helpful. I made some steamed broccoli and she gobbled that down, so she has food in her tummy, but not much in the way of calories. She can stand to lose weight, but this isn't the preferred method.

Lovely weekend weather coming up. The new mower needs an oil change and then I need to consider setting the height it is mowing at. I think it could take the turf and weeds a little shorter.

eBay listings have languished for ages, as have a couple of other projects. Events a couple of weeks ago intruded on the routine, but I think we're back to our everyday activities now.

I look forward to hearing more about Dorothy's house and the Beaver location now that the snow is (hopefully) melting.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 27 Apr 19 - 12:29 PM

Oil change already? But, still it's best to follow what Honda says.

Briggs and Stratton make what seems to me the extraordinary claim that their engines (or at least some series including the type our mower uses) never need an oil change. I think that in practice, I will change the oil every second or more likely third mowing season.

I'm forever adjusting height with our petrol mower. Full height is needed to get it in or out of the shed and minimum is needed if I want to park it neatly with the body going under a shelving unit. I also use two different heights for mowing, cutting "our patch" at a lower setting than I do for the rougher other bits.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Apr 19 - 01:52 PM

Honda ships new without oil, and after six hours you're supposed to change it, to remove any shards left from assembly.

I was weeding a raised bed when I realized I had company, a native Texas Spiny lizard was preparing to lay eggs. She didn't completely move away, so I left the vicinity and will sneak back with my camera to see if I can get photos; I have before, but it was a much smaller camera. And I can assume that there are lizard eggs laid in the asparagus bed since I've seen them lay there before and it was weeded a few weeks ago. The mulch layer will be pushed away, she will lay eggs, bury them with the soil she moved, then put every bit of mulch back the way it was before so it will look like nothing has disturbed it.

I've been out with the camera, and put the long lens on for a closeup of each stage. And it's a good excuse to stop weeding for a while. :)

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 27 Apr 19 - 02:06 PM

Greg is adding shelves inside our custom cabinet, and I have a box of silverware and spatulas from PA soaking away their PA filth.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 27 Apr 19 - 04:06 PM

Aw. I don't think I've seen a lizard since I've lived here. I used to occasionally see the common lizard when I lived in N Wales and once in a while one would get into the porch and would need to be put somewhere safe but that's it. Brother in oz who keeps his door open has a I forget which of the larger pink or blue tongued lizards as a fairly regular visitor. I gather it likes cat food.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 27 Apr 19 - 04:33 PM

Looking forward to seeing those photos Maggie! :)

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 27 Apr 19 - 05:20 PM

This week has been super busy for me at work. We have monthly deadlines set by the Department of Health and since I missed almost a full work week while Pete was in the hospital, I have been working to get caught up. WHEW...I'm almost there!!!

On another work related note, I gave up my title and position of Champion Trainer this week for the Children's Program as I have elected to work exclusively with the adult population. To be honest, it's a relief and one less responsibility...I'm thankful to have passed that torch on!

Bare minimum was done at home this week. Dishes are done, laundry is caught up (thank you Pete). Jeremiah's size 8 clothing have been bagged up and have a home waiting for them. YAY.

We had sunshine, rainy, high winds and blue skies this week and this morning we had some snow...we are back to blue skies at the moment....loving all the additional sunshine!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Apr 19 - 07:09 PM

I was doing some cooking and mama lizard was quicker than I expected, so when I went out the last time she was resting on her laurels, the mulch was spread back over the ground. But I have some interesting photos.

I made a batch of my taco/nacho/burrito mix to use this week, and I've cleaned out a lot of stuff in the fridge revealing an inordinate number of apples, so I think I'll make a cobbler.

The soil is perfect in the garden this weekend so I'll be finished beds for planting and I'll get the bedding plants once the soil is ready - it's too easy to let plants die or get too pot-bound if I buy them ahead of time. It's late, but with a long growing season, that's not really a problem. Last year's pests are a problem, they were here the year before also (a form of stink bug that sucks the tomatoes dry),so I will be spreading mulch before I plant anything and drench the beds with spinosad (an organic bug killer) to hopefully take out the soil/larval stage of those bugs. And I always try to not plant too close together, so I can monitor bug activity. Maybe this year I'll manage it.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 27 Apr 19 - 10:02 PM

Oh hey, I cleaned out the fridge too. I used bits of leftovers to make my famous WhatTheHeckIsIt Stew. It's always a surprise, never the same and Jeremiah loves it every single time...LOL.

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Apr 19 - 11:12 AM

We had a rather unexpected thunderstorm around midnight and my informal rain gauge shows over 2" accumulation. So my gardening is delayed, though I think I'll see about transplanting some iris today while I can still tell what color some of them were.

My daughter is at a Society for Creative Anachronism campout this weekend and sent a photo of the pancakes she is making for her tentmates. She grew up eating pancakes (both regular and buttermilk) I made from a 1970s Better Homes and Gardens cookbook, with my own modification of thinning the batter (more like Swedish pancakes). A couple of years ago she texted, asking for the recipe, then proceeded to make a mound of pancakes for dinner for her housemates (and of course, posted it on Instagram). It's a much requested dish, apparently. And when you're camping out they taste even better. I hope, Michelle, that you're having Jeremiah start learning to cook the foods that he really likes to eat. That's a great starting point for his future adult life.

I took Poppy off of the medication she was on, the last dose yesterday morning, and she's still not eating, but she's perkier. I gave her more broccoli this morning to tempt her to eat something. She is a about 10 pounds overweight, so it won't hurt her to have a few days with broccoli and water, but I'm hoping once it wears off she'll be back to her normal crotchety self (eating her favorite food and ignoring the senior food.)

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Apr 19 - 01:43 PM

My outdoor trash can, a tall black Rubbermaid 55-gallon one, has finally split completely down one side. I'll tape a piece of printer paper on the side telling the trash guys to take the can this time. There were two here when I moved in. I have a couple of sellers identified from online searches, but one that I need to visit tomorrow to take a look doesn't have a very good web page. Rule of thumb, these come out roughly a dollar per gallon, so 44-gallon cans cost around that much. I'm hoping to find another 55-gallon. Do I want a can with wheels? When the wheels fail, I'll still be able to lug it to the curb.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 28 Apr 19 - 02:15 PM

OH

The rolling purge is on with my closet. Images of four (garaged) bulging leaf bags full of clothing and linens are looming in my mind.

This means that as I fold laundry, I'm pitching worn out items too threadbare for Goodwill. It also means periodic forays into the hanging space, for items to send to GW.

Net gone today is about a large dresser drawer-sized batch.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 28 Apr 19 - 09:17 PM

We spent this afternoon helping other members of our church and community pack 20,000 meals to be shipped around the world. It was a great collaborative effort with many jobs and many hands.

It was Jeremiah's first time working at such a large community event and he did GREAT!!!!! He loved it and I hope this fosters an interest in doing much more in the future.

Maggie, he is learning to do some cooking, not a whole lot as of yet but that will come. :)

I thought I'd be dragging after all the work from this afternoon but I am surprisingly fully energized. I truly had a great time!

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Apr 19 - 10:10 PM

More fridge and cupboard organization this afternoon; the little Tupperware container of olive oil that I last used when I took it to work last summer is now rancid and disposed of (the Tupperware cleaned and ready for use). Same with a jar of oil that was used once for frying, a long long time ago, etc.. The compost bowl has been emptied twice this afternoon. I have a number of redundant items to send to Goodwill, though I'll leave them in the kitchen in a box for family to poke through tomorrow when they'll be here for dinner.

Poppy is still not feeling like eating, but is perkier, so maybe by tomorrow her appetite will begin to return. She was on the pills for a week, so it may take several days for the effects to dissipate. I'm not taking her for a walk for a couple of more days because she had trouble keeping up the last time. Based upon the last week, I can't recommend Prion for dog incontinence.

Tomorrow I'll join Susan in the closet and dresser purge, including the coat closet in the hall. There is stuff in there that no one ever wears.

And yes, eight is young to be doing much cooking, but I think we all had particular tasks about that age. I mixed the pancake batter on the weekend, and I made the baking powder biscuits that went with dinner. My siblings had different foods to prepare. I was 11 when we moved from that first house and I'd been doing that for quite a while by the time we moved. (And when it was summer and Mom was canning, it was all hands on deck to peel blanched fruit, etc.)

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 28 Apr 19 - 10:37 PM

OH

Also GW'd in recent days-- loose headbands anod a hated pair of snow boots FINALLY replaced by the PA pair I LOVE.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 29 Apr 19 - 11:25 AM

OH

Unpacked two more "1" boxes from sideboard: much needed food storage containers (now in DW), a basket for the table, a countertop appliance to store on the new custom cabinet shelves, bookends for the Library.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Apr 19 - 02:52 PM

Are there actually going to be any more "PA" entries? Or you're just distinguishing the stuff that has been in OH for a while versus the stuff that came from PA recently?

Picked up a new outside large trash can today, but have had no luck so far determining what my next small kitchen trash can (that lives on top of the dryer) will look like. I can't put it on the floor, because no matter what kind of security is involved, the dogs will figure it out or chew their way in, so it has to be small so it can be accessed easily in it's higher position.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 29 Apr 19 - 09:55 PM

I'm just reminding myself I'm here, since part of my brain appears to still be in PA. Twenty-five years.... Still feels like I'm not done leaving the only home I ever knew.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Apr 19 - 10:50 PM

You know that meal you fix when you have family together for one of those (rarer and rarer) dinners when everyone can be there? I roasted a chicken with carrots and potatoes in the clay baker (so the meat is moist and falling off of the bones and nothing is under-cooked) and made an apple cobbler for dessert, and once the chicken was out of the oven I put in the baking sheet of baking powder biscuits. Lots of food stories, and I noticed my son paying attention when I spoke about my flour choice in making the biscuits—I usually add some whole wheat flour to give it a little richer flavor, but that can them more solid, and sometimes they don't rise as well. I wanted these to be spectacular so I used just white flour. He'll probably make biscuits himself and experiment.

The dishwasher is loaded and the cooking surfaces and table are cleaned.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 30 Apr 19 - 10:50 AM

I haven't posted here in a while, not because I don't love you all but because I'm not decluttering much any more. I have shed the stuff that really must go, and the clag that remains is dear to Himself, who would weep salt tears and raise holy Hell if I re-homed his collection of G.H. Henty novels.

I return to this thread today to report that the 2018 income taxes are paid, and Himself just headed downtown to the bank to cough up to Revenue Canada the Ontario Harmonized Sales Tax he collected in 2018. In consequence, all the money currently in our bank accounts belongs to us -- except, of course, for the HST owing on 2019 billings, and the 20 percent of untaxed net income the sensible person sets aside against next year's impositions.

In a way, I rather enjoy tax season. By government fiat, I am compelled to ransack the filing cabinet and sort out our obligations, and then carry through and pay what we owe. When we finish, we feel washed throughly, as the Reverend Dr. Isaac Watts would put it, and ready to face the profligacies of summer.

To celebrate, we're having the large, rickety deck removed from our back yard and replaced with a paved patio, the better to see what's going on with the foundation on that side of the house. God alone knows what's under that deck; not only a warren of rabbits, whose tracks we see all winter, but also random hosepipes and wiring for long-forgotten lighting arrangements. The deck also covers two basement windows, each lacking a proper window-well so it's a good thing we are on high ground here. The landscaping contractor is coming tomorrow with his buddy the carpenter to figure out a concept of operations.

Meanwhile, despite the really weird weather (it snowed yesterday in Perth County), I have plans to get the barbecue back into commission this weekend. I just hope I don't have to shake ice off the cover first.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Apr 19 - 12:13 PM

Charmion, that deck removal and subsequent paver installation should provide material for a few remarks this summer! Over on the Mother of All BS thread, probably 10 years ago or more, are descriptions of the Idaho house that Mike (Rapparee) moved into that had a deck, under which two large chest freezers (lift the lid and everything is in there somewhere type) were buried. It sounded like something that belongs on the Saturday night network real-life-mysteries program, but in the end no one was inside either one.

It's drizzling this morning, but yesterday my neighbors on each side mowed their front lawns, so I am determined I should mow mine today. I hope the cloud cover lightens so I can get to this soon. There is a lot of other stuff to do around here if I can't mow.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 30 Apr 19 - 12:33 PM

OH

With Yano Becky, several more #1 boxes unpacked. Dog corner per blankets discarded.

We also sorted out the food storage cabinet, recycling a number of items and adding items brought from PA.

Then we investigated remaining #1 boxes. One was supposed to go home with son, and will be stowed for him in the garage. One is all dry goods to unpack into the pantry-- no spoilage noted.

All the boxes and bags preventing us from walking all the way around the table are squared away, and the table's produce baskets are refilled, including a pretty new one from PA.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 30 Apr 19 - 01:02 PM

Dupont:

I, too, just completed the income tax! and went on line to make payment and popped in for a moment before going to post office to mail the incomprehensible papers. I live in faith that the persons who slave over these papers will, as usual, tell me I done wrong and send me back an overpayment or ask for more - the later would be surprising. One advantage of a very low income!

Trip to Beaver told me that I have way too many dishes and bowls and next trip I shall cull the herd! R slept and read. Then drove home after about an hour packing the car, mainly with stuff for here. We have not yet reached the culling need.

Glad to be back. Happy that I left Magda happily potting in my studio and gaining confidence and competence. I love that the studio is being used. And I can trust her to keep things tidy. I hope warmer weather will encourage me to get some work done also.

The snow was mostly gone. BUT! the road up the hill had washed out and I have a few inches of sand and gravel across most of the front yard. Wondering what the Township will be doing to prevent a recurrence and how much of this I shall need to have removed. A sand path along the raised beds is not a bad idea! The raised beds saved the strawberries, blueberries, parsley/lettuce patch. And my three sweet cherry trees are now in the back of the car (in pots) happily budding out and ready to be planted in our sunny, drier, back yard. They survived the winter in BIG pots, nested in leaves up to their necks!

I did not use the computer since Friday. Some time I shall try to find out what to do about foxfire's new aberation. It used to let me copy and paste. Ephraim: please fix!

Some putting away yet to do but first to post office to mail the stupid tax forms. They could use major de-clutttering!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Apr 19 - 02:48 PM

Too many updates on this computer (operating systems) has led to a Windows Firewall that won't deploy. I installed the ZoneAlarm firewall to see if that makes Windows happier.

Good luck with the redisposition of sand and gravel, Dorothy. Keep what you can use and see if the county wants the rest back? You may need to put in an edge along your yard to keep that from happening.

Income taxes were taken care of ages ago, but the tax problem for this month is the property tax rate. They're going up fast around here, and I need to protest it this time. That's a pain-in-the-ass.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 30 Apr 19 - 08:51 PM

OH

I'm starting to think about spelunking the garaged boxes for the dinner plates I packed. That will sure test my organizing system! If I can easily find them, yay. If not.... Who needs plates, really.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 May 19 - 12:18 PM

With property values soaring lately there is an industry around trying to buy people's homes for a song and then sell it for a fortune, or turn it into income-producing rental property. I had a call this morning and was very rude when she told me what she wanted. It turned up a moment later as scam on my Hiya app, if I'd let it ring a time or two more. I suggested she declutter her list of my name.

I've been watching various thrift stores for a pattern of plates that I'd like to have a few more of. I bought them thinking they turned up every so often, but they in fact don't. I have seven, and would like at least a couple more. Five of them are a tan color, two are a dark muted green. Same lunch-size stoneware plate pattern, Oneida by Seiko, China - and they aren't tied to Oneida or Seiko. There is always something here to eat on, and there are old Corelle plates around - I was aiming at these as being my "grown up" plates.

Shipped an eBay box this morning, now I really do need to list more items, I'm down to four that haven't had much interest to this point.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 01 May 19 - 03:51 PM

I find that I’m doing most of my clothes shopping on eBay these days. I have to do it on line anyway, as Stratford is innocent of shops that sell what I want to wear, so why not do it where the prices are usually lower and the choice much less predictable?

I just bought a green cashmere sweater for fifty bucks. Now I must go through the chest of drawers to make room for it — a good opportunity to shed the acrylic sweater I got for Christmas and never wear because it’s so loosely knit that the cats would ruin it immediately.

SRS, versions of that property scam flourish around here, too — and for similar reasons. Driving back from London the other day, I spotted signs along Highway 7 announcing “Jonny Buys Houses — Cash!” Yeah, said I to Himself, for ten cents on the dollar with immediate intent to flip. Wait till Jonny finds out that Perth County farmers are probably the sharpest wheeler-dealers this side of Wall Street.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 01 May 19 - 07:53 PM

Dupont:

Starting to unpack the "new" stuff, I wondered why I had bought that! Put a bag full aside for thrift shop and the next box is iffy. But went to thrift shop and found four salad plates that match a fav glass bowl. That's all!

Much foraging today, mostly for food stuffs but also checking out towel racks for bath and powder room. The later we will use for most washing up as it is on 2nd floor. Towel racks are expensive - by my thinking - so I looked for ideas. Still under consideration. I don't want them to look cheap but to BE cheap!

Trying a new ploy, I have all veggies chopped for stir fry but waiting 'til later to start cooking so the veggies are not quite so over cooked by the time R gets home. 10:30 last night! But I need to eat sooner so I will aim for 9 pm and eat if he is no home. I get too fussy if I wait too late. "My baby, she's a country girl. When she gets hungry, she gets mean and she gets evil. But she can't help it none, cuz she's a country girl." Major de-clutter is to eat sooner!

Even better would be to stop eating cookies!

WOW! R just phoned to say he would be leaving "soon"! I can start supper!! "Soon" means - "after I unload..." But soon!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 May 19 - 11:30 PM

I'm thinking that my old dog who is refusing food simply doesn't want chunks because she thinks they might be pills. I gave her canned food tonight and she still avoided the larger chunks. I'll put the rest in a grinder and add some rice tomorrow. I think I can bring her back around, but she is certainly being a picky customer.

Heavy weather predicted for the next two days. Ugg.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 May 19 - 12:53 PM

Still at a standoff with the dog, though she shows interest in the dogfood gravy. Grrrrr. She pooped out pretty quickly on a short walk yesterday, but I think shorter more frequent walks may compensate for the one long one that we usually do.

Thunderstorms overnight—again—means the yard and garden are quite squishy, even though the day itself is lovely. Maybe I can work on potted plants in the driveway.

Waiting on information and things to come in the mail this week, to do with the new vehicle. For example, the toll tag is connected with just one vehicle, so when you exchange vehicles, you need to take the old one off by calling the office during regular office hours, but everything else can be done online. So, waiting on the toll tag, waiting on new license plates, waiting on paperwork, and information on which bills to pay and how much.

I stopped by my discount grocery yesterday and found pints of blueberries on sale, so I've frozen them, two pints at a time, on a large baking sheet, then rolled the hard blue marbles into a gallon freezer bag. I use these often and am glad to have 2+ gallons for $10. One more tray to go and those are finished.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 02 May 19 - 04:42 PM

OH

We replaced my scooter batteries, so trips on it to the grocery store, with Newbie, are back on.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 02 May 19 - 06:58 PM

I had a visit to the endocrinologist yesterday for a 3 month check up. I am down 10 pounds, the A1C has dropped some, cholesterol is in range and so is my blood pressure! I have to remember to cut one of my pills in half on Sunday as my levels are slightly high but not high enough to cut the dosage to the next level down...never had a doctor do that before.

I had an increase in one of my insulins too. I use a Freestyle Libre which is a 14 day continuous glucose monitor. They download the info at the doctor's office and share the printout with me....very interesting to see the patterns. I am riding slightly above the level where they would like me...hence the increase in insulin. I'm seeing the results today...worked like a charm!

I purposefully arranged my client schedule so I would have almost client free days for the first few days of the month. This has given me some time to catch up on that missed paperwork and jump ahead to prepare for things that will be due later this month. So I spent today fussing with spreadsheets and treatment plans....they are complete but I was unable to do any printing or scanning as the copier is having issues. It should be fixed tomorrow so I can get it all printed out first thing in the morning.

I have also blocked out some time one day a week so that I can return to Weight Watchers. My supervisor is good with it, I'm still getting all my hours in and YAY for being able to do something good for ME!

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 May 19 - 11:11 AM

I have little excuse for all of the things I haven't gotten to or finished lately. I do have distractions. And as has been the pattern over the last two weeks, it is supposed to be stormy again today.

Good timing for this (via Huffington Post on Facebook).

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 May 19 - 02:17 PM

It took querying Google to get the complete answer, but I finally programmed the remote control device housed in the rear view mirror of my SUV to operate the garage door opener. I tried it with the last vehicle so equipped, but didn't realize there was another step - I had to push a button inside the lens of the garage ceiling opener motor to essentially tell it to pay attention to this signal. My garage door opener is quite old, but apparently even this old dog can learn a new trick.

Box mailed at my post office that has (again) a part of the building blocked off. Last month a car jumped the curb and hit the brick and concrete pillar out front. This month one jumped a different curb and hit the building itself. I met the brick guy looking at the damage as I left the post office, and asked for his card. He did a very good job on the first repair. He said he was really surprised to get another call about the same building. It has been here for about 20 years now and this never happened before. I need someone to look at the brick on my house, and I suppose this is as good a way as any to discover a tradesman.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 03 May 19 - 04:21 PM

Kitchen whipped and purses boxed, under the bed.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 May 19 - 11:00 AM

Funny that I mentioned brick work here in Mudcat (on my logged in Chrome browser) and my phone's Instagram account has just started scrolling an ad for local brick masons.

There are a couple of clear days ahead and my list is long.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 04 May 19 - 12:06 PM

Jeremiah had his guitar recital last night. He played his guitar while singing and I think he did a fantastic job! Video is on FB if anyone wants to see him. :)

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 04 May 19 - 01:04 PM

I began to come out of the fog last night, but not enough to remember to refill my synthroid pill stick, so I'm up early to take one out of the fridge, refill the stick, refill the Rx, install the Rx app..... Eat brekky... Sends ked to John.... Take stock... And start to regain my independence. Again. :-)

It will be interesting to check dates and see how many days this last flip-flop (between PA/OH) ate up,.... Calendar: Mid-March thru May 4.... 7 weeks x 7 days, 49 days.

Later... Cooperative ham slicing followed by cooperative redo of dog corner. I did the nastiest and heaviest bits.... After writing to doc for more Tramadol, since I've found all on hand (not much).

Goal-- cleanish floor in there plus fresh carpet remnant on her raised sleeping plank-- cut to a lesser depth for easier human access and more doggeh floor space for food, water, and dog poop.

Return to Y is Monday. Via scooter. No idea where they'll let me park that! (Wrote Y contact). Tmrw we scooter-race to Y, to see if the smaller scooter will do it.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 May 19 - 02:36 PM

After all of the wind and rain it's a cleanup day in the yard. Trimming limbs in the way (I know, fall is better, but this is when it's happening), dragging an old bench to the curb (if no one wants it I'll cut it up for the trash on Sunday night) and general sorting out how the area is arranged beside the driveway door. You don't have to be indoors to rearrange the furniture!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 04 May 19 - 07:01 PM

Dupont:

wow! R actually noted concern for the "clutter" that has built up. He needs a second person to help, so maybe next week. He spent today de-cluttering the cellar - lots of stuff left behind included a huge amount of clean clothes for small persons - off to the thrift shop with that and more! It is wonderful that he loves cleaning up dirty places! I hate it!

He did tell the previous owner not to worry about what he left behind!

R noted that the house was still not in having-company-for-dinner condition! Oh, YAY! Hope for the future. It is OK for inviting a couple people in for tea. I almost bought coffee on Thurs but Mary did not have any. Maybe tomorrow. The coffee press awaits its first voyage. We could have folks for supper but not a house viewing - still need bureaus to put things away. And considerable fine tuning would be nice.

I cooked and looked for gardening gloves; by the time I thought it might be necessary to go buy some, it was too late. Then I found them carefully put away... Finding the correct homes for things is a chronic challenge! A waterproof spot on the back deck would be great for gardening stuffs: to be found. Less than an hour of yard work and I was way too tired and concerned for aches tomorrow. I will build up to it gradually. Hope!

I may ask R for help to pull out the heavy duty weed block fabric; it is well knitted in with couch grass. Although there are some impressive clumps of day lilies, iris, peonies(!) and ???, I have lots more to move from the mill to here. Need three big holes for the cherry trees! Also three cedars that we bought several years ago and never planted at the mill, have been surviving with pots buried in a deep pile of wood chips! Maybe tomorrow they can be transported to a new home!! The wood chips - very old - might make decent mulch; there is a huge amount down at the mill - it really was a wood mill! They made hockey sticks.

R was notably happy to get home before dark last night (8pm)! Me too! Dinner before 10 pm is a big bonus! I hope this idea will help him cut loose and come home sooner, more often!

Th plants I brought here from Beaver are burgeoning; I will take a few back for the garden club plant sale at the end of May.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 May 19 - 08:01 PM

Dorothy, I'm thoroughly enjoying the moving process into this new house! And one answer to the lost gardening gloves is to have them in several locations. I buy a ten-pack of nitrile coated gloves ($10/10 pair at Home Depot) and a pair are tucked into my garden apron, some are in the garage, in the greenhouse, in the area where dog stuff is kept, and the rest are stored over the dryer.

The mower gas can was refilled today and the back yard really needs attention. And this week I will finish the fence panel on the side where the new fence went in. I should take along the stiff-tonged rake and when I get to lumpy parts of the yard, give it a going-over to see if it's sticks or rocks or cones or whatever. Marking up the ground that way will make it easier to find the spots later if topsoil needs adding. There are tons of holes dug by dogs, those I can't seem to prevent, but these are around the perimeter and make mowing more difficult than it needs to be.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Donuel
Date: 04 May 19 - 08:03 PM

I painted the upper two levels and cleaned 2o years of dirt.
I still need to do some woodwork in semigloss but its primed.
The living room is Dali sky and Dali grey. Woof it takes alot of tape. Only half the furnishings remain.
It only cost a torn calf muscle and sore back but hydrotherapy is enough of a relief.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 05 May 19 - 06:54 AM

DP, it sounds like the anti-clutter party may have added a new devotee-- yay!

My antique woodstove holds my gardening necessities, behind the oven door. Perhaps you might create a pretty clay item for yours?

.

My garden task this week is peeling up the weed-blocking nylon tarp in the patio (to better arrange the outdoor kitchen on the pavers it covers), after Greg and I discuss weed control out there. He's taken over the lawn service's tasks-- and he has a good weed-whacker. Then friend Judy and I will choose plants to start planting the containers I left ready to go, before we went to PA to close that house.

I need a mixed flat for the top of the woodstove to discourage the dog from getting up there to notice that she could step over the fence to catch a cat.... Another for the granny cart plantings.... Another for the pots and windowbox.... One for the parrot cage....

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 May 19 - 11:31 AM

Last night as I was dropping off to sleep I did a mental inventory of the places where water stands (and mosquitoes breed). This morning is dedicated to either removing the catchment or adding mosquito dunks to kill the little buggers.

Tomorrow is trash day, so this afternoon's sunshine (!) hours will see me move bundles of limbs to the curb, cutting up the decrepit bench (it is in a three-legged drunken sprawl, tilting back down there at the curb) and getting rid of the broken trash can.

I've moved a tall bucket to the back yard area near the fence posts I'm pulling out. There is leftover soil from earlier holes that I'll keep in the bucket so I can level the spots and go ahead and start burying my Invisible Fence wire. I started to do that yesterday then realized I was going through a mound of soil that needs scooping out of there to level the spot. The weeds are robust along that strip so I have to get control of the space. Once the line is buried so I can push the mower back there or use the weed-eater.

Yesterday's run to the recycle bins got rid of my stuff but also scored me some newspapers that were within reach. I use them in layers in the garden.

The old dog has trained me well; I've discovered that small (about a tablespoon each) dabs of the canned dog food, spaced out on an old tin pie plate, are just what she wants. Dog hors d'oeuvres. She isn't eating a lot, but she's eating. And I can give her this more often to get the volume of food up.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 05 May 19 - 02:48 PM

SRS, Amazon carries dunks as granules. Mine lasted all summer without renewed application. Broadcast like seed, and DONE. Not a bite all summer. Worth the shipping cost.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 May 19 - 04:32 PM

I buy mosquito dunks in the 36-pack at local feed stores to be sure they're fresh, though I have bought this size from Amazon. I get the dunks because they have the highest percentage of Bti per volume in the pack (versus loose granules sold in bottles). These break into pieces easily and one dunk can go in several trays under pots. And they need to be refreshed every 30 days to be effective. Lots of mosquito-borne stuff down here in this part of Texas, and another reason for being organic is so the native predators of mosquitoes (birds, bats, dragonflies, toads, lizards, whatever sees them eats them) is around to eat them.

I have tackled the wire in the back yard, buried a portion and I'm going to staple part of it to the new fence the neighbor put in. It'll wrap on this side of the fence posts, so I'll have to be careful with the weed trimmer (I'll staple high enough up that it's generally out of harm's way). I'll use a screwdriver to hold the coated wire in place, staple over it, then remove the screwdriver, leaving a gap for the wire to make sure the staple doesn't cut through it. While I was working around the wire I also filled in one of the fence post holes and knocked another concrete footer off of a dug-up post. I've started digging up the next post.

Laundry is hanging on the line and another load is finished and ready to go out.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 05 May 19 - 06:02 PM

Suit yourself, but I'm telling you that the product I got is still dissolving.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 May 19 - 09:07 PM

It's the same dunks and granules sold locally as sold at Amazon. Dirt Doctor "Library" information on Mosquito Dunks.

I also repel them with granulated garlic—sprinkled around the house (from the wall and out about 10 feet all around). You'll find more ideas in this list of suggestions. There used to be video linked on the site but the local television station took it down. Take the large (up to a gallon-size) warehouse club type of granulated garlic (Tones, etc.) and DON'T take off the sealed paper over the jar. Instead, use a sharp pencil or ballpoint pen and poke a bunch of large holes in that styro-paper top, turning it into an oversize garlic shaker. You can use that to sprinkle the garlic. You don't need to sprinkle it heavily; a gallon like this lasts me a couple of years worth of mosquito seasons around here. The yard will smell like an Italian restaurant for a couple of weeks, but even after you can't smell it, it's still repelling the bugs.

I managed to pull weeds and grass away from the new fence and used poultry fencing staples to tack my Invisible Fence wire to the bottom of the new fence, about 6-8 inches above the ground. Part of it is also buried, and I still have the last 10 feet or so to work on once I figure out how to move the chain link fence at the far end of the yard. But FINALLY! I can mow and trim down there. I knocked off two more concrete footers on dug-out fence posts, and started digging another one.

Laundry is off the line, I need to run the dishwasher, and I need to give myself a good scrub after all of this yard work. In the morning I'll cut up the ratty bench at the curb (giving it one more night of possibly being picked up). Moving forward.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 06 May 19 - 10:53 AM

Dupont:

No clothesline - will be a while! I used to have gloves and pruners everywhere, including under the driver's seat of car so I could grab them and get to it wherever! My extra gloves seem to have disappeared into the mists of chaos, along with my box of Marie Corelli books - they did not appear when R moved the boxes I though had been piled on top.

Boxes of books came from mill and went into basement where the plan now is to set up the (auction) ping pong table for sorting. I hope this will include culling! Apparently the basement will be the library - a nice room that could be a studio apt - or a library. Even has a washroom with shower.

We used my car yesterday and driving home with it full of moldy books... Not Too moldy but I could smell it and had windows open. Also brought a few pieces of hanging art - my Georgia O'Keeffe print is now on Den wall! A large round stained glass piece will go ... undecided.

The recycling bin was emptied today! Now I can start re-filling it for next week. Those darn flyers...! And R took some metal from the basement to go to a scrap metal yard. ("$5.00") But h may add to it when he gets to the city.

I have lots of clearing around plants but I ache from Saturday. Yesterday we went to a craft show on the reserve and talked to people; R had to buy a very small jar of jelly. Oy vey! And to the Farm Market near the Mill: had lunch, purchased nothing else, found out a friend had a brain op so after we picked up stuff at Mill, we went to see if Jesse were up to visitors. Had a great visit and were so happy to see her recovering just fine. The best I could understand: something was leaking in her brain and would build up pressure so she could not play music and other sorts of things. They opened a flap and removed the small mass. Not a tumour or cancer. She expects to be fine. She and Joe are homeschooling their 7 year old; he is learning Mandarin from a woman a few miles away. Of course, already fluent in French and English, as are both parents. I realized this morning that I was able to understand the auditory aspects of our lively conversation. That was a special de-clutter sort of thing as my brain often understands nothing and R has to tell me what was said, afterwards.   

Thusly, continues the moving into Dupont!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 May 19 - 05:58 PM

I can't remember what I had planned for the day, it all slipped into the background when I realized my oldest dog had died in her sleep overnight. I called the vet then took her over so they can send her to the communal crematory (I don't get ashes back). I'll take the other two dogs for a walk this evening. I should have known this was coming soon when she had to be pulled along a couple of times on our last walk (we don't have sidewalks so I pulled her to the edge of the street as traffic came by.) Ironic how you feel guilty for the little things like not knowing they're dying, and completely overlook the great life she had here for 14 years. She went her way - she was at home with her pack, sleeping in her favorite spot (that let her see both the front and back doors and hear me if I moved around down the hall in my room).

She kept up right until the last couple of weeks, and my next door neighbor said she happily gobbled down the daily dog treat he gives the dogs over the back fence every day. She was eating treats (raw egg, ham slices, dog treats), just not regular dog food. Other than the event noted, that last walk was a good one, when we went up to the park and they put their noses to the ground to snuffle along in the grass. I like to think of this as their "wild dog" stance, checking out the local environment.

The other dogs knew; I could tell the way they always sniffed at her. Tests would have shown what my home "Lab" (retriever) work already told us. At 14, I wasn't about to torture her with tests or anything but the most basic treatments.

Enough wallowing. I need to finish mowing the back yard. The exercise will be good for me.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 06 May 19 - 07:50 PM

Dupont:

The death of a dog friend can throw a monkey wrench into one's life. Mowing the lawn = good therapy.

I managed to clear some of the old plant debris, after thinking about needing an old sheet on which to gather it, I finally settled on a plastic bin for now. A sheet is so much easier than the wheel barrow - which I can hardly move. But I sorted a bunch of stuff in the search for sheet. So, two chores done! The tulips finally blooming are gorgeous - red w yellow and yellow w red. Many violets scattered in yard! Tons of hosta, day lilies, and two huge clumps of peonies to be awaited! And green leaves finally showing their stuff! The river is still full to the brim but no more ice or snow! Two boaters were out on Sunday. Hope they used life vests.

We delight in our new home, indoors and out.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 May 19 - 08:38 PM

I hope you post some photos of those flowers on Facebook, Dorothy! It sounds like that yard has exploded with life after the snow cleared!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 06 May 19 - 10:04 PM

SRS, it's enough that she knew but also stayed with you as long as she could. YOU DID GOOD. I'm so sorry it hurts so much.

I wish I'd known her.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Donuel
Date: 07 May 19 - 09:02 AM

Yesterday I put a new reflective roof on a gazebo I use to shelter the car. It took 7 hours.

The guys we hired to remove and put up a new 400 ft.fence arrived ths morning.
This I can not do. Well I suppose if I took 2 years to do it...

I do plan on putting branches up against the new fence and spraying linseed oil. That way the untreated leaf themed pattern will turn into a shadow like grey while the rest of the fence will look realtively new. After several years a respray will fix the organic look into place.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 07 May 19 - 09:54 AM

Yesterday, I turned out and cleaned the tool shed. It took all afternoon, and all my energy.

The trouble with a tool shed is that, when you move in, it’s a great spot to park stuff until you’re ready to find permanent lodging for it. But the typical tool shed is small, so this attitude has to change quickly or you won’t have a tool shed that does what a tool shed should do. Himself is impervious to such problems, and I let winter take over (as it does) without buckling down to deal with it. So there I was, about a year late, with work gloves and construction-grade garbage bags, finally making Lebensraum for the lawn mower and the garden shredder.

I was almost finished when a frazzle-haired youth with an odd machine appeared in the driveway offering to “aerate” the lawn. Now, lawn care on that level is fairly theoretical to us; we’re still coming to grips with the whole gestalt of mowing and raking. Weakened by the sweat dripping into my eyes, I agreed to a price of $60, and he embarked on an energetic assault on the property. The odd machine looked like the bastard child of a lawn mower and a piece of de-mining equipment, with a large spiked roller driven by a stinking gasoline engine. It left the lawn covered, not only with holes, but also with clods of earth the exact size and colour of dog turds.

It took me a while — maybe thirty seconds — to recognize the clods as such, making me something of a stand-out among the frazzle-haired youth’s first-time customers, according to him. I decided to take that as a compliment.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Donuel
Date: 07 May 19 - 10:50 AM

Hard clay soils really do benefit from aeration. You would still want to add something to help break down the clay. What is it? Um maybe its gypsum but organic soil/manure is a better choice than most, even better is crushed carbonized wood chips (never self lighting charcol).
If you end up with earthworms you have done as good as possible.

Those dog poop shaped cores are normal and good.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 May 19 - 10:57 AM

Lawn aeration is a topic of discussion on the organic site I referenced earlier in the week. Their expert lawn guy swears by the floculating effects of using a sprayer (backpack is fine, but even just a 2-gallon with a hose and wand is sufficient) with water and a bit of shampoo mixed in. And surprisingly little shampoo. I just looked up the moderator's advice in the forum:

I'm going to suggest you do not go to the trouble of aerating. Instead, use shampoo to soften your soil. Healthy soil is like a sponge. When it is dry it is very hard. When the first drop of moisture hits, it does not soak right in. It takes a few seconds before it soaks in. Once it soaks in, the soil becomes very soft. Shampoo can help create this process.

Use cheap, generic, shampoo. Apply from a hose end sprayer at a rate of 3 ounces per 1,000 square feet. Apply right before you irrigate (1 inch). Next month spray it again. That should be all you need for the rest of the season. Then sit back and wonder at the amazing soil as it softens during rain and after irrigation and hardens up again a few days later. But when watering, do not go by the soil. Go by the grass. Grass can grow very nicely in hard soil.

Scroll down on that forum page and he gives a scientific explanation of how that works, last post on the page.

I have so many yard chores to do right now it's difficult to predict which one will strike my fancy when I walk out the door in a few minutes. I'll report back later.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 07 May 19 - 01:26 PM

Aquatic therapy resumed today. Ow!

In a bit, it's Buy Annuals Day. Judy's picking me up after an appointment.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 07 May 19 - 05:33 PM

So Judy's wise counsel was that hanging baskets replanted into my waiting pots would give me the look I showed her I was going for. Pictures soon.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 07 May 19 - 05:56 PM

(And cheaper).

Pix:

https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2239170596162224&id=100002079158985&set=p.2239170596162224&source=47

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 May 19 - 10:28 PM

Progress in the back yard, with one more fence post down, the cement footers knocked off of two of them, one older hole finished filling and a new hole completely filled. I push the pieces of concrete in and mix them down deep with soil, and soil on the top few inches so I hopefully won't encounter this concrete again. Four posts are down, six more to go.

It's very muggy here today, and thunderstorms are predicted overnight. Again.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 08 May 19 - 10:27 AM

Dupont:

What a difference a home makes! We are both more relaxed as we love our new home, mostly free of clutter and two of us determined it not get that way.

This am, after BF an hour earlier than usual, R was cheerfully heading for the city; He paused to wonder over the tulips. I realized that he has not seen them open; will take pic. He is also delighting in the other upcoming perennials. We each look forward to what the blooms will be.

A viewing for the other house tonight. The big project is still in process with big meetings almost daily; very challenging. But he still wants to get back to writing a "rebuttal" regarding the erroneous info being promulgated by someone regarding the proposed gravel pits near Beaver.

Then there are trees to be planted and the yard still cluttered with the aftermath of the cellar cleaning which is not quite completed. These are the things that give R pleasure and relaxation and a sense of accomplishment; not struggling with realtors doing a poor job and looking for the big commission.

This new home gives him a place to unwind his addled brain, enjoy the few hours he is here; instead of staying in bed as long as possible as he did before, he is getting up and enjoying the trees, yard, house. the chickens next door, and getting in his vehicle and driving along the beautiful river and through the Reserve before hitting the chaos of his work life in the city. Balm for the brain.

This am we talked about divesting ourselves of the non-functional dish washer - which I would not use anyway - and making the space useful. The pantry and cupboards we have are not full and I am running a nicely functional K, as I learn the vagaries of the Jennair stove, and occasionally move something to a more efficient spot.

I looked up from computer, still in LR, and realized we have no "coffee table". A work in progress!

Yesterday, the nearby thrift shop yielded a "garden sheet"(for collected debris) for $1 and a set of heavy, light grey/white drapes for one of the spare rooms $8. I asked the nice young man at the produce store to give me a large quantity of fiddle heads in a bag rather than buy 8 styrofoam packages. He agreed nicely with my wish to reduce the use. R took about half to bro at the office.

This is a great move. I still need to sort myself out re wanting to be with friends at Beaver and the life I have there and not wanting to make the 5 hour trip, leaving R to fend for self. It is important that we are doing this house together, enjoying making it into our home. The city house was too awful to ever feel like a home.

I see a future with fewer trips... to a time when I can longer do that. Letting go... Drawing in... Building a new sort of life. I have made a stab at it in several places over the years but Beaver/the area has been most like home. I will go back next Tuesday after English class (tutoring one student) for a few days - tend the gardens, consult with Dan re a wood shed.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 May 19 - 11:27 AM

The new house may be a haven, but it sounds like you're still plenty busy!

The storms burst on the scene at about 6am, and became more robust, so by 8am it was the full symphony of percussion and light. If they move out of the area this afternoon it is possible to get a walk in before dinner. All of this noted, there is plenty that needs doing in the house.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 08 May 19 - 06:11 PM

Tonight the patio weed-blocking nylon tarpage comes up, loses its accumulated doggie doo, and goes back down for its last season. It's two 8' x 20' pieces.

The hanging baskets will be set as is, atop the pots awaiting them, to "call" me out for a planting a day over the next week.

The declared-dead potted peony that is trying to bloom goes into the ground Friday, courtesy Brandon. Its pot, once empty, will be set in the row with the rest of the pots, to blend in the cherry tomato bush I got.,.. I'll line it with plastic to make it hold water around the existing pot which I was assured I can leave it in while it doubles in size. I'll put some bricks under it so it doesn't have to have wet feet all the time.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 May 19 - 11:40 PM

The yard is once again sodden; the creek rose over the bridge today so the village fire truck pulled up outside the house to prevent traffic from driving into it. They will have parked the ambulance on the other side of the bridge doing the same thing. It subsided quickly, but left a "high tide" mark of debris on the street and yard next door.

Volunteering tomorrow again, and expecting the park where I'll be working to be a muggy mess. No need to urge people to stay on the paths!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 09 May 19 - 04:37 PM

She Who Will Be Obeyed (Mmario's name for me) got her patio back today. Despite disability issues, gender issues, past housemate issues, and a few thunderstorm lines passing through-- the patio's cooking area is in place, the tarps are off and aren't coming back, the worst parts of the jungle are whacked, and the several gallons of soil and loose wannabe mulch are all sorted and ready for use in planting jobs for Brandon tomorrow. He'll have a few woody items to junk that were too heavy for us, and then I'll post a link to pix despite having a lot of decorating yet to do.

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 May 19 - 01:29 AM

Today had scheduled events that were satisfying, and it was too wet to try to do anything around the yard anyway so that was fine. Tomorrow and Saturday have a chance of rain (increasing on Saturday) but in general they look like a good opportunity to do some stuff outside. Cut up limbs for the trash, mow - again - after all of the rain the lawn will again be a slog for the mower.

Susan's outdoor cooking space sounds nice. I should formalize an area where I can cook (without the interference of canine "helpers.") Meaning moving a table to the side of the house where there aren't dogs. I will consider this.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 10 May 19 - 07:38 AM

SRS, ours is in our Dog World, where she knows not to trip He Who Drops Food.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 May 19 - 12:35 PM

Even as a retiree it's possible to have a backlog of paper stuff in the house to do, so that's what I'll tackle today. Especially since there is a chilly breeze passing over the yard today.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 10 May 19 - 01:47 PM

Dupont:

A dear friend finally died on Tues after years of worsening Parkinson's. Intriguing how we can hope for a person to be out of misery, and feel really sad when they are gone. Fifty years... I feel bereft - of all the times I did not take the initiative to visit because I did not want to intrude. I realized too late that it would not have been intrusive for her.

We are getting the RAIN and the river is rising again. The sump pumps working and R wondering about installing a generator, and me agreeing it would be a good idea. I can only hope he will get to it before it is necessary to majorly de-clutter water from the cellar! I was in the midst of that in PA when I phoned my brother for help; At 10 pm I was sucking water into the shop vac, lifting it into the laundry sink... Good brother came with sump pump picked up from friendly plumbers at that late hour... I was sold the house with sumps but no pumps and never realized... This house has 3! And we are on the top of the hill. Water has its own ways.

Lasted about 20 minutes at Zumba this am. I was not tired this time; I was bored. It is NOT folk dancing! MY body is very gradually re-gaining strength and flexibility.

Tripped to the Mill yesterday, picking up items along the way: a fine, comfie chair with foot stool at thrift shop ($65, it was newly upholstered with a business card attached!), a big chunk (3 kg) of Emmenthal - to save packaging, some groceries, coffee for the French press and a chat with Mary, sorting of stuff to bring from mill to here, careful that I have homes for what I bring! Forgot a few things - next time. Visit with Gerry, picked up 6 books at Little Green Library and returned - into traffic at 4:30 just at the edge of Chateauguay. New learning! It took an extra 15 minutes to get home! Did a small stint of yard work before the rain.   

After laundering, the new drapes will be better in the laundry room and the heavier, lined ones in rooms where we need to cut the light penetration. Light pollution is such a bother.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 10 May 19 - 06:42 PM

Patio coming along:

https://m.facebook.com/sohinton/albums/2244077715671512/

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 May 19 - 01:25 PM

The weather was stormy all night and the yard is sodden, so all of my work today and probably tomorrow will be indoors. Carpets still need steam cleaning, but not in this humidity and with the dogs in and out with muddy feet. I have some editing to finish and then I think eBay listings and sewing are my options for the time being.

I'm sorry to read about your friend, Dorothy. There is always unfinished business in friendships.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 May 19 - 12:14 AM

I was able to use the steel rake and pull a bunch of the weed cover out of one of the gardens this afternoon, and get some of the branches trimmed that need to go in Monday's trash, but mostly it's soggy and buggy out there right now. I've done some online updating accounts. The weather that passed through here overnight is headed east, doing some damage. Here's hoping there isn't too much clean-up required.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 12 May 19 - 09:52 AM

Having some trouble getting a link-- can you pls try this--

The rest of the gardening for this summer:

https://m.facebook.com/sohinton/albums/2244077715671512/?refid=13&__tn__=%2Cg

---

Try this.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 May 19 - 09:37 PM

A few years ago I mixed up a sack of Quickrete in a 5-gallon Home Depot orange bucket and sunk a Bib hose rack in it, and it was stationed at the corner of the house facing the driveway and gardens there. A hose from the front of the house ran to it, and the hoses on it were used to drag around the driveway to water gardens on both sides. Today I cut the bucket off, dug a hole, and sunk the base into the ground down several inches. The bucket used to be about 4 inches deeper than the concrete, so water accumulated after rain. That problem is gone, and mosquito dunks were broken up and put in various planter trays and such out there today. I checked around my planting table to be sure it doesn't have anything set for catching water.

I have various landscaping things to do in the front yard that require digging, chopping, and transplanting, so this was just the start. It's sunny today (but so humid there isn't much point in trying to hang laundry to dry). I did prune more limbs for the trash

Sweeping up dog hair and deciding how many of various things need to be out (we have lots of dog beds, for example, but I think half of them can be washed, dried, and bagged until next year.) It feels like weather for spring cleaning, when you want to throw open the windows and let fresh air in.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 May 19 - 01:56 PM

The new trashcan was picked up at the curb and the remaining limbs on the ground in the front yard can now be cut up and stashed for the Thursday pickup. There's a lot more sun now that a big chunk of the tree that had gotten too large has been removed. I need to take off a couple of large limbs that were too big in diameter for most of my hand saws (they will make for very long sessions with the bow saw).

Neighbors all around are mowing, attempting to keep ahead of the fast-growing lawns in this particularly rainy spring. I'll do the same this afternoon, after some more work in the house. I know, waiting till it's warmer out counters the logical way to do yard work, but it seems to be the way that works best for me. I think mostly because by afternoon the grass is driest and easier to push a mower through.

I've added a few items to the Goodwill bin in the laundry room, but it's not full yet. I should scout around the shelves in the garage—there is a lot of forgotten and never-to-be-used-again stuff out there.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 13 May 19 - 03:18 PM

Dupont:

Busy Sunday as R dug three large holes first. Then we went, in two vehicles to the mill to extricate 3 cedars that were, in lieu of being able to plant them in the river rock laden ground, dug into a huge pile of wood chips, pots and all - a few years ago. The poor dears had made themselves at home and were challenging to extricate and also to replant. R had to cut the large pots off with a swede saw. They are now in their new homes along one side of the new property, well watered and with much of their "home" wood chips in the hole and as mulch. We have hope for their acclimation to their new venue, that they will now be able to live up to their full potential. The soil here is clay but I am told they like that.

I gathered four bags of the wood chips for mulching perennials I removed from the garden at the mill and today managed to get them planted and mulched in front of the house. This had presented another difficult task for R as the former owner, a non-gardener had put an indestructible fabric down to prevent weeds and covered it with red mulch. R managed to extricate most of it with great difficulty. I managed a tich more to squeeze in a few more things along one edge. The bed on the other side of the front door awaits another day! The new bed looks quite nice! There are lots more plants at the mill, yet to be moved.

Next trip to the mill, I shall collect more bags of mulch.It looks quite nice and is very well seasoned after many years outdoors. From when the mill was a hockey stick factory, there is probably enough to cover our entire yard about 2 feet deep! What a thought! I detest mowing grass! It is ever so useless. And it would make it so easy to plant all manner of veggies, herbs and perennials next spring!! When I lived in Edmonton, Alberta, many people planted potatoes on a new property, to break up the soil and prepare it for grass seeding.

We also brought back a small pine cabinet that will be useful inside the back door for indoor gardening soil and tools and more. I bought the dear little thing about 30 years ago at "Monroe's Trading Post" ($10) which was around the corner from Beaver - which was built by Monroe earlier on. His widow closed the Post but still lives there (was delighted when I told her I still had the wee cabinet!) and son is our good next door neighbour!

Now I am resting and waiting hopefully for the coming rain to finish watering in the new plantings. The river, however, is a few inches from coming over the road, from the last rains. It is fascinating to live in such proximity to this beautiful river - as long as we are high enough!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 13 May 19 - 05:36 PM

DP,

Hope the "dears" make it. I have heard that the amount of top left in place should about equal the root mass extracted. Does that apply to your dears?

~Jealous in Ohio

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 May 19 - 10:46 PM

I also worked on yard stuff today. The house next door has been undergoing remodeling for ages, and one thing was to add a window (through the brick!) out to that side from the master bedroom's dressing room. That side of my house has a bed of cannas that have been ignored almost since I dug it and put them there (relocated from the front of the house). The last year or two they were puny, but some years they've been glorious, and I figure that now someone can actually look at that bed (also in brief view of everyone driving down the street) I'll give them a boost. And I have some of that gardening fabric in place, but only in a couple of spots around the bed where I don't want weeds getting in between the bed and the air conditioner/heater outdoor unit. In the past I've weeded away from the house and put down mulch, and who knows, this may be the year to do it again. Too bad I don't live near Dorothy's mill!

I walked down into my backyard creek today and looked around for fossils; lots of oysters and coral, and a big one that looks like fossilized bone. I brought them up in a bucket and they're on the wall beside the driveway. The creek itself is in constant need of cleanup, being an urban creek and it looks like every grocery store bag that ever escaped is strung up on roots and branches. I've threatened to get a kayak to patrol the beaches and pick that up.

I mixed up a wheelbarrow full of compost (from my heap in the back yard), commercial landscaper mix (lots of woodchips in it) and some other soil, to fill a few pots to finally get them planted. And I filled a watering can with 2 gallons of water and a dose of Spinosad (an organic insecticide) and poured it over the potato patch and another area. I will get a garden planted, but this year it's really really late.

More limbs are cut up from the front yard, with just one batch to be cut up after pickup on Thursday. I'll mow tomorrow (everyone else mowed yesterday or today, so mine really looks like it needs it.)

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 14 May 19 - 07:44 AM

My scheduled AM workout at the Y was abrogated by late news from CA and the necessary emergency response, on top of a badly pulled calf muscle not safe for that workout today. I did wake up on time and will do the errands run part if what was scheduled, before the cleaner's 10:30 arrival, which is enough on my poor leg (plus garden tasks while she cleans) to meet the day's fitness requirement.

The whole house is disarrayed as a result of Sunday's church abuse incident, which presents another opportunity to walk on the recovering leg today, meandering thru endless ordering of the disorder before and with Yano Becky.

My grocery run may include a Lowe's stop to spend my Mothers Day gift card on garden items.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 May 19 - 11:30 AM

It's another Ozone Action Day here, so I must postpone my mowing until afternoon (the morning hours are when the worst air environmental damage is done running gasoline engines). I have another trash can I can fill with limbs (that's a human energy, no hydrocarbons involved) and I can keep working on my pots to plant, but the trip to the nursery will wait till after lunch. And I can dig in preparation for planting in the now-grassy bed (where the weeds are too tall for "no-till" - I need to work on that ground cover).

I have a paper from the tax authority in the county that says my property value has a value change since 2014 (up 93%!!) and is going to go up a huge chunk this year. The tax protest is due tomorrow, so I need to do that this afternoon, pull up the comparable values and pull out the foundation work appraisal and send all of this in.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 May 19 - 06:53 PM

Protest filed with a whole day to spare.

Now to catch up with other things I planned to do today.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 May 19 - 02:32 PM

When it rains, it pours. Lots of contract work coming my way in the next couple of weeks. But that's good, it gives me a better excuse for not mowing or getting things listed on eBay. (Actually, it's lovely this afternoon so after a quick look-in here, I am going to mow the lawn.)

How is your unpacking going, Susan? Did your "Yano" helper arrive today? And Dorothy, what else have you discovered in the garden? Michelle is probably looking ahead to the summer break and planning for camp and other Jeremiah activities. As they get older it is a fascinating process of finding both fun and growth opportunities.

Meanwhile, I'm finding that "Elderly Electrical Appliances" thread way too interesting. There is so much around here that fits that description!

Summer is nearly upon us. Enjoy the spring and keep moving forward with your decluttering!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 15 May 19 - 03:34 PM

SRS, Yano helped dig us out yesterday, after a very bad weekend of church misdoings upon us and a CA family emergency. Gardening got me through these and here are some of the most recent pix:

May 15, 2019 daily tour. Captions with most.

Yano unpacked a cube-bench of its song/story circle books and maracas, into the better cabinet we'd brought from PA. We used an old heirloom wicker laundry basket from Greg's side of the family-- easy to gently haul out to the Celebration Circle which I just photographed. (The pic includes Greg.)

Patio garden pix are in another public album linked upthread. Changes daily if you want to watch the vision of 4 years unfold.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 May 19 - 10:37 AM

You're making progress in the yard, Susan! I like the cleared spots on either side of the front path for the garden chairs. Very inviting.

My elderly Nike "yard shoes" are about to fall apart on my feet, having worn through most of both soles. The typical shoe-route to the garden is by virtue of being an older pair that I've forgotten I was wearing when I went out into the yard enough times that they finally take on that scruffy look and should no longer be worn to work. With the declutter work I've been good about getting rid of shoes that I no longer wear so all of my current sneakers are in good shape and not ready for that end stage.

DSW has the clearance section and I aim at shoes at least 40% off (rarely do you find anything 60% off that is wearable, but it has happened). I came home with a brand unknown to me but that has the qualities of the old pair—it's a mesh fabric so it breathes well, it has good support, and can be worn with socks.

I stopped by a neighbor's garage sale this morning and saw nothing that appealed. She collects vintage and antique stuff and puts that out on her garage sales. I have more than enough of that stuff here already!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 17 May 19 - 11:16 AM

On Tuesday, we returned from a jaunt to Connecticut that featured torrential rain all the way there, all the way back, and through two of the three days of our stay. The minute we cleared the Canadian border, the clouds started to roll away and, by the time we crossed the county line, the sky was blue from horizon to horizon. Pathetic fallacy or what?

Himself is now up to his neck in work, entirely of his own choosing. The local agent (lawyer acting for another lawyer) for the federal Department of Justice is retiring, and Himself has taken the gig. This decision brings him to the end of about 25 years of defence work, as he will now be responsible for prosecuting drug offences in Provincial Court. Perth County has a small but nasty meth problem, so it's no sinecure.

The money will be nice, to be sure. But he also decided to enrol in a doctoral program at the Western University law school, so that makes two almost-full-time jobs he will be doing from Labour Day on.

It's a good thing I have never expected -- or, indeed, wanted -- Himself to do anything like half the housework around here, as from henceforth he will hardly have time to sleep, let alone drive the vacuum cleaner.

Last week, I turned out the tool shed and cleaned it thoroughly, and over the coming long weekend (Victoria Day this side of the border) I intend to clean out the garage. As a result, I expect to be making a trip to the dump (ta da dump, ta da dump dump dump -- Sing it with me, now!) on Tuesday next.

The garage was the site of much sawing of drywall, plywood and chipboard during the kitchen renovation, so every cranny in there is choked with fine dust. I think I'll buy me a construction dust mask at Canadian Tire today.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 17 May 19 - 09:05 PM

Charmion, Greg adds his love... It's so strange that now we live in a house you and Edmund never visited and aren't likely to visit. Pls feel free to FB your way over.

Hm... I sure hope Greg stays retired longer than Himself! I don't think I'd be as accepting of a return to battle as you seem to be!

Love,

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 May 19 - 10:42 PM

Tomorrow is my last day of cat feeding for a friend; the schedule that she prefers has me getting up earlier than I have been (though even that isn't particularly early compared to when I had to drive to work). It's good to be up earlier, it kind of resets the whole day.

I mowed the back yard today, just in time for more rain overnight and this weekend. [sigh] The dogs got a good workout with their retriever bumpers and I need to keep it short because the oldest dog has allergies that probably include grass seed. Keeping it short prevents seed heads from forming.

Lunch today with a friend, and a tour of her home, a 1960 house with several interesting modifications. And a room for her collection of Barbie dolls.

"Are your children interested in them?"

"No. They're my interest, and everyone needs a hobby."

Fair enough. It's an impressive collection.

She was unfairly dismissed from the same institution that I got out of by the skin of my teeth last fall. A lot of the memorabilia is in the garage to go in a garage sale or for donation. As we spoke about how to deal with this, I pulled my bound embossed cover book (an employee gift) and showed her my bullet journal. Some of these workplace perks are useful.

"They gave me one of those at a retreat, it's out in the garage sale stuff, would you like it?"

"Yes!"

I am working on the last half of the current book, and find this an effective way to keep track of things. As I left she poked around and pulled out the plastic-wrapped book from her department—and it turns out to be much nicer than what the library gave out. It's a Moleskine notebook, and I looked at some at Barnes and Noble last week. $30 to $40. I passed on the purchase, but this is even better, it's a gift from an old friend.

If it rains tomorrow that's just as well, it's time to deal with the usual stuff—laundry, dishwasher, vacuuming, etc. And I need to put more stuff in the Goodwill donation bin.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 18 May 19 - 02:19 PM

Wakies were unpleasantly early due to my fone's old clock app's going off when more sleep was on the cusp.

The waking wisdom today was to notify my son that Greg and I had discussed memory issues I've been worrying about since the move. One example would be that I had planned to go to the Y this AM and told him that... But had never gotten my suit and specialized towel out of the washer, to dry. Never set up the pool bag. (Also had taken too much Benadryl last night to scooter to the Y or drive, safely.) Despite passing the washing machine multiple times daily since the last workout. Hm... Transient stress? Or organic change in memory status? I've been noticing these little "ooopsies" a lot.

The AM was off to a slow and confusing start, due to our day's separate wakies time and my double Benadryl. Today it's only 1 caff serving, so the fog is likely to persist. My caff was in the patio in full sun, but not yet scorching-- delightful. It's going to be a hot one, so I opted for an indoor daytime.

We planned supper from frozen resources, and decided on a joint grocery trip around supper time so as to snag a Wally scooter.... And buy van-type items too bulky for my own scooter.

I folded clean laundry.

I repotted a bounding Xmas cactus, and Greg came home midway, so he helped. We propagated two leaves from it, into the succulent dish.

He's out biking, and I'm dozing over TV to get that hour I missed with the early alarm off my old app. He thrives in Sun (he's a coleus), and I in shade (impatiens).

I emailed CA MCOT Patty via what I believe is her base clinic.

The process is underway for opening and sorting leaf bags of clothing and linens with Yano Becky, Tuesday.

Later it's groceries and a poss trip out to live music. Tomorrow, a new church. Bummer-- starts earlier.

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 May 19 - 07:23 PM

The heavy rain this afternoon let up early enough that I was able to return items to the library (the last day of the last renewal was today). These heavy rains have delayed the return flight of the owner of the cats I've been feeding, so I may be going up again tomorrow morning.

The tedious thing today was resetting all of the digital televisions (two are easiest to set back to factory settings and wipe the extra non-working channels). When the local broadcaster reset their system, some of the televisions move them to display on different numbers when you rescan. There are just about as many televisions around here as radios, making viewing between rooms while I work easy. I've never been fond of sitting in one place to watch a program, and televisions are incredibly inexpensive these days. My channels are under control—now if I could declutter all of the commercials. (Many things are available on streaming services, but it adds up to many dollars. You get what you pay for.)

Tomorrow the last batch of limbs get cut up for the trash, and I need to poke around and see if there is anything else I can toss. I see papers waiting to be shredded, so that'll probably be part of the Monday pickup.

I attended a volunteer reception this week and in their raffle won a local nursery gift certificate, so after this latest bout of heavy rain drains off of the landscape I'll go pick up something to plant.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 18 May 19 - 09:22 PM

The weather was beautiful today, but I spent the entire day running around the house with my toolbox, putting up framed things that should have been put up a year ago and fixing things from which I have averted my eyes for months.

I also cleaned Himself’s office. Left to his own devices, that man would smother in dust and those little round bits of paper spewed out by a three-hole punch.

Tomorrow — the garage.

Our garden shredder has died, apparently of a broken on-off switch. We have had it repaired once, but I perceive zero appetite to try again when I discussed its future with Himself. On the whole, I think he would rather just burn the heaps of sticks and other non-compostable vegetable waste that comes out of our garden— and then cook something over the coals.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 May 19 - 12:42 PM

Sunshine and humidity following a day of heavy storms means it's tempting to head outside, but it's an all-day sauna if I actually try it. That said, I have some outdoor furniture to move around and I'm hoping a friend will come by and help me move them. I can do it by myself, but dragging this stuff is noisy and leaves marks on the pavement.

There are two ~ 8" diameter limbs that I need to finish cutting off the vitex tree in the front yard, each is around 5' long (the remainder of much longer limbs). One is partially sawed through using the bow saw and I go out and work on it a few minutes at a time. Once I get through the first one it'll be easier to reach the second one. That will declutter the front yard of a troublesome bit of tree that I used to either duck in time or hit my head on when mowing and wearing a ballcap (blocking view of it). With the additional sun I can put some lambs ear out there, and it happens a bunch of it has escaped and is growing behind my nextdoor neighbor's back fence, so I'll rescue it from regular mowing and put in the exposed bed. I have other flowers to put out there also. Two lantanas there need to be chopped out (I trimmed down to the roots and they keep trying to come back now. Lantana is tempting, but it is usually a mistake.)

I have more pots ready to move to the front porch patio, and who knows, maybe I'll decide to rearrange the stone wall at the side of the house (free of mortar, just stacked limestone slabs). I built it to provide some shade for the pots out there, but it could stand to be moved a few inches closer to the house.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 19 May 19 - 04:02 PM

Dupont:

Waiting for R to return from picking up a cabinet at a friend's home in the city---- WE don't live in the city anymore!!! This wood cabinet: Friend Tom and I bought it, for $10, circa 1974 when some houses were being demolished; we could not get it into my 3rd floor flat due to the twist in the stairway (too tall) so after pondering the situation we said, "Maybe the Balks would like it" and drove across the river to the lovely suburb where our friends had a lovely home and asked if they would like it. Pat (who died two weeks ago) said it would make a nice mitten cupboard! On Friday, as I drove back from Beaver, phone call from Hannah: Would I like the cabinet back... ... OH? The mitten cabinet?... So forty years later... We Will find a spot for it! It is repaired and beautifully painted - I forget what colours. Wow! It has been used for many things in several homes, probably even mittens though I thought - "That's a LOT of mittens!" Now we get to use it for ???

Trip to Beaver: Left after English class on Tuesday, attended Driving Class (over 80 years old) on Weds, visited with various friends, helped Magda with pottery project, got Larry to come and try - and he threw 3 largish pots and WOW! Wants to do more. So studio is re-organized to accommodate two potters - at dif times- and I am SO happy that it is being used when I am not there much. Drove back on Friday and went folk dancing, after a nap. Great visit, great dancing.

Car got fussy about 20 minutes from home, and I stopped at Toyota dealer. It was a bout 12:30 and the nice service manager politely informed me that they might not have time to look at it; closing at 2:30 (holiday weekend). A spark plug had broken off, or something like that, and a piece had fallen into a cylinder and they used a magnet to get it out, they hoped. Anyway, I was out of there before 2:00 and it is working fine!! A mere $140! (Four new spark plugs)

Good rain here for the newly planted trees and perennials. Yard sales yesterday (no rain): nice bureau for BR - already washed and loaded! Fewer clothes on floor now! It had beautiful liner paper in drawers! Plant stand for a couple dollars is looking nice next to front door with a plant on lower shelf (front doors have large windows) and an ornamental plate on top of hand woven placemat on top - a place to put small things when coming in the door. Nice side table for LR and three good lamp shades, two have homes on previously acquired lamps. Need to find a harp for the 3rd - maybe at Beaver.

Some plants are moving outside! Plastic bin on back deck for fancy pots not in use. Planted green and wax beans at Beaver, pulled some weeds and cleaned sand off front doorstep - about 3 large buckets full!

Laundry and dishes caught up. House is taking shape - better and better. K is functioning effectively.

Exciting news, Charmion: "Himself" is not ready to be retired and your are in a great area for university! He will be busy and not underfoot! Hope you used a good mask for that garage cleaning!!

Still no R!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 19 May 19 - 06:52 PM

I'm sorry to read about so many four legged family members crossing that rainbow bridge earlier this month. We lost our beloved Murph on the Friday before Mother's Day. We knew it was coming and likely it was the best possible thing for him but there is still that empty space.....

Work has me running at full tilt lately, my caseload is higher than it has ever been. While I appreciate the vote of confidence that those kinds of numbers bring....WOOF!!!!

I took my Mom away for a 3 day weekend for Mother's Day. We went to Lancaster, Pennsylvania....did some shopping, stayed overnight, did some exploring and then made our way for a short visit with my aunt who we haven't seen since last fall. It was a whirlwind weekend but we sure did have a good time! Then yesterday Mom and I went on a bus trip to the Lilac Festival in Rochester...the weather was perfect and we had another great day!

Today I haven't done anything except make lunch! I am needing some rest and as you know, Monday is coming up shortly! :)

I continue to work on losing this weight but truthfully, trying to keep myself on track while travelling is somewhat difficult but not altogether impossible. I am now down 15. 6 pounds. It's a healthy start that I am pleased with.

We are behind in gardening at the time, as is the rest of the area due to the RIDICULOUS amount of rain. Some of the garden is dry enough to work but much of it is not. The ground is beyond saturated at this point! We did get some new turkey chicks this week.

I have a lovely window in my office that is perfect for growing things so I am getting my growing fix there...at least for now.

We are starting to begin the new furniture adventure. We currently have a second hand couch and chair that are about as old as Jeremiah. We have been waiting as Murph had difficulty holding his bowels.....we have had the furniture covered, of course and the blankets were interchanged and washed daily but we didn't want to invest in new furniture until we no longer needed to keep it covered.

We can't decide if we want another couch and two chairs or a sectional or what.....I'm sure we will be doing some looking over Memorial Day Weekend....great time for sales and all.

I am enjoying reading about what everyone is doing in their retirement or what they have been enjoying. Pete is looking at retirement in less than 5 years now. I haven't thought much about when I will retire as far as a timeline goes....I don't anticipate it anytime soon.

I hope everyone is well.

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 19 May 19 - 08:18 PM

Hurrah, the garage is clean and tidy. On the other hand, I have seven large bags of garbage, a substantial stack of flattened cardboard boxes, and a miscellany of dead household items — four Venetian blinds, a broken patio umbrella, a suitcase with a busted zipper, and one of those plastic sheet things meant to protect a hardwood floor from the wheels of an office chair, which (the plastic thing) is irretrievably warped. So Tuesday will feature a trip to the dump.

Everyone should visit the local dump at least once a year. A feature of the Stratford dump that I particularly enjoy is the colony of vultures that haunts the area. Very interesting creatures, vultures.

I will return to the dump on Saturday, when the city is hosting Household Hazardous Waste Day. That’s my cue to lighten our load of dead batteries, paint cans, fluorescent light bulbs, and anything else that looks dangerous, such as empty camping fuel cans.

LilyFestre says she likes reading about what some people are doing in retirement, and I realized that we are supposed to be retired but we’re not, really. Himself has just accepted a new job and enrolled in a doctoral program. I don’t have a paying gig at present, but I seem to be working as hard as I ever did, if not as much.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 May 19 - 02:29 AM

Aww, Michelle, the "lost a pet in May" club seems to be expanding. I'm sorry—when they're failing you end up making lots of accommodations for them. I did a lot of laundry there near the end also; enjoy the new sofa when it arrives. I have stuff here now that I was going to use to keep Poppy comfortable, but in her own area at night due to incontinence. There is a folding (8 panel - no top to it, just sides) kennel that will stay in it's box for the time being. Our garden soil is also really wet from weekly heavy rains. I know people have had their gardens in for a couple of months (raised beds, mostly), but mine is going to be late this year.

Like Himself, I've also thought about going back to school. Once you reach the retirement age in this state you can go very inexpensively or free, though the classes have to make with enough paying students and if they're full you can't be added.

The chore that needed doing, once I discovered it this afternoon, was pulling out some really old stuff out of the spice cupboard. Things in baggies that I no longer remember what they are, bulk items purchased but not used in ages, a couple of jars way past the sell-by date. To complement the cupboard clean-out, I cooked a couple of things for this week, to occupy the fridge. A batch of rice, some burritos, and overnight a crock pot of oatmeal with chopped dates is slow-cooking.

The last of the batch of limbs are at the curb, though I did cut down one more small limb after I put the can out for trash. Shredding some of the paper I mentioned earlier, and dishwasher is running. The washer is set on the timer to run in the morning—since it's a mixed batch of light and dark I have it running at a time when I'll be getting up and can dry everything before any color from the darks inadvertently bleeds into the lights. It isn't likely, but why tempt fate by turning it on now right before heading to bed then leaving a batch of wet clothes in the washer overnight.)

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 20 May 19 - 10:41 AM

(See the link upthread to find the Patio Garden pix)

There is full shade between the garage and the row of handicap accessible tubs until about 9:30AM. A good time to plant, dead-head, etc.

This AM I potted up two more tubs, and Greg set one to complete the screening off of the griddle's gas bottle for curb appeal.

I also slid several rain-heavied tubs and a big bin of mulch around to accommodate the new garden feature-- the weathering iron armature of a faux wicker chair, the seat of which remains for a Newbie seat or her shade canopy. (That chair will be angled to balance the parrot cage, and get covered in pruned vines.)

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: mg
Date: 20 May 19 - 03:01 PM

what I do in retirement took a trip to france and spain. going to mystic in june. volunteering at a children's camp and would like to add more. i take pictures of flowers and post them on twitter. i go to macdonald's and read my email etc and watch a bit of their cooking videos they have up now. i sleep abnormal amounts in the day and am awake much of the night. i occasionally go across the river to swim.
well..that about covers it. hopefully i will be up and at em soon. Oh. sometimes I stretch.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 21 May 19 - 09:29 AM

One of the nicest aspects of having formally departed the job market is being able to sleep when I want, and as long as I want -- that is, unless and until the cat wants me to get up. It's hard to argue with fifteen pounds of claws and determination when it's standing on your sternum.

Himself is on his way to bail court, so I shall make a solo appearance at the dump today. Fortunately, the sun is shining mightily in Perth County, so I will get to see the vultures soaring against a bright blue sky.

We went out for supper last night, on foot so we could have beer. (When your're a criminal lawyer, or married to one, you take the drunk-driving law *very* seriously.) On the way, I counted four magnolia trees in less than a mile, all of them in full bloom. I'm always surprised by magnolias in Ontario, but they grow even as far north as Ottawa if they are planted in a sunny, sheltered spot. In Stratford, they don't seem to need any help, and they sure add pizzazz to our lovely little town.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 21 May 19 - 04:29 PM

PATIO LASAGNA PATCH

https://m.facebook.com/sohinton/albums/2244077715671512/

This started TODAY (thanks DH) when six (paper) leaf bags to immediately upcycle as the bottom layer.... were emptied in today's unpacking of most of the clothes and linens we'd brought from PA.

The plan is to border the left side and the front with block-- maybe the back also to hold moisture away from the neighbor's fence. This will connect a small square concrete pad on the left to a raised pad on the right, which provides its own wall and thus needs no block.

The parrot cage that lives there (currently off to the side) will go back there, but on risers to keep its feet dry, angled as before. Lasagna layers will continue to be added around the cage, making a propagation bed in the patio.

Brandon will help add the layers of soil, mulch, and compost to fill the bed, over the summer. He'll also suggest ways to use what HAS been a square of weeds choking off a poor little euonymus. (Not veggies due to persistent Roundup use in previous years.)

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 May 19 - 01:42 AM

I have concluded that several trips to pick up free mulch have to be part of my garden plan for this year. Weed whack the area I want to cover (scalp to soil) then put down cardboard and mulch on top. The local free mulch is actually robust wood chips. The garden will also have mulch, but less of it. And there won't be much garden, so perhaps I can control the stink bugs that wiped it out the last two years.

We had another thunderstorm overnight, but not as much inch-wise as the previous storms. Tomorrow should be good for working on the yard. And tomorrow I should work on another batch of yard limb trimmings to put in the trash for Thursday.

There are mugs and cups in the kitchen cupboard that I never use, and if I thought about it, there are other things in those cupboards that I never use. I think emptying the spice cabinet the other day has me thinking about what else is hidden in there that should be tossed or donated.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 May 19 - 04:34 PM

After rain yesterday morning the mulch at the free compost site was almost steaming and heavier than usual to lug back to the SUV, but I have 3 heavy-duty trash bags full, and one garden area where I've started pulling weeds along the edge to put down a lasagna layer of cardboard and mulch. I think a 3-bag batch of mulch a day for a week or two is what is needed; whether I'll manage to keep up with that schedule is something else.

I poked through bathroom and dressing room drawers and cupboards this morning and pulled out a few things to discard or recycle; it's that time of year when occasional cool-down sessions are necessary, and I should save dresser drawers and closets to sort through when I need time in the A/C. And the pantry shelves, they're all a jumble again.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 22 May 19 - 05:08 PM

We started a fun project today to discourage the dog from straining herself right through a fence in order to eat cats, while out in stinking heat and humidity.

I came back into the roaring AC and wrote about it here, including the plan to fix what is, until fixed, the obverse of curb appeal. It's also a declut. Let me know what you think:

http://bit.ly/2HKwvOA

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 22 May 19 - 07:31 PM

Response sent to MCOT.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 22 May 19 - 07:55 PM

Dupont:

The "new"/old cabinet which is now ours is quite nice even though painted. We are at the point of a big need for a strong body to help R carry things upstairs .... Beautiful "new" blonde oak chest of drawers and elegant roll top desk and the heavy pine piece for the Sewing/TV room... All cluttering the first floor! Would love them in place and in use! In this lifetime!

The only new-from-a-store piece of furniture is the mattress. I am hoping for another bed frame soon so I can get another mattress so I can have overnight guests! (Big music fest on the canal in mid June!) R says he has several "wow" bed frames... The beautiful blond desk is to replace the dark oak, needing repair roll-top desk about which I commented mildly, "That is a really ugly desk." We are fortunate to be surrounded with good thrift shops! The big question is when will R divest us of the not-going-to-be-used pieces.

Went to a "seniors' lunch" today - first ever. Met a couple interesting women and am hoping one might join our English tutoring group - another yankee who has lived in Canada since '81. It was a marvellous mix of skin colours; only one male. Lively group and the noise, of 25 people talking, wore me out; the afternoon has been no energy at all.

The 3 baby cherry trees are well planted; I put a tomato cage and netting around each lest there be nibblers. They are leafing out nicely!

Hope to go down to Mill tomorrow to fetch more mulch (sorry SRS!), visit Geri and do some clean up in studio. Still need someone with a rototiller to make me more garden beds before I can bring more perennials. Last week's plantings look very healthy; the deep purple iris are in full bloom.

My indoor tomato plants have numerous new fruit!

Want to go to Beaver but R cannot and seems to want me to stay here. I need to get back to help Magda with pottery but, even though this is a weekend of events up there, it really is too soon to spend that much energy again. Maybe next week.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 May 19 - 08:08 PM

I nearly burned out the little electric weed wacker this afternoon as I attacked the perimeter of the largest garden, then got rid of the grass growing out of cracks in the driveway. All three bags of mulch have been used or stacked up, so tomorrow I'll make that trip again (and I'm glad you have that steady supply, Dorothy. My city park supply is resupplied regularly and should be getting some more soon since it's pretty low). My gas trimmer is difficult to start, I may have to take it in for more work, or redo the fuel lines.

There are some US Post Office boxes that I've had for a long time that aren't usable now (some of the Zone B boxes; zone A is still in use and I use them a lot, but these others didn't work out so well and were discontinued.) I've flattened them completely, laid them in a line, and covered them with mulch. I also used some long pieces of cardboard I'd kept from the box the mower came in and other boxes that were the right shape for this application. It'll make room in my sun room box storage area.

I've walked past the same dead bug or dirt chunk on the floor for the last couple of days - it's time to attack the dust and specks and vacuum the living room carpet. And since Poppy's passing, I think the time has come to steam clean the carpets.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Donuel
Date: 23 May 19 - 09:59 AM

I found the ideal adhesive to repair large specialty hot tub umbrellas is '5 Second Fix' tm

Its better than super glue or gorilla glue.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 May 19 - 04:43 PM

Day two, and second run made for mulch. They'd moved it around so I couldn't fill my bags with the cedar-rich mix I found yesterday, but it will still work. With so much wet weather this is full of fungus (mycorrhizae).

I looked into Don's recommended "5 second fix" - it seems to have mixed reviews:

Does 5 Second Fix Belong in Your Toolbox?
Chopping to the point: Liquid plastic resin pens seem to be all the rage in DIY circles nowadays, and 5 Second Fix appears to be a new addition. However, this popularity means you have lots of options from which to choose, which almost certainly includes local options that are easier to buy—and return if you’re dissatisfied.

Compared to many of these other options though, 5 Second Fix appears to provide 2 unique advantages:

The company claims it can be sanded and painted for the cleanest possible repairs, and
Comes with free S&H.
As such, although we almost always recommend purchasing these types of products locally, 5 Second Fix appears to be a solid option if you’re only interested in buying online.

The reviews seem to land generally at 2.5 stars out of five on the various sites. This sounds like the same stuff the dentist uses to stick new half crowns onto the tooth.

That new desk sounds like a nice substitute for the old ugly one, Dorothy. Good luck in evicting all of the ugly furniture!

How has your week gone, Susan? And what is this "parrot cage" you keep referring to? Do you or did you ever have a parrot, or is it simply an ornamental piece?

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 23 May 19 - 07:44 PM

SRS, our week... Yucky fam thing going on, but gardening = sanity.

The parrot cage was a curb find, the summer before last, and until this year I wasn't sure exactly where it should live. (It's in the photo album, shown in its semipermanent spot. It's temporarily not in that spot, as we Lasagna the square of lousy soil it occupies.)

Next year it will house annuals, but this year its shape just softens the boxy lines of the rest of the patio.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 24 May 19 - 09:46 AM

I wrote a discursive post yesterday on everything under my particular sun, and then Stratford was hit by a line squall that -- among other things -- knocked out the hydro. That dropped my clever musings straight down the memory hole where they probably belonged.

Steve the Garden Guy showed up the other day to talk about tidying up our flower beds and pruning our trees. Talking to Steve is a bit tiring because he is a non-stop bundle of energetic nerve, but it's good to know he's on our case. God knows, we are the world's worst weeders, really not to be trusted with any task more complex than mowing the lawn.

Steve was recommended to me by Soprano Ruth, a recent widow with wicked arthritis. Ruth lives in a large ramshackle house surrounded by what looks like forty acres of garden and, without Steve, she would be trapped in a jungle. I look forward to a neater summer than we had last year.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 May 19 - 11:34 AM

Charmin has a Garden Guy, we have a Lawndude, lol.

The AM here:

Bumpy AM coffee chat, but included great shared vision of:
. ballot box by china cabinet for overflow dog food, rice bag
. coat tree in kennel closet for quick-grab winter and rain gear
. ballot box in kennel closet for quick-grab winter boots
. underbed coat storage space planned is reallocated for linen storage such as space-bagged winter comforter to add when needed for a few months.

Then my round of room-circulating to better utilize PA items brought:

. Swapped 2 chairside baskets and changed locay of some items in them
. Found orajel and caused its containing cabinet to be better ordered
. Assessed how our home storage/unpacking is coming along, in light of coffee chat decisions about garage items that can come in.

Here's our 5-minutes-to-tidy bedroom.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 May 19 - 11:41 AM

I've created a set of beds in my front yard that over time I've simplified for the sake of mowing. And I realize that if/when I ever sell this house or my estate sells it the next owners will probably go back to one large lawn with a few trees (assuming at least my trees would stay. It was a bare stretch of Bermuda grass and a few straggly shrubs against the house when I moved in). That's up to them. For now, I like my park-like layout, but I am keeping in mind how to mow around anything I change.

It's the time of year when ants try to move in with me, so I'll be spritzing Diatomaceous earth around the edges of counters. I peeled a banana this morning, and it seems that slight crack in the skin was enough to invite in a dozen or more ants. Weirdest thing I've ever seen. The dogs don't mind ants, so they got that one.

The door-prize Vinca on the front porch doesn't like to be ignored, and I expect to be at the plant nursery today later and I'll find a replacement. Or pick up a pack of Portulaca seeds and put them in that pot. They do just fine getting watered only occasionally.

Two dog beds are once again in the washer, some of Poppy's favorites. They are probably okay but since I'm planning to tuck them away for a while I want them clean. The carpet in the dining area is about to be vacuumed, then folded back each way and dirt swept out from under, then shampooed. Big job for this evening. I want to leave the dogs in the yard while I do it and late evening and after dark it will be cooler for them. I may donate a couple to Goodwill (after they've been washed).

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 May 19 - 09:52 PM

I've finished scalping most of the long garden area beside the driveway and have emptied the three bags of mulch onto a large piece of cardboard. Friday night isn't the time to head to the park alone to get more mulch, so I'll retrieve two batches tomorrow. And I picked up bedding plants and some flowers today with my gift certificate.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 25 May 19 - 07:20 AM

We picked up plant material ydy for the disappearing of the ugly patio gate-- sales are underway. Next year I'll probably wait until Memorial Day for even better prices.

We also picked up seeds to fill the patio's cracks, to deprive those areas' habitual weedbeds of light for their jungle growth.

I'm pleased that after so many summer visits here-- random months apparently adding up to two complete seasonal cycles-- my body seems to know this sometimes-Floridian climate.

A bunch of garaged PA stuff probably comes in this week, and Greg found an outlet for the PA garage freezer. So the grocery budget will resume bulk meat buys next month. I've already stocked it with Costco bread. Time to start stocking the GF bread there also.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 May 19 - 10:52 AM

As I prepare to plant my belated garden the freezer needs more drawing down. Except for fresh greens, milk, and eggs, I'll be eating almost exclusively out of the freezer for a few weeks. And though it doesn't look like much yet, the garden is taking shape.

The steam cleaning is imminent in the front room; as I was vacuuming the carpet I stopped to do some filter cleaning in that vacuum. I'll finish vacuuming today (the foam rubber filter is almost dry) then steam clean this evening. Vacuuming is a MUST - no point in running all of that dirt through the steam cleaner.

Heading out to walk the dogs. We have to do it early in the day now, it's too warm in the evenings, especially for the old lab. He comes home and pants for hours otherwise.

P.S. I picked up a small electronic scale (countertop, for food) at Goodwill yesterday. It needed batteries, but once installed, it only works briefly. You have to reinstall the batteries to turn it on each time. This will go back to Goodwill soon. I have a little plastic imprecise spring scale I was trying to replace, but it doesn't need batteries, so it's still in business.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 25 May 19 - 07:59 PM

Dupont:
For short times, I am working at removing grass and other weeds from between the stones in the - someday - lovely walking path in back yard. A sharp, pointed hoe edge is working well.

Today de-cluttered bank account as we toured the yard sales in Chateauguay. R bought tools... I wonder at the incredible variety he manages to find and, "don't you already have ten of those?" "Maybe." We did pick up a few useful things, including a very nice new faucet for the bathroom sink ($7!) and two old fashioned stand lamps which will replace the more modern ones in TV room ($5 each!).

Arrived home, out of money and needing food! As R unpacked a woman saw the old clock on the front steps and stopped to see if we were having a yard sale! (Maybe next time! Only permitted on three specified weekends a year.) Such lovely energy she had, we invited her in and had a great visit - mutual friends, exchanged info...

The only clutter is still those things needing to be moved to their home spots. Maybe this week???

Driving around, I saw more than one front yard that was mostly plantings/mulch, stones - my goal for here! A dump truck load of mulch would be a good start!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 26 May 19 - 12:13 PM

AM plan (was a bit bumpy in commubication):

House Project Priorities--

1. Fit out back end of kennel closet w existing, removable storage for easy plumbing/electrical access, for winter boots, coats etc. For this, spelunk coat tree, ballot box, plastic drawer unit. Preclean for what Yano will clean further on Tuesday. Set items in place as cleaned.

2. Cut bedboard from old twin base plywood, leaving enough plywood for a planned kitchen cabinet customization. The board will improve support on my side of our bed (similar to what we had in PA).

3. Leaving the cabinet project plywood in its current place (pending a Brandon day) between fridge and freezer will facilitate freezer access, now that the freezer's running.

3. Improve garage ventilation around appliances, by cracking a window and aiming a fan for draft. Spelunk fan and run cord to overhead outlet.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 May 19 - 01:05 PM

Every year I have to improve garage ventilation also. The dogs don't spend time out there now, though the fenced-off kennel/stall is still there (maybe the diagram will hold it's shape and give a simple diagram of the garage)

    ________~~______
    |___|____________|
    /___|____________|
    |___|____________|
    |_______________|
    |_______________|
    |_______________|
    |_______________|
          front

The stall is built to surround that back door of the garage, and there are still two large plastic dog houses in there, one will bedding in case one of them decides to seek shelter there (on the occasion they are accidentally locked out of the house, for example). I also have a couple of stacks of large boxes in there since the dogs don't need the space.

The rest of the garage is for the vehicle and around the sides, storage, mower, work bench, etc. When I open the window over the workbench (squiggles at top) and the garage door is opened about 2", the garage stays much cooler. And I work out there sometimes in the summer, so it isn't just for the dogs. That side door has a dog flap, so there is always some flow there also. The corral is put together with two pre-fab fence panels. One was cut in half and attached to a stud on the unfinished wall, and the full-length one is attached and reinforced at a 90^o angle so it is parallel to the garage wall and ends at the step up at the back of the garage. There is a 2x4" piece of lumber half-way down this that supports the fence (it's screwed into the top cross-member of the panel and is about 3' high - when I clean in there I have to work around it.) There are two hinges attached to the end of the long fence panel and the remaining 1/2 panel has been reinforced with two 2x4' pieces and has two castors screwed onto the base. There is a gate latch on it, and I've built a frame out from the window wall beside the workbench to let the gate latch onto. It isn't solid wood, it's like a big slot and a folded (four-sided) kennel is tucked down into that slot. It keeps the dogs in the kennel if I need them to stay. Before I built that last bit that the gate latches to I just kept boxes stacked there to block them from entering the garage. Poppy used to push over the boxes to go chase mice. Ah, the good old days! She usually pushed over my smoker in the process, but it still works.

The girls observed the unspoken rule of "we won't dash out of the kennel when the garage door opens," but for a period of time after the Labrador retriever Zeke arrived I was mostly parking the truck on the driveway, and if I opened the garage door he would race around the gate and out to meet me. Our routine became me stopping, opening a door to let him hop in and ride into the garage, then I would close the door and let him out of the pickup. I finally built the final solid part of the kennel to prevent him from doing that. I know this sounds confusing, but if any part of that construction story is helpful to Susan, that's why I shared it.

It's somewhat overcast today, so more garden work.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 26 May 19 - 01:59 PM

Thanks SRS, I'll take a look!

I just unpacked another small PA stash and got this little partial timeline of critters:
PET and SVC DOG PA LICENSE/VAC RECORDS

Liver Dalmation RUBY was 7 on 1-27-05
Shep mix svc dog FAULKNER was 1.5, on 1-27-05
Ruby, 2006
Faulkner, 2006
Faulkner, 3, 6-21-07
Yellow lab/dane Sadie was 2 on 4 -24 -09
Sadie, 2011
Faulkner, 2011
Marcellus cat, 2012
Faulkner, 2012
Faulkner, feb 2013
Faulkner July 2013
Svc dog Newbie, 2, 12 28 -16

We saved all those tags-- jewelry project! Recycling the envelopes.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 26 May 19 - 03:52 PM

Just a brief update....

I'm down 16.8 pounds now.
Five bags of Jeremiah's clothes have been washed, bagged and are in the car to be delivered to their new family on Wednesday.

The living room has been cleaned and dusted. The pellet stove has been cleaned out and is ready for next season. The top has been washed down and now houses 8 battery powered candles that are flickering nicely in that dark corner.

We, as a family, went furniture shopping yesterday. We have narrowed down our choices to 2 sofas. We were initially thinking a couch, a love seat, 2 ottomans and a straight back upholstered chair but after much measuring and day dreaming, I think I would prefer a couch and 2 recliners. It is not the style that I wanted but so far, we haven't found that style in something that is uber comfy which is what we want....so....I may have to compromise on this point as I'd much rather be comfortable than pretty which is SO obvious if you were ever to meet me in person.

In addition, Pete is looking at a new to him truck.

Also, I had a turkey fly into my car last week which did substantial damage...all fixable in the days ahead.

On the same day the turkey flew into my car, we had to take Jeremiah to the Emergency Department. He had been playing outside in his dirt pile of trucks and such when the wind kicked up dirt and debris into his eye. Although I flushed it several times, it didn't appear as it was helping and he was in pain. At the hospital, they numbed his eye, used a q-tip to look up under his eyelid after applying special eye drops and using a light that would clearly show scratches or foreign objects. They also flushed his eye. Thankfully, everything is ok. We don't know what was in his eye and the ED doctor stated that it's likely it came out when I was flushing water in his eye...we'll never know. No scratching or permanent damage.

I went on a bus trip to Rochester last weekend for the Lilac Festival with my mom...we always have a good time together and I completely enjoyed the day!

We are planning a Mother Daughter trip in September...it is my late birthday and early Christmas gift combined. We are headed to the ocean, somewhere I've been wanting to go now for years but Pete hasn't had the desire to go...I can't wait! I SO much prefer our together adventures than gifts! We are also currently signed up to make ceramic Christmas trees and another class to make a basket.

On Tuesday I go for my annual cancer check up. I have the tumor markers drawn twice a year and the big exam once a year at this point. I wish I could say it isn't nerve wracking anymore but I'm just not quite there yet.

I have tomorrow off which I will most likely spend either puttering or sitting at the car dealership with Pete to purchase his truck (if they are open).

Happy Memorial Day Everyone!

Michelle

PS. Plans are in the works to get the kayaks out on the water now that Jeremiah can swim...I imagine it won't be long until he has a yak of his own!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 May 19 - 05:57 PM

Michelle: Also, I had a turkey fly into my car last week which did substantial damage

I'd love to read the insurance report on that one! Did the bird die, and was any of it edible, or are they out of season right now?

Susan, I think there is a collection of those kinds of tags in the tool and oddball stuff drawer in the kitchen.

My tomatoes are nearly ready to be planted, and I've taken a lot of cardboard and mulch to the surrounding portions of the garden. I had the 4" pots soaking in water with compost tea to give them an extra boost. The potatoes that were planted late are sprouting. Herbs everywhere, and some need harvesting before roots get either dug out or transplanted. Once they're planted and mulched I'll mow the back, and finish in time to go feed my friend's cats again. Kicking back this evening to watch a movie, after I pull something out of the freezer for tomorrow to grill outside for a holiday dinner.

Michelle, I sent you three PDF files via Messenger, they are the most recent publications from Consumer Reports to do with buying used vehicles. You may already have them, but since I was thinking about it I sent them along. I found a vehicle that, while not on the "best buy" list, isn't on the "avoid" list, and generally has a good reputation. Good luck with the search.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 May 19 - 11:40 AM

The last run up to a friend's house to feed her cats included swinging past the free compost bunker maintained by the city. It's lower than usual, but still has plenty for what I needed. I've brought in 14 contractor-sized bags so far, each filled about 2/3 full. Each contractor bag contains as much as probably 2 of the commercial bags sold at Home Depot, Lowes, etc. ($2.79/bag).

Today the peppers get planted, and hopefully room made for some flowers I want to add to the permanent landscaping area in the front yard. I picked up things that should reseed themselves. It's also time to finish removing another fence post in the back yard. I'm not sure what I'll do with all of them once they're out, possibly offer to a friend who builds fences, or put them on Freecycle.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 27 May 19 - 12:29 PM

SRS, we used to have a garage area for dog use but took it down when we started parking in there. Ours was made of ag panel sections, attached to screw eyes, about 5' square. I miss it. Maybe someday there will be room for a dog door entry, but that awaits replacing that door (it's rotting and patched to last 2 more years).

To ventilated the garage in light of neighborhood security and weather patterns, two solutions look feasible-- adding either a louvered vent above the garage door (bye bye basketball hoop), or an awning over the window by the appliances. The awning is preferable but pricey. We'll probably discuss a home-made, rigid wooden one made like an indoor valence box. After I sit and contemplate that window's existing curb appeal.

We're also exploring a worm bin for composting to reduce plastic trash bag use.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 27 May 19 - 01:00 PM

Dupont:

Clutter at this point is caused by things needing to be moved to other places: books to basement and furniture upstairs. Robin needs a helper and does not seem to be able to "Go to the gas station and ask the nice man if h knows anyone who needs a couple hours work". If I were strong enough... but I no longer am. It is becoming a stressor for both of us.

Found someone taking out a white picket fence about two blocks away. R asked about it and was told to take ALL of it. As soon as he has time, we will have a surfeit of white picket fence! Will use metal posts to install it. Not fencing in, or out, anything, just for pretty but may grow clematis on some - need stronger supports for those sections. Mostly the front yard is shady. A great place for spring bulbs and other shade lovers.

R de-cluttered trees in back of grape vines. I had a fit as he removed habitat and critter food; that is SO suburban; this is not suburban, this is country! Intransigent, he said he would buy the critters grapes! "Yeah, poisoned ones from Chile!" (pesticides) Although I do throw bits into the yard that could/should go into compost, I generally do NOT feed wildlings lest they develop dependency. The good side was that it made it easier for him to remove trash that had been thrown behind the garage over the years. He happily decluttered; I, furiously, declared him NOT environmental. I am also insisting the brush be piled behind the row of lovely sugar maples (not burned) so the critters can use it for habitat as it returns to the earth.

White and lilac Lilacs are in full bloom - maybe 20 feet tall! I will cut some back after bloom but the screen between us and east neighbour is nice. The front and back "lawns" are dandelions and violets, with some grass!

Pile of stuff ready to go to thrift shop next trip.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 May 19 - 03:13 PM

The fifth of ten metal fence posts is down, the concrete footer from the fourth one is knocked off, broken, and stuffed into the newest hole then filled with the original soil. I'm not leaving any holes standing there waiting for someone or something to trip into. Now I'm waiting for another rainstorm to soak the area to dig the next one. I have a stack of metal posts next to the cut up fence that I'm going to mostly discard in two weeks during bulky waste, but some will be used for edging in the garden.

Dorothy, do your neighbors have any recommendations for a local handyman to help move stuff? I have a friend here who is on speed dial of probably every house on both sides of my street. If something needs doing - "maybe Antonio could do it." Everyone needs an Antonio in the neighborhood. He makes a living this way, through referrals only.

It's hot and very humid, so my outdoor tasks are brief, then I come back in to cool. I saw a canopy that is 25% off today (via coupon) at Harbor Freight - tempting to pick one up and put it up over the garden so I can work on it longer at a time.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 May 19 - 11:57 PM

I finished digging the next veggie bed at dusk and planted the various types of peppers. This gardening is hot work, but it is going in late . There's lots of mulch in place to hopefully keep these plants happy. Spinosad in the watering water tomorrow, as I attempt to stamp out the stinkbug infestation I had for the last two years.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 28 May 19 - 12:54 PM

W Yano Becky

Cleaned ballot box and plastic drawers, set to dry in sun.

Unpacked two large boxes. Kitchen items brought in. Shred boxed for mulch. Misc #1 box sorted for house or garage. Its big empty box retained.

Garage items set w hardware in garage. Paper folded for lasagna. Packing peanuts added to bag of same for future gardening. New secateurs found, yay, and set in gardeners drawer.

Coat rack de-goumed. That completes the storage items for the winter boits/jackets going into the back of the kennel closet.

In my closet, the upper rod now has my heavier dress wear-- and half of the PA lightweight 3-season business-wear is hanging on the lower rod. There is room for all the rest-- just need more of the extra wide, non-slip hangers.

I DID estimate right on how much clothing to keep! I DID plan enough storage space for it!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 May 19 - 02:49 PM

Good job, Susan! I had to look up secateurs - one of my most-often used tools, as it happens, and I have several around here. My gardening apron is one of the .99 cent nail aprons from Home Depot, and I keep gloves and the pruners in one side and my phone goes in the other.

Cleared out some stuff today since a friend was coming over to use the computer (with web cam, for a job interview). Sent him home with some extra goodies from the freezer. Looks like a thunderstorm is headed this way so good thing he finished before the interference of weather OR the barking of Pepper, who does not like thunderstorms.

Also cleared out some particularly noxious spam here (above the line) lately. Maybe the trolls are starting summer vacation by posting more crap.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 28 May 19 - 05:21 PM

"Secateurs" appeared in a book I read as a lil yoot. I grew up thinking everyone called them that. It's funny when Lawndude Brandon doesn't know that word and tries to teach me his word. ;-)

Post-Yano, the first of two loads of unpacked dishes ran in the DW and the 2nd is running now. We each have up a glass pan that just doesn't work here, to the GW box.

We spent an hour reviewing costs and options for mulching out the big tree ring that I once mulched out by myself with no helpers. Two.5 yards, 35 bags minimum. Shore is purty when it's fresh.

Then we spelunked the garage boxes for aquatic items, many of which I brought from PA to donate to my Y. A few went into my keep sack. The rest came in, after being ferried, to wash and donate... They're in the washer. Also ferried was a wash tub full of toiletries, after I'd removed and recycled broken items.

Two Coleman zip closets were investigated. These are about 30 x 40 and meant to stand in a van or truck's back end, camping. One was full of wet and moldy ruined items which were ruthlessly discarded. That zip bag was set to bake under the camper as a potential underbed closet. The other, empty, was set in the patio to wash, for same.

Then we worked together to set four old, round bed risers (that I'd saved after their prior use pre-move), under my nightstand. This replaced a cardboard box that never quite worked to make the nightstand high enough, and freed up the draw sheet covering the box. It needs further work (one riser's base hangs up with the concrete pier acting as a bed riser).

Also freed up, in this stint of creating garage space-- an old schoolteachers' metal wastebasket which a late friend had painted out in giant ladybugs on a green background. I've used it for 4 years, upside down, behind the mailbox, for packages to stay off wet soil. But now our big PA mailbox has been set there instead. So I allocated it, right side up, to the Camp Kitchen. Greg will probably drill it for drainage, and when I find a more rainproof trash can at Goodwill, it will be repurposed again.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 May 19 - 11:24 AM

It is interesting how, if you give them consideration, lots of things can be repurposed. There were a number of items left behind at this house by the previous owners that I've integrated into my activity areas—the two cast iron firewood stands are a case in point. Both have had cedar planks added and been turned into outdoors tables, one used as a potting bench.

This morning as as humid as physically possibly without it actually raining. The dogs and I enjoyed a visit with a neighbor up the street—we were both out doing things ahead of the thunderstorms headed this way. Susan, did you get hit by the complex that went through Ohio and Pennsylvania? I have a friend who was originally from Xenia, where a huge tornado famously destroyed much of the town. She told me that as a high school student working on a school play in the auditorium they all sought cover and were safe, but she foolishly crawled back through the stage area debris later to retrieve her purse. She's lucky she got out alive.

I have some yard work to do, like that neighbor, ahead of the rain. Better get to it.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 29 May 19 - 06:47 PM

Beaver!
So nice to be here on a - finally! - lovely day!

Dropped off stuff at thrift shop; visited library and changed read for unread; groceries; two separate visits with friends; weeding and thinking; finally got tires changed! And another unexpected visit with friend as I waited. Bills paid. Daffies blooming beautifully in Astri memorial garden and lovely freckled violets. Assessing what survived: many raspberry of one type but only a few of the other; blueberries burgeoning; tons of parsley, lettuce has sprouted from last year! Beans planted last trip? No sign but some seeds above ground - re-buried. Bisque firing for Magda cooling; we started it this am. Sat in the screen house reading for a while!

Now to cook some good food.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 29 May 19 - 07:52 PM

SRS, the tornadoes missed us but the area was hit pretty hard.

I spent a lovely afternoon today rambling with Judy. We toured only briefly through the edge of affected area.

Greg and I put the parrot cage back up when I got back. Leveling risers for it became simple once I spotted the cage's pullout droppings tray, which we used to adjust the risers to approximate level. The mulch, etc. under the cage worked well to "disappear" the ground irregularities, and I was pleased to see that the height is still ok relative to the neighbor's fence. The light wasn't right for pix, so I'll post a pic of the cage on risers later, in the patio album, where I'll describe the project more fully.

Church abuse correspondence today.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 29 May 19 - 08:53 PM

Crazy two days here.

I had my annual cancer check up along with the bi-annual tumor marker check and am thrilled to share that all is well!

Did some grocery shopping on the way home and got Jeremiah home just in time for us to get all the groceries inside and the dog out before the thunder started to roll along with warnings of hail and tornadoes. There was a touchdown in Ulster, PA...not too far from here...blew down a few buildings.

Today I got to work and Pete called saying he thought the cellulitis was back so I drove home and off to the ER we went (after calling the doctor). He has been admitted to the hospital...white blood cell count is rising and lactic acid is rising at a very fast rate. He's got lots of saline running and 2 antibiotics by IV. The smallish red spot from this morning now takes up most of his lower leg...lots of swelling...looking and feeling like plastic. They aren't sure of the cause. We won't know much more until 24 hours passes. He has a temperature, the chills and exhaustion.

Then the weather...tornado warnings in the area. The schools held the children until the threat passed. One touched down along Rte. 660 between Mansfield and Wellsboro, PA knocked down a shed where 8 people were taking shelter.

I have a must attend event tomorrow morning and then I'm headed to the hospital for the day. I'm thankful for laptops so I can work while Pete sleeps. I'd stay at the office but I can't concentrate knowing that Pete is in the hospital AND my supervisor is great about it all.

Goodnight.

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 May 19 - 09:07 PM

In this day and age telecommuting is a reasonable and practical way to take care of a lot of what we do for work. Seeing clients, working a service desk or other hands-on jobs, no, but other parts of the day, it is nice to work from home. I work about 10 hours a week, all from home, as a contractor for a regional website. I've never been to their office in the next county.

I hope you can figure out the source of the cellulitis; congratulations on your continued good health as a cancer survivor!

Susan, I look forward the photos of this very large-sounding parrot cage. I suspect you're describing something like is in use by birds down at my neighborhood garden center. They have several large birds in the store.

We were under a tornado warning today, the bulk of the storm passed to the north of me, but I heard from a former co-worker at the university that they had to head to the interior halls for shelter.

I put several potted flowers into one bed that gets a full half-day of sun, after moving a birdbath that had achieved quite a drunken tilt while standing in that bed. It now resides beside that garden on a concrete square that might help keep it level. I can return to the garden center and use the rest of the gift card because I've identified the rest of the things I need and can plant now. More veggies and some flowers. Others will start from seed.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 29 May 19 - 09:35 PM

While the bulk of my job can be completed online from just about anywhere, they like us in the office and do not often approve hours for work done elsewhere. However, in circumstances like I currently have, it is sometimes is approved. Frankly, whether I get paid for it or not, I have such a huge caseload that I will likely get some work done while Pete sleeps. It gives me something to do, takes my mind off the immediate while being close enough to offer love, support, a second set of ears and a sharp mind to take in details that he may miss due to medication fog.

Jeremiah is being a super duper helper while Pete is away and is handling this unplanned situation quite well. He is one incredible kid. <3

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 30 May 19 - 09:51 AM

(Parrot Cage) PLANT STAND

My original thought, when I saw this at the curb, was "there's my free greenhouse". That would need more plastic than I care to generate, so now it's a garden feature, plant stand, and more.

Foto and plan:

http://bit.ly/2HKEg8o

---

Those really long links force the page to the edge of the monitor, meaning readers have to scroll sideways to read page content. Hence the bitly link. ---mudelf

Subject: Bitly Mudelf
From: wysiwyg
Date: 30 May 19 - 02:10 PM

I have no idea how to do that, pls PM lesson if possible and I will try.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 May 19 - 05:31 PM

Reducing link size is something anyone can do. I have a couple of websites I use - Bitly and TinyURL. And if you post with a site like Hootsuite they have a link-shortener called Ow.ly.

You can set up a free account at Bitly and keep track of everything you've shortened (useful if you want to go back and find something later) or on TinyURL, just drop it into the text box and it produces both the link itself and a preview link if (I think) someone wants to mouse over it and see what the link is to. I haven't used the preview.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 May 19 - 10:20 PM

Michelle, how is Pete doing after another day at the hospital? Are they any closer to identifying why this has recurred? Is it a physical contact thing (bumping into something that has the germs on it) or idiopathic (no known cause)?

MaryG, after France and thereabouts, what will your next trip be? Are you going to be one of those retirees who is always on the move?

Charmion, did you take all of your toxic materials to the dump's special collection day? I fall through the cracks in my town - they don't participate in the county collection site and I'm not a citizen of the nearest large city that has a site. I have to borrow my ex's water bill to take things to the collection center (and that city had the nerve to give the site we can't use the name of our village!)

I made a couple of stops today that needed doing after lunch with a friend from work, then at Goodwill I was on my way to the register and noticed a lovely cotton print 3/4 sleeve blouse that will work nicely over the top of pastel knit tops. That is a summer look that works well here - air conditioning is cranked so low that you need that extra layer to be comfortable when you go to public buildings this time of year. It's a print with large flowers and enough colors that will go with all of my knit tops. I thinned out the hangers in the closet and laundry room recently, and there may be something I can pull for donation when I add this to the closet.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 31 May 19 - 05:00 PM

SRS, given the vision and device issues I'm dealing with, I don't foresee being able to try that method anytime soon. Other ideas? I know that a lot of the pasted links' characters are unnecessary, but I'm not sure where to chop them off.

I suppose one option if I have new pix to reference would be just to say so and paste the shortened album link again.

Other ideas?

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 31 May 19 - 05:56 PM

AM wakies in the Patio resulted in a fone call to sked an appt, which led to setting up my voicemail finally, which I managed on my own. Then after brekky we practiced VM, and I discovered that the app Greg uses hides messages if you save them there, so you can no longer access them via regular VM. I didn't try the obverse, yet.

Over coffee, we discussed the day and a question brewing in my mind about the church abuse incident, and then I went to finish the letter portion of my writing assignment. Towards the end of the planned hour, a sense of urgency and clarity came, so I easily knocked out the other 10 pages of the project.

Somewhere in there I got and answered an email from the disability rights lawyoo advising us on the church thingie.

As I was about to distribute that and take a legs-up break, Larry the Grab Bar guy arrived to add the one I'd requested to make the recently installed bedside steps safer. Greg worked with him on placement. Larry and I joked as usual but it left a bad taste-- sexist stuff. Microagressions on top of K.

Next I whipped dishes and used,my new hangers to put away a basket of hangables which, tbtg did fit in the closet. The new grab bar and its placement were perfect for the tight working space. I ran a podcast w Sally Yates, which I moved to the LR to finish, where I folded clean items there-- tbtg no more hangables except one!

That one is going to be a test hanging (sounds grim!). It's going to go inside a clear bag, into overflow space where the unused hanger supply lives, in the kennel closet, because the winter stuff is in the back of that, and it's a Christmas vest. I may also hang a slim farmer bag in there, if I find that the best isn't disturbed, in my way, or dirtied up over the dog bed.

Tonight, blues bar!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 01 Jun 19 - 10:13 AM

Today's plan is to set up the next Goodwill box to catch items, finish putting away the folded laundry, and start dealing with items left lying around during that quick writing assignment.

An important visitor is coming Friday for her first tour of the Library, and theres a lot of remedial work to do in there around our TV chairs in there, too. There is also an OCR scanner to find a place for, in there.

Greg gets the real fun today, hoping to avoid another plumbers' visit.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Jun 19 - 10:23 AM

Yesterday my local NPR station played a program called Brains and Losses that looked at the specific problem of what older people are or aren't thinking when they fall victim to financial scams. Part of it seems to be brain development. So as I thought about my ability and that of friends and family to avoid that kind of thing, I remembered a relative who did fall for a pitch (from an insurance company that "manages investments" but takes a cut every time they touch the money - that couple lost a substantial percentage of their retirement savings before another relative stepped in to put it back someplace safe.) And realized that as long as I pay hefty monthly interest on credit cards I've also set myself up for a different sort of fleecing.

That considered, I picked up a handful of documents and headed down to my credit union and consolidated that card debt. When the loan officer asked what brought me in, I told her about the radio program she noted where to find it. She said they see that kind of scam too often. I may also refinance the new vehicle, I would save only $10 or so a month, but over the course of five years, that adds up.

Cleaning this morning in preparation for friends coming over for lunch.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 01 Jun 19 - 01:59 PM

Laundry folded. Two rolls of select-size paper towels distributed (and large-sheet towels stowed w cleaning supplies).

Hemi walker modified as chair assist. Will allocate to patio because then, one wooden walking stick can be added to scooter until I snag a folding GW cane.

Next, tried to find cleaners' bag to hang up my Xmas vest, in Newbieland. May add garment bag, also, and use its hook in the closet differently, (like for belts or trousers).

No clnrs bags found, but other used-twice bag found. I left the red vest color peeking thru and used my birthday clothespole to boost it up. That pole can live there by that kennel closet.

The wet items from the bathroom vanity leak are sorted, trash discarded, washables in washer, other items set to dry, and Chore bucket soaking in vinegar.

I note again how much more work is actually done-- "small stuff" assumed to be "women's work"-- than the planned work laid out this AM.....

Next we drilled a ceramic planter so its plants will actually drain, without removing them to drill. So first I emptied a PA basket of its stuff (sorted some), bcuz if that planter were to crack it would need the basket's plastic liner to sit into.

Planter drilled, no cracks, and set in place outside the front door in front of the raised impatiens planter.

A work in progress.

All these front door plants will come back inside, when it gets cold enough... Around Oct. 1, maybe. The plastic tray is set to receive the drilled planter, and there's a wicker kitchen plant stand with aluminum cups to catch the impatiens, and perhaps an amaryllis.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Jun 19 - 03:59 PM

The time has come to replace the nine-year-old computer. Last night we had thunder and lightning, the power was off for hours, but flickered as it went out (I was asleep at 2am when it was apparently restored so I don't know if there was flickering then also) Not too many lights left on but oddly, a television and radio in one room turned on by themselves.

The router also seems to have melted down to a primordial unaddressable URL, completely losing it's program and no longer responding to wired and wireless attempts to reach it. They were both plugged into power supply batteries that should have protected them.

One trip to Fry's and the new router connects to the phone and the laptop but the big HP will have nothing to do with it. I've hit the final "Diagnostics Policy Service is not running" message and I can't fix it. In the past I could.

So, scrambling all day, tripping over the smaller dog (whose anniversary it is today so I really should be making much of her, not saying "I'm going to trip over you if you keep doing that" she settles in beside wherever I'm standing or sitting.)

I really really dislike having to set up a new computer. For all of the novelty of the new device, everything that I use is stored in the other one. That is now effectively offline. I suppose I can use a cable to drag stuff over when a new one arrives.

It's humid and soggy and not really like the late Spring in Texas this year. We really do need to get things in gear and clean up our collective acts asap.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: mg
Date: 03 Jun 19 - 03:42 AM

i am pretty happy with a lower end lenovo from amazon. ideapad 320

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 03 Jun 19 - 04:44 AM

SRS, How were the network cables connected to the devices? ie. Does the incoming line go through a surge protector,perhaps on the UPS?

(I don't do that here btw because I get a noticeable speed drop on a slowish ADSL line if I go through the UPS in my room but network parts would be vulnerable if something happened to the phone line)

As for the PC. I know it's due replacement but would it be worth fitting a network card? Under£10 UK prices.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Jun 19 - 12:35 PM

Jon, how do you use the network card? Right now this computer is a self-contained, non-communicating machine. I'm not sure if there is a way to get around the absence of the "Diagnostic policy" error.

Mary, the computer at my house has done a lot of heavy lifting and even in retirement will continue to do so as it has numerous devices attached. External hard drives for music, photography, videos, and work files (I kept copies of everything I worked on, though most of them are now donated to Special Collections at work). I have a printer, a scanner, a Canopus for the VHS, a two-monitor desktop setup, and cables for all sorts of things are on a USB hub—such as cameras, phone, tablet, and the charger for my fitness tracker. And lots of software that operates best in a multi-core environment (any Adobe products, for example, are real processor hogs). I didn't dismiss laptops outright—I thought about a powerful laptop on a docking station that would give me the ability to attach all of the USB stuff and monitors, but I have things I want to add to the computer (that I can find on sale and do for myself cheaper than Dell can add them in now). And possibly a couple of things out of the old computer into this one (the Hauppauge receiver, for example, because I use my computer like a DVR; the old computer can't download the program to update the channel list so there would be no metadata with anything I record on there from here out.) In the end, laptops are more expensive and harder to work on, so it's another desktop.

It was a weekend of pleasure, visiting with old friends at lunch, and work, doing all of the computer stuff. And more work ahead. This morning a bright spot was the return letter from the tax appraisal office; they've been racing to raise our property values (and taxes) before the state puts a cap on all of that. My market value last year went up more than $20,000, and this year it went up a whopping $37,000. Lasts year I filed an online protest and because those hearings are nerve-wracking and I was still working, when they dropped $3000 from the market value (an automated response) I accepted it. This year the automated response cut the increase in half, but I have the time and energy so sent in the paperwork and was prepared to go to a hearing in a couple of weeks. This morning a letter arrive agreeing to leave the market value at last year's price (I asked they do that, or use the square foot rate of a house nearby that makes it even lower). The good thing about this is that this year my tax rate will be frozen, and at the lower level.

Last night I realized I'd forgotten to take my allergy stuff for a couple of days (as I lay in bed with a stuffy nose). I took the medication and spent time making my brain wind down until it kicked in and I could breathe (all of this computer and financial stuff can keep one awake) visualizing how today I would finally work on my new fence pickets (paint on the wood preservative) and cut up the old fence for bulky waste (it must be at the curb by next Monday so town officials can drive through and decide what size and type of truck to request to pick it all up). This is my task for the day.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 03 Jun 19 - 01:06 PM

Hi SRS. I’ll start off by saying I’m making the possibly incorrect assumption that it’s just the network port on you motherboard gone. And it’s just something I might try. I can not advise on the Widow diagnostics or absence of.

If you did want to fit one, the first thing you would need to do is confirm what slots you have free on the motherboard. They might be PCI or PCI Express. Then you want a network card (PCI-e type shown)

Fitting should be easy.

Unplug the power and open the case. Touch yourself on something metal to discharge any static in you. The holes in the case for the slots will be covered by blanking plates and there will be some sort of screws or clamping mechanism but you will figure that out. Fit the new card that’s it inside.

You will want to move the network cable to this new socket and might like to try to disable the onboard network slot by looking around in the BIOS so you only show the one network card.

Configuration varies from system to system and I don’t know Win 10 well enough but if you are using DHCP (assign IP address automatically, commonly by the router), things might “just work”.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Jun 19 - 01:50 PM

Jon, if you google "Diagnostics Policy Service is not running" you'll find instructions to go to the command prompt and type in a directory to take you to the long list of functions in the computer that start right away, are delayed start, are automatic or manually started, etc. I've had to reset that a couple of times, and it refuses to even see my request to refresh the setting or approach it as an administrator.

And as far as space inside—this computer has just about every slot or port filled with some card or drive or other. Three or four years ago I bought a 256g SSD and cloned the C: drive onto it and plugged it into the motherboard. To put it inside the computer so full of stuff I literally pushed the card into the middle of the wires and anchored it in place with the zip tie. There isn't any extra space in this box of air. There is a lot of redundancy in there and I think there is a deceased large-capacity drive in there also.

And I have to figure out which of these external drives hold what files; they've been in place for ages and are all covered with dust and old post-it notes stuck on suggesting the letter drive it might be.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 03 Jun 19 - 02:00 PM

Oh... I guess a USB wi-fi dongle could be an alternative but I think you prefer this one hard wired.

Oh and, I've just a search and found these

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Jun 19 - 03:06 PM

I like Anker products, I have a number of their devices here. And if the computer would talk to the rest of the world, that would be an excellent option.

In for a cool-down after applying the rest of the can of wood preservative to my fence pickets. I'm a little over half-way through this task and will pick up more preservative next trip out.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 04 Jun 19 - 07:58 AM

The writing assignment (and some complicated politics that needed wise navigation afterwards) led to a larger role in the volunteer thing here, that I'm very pleased about. A big part of what's good about it is that the space to track the projects that will follow is already organized. It's also a great use of my skills. Tbtg I set clear boundaries around it when I was approached to be spokeswoman for a coalition of orgs I'm so passsionate about. The leaders I'll liaise with are the BOMB.

On the health and fitness front, today is a fresh start w PT. It will be good to have their guidance for a change. Apparently if you don't kill yourself with self-directed rehab work-- every PT I've had tells me "DO LESS, SLOW DOWN"-- Medicare has your back. No copay? REALLY? Come weekly as long as it takes?

On the home front, Yano Becky will work miracles today. Now if Brandon is over whatever kept him home sick, we can get the grounds in order too.

I'm behind on watering the patio garden, so off to do that.

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Jun 19 - 11:35 AM

Yesterday in a Goodwill store I found a large non-stick skillet in excellent condition, $9. I have a smaller one that I tried using for crepes last year and they came out a bit too small. This is perfect. I don't use non-stick very often, so I think my older pan will go to Goodwill. And while I was at it, I looked around for things I have never-or-rarely-used, that now collect dust or crowd cupboards. I pulled out a large griddle, meant for use on a large gas stove (mine is electric) or on an outdoor grill (part of a lefse cooking experiment, but the new non-stick pan will work for that also). And a lovely bamboo steamer, never used once. Etc. These things will be available for family to take if they wish, otherwise the rest goes to Goodwill. I need to look in the pantry also, there is stuff out of sight/mind in there I could probably thin out.

Over the last couple of years I've found working versions of things I have here that needed some help, most often "marrying" the parts to have one working device. Or I've found better versions of things I've used—and I need to donate the older ones that were supplanted.

I have cups and other pottery items from my Dad's estate that never get used. They'll head to eBay, where I see some traffic.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 04 Jun 19 - 06:39 PM

Dupont:

Back to this home on Saturday, hoping for folk dancing on Sunday - Rain! Cancelled! Phooey! Left Beaver in good shape. R had not been here since I left - working LATE and sleeping at City house. Plants survived neglect. Have been mostly resting up from the drive. Texting instructions to Magda re pottery - why have I done "this" the same way for 40 years? She wondered about doing it differently and, on second thought - sure you can! Also texting to find out where Bobby will be in near future: Yeah! Got it ...finally! I think it is this next Sunday! We can do that!

English class today was exhausting. Four students including a young man with little affect - could not tell if he understood anything. The 3 women would give him hints in French!I did not "hear that". Next week is last class until September; I shall welcome the summer hiatus to be able to spend a bit more time at Beaver. Any year now, R will get someone to help carry the heavy furniture upstairs and I can put things away and get better organized. He slept 11 hours Saturday night,having not arrived home until about 9:30.

So, dishes done, two loads of laundry complete, and put away as well as possible, including washing a couple pillows, one more to go. The feather or down ones were washed in a feather proof case and I have only one. House needs to be vacuumed but that takes planning: do it with mask on and then air out house while going somewhere else until dust settles.

Maybe tomorrow as I need to take car in for mysterious loss of oil - 3 qts in last month does not bode well. Never before; I bought it new in 2005. I would love a new car; will not buy a used one unless push comes to shove as I have spent way too much on them in my life. I have not saved enough for a down payment and I doubt this car is worth even $1000! Worst of all: A beautiful new car would soon look just as bad; they do not wear well when used as trucks! Well, let's hope it is not too serious!

Kitchen is pretty well organized but I will be re-organizing as I get used to the flow. Not all the space is full and not totally well utilized. Some things might yet leave. There is a constant outward flow of "I don't need..." I take some things to a thrift shop and bring a few - hopefully less and more useful - home.

Cool and windy, rainy. Not good for outdoor work so I have not yet planted the things I brought back from Beaver. But they are getting watered.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Jun 19 - 06:58 PM

The fence pickets are finished being treated with wood preservative and are now laying on a plastic tarp in the garage, but it looks like rain is on the way so this afternoon isn't the time to start the job. Once I take down the old panel I must finish the job quickly (with the dogs locked in the house during the work). The wood preservative is probably the most tedious part, but it makes sense to paint every plank now on all sides instead of putting it up and then being able to paint only the exposed parts.

Other than the fence, it feels like a waiting game right now. The practical thing to do would be to clear out the office and redo everything for when the new computer arrives, but I need to do that when I slowly take the external drives and devices off of the old computer to add them onto the new one. I suppose this is the time to do it if I want to reorganize the room, or move my office to a new room. Or just clean up my office!

Dell has sent me the delivery date, giving urgency to make a plan and act on it. For the moment, though, I have other things to do as well. I dug at the base of the next fencepost in the back yard, this is number six of 10. It tips, but it's heavy, so I'll probably have to use the sledge hammer and chisel and knock off a few pounds of concrete before I can pull it out of the hole. I weeded some of the vegetable garden, and added mulch to an area I'd missed. Muggy as Hell out there and it certainly doesn't feel like summer in Texas.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Jun 19 - 09:15 PM

Filing, recycling, shredding, and donating this afternoon. That is all.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Jun 19 - 12:42 PM

It's moving day - rearranging the office furniture and supplies in order to have a computer setup that allows me to use the old computer, the new computer, and the many peripherals that will be wired to it. The new computer has WiFi, but the devices don't, so far.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 06 Jun 19 - 12:48 PM

Best of luck, SRS.

After two days of wrestling w PT admin and insurance, I booked two aquatic PT appointments for a tuneup of my pool routine, and for setting current limits.

Today I spent an hour moving 250 pounds of hardscape via scooter, neatening up sewer dig pieces in prep for Lawndude work later today in that area. It was about 20 lifts of varying degrees of weight (5-60lbs) and how situated. I used PT directionality prescribed Tuesday for all lifts, and rested in between. Counts as 1/2 hour PT. One chunk of sharp-edged concrete scraped/cut my leg, but the only one I dropped on my toes was about 20 pounds... and it landed just right. (I was wearing my panic button in case I tipped the scooter, etc.)

A cotton shoelace can lift at least 60 pounds.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Jun 19 - 07:47 PM

Second desktop is cleared and dusted, though the contents are stuffed in various nooks and crannies. All of the attached equipment is going to be moved from the current location and the second desk pushed into that area (the equipment is sitting on stands now). A broom is on hand to excavate the various dust puppies rolling around the room.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 06 Jun 19 - 10:08 PM

Dupont:

It takes a great deal of energy to buy a new car. The "budget" is going to be very tight for the next 6 years - but car maintenance costs should be low for at least the next 3 (warranty), and gas costs somewhat lowered. A vanilla Prius (hybrid) will be my ride, and I hope THIS car lasts me the rest of my life; I thought the Scion would but only almost 15 years and the engine can cease at any time. I really loved this car.

It is a major de-clutter: 1) to have the security of a reliable vehicle; 2) to give the Scion to Robin et al on the premise that they have the skills and knowledge to keep it running, even change the engine and, in the city, it is ok if it quits - not when I am 20 miles from anywhere Ontario!; 3) feeling slightly less guilty about my long trips back and forth with a more fuel efficient vehicle.

Next week I start picking up food box from the farm, every two weeks, so we will have produce and I will figure out how to use it whether or not they are my preferred. Paid in advance; slightly reduced food costs and reduced gasoline...

Now to figure out how to peddle the pottery, effectively - that is, with least energy output (mine) and max reduction of inventory.

R still working on, and stressed by, that project. Furniture still not moved upstairs. The house is moderately tidy; i.e., I would not mind showing someone the house on the premise "we are still moving in". It is moderately/tolerable clean. Or, I have gotten used to it? NAH! I want it better organized!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 07 Jun 19 - 09:12 AM

DP, I'm prepping for using my house for a meeting today, on that same "still moving in" premise. It's never failed me in the 4+ years of getting all the way here. What ppl seem to remember is the warm conversations here. That was also true of MudGathers we hosted.
.

The result of yesterday's lifting wasn't muscle pain, so that amount of time and work was within limits. My vertebrae, however, were showing first-wakies signs of stress-- more likely from the several scootering times than the careful lifts.

Today I have things to do without the distraction of pain, and no driving, etc to do, so I took anti-inflammatories early, plus a tramadol.

So far, I moved the LL chairs out of TV position to restore Library mode for my 11am meeting here. DR table and kitchen sink are neatened up for same. A few LR pickups are still needed, and a beverage run later.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Jun 19 - 07:02 PM

It hasn't been a full week since the computer/equipment crash, but today the new Dell is set up and I'm slowly modifying how things look, taking out bloat-ware they factory installed, and adding software for the basic things like my Mozilla Thunderbird (email) and Quicken. I put the Canon camera software in just now, and later I'll install the scanner. Some of the software from these devices is a form of Adobe-light.

I spoke to a library computer friend yesterday about moving files, she says a SATA cable is the fastest - I have a cable but looked them up online (I've used both SATA and eSATA over the years) and then dug around in my basket labeled "Cables / All Types" and it was there. There's too much stuff in the other computer to load into the new one as it stands, but I will be adding another internal drive; the question is, do I want to move the existing drive (several years old but working well) into the new computer and go through the struggle of "claiming" all of the files to use in the new domain. The thing I need to research next is changing the registration in the Adobe software, that would be very helpful.

Anyway, I'll look at how to open the hood on the new computer -- the SATA cable works by plugging into the mother board of each computer.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 08 Jun 19 - 09:34 AM

The recent revelation that Apple will soon abandon iTunes has me thinking about replacing our seven-year-old desktop computer, a Windows model with massive hard-disk capacity made largely redundant by cloud storage services. I have always admired Apple design — yes, I know they are expensive, but so is replacing our hardware every few years — and I am tempted, finally, to buy an iMac and leave Windows behind. While decluttering the bank account of too much money, I would also lose that clunky tower and its tangle of dust-trapping cables.

I have been sick for a week — bronchitis again — and am now in the olfactory shutdown phase of respiratory hell. Himself, always a bad sleeper, is even more disturbed than I am by the loud bouts of coughing that punctuate my night. Decamping to the guest room does not help, as he can be rousted from sleep by a sparrow stamping on the eavestrough.

In this state, I fall asleep randomly and have the attention span of a gnat; consequently, no housework has been done since last Sunday. Outside is a different story; Steve the Garden Guy appeared the other day and wrought wondrous things in a few hours of frenetic work with spade and clippers.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Jun 19 - 01:19 PM

Charmion, I have a recliner for the times when coughing at night is a problem and stacked up pillows don't work (they end up pushed aside and then I wake up again coughing). This is the chair my Labrador retriever has claimed as his own, so I have to be pretty miserable to evict him to use it myself.

If you want to use the cloud with your PC you can sign up for a OneDrive account. Windows would be happy to help you set it up, and if you're using a more recent (like, from the last dozen years) version of MS Office, it probably tried to set you up with such an account when it was installed on your computer.

This morning, armed with a cup of strong tea, I sat down at the new device and addressed the new router and set up the house network the way I wanted. Almost. Still can't change the admin name from admin, but everything else is set up using more secure settings than the default that was achieved through the phone app. And now, if a service person or guest-who-isn't-like-family comes by and needs online, I can open that guest account with the phone and broadcast the name so they can logon. I've shared my logon information with the next door neighbor, she sometimes has trouble with their system and from her kitchen table she can pick up my system.

I am glad to say that the newer Dell computers have set up with a much quieter power supply fan. When my kids had their computer here at the house during their school years that was a problem - noise, and on occasion they had to be replaced.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Jun 19 - 10:47 PM

Last weekend the power was off for a prolonged period, and we had a repeat this weekend. I have the new computer talking to the battery backup now so it knows when to turn it off next time this happens.

Since the house was muggy I spent the afternoon working out in the yard and I managed to carry all of the cut-up fence panels down to the curb for this week's bulky waste pickup. One of the dogs had been running into the space behind the panels where they were lined up against the side of the garage. She created quite a muddy little path, but it'll fill up with grass and weeds again soon enough.

While the power was off I headed over to McDonald's and had dinner and worked on their wifi. This was something I try to get done by Sunday evenings (contract work), and my neighbor called to tell me the power was finally back on so I could come home again. :)

What a difference a week makes. From last Sunday's crash, equipment is replaced and the computer is gradually being built up with the materials I need. Not everything is installed yet.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Jun 19 - 12:50 PM

The paywall may make reading this impossible (I have a Chrome extension called "JustRead" that sometimes gets around paywalls) but here's what passed over yesterday; we seem to have received a glancing blow compared to what hit Dallas County. https://www.dallasnews.com/news/weather/2019/06/09/strong-storms-dallas-fort-worth-sunday-could-produce-hail-damaging-winds

Although the cause of the collapse has not been confirmed, powerful wind gusts up to about 70 mph were reported in the city and caused significant damage throughout the area. Close to 280,000 customers were without power in Dallas County alone, about a quarter of the Oncor customers there. About 46,000 customers had been without power in Denton, Collin and Tarrant counties in the evening.

Oncor estimated some customers could be without power for several days and had requested aid from other parts of the country to help restore service.

That shared, today is amazing, clear, much cooler, not humid. I need to go mow the back yard while it feels like this.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 10 Jun 19 - 02:15 PM

The wknd here centered on the training I co-lead after Friday's meeting to plan it's specifics this time around. These usually knock out several more days to prep and recover-- more each year. Yesterday was pretty nap-oroented, but I made a good dent in laundry and I'll do more tonight.

Today, after brekky and planning the day, I set the accumulated dishes to soak and then reviewed the AiChi video and to articulate it with my AC class segment plan. The Sova version, of course, is faithful to muscle groups, in contrast with the Konno version I'd been using off YouTube. I need my aquatic PT book back from Christine at the Y to see more about my own hip and glute program, before my aquatic PT appt next week.

Then I finished whipping dishes and set 2 pans of taters to roast.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 10 Jun 19 - 09:10 PM

Dupont:

Major furniture moving Friday! Changed position of bed and find the room "bigger" and still need another small piece of furniture- which will, no doubt, appear. R is on a mission to get house into more organized condition. TV/sewing room is midway in transformation; also needs another piece.

Meanwhile, totally exhausted in every aspect, I have managed to move piles of clothes into bureaus, boxes of dishes in antique glass front cupboard, and more. R even brought home an electric lawn mower to de-clutter the foot high grass! When he has time!

I slowly get "used to" my precious new car. The gas saving might be equal to the difference in payments between the Yaris that I did not buy and the beautiful vanilla Prius, she says hopefully!

It is wonderful to see boxes empty and piles of clothes and fabrics, and more, disappear into drawers and cupboards!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Jun 19 - 09:11 AM

Dorothy, I'm finding that my five-years-newer Pathfinder gets better mileage than the older one, but I have also realized that the body skin is almost completely made of plastic! It weighs less. I'm not sure if this is a good thing.

I bought a new mower earlier this year and with the back and the middle row of seats down I was able to fit the huge box in (well, the guy who works at Northern Tool and a nice man from the parking lot muscled it into the SUV. I can't say I participated in that one.) When I got it home I pulled the box open while it was in the SUV and pulled things out one at a time, the removed the box. Today my ex needs my assistance because he bought an electric mower that comes in a huge box and it won't fit in his Corolla, so we'll meet early this afternoon at the store and I'll transport it home for him.

The large area rug in the dining part of my den was flipped over and last night I used the rug shampooer on the canvas back of it. I'll have to re-glue some of the edging that was knocked loose (it's probably glued on anyway - I have fabric glue here) and let it dry for a couple of more days. I didn't do a "rinse" pass over that side and I'm still considering it. Once it's turned over I'll shampoo the nap side again and rinse that. I think it has more life in it.

There is a growing stack of donation items from the kitchen, things I look at every day but never use. I'll run that over to Goodwill later this week.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 11 Jun 19 - 02:27 PM

I'm VERY pleased to report that the "closet-busting" pile of PA linens is now stowed, after several weeks of looming at me from a LR easy chair! Only a few very-worn, stained, or odd-colored items were rejected to trash, GW, or Becky-will (her term). In the weeks this pile awaited my administrative genius, Greg and I had a number of creative-space-planning sessions.

Also during this waiting time, Newbie bonded with her floor pillow and learned that that chair that still smells like hers-- isn't.

In other Yano action, we put our plastic-less trash system in place today. No more plastic tall kitchen liners-- dry trash emptied from dry trashcan and the 8 chairside wastebaskets into a leaf bag, with recyclables taken out of baskets as found.

By prearrangement, friend Judy returned the surplus lightweight vacuum she'd tried (before signing herself up for her own Yano after a bad fall and injury). The vacs were twins, so I combined the two vacs' best parts/cords to result in one to keep. The rest went home, also by prearrangement, with Yano Becky, including some compatible attachments off another, long-gone vac-- after a tutorial on periodically cleaning the internal filter she's been leaving filthy.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 11 Jun 19 - 04:36 PM

Dupont:

Last English class until fall! It was exhausting trying to help a Congolese man add some vocabulary to his repertoire! I must remember in future to write down the words with which we struggle so he can remember them better. De-cluttered energy! I was too tired to go foraging but we shan't go hungry!

Tripped to Mill yesterday and picked up a few useful things; I am loathe to put anything in my new car! I shall get over this in a year or two! Will put some construction grade plastic bags in the boot for emergencies. Returned books to library down there.

R sorted excess T-shirts - some to trash! (Rags) All his clothes are put away! Today I will finish mine, although "my" bureau is still in his office. The BR has his bureau and the blonde oak roll top - I put some clothes in the drawers of that. May put the rest into the big bureau in the sewing room. It seems more efficient to keep his in the BR so he will know where they are and be more amenable to changing appropriately. And I can put things back in and close the drawers he left open!

Spent 35 min on phone sorting out why I do not get e-bills from CT. I hope! Had a nice customer service man who listened and agreed with my comments about the paucity of communication! "How on earth does anyone...???" Sometimes IT people are not the best communicators; clearly their brains are not the same as us mere mortals.

Black bean soup made. R had to fend for himself last night as I was out like a light by 10 pm and he was home "before midnight". The soup would have been better than... I have no idea what he ate! Goal: always have soup in frig!

Red Flag: A man who was working on a friend's home called "too tired to come today". At 9 am, he had the wit to phone for ambulance and by 11 am he had a stent installed - 100% blockage... plus a couple others around 60%. Makes me think/wonder/be aware.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 12 Jun 19 - 09:13 AM

Emerging from the latest bout of bronchitis, I am finally energetic enough to Get Stuff Done. Yesterday, I finally added the accumulation of new CDs to our iTunes library, the better to play them on our space-age stereo that talks to the computer by Wifi. I also finally sorted out the Glory Hole in order to move the accumulation of excess art away from the window, where old water streaks on the concrete wall tell a story of damp due to drainage issues.

But most important was the expedition to the Kitchener-Waterloo Urgent Care Clinic to see a doctor. It's a round trip of more than 80 kilometres, with a guaranteed wait of hours, plural, in a room crowded with people just as sick as I, if not sicker, and contagious at that. If I go alone, I have to be strong enough to drive all the way there and back -- no minor consideration. Himself is eager to be chauffeur, but his time is not all his own; KW is most efficient first thing in the morning, exactly when bail court kicks off.

I was slowly recovering on my own, without antibiotics or Prednisone, but on Sunday I got an email from the choir director asking me to join the party going to Kingston next week to sing at St. George's Cathedral -- not enough capable altos had volunteered. I was coughing up hockey pucks at the time and sleeping badly if at all, but I'm a sucker for a flat-up appeal so I had to get rid of the plague faster than Mother Nature could manage without chemical assistance. Hence, a visit to Civilian Sick Parade was in order.

I made the trip successfully, got the dope (lots of dope), and attended rehearsal despite the continuing coughing fits and chest discomfort. Much to my surprise, I could actually sing, and quite well if a bit weakly. The acoustic in the old Presbyterian church where we were practising made the cough sound like the corps guns at Vimy, but I felt better after than I had in a couple of weeks.

The sun is shining in Perth County today and the air is like wine -- one of those June days that makes poets wax poetic. The magnolias are finished blooming, but the lilacs are still in full flush and the aroma wafts bewitchingly about. Best of all, the wind is blowing the agricultural effluvia away from Stratford for once, so our noses are avoiding that fact of life today.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Jun 19 - 11:57 AM

Charmion, that last essay is declutter poetry at its best! I'm just sorry you have to drive so far for the minor emergency clinic. My father always loved the way his voice sounded in that last stage of recovery from a cold or bronchitis - not the coughing part, but the rich and somewhat deeper sound that resonated for a little while before returning to normal.

Dorothy, I hope you get to move your clothing into your room soon; I think I'd be living out of laundry baskets to make it clear to the partner that more clothing storage needs to arrive soon.

Good work marrying the best parts of the vacuum cleaner, Susan. That's a goal of mine when I visit thrift stores these days, making things I have at home work better (though sometimes a newer version in good working order turns up for a few dollars, at which time I trade it out.)

I'm reading Mary Garvey posts around Mudcat: our decluttered and retired mg is now out travelling. The World! France and Spain, then recently the Mystic, CT, Seaport for the music festival. You go girl! I saw that our occasional visitor pattyClink was also in Connecticut. Another declutter success story!

I had help to move a heavy table from the back patio (thanks to his reminder that if I took off the top that just sets in place it is much lighter) to beside the side door, and moved the potting bench to under the windows. There isn't seating out there now, so there is a work space. And the back patio is airy now, so I lugged a redwood coffee table thing from the front porch to the back patio where it can serve the seating that is still there.

I've lugged the 2x4 crossmembers for the final fence panel to where I'll put them up on the SW side of the house. I'll replace hardware in place the posts with some I like better from rest of the fence when it came down, and I'll move the pickets over there and have the drill and screws ready for this afternoon. The bulky waste stack is still at the curb (shrinking - people have taken some away to use elsewhere) so I'll carry the latest batch of cut-up fencing over and add to the stack.

This is one of my two sanctioned watering days (using an automated system - one can water by hand whenever one wants) and I may go ahead and set up my electronic watering thing on the tap and program it to water the small (so far) vegetable garden.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Jun 19 - 10:27 AM

It's one of those days with a multi-pronged dirt and clutter offensive underway.

I have that large area rug upside down now because I cleaned the back side earlier in the week. When I pulled it half up over itself (so it's half-folded long-ways wrong-sides together) there was a whole bunch more fine dirt on the floor underneath that had dropped out of the rug as I worked on it upside down.

That has been swept up, furniture nearby moved and swept and mopped under, then the area where the rug usually lays has been mopped. Next I'll pull it out flat wrong-side down again and pull the other half up over the top and do the same thing, sweep up the dirt then mop the floor. Then I'll turn the whole thing right-side-up and shampoo it and rise it one more time. Whew!

Not for the squeamish: I can tell from the smell of the mop water that there had been some puddled dog piddle on the floor under the rug.

Meanwhile, when I went to empty the dishwasher this morning everything was cloudy. I suppose one of those fancy rinses would help, but for now I'm running the dishwasher with a hefty dollop of white vinegar poured in for both wash cycles.

Meanwhile, I'm running a test in the kitchen to see if I can make a batch of steel-cut oats in a double boiler. The goal is to have the cooked oats without half of them stuck to the pan. It looks like it'll work, but it isn't a quick process. I suppose the microwave would work, but so many things turn out rubbery when cooked in there. I usually make oatmeal overnight in a small crock pot, it's wonderful and creamy, but I forgot to set it up last night.

Once I finish this fiddling, it's out to put up the fence panel before noon.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 13 Jun 19 - 12:25 PM

Double boiler is the best method for steel-cut oats if you don’t have either an AGA cooker (not likely!) or an Instant Pot. Be prepared to wait at least half an hour, or even an hour if you like them really creamy. Soaking overnight reduces the time requirement and improves the texture.

Microwaved steel-cut oats is a waste of good food, in my admittedly arrogant opinion.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Jun 19 - 06:29 PM

After about 45 minutes they were good but not completely creamy. It works, but my crock pot does the best job overnight (start with boiling water) and I don't have to keep stepping over to see if the water boiled away.

The fence on the SW side of the house is finished. It took about four hours this afternoon and I got a bit of sun in the process, but it looks good. I cut the old panel into several pieces and they're on the shrinking stack at the curb. I guess the village will send the trash truck around tomorrow; it's after 5pm now.

I have a lot more fence to replace on the other side of the house, but doing it a section (8 foot panel) at a time comes in under $100 so I can pace the work.

Getting ready to have people over, so I'd better turn my energy to some indoor work now.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 14 Jun 19 - 09:44 AM

After two weeks of illness, the house is filthy. I DO NOT CARE.

The sun is shining, it's deliciously cool and fresh, and I'm going out for a walk. Twice around the wide spot in the river we call a lake -- about 8 km (five miles in the old money).

See y'all later.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Jun 19 - 11:29 AM

I made the executive decision this morning to discard the area rug I've spent so much time cleaning. Last night I washed again, then rinsed, and every single time I emptied the collection bucket it was as full of dirt as the previous time, after three washes the rinse still looked that way. My dogs love it, but I don't. I'll get them a smaller rug to loll around on.

The rug rolled up into a narrow roll but leaving it at the curb on top of the fence it wouldn't stay that way, some idiot would drive by and want to take a look and unroll it. So I tiled it shut and I used a Sharpie to write "NO you don't want this dog rug" on the side exposed to the street. If I was driving by I'd stop and take a photo and post it to Instagram. (I already posted it myself.) As I shifted it into position on the trash pile it gave off a gentle whiff of dog pee.

That rug was also a source of dust, so maybe cleaning will be a little easier.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 14 Jun 19 - 10:56 PM

Dupont:

I really do not mind walking across the hall for clean clothes. We so love this new home that we are happy to wait for the right piece of furniture. Meanwhile, I am making do quite successfully.

Getting rid of the dog rug was a terrific de-clutter! We do sometimes expend time and energy trying to resurrect a dead... rug!

First tank of gas today: it seems to have cost about $5/100km(60 miles) this week, at the price of gas in Canada. If I am doing the math correctly, there is a noteworthy saving but I will wait for further info to determine the extent.

After no TV since we started getting into new home, tonight R is at it, watching the news. We seemed to be managing so well without.

Boxes are getting emptied and appropriate furniture comes along. Today R hung a huge (about 4x6) sort of photo on the bathroom wall. I had a fit when he brought it home and it stayed in the back room (I meant it to be gotten rid of) until I realized it would nicely break up, and coordinate with the blank green wall over the bath tub. Looks great! A swinging pedestrian bridge over an abyss with hazy trees, softly green. So much nicer than that GREEN wall. It should survive a good while and, at $10, no loss when it dies - but we might miss it! Little by little...

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Jun 19 - 12:05 AM

That reminds me, Dorothy, that I have some of the acrylic frames that work for postcards and some for larger images - in the past I've used those in the bathroom and occasionally exchanged the images. I should pull some out and see what I can fill them with. My hall bathroom could use some bright spots of color.

I'm enjoying the descriptions of your move into the new house!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 15 Jun 19 - 08:19 AM

OATS. A rice cooker also works for other grains, and its inner bowl is easily soaked and washed.

DOG RUGS. Boy, howdy! We hold one at a time in reserve to whack off fresh dog pieces as needed, because ewwww. Febreze can extend their life. So can enzymes. Then BYE.

TUB ART. You might want to seal that art to prolong its life, via decoupaging it to a foamcore base, and/or using Mortite to seal the frame's crevices.

HERE, I'm stuck in a bit of a loop to explore my way out of.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Jun 19 - 11:03 AM

I've used enzymes on the rugs before, and I could have this time, but since it seemed to be a never-ending supply of dirt, I decided to get rid of this and I'll start over. That's a good idea, having a roll of carpet and using some at a time.

Potato salad will be finished this morning (the potatoes were boiled and cubed and the vinegar and sugar sprinkled yesterday). We all agree that potato salad that was made ahead a day or two is the best. This is for tomorrow's family picnic, and while we all like it, oldest child adores this, so it's an extra mom-pheromone sent out to lure a child home for a visit.

The rice cooker - I hadn't thought of that. When it finishes it stays on a warm setting so if the oats aren't completely done I could let them sit for a while. Steel-cut oats are a lot more solid than the rolled oats that cook anywhere anyhow.

Cleaning the kitchen and doing dishes to prepare for tomorrow. The list is growing - not just mop floor and mow lawns but clear out fridge and dig up the garlic so I can mow that part of the garden. And making it a fasting day (the exercise today will pay off on a fasting day).

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Jun 19 - 11:25 AM

Slow progress on cleaning the floor tiles in the den, but what has been scrubbed looks much better.

They say you should have your home's entrance staged to look welcoming, but most people come in the side door through my sun room, that is out of control. Before guests arrive this afternoon I'll organize the boxes (I took a bunch out to use in the garden but I don't think I've tucked newer ones back into those slots).

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 16 Jun 19 - 02:09 PM

My loop to explore is a health loop with pesky symptoms. I really love that my doc uses a messaging system... I can observe symptoms, play with variables, and report. He responds by ordering lab work without an office visit. Then if results indicate an office visit, it's worth the copay to go in, because he will collaborate on a treatment plan. Everyone wins.

We've started dividing some of the patio plants to dress up other areas. Don't tell Greg, but he's becoming a gardener. ;-)

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 16 Jun 19 - 04:21 PM

Pete has been home from the hospital for about two weeks now and is doing well. He has almost finished his at home medications and then we wait. Last time it took about 2 1/2 weeks for the cellulitis to reappear. We are hopeful that this time it will stay away. If not, he will have to go to a larger regional hospital that has an infectious unit as the doctors are unable to pinpoint where this is coming from.

Pete purchased a new to us truck last weekend and it has come in most handy as trucks often do. However, a few weeks back, a turkey flew into my car and it was in the shop all last week so Pete chauffeured me to and from work as well as running Jeremiah and well as his own travelling to and from work....it's been a long tiring week but Team Lawrence pulled together and got it done!

I spent yesterday morning at the annual Laurel Festival with my Mom, walking around The Green/park in the center of town looking at arts and crafts. We both got a henna tattoo which was fun and I found a painting that I fell in love with at first sight. It came home with me. :) I'm pretty picking anymore about what kinds of things come home because honestly, we already have more than enough and secondly, I'm a tightwad...if it doesn't speak to me without hesitation, I will admire the item and move on.

I DID see one other piece of art that was absolutely stunning but with an $800.00 price tag, I simply couldn't justify it.

Afterwards, my mom joined us for a picnic at one of our local state parks for a picnic. She and I visited, did a little reading and watched Pete and Jeremiah do some fishing.

We had plans to attend the Billtown Blues Fest today for the Gospel Blues event but it rained hard all night and has been raining all day. It is an outside event, rain or shine. If the rain was just off and on, we'd go but that isn't the way it worked out. We decided that it was a perfect day to stay in for a lazy day at home. I've been reading for hours, laundry is going, a large chunk of the piled up laundry in our bedroom has been put away and one 33 gallon garbage bag has been filled with clothes for either Sally's or Goodwill...wherever I drive by first, dishes are done, a pot roast is in the crock pot...perfect for this cool day, we've all dozed a bit, had some popcorn and have just been enjoying each other.

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 16 Jun 19 - 05:35 PM

Dupont:

Major de-clutter today as R mowed the lawn!! He left clumps of daisies! Then went out to cut 4 inch in diameter lilac that fell over. The lilacs need major work but not today!

TUB ART: the pic is on canvas - photo reproduced on canvas. Looks pretty durable.

Yesterday afternoon at Memorial for friend: I realize I am the oldest, longest term close friend of family. R also but not as close. I left with the sense that I am important to the progeny for my very long connection to the parents (51 years), now both gone. Had good chats with 2 grandsons, elucidating one on some of Opa's influence on the community. I am carrying knowledge of some of their heritage for them. WOW! The great grand son was present - 7 months old. Oma got to meet him before she died. The daughter Hannah remembers meeting me when she was 8! She has an amazing memory. This is not clutter or de-clutter, just life. Or, maybe, sorting it in my mind.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Jun 19 - 01:21 AM

More rain today and some of the invitees to our afternoon picnic (turned into cooking hot dogs in a skillet on the stove due to dangerous thunderstorms) was shy several people; it was fun but we didn't stick around long.

I'll be working on scrubbing that den floor this week, and tackling more of the vegetable garden after that rain.

Michelle, we're all hoping that this time is the charm with the cellulitis! And a lazy day of reading sounds perfect.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 17 Jun 19 - 08:29 PM

Dupont:

Managed to remove weeds from between pavers in front walk - mostly. And swept walk and steps to reduce amount coming into house. De-cluttered some of lilac but it is hard work holding two foot long heavy clippers! Try some more tomorrow. Mosquitoes not helpful! Sorted piles of books and decided we need a special place for animal books - lots of them!

Neighbour came over and showed me around her BIG yard. Lots of grape vines, pear tree, cherry tree and two huge Linden - good herbal tea. She used to have bees and showed me her honey house, but it became too much work. Still has big veg garden. We managed with her English augmented with a little French.

Very low energy today.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 17 Jun 19 - 08:30 PM

PT blew me off today. Too angry to describe. Did get some good out if it anyway.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Jun 19 - 10:48 PM

I'm sorry about that, Susan. Dorothy, it's good to get to know your neighbors! I met a young woman in the next block who has moved in with her mother. I used to speak to her father regularly when I first moved here because he was a dog walker like me, but he passed away in 2002. The introduction was easy:

"Is that Emma?"
"Yes!"
"I remember when your father used to walk her."

Instant joy in meeting someone who knew her father.

I rearranged some shelves in the office, but am not satisfied I've used the space as well as can be. I'm preparing to start taking things off of the old computer to add to the new one, so I'll need some counter space in here, that's why the rearranging first. Also the installation of software that I'll need once I make the move. And I'm still researching some of the moving/sharing possibilities with software.

Two cases (out of four I was originally given) of quart canning jars and lids are now listed on a Facebook "Buy Nothing" group dedicated to not buying things if they can be offered up by group members. I have used a few, and I'll keep an extra case but I'm thinning the supply by half. And the items culled last week that no one wanted over the weekend are headed to Goodwill. I had an early taker on the jars, a group member who describes herself as a stay-home mom working on crafting projects for sale in her area. Whatever works!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 18 Jun 19 - 05:15 PM

Legacy of Emma.....


I was sore enough on waking-- evidence of good pool work ydy while awaiting the %\\%=%/ PT-- to limit activities tdy to Active Rest. My back's reaction to putting away the hard end of the clean laundry just now agrees, after active work earlier w Yano Becky. We work as a team-- I don't just 'decree and watch.' Today it was the trash barrel full of pots and pans, which have just finished drying in the dishwasher. (Ew, PA dirty!!!)

I hope weather cooperates with Y resumption on Thursday. The research on aquatic application of exercises found online is about to pay off to replicate yesterday's workout (and then some.) I need to print and laminate a few to introduce, from the many harvested, to add to my waterproof poolside binder.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Jun 19 - 07:51 PM

Those jars were picked up at 6pm by the brother of the woman who claimed them; this way there weren't any extra trips back and forth. I have a couple of extra empty square feet in the pantry to rearrange. I'm not to the point where I can move everything off of the cart that slides into the former-closet (shelves at the back and on one side, and this tall set of steel wire shelves stores in the pantry, pulled out when I need something.) And by the end of the day, I was no longer in that group. I joined when I was driving past there every day, but yesterday with my offer they saw my location and booted me. The trouble is, the group set up last year to "serve" this area is "retired." I'll try to find the next closest group, but so far, no luck. Google "Buy Nothing Project" for more information.

I've also decided to discard quite a few of the various branded shirts from my past employer, plus event shirts, and replace them with some good-condition thrift store shirts. This will upgrade my admittedly-casual everyday wardrobe. The shirts from work are ready for the rag bag. The thrift store I like has many rows of t-shirts, and some really great stuff for reasonable prices. I'll replace them with a interesting messages or blank shirts. Usually we read about clothing discards and shopping from LilyFestre, clearing her closet, but mostly moving out clothes that Jeremiah has outgrown. I don't do enough of it here.

I think I read on Facebook that Michelle was going to play her fiddle with a local group. How did that go? And is Jeremiah to the point yet where he plays publicly?

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 19 Jun 19 - 01:11 PM

Dupont:

Managed almost 30 minutes with the monster shears - on lilac, volunteer trees, clearing around an almost hidden wiegelia (sp), and pulled the bittersweet off the back deck railing, swept the debris - and discovered rotten boards!

I DID it!

Will try for another session later, when the sun is elsewhere.

Friend who spent a couple days at Beaver, brought the mail back to Montreal! New driver's license and insurance bill for new car. Nice to have before crossing border. She says they had a great time, mosquitoes not included!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Jun 19 - 11:57 AM

I stopped by the thrift store and thirty dollars later had three pair of capri pants and a half-dozen t-shirts. I didn't find the ones I hoped for, the unisex large t-shirts with no message, I think I need to stop by Michael's for those (they sell good shirts for silk screeners). A modest stack of shirts and pants is waiting to head back to the thrift store, this time for their rag bin.

It has taken a long time for the Texas weather to feel like summer, and now we have it on high - a heat advisory today and probably again tomorrow. This is largely due to the humidity still in the air after so much rain. The actual temperature is mid-high 90s, the heat index is at least 10 degrees higher.

I've purchased several heavy-duty plastic watering cans over the last few years, and there is always a weak point the fails. If the "rose" cracks, I can simply poor out of the spout, but on the can I bought last year, I picked it up full of water and the whole top of it cracked around 3/4 of the rim. I could still use the lower handle, but that's not as convenient. I researched these and ordered one of the Behren's 2.5 gallon galvanized cans. Home Depot has a 2 gallon can the same price as the 2.5 one on Amazon, so Amazon it is. I try to use local vendors, but Home Depot as a Big Box store isn't really "local." I will visit the nearby nursery and check out the watering hose wands. The two I have here right now leave me as wet as the plants I'm watering.

Making progress organizing office shelves, with a lot of work still to do.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 20 Jun 19 - 10:05 PM

We had a chat today planning the next rounds of stuff to unpack from the garage, and decided to set a few other boxes in a Yano section for those weeks when there aren't big jobs needed inside the house.

The next item is a big bag of heavy winter bedding, most of which will store under our bed in a zippered case I described earlier, and Greg cleaned out that case today and put it under the bed, ready to go.

I resumed aquatic rehab today.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Jun 19 - 11:54 PM

I zipped some winter blankets and lap robes into an under-bed plastic case today also. And - the best news - I finally found the wand for my vacuum cleaner! It was, as I predicted, in plain sight, discovered on a stack of plastic zipper bags that sit on top of a trunk.

My galvanized watering can arrived, and it's going back tomorrow. They soldered the rose onto the spout so it can't be screwed and it leaks. When I shopped I looked at this close up and could see threads, but soldering is something new, apparently, according to the reviews I found today. There's no way to unscrew it and line it with Teflon tape or anything comparable. I'll get a refund and I'll look around locally. I may have to order the same one but ship it to a local store, so if another one is a dud, it's easier to return locally.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 21 Jun 19 - 02:59 PM

My fabulous doc approved my PT-oriented exercise plan today, which may be helpful in decisions my Y will make about letting me leave necessary equipment there.

One of the really cool things about the plan is the way the active, diverse, and abundant music scene here will require using my Rollator quite a bit over the summer.
This is good, since I suspect its my last chance to get my independence back. Between concerts and planned garden/museum tours with Judy, it should be a strength-building summer.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 21 Jun 19 - 03:10 PM

SRS, goodonya re wand!

PS to the above, another fun thing this summer will be the half dozen new GW hats, for which I have ordered hooky-clippy thingies to hang them on a rod. I saw those thingies at the non-GW store where I got a few of the hats. As I finish adding bands, etc. to each hat, I'll hang them up.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Jun 19 - 11:20 PM

There is progress in the office, and I hooked up one of the external hard drives that didn't always work correctly on the other machine, but now I can see my archive from many years of work at the university. I still pull photos out of there (usually for obituaries these days). I have a scan running on it right now.

Laundry is set to run overnight and in the morning I'll dry sheets on the line and the thermal blanket in the dryer, then put away for a few months. We're to ceiling fan, sheet, and a very light cotton blanket for occasional use season.

What are all of you doing to celebrate summer? I'm still fussing with my garden watering; I picked up a wand for watering, then realized I have one (so that will be returned) and I ordered the same watering can, but from Walmart. It still needs to be shipped, but if it leaks I can take it back to the store, maybe get an exchange through the store. What are the odds they all leak at the spout?

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 22 Jun 19 - 09:01 AM

SUMMER?

Well, the music I just posted about, and gardening, and we're hoping family skeds work out to see them July 5 for picnic in our patio plus First Friday stuff here, incl fireworks.

For me, it's going to be a time of putting my wellness first, even above Anti-Racism work.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Jun 19 - 12:57 AM

The gym I've put off joining seems to have closed, so I'll have to find another one to vacillate about joining.

Big bag of clothes dropped off at Goodwill today. And at the hardward store I picked up a handful of rubber washers to fix the things for the yard that need new washers. Yesterday I stopped at a local nursery to look at their watering cans (before coming home and reordering the watering can I want - from Walmart - my annual purchase from that troubling operation) - I'll be taking a new watering wand back to the nursery, it seems to be redundant now that I've figured out what was actually wrong with the others.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Jun 19 - 10:12 PM

I opened the old computer to look at the Hauppauge TV receiver card, and in the end closed it up again. Too many things I might want to use are tied into that card - it has easy to reach audio ports on the front, it has ports on the back, and it used to have a setup for an infrared sensor for the remote control. I got rid of that part of it a long time ago, but I will leave well-enough alone for now. I can scan channels (FCC has mandated several be changed lately to better use the frequencies) and can watch on that set, even record, it just won't record any metadata with the program (I'd have to enter it).

I moved it to the stand below the second desk, giving me some open desktop to work on. The little monitor hooked up to it is painfully tiny so I've ordered a larger one (Costco). I'll swap the current smaller monitor I have on the new computer to the old computer because it has speakers, and use the new one beside my older large monitor (that also has speakers). The little monitor goes back into the closet for emergency use. I can also put away the speakers that are hooked to the old computer.

We have a huge windstorm blowing through right now, and the rain will follow soon. It seems a prudent time to turn off the electronic equipment and read a book. Another Sunday night in June, another heavy thunderstorm. [sigh]

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Jun 19 - 11:24 AM

We survived the windstorm, but at one point last night when I was darting out into the rain to rescue newly-potted flowers on the front porch patio, I saw bags of trash floating down the overflowing gutter. Today is trash day and someone put it out the night before. #BigMistake

It's time to seriously consider cutting down at least two of the trees in this yard. One has to be removed by a crew authorized to work next to power lines. Last night that tree near the lines could have taken out the power and my garage had it fallen. That will be a major hit on the pocketbook.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 24 Jun 19 - 12:13 PM

We have a similarly problematic tree, Maggie, and it will be expensive. A moribund birch that stands well above two storeys high threatens our neighbour's house and is therefore getting urgent. She must worry about her roof whenever she looks at it, because she remarks on it whenever she sees me. It will be a job for professionals, for sure. When Tim (of Tim's Tree Service fame) brings his bucket-hoist cherry-picker to deal with the birch, he can also remove the scruffy cedars that grow right beside it. They aren't beautiful, they also loom over Judith's roof, and their absence might allow a ray or two of sunlight to reach the western end of our house.

I spent last weekend in Kingston (Ontario, not Jamaica or upon Thames) on tour with the Stratford Concert Choir. We sang at St. George's Cathedral, a sort of half-sized colonial copy of St. Paul's in London. We did a good job and the audience really liked us. Pity there weren't more of them; the nave of the church was about half full -- but, on the other hand, more people would have mucked up the gorgeous acoustic. If you're going to wear yourself out singing Anglican liturgical music, for Heaven's sake do it in a good-sounding church.

My very gradually ebbing bronchitis continued through the whole trip, with barrages of coughing that shook the bus and rattled through the rehearsal space. I could see the conductor's face tighten whenever my elbow rose to cover my face. By the end of the second performance, I needed a large dose of Ventolin followed by a cold beer and about an hour of total quiet. Fortunately, there's an excellent pub across the street from the cathedral where I had a pie and chips with a pint and a match from the Women's World Cup. I kept my mouth firmly shut for the rest of the day, went to bed before nine and got up this morning blessedly free of chest discomfort for the first time in quite a while.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Jun 19 - 01:09 PM

I knew I needed to get attention to a panel of sheetrock on the ceiling that was sagging, but I didn't act soon enough; it collapsed into my office overnight with a gush of dusty insulation. I've collected two contractor bags of insulation, tossed the sheet rock out, moved my computer station (the main part - everything else is pushed against the walls) into the dining room and now I'm waiting for someone to call back (I tried two local contractors recommended on NextDoor). And a request for recommendations on Facebook. There's another piece sagging, and a chunk from the end of the one that came down. And the hall. This is due to shifting from the foundation that needs work.

Ugg. And last night was the worst night's sleep ever, though I didn't hear anything. I think I had too much caffeine yesterday. I did the math - I use a huge mug and usually have two cups of tea - it comes to a quart, or the equivalent of drinking a full pot. This morning I compared the measurements of a few mugs and instead of the 16 ounce mug I used a 10 ounce teacup. And no more caffeine after noon.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 25 Jun 19 - 01:21 PM

Ugg indeed! I once caught a bed-ful of wet ceiling in a neglected apartment that was "promptly" deemed uninhabitable-- the LL had to give me a break on a better apartment. Warn't fun, in between.

Here, one huge contractor bag was unpacked with Yano Becky. That zip case is now full of the bulkier items, and I have a few sheets to wash and add to the sheet bin under my dresser.

I also put away clean laundry so I could use the hamper those folded items had occupied, for the dirty sheets out of that bag plus the ones left from changing the bed. Did I mention how huge a project THAT is. With all the orthopedic pillows we both use now, that bed change is a minimum of 45 minutes for two cooperating people!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 25 Jun 19 - 02:51 PM

Dupont:

Left Friday am for Connecticut and arrived home last night after a leisurely trip through beautiful rural Vermont. R and I snarled a each other all day - physically and emotionally exhausted. "I thought weddings were supposed to be joyous." Some of it was, and some was very strange to us - a BIG wedding with all the trimmings! As foreign to us as the multi-million dollar estate at which it was held.

But the emotional impact of relating to very dear folks - known for up to 50 years but rarely seen and catching up on some of the contretemps of their lives and re-calling the contretemps of the last 50 years... I am trembling with exhaustion; had to firmly broach with R the FACT that he, too, is suffering.

It was also fun to meet new and interesting people of the sailing community - the bride is a licensed Captain for up to 200 ton ships! People had arrived from most parts of the world!

The best part was my 2nd son drove up from Philly to see us and Jeff, his friend from grade 7 with whom we stayed. Jeff has turned out to be terrific!

Taun also went to the wedding site in his own vehicle in hopes of seeing friend Tom (father of the groom) who was important to him from age 6 to 16 or so. Tom embarrassed Taun by taking him around and introducing him as "my first son" and was insisting he sit at the "family table". Dear Broome who "sees all" rescued Taun and I went around explaining what had happened to each of the close family. Knowing Tom was drinking too much and anyway they like Taun too, it was OK - I think. Taun said, "This is Logan's day!"

Taun has promised to visit this summer with the boys! A real push for R to bring a couple more beds to the house and clear guest rooms.

We did not buy any antiques even though R almost grew roots in one shop! There was a net gain of 4 books (R) and a wonderful wood earring holder (I have been looking for this sort of thing for years!) and pair of wood earrings. And two choc bars (on sale).

But still, the house is moderately tidy, laundry up to date, stuff from trip put away, dishes will get done as I prepare supper, after R&R and maybe an actual nap.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Jun 19 - 03:15 PM

I remember a friend from work who had something similar happen at her house a couple of years ago, and she sent me a link on Angie's List for the painter who does drywall, plaster, etc. He's coming by tomorrow. Thank goodness to finally talk to a human being and not a phone answering machine. I left several messages, we'll see if any of the NextDoor folks return my calls. Only one of them is listed as actually doing drywall. I suspect Nextdoor doesn't hold a candle to Angie's list as far as sound recommendations.

Meanwhile, I've moved stuff from the center of the room into the dining room and I need to move a lot more out. I'm sure to work in there it will raise a dust and knock into things. The hall also needs the same work done (before it also collapses) so I guess putting the rest of my office stuff in the room next to the hall wouldn't be helpful. It has a "pony wall" that would let a lot of dust in there.

I think I may have to set up an office in one of the kid's bedrooms for the time being. The dining table works for now, but I need to store a lot of other equipment out of dust's way. I have a couple of tarps in the garage I'll bring in to have ready.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 25 Jun 19 - 10:13 PM

SRS, just after you got your office setup resolved.....?

It's become clear that my current stamina is so low that a deep nap follows an effective workout. I'm not suppressing these naps!

Working with Becky today was one of these. Happily, after that nap I was able to scooter out for groceries and even bring a few of the items in, myself.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Jun 19 - 10:33 PM

Here, Susan, You Are Doing Something Important When You Aren’t Doing Anything from the New York Times.

Yes, the timing of the ceiling isn't lost on me. There was dust everywhere and my favorite older keyboard is still a little wonky.

Two boxes of books to Half Price Books, a couple of things to Goodwill, and the recycling dropped off. I'm going to be emptying that room for the work so I might as well sort now so I won't be putting back anything I don't think I'll actually use.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 26 Jun 19 - 10:30 AM

SRS-- kudos on this:

I'm going to be emptying that room for the work so I might as well sort now so I won't be putting back anything I don't think I'll actually use.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 26 Jun 19 - 10:40 AM

Now that we're past the Solstice, it's getting hot in Stratford. Dominion Day -- oops, Canada Day -- is Monday, and Tuesday will bring the landscapers for Day One of the deck removal & patio construction project. I already feel the drain on our bank account.

SRS, I'm sorry for your ceiling troubles. Something like that happened to me back in the early 90s, leading me to believe that the collapse of a ceiling is one of very few non-criminal events to which the rational response is a robust scream.

Except for the choir trip and the rehearsals to prepare for it, I have been very idle for the last two weeks. I like to think that I was recovering from bronchitis, but that was only part of what was going on; mostly I was just sitting around reading. Today, I feel compelled to get off my ass and leave the house.

After the laundry is folded and stowed, of course.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Jun 19 - 11:01 AM

Solving large and small puzzles today. Last night the keyboard starting reversing itself (like caps lock was on) but I couldn't get it to respond to a change. This morning I tried searching and noticed the mouse was out of sorts also. I finally realized that my favorite keyboard (I have two attached at the moment) had the shift key stuck in the depressed position. Probably damaged by ceiling-falling damage, but it's back in position now and the computer isn't acting insanely any more. I like the "Unicomp" sturdy keyboard that uses the IBM Selectric key spacing and technology, but that old keyboard doesn't have the "Windows" button on it. So the flimsy Dell keyboard is there in case I need to push the Windows button. Next time I order a new Unicomp I'll get the one with the Windows button (it just did it again - I think the buckle under the key is broken).

Well, that didn't take long: the shift key is sticking again. New Unicomp keyboard ordered. Chalk another expense up to the ceiling.

Two bags of collected insulation are now up in the attic where it can be redistributed once the patch is in place (if a new ceiling is required there will be a lot more bags of insulation joining them. I don't want to switch to fibreglass.)

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Jun 19 - 06:18 PM

This afternoon I worked on the vegetable garden, reworking the areas where plants were chewed around the cambium and died (snails? cutworms?) I've put more Sluggo out and planted two more tomatoes and two more peppers. I've also put a "bat faced torpedo" Cuphea in a pot. I've never grown that before but it sounds interesting. I also scalped around edges of the garden and raised bed. This was an hour or so, enough in the heat. It's strangely overcast today again, because there is a huge load of dust in the upper atmosphere that has apparently blown across from the Sahara. The light is lightly brown or yellow even though it's a sunny afternoon. This should clear out by the end of the week.

I'm spending evenings working on rearranging furniture so I can move the furnishings out of the office. I've packed a few shelves of books, and have many more to go. I'm thinking about what to do with a couple of chairs in the garage and one in my room - they need reupholstering (versus tossing out at the curb or putting on freecycle). As expensive as it is to reupholster, I think I would go with the best one first, and discard the others. Something else on my list - if I'm going to keep pieces, they should be usable and look good.

Another panel of ceiling came down. I have to scoop up the insulation then cart the sheetrock outside. And keep emptying all of the furniture. Clearly the whole thing needs to be replaced.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Jun 19 - 10:01 PM

Thinning books in the front room (not affected by the ceiling incident) in order to move some of the office books into there. I told my daughter about this at lunch today - if there is something in particular she wants, speak up. It won't end up like the cartoon of the empty bookcase and a Kindle propped against one side on the bottom shelf, but I will never read or have no interest in looking at these, and if I change my mind, I know where to find another copy.

There are now four insulation-filled contractor-grade plastic bags up in the attic awaiting the new ceiling, when it will be spread out again.

If I'm going to have to redo this room I might as well give it a lot of thought and this is going to be the largest concentration of decluttering activity here in a long time. My work has been gradual, now it's a big push. I offered my daughter a bookcase I built many years ago and she'll take that.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 29 Jun 19 - 11:47 AM

Dupont:

Holy moly, SRS!!! Of all the happenings in my life, I have not had a ceiling fall! Guess you just needed something else to keep you busy! Aren't you glad to be "retired"!

Today was designated to get boxes and boxes of books down to the basement/library-to-be (from hallway) and the pile of debris out of the back yard... Some of this might happen after R takes a nap; he got up about 6 am, read until BF...

A brass bed and new mattress of single guest room is in hall - after the excess furniture is removed... That might happen this weekend or...

I took a hot bath before making BF and am feeling better, mostly recovered from the trip. Wanted to go to Beaver for the weekend but, clearly, we are too tired.

The house is moderately clean and tidy and - oops! a load of laundry needs to be moved to dryer.

That article looks to be interesting.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 29 Jun 19 - 02:41 PM

DP, kicking ASS!

.........

What is an Active Rest Day at this point in my recovery?

Last night, I slept well. I went out in the cool morning and watered a dozen plants spread around the patio, and did many of them while sitting. I sat at the table for brek instead of power bar in recliner. I sat at the desk to create a poolside laminate from pix of a deteriorated laminate taken ydy.

Then it was time to stretch my back in the lift recliner, which is in the office/tv room/library, so I started sifting thru movies on our new Netflix plan, and started one.

Got up to get own lunch, and watched a movie with Greg.

Initiated a Netflix break and folded the partner-needed king sheet alone, and then stowed the filled laundry hamper of linens.

(I DID purge enough in PA!!! They're all put away!)

Set up a system for keeping BR door open all day for cold air flow.

Made coffee and tea for us since Greg got off track making them for our Netflix afternoon.

Many of these are things I don't do every day on my own, especially PT days in the pool, or on alternated days or with walker. Today I must be active enough (out of the chair) not to stiffen up, but not so active I exacerbate bone and muscle stress during preceding (alternating) days' land or water workout days. My guide is my pain level: aiming to max out effort within OTC pain meds, because tramadol, while nice if the pain gets on top of me, blurs my thinking.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Jun 19 - 07:26 PM

Dusty weekend, but there is light at the end of this crumbling tunnel. A contractor came by today and concurred with the first guy, the ceilings need to be replaced. He has a crew of five (himself included) and they can do it in a day. The catch - he wants me to take down the ceilings and clear out the insulation. I'll save a lot of money on the job by doing that part, so I have heavier air filters and goggles to wear doing the work. Extra heavy duty bags for collecting the insulation, and painter tape and plastic sheeting to put up around the surrounding rooms to keep the dust limited to the work areas. He'll even paint the rooms when he finishes. The hall has wallpaper, so it might be a challenge to take that down in time. Anyone have good tips about taking off wallpaper?

I'm going to have to call the air conditioning guy to replace a vent and the electrician to replace the fan and wired smoke detector.

One more trip this evening to the used book store, then I need to assemble enough boxes to hold the books I'm still going to keep that I haven't moved into the shelves in the front room.

In all of this I've identified a few things that will go on eBay, but they're noted and filed away out of the way for now.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 30 Jun 19 - 07:52 PM

Dupont:
The house is still moderately clean and tidy - by my low standards. Robin slept and read ALL day yesterday. He needed it.

Today, we partly cleared the east wall (brick) of Wisteria - I think - leaving it about 3-4 feet below the roof. There are a couple of plants coming up in the yard which I will try to coax into standards. I trimmed a bunch more lilac and other stuff. The transplanted trees seem to be happy. Amongst places that are not so great are a variety of maple trees, and others. I am pecking away at this to free a low spreading evergreen and a beautiful Weigela. Plan to leave one sugar Maple that is in a good spot, maybe.   

R was going to take all the debris, and the pile of stuff in the middle of the back yard into the woods, however, the bugs are dreadful. It rained 3 times today. During one we went foraging: groceries, a really good Dollar store, hardware store, and -uh oh - thrift shop. More books, some really good ones! And a useful garden tool ($4) that I have been wanting (edger).

Robin opened some windows I could not budge, replaced a couple screens: better air flow! Added a couple drapes to reduce solar gain. I have moved the distiller into a guest room in the addition so I can keep the heat it generates out of the main house.

We have been so enjoying the fresh basil from the Farm in our omelettes that I purchased a plant; need re-potting - tomorrow when the bugs are less?

Not as much as I had hoped but R really needs to rest. The books have to go down a VERY steep stairs; I refuse to use it at all. And we do not have a board long enough to slide them down.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Jul 19 - 07:24 PM

Two sets of large office bookshelves emptied, through the convoluted process of emptying a lot of unneeded books in office and the adjacent room and then compressing them into that adjacent room. Now I have the music stuff on another two large bookshelves. As a single step that should go faster as it'll go into boxes and be restored to the office after the reconstruction. ETA on the ceiling work is Friday.

I finished mowing the lawn this morning, since I have to keep up with the regular stuff during this period of extra work in the house. It looks like rain this evening, I can hear thunder now. I haven't set up the sprinkler system yet and it's already July. Often by now the lawn is turning brown except for an area near the house I keep watered for the dogs. #WeirdWeather

Over the years I've accumulated a lot of little objects that have been sitting on the edges of my bookshelves—crystals, carved wood, objects picked up along the way. I'm now accumulating them into boxes. Maybe I need to assign just one shelf for all of this stuff (though I have shelves in my bedroom with this kind of stuff - maybe I should move it in there?)

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 02 Jul 19 - 09:13 AM

SRS, this would be a great time to photograph that curio collection, so it will be easier to let them go later.

Here, back issues and bed pillowing are on the docket, again.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 02 Jul 19 - 09:29 AM

SRS, I am embarrassed with several boxes of such "little objects", all carefully packed, that have survived several moves. The most embarrassing box, labelled "Ancestral Doohickeys" contains little objects that came from my paternal grandparents' house, which was sold in 1968. So far, I have not been able to let them go.

Besides, who wants a jar that once -- i.e., well over a hundred years ago -- contained bear-grease hair-dressing? I'm sure it was kept because it is very precisely fitted into a wooden sleeve, making it suitable for use by a gentleman who travels, but ... sheesh!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Jul 19 - 10:25 AM

I'm in good company then! Yes, it's difficult to let go, partly because these are story fragments. Something I need to write down and flesh out, and as Susan suggests, photograph.

The big push begins today. I've run my sturdiest jeans through the laundry every night to start fresh with this very sweaty, dusty work each day. The room needs to be emptied, plastic needs to go up, and I need to start pulling down the remaining ceiling and insulation. Ugg. I think I'll put a tarp over the top of this table where all of the electronic equipment is sitting for now. On the plus side: with all of this hard work I've dropped a few pounds.

See you at the other end.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 02 Jul 19 - 07:00 PM

There's a hot tip buried in the following report on the day.

Today the focus with Yano Becky was the BR. We gathered dirty laundry and sorted pillows brought in from the garage, and changed a bunch of pillowcases. Three old, nasty pillows were allocated to the kennel closet, a few to the camper, a few to the travel pillow bag, and a few to the bed (including one that had gone missing way back in MudDorm days), which happened to end up in the pillow case it was wearing when I first acquired it-- a sentimental item from a dearly loved elder.

We also augmented mattress padding in a key area that has caused my lumbar back issues to flare up recently. I can't be doing back PT in the daytime and then undoing it all night because of poor sleep posture; I can't expect PT-pushed muscles to heal with deep sleep-- if night pain is precluding deep sleep.

I also remade two orthopedic pillows a few nights ago, and redid one this AM for even better support.

We cleared the 2' tall pile of once-worn clothes off the top of my dresser, and I put away a hamper full of other clean laundry. *Later, Greg?? put up some closet hooks for my everyday cotton seersucker or poplin shirts, which will hopefully prevent that buildup from restarting. In the space where those-- and huge towels-- accumulate, I set a large object Greg had left out as floor clutter, to take up the dressers open space so I break that habit.

I had a fresh lumbar spine x-ray today, and already have the report... much worse than I thought, making the PT even more essential.

The images were done without the continuous pelvic tilt I'm conditioning towards, so I know that the alignment when I walk with that tilt is better than when I don't, but it is a sobering report.

* The hot tip-- Instead of closet doors, we have floor to ceiling drapes. They are situated where the closet doors were, now, but there is room to move them forward, making the closet much deeper. Right now the new hooks (and the items on them) are outside those drapes, but soon the drapes will cover them. One of the former housemates showed me the trick of putting a hook right on the molding that trimmed these closets' sliders, but adding depth by moving the drapes is all mine.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Jul 19 - 09:44 PM

There have been frequent breaks in this room emptying process, but I'm to the point where I slowly tipped over and turned the first of two huge double bookcases (that I bought at a nude furniture store and moved here back when I still owned a pickup truck). They are too big to take out of the office upright.

Books from my dad's collection are now being packed and all boxes will be either put in the front room ahead of sliding in the big book cabinet, or stacked in the office closet. Much of the electronic stuff is in the closet. A lot of his collection (cassette tapes, primarily) is still in boxes on the shelves and can simply be relocated for a few days.

Yesterday after dinner I decided to go ahead and unload the two antique armchairs. They need work, but the "bones" are sound. Goodwill looked at them askance, then said "okay." They'll be an upholstery project for some enterprising soul, perhaps to be sold later at a garage sale. I'm not the only one who buys things at Goodwill to fix and sell. Those chairs were both in the garage so they didn't make the house any less crowded, but I figured it would be a good time to do it anyway.

Susan, the end of my sunroom has a double closet door (hanging from the top, and overlapping) that are mirrored. They make the room look a lot larger, and conceal a shallow shelved cupboard where I keep glass and crystal.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 03 Jul 19 - 09:47 AM

SRS, are you doing all this moving of large furniture by yourself? I know you have plenty of experience, and you obviously know how to do it safely, but shit happens even to the experienced and the careful.

Just sayin'.

Of course, I move bookcases on my own, too, much to Himself's dismay. I know I shouldn't and I do it anyway because I hate asking him because then I would have to explain not only what I want to do but also why I want to do it, and then convince him that it's a good idea, all of which is a lot of rhetorical work. (Note: none of our ceilings has collapsed.) It feels easier just to do it myself and take the risk. But I'm not as strong as I used to be, and one of these days I'll go down under a bookcase if I persist.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Jul 19 - 10:30 AM

Charmion, I put these here 17 years ago, and I am aware of the passage of time! The thing you learn about moving stuff by yourself or with just one other small person is that just about everything moves easier if you slide it on cardboard and if you take all of the shelves or drawers or removable parts off first, it's easier to move. In this instance, the two shelves are turned then tipped to rest length-wise on their sides, then slid out of the room. Before I slide these cases out of the room I'll put down a long layer of cardboard into the destination room. Once the place is looking good I'll probably have someone come help me arrange and put the heaviest pieces back.

It has been interesting getting an up-close look at the collection again. I'll be working on it after all of this construction finishes so I'll put things back in a way I can see what is there and stage the work.

Thank goodness for the village recycle bins. I've been down several times to retrieve large boxes to use for all of this, and I'll be by again today (they should have been emptied yesterday, so anything in there now is visible and probably reachable.) I've tossed in lots of old volumes of magazines I saved but never looked at again.

Did I mention in this thread that I've started reading an interesting new book by Daniel Amen, MD? I don't usually pay much attention to the lectures during the PBS pledge drives, but I got sucked in by this one, and think the promise of offering relaxation exercises was timely. All my life I've just dropped off to sleep when my head hits the pillow, but with some of these construction concerns my mind races. His deep breathing exercises and biofeedback tricks really do help. He also offers some matter-of-fact brain health reasons for getting off of sugar and alcohol and eating healthier. It suits my current goals.

Plastic over doorways begins this morning.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Jul 19 - 11:51 PM

The office is emptied, plastic sheets are up to contain dust and insulation. Tomorrow is going to be a day of hard work, not a holiday, but it's what will put me close to ready to have the work done.

Thank goodness Amazon ships really large heavy things in gigantic boxes. I found one of those folded in on itself in the recycle bin behind city hall. It might have held something like an oversized footlocker dimension-wise, and when I pulled apart the glued seam it stretched out to more than a dozen feet long, perfect to place across the hallway for sliding both book cases out of the office.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Jul 19 - 12:17 PM

The ceiling is down in the office. It took about four hours of steady work. The room that needs a new ceiling is part of the Old garage area, so it wasn't built with a ceiling being put in just that room at the same time as the walls. I had to carefully cut the sheets right along where they meet the wall so as not to radiate a break through to the next room where the sheet extends. That was a wall against the sunroom, a wall against the hall, and two sides of the closet in the corner of the office.

I'll finish the hall ceiling tomorrow.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 04 Jul 19 - 08:25 PM

Dupont:

Daniel Amen is a great fav of mine: terrific work on ADHD and went on to major good ideas for everyone.

SRS is a very moving person! I used to do those sorts of moving things before I got to 75 and started feeling "old". The WILL is the trick!

Today, Super YAY! I came home from shopping: exhaust fan for upstairs, magnetic curtain rod for metal door with BIG window facing south, bigger, nicer mailbox, and exploration of a store to which I had not been before - the fan was $5 cheaper than local store but the trip cost about $2 in gas. An adventure.

At home, I found Robin and Lorenzo and a riding mower: the lawn is well mowed (part of the back left in field, producing grass seed!) and all the books and excess furniture is out of the addition, into basement - ready for the two rooms to be become guest rooms! Time to go for another mattress. We have a single brass bed, with mattress, for the smaller room and waiting for a double brass bed for the other. Still need room for one more in case son and two grandsons arrive!

The "mitten cabinet" is now on 2nd floor in to-be-bathroom, it's intended home. We think. We now refer to rooms as what they are or are going to be: "R's office" still needs furniture and computer. TV/sewing/reading room is pretty good, 2nd floor t-b-bath is bare other than the mitten cabinet! That is a long term project!

The heat has me indoors and very still. 33C at 6 pm. Once in a while, I do a few very small things. New set of white drapes (thrift shop $12) will go in front guest room, rods in place. A lacy curtain from there will go on door. I am using any piece of fabric I have that can work to keep the sun outside! For winter, I may be looking for heavier drapes to keep the heat in!

Dishes need washing - later. I can usually think about supper around 8 pm. Wash dishes while cooking.

LOVE new car! So glad the old one died before the trip to Connecticut!! The cruise control was great - NOT breaking down somewhere in New England was even greater!!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 05 Jul 19 - 08:29 AM

SRS, I see that you have learned the lessons of friction and weight. Over the years, I have accumulated several small mats that would be hazards to navigation if used as their manufacturers intended but are perfect for sliding large pieces of furniture across a hard-surface floor.

It is stonking hot in Stratford and, like Dorothy, I am hiding in the house with the curtains drawn except to go to the gym and the grocery store. I'm okay with that, if a bit bored.

Today I left a sharp voicemail for the landscaper who was supposed to start work on our patio this week and hasn't. On Friday, he texted to say that he was going to Sarnia to spend Canada Day with his mother, but offered no date of return. Nothing more has been heard from that quarter. It is to be hoped that he is not lying in hospital after a misadventure with patriotic fireworks.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Jul 19 - 11:57 AM

It has been relatively cool here this week, in the mid-90s [35 C today] when typically it's often over 100 [38+] by now. With no ceiling on one room, and about the remove the ceiling from the hall that connects into this room, that's a good thing. I have two AC units in the house and the one in the hall outside my office serves that area, but my thin film of plastic isn't of much help to keep the warm air out of the rest of the house.

I have seven bags of insulation that I'm going to drag up into the attic and line up on the walkway area that runs through the center of the space. No floors up there, though I do plan to put in some Plastic attic decking to enable me to walk around in areas where now I have to carefully step from beam to beam. No joists up there to support a floor, but this would make it a walkable space for work without weighing too much moving between the trusses. (This is one of many items I keep stashed in my Amazon "Wish List" so I can find the name or product description for searching later when I'm ready to act and make a purchase.)

I have to call the electrician and the AC guys in conjunction with this work. The cash goes in that direction now, not in to attic plastic.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 05 Jul 19 - 02:07 PM

SRS, you're balancing so many aspects of the work! I'm sure you know what you're doing, and are working well with great people-- but what's the relaxing downtime activity? Is there time each day or week to get completely away from this enormous project?

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Jul 19 - 04:45 PM

Not much. Until this project is over the house is hot, everything is sitting everywhere and in any old which-way, and the dogs are confined to half of the house (and not allowed in the room where they prefer to sleep). I've put it off long enough, there is less work today, but I need to finish it. After the work is completed I'll have the luxury of deciding where things go in the office this time around. I've put in calls to the electrician and the A/C tech so they can come over next week and replace the vent and smoke detector (and I have something else that has been needing done for a while for each of them to do.)

Some friends are coming for lunch tomorrow, despite the chaos—I can still make the kitchen and dining area look respectable—so that will be my dose of relaxation.

Darn, the trash wasn't picked up today—I was sure our regular Thursday pickup wouldn't happen since it was a holiday. I've pulled the cans and the bag up away from the curb and will put it back on Monday. Tomorrow morning I'll put just the broken-up wallboard into the back of the SUV and drive over to the local trash dropoff. It saves keeping it around for the next couple of week's worth of trash pickup.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Jul 19 - 11:24 AM

Sheet rock delivered to the drop station; we left here before 9am and there was a line of pickups and vans crawling up to and into the facility. It didn't take more than about 20 minutes, though. People are generally pretty efficient in there.

I stopped by the Supermercado Monterrey on the way home and picked up hot corn tortillas and some ceviche (impulse buy - to try) and guacamole, avocados, and some pico de gallo to go with the fish tacos for friends at lunch today.

The house is muggy because the outside is muggy. I think I need to get my fan stand and set it up in here. I wonder where I put it last?

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 06 Jul 19 - 12:51 PM

Dupont:

Warning to Charmion: a friend in VA hired a landscape company to do some work, They were not home on the day and returned to find 25 year old hollies with all the lower branches lopped off- the ones that hid the neighbours unappealing yard, heritage plants pulled out.... Sick at the devastation of a once beautiful yard/garden.

Heat: 35C is way beyond what I can deal with. Today is 26 and I am totally ... I do five minute indoor tasks. R went to install a window A/C this am but no easy way. He will bring home a portable later today. 117 year old houses were not constructed for... We slept with fan on last night and it was tolerable but never cooled off and today is going up - until a storm this aft - HOPE! Actually, it has already rained once this am - just more humid.

Yesterday he brought the "Dickens" desk for his office and a nice pine cabinet (counter-height) for TV/sewing room), a good "match for the one already in there. We found in the trash, a block from the Montreal house a few years ago. Very nice! Today, at the thrift shop, divested us of 3 left behind pieces and picked up a nice set of drapes for the office, and a terrific, needed, small cooking pot ($3).

Goal for today: eat lightly and breathe.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 06 Jul 19 - 01:23 PM

Today we vacuum and then load up the second underbed zip bag, and stow that.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Jul 19 - 06:02 PM

The ceviche was a winner—and at $5 a pound, also a bargain. Fish tacos also came out fabulous. The house was muggy but the fan helped keep the air moving and felt cooler that it really was.

Next comes the wallpaper.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 06 Jul 19 - 08:09 PM

Yeah Ceviche is VERY cool.

The second zip bag of winter bedding and spare down pillows is packed and in place under the bed, yay!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Jul 19 - 10:05 AM

Wallpaper removal today.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 07 Jul 19 - 12:14 PM

I seem to have converted to a stand-up desk.

It was supposed to be a sit-to-stand desk with a gas-assisted adjustable riser, but at the lowest position it is too high for typing. Consequently, it's a stand-up desk.

This is what happens when you buy furniture from a website.

I have accepted another book contract from Army Headquarters -- two volumes on Afghanistan, lots of typing -- and I was hoping for something that would allow me to sit and type comfortably for hour after hour. It has occurred to me that a person who is nearly 65 years old should probably not be sitting down for hours and hours, especially not typing.

And I can set the keyboard at the perfect height for typing if I stand up to do it. So, maybe a win overall.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Jul 19 - 12:48 PM

Charmion, congratulations on the contract! I have a movable up/down standing desk (that I'll be using more once it's set up again). I got an "Anti-fatigue standing mat" that helps with standing more comfortably. (It's tucked away in my office closet now while my desk is in the front room, behind a wall of plastic.) When I put the office back together I'll try to be more scientific about it.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 08 Jul 19 - 10:24 AM

It's getting to be time to calculate how much we should unpack weekly of the Garaged items, if we want the space back for parking. I know there's one big kitchen box left out there, and we'll probably unpack that this week. I'll book an hour of Brandon's time to get that into the house, and plan next steps with him.

The GREAT thing is how cool and breezy it is in there on hot days!

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 08 Jul 19 - 10:53 AM

Susan, isn't it great when you start to see clearance and gain function in a new abode! People talk about their new kitchen, or the family room with the fireplace, or the beautiful bathroom, but for me it was the day when I unpacked the last box in the garage and realized that we could finally park both cars under cover.

Of course, if we had stayed in Ottawa we would not have needed two cars, but hey.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 08 Jul 19 - 01:48 PM

Yes, and it's been great to have it all out of sight for awhile, too. It takes time to massage every unpacked thing into the household, which often involves letting go of loved but worn out items already inside and in use.

I am saving a few categories for winter unpacking (books mostly), because after music season ends there will be icy days spent indoors to occupy, but the decor and household stuff needs to get moving.

So tmrw Yano Becky and I will unpack a plastic bin of misc that's been sitting, and Wedneday Brandon brings I, that next big kitchen box and we count/restack boxes.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Jul 19 - 02:36 PM

Perhaps I need plastic bins that I can label by the decade. Mementos from the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, etc. I have a bad habit of too many things sitting out on edges of shelves, making it difficult to dust, and I know that "less is more" - fewer objects out mean they are more noticeable, not lost in the clutter. If I started with boxes to determine how large of a bin is needed?

This is for things like notes I want to keep from previous jobs, documents, signs, photos, etc. Touchstones for projects I still intend to get around to.

I seem to be drifting this week; I think it's the waiting for the contractor bit. I can't be as productive because I don't want to open up projects just to pack it all up to move in a few days.

I did start working on a patch in the office (a spot next to a junction box where I needed to reach inside to move wires) and I'll finish the wallpaper today. Otherwise, I feel like I'm twiddling my thumbs.

Time to read a book.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 08 Jul 19 - 06:05 PM

SRS, please don't buy plastic! Cheap Wal-Mart bankers boxes.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Jul 19 - 06:18 PM

There are plastic bins for sale regularly at Goodwill, so I wouldn't be driving the production of new plastic. The reason for plastic is to see through them to the contents. I have plenty of banker-type boxes already, but those hold files.

Wallpaper progressing, but slowly. No word from the contractor, so I have texted him this evening.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 08 Jul 19 - 08:29 PM

The other reason for plastic is that they’re waterproof.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: mg
Date: 08 Jul 19 - 08:41 PM

i hate cardboard more than anything. fine for moving stuff from place to place, but it rots, gets rodents, spiders, can't carry it once it gets soft. For long-term storage I would use plastic, recycled if possible. Of course, keep less and store less and use less plastic if possible.

I finally am getting rid of extra rubbermaid lids that i thought forever would match up. also spare socks..no place to give them though. I have gotten rid of two pillows, a little stool, recycled paper and cardboard, bathroom scales, a shelf thing in the last week or so and it is like how could i be so slow....i am pretty much post clutter but those last bits.

i need a rolling open top legal file cart under 40 dollars including shipping. one on amazon is fine but is not legal. if anyone enjoys treasure hunts and finds anything online, please let me know. my files are mostly legal or i would buy the little cabinet at thrift store..

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: mg
Date: 08 Jul 19 - 08:43 PM

srs if you are twiddling thumbs i suggest painting a small room far from the mess. it should dry fast, give yourself a boost of freshness.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Jul 19 - 09:34 PM

Nothing else needs to be painted right now, just the walls that are in the rooms that will get the new ceilings. I do need to give both dogs a bath, though. Tonight I'll see how far I can get removing this wallpaper. It's a struggle with every square inch, but I'm working on the most difficult surfaces first.

A friend of mine was doing some welding projects and had a base he built to support a file cabinet, though it's regular width, not legal. I find it very handy that it moves that way. They make inserts for file cabinets for using hanging files - could you insert a hanging support in such a way that you could hang legal files length-wise in a standard cabinet? I rarely shop at Walmart, but they have a 2-drawer legal cabinet for $39. Free pickup only.

Legal size inserts - the sides that the files hang on are usually notched ever half inch or so, meant to be snapped off with a heavy pliers and a vise grip or something comparable. You could put it in the cabinet sideways and break off the extra-long parts. It wouldn't be a drawer full, but it would be a standard cabinet holding your legal files.

The contractor texted, he'll be here tomorrow, 9am. I will be ready.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 08 Jul 19 - 10:45 PM

Dupont:
When Connie and I removed the wallpaper in PA, a hot iron and a wet towel did it in no time!

One guest room is furnished except for the mattress which is still in hall. Will look good. Two glass cabinets will hold mineral samples and pertinent books. Designated "Mineral room". When I go to order a double mattress for the other room, I will purchase sheets for each as I have no plain cotton sheets, only flannel ones! Do not seem to be any such in the local thrift shops.

Today's stop in TS netted a beautiful glass water container with faucet - about 3 gallons! Found it a spot on top of a ceramic tile on top of microwave; will free up space on counter next to fridge and rid me of plastic water container. (This is for the distilled water, used for cooking and drinking.)

R brought me a plastic outdoor cabinet for garden tools and pots! In a niche that is shady and near the back deck. This will clear a bunch of stuff off deck and in the house! On a cooler day.

Progress is wonderful!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Jul 19 - 11:31 PM

Now you tell me about the towel and iron! I have the worst of it, narrow and high areas finished, but that might help speed the rest tomorrow morning. Thanks!

I should have a mineral room also. A lot of the items sitting on the edges of shelves are various rocks and crystals I've picked up over the years.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Jul 19 - 08:33 AM

Up early to get to the ATM for cash to pay contractor (yes, after the job), and park in my across-the-street neighbor's driveway to be out of the way of contractors in case I need to come and go. I told them to park in the driveway since it's closest to the door they'll use.

Still have a couple of bags of insulation to haul up to the attic to clear the hall, then I'll try out Dorothy's wet-towel-and-hot-iron trick on the last of the wallpaper.

One of the dogs woke me early this morning with some vigorous scratching while leaning up against a door in the hall. It was like a crisp knock on the door, and tells me that today is the day the dogs are getting a bath. I'll be nearby but I won't be participating in the sheet rock work, so I should have time.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 09 Jul 19 - 09:05 AM

Good luck with all this, SRS. We only had one small ceiling go here (my fault, slipped with a spanner doing some plumbing and foot went through kitchen ceiling) and that was messy enough, although there was a bit of water involved too.

The new ceiling was an improvement though. The old one had some marks presumably caused by past problems. And we no longer felt constrained by the holes for downlighters (I think fitted for mum when she first moved in but never a good solution). We changed to one central fitting with 6 (LED for a few years) spots which provide a much better spread of lighting where you want it in that particular work area.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 09 Jul 19 - 10:48 AM

Very bad spine image seen today with doc. Not going to improve.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Jul 19 - 11:37 AM

I'm popping my head in regularly to see how it goes, but I can hear their progress through the entire house. The dogs are better outside, they wouldn't enjoy this racket (though I'm sure they can hear a fair amount through the glass door - they're sitting there looking into the house.)

I'm sorry about the spine status, Susan. I hope you can keep doing what you have been able to and maintain a level of mobility.

Flies coming in because the door is propped open. I could go in and offer cold water, whatever, but I think I'd just be underfoot. This is a family operation, the father and his two sons plus his two nephews. They're working here today because the mud they put up in a house yesterday is still drying and the 7,000sf house they'll put texture in is on hold while the owners decide what type they want. I got lucky that this job could fall between those cracks.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Jul 19 - 03:42 PM

So I've figured out a schedule - the question "do you want paint" wasn't did I want them to paint, but do I want the walls fixed for new paint (after the damage of sheet rock work). So, once I decide on the color, I'll paint. It takes a couple of days for the texture to dry enough to paint. They'll leave the plastic down on the floor so I can paint without worrying about dripping. I'm still lining up my electrician and AC guy for their part of this job.

I will be able to take down MY plastic sheeting for passage through the hall and air circulation, will get a package of Attic Dek panels, and start the work of putting insulation back in the attic over this area. These are concurrent activities, basically arranged so any attic work is in the early morning when it's cooler. I may get the insulation into place before I finish the painting. Being a hot climate and all.

I hear a compressor running out in the driveway, so I think the texture is being applied.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Jul 19 - 06:16 PM

The house is mine again, with the warning "Don't touch the walls!" for the next day or two. The access to that part of the house is barricaded to keep dogs and dog hair out.

Since the dogs were relegated to the back yard for the day I waited until the hottest part of the afternoon and gave them each a bath with a hose and my veterinary shampoo from a plastic condiment bottle. Pepper first, and while she wasn't thrilled during, when I let her off of the leash she did that classic tear around the yard in large concentric circles like she was attached to a string. She chased and jumped around Zeke and was ecstatic with how cool she felt! Zeke is an old hand at these backyard baths; he trotted around a bit but spent more time rolling on the grass trying to undo the bath.

Now I need a shower. It's almost to the point where the water in the system is warm enough to do one of my outdoor patio showers, but I'll use the tub for now. And throw everything in the laundry. Between wall texturing and dog washing I can hardly stand myself. :-)

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 09 Jul 19 - 06:24 PM

SRS, sounds like you got a great crew!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Jul 19 - 08:57 PM

He works on a handshake, gives a quote, negotiates when to come, the crew of five was here for about seven hours, and they earned their fee. He doesn't have a business card or a website, he uses his phone number for all contact and works via reference and word-of-mouth. When I described my neighbor, he didn't remember, but when I told him my neighbor's name is Cecil and he probably doesn't know too many of those, then he remembered and described where that job was.

I'll keep that number handy!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Jul 19 - 11:35 AM

The house is just as awkward with plastic up keeping dogs out of the work area while the mud and texture dries, but it's a relief to be near the point of starting the next stage. Primer is on sale at a local hardware store and I'll need at least two gallons. I deferred my jury duty that was to start Friday (moved ahead by six weeks) so I can start painting on Friday and work over the weekend. This will allow the next two contractors (electric and A/C) to come in and make their repairs early next week.

I've also found replacement blades for the fan, so should be able to repair the one I have instead of replacing it. I dismantled the fan to the point that I could remove a blade and arm and I'll take them with me to the store. For a change I think I'll turn the blades over and let the lighter wood color show for a while.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 10 Jul 19 - 07:47 PM

Dupont:

Beginning to wonder WHEN I will get back to Beaver. I miss being there but things are progressing - slowly - here.

Sorry to hear about the spine, Susan! Just one more thing!

I may have forgotten to mention the attic. R took a notion to put up a ladder that was underfoot in his "office", tied it so it would not slide and went up and opened trap door to attic! Large, well kept with a real floor, the old water cistern - tin with wood surround - and a "chimney" to let heat go out!!! He has left it open and the house cools better at night! We are planning to have Dan make us a stairs like the one at Beaver, that can be raised and hooked to the ceiling. Young guests will love the attic - another sleeping space!

Picked up some things from the Mill yesterday - quilts, food stuffs, clothes. Cleared a bureau we will bring on the truck for our BR. Lovely antique in light wood to coordinate. Lunch with Geri, books from library and checked out two thrift shops. Foraging for bedside tables now! Stopping at local shop daily!

Went to Linen Chest today, big sale, to try to get two mattresses but the prices were twice what I paid a few months ago. Bought some very nice sheets for guests and a marvelous huge huggable pillow filled with Australian wool; on sale for $35 (from $75, it was the only one). I view it as a terrific bargain because it is a total delight. Not a bed pillow - the size of four of those! A comfort pillow for cuddling, to sink into! Almost as good as a Bernese Mountain dog!

We plan to bring the futon with nice wood frame from the mill for the TV room, and guests - VERY comfie!

I also bought a weighted "blanket", with removable, washable cover. Expensive but might be good for R ; He likes heavy covers, I can't stand them, but this might work; I can get out from under if it is too much. Helpful for some folks with symptoms of autism. I'll ask him first; ($140!) If it increases serotonin and reduces his stress, it is worth it.

A couple small sofa pillows, good for the small of the back, in off- white with removable covers, were $5 each. An expensive day. And Dan is working on our wood shed at Beaver and fixing the roof!

Still 31C here and I have feet in pan of water. Helps.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Jul 19 - 09:32 PM

I enjoy reading of your progress in the house, Dorothy. Will you eventually clear out everything at the mill and let that place go? Do you still have kiln-type stuff there? Will you set up a potting room at the new house?

I tried Home Depot for fan repair parts and found a clerk who was helpful. The generic sets of fan blade arms are about $20, but they are proportioned wrong. He said Hunter sells the replacements online, and though it took a little while to figure out how that search system works, I think I ordered a set for about $35.

I picked up two gallons of primer on sale and this evening poked around the in the garage for my various painting materials. I need rollers and pan liners. I should have picked up paint chips for the wall colors. Next time.

There was an unexpected gully-washer of a rain storm this evening, lasting for more than an hour. The humidity is probably slowing the drying of my textured walls and ceilings, but I should be able to start painting by Friday.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 10 Jul 19 - 09:46 PM

I splurged on Brandon time today. My spine issues have complicated the repotting of huge baskets into huger pots, and I'm just not up to the amount of watering those root-bound baskets required. Neither is Greg.

They weren't bought to hang-- I had set them atop huge pots, for instant gratification. And I'd repotted so many of them into the pots when it was cooler.
But weather usually here in August arrived mid-May, and we lost several gorgeous and expensive baskets when I ran out of gas to water them.

So we did ALL the remaining potting today, and then some. And after a week recovering, they should bust out in flars all over again, in pots with enough soil and moisture-retaining material in each pot-- that on the worst days, daily watering will more than suffice, and when the heat breaks for a day or two we can actually skip a day now and then.

I want my %\\=/ flowers, dammit, and I shall have them.

We trashed the tomato plant no one likes, too! And put its soil to good use. He also pinched off a lot of dead stuff, all around, and added petunias on hand to fill in void spaces.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Jul 19 - 11:03 AM

The yard is too wet to work in right now and it's too soon to start painting on the primer, so today is dedicated to emptying the sunroom and replacing things in an organized manner. This has needed doing for a long time.

I'll also double-check the measurements for the Attic Dek panels and order a set so I can get started on the insulation restoration over the office and hall.

And my final consideration - what kind of rodent control to add to the attic sometime soon. There was ample evidence of their presence, and including running around behind the books in the front room shelves.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Jul 19 - 09:44 AM

Dragging and dropping the contents of drives on the old computer onto a new expansion drive to use for moving it all over to the new computer. A new internal drive will go into the expansion SATA slot this evening (it's on the mail somewhere right now). That expansion drive will then be used as the backup drive.

I have a comparison program for getting rid of duplicate files and I ran it on the old computer a while back; it's time to run that on the contents of this expansion drive so I'm not dropping all sorts of extra junk into the new drive.

Meanwhile, it's mowing this morning, then it's time to apply primer, though I need to pick up a few extras I forgot yesterday.

An important declutter move yesterday was to take apart the clump of things on my SUV key. I received the electronic key and a black dongle that had four buttons that the salesman tested on the lot and we determined it was a remote control for the tailgate. And I added a TILE device that is connected to my phone to help me keep track of the keys. The trouble with that black dongle is that if I nudge it in my office the tailgate rises, so sometimes I go out to the garage and find it up; perhaps I leaned on it last night when I was doing dishes. The last straw was when it popped up at the gas station as I (probably) fastened my seatbelt. I looked back and there it was, wide open. The dongle is now attached to a small carabiner on my handbag strap.

Finally, there are tomatoes simmering on the stove to make sauce. They got a little wrinkly over time but will still cook up just fine. Better to sauce them than toss them!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 12 Jul 19 - 02:18 PM

I forgot to report on a super-happy data thing here that was set in motion around the time of our move. I gave our miracle-working PA tech all my hardware then, except the notebook puder in active use, and he kindly fetched ALL the lurking data off of them. Two tower PCs, two old externals, and a corrupted backup of the laptop hard drive our former housemate took out of my laptop, which the next housemate, Tyler, stole.

(About 25 years of work product and family stuff, total!)

That tech was kind enough to discount his fee as our goodbye gift.

And then we moved and we're still unpacking. So the resulting external device lurked, unused, at my desk here until last week, when I wanted to update an aquatic fitness handout. I FOUND it despite not being sure which place to look, updated it, and saved it to the notebook, BOOM.

ALL my music files are also present, including all the gospel and spirituals out dear brother Mmario had agreed to curate upon my demise. We sure never thought about him going first!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Jul 19 - 04:20 PM

Sad, that. Mmario seemed like an all-round good guy, someone with such a good heart that he should have had an equally strong heart.

I mowed the front yard before it got too hot, but it still needs a lot of work. I paused in my mowing to trim a bunch of recently sprouted branches out of my way, but I have to do a lot more trimming and picking up. Since cash has been drained off by house projects and computer projects, I think this would be a good chore to put on the top of my "No Spend" list. And maybe it's time for another no-spend month. It would give me a big bang for the work, and I have a chipper to use for a lot of the branches to make mulch for the yard.

The logging and "clean up" operation across the road from me apparently will be finished with the contractor chipping up the wood. I'll watch to see what goes into the chipper and may well take the wheelbarrow over and bring back a lot of loads of wood chips.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 12 Jul 19 - 10:07 PM

I finally have a desk with a keyboard shelf at the correct height. It has taken only about seven years, plus an intervention by a friendly neighbourhood ironworker.

I bought a two-part desk from the Best Buy website, very impressed by the carefully detailed photographs of the gas-assisted riser desktop. The bottom was a very standard-looking rack stand: two legs, flat feet, brackets to bolt the top onto.

So it came by Purolator and I put it together. Imagine my disgust when I realized that the sit-to-stand desk definitely would not accommodate half of its declared function, as only a candidate for the National Basketball Association could possibly type on it.

I thought about it for a couple of days. Then I put a notice on the local Connect Facebook page asking for anybody with metalwork experience and equipment who would cut six inches out of the legs. A guy called Mike pinged me back. He builds structural steel for a living. He thought he could handle it, and indeed he did.

Mike's services were not cheap, as he had to pay his buddy a hundred bucks for use of the buddy's machine shop for an hour, but for the first time since I quit the government I have a computer desk that I can type on without hitching my shoulders up around my ears.

Meanwhile, construction continues on the patio project. Today we had laying of stone, and indeed it looks very, very nice. The garden around it looks like a dustbowl, but the patio looks very, very nice. And our chequing account is a great deal thinner than it was on Monday.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Jul 19 - 12:23 PM

Good work with the desk, Charmion. I'm having time visualizing why you needed to cut off legs, though. Can't you just elevate it to the point you want and leave it there?

My hands smell wonderful after pulling out dead and dying limbs from the huge rosemary shrub growing at the street edge of the front yard. I'll run those through the chipper later. This is the first of several areas needing a good clear out of branches. Turning it into useful mulch always makes it worth doing.

The new fan blade arms have arrived. They look like a better quality of metal than the originals. I'll repair this and purchase a new fixture for the hall and I'm ready for the electrician to arrive. He said late next week.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 13 Jul 19 - 02:02 PM

SRS, the desk was too high at its lowest height; it was a standing desk, not a sit-to-stand desk. With my office chair set at the correct height for typing all day (back flat, feet flat on the floor), my hands were at least six inches too high for work. With my arthritic feet and lower back, standing all day is not an option.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 14 Jul 19 - 08:45 AM

Brandon has now entirely cleaned up a pesky garden bed I'd had to let run wild this season, so now it can be replenished with soil and shredded paper, and replanted.

It can be fed by a drip hose, so I'm thinking to seed it asap with hardy perennials that will root now and come up bigtime next year. I wonder what groundcover I'll choose to start with?

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 14 Jul 19 - 12:42 PM

I chose a purple-toned thyme for the ground cover, to go with yellow flowers along the white siding that backs the bed. We'll germinate the plants in a huge tray we recently acquired via curb find, for which there is a patio table.

By the time they're ready to go in the ground, I can get that bed filled for them, and I've chosen a partial sun place for that tray near plants I water daily-- I do like watching sprouts do their thing-- I think full sun might burn them at this time of year. The seed company I used to start perennials last time has about an 88% germination rate according to my records. Peat pellets on hand will likely be involved as well.

NEXT summer I plan to germinate fall perennials indoors, but we need an electrician visit first for the designated area.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Jul 19 - 01:03 PM

The ceiling and walls in the office have a coat of primer now, and it used the entire gallon. The hall comes next, after a cool down, and should require approximately a half-gallon. The part so far is the roller, the brush work to fill in crevices and corners comes next, after the walls are dry.

I'll paint the ceilings later today, and be ready for the A/C vent to be reinstalled in the office. I have a box in the sunroom for things that I come across still that will go to Goodwill. The leaded glass light cover from the hall, a couple of things pulled out of the pantry, it's slowly filling. The recycling bag (that lives in the sunroom) was emptied a couple of days ago. Some of the "normal" sunroom items are lined along the cabinets in the kitchen. This causes a tripping hazard in there, but makes the sunroom more navigable during the construction process.

Charmion, I should have realized it was the "down" position of the desk that was the problem. I also find mine just a little taller than I like, and my chair doesn't raise enough to compensate. I've thought about putting an under-desk tray in for the keyboard, but the steel supports of the desk itself are in the way.

My afternoon yesterday was taken up attending a funeral service, after which an old friend followed me home to poke around in the yard, so I didn't get back to the chipping project. Today is a painting day, so probably tomorrow morning I'll do more trimming and get started with the chipper.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 15 Jul 19 - 10:39 AM

The lads are at work again on the patio, and today we will have back steps.

As is so often the case in projects like this, one damn thing leads to another. The original problem was a basement window with no window-well outside and unmistakable signs of water damage on the wall inside, and digging out window-wells is part of the patio project. The problematic window is -- of course-- the one where all the utility cables and the air-conditioner ducts enter the house, and the air-conditioner is in exactly the wrong place, much too close to the window. So the air-conditioner must be moved.

Enter the HVAC contractor, for the landscaping crew are not licensed to so much as touch the air-conditioner.

Dating from 1988, our machine has soldiered on some five to ten years beyond the normal service life for such equipment. In fact, it takes a kind of refrigerant that is now banned in new installations and costs a bomb, so no HVAC company around here stocks it. Rodney the HVAC Guy says he and the landscapers can move our dinosaur, but they might not be able to avoid damaging its elderly copper tubing. Consequently, we have decided to add "replace air-conditioner" to the patio project. What's another three thousand dollars to plutocrats like us?

Besides, I'd rather do it with a plan than have the thing die in the middle of a heat wave when we're out of town for a week.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 15 Jul 19 - 11:02 AM

Dupont:

some progress: A bizarre piece of ??? - formerly a Chopard display piece with revolving platform inside glass or plexiglass box set on a beautiful, four foot tall, wood cabinet??? Google Chopard (I had no idea!) watches from $1000 upwards of $65,000! No wonder this is beautiful - but is there any use for it?? Now tucked into the den at one end of fireplace until R decides ... The den looks fine. It is a conversation piece. He may put a mineral on display. Hearth, free of boxes, is home to large aloe vera and a couple garden books for Bowser's front paws. Also a large glass cylinder (foot tall,8inch D.) for an as yet undetermined plant. White stones in bottom for starters.

However, moving it to that spot freed a nice spot for the lovely mahogany cabinet with glass door - for special books in guest "wing". Also tucked in - a space at end of stairs to basement about 2 feet wide and 6 feet deep - a dead space unless used creatively - We have. Another dead space, between stairs and wall can hold a bookshelf I saw yesterday at one of R's buildings. Books can be reached from the steps.

At said building, we acquired a single mattress and -useless- boxspring, an interesting cabinet (from Pier One!) that looks antique and perfectly fits a space in den. Also a tall wood pedestal suitable only for holding a, preferably unbreakable, item on display. Maybe a large plant. Placement as yet undecided.

Also a short pew that can fit in hallway - place to sit to put on boots - after the hospital bed - NO! but he cannot move it out without help- "But you got it in!". Why don't I want it in guest room instead of the nice brass bed??? Then we had discussion of my FEAR of STUFF and wanting the house to maintain beautiful character!

As I wrote that: what if we need a hospital bed downstairs sometime in the future? Maybe I need to re-capitulate? But I like this brass bed...

On the subject of stuff: I caught him measuring the attic door this am and he announced that two, specific, pieces of furniture would fit up there. WHY?????? Nature abhors a vacuum - and so does R, apparently.

All boxes of books are downstairs but now we are dealing with humidity down there. Or, rather, what to do about it. It built up when the electric went off overnight and sump pumps... Water on floor absorbed by concrete... Will we have a generator before the next time???? All I can do is remind - but not too often. (There are four at the "shop"; one is functional and was needed elsewhere. MAYBE another could be repaired...)

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 15 Jul 19 - 01:01 PM

Be strong, DP!!!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Jul 19 - 01:43 PM

Dorothy, I am astonished at all of the moving and sorting you're doing in conjunction with all of these properties. Is the old house in town (that had so many problems) completely gone at this point, nothing more to move out, etc.?

Charmion, I agree: as annoying as it is to have this project grow exponentially to include a new air conditioner, it's better to do it now instead of once it dies. And I think you'll find that the replacement of a 30+ year old unit will provide you with an energy efficient and more versatile system.

Here, the attic duct is sound and the louvered vent that serves the office is back in place (and the newly painted ceiling now has a few dirty finger prints on it.) While they were at it they checked both heat pumps and added Freon to one and replaced a capacitor in the other (a capacitor went out last summer in the smaller unit, so this was dumb luck to catch it before it completely died). I went up to take a measurement between the roof trusses and ordered the 24" decking panels. They should arrive Saturday, and I can begin restoring the attic insulation and have an area for safely storing a few lightweight things that seem to be most logically stored in the attic. Flattened boxes, the xmas tree stand, etc.

I had a conversation with a friend about how she is being priced out of her apartment because the property taxes keep forcing up rent. We talked about housing for single women of a certain age and concluded that sharing houses makes sense. I certainly have space, and while we didn't discuss it as something we would actually do, it is a thought exercise in how to divide and share. Clear enough stuff out of the garage so two vehicles can fit, set up another office space, etc. It's worth considering at some point, and I've known that particular friend for a long time. She'd love having a huge yard to get her hands on, for one, and the creek and the (now somewhat damaged by being bulldozed) woods across the road. And she likes dogs. :)

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 16 Jul 19 - 08:48 AM

Last week, instead of bringing in the TWO boxes I'd requested, Brandon misunderstood and carried in.... EIGHT, which are taking up so much space that the front door won't fully open. So today Yano Becky will help unpack the two biggies blocking that door.

Yuck!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Jul 19 - 08:52 AM

Susan, I have learned over the last three weeks that sometimes work is thrust upon you! Because of the accident of misunderstanding you'll probably dispatch those boxes sooner than planned and will 1) discover missing treasure and 2) have more space wherever they came from.

I'm kind of to the point you reached when you started integrating the PA stuff into the OH house: I have stuff from here moved out of it's location and now I have the gift of an empty room to figure out where I want it to go this time. And this unavoidable project arrived suddenly.

Good luck with that!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 16 Jul 19 - 11:01 AM

Yes, SRS, enjoy your mile in my shoes!

To top it off, Becky informed us-- too late for a sub-- that she can't come today. Fortunately, as you indicate, I had already started on the smaller boxes Brandon had set onto the big, targeted boxes, and dispatched most of their contents.

And before she called, I had converted the LR to Sort Mode, which means trash and recycle baskets all over the floor. But I have already made that LR front door open-able.

So Greg will have a few of "his" treasured items to de-grunge and set in their destined spots, and I'm running many smaller items through the DW. And I'll knock off when my back starts talking trash at me, which is easy because there was room left for one of those big boxes which is now a catch-all for kitchen minutiae that don't go in the DW.

I find that by the time I've seen an item three times, I know exactly what to do with it, which is occasionally Goodwill.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Jul 19 - 11:26 AM

Too bad about your helper, but it sounds like nothing was going to stop those boxes from being processed!

This week there has been a lot of discussion about the "Amazon Prime Day" (that lasts about 2 days because it's around the world) and other stores are joining in to serve those customers who want to avoid Amazon. Macy's is one, and today I impulsively did bought the flatware set I've been mulling over for a couple of years. My mother's silver plate Oneida has served long and well, but looks pretty battered by now. Amazon limited purchase to five place settings but Macy's let me buy eight and competes with free standard shipping. So it gets here a few days from now instead of tomorrow, but no problem. I'll keep the nice pieces from Mom's set and see if Replacements.com wants any of the others, or else it's Goodwill. The nice remaining pieces will serve as a reminder, and that's enough. I got it for about half the list price (it's Dansk five piece Classic Fjord II, one that didn't have creases or crevices, very clean lines).

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 16 Jul 19 - 02:54 PM

Thrilled that the generally-toxic local FB group apparently has at least has a few ppl interested enough in the planet to take our used bubble wrap off our hands, and empty boxes, too.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Jul 19 - 10:59 AM

The paint roller nap wasn't robust enough to cover the texture in the office so I'll get another quart to add to my remaining paint in the gallon can and get a heavier nap to use on the second coat in there, and hopefully I'll only have to use one coat in the hall.

Fish is smoking all day today, batches for several people.

I feel so ready to toss out lots of stuff as that office goes back together. #MaximumDeclutter

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Jul 19 - 03:33 PM

Aha! The electrician was able to come over today, and though he may not be able to finish, the first things being worked on are the light fixtures in the office and hall, so my work will be easier tonight. I put off painting when I heard they had time this afternoon. If he can get the circuit breaker (ground fault) problem fixed that will be wonderful - the old wiring was such that any plugs around water all went into a ground fault breaker in the box (they hadn't developed the individual breaker plugs). My bathrooms now have the modern test buttons, but since the box on the wall by the patio has failed, none of them work and I can't use any plugs in my bathrooms or dressing room. The electrician said they used to be able wire up to eight different plugs at a time into those old circuit breakers, so the wires running to it are from all over the house.

While out getting paint I made a very small declutter but swinging by my optometrist's office and dropping off an old pair of glasses and some empty glasses cases. I don't have enough in the box yet to take over to Goodwill. I picked up the hall paint color at the same time I got the extra quart of sage. I resisted stopping for a Diet Pepsi on the way home - even though the fountain drinks don't have aspartame, they probably still aren't good for you. I have some canned lemonade I made up (it has sugar, yes, but this is pretty darned tart lemonade!) I've been reading Dr. Amen's latest book, and he says many snack foods aren't good for the brain.

I'm aiming at having August be a "Spend Nothing" month. I can use the time to finish up all of the projects planned and paid for and that still need work. I also still have LilyFestre's "Twelve Days of Cleaning" thing I printed last year on my fridge, and after the explosion of dust that hit this house in the last three weeks, I need to work my way through and wash or dust or clean everything.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 18 Jul 19 - 06:24 PM

Been in lost/fone purdah.

Brandon is measuring for my first ramp here. It should facilitate coming out of the garage and 5" down into the patio, and back up.

From that I can ferry things I should not be lifting, and sit to tend pots. When he works the bugs out using up scrap wood, he'll build another out the front door.

Both of these doorways have interim step platforms I created to reduce the 7" steps to 4", but it's time to ramp. These step platforms consist of decorative block laid in a pattern, under a doormat, pulled 1.5" away from the siding to provide space for a drip hose or outdoor extension cord. In all these situations, the ramp will butt up to these block platforms, not cover them.

When THOSE bugs are worked out, the third ramp can be planned, going out the back door and along the front gate towards the woodstove garden anchoring one end of the patio. That one has some complicated angles.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Jul 19 - 09:42 AM

Sounds like you're "ramping up," Susan!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 19 Jul 19 - 10:14 AM

We need a Spend Nothing month, too. The patio project cleaned out our ready-use capital reserves, and I'm not touching the tax-free savings or Himself's business savings, which is where we sock away money to pay the taxes. I don't ever want to find myself out of pocket at tax time, having lived through that low-grade but unremitting misery long ago.

That said, the patio needed doing. It probably could have waited, but the old deck had that unmistakable whiff of active rot AND there were those basement windows and their drainage issues.

But, of course, one completed capital project leads (as the night followeth the day) to the next. The basement windows, no longer hidden by the deck or half-submerged under rampant foliage, are about as energy-efficient as wet Kleenex and an invitation to burglars.

Also, the air-conditioner. Maybe that can wait till next spring, but ... probably not.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Jul 19 - 10:34 AM

Charmion, hopefully you can find something off the shelf that can be put on and will dissuade any burglars. The houses in my neighborhood (this one included) were built with decorative iron or aluminum bars. After I had a burglary here in 2005 I completed the set but putting up new ones fabricated to match the existing bars; these went up over the three-across bay window (part of new construction). I also put up decorative security doors into the house. If it's a standard-sized window, the prefab pieces are remarkably affordable.

It's shocking how much all of these purchases add up to at the end of a month-long period of repair. But you will enjoy that new deck, and I will enjoy my restored office. At least it all adds up to something you can use and be aware of.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Jul 19 - 09:04 PM

The second paint coat in the office still didn't get all of the little white spots showing through so I went over with a brush and kind of stippled and swirled to get it into the recesses. The hall had only one full-height long wall (and that has two doors), doors at each end, and the other side is a half-wall. I painted the whole space with a brush because there was so much prep going around the edges it seemed I was almost done when I finished outlining all of the corners and edges. It took some hunting around but I located the can of enamel that I'll use on the baseboard trim around both spaces. I also found some more rollers and handles I'd completely forgotten about. I could have used some of the primer from before and bought one less gallon. Now how to store everything so it's organized and I remember to go find it when I decide to do more painting. That's the trick, isn't it?

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 19 Jul 19 - 09:20 PM

Yes, SRS, it is the trick, and the previous owners here saved every drop of every color that had ever been used here including colors from 4 layers of paint under the coat here when we moved in. Subtle hint-- don't stockpile that stuff!!!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Jul 19 - 09:42 AM

I'm starting to peel off the plastic layers in places—this requires using a sharp knife to score the edge of the paint on the tape and slowly pull it away. I still have touch-up in both rooms, but then, if you're seeking perfection no paint job would ever be completely finished. Once this area is open I have to put the insulation back in place or both air conditioners will be working overtime. My electric bill is half-again higher than usual for last month. Getting the units tuned up last week will help with that.

It's time to start picking grapes. They're very late this year, over two full weeks past the average ripe date.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 20 Jul 19 - 02:03 PM

It's an Active Rest Day here-- indoor, AC edition for the heat warning.

Greg just ran an extension cord for a lamp we unpacked this week, for a dimmer overnight LR light. I stowed clean laundry, amid other chores, and ran a hot wash of new red undies with formerly-white undies that will come out pale peach.

Four large K boxes reduced to 1 to sort/purge later. (Some of the items need space cleared/sorted first.) A big batch of silverware, etc to run thru the DW. A few items for Yano to clean.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 20 Jul 19 - 06:49 PM

Anyone know how early I should sow creeping thyme for Oct. 1 planting?

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Jul 19 - 07:50 PM

I climbed into the attic and retrieved the bag closest to the stairs and redistributed the insulation into the nearest repaired area (near the stairs) so I could use the bag for trash. I have most of the plastic pulled carefully from around all of the doors, windows, and the pony wall and much of it is crusted with the plaster texture slurry they sprayed.

I'm not ready to push further into the space yet (using the decking material) but I am ready to open things up more in the rest of the house. The tile floor is still covered with plastic so I'm not letting the dogs in yet but air circulates now.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 21 Jul 19 - 12:44 PM

I was able to find my sowing date for the groundcover mentioned upthread-- peat pellets arrive any day, then BOOM. I also found two low-impact items to give good color in the spring, in that bed and a front bed, using seed tape along the siding and seed mat fitted around foundation plants.

The spine thing sure threw me for a loop, but I WILL have "them flars" as dear Giac used to call them, dammit!

I hope that back rehab allows me to get back to starting my own perennials for these beds, next year, if Brandon is still gardening for us.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 21 Jul 19 - 12:51 PM

SRS, here's the late Mary Giacomini, if you could linkify her into my last post... Misty eyes/mind, so only though of it after I submitted.

https://mudcat.org/photos/photo_page.cfm?file_name_sent=giac

---

Linked. And goodness, I thought all of these were lost forever.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Jul 19 - 01:03 PM

Clearing up some email issues and sending information to a friend for whom a Flickr account was set up years ago but he lost the info. Now he wants an account and maybe he can get in and start from there.

My to-do list is too long and so much stuff needs to go out of here that I'll call this a free-for-all day and just keep moving and see what happens by the time I come to rest this evening.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Jul 19 - 09:49 PM

One corner of the front flower bed is weeded and some salvia I bought a couple of weeks ago are planted. Mulch applied all around it. This was my "lick and a promise" to the yard since it has been so neglected over the four weeks since the ceiling mess began. I also mixed some of my organic foliar feeding mix of compost tea, Hasta grow, Murphy Oil Soap and a healthy dollop of spinosad and treated a few plants that are laboring under the assault of pests. There are more to plant soon, in part of the bed soon to be abandoned by the potatoes.

This evening I finished pulling up the last of the plastic - on further consideration, it doesn't make sense to try to leave it on the floor till last because I have to paint all of that baseboard area it covers. It's all in a huge heavy duty contractor's bag at the curb for trash pickup tomorrow.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 21 Jul 19 - 10:46 PM

Dupont:

house in city: Still for sale; the best furniture is still there for showings.

We went to Mill yesterday and picked up futon with frame - frame is still in yard; going to be tricky to get upstairs!, bureau- now in BR, air conditioner - now, gratefully in BR. Hospital bed set up and looks dreadful - will probably disappear. Pew is now in hall and looks great.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 22 Jul 19 - 09:52 AM

On Saturday, Himself and I spent a rather frantic hour adjusting drainpipes to conduct the off-fall of water from the roof into the middle of the yard. The weather report ominously warned of a ferocious storm system bound directly for Stratford, and I did not want a repeat of last Monday's near wash-out around the air-conditioner.

So now we have six feet of drainpipe attached to the end of the down-spout and propped up at the proximal end on a stack of patio stones. At the distal end, a plastic accordion extension reaches out into the bald patch where we used to have lawn, before the landscaper's Bobcat entered our lives. It looks like hell and it's definitely a tripping hazard, but it puts the water where it won't do any harm and might actually do some good. And it's temporary -- only until the new air-conditioner goes in ELSEWHERE and we can put a rain barrel in that spot. Or maybe two.

On Saturday afternoon, we drove to Chatham (two hours down the 401) for a family gathering

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Jul 19 - 01:42 PM

Good job with the water management project, Charmion!

It won't cool down here until October, and every day I have to decide what all I want to do outside depending on air quality, how hot, heat index, and general level of lethargy because it's the middle of summer.

I slept late enough that it's too hot to work much outside, so I'll paint trim. I may go out for a few minutes at a time, but not for an extended named task like "mow the back yard" (takes at least an hour), etc.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 23 Jul 19 - 10:14 AM

Steve the Garden Guy is on the new patio right now, planting hydrangeas, foxgloves and jeezly great daisies -- echinacea and rudbeckia -- in our new garden bed. It's a beautiful day in Perth County, now that the heatwave is over (for now), and I must get out and stretch my legs.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 23 Jul 19 - 10:18 AM

At Lowe's early this AM for a little seed starter to dust over the thyme I began sowing onto peat pellets yesterday, I SCORED. Black Eyed Susan's I needed to replace, end of annuals sale but they're perennials-- $5 each x 4 1/2gal pots!!! To center the bed I'll seed-tape.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Jul 19 - 10:46 AM

I bought a handful of plants a couple of weeks ago, and this week I put the salvia out in a front bed. I'd separated and nursed along some squash and okra, and this morning I found all three squash plants bitten off at the base. They aren't in the ground, they're in pots, so whatever did this traveled across the pots to do the damage. I haven't figured out who or what the culprit is and my garden is a mess because so many plants have been bitten off or girdled.

This is the time of year when I hit the hot-weather funk; it feels like there is so much to do and it's just too darned hot outside to do most of it. I live for that first cool day of fall.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Jul 19 - 12:12 PM

Somewhere in my office stuff (not yet back in my office) is a tape of my father singing, among other things "The World Turned Upside Down." I can find different words and tunes on YouTube, I can find the tune with the words in print below, but I can't find the song and the words performed together. So I guess I'll have to make a video with Dad's song and add some kind of topical illustration. This is one of the frustrating things about my office being tumbled hurriedly into boxes and stuffed in another room. I'm going to have to organize it. Again.

Back to my regular grousing.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 23 Jul 19 - 12:31 PM

Yano Becky returned today and we emptied 10 boxes of fragiles of their packing materials, which I will upcycle. This reduced the boxes to four medium sized boxes of items to clean next week. We set the four boxes in the little red wagon for ease of shifting, and I broke down all the empties to recycle.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 23 Jul 19 - 04:39 PM

Brandon built my first ramp! It works!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Jul 19 - 09:14 AM

It looks like today is the Attic Day. Gear and materials are ready. Cooler than average, and it's morning. Now I need to set up a radio so I can listen to the Mueller testimony while I work. However, based upon the squirrely, fast-talking congressman from Georgia, and the twit from Texas Ratcliff now, half of it is going to be agonizing to listen to as they try to wriggle off of the conspiracy hook. Hyperbole.

Goggles, mask, long sleeves, screwdriver and drill. Decking materials that will give me platforms to work from.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Jul 19 - 01:00 PM

About 1/3 of the space is now re-filled with insulation. I had to take up cardboard to kneel on because those Attic Dek planks are strong, but awful on the knees. I'm taking a break for a quick lunch and long drink of water.

Back up to finish the job, and I also end up with good surfaces for the few large empty boxes stored up there to sit on. I'll get some more of this Attic Dek another time and put pathways to a couple of areas where I have to navigate to work on occasion (pulling Internet cable, etc.) I suppose in the future everything will be WiFi, but I still get the best streaming results when I have data ports in each room, and I still have a couple of rooms I didn't run cable to when I made the big push to do the whole house. And the point where the phone line and Internet line come into the house - difficult to reach but a path to it on these would be perfect.

The next stage, after insulation and painting trim are finished, is to dust and restore each piece of furniture into the room, and to reinstall the wall shelves. This is a point where more stuff may go into the Goodwill bin. I'm probably a couple of days out from that.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 Jul 19 - 03:30 PM

An electrician finally showed up to give an estimate and plan a quick work date for what's been "urgent" since 2014.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 Jul 19 - 04:55 PM

... And this caused me to declutter the sideboard here planned to be my summer Germination Station, where up to 125 peat pellets can sit under grow lights-- I don't garden in hot hot hot summer except watering plants, or indoors.

Adjoining the sideboard is the Germination Kit (box) I'd packed in PA for just that purpose. Tomorrow AM, the grow lights come out and I can plug those puppies in. From there it will be daily rotation of trays for even light from the grow lights and adjoining window, until any surviving plants go in the ground Oct. 1 (sooner if necessary).

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Jul 19 - 07:26 PM

The insulation is in place, though I have an extra bag and one corner I couldn't reach, so maybe a job for a cooler day. I'll go over the baseboard with a scrub brush to knock off grit before I paint it, and once the trim is done and the touch-ups complete it will be time for furniture.

The Attic Dek planks are meant for the ceiling joists being 24" on center, but the builders were a bit sloppy and while it worked in one area, the second place where I wanted to install them is more like 25" on center, and the decking wouldn't install securely at that spacing. I had 30" planks up there from the past when I was running cable through the attic, and they were what I used this time. I'll use the rest of the dek planks in other places where I need to pass through more easily.

A bag full of now-empty contractor bags is in the garage to be re-used as needed. They're good for hauling around compost and occasionally filling with trash (though I rarely have that much and usually put it in cans that are emptied at the curb.)

It's nice to finally be able to set the air conditioners at their usual levels. I look forward to being able to fully enjoy the house again soon.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 25 Jul 19 - 09:42 AM

SRS, your energy and resourcefulness astound me. In your situation, I would be completely dependent on a contractor and up to my neck in fresh debt. I salute you.

Today, I am off to Kitchener to be needled at the allergist's office, but after that I shall visit the garden centre for some perennials. In particular, I'm looking for bee balm (Monarda didyma), which smells good, attracts bees, and looks like something from Mars so Himself likes it, and foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), which I think is interesting and should grow well in the bald spot where we used to have a scrubby-looking cedar.

I thought it was a bit late in the season to be planting, but Steve the Garden Guy gave me that pitying look I'm getting used to and said, "Why, no, not at all."

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 25 Jul 19 - 11:21 AM

Think we talked about networks on another thread not so long back, SRS. I took an easy (although I’m not sure how recommended) route for our bungalow and wired outside.

Just as in idle curiosity item, this is a rough sketch (which I think should have said 5E or 6) of what I wound up with a few years ago. It gives a redundant (or double speed if both lines are up) gigabit line where the static equipment is located and at least gives good wi-fi where it is wanted most.

Getting above the living room is impossible btw. The rest of the building (I believe a converted grain store) has a conventional ceiling and attic above but the living room is a later (60s?) extension with a roof more like a barn and with a couple of sky lights.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 25 Jul 19 - 11:38 AM

Charmion, I hope Steve/TGT explained (or you knew) that most established potted perennials can go into the ground as late as weeks before the first frost. They may not fully flower that year, but the real magic of the plant happens underground, and the roots will reward you the following year.

I planted Coral Bells that way several years ago, and have based my whole gardening plan on fall planting. Just keep the roots as watered as each plant calls for no matter how unlike their future selves they look, and attack weeds with your usual pluck. You'll see those mature beauties soon enough (starting next spring and summer). Potted annuals-- set right on top of bare spots between the perennials-- can give good cheer this season.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 25 Jul 19 - 12:30 PM

Charmion, foxglove just sets where it pleases here and mum usually leaves them alone.

Thinking another thing that "just grows" here. Mum likes a little boundary which I keep higher and say 30cm wide between where I mow fora path between the veg plot and the farm worked field. Not much but a few field poppies have come up there. A nice bit of colour as you look over towards an (also attractive) currently ripening field of barley.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Jul 19 - 06:14 PM

Jon, when I get the second internal drive installed in my expansion slot I'll transfer most of my files from the old computer. Included in there are some CAD images of the house and I can show you my pattern. A friend was my mentor in this; he's an electrical engineer and provided some of the early equipment (I move in here when it was still typical to have a wired phone in the house and in several rooms of the house. For a while I was using a 66 block and I set up the phone and coaxial for cable and later the data ports using a "star" shape versus the old "home run" setup that was here and is kind of what you described. That linked from one room to the next to the next, all around the house. My Internet and TV antenna come in at the back through a hard-to reach part into the attic so I pulled each cable to a place at the top of the attic steps where they are connected to one of the trusses. I run a cable from there to the modem and router (in a central location in the house) and that is where the coaxial antenna cables run from also. My house is masonry with siding on each end of the house and the dormers above the first floor brick, but I don't think running wiring around there would look good.

I can move around in my attic fairly easily and fish wires down into walls to junction boxes, and with the Internet and antenna terminating at an easy to reach spot, I can address each room individually without having to find where they are in a sequence.

Lots of sore muscles today after yesterday's insulation gymnastics. Charmion, it's pure stubbornness and poverty that have me doing as much of this work as I can. I pay the ones who really need to be here doing the work. There's still plenty of "fresh debt" with this project. I did the demolition and am doing the painting, and replacing the insulation (and oh, my aching arms and bruised knees!) The rest I left to the professionals.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 25 Jul 19 - 06:48 PM

Interesting SRS and I’d not heard of 66 block. Or lived anywhere with multiple wired phones. There was one extension here but the ADSL works better without it, and we moved to using wireless dect phones.

Appearance isn’t much of an issue with my cabling, just in surface mounted white trunking against white walls. The top bit in my picture is the path to the field and the left (which btw also has 8 blue mango chutney water butts along the wall) and bottom to the end of the living room completes a path round the house. It’s all quite narrow (I can get a wheelbarrow round but that’s about it) and not as if someone could stand back and take a look.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 26 Jul 19 - 11:58 AM

A disability accommodation issue I've been negotiating nicely since January comes to a head today. I decluttered my spine of 30 pounds of prescribed rehab gear I've been re-injuring my spine with at every Y rehab visit. It's all finally in a padlocked case to leave at the Y. If they refuse, I have a lawyoo in my corner, and financial damages to document.

~Not Playing Around with My Spine

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Jul 19 - 01:13 PM

It seems I was sloppy when I went around the edge of the room with grout to finish the tile, because as I cleaned the baseboard I found sticky surfaces extending out from the wall. This was done a long time ago and I've found information about fixing the problem, but it requires time and scrubbing with a wooden stick and water or vinegar water or sugar water. It's always something!

I've been achy after the attic episode so I'm taking it easy for a couple of days to give the muscles and joints time to heal. My knees are also bruised, so again, a few days to get over this.

There is plenty else to keep me busy. Most of it is indoors; this part of Texas isn't as hot as Paris, but we're still seasonably hot.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 26 Jul 19 - 08:15 PM

Beautiful day today in Stratford, and we planted some anemones. Then I barbecued an enormous rib steak, of which we managed to eat about half.

Urp.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Jul 19 - 09:49 PM

That beef will be great for leftovers, Charmion! More power to you, Susan!

My work in the attic resulted in knees that are still very tender, so kneeling to paint around the room trim is not easy. I put painter's tape on the tile along the baseboard and did a test section to see how the paint looks when dry. I wasn't using the brush meant for trim, instead trying a technique I saw on YouTube. I think I'll go back to the trim brush.

I have a few more plants to put in the garden once the potatoes are dug up (if there's anything to dig!) and rework the tomato area. And I'll finally set up the sprinkler on the programmable timer.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Jul 19 - 11:02 AM

Up early enough to walk the dogs and while out there we met several other people, some with dogs, to chat with. My two are now panting up a storm while sprawled on the cool tile floor, but they look happy.

It's still morning so I'll take another swing at projects in the yard before moving indoors. If I find the missing knee pads I'll paint trim, but otherwise, it waits a while longer or is done in very short spurts to avoid further bruising.

I have eBay things I will start listing as soon as the computer stuff is moved off of the dining table (I have a fabric photo cube and lights I'll set up there for photographing what I'm going to list.) I need to start with "back to school" stuff (I have some children's jeans, etc.) and holiday listings (there are people who plan way ahead). It reminds me that LilyFestre is probably doing the on-the-ground back-to-school planning even as I type. I've seen a few things show up in grocery stores, as they assemble aisles with the supplies listed by area schools, by grade. Packs, tablets, folders, pencils, crayons, paints, glue—I do believe it's possible to get a contact high from handling the boxes of crayons! That smell has been magical since I first got to use them as a child and never faded. I haven't smelled the old sweet school glue for decades (but it tasted good!) but even the pads of paper, the boxes of pens, they have such great evocative smells. I was typical, not looking forward to going back to school, but dying to get my hands on those fresh supplies! As we grow there are other things we respond to that way - walking into an office supply store and looking at the pens, the tablets, the erasers! (Anyone else love those squidgy gray ones that were like silly putty and smelled so nice?)

Last week my daughter illustrated a similar passion for supplies, this time sewing, when she asked "can I look through your buttons?" I pulled opened that drawer in the craft room and she dove in, to find old packets that were 25¢ and 50¢ a card back in the day (many were from my mother's collection). I suspect she'll dream up projects just to use those buttons.

Okay. Back to decluttering.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Jul 19 - 04:51 PM

I keep intending to go outside to work on things and I keep finding things inside to distract myself. I painted the windowsill in the office, but the trim is a mess. It's lumpy from over the years and having two different coats of texture over time. I'm going to have to touch-up the touch-up before I'm finished.

Maybe I can mow near sunset, before the mosquitoes are out full-strength. The lightning bugs are still around but they come out too late for mowing.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 28 Jul 19 - 10:54 AM

Sprouts are starting up!

The Y meeting has become a writing exercise to use if necessary for a lawyoo.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Jul 19 - 05:29 PM

I'm not very patient when it comes to painting the trim and I keep bumping into the other color. It'll be a process of smaller and smaller brushes until I call it quits.

Today is a combination of around-the-house maintenance (laundry, dishes, cleaning the kitchen and bathrooms) and a push to finish the rooms. I mowed the lawn this morning and I've added water to the birdbath outside the office window (where several birds visited while I was watching).

More cut up branches in the trash, and the yard is looking much better since those built up piles are getting cleared out from under the trees where I dropped them.

It's time for round two with the chipper in the front yard to bag more mulch.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 29 Jul 19 - 04:20 PM

Y sitch heating up.

Half of peat pellets set outdoors for light-- fluoro too heavy to move, so more watering.

Yano tmrw-- unpacking the jackalope out of the shredded paper tangled in its dusty fur, so we can put it up.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Jul 19 - 04:04 PM

When it's over 100^o I don't spend much time outdoors, but I took a few minutes to move the mix of potting soil that had been in the garage in my wheelbarrow. Now the pots near the side door are planted with squash and eggplant for a fall crop. The garden seems to be snakebit this year, so I'll try pots.

Something is going on with my dishwasher and the local water; all of the glasses and silver are cloudy. I've started washing by hand and it seems to help. I refilled the rinsing agent but it doesn't make a difference. Perhaps it's a seasonal water thing? I'm getting ready to start polishing the silver and putting it into the case and use just stainless steel flatware (though I didn't get the new flatware because of the water.)

A week of cat sitting at a friend's house begins today and I always feed them around 7am and 7pm, so after the morning run I have a couple of hours when it isn't baking hot out there yet. Good for attic work, yard work, and maybe even walking the dogs.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 30 Jul 19 - 10:57 PM

SRS, try 1/4c vinegar, in with the detergent.

Black eyed Susans went in the ground today, with Brandon.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 31 Jul 19 - 11:05 AM

Thanks, I'll give that a try. I ran the dishwasher empty with a couple of cups of vinegar a while back, it didn't seem to help in general, but maybe in contact with the dishes in particular?

This morning I have started putting things where they belong. The burnished Oaxacan figures are back on display in the hall niche outside my office, the rest of the Attic Dek planks are in the attic for later (clearing floor space in the sun room), as I assess what I need to do to get back to selling on eBay and putting my office back together. I'll use things on hand for tasks already under way and make August a No Spend Month. Fresh fruit and vegetables and staples (gas, dog food) are okay, but the rest can wait or something else can be used. It's an energizing process, considering how to move forward with more ingenuity and fewer material purchases.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 31 Jul 19 - 11:50 AM

SRS, it changes the pH so that all of the detergent plus any minerals dissolve fully and thus the dishes rinse clean. I just use it every time as the rinsing aid.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 31 Jul 19 - 12:59 PM

Aaaaand ... the garage door opener died. Another five hundred bucks down the maintenance hole.

On the other hand, futilely re-prodding buttons in the diminishing hope of results when we're already late for church is presumably now a thing of the past.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 31 Jul 19 - 02:41 PM

Any time the power goes out I have to consider how much I really want to get the vehicle out of the garage. The door weighs a ton unless it is released, and there is a release cord that I finally extended so I can reach and release it. It used to have a plastic handle but I cut that off when I realized it used as part of a trick used by burglars (who pushed the door just enough to create a gap then hooked the cord handle and released it). An insurance guy told me about that. I can reach the cord but it wouldn't be as easy to snag.

I think I've about had it with painting trim. There are a couple of doorways left, and then it's onto finishing the replacement tiles and scrubbing the floor before the move in. The question I have asked myself now: I had lots of the shelves with the brace screwed to the wall and the brackets that attach to support boards. The walls look so good - do I want to drill holes? I will put them up again, but I'm not going to put them as high as before.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 01 Aug 19 - 09:01 AM

SRS, if you shim under the front edge of the shelves, they won't tip. (Just the skinny third or half of the shim will be enough.)

~S~

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Aug 19 - 09:49 AM

The holes aren't to support free-standing shelves, they are for the tracks that brackets fit into that support six-foot long board shelves. Furniture feet at the front of freestanding shelves work as the shim you mention, and I have two of those. I've measured various places to consider where to put these. I'm thinking about rearranging from the past setup.

August is here. Time to clear up paperwork as I pay bills and start clearing my dining room table of computer stuff as I set up my office in the office again.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 01 Aug 19 - 11:45 AM

Lunch Retraining Time!

Years ago at my peak salary, I was briefly able to afford Jenny Craig. It had its points, good and bad. Later, I couldn't afford to try Nutrisystem, but how I longed to! I knew instinctively how it would have served my chosen but unpredictable, clergy-household lifestyle.

Now, though, I'm old enough to qualify for reduced-cost senior services.

For about $50/month, weekday meals are delivered every Thursday morning. This is not your typical Meals on Wheels, as pix here demonstrate. I LOVE IT, despite its weak points, because it's proven to be a huge Missing Link.

It's giving me the opportunity to completely remediate my food program: the weekly delivery of gluten-free, low calorie but filling lunches, once I add romaine lettuce. While physical therapy is making meal prep painfully difficult, I can actually remember to grab and nuke the simple meal elements, and then actually sit at a table and cut up every element to create the tiny bites necessary to eat veerrrrry sloooooowly. With the addition of table condiments, the bland elements actually aren't bad.

I regret the amount of plastic this program generates, so I look forward to applying the new habits this program supports-- going off the weekly deliveries and incoporating lunch shopping/prep -- as soon as I'm able. But for now, I like knowing that I have gluten-free lunch bins in the fridge and freezer to use up each week. I finally get to learn what Mom never taught me and which I never built a day's habits around. Until now. Now I have all the pieces to out together to thrive, I think.

My other meal habits were pretty good, but this Missing Link is the keystone holding up the arch I stand upon.

Here's today's lunch. (Two veg pouches today because I was out of romaine.)

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2391564320922850&id=100002079158985&refid=17&__tn__=-R

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: mg
Date: 01 Aug 19 - 04:59 PM

I think meal delivery is great. One thing I read about people with diabetes or hypoglycemia (a step on the way to diabetes) is try to have someone else cook your meals. I know I can go from fine to staggering around in a matter of minutes. They suggest perhaps a Chinese restaurant and making sure your food is done correctly for you. I personally when I was working went to McDonald's every morning for breakfast..I need a lot of protein and fat and their scrambled eggs and a sausage patty (ok and a diet coke) got me started for the day. Otherwise I would just sleep till the last minute. I thought once I retired I would spring out of bed and cook my own breakfast. gave up on that idea quickly. It gives me a time i have to get out bed (and left to my own devices I could sleep all day), gets a chunk of protein in me, I see my neighbors...could be cheaper but it is not too bad.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Aug 19 - 02:19 PM

There are so many things we thought we could/would do once we were retired! I'm plenty busy, but not any more efficient.

I read about the strategy of really small bites; I have mixed feelings about it, but think it is a good way to approach desserts and foods that are less good for you, so you don't eat as much of them (or have seconds).

Interesting conversation with a neighbor about his foundation problems - his foundation guy told him to put up rain gutters, that with all of the rain we had this year, especially in June, more water got under the house because it wasn't guided away by gutters. That could be an answer here. I haven't had gutters since I put on a new roof about 10 years ago. Time for the research.

Finishing the floor tile replacement chore today, fingers crossed. It has gone very slowly because I have only so much patience with hammering all of that tile off of the concrete.

I'm going to try Susan's recommendation of vinegar in the dishwasher this evening. Fingers crossed there also!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Aug 19 - 10:12 PM

The tile is out, new tiles ready to place, now to let a little tub of the thinset thicken a bit.

Using up food here in the house, I've made a couple of small portions of pizza with some tandoori bread I had in the freezer and cheese that I've had almost too long. Some almost mealy apples are now in a very small pie.

Laundry set to go, and the dishwasher, this evening (I don't run appliances during the day because of the higher power consumption of running air conditioners.)

I did some work on the potted plants, rearranging and making sure if we do get rain one of these days the rain coming off the roof doesn't hit any directly.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Aug 19 - 10:22 AM

We have a gentle drizzle underway right now, and those two dopey dogs are out playing in it. The house smells like wet dog. It's a very welcome rain, though it doesn't seem to be adding more than a trace in the rain gauge (or in this case, a dog dish sitting on the patio that I look at after a rain.)

Time to grout those two tiles I set last night before bed. I'll be careful not to step on them, but it's time to start moving furniture back into that room.

Susan, the vinegar seems to have done the trick!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 03 Aug 19 - 02:17 PM

SRS, that's great. Now you can focus the detective skills on why your water's hardness or pH vary, or soap brand...

This is why I add vinegar t9 shampoo and body wash. As I've posted before, I now have zero soap scum on the walls or in my hair. I can also use less product to get clean me, and dishes.

I've never seen any DW damage either. I no longer buy thousands of tiny rise aid product, either.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Aug 19 - 09:46 PM

The two largest cabinet book cases are moved into the room in a new spot; I'm thinking about if I like them there or not. I have dust rags and the vacuum cleaner handy because there are bits of insulation that lodged on boxes and and in baskets as I move things out of the front room. The shelves for the cases are in the closet and a lot of things need to be reassembled, wherever I place them. I have the Goodwill bin nearby for the things that were moved out in a hurry but don't need to return to the office.

When this first started I had offered a six-foot by 40" by six inches deep bookcase to my daughter, but we didn't have a chance to take it to her house and she has rethought it, as have I. I may use it to organize the boxes and boxes of cassette tapes from my father's collection. I'll be digitizing them once I get moved back into the office. I won't be putting up as many bookshelves as I had before because I thinned them out so much. I'll have room for this in the office (it used to live in the hall where that ceiling was also replaced.)

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Aug 19 - 10:20 AM

Well, shit. Two shootings this weekend, Texas and Ohio. Somehow rational people need to make the case to the gun-rights-zealots who think they should be able to own high-power semi-or-automatic high-capacity military-style rifles that their way (of keeping all of these available so "the good guys can take out the bad guys") isn't working. In fact in El Paso, the police were having trouble telling who the bad guy was because anyone with a gun is suspect into it's all sorted out.

Susan, you're nearby the Ohio one. Do what you can for those you can help. Stay safe yourself.

On the home front, I've looked at the bookshelves and I can see a distinct slant in the office - that front of the house has tipped enough that the bubble in the I-beam level is all the way to the top of the horizontal vial. I actually shimmed one case on the end closest to the window. No wonder the ceiling fell. This is something that will only get worse until I manage to have the foundation work done.

Today is when more stuff moves into the office and on the shelves. I've put power strips and three-pronged extension cords in place behind the big book cases (used only for small things like lamps, not for heavy duty applications). They're ready to be reassembled and put into use.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 04 Aug 19 - 10:15 PM

I'm pretty sure the month of July has wings...can't believe it's August already!

Just a little bit of catch up: I got my car back in beautiful shape after the turkey flew into the passenger side causing about $3000.00 worth of damage. Shortly after that, a deer ran into the driver's side of Pete's truck while all 3 of us were in the truck along with our dog and Miss Mable. Thankfully no one was hurt. However, our body shop of choice was closed until we would be on vacation so the truck has been parked for awhile. We went on vacation during the second week of July....Pete, Jeremiah, my mom and I. We rented a cabin on a lake in upstate NY and had a gloriously relaxing vacation. We enjoyed early morning coffee along the water as the sun came up, Jeremiah made a new friend (how precious it was to watch that friendship develop), we took a 2 nation cruise, ate out twice, did some shopping at a local Amish farm where I got 3 baskets and a strawberry rhubarb pie, played games, went fishing, had long conversations and enjoyed each other's company.

Of course, in the line of work I do, that meant getting as many clients in before the vacation and having treatment plans all up to date and then had to hit the ground running to be sure I got all clients in for the month....and I did it too...all but one that was due to him not engaging! August feels much more laid back already! I'm off for another week of vacation in September so it will happen all over again..LOL..doing my best to be sure all things are in order so September rolls a little bit more smoothly.

Anyway....got home and the furniture that we had ordered earlier this summer had arrived. We went to pick it up last weekend and got about 3 miles from the house when there was some strange sound happening with the truck...much like the sound of a flat tire. We made it home just fine and the tire was in good shape. Pete took the next day off to tear the truck apart to see what the problem was....ball bearing. Ugh. Another trip the garage. We picked up the truck yesterday and are hoping that that is the end of the vehicle problems!

The new furniture looks good in the living room and we are hoping to paint in September when it's a bit cooler and not so humid. The walls are currently a dark pumpkin color. The new furniture is mostly brown so I want to lighten it up a bit. I found a very soft yellow that compliments the fabric nicely....just waiting on the temperatures to drop!

Last week I made ceramic Christmas trees with my mom and we will pick them up this week and add some snow before bringing them home. Friday I traveled downstate to have my port flushed and then did some major grocery shopping on the way home. Yesterday we went to Women in the Wilds which is an all day event at my favorite state park....we had a great time but I've been dragging all day. That means today was a day of rest....unless you count cooking and 4 loads of laundry.

Jeremiah is growing fast right now so we have more things to go to Sally's. The old furniture has been burned...it was well worn and way past it's prime....not in good enough shape to pass along.

We also got new chicks this week...they are Cornish X Rocks/meat birds. The gardens are looking great but I can't take any credit for that...it's all on Pete. We currently are enjoying fresh tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, green beans, raspberries and loads of blueberries.

Hope all is well with everyone.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Aug 19 - 10:25 PM

I replaced my lightweight step ladder with a modestly priced 4' "A-frame" fiberglass ladder. It has solid rubber feet and is much sturdier for all of the climbing I'm going to have to keep doing in the office. I stood looking at the blank wall where shelves will go and decided now is the time. I have to put up the support for the brackets, the boards are the easy part, and then put stuff back up there. The old step ladder goes to Goodwill; it still works, but I need something more reliable. I've had my eye on getting one of these since the contractors were here to work on the office.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Aug 19 - 09:48 AM

Monday when you're retired is still Monday. Appointments happen during the week, and there are a couple this week and next, taking me past favorite thrift stores. Yes, I am being frugal - there is one item I need to replace, and I'll look for one that suits. My toaster oven has failed; the bottom element works but the broiler and fan have stopped and I don't see a way to give it a thump or replace something to repair it. This originally cost $13 at a thrift store and has been in service for about five years. One of my appointments takes me past my favorite Goodwill store that has high-end donations, so I'll start the replacement search there. I have no plans to pay full retail price for a new oven.

High of only 94^o today seems mild by comparison to typical August days. Some of my outdoor work includes swapping out a kitchen waste compost bucket; one of the current two in use is showing signs of crumbling from sun exposure so I'll retire it before something untoward happens with it's stinky contents.

More work in the office also, starting with the first set of shelves being attached to the wall. They won't be centered this time, but to one side, and my desk arrangement will be nearby. That's how I visualize it, anyway. I'm trying to leave myself a space by the window for a chair for reading or watching the bird bath outside.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Aug 19 - 09:46 AM

A glitch in the plans - the old stud finder can't find studs through this second layer of texture because it was put on over the top of the previous texture layer. The walls are all about 1/4" thicker after this latest architectural transaction. I hunted around, read reviews, and ordered a new Zircon that includes a "deep scan" setting. Arrives tomorrow.

To stay on track I mulled over the project and realize I'm still blocking the hall-to-den doorway because I need to finish painting trim in the hall. The tape is already down on the floor so can finish this pretty quickly then liberate the hall and let the dogs through all of the house. We will all be happier that way. I dressed in my paint clothes (saggy paint-daubed jeans I hold up with a belt and saggy paint-daubed old library t-shirt) instead of wearing the new t-shirt that arrived yesterday. It's message is "I was normal three dogs ago." I saw a photo of a friend wearing the same message and knew it was perfect for me (since I'm on my fourth dog here in this house, with a two-dog overlap).

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 07 Aug 19 - 08:04 PM

Yesterday's Yano day was moved to today for mutually acceptable reasons and I used the time today for a Dig Me Out restorations of order-- some decluttering and some junking. This little house can get dysfunctional when I don't stay on top of it, and I've been unable of late.

I had a very non-informative Spine Center appt yesterday, that has left me with a lot of conflicting advice to process, a lot of unanswered questions, and more questions.

Also ydy I ordered a new Rollator. We paid $300+ retail for my present one and Medicare is buying this one, so one can stay with the van and one with the house. I'll be swapping some features to have the best seat for concerts.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 08 Aug 19 - 11:18 AM

Electricians!!! LR outlets restored!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Aug 19 - 11:19 AM

I missed seeing Lilyfestre's remarks until this morning—I feel like I've been on a tiny vacation just reading it! That sounds like a wonderful week away. In a month that included deer, turkey, and wheel bearings you still came out on top!

I'm maintaining the frugal stance this month, though I did some opportunistic shopping yesterday. I had an appointment in the next town over so I stopped in the Halal grocery for a package of their freshly made Iraqi bread and a couple of things for a friend (a standing order for when I'm over there and I'm paid back). I freeze the large loaves (12" or more across) and they'll go into a dozen meals over the next few weeks.

The new stud finder arrived; it has a "deep scan" feature I wanted to use on the newly-textured wall but it seems similarly challenged as the old one. I may have to return this and try the higher-price device I've read about in reviews. I finished painting hall trim and scrubbed that tile floor and have removed the plastic blocking that route through the house. The dogs were giddy at being able to go in there again.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 08 Aug 19 - 12:54 PM

Dupont:

Wow! Long time missing! I had nothing to say and then I went to Beaver for a week and could not find the stick (for internet); remembered the obvious place where it was (here) after I got there, of course. So I went to the library and that did not work and Timmy's- same. Finally, on Sunday I went to The Muse Cafe. By now, I could not even collect email so phoned provider on Whidbey and nice Thomas helped me get a new password and explained a couple things, including "close your browser and reopen it". YAY!!!! But the 500+ emails took all the energy available. The stick is back in the computer case!

Came back on Tuesday and have been regaining a sense of order. I was delighted when arrived at Beaver to find that the folks who stayed there left no trace of their presence - other than a lovely note of thanks!!! I realized how little space there was for additional people but they managed, and enjoyed themselves. Bobby agreed to do a gig at The Muse in the fall.

The new "woodshed" is a beautifully built - ten by ten - structure - a roof with a sheet of plexiglass in the centre for light, on the deck, not blocking the view from the BR window. When we no longer heat with wood, it will be a nice shady area, when no bugs. Dan had to clear the deck of the remaining firewood to work on it so my job for the week was throwing about 2 face cord of wood back onto the deck and stacking it. Then I stretched out the large, heavy - once was a Tempo cover - out and cut in in half, folded each half and stacked on deck; I could not lift the whole thing. Brought the entrance section of said Tempo over and put it in the tool shed until next trip. That section has two heavy zippers so it will be the "front door" where I go in and bring wood to the house. I will roll it up enough that it does not freeze to the deck. Using grommets and heavy hooks to put it in place and also the other three sides - cut out of those other two pieces. The hope is that I shall be able to access the wood when I arrive after snow/rain and freeze-up!

I phoned to order 4 more cord and was asked to phone back 23 August. I am hoping my history will ensure that I DO get the wood. It is late to be ordering but I had to see how much I needed.

I also did some organizing in back-back shed and in house, mowed some of the foot high (or more) grass in front, weeded the raised beds, and left it in better shape than when I arrived. There were a few raspberries and blueberries (not ripe) on the bushes planted last year. Packed up pottery and loaded it into car, thankful for a dolly to get it the distance. A couple hundred feet from screened house on edge of swamp to the car. Mowed a path first!

Spent one early evening in the screen house, with book but mostly just felt the peace of the place, the quiet time of day, a few flying critters.

Dan agreed to bring a weed-eater to do the really tall areas - a lot!! I will ask him to leave the pink flowers - About 3x100 feet - for the flying critters and some daisies and brown-eyed Susan. The deer had feasted on the strawberry plants; they may profit from their new start. I hope.

Back to Dupont, R had done a decent job of keeping it all together. OF course the sheets needed laundering do that was first task. Still no beds in the two guestrooms and the futon frame is still in the front yard. "What if Taun texts that they are coming?" I can only hope the weekend will bring some forward motion!

I went out and purchased a 7cf freezer yesterday, to be delivered Friday. The amount of food from the Farm (Jardin de la Resistance) is overwhelming and I MUST freeze most of this week's. Good thing I only signed up for every other week. I have pretty well missed the local strawberry season. But may freeze some blueberries.

R managed to keep the house and yard plants alive - except one baby mock orange which may not survive. There may be one at the mill and maybe even a couple in the city; I am loathe to go there in this heat. We finally had much needed rain last night.

I did not go back and read earlier posts. I would love to see what folks have been up to but I have sneezles and wheezles, a stuffy head, runny nose, and my eyes are affected. Cannot remember the last time, or if ever, I have had these symptoms. Sniffing Eucalyptus clears head. Chlorpheniramine maleate has had no effect, so not allergies. It started at Beaver so it is not this house. Today is a rest day.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Aug 19 - 03:23 PM

Dorothy, you put us all to shame with your industriousness!

I spent the last hour in the shady part of the yard (it's about 100 today, so that's the only place to work) pruning out ligustrum or privet, an invasive shrub in this area. It seems to have really taken off lately, and there are a couple of varieties. The larger one (glossy privet) looks like a beneficial native (evergreen sumac), so I'll double-check to be sure I really want to take it out. I used pruning sheers today, tomorrow I'll take the battery-operated reciprocating saw and cut off all of the plant bases (that are now tripping hazards). I also cut down what I think is a Chinaberry; attractive but invasive, and a pain in the ass as far as all of the berries it drops.

I also hooked up my battery-operated irrigation management thing on the back of the house. I use it to connect to series of hoses to run sprinklers in two parts of the yard, running before dawn so it isn't conspicuous. The area under the faucet was full of tough grass and lemon balm, and I carried the weeds (I like lemon balm but only need so much) to the patch of ground above the creek and spread it around, hoping some of it will seed back there. I also moved some bricks, though one had a toad under it so I carefully replaced it.

My stud finder is supposedly on the way, so maybe tonight or tomorrow I can start putting the office back together.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 09 Aug 19 - 07:07 PM

Dupont:

Freezer arrived this afternoon. It rained lots!!!! Nice breezy day! On phone with Hannah 2 hours! How to kill an afternoon! Killed the am on internet. Still need a pick to increase garden and I am loathe to buy another one; keep hoping R will bring one from city house.

Firm words this am re need for guest space got the futon frame out of the front yard into the TV room but in two pieces. Maybe tomorrow. I helped get it upstairs but cannot put it together. Now for two more beds in designated guest rooms. Maybe tomorrow? Summer is almost over and no guests in sight - yet, but son said he might surprise me.

Spent all my energy last week at Beaver; not recovered yet.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Aug 19 - 09:54 AM

The new stud-finder is no more accurate than that old one or the one I returned during the week. I'm going to have to figure out where studs are the old fashioned way - start from a known point (a junction box on the wall attached to a stud) and measure, then test by pounding in a slim nail to see if I hit wood.

Dorothy, once that house is set up we'll all have to come visit and test those guest bedrooms!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Aug 19 - 10:55 PM

I've used bits of blue painter's tape to mark each spot where I am getting what looks like a response to a stud (the plaster is thick enough there are many false positives) and when I step back and look at the wall there are three distinct lines of tape in the spots on the wall. I'll still have to test with a fine nail to see if wood is where I think it is. Tomorrow I'll see about putting up the supports.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 11 Aug 19 - 05:13 PM

Dupont:

Once this house is set up, I would love to have you visit. "Set up" will never quite reach some of the high middle class standards of the dedicated homemaker!

Saturday, I asked for ONE HOUR to go to the lumberyard and get the wood needed to hold mattresses on the now arranged bed frames. I have no idea why it took four hours to get to the - get in the truck and go - point. We did get the wood and each bed is now ready for a mattress. The twin has a mattress which will look much better with a mattress cover - which it will have.

This Sunday am, I set out for the Linen Chest with better directions and much determination. And a list. Started with a look at returned mattresses and saw two possibles, asked the clerk in charge for a salesclerk and a very nice man came and sold me a good double mattress!

Then, thinking I could find the rest on my list, I set off without him. Had to ask the clerk to get him back (they are on commission) but he was already helping someone else so she got me a nice woman who was very helpful. A fizzy water machine (R drinks gallons), two australian lamb's wool mattress covers ( one each), A lovely down filled pillow for the sofa. I remind myself that the lamb's wool cushions are less harmful to the animals! But it was SO hugable!

Two small concrete planters with a wonderful rabbit face on each. Big enough for 4 inch pots. And a riverstone door mat - some sort of fiber backing with river stones well glued to it, to clean dirt off feet at the back door. Call it an experiment! It seems a good idea - if the stones stick. And it is a distinct improvement over the old rubber one which is wet on top as well as keeping the decking wet! Not a good idea. I moved it to the foot of the steps - on stones and grass/weeds.

Stopped for groceries on the way home and threw the frozen meat into new freezer! Then moved the freezer into the kitchen, sadly, as that is not where we want it but it is where there is space. It did not fit in the closet. R wishes I had bought a smaller one. Maybe I do too. I shall have to fill it very well. I covered it with a beautiful red Guatamalan weaving. The new carbonation thingy sits on the microwave next to the water jug.

This has been my month to spend a fortune.

This week was rainy and cooler, delicious nights for sleeping. Lots of negative ions with the wind blowing the trees almost constantly. I finally feel alive again. If I had a pick I might even be able to get some more flower/herb bed space. Maybe tomorrow.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Aug 19 - 10:20 PM

I've turned a corner as far as restoring my office; there are two tall bookcase cabinets in place and today I finished installing brackets for boards on the other side of the room. I'm not arranging it the same way for various reasons, and so far this is only a sketch. There is a lot of dusty stuff in the front room and in the den that was boxed or just stacked as it was rescued from the office before the rest of ceiling demolition. There is still a lot of work ahead. I just finished moving that bookshelf built to hold paperbacks into the office and it will hold the cassette tapes that were in cardboard flats before.

A box for Goodwill was buried under some other items in the sun room; I'll add more then take it over and make a run to the recycle bin at the same time.

Tomorrow is supposed to hit 105^o so I'll get up early to get some exercise with the dogs. We're all getting cabin fever from these wretchedly hot days, with several weeks more to come.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Aug 19 - 10:11 AM

Susan, you've been quiet lately. How is your back and is your exercise routine moving forward?

Are there any lurkers who have progress to report?

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 12 Aug 19 - 10:39 AM

Himself and I have just returned from a holiday up the highway in Goderich, where the Celtic Roots Festival and its associated music school are held. We left in a flurry last Monday morning shortly after dawn and invested a week and rather a lot of money in learning diddly tunes (me) and hanging out till all hours singing in the pub (him).

I am very glad to be back at home with the cats and the garden. My wretched feet, which swelled almost beyond recognition as soon as we left home, have returned to their normal dimensions, and my digestion has almost settled down after wrestling with too much restaurant food.

The cats have almost finished re-establishing dominion over my lap, but Watson still feels the need to interrupt whatever I happen to be doing to rub his head all over me (bonk, bonk) and purr in my ear while digging his claws into my upper back. And here he comes now ...

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 12 Aug 19 - 10:51 AM

No progress here. I’ve had problems with the sore on my back…

I did sort a problem with the HomeSeer (which largely replaced my own stuff in April) set up the other day. The Raspberry Pi locked up and I was forced to unplug/replug. I think that step led to the corrupt SD card. Hours of troubleshooting and trying to fix disk before concluding my only way out was a clean install on the Pi and a hope I could restore from backups. At least that bit went very smoothly.

I’m not sure we have anything completely dependent on HA and a number of lights are usually operated via remote control but the study light was interesting. That uses an RGBW (chosen as we wanted both daylight for reading and warm for white for tv on the computer from the central light) and has a momentary mains switch for override. I couldn’t remember/work out its operation and, rather than searching for instructions online, wound up leaving the room lit up in pink from late evening to the following late afternoon when I finally restored things.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 12 Aug 19 - 03:33 PM

SRS, I'm not quiet, I just can't open the damn thread most days at times when I can post. Back, appts galore past and future, ouch. YMCA, meeting Thursday and fam is attending for support. My file ready for lawyers. My rehab not possible without Y as the home exercises, but weekly PT and walking continue, ouch.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Aug 19 - 01:40 PM

I've emptied lots of boxes as I dig my way through the stuff in the front room that was piled in there after the ceiling collapse. Something new is a dedicated bookcase for all of the cassettes (it's 6' x 4' and it's going to be packed full; the cassettes are stacked in the most efficient way to fill the shelves top to bottom).

I haven't started moving the computer stuff in yet, I want a little more time to look at the possible setup of the desk surfaces and their relationship to electrical outlets.

I'm going to have to get one of those vinyl floor mats to put over the tile area where I repaired two tiles; it is prime real estate in there, that's why the broken ones took such a battering. Hopefully a chair mat over the top will help keep it all in place and avoid dips the chair wheels always get stuck in.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Aug 19 - 05:33 PM

Pulling books from the front room shelves now, only the ones I want in my office. I'll think about what to do about the gaps - there are other things that can stay on those shelves. There is no order to speak of, just broad categories of how I'm storing them. I'm fussing with two storage units right now that have been handy but are in the way and may go to Goodwill. Or live somewhere behind my desk or under the window. Maybe plants could sit on top of them.

This is work done in spurts because I need to think about what belongs and what doesn't, and what will be the most ergonomic work space for my standing/sitting desk.

I do have too much stuff.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 13 Aug 19 - 08:09 PM

I'm very excited to report that I found a fabulous orthopedic professor's teaching videos late last night on exactly what ails me, that my local intake doc was totally unprepared to explain to me last week. (This prof also works clinically, and is near my son in Toledo in case I don't love local care options.)

I screenshotted all relevant slides and included two very powerful ones in my Y presentation. These slides illustrate exactly how I got hurt, and the physics behind the precise way I need to use the Y,

Yano Becky learned how my clean laundry is stowed, today, and focused on kitchen and general prep for my son and DIL who arrive tmrw night for Thursday's meeting.

Greg and I reduced four boxes to two and he took out the empties.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Aug 19 - 08:37 PM

I have a huge stack of empty boxes ready to flatten. I was able to push a few into the bins today but they were chock full; they should be empty by now so I could make a trip this evening before dark.

There are a gazillion old cassettes around here and an equal number of 3.5" floppy disks. I'm set for converting the cassettes I'm keeping, but for the floppies I have no drives to read them. I may have to get a small USB-connected drive for examining at those. The office is slowly looking like a space I can work in, but there is still a lot of stuff to get rid of instead of putting back.

Facebook is broken for now, not letting me follow up on all of my own posts and things I shared, which is particularly annoying. I've reported it with a couple of screenshots.

Rain in the forecast overnight, which will be wonderful if we actually get some. Meanwhile it's so hot right now that the region broke a power usage record again today so I'll load my washer and program it to run at about 4am, and won't run the dishwasher until bedtime, to spread out the usage. I also have to turn off all of the computer equipment and get it moved into my office, once I'm satisfied the desks are in the best positions.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 13 Aug 19 - 08:55 PM

Dupont:

Cleared most of the largish hall closet of boxes, pottery and wrapping materials and put it all in car to go to mill and then to the sale next weekend - the CVAA event which I love and usually manage to peddle some pots. Leftovers will come back here to be displayed in the closet which has a small window and adequate light. Wrapping materials: some can be eliminated, some saved in a different closet for future sales.

Twin bed is dressed and ready with a lovely quilt for the soon cool nights. The room lacks wall pieces and I will consult with R. The bedding sets a pale yellow palette. I am delighted to be able to use an antique spread that I never could bear to get rid of! It looks as good as new. I have no idea when/where/how it joined my household!

Put two plain white drapes on two doors and pinned them to length until decide if they will stay there. They are only to keep the sun out so may take them down in cooler winter when I want all the solar gain I can get!

Must bring a few bed pillows from Mill tomorrow when I drop off pottery, etc.

R did not even notice the freezer was in the Kitchen - behind the table, sort off. So we are content and I am starting to fill it with fall produce.

Had a lovely walk, and social time today on Ile St. Bernard, with a walking group. We walked awhile, sat by the River a while then had lunch up by the Cafe. Getting to know a fine bunch of local women. I have never done this sort of thing before. I was either too busy or did not find a group, or even a few. Actually on Whidbey, I walked the dogs on Useless Bay off leash beach and chatted with other dog folks I met on the beach, but that was sporadic. With this I may even build some relationships.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Aug 19 - 02:46 PM

Facebook is still broken so my screen is decluttered of most conversations; I'm reporting it to them every day, trying a different kind of report each time to see if something finally works.

Rearranging shelves today for the placement of stuff in my Dad's collection. I was going to put the books down low, but that makes too many things I use more often that are in baskets and bins are up out of sight.

The old computer and it's monitor and equipment have been moved into the restored office, the rest will follow later tonight. I have backup drives all over that I have to sort out and use one to backup the new machine.

I have to dust the blades of the fan in the living room; I realized it's turning the wrong direction for this time of year so I'll reverse it. I had the bedroom fan pushing air up also and when I turned it to pushing air down I couldn't sleep for the breeze on my feet and hips making them ache. I just want a faint amount of air movement when I'm trying to sleep (and I prefer this in a warm room - I absolutely can't sleep with the cold air from the air conditioner blowing on my feet or legs. It causes a sort of "restless leg" situation.)

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 16 Aug 19 - 09:11 AM

Good luck with Facebook, Stilly. I do not understand how it works, and never have; I know that its primary purpose is to shove advertising under my nose, and that helps me endure its vagueries.

We had ceiling fans in our Ottawa house and I loved them. I wish we had them here and maybe we will, once the bank account recovers from all the masonry that has been taking place over the summer. Cleaning them was a major production involving stepladders, buckets of soapy water and rather a lot of swearing.

Speaking of the bank account, we are currently deep in the red, and I have to write two more cheques that will put us completely out to sea. Legal Aid and the Public Prosecution Service owe us money -- oh, how they owe us money! -- and we will just have to tread water until the ship comes in. When it does, Rodney the HVAC Guy gets the next lump of out-going capital. So no ceiling fans this summer, and the bedroom is still painted purple. I've been hating that purple paint for two years now, but I fear I'm getting used to it.

Last week, we went to Goderich for a week of diddly tunes and restaurant food; consequently, my fingers blistered and my feet swelled up like rugby balls. After five days at home, the feet are back to normal and have actually stopped hurting, and the fingers have new calluses. So, progress.

Remembering Stilly's occasional references to "intermittent fasting", I did some googling and reading of scholarly-ish articles on the subject. Since we moved to Stratford, I have put on about fifteen very unwanted pounds that just won't go away and, rather than buy new trousers, I decided on Monday to give this intermittent fasting thing a whirl. This morning, I weigh four and a half pounds less than I did on Tuesday -- the result, I'm sure, of eating far less salt than I was getting in Goderich, and the disappearance of the bloat in my feet. Fast days are all about vegetables and tea, and no fun at all. Himself, fortunately, does not make waves about what I eat or don't, except that he still doesn't get it that I no longer want to eat bacon first thing in the morning.

I despair of my vanity with respect to ankles and the apparent thickness thereof. I used to have the kind of feet that looked good in cute shoes, but injuries and arthritis have put cute shoes firmly into the rear-view mirror. Sneakers with orthotic insoles are now an everyday reality, but the vanity persists. I believe Mr Ecclesiastes had something to say on that subject, and it wasn't kind. I can't say I wasn't warned.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Aug 19 - 09:36 AM

Charmion, Linn has joined us in that modified fasting; she is reporting a general trend downward also. Eat Fast and Live Longer is a British program kind of like the PBS science shows we get here (and I saw it first when PBS broadcast it one summer). The method I adopt starts about 38 minutes into the program, the alternating days and when the calories are low on the alternate days (or, as people sometimes choose, just two days a week). I think Linn is able to do periods, like from noon to 7pm for her eating, and the long period of time (from 7pm to noon) is helping her. It seem to have lost the knack of waiting until noon to eat, I think it had to do with the Prednisone I was on for 18 months that had to be taken in the morning with food. I'm almost a year out from that but still really feel it if I don't eat something early.

I tend to eat very small meals, or have one modest meal and then fruit or veggies later in the day. I need protein for this to work.

My ceiling reconstruction was pretty radical, but nowhere as involved or expensive as your patio. Other than enjoying new paint, my office is restored and there isn't any new space or feature (other than pretty paint) it's the same ol' house. I am also saving again for the thing that I originally intended to work on this summer - replacing more fence around the yard. The south side looks good (I am still pulling out fence posts inside the yard along the path of the old fence) but the north side is falling down.

Subject: RE: wysiwyg update
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Aug 19 - 10:00 AM

I heard from Susan (wysiwyg) via Facebook messenger yesterday; the site has been up and down so often that she couldn't get through and wanted to share the following:

The Mudcat won't take my post today, but pls share for me there:

We won at the Y meeting today.... but since they are closing the pools for maintenance, Saturday, for two weeks.... And then when they reopen Sept 2 we're MIL-bound.... I'll be in the water tomorrow.... But then doing I don't know what, until about Sept. 10.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Aug 19 - 05:33 PM

I've moved one of the two desktops into an "L" position and so far it looks like none of the cables pulled out. I then went through the tech packaging that was stored flat in the closet and discarded almost all of it. This dated from when the way to save money on the new version of a security or other software was to show that you'd previously purchased the program by sending a part of the box or cover of the manual in for a rebate. I haven't done that for a while so I think that business model has gone by the wayside, and those packages all went into the recycle bag.

Stuff that I regularly use that doesn't need to be on the desktop needs to be within reach or in sight, something I'm going to be fiddling with for a while.

I put a shade up over the single-glazed window in the office and am really impressed with how well it insulates. I've mentioned it before, this one is a linen color that filters out at least 60% of the light. Lowe's Allen + Roth Light FIltering Cordless Cellular Shade. Highly recommended, though with the provision that I no longer own cats. I'm sure they would tangle with this kind of window covering, and in the past the blinds usually lost.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Aug 19 - 04:00 PM

Office: emptying boxes of contents that are either going on a shelf designated for them or into the "figure it out later" box in the kitchen (that is for cassette tapes that don't have labels but appear to have been used.) There is a stack of paper on the dining table that all needs sorting and filing, it's mostly mail that arrived during the last two months and waited for easy access to file cabinets.

Clumps of insulation still turn up in boxes that were hit by collapsing ceiling and moved into the front room without unpacking to remove all of the debris.

Many of the books on my shelves in here are those I've wanted to read that were stacked wherever. Now they're in sight, and the one closest to hand is A. H. Jessup's Beyond The Cascade. I wish I'd read it in his lifetime.

Frugal August isn't as frugal as I'd hoped, as I continue the reconstruction of my office, but food-wise I've made progress drawing down the freezer contents. My shopping for fruit and vegetables has been for things I mean to eat, not process or freeze. This includes two cases (one a week) of largish mangoes (9 to the box) for $5.99 a case. They're incredibly sweet and juicy and a fresh mango each morning for breakfast has been marvelous (and I shared these with a friend, no way I could eat 18 mangoes in two weeks!)

I have had to take decongestants when working with some of these dusty boxes, but otherwise, there is a good health factor in the picking up and moving lots of boxes, a sort of impromptu weight training.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 17 Aug 19 - 08:25 PM

I had the entire day to myself today. I cleaned out one of the cupboards, reorganized, cleaned out the fridge, did up the dishes, did some laundry, organized lunch materials as Jeremiah is starting the 4th grade this week (how did THAT happen?) and made ham, homemade mashed potatoes and green beans...from the garden...for dinner.

I had not been doing such a great job with weight loss due to vacation, etc. and last week I finally got my head on straight and am back at it...tracking everything that I eat and when I weighed in, I was down 7 pounds. YAY. Now if I can keep that momentum going.....

Besides work, that's about all that's been going on around here. Work, sleep, work sleep, etc.

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Aug 19 - 10:04 PM

Michelle, I found the school district to an 800-pound gorilla you have to tolerate at times, but having them back in school helps make the weekdays more organized. That sounds like a great dinner - I always love cooking with stuff from my garden, though this year the output has been sparce.

More boxes have been emptied and some has gone to the trash or the Goodwill bin and I'll make another trip to the recycle bin soon. Leftovers for lunch and dinner this weekend.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 18 Aug 19 - 08:44 AM

My home Y took 7 months to grant what another nearby Y just granted with 3 emails in one day, so I do have a pool for next week. Unfortunately, ALL the Y's pools here are closing for at least a week's maintenance, but I have whittled the downtime to just a week lacking cardio, because I added more PT during the Y closure for strength work.

On land, I've graduated to chair dancing, which I overdid a tad last night when we found the second GREAT band here, but what a great problem to have!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 18 Aug 19 - 02:29 PM

It's another much needed and wanted day at home for us today. I have more laundry going and today I cleared off my Nana's hutch which had become a very dusty catch all spot. Jeremiah brought down 2 bags of things from his room to take to Goodwill and I have another 2 or 3 bags sitting on top of the freezer.

Pete had a HUGE haul from the garden this morning...patty pan squash, summer squash, zucchini, cucumbers, green beans, yellow wax beans and rattlesnake beans (which are new to me and I can't wait to try). Pete made grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch while I made a cucumber, tomato and fresh basil salad with olive oil and balsamic vinegar....can't get much better than that! Well, at least in my book!

As far as the school year goes, it is somewhat more organized but considering Jeremiah took part in a regular summer program, there isn't too much change. It actually will be a little bit easier as he will be able to take the bus home which will save me about 30 extra miles per day (and it will save Pete that much mileage as well....60 miles a day to transport to and from). I am looking forward to a little less running although soccer season will be starting before long.....

There is an upcoming festival I am thinking about attending called the Funky Frets Ukulele Festival....I think it sounds like fun! We shall see!

I'm off to do some blogging. You guys have a great week!

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Aug 19 - 10:41 PM

The ukulele festival sounds like a lot of fun!

This afternoon I pulled a box yellow cake from the freezer and used some leftover cranberry pulp from making cranberry juice for a rich pan of cranberry bars (I posted a link to the recipe on Facebook, though my account is acting up and I can't see much of what I posted). Their fabulous smell gave a lift to the afternoon. They're cut and spaced out a bit and are (all but two) in the freezer (and I had to test a couple!)

Since so many books left the house in June it meant that I put up one less bookshelf in the restored office, and the remaining shelves have plenty of space for things that used to live in other smaller compartments and shelf units. This evening I've put several small pieces into the SUV to take to Goodwill tomorrow. I have another box of books filling up as I move them back (or not).

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 19 Aug 19 - 07:03 AM

SRS, be good at Goodwill! No buying until your space is restored and pretty!

Heading off to an adventure-- I love visiting new pools!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Aug 19 - 05:48 PM

I dropped off the shelving and storage units and didn't go into the store itself. And then on the way home instead of stopping somewhere to buy a sandwich I thought about what I could make at home that would be equally appealing so when I got back here I cut a chicken breast into pieces and made breaded chicken strips. That mid-afternoon treat was my big meal for the evening so I'll have just a salad later.

The cranberry bars were frozen overnight are now repacked in airtight containers. I have some sweet potatoes in the oven that have been here for a few days and need to be used. Most of the papers are filed or shredded, with only a few needing attention still.

The shelving that wasn't re-installed in the office (brackets and boards) needs to be moved into the garage lumber area. This will clear out the hall next to the office, and from there, I can start moving eBay stuff into the dining room and set up on the now-emptied table.

Buried under the papers on the table was a DVD I picked up a couple of months ago, one of Jane Fonda's low-impact exercise videos. It's time to start with that and see if my knee will tolerate the moves.

#Progress #FrugalAugust

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 20 Aug 19 - 10:06 AM

The fur-bearing carpet in the sitting room must be vacuumed TODAY. And after that bit of light resistance training, I shall go to the gym.

I have completed my first week of intermittent fasting with a loss of five pounds. Now, that was almost certainly bloat, but I'm glad to see the back of it.

It's interesting how conditioned we are to fear even the slightest pang of hunger. Himself still expresses concern that I don't eat breakfast, although I have repeatedly told him that I am not hungry until mid-morning at the earliest. But I am reluctant to set about any task more demanding than loading the washing machine on an empty stomach *for fear that I will be hungry*! I am learning to wait for an actual hunger pang before eating, and it really does slow me down.

On the other hand, I have noticed that I feel weak and unwilling when I am thirsty. Half-way downtown, after only about three-quarters of a mile, I am pushing my legs to pick up my feet -- unless I have brought a water bottle. A couple of swigs and I'm ready to go again.

Both obvious, and weird. Weird that at my advanced age I'm finally noticing. Duh.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Aug 19 - 11:26 AM

I haven't continued to participate in the summer diet thing my insurance company pushed, but the first episode did have some interesting tidbits. They talked about levels of hunger - when you're not hungry at all, when you're looking for something to nibble on but nothing much looks good, when anything in the fridge as leftovers looks edible, and when your blood sugar is all bonkers and you end up eating way too much too fast.

They suggest you plan to eat when you get to the "leftovers look good" stage. And I can go back and follow-up on those weekly episodes. It just happened that that program started when the ceiling fell in and I had other things on my mind.

The shelving stuff is in the garage now and I had an overnight eBay sale (something listed for a very long time, since I haven't put up anything new since probably May). Good timing as I'm preparing to start listing again this week. With the shelving out of the hall I can transit more easily with boxes I need to take to the dining table for photographing, describing, and packing. My sunroom is too crowded right now for the activity that usually happens in there. It's the last casualty of the move out of the office and I'm slowly making inroads there.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 21 Aug 19 - 04:24 AM

I guess this one can go here… Today’s poor attempt at troubleshooting.

Mum asks me “what’s this beeping?” As there was a warning light on the burglar alarm remote and the sound initially seemed clearest above the entry to the attic where the main panel is located, I assumed these were related.

Anyway, replace battery reported as low by the system and clear errors on remote. System OK but still a bleep. I restart my own program that connects the alarm to the HA. System OK on HA too but still this beep. I curse and get the step ladder out to go up to the attic. I open the access to the attic and, strange, the sound is no louder…

Another walk around and I find the offending item. It was a small travel alarm mum keeps by her bedside. Apparently, she even knew she’d dropped the damn thing this morning…

I’m starting too see a funny side to it but at first, I wasn’t sure whether the biggest quite angry “GRRR” should go to mum for not realising what she’d done or to me for hastily jumping to the wrong cause.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 21 Aug 19 - 09:27 AM

That entire episode belongs in the Aw Fuck It file, Jon Freeman. My life is full of crap like that, from rustling noises in the walls to mysterious pinging generated by any (or all) of our expensive digital devices. You and your Mum have my sympathy.

I have one of those little electric travel alarms, too. If you pick it up the wrong way or knock it over, or even look at it crooked, you activate the alarm function and find yourself chasing pings under the bed at zero dark thirty. Okay, it's not as irritating as looking in the dark (because your spouse is still asleep, you hope) for the spot where the cat just horked, but it's close.

Speaking of rustling in the walls, our house almost certainly harbours at least one nest of mice, but the rodents seem to be keeping prudently away from spaces occupied by the cats -- i.e., the entire interior of the house. No one has seen any sign of mice, neither droppings in the cutlery drawer nor gnawed pasta packets in the pantry nor tiny corpses on the carpet, but Watson and Isobel (the resident cats) spend long periods sitting patiently on the basement floor with all their senses tightly focussed on a particular stretch of skirting board.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 21 Aug 19 - 11:22 AM

My parents’ previous house in North Wales could be one for strange noises, some of which were probably due to the place being fairly exposed. I don’t know if you’ve ever walked a lonely path and had that eerie feeling you are being followed but I suppose this place was similar in a sense. The sense being that once in a while, if alone in there, you could get the feeling you were not alone. It was a (flawed but…) lovely property though.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Aug 19 - 12:41 PM

Has anyone else noticed that there is such verisimilitude in modern radio and television HD broadcasts that the beeps used as background noise seem like they might actually be in your house instead? And driving - how often do I need to turn off the radio to be sure the siren or odd noise isn't in the car or an approaching fire truck?

The smoke detectors are wired together, so if one goes off in my office (for example), those in all of the bedrooms and the hall go off also. That's good for a fire at night. But when the batteries need changing these buggers are difficult, the 9v batteries don't want to fit back into the pocket, etc.

This morning I evicted some old mystery meat (probably trimmed turkey) from the big deep freeze, and pulled some Food Saver sealed packages to use for soup (three-years old turkey legs and thighs). Trash day tomorrow, so I'll put a bag in the big plastic can instead of leaving the bag itself on the ground. The likelyhood of coyotes, raccoons, and foxes is lower since the landowner across the road "cleaned up" that area by tearing out the trees and underbrush (but leaving trash), but there are still occasional stray dogs and cats.

Does anyone else harbor visions of someday writing about those great old jobs years ago (in parks and forests, for me) and have these bits of paper and notebooks and such that float around as part of that project? I finally decided to give one shelf in the newly revived office to my publications and a box where journals and all of those odd bits and pieces can be accumulated from around the house and stashed. But I'm also being ruthless in throwing out the paper that, while it says something to me, will be meaningless to my children and they would toss it when the time comes. So I'm doing it now. Since I can't burn the papers right now I have a growing file for after a good rain, and the rest will go in the trash with the old turkey.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 21 Aug 19 - 01:22 PM

Our smoke detectors are linked too and it’s quite a racket if they go off if you test them. Still, we worried about people not hearing stand alone ones going off. Ours have sealed batteries with a supposed 10 year life.

The closest I’d come to your last question are:

My mother sometimes thinks of writing about life in a very rural borders part of Shropshire (England) from her birth in 1935. There are some sheets of A4 around somewhere and her efforts are probably saved on her PC but that’s as far as it goes.

My father (who has lent one or two cards to one or two others for books) has sometimes considered doing something with his collection of North Norfolk (Mostly West Runton and again England) post cards. That one has never got off the ground. I have expressed willingness to scan for him but would not understand what he wants to achieve. On the other hand, I suspect his ability to plan a proper project like that went a fair while ago. There is one relic from the last attempt, a digital “Dictaphone” that we got him as we felt it might help get ideas down but I don’t think it was used and there is no paperwork.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Aug 19 - 08:07 PM

This afternoon I thawed two pieces of Food Saver sealed cod from 2014 that were as good as the day I froze them. I'm out of store-bought tartar sauce so I used an online recipe and mixed up some ingredients in the fridge (capers seems to be the secret ingredient) to have with it and was pleased with the results. I thawed a much more recent whole-grain baguette that I cut into slices cross-wise and toasted to use with hummus that I need to thaw.

Maps. I'm a hoarder, to be sure, but I decided again to act as if my kids were going through the box and tossed about 3/4 of them. I kept a few of places I might actually drive to, and as out-of-date documents they are placeholders until I get a newer one at each state welcome station. Sometimes I had to figure out who was governor (the old Texas map with Rick Perry, for example, is gone). I have a small cloth bag of maps now in the new SUV; I had a bag of more current maps in the old SUV but I think I left it unlocked in the driveway one day and someone grabbed it, perhaps thinking it was a purse? This looking at stuff through my children's eyes seems to be a good exercise.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 22 Aug 19 - 09:49 AM

I stopped accumulating maps when we bought a GPS for the car. Now we travel with a road atlas and the GPS -- the GPS to provide turn-by-turn guidance, and the road atlas for route-planning. In Canada, where we have relatively inexpensive phone service (relative to the cost of roaming charges in the States, that is), we dispense with the road atlas in favour of an iPad and Google Maps. We haven't been lost, or even late, in years, and we have almost stopped arguing about turns and directions.

Ditching the maps was a painful process. I am a map geek; I love maps. But two file boxes of maps dating back to Germany in 1978 is way too hoard-y for me; they went into the recycling box without a backward glance. Outdated road atlases are a bit more of a challenge, so I let them ripen for a couple of years before I set 'em loose.

Stilly, you mentioned your Food Saver yesterday -- how coincidental. I just bought one; I can't think why it took me so long. I look forward to a significant reduction in the amount of food-wrapping material we need to keep, and better freezer results.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Aug 19 - 11:57 AM

I buy replacement bags on Amazon for much less than the name brand, but still sturdy enough plastic to do the job. I tend to use the smaller bags (cut your own) more, so I tend to alternate my purchases: These rolls of the 8" bags last quite a while and I alternate that purchase with this two-pack of large and small. I read a lot of reviews before settling on these two products; they aren't all as heavy duty to stand up to the melting and shuffling around they can get in the freezer.

I was at Goodwill one day and spotted a holder and cutter for the rolls of bags but it's not big enough to hold the entire roll. I make my own roll and put it in there because it is a handy way to cut new bags. I found it for $2, I wouldn't spend $34 for it. (Expect to have to experiment on size and waste some plastic along the way.) I'm also looking at parts like gaskets and teflon strips as my aging sealer begins to need some TLC to get the bags to seal.

Sharpie on the bag wherever is good enough to let you know what's in it, no need for that white spot to write on.

As a Mountaineer member (in Western Washington State) in high school and college, who took the basic climbing course then taught in it for several years (including map and compass), I will never completely give up my paper map, and I find GPS to be terribly annoying. I "drive ahead" in my mind, having looked at the map and sometimes, if it's a complex route, made a few notes of cross streets, turns, landmarks, and can quickly glance at that. I use the phone map for the big picture for progress (the blue spot that shows me where I am does help) but it is as much distraction as it is a tool.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 22 Aug 19 - 03:10 PM

Dupont:

Did a quick look at the posts for the last 8 days. Seemed longer! So many ideas and reminders! I went to Beaver for 5 days and the resident scale informed I have gained back the tediously lost 15 pounds. DARN! I went to four movies - a fest at a near-by lake that was incredibly fun. But the trip - all day on that Thurs, from here, and then a movie and 40 min home, then errands on Friday, then movie - again 40 min each way, and two on Sat plus going north to the Garlic Fest. I was plumb wore out and rested until it was time to drive back on Tuesday.

Well, I did manage to collect 3 more boxes of pottery and a table for this weekend's sale. Sat in the screen house all one aft and relaxed; it was cooler out there on the swamp's edge. And found a fellow to whom I owed for last winter's snow removal; I wanted to be sure he would do it this winter! And left money for the fellow who is bringing this year's fire wood. Remember: where I live it is OK to come home ans find a note on the K counter, and then say, "You know that box on the counter? I'll put the money in there in case I am not here." I do love this way of life.

So on Tuesday, Drove the 5 hours back to here. Not much else other than meal preps and minimal shopping. Again today; internet and no energy; lovely breezy day with all windows open so I have even skipped the usual opening and closing of windows and drapes.

Yesterday, I did go to the monthly lunch for our area group. I had instigated it being held at a nearby community oriented bistro. The org had added on musicians - Nancy White whom I have always avoided as I do not usually care for female voices. Well, Nancy White has a marvellous voice!!! And she played such a variety of music, from Joanie Mitchell to blues, jazz... And a local elec bass player accompanied her. The women enjoyed her tremendously! She may get more gigs and the bistro may get some repeat business. Don't we love when we manage something like this!

R worked the whole time I was away; not even time to put the futon back together so the TV/sewing room is still unusable for me; he has watched the news but that is all one can do after a ten hour work day.

I am flat broke as the month ends; but all the bills are paid. Hoping to sell some pottery this weekend at the Chateauguay Valley Antique Association event, A very fun event and R is definitely on board to help me get stuff there tomorrow! Geri will help on the weekend and packing up And I shall be exhausted next week. This could be the last time for this relatively easy event. Lots of local music - all day - mostly country.

And R will be going to the Sat auction (at the CVAA) BUT is making good noises about not buying too much this time!!! only minimal clutter has gotten into the house. The single guest room is ready (without wall pieces yet) and the double awaits the mattress; once again I am furious with Linen Chest as I was told it would arrive yesterday, when I received phone call that it would come on Sat. NO, we will not be here on Sat! Then, I was told Thurs. How do you argue with stupid? So, I am stuck with next Thurs. Was planning to go back to Beaver - well not on Thursday. Also waiting to hear if a friend who needs a bed for that weekend is actually going to take us up on it.

I have been concerned all summer that my son (and two grandsons) (PA) would surprise me but finally got him on phone yesterday; waiting weeks for passport renewal because ...????? It is supposed to take 2 weeks and it has been six. I can only wonder if it is his complexion. So there went the summer and no visit. The positive is that the van broke down and are we ever glad it did not happen on the way to Canada! My gentle, honest, Quakerly son (56) is not a terrorist! The world just gets crazier by the day, and in Canada also.

Oh, one movie was The Woman Who Loves Giraffes. Monumental Canadian documentary with Giraffes, and historic women's issues over the last 60 years. Ended with views of the Women's March on W as the credits rolled. I understand it is available on I Tunes.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Aug 19 - 10:41 PM

Writers used to keep extra copies of their published works in order to send tear sheets in as examples of their work when pitching articles to editors. Now with scanners and PDFs they can be shared digitally. Over time some of mine are dated so this week I did a major thinning of those documents and sent at least a linear foot of magazines and brochures to the recycle bin. The contractor's bag was bulging, mostly with paper and cardboard, collected around the house this week. I've compressed my published stuff down to a single shelf.

The yard is dry as tinder now, it needs to be mowed, but since it isn't growing it won't get any worse. I'll get around to it one of these days. There's a possibility of rain over the weekend, but the ten-day outlook is more promising, with a projected high of 87^o on the 31st. One of these days I have to thin the iris beds and I have a list of people who would like some. That has to wait until cooler weather and after a good soaking rain. I did a one-off cat feeding chore for a friend tonight and stopped for some ceviche on the way home so no cooking was required for dinner. It's too hot to cook.

Dorothy, you have been productive. I had to delay my planned fence work due to the ceiling, but at least these projects are all on one property, not scattered all over the Province.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Aug 19 - 10:42 PM

A couple of programs were added into the new computer that I'd had installed in the old one to increase functionality. I'm researching how to reduce the size of some of the video files I have, from media center recordings to mp4. It's always something to figure out with these various program.

I'm still organizing the shelves and have located projects that were buried in with other stuff. And still finding occasional clumps of insulation. I seem to have a lot of plastic baskets, probably purchase at a $1 store years ago. I've tossed more paper from publishing projects into recycling.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 24 Aug 19 - 04:18 PM

I spent half this day working in our closet clearing out 18 thirteen gallon bags. I wish I could say that I'm done, but I am not. Sure feels good though to get it out!

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 Aug 19 - 09:23 PM

My exercise program has unexpectedly dropped me back in my teenage years-- chair dancing so hard it hurts, and pool dancing so long that I freeze.

I like it. These hips haven't moved this
since.... Way too long.

I don't even care what it looks like.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Aug 19 - 11:45 PM

It does feel good to clear out like that, Michelle. Did it all go to a thrift store or other donation? And Susan, you remind me that I need to go join the gym that I selected before it too, closes, like the first one I selected but never joined did. :-/

Small consignment jobs from various friends will keep me coming and going this week and next, with jury duty at least one day next week. It's probably just as well, I've stayed cooped up here too much this month. It was so hot I didn't feel like going out but the heat broke yesterday with a scant rain and today with a deluge.

I spent the rainy afternoon polishing the silver flatware my mother gave me when I got married; I've put it back into the silver-cloth-lined cabinet and will give it to whichever child of mine ties the knot first. It's still in pretty good condition, all things considered, and I'm using a new modern but less expensive stainless now.

Progress in the office, slowly but steadily.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 25 Aug 19 - 09:11 AM

Stilly,

   There were 19 bags in total, one is going to a friend and all the other will be donated to a thrift shop. :)

    The temperatures have dropped here. This morning was in the mid 40s. The air is crisp and I am loving it. We likely will return to the more summer temperatures but for now, this is wonderful. My co-worker and I have made a plan to go for daily walks on our lunch break once the temperatures are 70 or below. I'm looking forward to it. In the meantime, Jeremiah and I are dancing to a playlist/videos that I put on the big screen. I also have a very large bright orange yoga ball that I am doing some floor work with. I was down .2 this week which I will gladly take. Last week I lost 7 pounds and normally that means the follow week the scale will go up a little bit as my body tries to readjust.

Have a great week everybody!

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Aug 19 - 01:41 PM

A major test of the new office is if I can use the computers in the way I planned, and the setup seems to be working. The old HP is set up on a desk adjacent to the new computer desk, and they're each processing programs that could only be viewed in the software they were recorded in. They're being converted to mp4 so they'll play virtually anywhere. I started a thread to post remarks on how to use and where to find some of the software.

I have several friends headed out of town who need mail taken in, plants watered, animals fed, and more, so the rest of August and much of September have lots of calendar entries for those jobs. And I'm still aiming at starting listing again on eBay this month; I'm almost there (as I've probably said several times before).

Heavy rain, over two inches, last night has given the lawn a new lease on life so I'm going to have to go out and mow this week, but I can also declutter my garden of some of the weeds and transplant a few things.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 26 Aug 19 - 04:06 PM

Dupont:
We seem to be into fall weather. Nice that it is comfortable; not sure I am mentally ready for winter -- but the choice is not mine! I am still waiting for the pick to make it here and now the weather is conducive to using it - to dig some more flower bed area and move the poor rhubarb that is somewhere in a mess of weeds tight up against the garage wall. It needs room to grow! Of course, it will need much manure and care and will not produce for a few seasons but we have a monster one at Beaver. And it is not producing now; barely hanging on!

This morning I potted a few geraniums and stuck a couple more cuttings in the sand bowl. I have a work area on the back deck but can only work in shade so all projects must be planned according to the movement of the sun. Thankful for the mature trees! My 3 agave babes are finally starting to grow!

All the boxes of pottery are now on back deck, covered with heavy plastic. We need to consider where to put them long term: some on display? Where? When and how to plan an open house in Nov/Dec. On the weekend I only unpacked about half the boxes- onto 3 card tables and a small shelf unit. A newish glaze was popular; when I get more pots made, I shall use it some more. A woman bought a cylinder/vase, 6-8 inches tall, to drink out of? OK! An interesting concept and easy to make a few more. The infinite shapes and sizes plus the infinite glaze combos...!!! Never ending. And challenging to know what to do, so I basically just do what I feel like, with some guidance from the public.

A film company has requested we remove anything from front yards that is modern as they are filming on the street on Weds re early 1900s. I have one pile of mulch to move this eve - before mosquitoes! and two large objects on front steps that R needs to wrestle out of sight. And put my car in back yard on Weds.

The weekend was slightly profitable but a great deal of enjoyment. More a social event than the business of pottery! I gave away a couple and sold a dozen or so. One of the joys of this event was the man (I slightly recognized) coming along "for my annual butter dish"! He uses one, keeps a spare in case, and gives them away to someone he thinks needs one! Sunday supper for Geri, R and me at the Thai resto took about a third of the take! Good meal though! Ah, the joy of finally getting G to eat there rather than the boring place!!!

Laundry today and a pot of soup to use the various "excess" veggies - when my next bit of energy surfaces. The weekend effectively de-clutttered my energy.

The useless bed R dragged home, left this am, thanks to the film company! But the futon frame is not back together so the sewing room is still not usable. (too much CLUTTER!) But he had a restful day yesterday, de-cluttering some of his exhaustion.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Aug 19 - 12:54 PM

Do you know anything about the type of production that will be filming? Only outdoors, or do they also have a location for interior shots? Does this happen often? Will they park horses with carriages or antique automobiles on your street? Will you be able to watch? (Some of these projects are often slow moving like watching paint dry)

I am sad to report that most of the horizontal surfaces in the house have reached the point where they're cluttered with stuff that now needs to be organized, put away, or discarded. We have a rainy indoors day today so I'm moving things around and trying to compress some of it and pack way the rest. And yes, things are being added to the Goodwill bin.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 27 Aug 19 - 03:17 PM

I'm decluttering a friend's porch of clothes that got caught in the rain when a tarp blew off.

This is a huge charity emergency project. Yesterday my friend loaded up my van, and Yano Becky, loaded it into my garage this AM. We separated it-- dry, wet, filthy, trash. We started a load in my dryer. We brought in three loads to wash. Greg loaded the wet items in the van to go to the laundromat's dryers-about 5 heavy contractor's bags.

Lawn dude Brandon and GF ate meeting us at the laundromat to unload and help fold. In the meantime, I'm washing and folding here, to package up in reasonable condition for a Saturday giveaway event in Dayton.

These donated clothes got caught in the rain where they were waiting for that giveaway. These are for tornado recipients and others who have nothing, so I offered to try to help salvage what I can.

There's another aftn planned for tmrw with Brandon's girlfriend, just folding what's in the garage. We'll rough fold, and bag, two categories-- adults and kids piles.

Left from our move is a whole roll of these heavy contractors' bags, which I'll use to keep my friend's porch organized as next month's donated clothing comes in. He'll never have this wet mess again. I'll volunteer a day a month getting the clothes ready for that month's giveaway, and once he sees my simple setup I'm sure he'll leave items in a way I can organize... I have a couple of old plastic trash bins to donate to his porch, also.

I'll just use the same process I used to transport our fabrics on the open cargo trailer-- double wrapping, with lightweight, small plastic bags inside larger, heavier contractor's bags.

I have some old crafting twill tape to tie up the the c-bags, and I'll make re-usable plastic label tags to hang on these ties, from old yogurt lids, to identify clothing categories.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 27 Aug 19 - 08:49 PM

Dupont:

Susan! Fab project! Those heavy bags are terrific!

SRS: Movie project canceled due to rain. I may never know the answers! R often has movie projects in one or another of his buildings - inside or out in the yard full of my idea of junk. Film-ers love this! But our street is fairly prosaic. Our home is the oldest (1902) and R did speak with someone but I only found out what I needed to know.
-
Recovered some energy today. Went to group lunch (local Anglophones) at a eatery right on the River/Lac St. Francoise. Great day for it and all those negative ions help me a lot. Stopped at Mill and picked up flower pots and some K stuff, a quilt for Beaver and a nice basket for the laundry room - for R's really dirty clothes so they are not sitting on the floor. Then a visit with Geri and drove home determined to stop some place I do not usually stop - just for fun. Ended up being a plant nursery with good clearance going on. I picked up two perennials but not room for anything else. May go back tomorrow for some shrubs - evergreen. Now that I have a pick!

Have not yet homed everything but know pretty well where it will go.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 27 Aug 19 - 10:14 PM

Laundromat work DONE and unloaded into pickup row in the garage. Kiana is THE BOMB, and is coming tmrw to rock out the garage pile. Another volunteer is coming tmrw aftn also.

On track for Friday pickup of what had seemed impossible for about a half hour this morning. To.orrow we make the tags for the bags.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Aug 19 - 10:57 PM

I've moved my accumulated eBay sales items from around the table in the sunroom (on the floor) to the dining table in the den. There's quite an array, and I'd forgotten about some of it. I'm still aiming at meeting the goal to restart my listings this month.

That sounds like a huge job, laundering and drying all of those collected clothes. And Dorothy, I really like that idea of stopping someplace you don't usually stop, just for the novelty of it. I'll give that a try myself!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 28 Aug 19 - 05:35 AM

SRS, I only washed three loads. Most of this we only DRIED.

Years ago, though, I triple washed a chain-smoking hoarder's clothing which was being donated. TBTG, for that project there was no deadline! No help on that one.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 28 Aug 19 - 09:43 AM

The new patio is finished and we are thrilled. It's both a technical win, achieving good drainage, and a major aesthetic improvement.

The last phase, adding a border of ledge rock at the point where the patio meets the new garden bed, added an extra thousand bucks to the project but was critical to correct an unexpected drainage issue. Unknown to us until the deck was removed and the patio laid, the bit of land that became the new garden bed has a distinct upward slope, caused by the roots of the very large silver maple growing on the property line and the still disintegrating wreckage of a tree that was probably removed to put in the deck. So the topsoil in the garden bed washed out with every rain, and the edge of the patio required daily sweeping. Thanks to money, we'll have no more of that.

It absolutely bucketed down yesterday, and I watched with a critical eye as the rainwater streamed gently away from the house and off the patio, leaving it high and, eventually, dry.

The new front path meets the driveway at the point where everybody used to cut across the grass. It is to be hoped that people will not, therefore, choose to veer off the driveway just a little farther out, out of natural cussedness.

Our savings being now completely drained, capital spending must cease for a while. Fortunately, I have a new book contract starting at the end of September -- army operations in Afghanistan again -- so we can replace our antique and ecologically hostile air-conditioner before the snow flies.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Aug 19 - 11:11 AM

I thought the AC repositioning was going to involve replacement? You just moved it now and will replace it this fall? How is that basement window that was part of this operation?

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 28 Aug 19 - 03:14 PM

One hour of helper time vanquished the big laundry pile on the garage floor, but half was damp enough to be re-bagged for Kiana's 4pm arrival. There's one bag of stuff to check that I was told is all dry stuff, then she'll take the damp items to the laundromat and bring them back dried, to fold and pack.

That will just leave me a few more small loads in the house, which I'll finish in the morning.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 28 Aug 19 - 07:41 PM

Stilly, when the air-conditioner was moved to allow construction of a window well, we were warned that moving it could kill it. Much to everyone’s surprise, the damnable thing just kept ticking and ticking.

But it’s still 31 years old and way beyond the end of the normal service life of such a machine, and its coolant is now illegal in Canada. So its days are numbered, and I’d rather schedule its demise than be surprised.

The basement windows are now clearly visible and visibly decrepit — almost certainly original to the house. Yet another capital project!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 29 Aug 19 - 06:51 AM

As hoped, I do now have just the house loads to finish, today, which are one dried load to fold and one small wet load to dry and fold.

Then they'll be placed into the open contractor's bags awaiting them in the garage, which will be added to the other tagged bags to await Friday pickup.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Aug 19 - 09:43 AM

Charmion, you got lucky, being able to schedule that A/C replacement!

We've had a remarkable amount of rain in the last week and the lawn is heavy with dew in the mornings now, so I filled a "puffer" bottle with AgriLawn Crabgrass Killer (it's an organic mix of cinnamon and turmeric and I think baking soda) to distribute around the wet grass in a couple of areas of the front lawn. This is supposed to be an effective treatment for several of the weeds in the turf, but leaves the Bermuda alone (though I'd really love to nuke all of the Bermuda, front and back, and put in Buffalo grass). Decluttering weeds is a big deal; if this works I'll be out there a lot more with this stuff. I don't care what grows out there, I mow it and it looks like turf, but the neighbors always seem to be struggling with weeds the are seeded from what is in my yard. The bottle originally came with diatomaceous earth, and I'll have to find another one because I don't want to forget and spray this on the counter tops - AgriLawn has turmeric, meaning everything will turn bright yellow upon contact with moisture, so I don't want to accidentally spritz the kitchen next time ants come in.

I was going to mow this morning, but instead I'll let that powder work and I'll mow tomorrow.

I'm set with eBay stuff to start today.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 29 Aug 19 - 06:15 PM

Dupont:

Went back yesterday for 5 evergreen shrubs- four low growing for in front of the rocks that line the "flower beds" - One still has that heavy duty sort of a tarp to suppress weeds. R managed to extricate the other with GREAT difficulty and the perennials I put in there last spring are looking healthy! The other side.... Well, I am not putting him through that again so will look at the situation some more. A machete would help though this one might be lighter weight.

I pulled a bunch of weeds and that was all the body would do. I need to extricate a clump of orange day lilies planted amongst river rock in order to plant a very nice euonymous. R could barely lift it! So it will need a big hole!! I'll try again tomorrow. I am hoping the rain will help with the clay soil. I also want to extricate a 3 foot diameter clump of way too crowded hosta and put it elsewhere, leaving that space free for other perennials. The elsewhere may be long term project: a 3 foot wide swath, she hopes, across the middle front for herbs, bulbs, etc. Maybe some of it before the snow flies?

This am I noted a lovely purple clematis using the neighbours wonderful 10 foot or so high cedar hedge! Along the drive near the front. In the back yard, there were several light blue bell shaped clematis. Such a treat.

A trip to the produce store for apples and lettuce netted a huge box (banana size!) of fresh Quebec Macs for a reduced price. I begged. They are so good there! The mixed greens are terrific and keep well.

I took a basket to car and brought in 20, which are now applesauce. R may be able to bring the rest into the cellar. Need a safe cool place for them. If I can find enough containers, I will put 30 in each; 30 will fit in the large pot to make sauce.

I may be able to do a bit more tonight - before mosquitoes! Maybe.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 29 Aug 19 - 10:17 PM

Down 3.2 pounds this week.

Pete is having a biopsy in the morning.

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Aug 19 - 10:51 PM

Oh, dear. Michelle, that's one of those "good news, not-so-good news" posts. I hope the biopsy shows nothing serious.

Dorothy, you couldn't pay me to plant euonymous! I think they're stressed too much in this hotter climate, they're usually bothered by lots of insects.

Susan, all of those bags will be picked up Friday? Good!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Aug 19 - 01:16 PM

I'm going through recorded programs from the old computer and finding some interesting health lectures (from PBS pledge drives on the local channel). These will be added to the external hard drive connected to the television in the front room where I sometimes sit still and watch television.

I pulled out the Mylar covers for book dust jackets and now those books are back on the office shelves. (Grow up with a librarian and that's what you do for your hard-bound books.) There's a little more room on the kitchen table, and I'll continue that clearing between trips outside to do some can't-wait-any-longer yard work. Yard work must be done in short spells since the high today, while not as bad as recently, is still supposed to be about 97^o.

September has been a long time coming - inevitably the temperatures will cool, and our first hint of comfortable weather will come in a few weeks. I await the burst of energy that comes with that first crisp fall day.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 30 Aug 19 - 05:26 PM

Laundry GONE, system taught, supply kit given.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 30 Aug 19 - 05:39 PM

Dupont:

Euonymous is wonderful in Quebec! So is September! Gorgeous Day!

Yesterday, the new double mattress arrived; it is made up and the bed looks beautiful. New towels for two on bed as---- this morning a text from Magda indicates she and Stevie may arrive tonight!! What luck! The room is pretty good except for broken roll top which takes up TOO much room and is ugly. and no surface to put things so I put a chair in there. Maybe Steve and R can bring a bureau in that is not being used upstairs. Room in the closet. The guest rooms are on first floor in the addition, which also contains the only bath room - until we get the one on second floor - if I live that long.

I picked up two lovely Roxanne and a red tender Hibiscus this am - $10! Really marked down! Repotted the H in a nice 15 inch pot and will put it in a south window on second floor. One Roxanne planted, behind the BIG rocks and draped over, and one blue chip juniper, in front of rocks - ouchy! Soil is moderately malleable, using pick and spade, and the "weed barrier" is not so bad; I cleared a space for the euonymous; R offered to dig some holes!! This plant will take both of us to get it from pot to hole! Still have 3 blue chip. 3 day lily, a tiny mock orange and ? to plant. Might manage two more today. The hosta I want to move have started to bloom - Oh well! And I need to do something about the @#$%^trumpet vines. Will try to make a couple standards and murder the rest --- YEAH, I know it cannot be murdered, just re-cut back every year - forever!

Laundry done, our bed re-made. Moved A/c from BR to back closet -lovely to have closets!- and put low cabinet back in front of window, with a sheet of glass on top - for the hibiscus! R needs to carry it upstairs.

Picked up a heavy, lined drape at thrift shop for the north hall window - to keep the heat in!

And transporting these plants in my beautiful clean new car --- not so clean now! But the house is pretty good- not for a picky middle class home maker but for us.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Aug 19 - 05:47 PM

Dorothy, does this entire large multi-floored house have only ONE bathroom? Whoa. You're a brave woman to take on that challenge!

Michelle, I hope everything went well for Pete.

Turkey soup simmering on the stovetop; we had another thunderstorm blow through so I thought I'd treat it like a fall day, even though it's still about 90^o out there now. It's a dark day with the heavy overcast.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 30 Aug 19 - 06:47 PM

Pete did very well and now we wait.

We both have a 3 day weekend so we are looking forward to our time together. :)

Not sure what we are doing yet, it will depend on how he feels.

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 31 Aug 19 - 10:24 AM

The next challenge here is a planned trip to visit MIL. The stuff going on with my spine will pose difficulties, most of which we'll work out this week by decluttering the van of our summer concert-attending crap and recluttering it with trip crap I'll need, including a folding camping recliner. In the meantime, the garage floor now clear of laundry will hold Newbie's crate because she'll be left here, boarding, and I don't need her crate to ferry her to the kennel.

So the whole week will have trip prep crap to coordinate and execute in the most efficient order.

The driving issues are best solved by my taking the wheel for most of it, because there's actually less damage to my spine from there. Greg will take the middle section of driving because it involves stoplights, cutting across from one interstate to another, and anything I can't do in cruise control SUCKS for my knees.

My theory is that I did all those 10-12 hour PA drives, and this should be 6-8, so caffeine oughter do it.

Hopefully by next year she's in assisted living, here, and this is our last long, bad drive to her place.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 31 Aug 19 - 11:39 AM

Up early today. Laundry is done. Dishes are done. A nice breakfast was made. Animals tended to. Shopping done. Headed out to a BBQ and one of our favorite Mom & Pop shops as well as a stop at Robert Sides Music Center, a family favorite. I begin piano lessons next week with an instructor who will meet me where I am. YAY.

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 31 Aug 19 - 12:15 PM

Van pillowing and props for passenger time, version 1.0, DONE! We'll try this out on a long ride for an errand that usually kills my spine after the first 5 minutes. Bricks to raise my feet plus bolsters under my thighs put me in a pelvic tilt that lets me float on top of the vehicle's wave motion instead of constant micro-whiplashes. Yay! Spine physics, yay!

We had virtually stopped going for rides through the country, a major component of our married life. Now that long trip to the Amish store next week for a bulk buy looks doable, and just in time-- it's time for the next big tub of peanut buttet!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 31 Aug 19 - 08:48 PM

Dupont:

MAnaged to plant two more yesterday; none today! But I got the apples out of the car onto the back deck for now. About 120 more apples 4 batches of applesauce - about two qts each. I'll see how the apples keep and if they start to be unhappy, I shall have to make and freeze applesauce.

Really had no energy and made it worse by eating badly. Had a nice visit with Magda and Steve. They christened the French press! And pronounced the coffee "good!" Arrived after midnight last night so did not get up early. After consideration of the options, they went off to explore Montreal. Expect they will be late back as they have a couple music venue options.

Pulled some weeds. Raked up some. Took a nap when too tired to read. Would feel better if I had done more...

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 31 Aug 19 - 09:53 PM

I mowed the front yard that had gotten way too tall over the last few weeks. It was dormant for a while so it was tall and dry, but after several rains this week it was tall and lush. And then I went shopping and pulled my stomach muscles picking up the big bag of dogfood wrong. I didn't brace properly and was leaning; as a junior high school gymnast I initially pulled these muscles tumbling or on the trampoline, and it is something I've had to be careful about ever since. It was a good workout but requires Ibuprofen at the end of the day.

Dorothy, do you can (hot pack) your applesauce? It's one of nature's perfect foods when it comes to canning. You don't have to add anything, just seal it and hot bath for however long your jar size dictates.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Sep 19 - 11:14 AM

Turning the calendar page to September gives my brain a break after the really miserable and odd hot summer we've had here in Texas. I can visualize fall. The weather has been more humid than usual so the heat is more penetrating and harder to work in. But we're in September and that means this heat is now officially temporary. It might be another six weeks before we feel that first perfect crisp fall day down here, but it will slowly advance and one day appear. Yes, it's actually only one day later than August, but still, it makes a difference.

September is my bulky waste collection month in our quarterly calendar, and I have some limbs and trees to prepare for the curbside collection. One I can do by myself, one I'll have to pay my friend to remove. On the one I do myself I'll leave the stump for him to remove with the chainsaw, I don't have a hand-saw or reciprocating saw that can handle it. I'm going to start dragging stuff out front and leaving it where the code enforcement folks won't complain (you're not supposed to move stuff too soon). On the big tree my friend will take down I need to move some of the iris that are growing around the base. I like having a tree there, but it needs to be a better-adapted one; this was planted years ago when it was considered a good xeriscape tree, but it turns out that Elderica Pine (also called Afghan Pine) is a true desert species and it suffers with the amount of rainfall we get. I'm taking it down before it falls down. On the house.

P.S. Susan, my glasses and dishes are SO MUCH happier after repeated trips through the dishwasher with vinegar added. Successive washes have made them clearer each time and they're not back to their old crystal clear selves. The Limestone scale wasn't a problem until recently; I'm not sure what has changed as far as our water source or management. It tastes the same but is hard on glass in particular.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 01 Sep 19 - 04:59 PM

DUPONT:
It has probably been 45 years since I canned anything! Long since disposed of that equipment and that's that. Actually, with apple sauce, I could probably put it hot into canning jars and see if it seals itself. I have a few that tomato sauce came in.

Planted another shrub today but no more energy today. Well, maybe one more a little later. R planning to put futon together today- finally! Then I can get the room in order. And think about sewing projects that are lining up. Tomorrow we will try to go to the Ile with Magda and Steve, early while there is still parking. (Hope!) Fresh Quebec corn for supper tonight. Not organic. Oh, well.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Sep 19 - 11:59 PM

I did some digging and put in a portion of the fall garden - okra that has become quite root bound in small terracotta pots. They already have a few blooms. It won't be so big and robust as if it had been planted three months ago, but I have six plants and will end up with a tidy amount in the next 2 1/2 months till our first frost.

I wouldn't try sealing the jars without processing them, Dorothy. The Ball Blue Book says to pour the boiling hot applesauce into pint or quart jars, give them a 1/2" head space, and process for 20 minutes. If you can't do the safe processing, then go ahead and freeze it.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Sep 19 - 09:51 AM

During my Frugal August I did a pretty good job of drawing down the freezer contents, of eating most of the fresh produce before it was ready to compost, and not spending as much in general. I'll work on letting the frugal practices move into September. I used ingredients from the freezer and enjoyed the results - in particular the cranberry bars I made from the fruit pulp after I steam juiced cranberries to make some Cranapple juice. Yesterday overripe bananas went into two small loaves of banana bread yesterday; one is in the freezer and one is bagged and being used for breakfast for the next couple of days.

We've had several ozone action days so I'm limiting my time outside and not driving much and not mowing in the morning, etc. I could smell woodsmoke this morning as someone prepares a Labor Day barbecue; that smoke isn't helpful to our in this weather, but is probably offset by fewer people driving to and from work today.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Sep 19 - 10:16 PM

Oh my, it was one of those evenings. Computer stuff, in particular, syncing the Windows Edge browser between two computers, neither of which I ever intend to sign onto with Windows credentials. It has been an evening of back and forth between rooms where the computers are sitting (I could have moved the laptop in here, but there are already two computers in here and that seems plenty.)

Tomorrow I'll find out if it worked as I hoped.

On a related note, I *think* I've figured out why the new computer turns itself off randomly sometimes. It was set to turn off after installing updates, and wasn't telling me it was going to happen. I hope I've remedied that.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Sep 19 - 10:12 AM

This morning I'm down 10 pounds since I started actually trying to lose weight earlier this summer. Whoo hoo! Only 25 more pounds to go . . .

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 03 Sep 19 - 10:26 AM

I used to do lots of canning, and I made litres of jam every summer. I cut way back after both my brothers developed diabetes, and have almost stopped since we moved to Stratford. Last year I made marmalade and chutney, neither of which I can buy (to my satisfaction) in the shops; this year, I made no marmalade as we have yet to eat all of last year's, and the jury's out on the chutney.

This morning I was down in the Glory Hole surveying the collection of kitchen equipment that I either don't use any more or use so rarely that it does not deserve stowage space upstairs. If I were more realistic, almost all that stuff would go to the Goodwill, but doing so would bring howls of dismay from Himself. The huge clay-baker, big enough for a turkey, for example; Hell will freeze over before I ever again roast a whole turkey, but every three months or so we repeat our performance of "What about a turkey? No, I don't want to eat turkey for two weeks. Okay, if you say so." Likewise the collection of spring-form pans, suitable for making cheesecake. Neither of us should eat cheesecake ever again, but if I rehomed that stack of cake pans the emotional crisis would shake the house.

Alas, there it is. People are irrational.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Sep 19 - 09:59 PM

I have a small clay baker (Rombertopf) that is perfect for a chicken, and I use it several times a year in cold weather. When I remember it's there. I also have a graniteware pan with a lid that holds about the same volume and that's also good for chicken. And sometimes I put the chicken in the glass convection oven and roast it in there. Since I seem to eat more chicken than about anything else I can vary the cooking methods.

I sold a huge clay baker that was turkey-sized that I found for $9 at a Goodwill store and it appeared to have never been used. It sold on eBay for $40 plus shipping, and the woman who bought it sent a note to ask that I pack it very carefully because the first one she tried to buy broke in shipping. I assured her that I was set - I have a bunch of large boxes stacked in the garage from when my ex bought a dozen cases of bathroom tiles that had to be shipped from California. Each separate case of tile (somewhat larger than your standard shoe box) was cocooned in a box 15" x 15" x 20", filled with those cornstarch peanuts. The turkey roaster got there just fine and she paid less than buying it new from a store.

I've adopted a fix or replace policy as far as household cooking utensils and in that way have replaced parts of things that I used but were now broken or not working. I have a little high-speed chopper but the switch inside the case was broken and I had a twist tie rigged to it to use it. I found the same little chopper with the blade missing, and was able to put my perfectly good cup, blade, and lid on the new base that has a good switch. The old base was recycled via e-waste. The repair cost about $5, with the goal of not paying full price for things I use infrequently. This grinder is particularly good for things like grinding cardamom seeds and making special spice mixes, a seasonal activity.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Sep 19 - 10:55 AM

Hanging around this morning hoping the friend who will take out the Elderica pine in the front yard comes by before I have to leave for an appointment. We're still in the hot 100^o degree weather through the weekend, then back into the mid-90s. Summer is struggling to keep a hold on the season. It'll be hot work to take out that tree before it's time to put the pieces at the curb.

He arrived as I was typing. We've worked out the plan and will do it over Friday afternoon and Saturday morning when his wife will help (it's a two-person job). The work over the weekend means the city code enforcement folks won't bitch about stuff being put at the curb before Sunday night (because they're strictly Monday - Friday kinds of guys).

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Sep 19 - 12:15 AM

My office is a bit tidier; papers organized and small gadgets rounded up. Dishes loaded in the dishwasher, dog water refilled outside (Pepper will splash it all out in the morning.

The task I've worked on this week is teaching Pepper to catch food when I toss it. She's getting better, and is an enthusiastic student. I'm using roasted unsalted peanuts and toss one to Zeke who usually catches it, then I make Pepper stay put so I can back up a little (because her instinct is to launch herself and catch the food millimeters from my fingers.) I do it periodically during the day, one or two peanuts per dog, giving her brain time to process the task. She won't learn it in one session.

I'm a year out from retirement now and am keeping busy and continuing the forward momentum, while acknowledging that having the contract work basically pays for my various misadventures and work on the house.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 05 Sep 19 - 09:36 AM

I canned one year but it was too much for my spine. Soon the boys we'd blended were using them to make home brew with my yeast, but that's another story.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Sep 19 - 04:56 PM

Pepper is now heartworm negative! The vet does two tests, a rapid one and a serum one looking through the microscope, and both show that she has no more heartworms. Lucky little dog! (Not so little, actually, she's 44 pounds, but it took four people to hold her still to give her her shots and she had to wear the office muzzle to keep her from snapping at them.)

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 05 Sep 19 - 08:53 PM

Dupont:

Turned on Lights so R could come home to a cheery house, and started cooking chicken breast - PHONE rang - another hour and he is going to the Legion to pick up a steak which he will bring home. Oh well. could have told me sooner... Never going to happen.

Re canning, etc: One year I made a quantity of apple/grape with no sugar, cooked it down like apple butter. It was great in place of sugary jams. I "canned" it without processing. It is generally OK to do that with high acid foods. Green beans were 3 hours in the canner! I did them over an outdoor camp fire! Our instructions were from a book given us by a country woman who owned a general store in eastern Quebec. I probably still have it - somewhere!

Bathroom: We have a very nice full bathroom on first floor and a nice powder room on second floor. There is a "plan" to turn the room next to the powder room into a BATH room. I am hoping to live that long. I need to get more pushy - that fine line between getting something done and creating a crisis of ...

Big thing this week was deciding to make muffins. That may not seem big to others but I have not baked anything in over 10 years. 1. No baking stuff has made it here yet. 2. found a recipe in a cook book - a new edition of the one I got for a wedding present in 1959! OK. 3. Need muffin tin. Thrift shop- beautiful heavy duty super one for $3! 4.Back to grocery for those paper cups and frozen berries. 5. Successful batch of muffins!!!!

Now I am considering scones. 1. Found recipe on line. 2. have ingredients. 3.No baking sheet. ... Thrift shop tomorrow... (These are the things we love from fav bakery. The muffins pass muster!)

Trip to thrift shop also netted a smaller cabinet for sewing/TV room; it matches the preferred one and will de-clutter the room nicely after the extra is removed - with some difficulty - to the basement. The new one is pine but well built and also weighs a ton! Hopefully, this will happen and the love seat will also go elsewhere and I will be able to access the nicer cover for the futon and the sheets for the laundry ... which R put in the closet with chair in front of door...

De-cluttered considerable weed stuffs -vines, etc- from two areas of yard!!! Still much to do but ran out of steam. Found a baby clematis and marked it for removal to a better spot, also a tiny oak tree. WOW! those areas look so much better!

Otherwise laundry, dishes are up to snuff and work has been done on house plants on back deck. Read that the orchid would profit from 3 weeks of 50 degree nights so thinking of how to put it outside for 3 weeks - protected! Have not yet found the right "equipment". We are due for that 3 weeks of night temps. NOW.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 05 Sep 19 - 09:55 PM

Well. We found out today that Pete has follicular thyroid cancer.

Surgical consults and oncology appointments will be happening soon and then surgery to remove the thyroid. There are 4 nodules and it is believed to be contained, all lymph nodes are looking in good shape. The largest of the nodules is 3cm x 4cm x5cm. Radiation may be in the future.

We had a family conversation about this tonight over dinner. We did our best to keep it real but kid friendly at the same time....tough discussion. Jeremiah did well.

I am in cleaning mode.....I suppose it's because that's all I can do to disperse the anxiety I am feeling.

Pete is calm about it all....can't ask for much more.

Me? Considering I have no hormones in my body anymore....I've cried buckets, slept some and am okay too (at least for the moment)...I think I just need to get it OUT of my system so I can move forward and be as much help as I possibly can.

I was not able to contain myself at his doctor's appointment....so much so that the doctor looked at me and gave me a hug. I apologized saying that the crying is embarrassing. He said, "It's not embarrassing. You love him."

Exactly.

He walked away and while we were waiting at the reception desk for a consult appointment to be made, he came back out and cracked a smart ass joke...which was exactly what we both needed. :)

I am preparing for the days ahead as best as I can.

Much love to you all.

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Sep 19 - 12:15 AM

I've been watching this space for your news, Michelle. You and Pete are strong together, and all things considered, you had the worst of it cancer-wise, I think, and came out like a champ. Thyroid cancer is one of the most treatable ones. Beyond that you know the drill: if you want any documents from the university medical databases send me keywords and I can send you what I find. In this day and age, though, NIH and Mayo are probably equally good and are in lay-person terms. Later you and Pete may be going in together to get your tumor marker readings.

Dorothy, congratulations on taking up baking again. I wonder why you stopped baking 10 years ago? I agree about the great baking pans you can find in thrift stores; over the last few years I've accumulated a number of sizes of baking pans. Sometimes I'll make a big loaf (full size bread) if I know a lot of people will be eating it; more often now I make the smaller loaves depending on if there are only a couple of people in the household, so it is eaten soon while it's still good and they don't end up with old leftovers (or feel guilty for eating all of it.) Some of these pans are so small that I can make five or six miniature loaves with the same amount of batter that would go into the one large loaf.

The big pine in the front yard is coming out this weekend. My foundation is pitching and shifting and that's bad enough, and I can't afford to fix that right now, but I figure I can afford to remove the pine before it falls on the house.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 06 Sep 19 - 01:17 PM

My week--

Monday-- AM laundry, Scootered for groceries, baked pork steaks for this busy week's suppers.
Evening, cleared out van and look for middibh jackets, stowed camper items.
Late eve, folded laundry.

Tuesday-- AM PT and Yano Becky, put away laundry, clean washer/dryer area, degoof kitchen and LR,.
Aftn, shopped for jeans for trip w Judy.
Eve pack trip meds and went to Hank's for a blues set.

Weds AM, aerobic pool workout plus pool dancing, and retrieved items needed for trip.
Aftn, refined the van's leg blocks to be able to ride in spine/recline mode, then test blocks by long trip to JR bulk foods for PB.
Eve, kitchen chores.

Thursday, stowed groceries, started to pack clothes, wash new jeans and found jackets. Aftn, two consults re local BLM/SURJ kerfuffle.

Friday pack clothes, etc., medicate and board dog, poss music later at Hank's to test leg blocks during long ride there.

Sat AM depart.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 06 Sep 19 - 10:00 PM

Dupont:
1. read my last post- went to turn on lights for R!

2. What a kicker, Michelle. I'll be thinking of you.

3. More clearing of invaders/unwelcome plants. Piles of stuff on lawn! Was planning to go to Beaver tomorrow but exhausted! And more yet to do. Still 5 things to be planted plus daffy bulbs. Much digging required!

Made scones today. Very nice but not like the ones from the bakery - just not as high. Maybe I need to make them thicker to start out. However, they are quite acceptably fluffy.

Bread is not worth bothering with. We don't even eat one slice a day! Keep it in the freezer.

10 pm and R still not home. He phoned at 8 - to let me know he would be late! I will leave a bowl of food on table for him to nuke, and scones and peaches.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Sep 19 - 12:18 AM

I dug the iris out from around the Afghan pine in the front yard, in preparation for a friend who will take the tree down tomorrow. EXCEPT that we have an ozone action day and though he said they'll be find, I told him I reserve the right to tell everyone to go home and come back when the air is nicer. I only saw the notice on my way home this evening (on a highway bulletin sign.)

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 07 Sep 19 - 06:21 AM

Somehow, amazingly, I'm packed. (The van isn't, but I am.) Even a few pesky kitchen chores FINALLY got done.

This will be my last driving trip back to Chicagoland. It's just too disruptive.

Last month, we joined MIL and two of Greg's three brothers to tour a likely assisted living facility-- about 90 minutes from us, and ten minutes from her middle-school-aged grandchildren, with whom she's had a close relationship since they were born.

The 4th son, an active alcobolic, lives with her (on her money), and in the last year she has often acknowledged that he can no longer be considered even a potential caregiver.

She's a sharp but fragile 84. The atmosphere there will be tense as I support her in breaking free or making other, safety-oriented choices. He already hates me and has lashed out at me in less stressful times. Fortunately my PT requires us to stay at a nearby motel (for their pool). I will call 911 if necessary.

The drive there should be interesting!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Sep 19 - 10:22 AM

Stay safe, Susan. The dependent son sees you ripping apart his life. Until now he has had no reason to clean up his act.

Two hours of hard work this morning dispatched the large pine in the front yard and the poorly-placed vitex in the back. The front tree was liable to fall on the house, given a hefty wind storm; the vitex was encroaching on the power and cable lines to the house and nearly reaching the right of way where the neighborhood power line runs. Untrimmed, it would have grown into all of them. Who knew that tree would get that large? So today's work is distributed around the lot; one of them is piled at the curb for bulky waste next week and the other one is piled beside the driveway and I'll do my weekly bundles to the curb to slowly send it away. They both looked good where they were, but had too many issues. Now I'll figure out how to use the space for lawn or garden.

The next door neighbors have been away for a month on an extended European cruise; they are in Quebec this weekend instead of Boston because the prudent cruise ship captain wanted nothing to do with Hurricane Dorian. So even here thousands of miles away we are aware of the reach of that storm.

It is an Ozone Red day today so I need to spend the rest of the day indoors. There's plenty to do.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 07 Sep 19 - 08:32 PM

SRS, yes. The last bully who tried to get over on me had a domestic assault record that made him instantly responsive when I said, "One.more.word, and I dial 911." I suspect this one's well known to local police,too. I know a bit of his history.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Sep 19 - 11:15 AM

Yesterday's Ozone day seems to have put me out of sorts. That or the chocolate birthday cake I ate for breakfast and the sugar messed me up. :-/

Another 100^o day today, then into the 90s the rest of the week are in the forecast. Air quality is good today and I don't see a problem in tomorrow's forecast, so I'll mow in the morning. One of these days I'd love to move back to a climate that isn't as extreme in it's seasons.

Rearranging furniture in the sun room, primarily moving the bench beside to door to be perpendicular to the wall, and clear the stuff off of that seat. It's time to take back the function of that bench (seating, not storage) and make more donations to Goodwill and the big contractor bag of plastic, glass, cardboard, and paper over to the village recycling bins.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 08 Sep 19 - 11:42 AM

We arrived at the motel last night despite many road challenges, and the footrest Greg had cobbled up was nearly perfect-- we're discussing its next round of design. My back had zero pain and my knees were... Stressed.

I walked off the drive after we checked in, setting up camp in our room, and with sleep aids I got eight full hours of deep rest. My ankle, usually basketball size till the third day, are almost normal already-- that footrest for brief breaks from driving.

This AM, he's off to church with Mom while I continue room setup-- swapping some pillows around, adding a chair from the handy, included patio, stowing a few items better, hanging up re-wearables, and rinsing out lingerie.

Later, while she has her afternoon nap, he'll come back and we'll check out the pool. It's pretty far from the room and I can't take sitting breaks on the way because the seat will carry my step block, leg weights, and gear bag. So for this first pool visit I need a second pair of hands, and we can plan how subsequent scheduling will need to work.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Sep 19 - 02:47 PM

Beginning the ceiling reinforcement in a couple of places where I can see the foundation shift is pulling tape off drywall; the screws I picked up turn out to be flat black and I was looking for a more subtle gray like the contractors used, so it's a trip to the big box store. While I'm out I have a few groceries to pick up. I've put this off, but I need to start now while everything is in place, not when sagging happens like before. My old house is really pitching around on the foundation this summer.

The moving-the-bench operation revealed a box of books for the used book store and an item for sale on eBay that should be stored elsewhere. There is now room to sit and change shoes, the intended use of this bench. It was purchased at a local hardware store that sold lots of solidly attractive Mexican furniture; that store is gone so this is probably my last piece of Mexican pine furniture (I have several others that have worked perfectly for the task I bought them for).

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 08 Sep 19 - 06:50 PM

We took 18 garbage bags full of clothes and shoes to a local thrift shop. Buh bye. :)

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 08 Sep 19 - 07:24 PM

Dupont:

Managed a "yard sale weekend" without spending too much and without acquiring anything useless. A "new" fender for fireplace is terrific and the one that was there is gone to somewhere - out of this house! The treasure hunt is fun and most of the people were rather fun. There is a dozen small, wood once-were-drawers that need to find homes - they are so nicely made!... Some year we will have a yard sale.

Towels racks in powder room! Need two more, for potential guests, but at least we two have our spots. And R moved a chair to give me access to stuff in closet - of course the chair is now in the upstairs hall on its way to ? And the too large cabinet is still in the TV/sewing room and the better one is still in downstairs hall. We need a handy helper...

I had hopes of more progress: part of the hole for large shrub was dug by R, and more weeds cleared by both of us, AND, our neighbour who offered the other day to mow the front yard (and we said not to bother), did it while we were in the house today! I went back out and... It looked different! OK! I guess he felt it was past due! Happily, I had put a tomato cage over the tiny oak tree so it did not get mowed! Keep this in mind for next year! We prefer not to offend our neighbours.

It was chilly and gloomy today and I could not get energy for much; just pecked away at yard work. My hopes that the moldy walls in the basement would be cleaned, by R---- R had a 2 pm appointment to show a rental space; at 4 he phoned that they had not yet appeared but had sent 3 texts. No word since. How incredibly rude people are. This means we cannot turn off the fan which is pulling moldy air out of the house. It is getting chilly. Instead of closing drapes to keep the sun out, I am opening them to obtain solar gain!

I had hoped to go to Beaver yesterday but R took time off to be at home, a rarity these last months, And I realize I have much to do here so I shall put it off for another week. There, I only need to stack firewood before snow which I hope does not come before October! Prefer November!!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Sep 19 - 11:31 PM

I stepped into the yard this evening to water a few potted plants and a kind of scruffy man greeted me from the street, his skateboard on the ground beside him. He asked if it was my pine that was cut up and piled at the curb, and could he have a piece? I asked what he planned (because burning that kind of wood would be horrid for the chimney) - he said he's a blacksmith and needs a chunk of wood like that to use beside his anvil. And he would roll it up the hill on his skateboard (two blocks up to his house!) It seemed to work; there is a larger piece of the base I told him he's welcome to also, but he couldn't have managed it with his skateboard. He has a dolly at the house, and if he came back I didn't hear anything (the wood is all right at the curb). Who knew? Such a great gift for a total stranger.

Recycling dropped off at the village bin and where a whole bunch of bubble wrap was stuffed into a box that I rescued to use in my shipping. I took a small box of books to the used bookstore and scored a zero. I have a new volumes of some reference books so the old ones weren't needed. And they have a lot also, but they have a donation program. I inquired about how they handle really old books, as that's my next book project. These are the ones that look interesting but are taking up space and no one here has any desire to read.

Michelle, that many bags to the thrift store is a herculean effort! I think I'm up to one bag now, and it'll probably make the trip this week.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 09 Sep 19 - 11:07 AM

Summer is definitely over, even if we still have a few warm days left before the equinox. The temperature dropped to 9 degrees Celsius last night, and this morning the bedroom was chilly enough that I actually opened both layers of all the curtains. A bit of solar gain feels more like a good idea than the invitation to sauna conditions that is typical of July.

I'm waiting on payment of Himself's July invoice to the Public Prosecution Service of Canada before calling Rodney the HVAC guy to give us a formal quote and schedule air-conditioner surgery. Note to file: if you like prompt payment for services rendered, don't be a lawyer, and don't work for any department of the Canadian federal government.

Although PPSC is sluggish, God knows, the record for snail-like payment is still held by the National Archives of Canada, which arrogated to itself the right to take 90 days to pay contractors' invoices back in the late 1980s. Great way to drive their contingency workers into the arms of any potential employer or client with a habit of paying on receipt of timesheet or invoice.

The garden looks good, the house is adequately clean, and Himself's laundry basket is not stuffed to the brim. That leaves me free to sit around and read until I'm ready to go out for a nice long walk.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Sep 19 - 11:58 AM

I have resolved that today is the day to reinforce the ceilings I'm concerned about. Better to have them with a few extra screw heads in view (though can be dabbed with paint) than to have them crumble as the house shifts. And I can save to restore the foundation faster if I'm not continually repairing stuff that the foundation is messing up. Finding the studs is always the issue.

I envy those of you who are entering the autumn weather now. We're forecast to have mid-90s all week, but this morning as I carried trash to the curb there was an enticing cool breeze that promised there will eventually be cooler days ahead.

There's an informal dinner party here this week so I've been clearing the areas where we congregate. The dogs need a good brushout and I need to sweep and vacuum the dog hair that has already escaped from their coats.

On the health front I have a stretching book that a friend sent that I'm starting to work through, and I'm going to move the furniture in one area to give myself room to exercise in front of the television where I have some stretching, some yoga, and some low-impact video workouts ready to view. Especially until my knee treatments start and take effect, this is the way to keep moving.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 09 Sep 19 - 12:46 PM

Dupont:

Charmion's weather! Lovely here also.

Was hoping to go to Beaver, today to Friday, but cannot bear to leave the yard work undone. I wanted to get away from sitting here all week, doing nothing but reading, but realized, by the broad light of day, there is work to be done.

The Euonymous finally was well planted this morning and a promise never to purchase any plant larger than a gallon pot! Poor R dug halfway to China!   He had to cut the pot off with a coping saw - seemed a waste. Two buckets of "dahlia potting mix" as we had no peat here and several buckets of water- 2 before and one after. Then R went off to work, at noon, with some metal scrap in the truck! Well done!

I cleared more of that weed preventing Fabric to make room for my plantings. I still have three daylilies and something else to plant and lots of daffie bulbs from the spring pots - they are starting to show life, Need to get them underground! I have a "bulb planter - might work. Also a lavender and something else... And the back deck: house plants, extra pots, garden tools that need to be homed, and boxes of pottery - where to put it???? Very undecided. Can also organize TV/sewing room...

And a book to read... And I do need to rest!

The hibiscus in the BR has promising looking buds! The one and only orchid is getting its 3 weeks of cool nights, in a protected spot on the deck.

I wish I had a Dan here to help out - moving furniture, two person pieces - planting, etc. Viewing possibility of a ramp to make house accessible. R does not think it important; for me it is a matter of principle. Concerned about in-house air quality when windows are closed and the basement stairs are an opening to that air. Air cleaners can only do so much. Miss the clean air of Beaver!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 09 Sep 19 - 04:42 PM

Andrew:

How was the drive, Greg?
G: Not too bad...
A: Good!

Susan, how you doin?
S: Decrepitated.
A: Good!

Oh boy....

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Sep 19 - 05:36 PM

Careful not to plant trees and woody shrubs too deep - their root flares should be above the ground, and often plants from nurseries have extra dirt on top of the roots in the pot so you may not see the problem. Make the hole shallow and wide, soak a plant in water and compost tea for an hour if you have to, then straighten roots out from the center and put the soil back carefully. And yes, I try to never buy anything larger than a gallon because if you plant things correctly it doesn't take long for that small plant to catch up to the size of the more expensive one. Wrong. Correct.

A second claim on some of the pine out front: a man whose daughter is an artist likes to cut through rounds of wood to create bases for stands for her glass art. He took several pieces of limb that were 8" to 10" through. Excellent! I love the idea that this tree is going to be around doing interesting things in this neighborhood.

The method for reinforcing the hall ceiling is to go over with the stud finder, put a small piece of painter's tape there, then go back with a long thin brad and pound it in just enough to confirm a stud is there. Pull it out and use the same hole for the screw. So far everything is fine, the crack at the tape line hasn't caused the sheet rock to loosen from the ceiling joists.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 10 Sep 19 - 09:44 AM

Dupont:

SRS: Being a scientist, R read and re-read the explicit directions that, amazingly, came attached to the euonymous. Then, lifting the monster into the hole, found it too deep, lifted it back out and added good stuff to bring it up to ground level, with an inch of saucer to help hold water, as directed. What a project! Even R could barely lift the beast. Then - it does not look that big. Rather a disappointment after all that. But it is supposed to get 3 feet tall and wide; will help hide the concrete foundation of the entrance to addition. Or, draw attention to it.

Wonderful that the old tree is getting new life!

R dashed off this am without BF so I made a batch of muffins with new baking powder. They did not rise any better than the last ones but - it was the scones that were a disappointment, not the muffins. These look good. And I found out that the oven turned itself off and announced "Fin" at the end of the entered cooking time. It did not beep loudly enough to be heard. I am a bit buffaloed by a stove that talks back - in French. They did get browner than the last batch. I'll take a couple with me, to the walk this am - in the Ile. Hope someone comes this week but I can still have a walk by the Rivers. Cool morning.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Sep 19 - 10:20 AM

Figuring out the replacement fuel line for my string trimmer, using leftover tubing from the kit I used once already. Last time I replaced the lines the starter rope handle broke off and wrapped inside the machine; by the time I took it in to be fixed the lines were deteriorating again (they need replacing every year or two). So I'm cleaning the filter (a sponge under a removable cover) and preparing to pull more line into the fuel tank. I admit that I've procrastinated in doing this because I have to do the work outside or in the garage where it was too hot to work. I also have an electric trimmer, so it's either keep the gas one running with the fuel line stuff or drag a long electric cord around behind me. It's finally going to cool enough to make yard work pleasant.

Coming close to having the table and counter top ready for guests. This is one of those opportunities when you can see your house through someone else's eyes - and it's an eyeful!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 10 Sep 19 - 03:48 PM

OMG this is HARD!

One facility down, two to go.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 10 Sep 19 - 10:43 PM

Second facility, hilariously excellent. One more tomorrow.

We're extending our stay a few hours to rest up before driving back. We're OLD!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Sep 19 - 11:52 PM

You'll be able to make a recommendation/decision after you visit all three?

Drive safe and comfortably!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 11 Sep 19 - 01:11 PM

SHE will have three local alternatives (one quite excellent) to the other excellent Ohio alternative where the least dysfunctional sons and their family members would like to be able to see her-- almost as often as she would like.

It's on her own survival instinct to know what will be best. From here on, we can support (not persuade) by phone.

Greg is at one facility now, with her, and we three will visit the last of her top three this afternoon.

An early movie evening, then outta here (and back to our own retirement adjustment).

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 11 Sep 19 - 04:10 PM

Maybe a bit of light relief sort of on the well being side…

I had a doctor’s appointment today (taxi there and back). I saw the GP who decided I should have a blood test and gave me a piece of paper to take to the hospital. The (local, limited facilities but it runs several clinics, minor casualty, and other bits that can spare people in my area the say 30 mile trip to the main one) hospital is about 400yds from the surgery and they have a drop in system – pick up a ticket and wait until its number is displayed – for blood tests so I walked across, had the sample taken and came back to wait for the taxi.

Not long after getting home, the big toe on my right foot started to hurt. I took the shoe off that foot and I realised the shoe in my hand was the left one! I’d just visited my GP and the hospital with shoes on the wrong feet!

The shoes are lightweight, fairly flexible trainers with Velcro fasteners and I don’t always look down to fasten them so maybe that partly explains how I managed it in the first instance but I’m still amazed I didn’t notice the mistake for so long.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Sep 19 - 11:33 PM

That is so funny! You're lucky they didn't send out over for a couple of extra tests just because of that! :)

My kitchen has been cleaned twice this evening, once before guests and then everything in the dishwasher after we ate. Only one mishap—I did cut myself on my new cutlery - that knife has an edge far sharper than necessary for flatware! Something I wasn't aware of till now. A bandaid and pressure is dealing with it, but ouch!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 12 Sep 19 - 09:36 AM

That crossed my mind too, SRS… One thing at the doctor’s was she wanted to weigh me and the scales were a type with a big dial at the base. I effectively presented my feet with shoes on at that point.

On cutlery, I replaced the jumble we had with this set early last year. It’s been pretty good and the serrated knife cuts what we need without being too sharp. They felt a bit funny to hold at first with the exposed metal on the handles but we soon got used to that and I like the feel.

On other knives, mum now allows me to keep a small (10cm) sharp cooks knife, protected by a sheath, in the bread bin. This is handy as it’s a great tomato slicer. I also have my similarly protected bread knife in there. The old “bread knife” remains my main knife – pretty good for eg. chopping carrots or cutting a sandwich in half but you can’t slice a fresh loaf with it – something I do after a loaf has come out of the bread maker and cooled – mum’s joined the one time (he doesn’t cut bread now) dad in cutting diagonal doorsteps… My larger chef’s knife has to remain safely tucked away in my room but it’s not often I want it. Perhaps it would come out if I was to do the potato and leek gratin where I want things thinly sliced but most of my limited repertoire is even cruder than that.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 12 Sep 19 - 09:44 AM

(There is a second set of cutlery here btw. A posher stainless set nicely presented in a box with soup spoons and a couple of serving spoons but mum's alway wanted to keep that a bit "special" so it only comes out at Christmas or other family occasions)

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 12 Sep 19 - 10:18 AM

Ah, cutlery.

I possess a full canteen of sterling silver cutlery -- service for eight! -- that lives in a special fitted box lined with baize. Most of our "family silver" -- yes, we had family silver -- was stolen in a 1983 burglary, but I inherited the remains (including a Georgian soup ladle heavy enough to inflict significant injury), and then filled out the set with pieces I swapped and haggled for. The box survived the burglary, which I have always been grateful for as it was made by my grandfather for my parents as a wedding present.

Sterling silver cutlery is such a class marker! It doesn't actually work as well as stainless steel, but of course its social cachet dates from before the invention of stainless steel so its functionality is not the point. In my family, owning and using silver -- which must be polished and protected from careless handling -- was a way to distinguish ourselves from the lumpen proletariat from which our forebears had dragged themselves with huge effort.

I still trot it out for guests and on high days and holy days -- God forbid that we should eat Christmas dinner with the kitchen cutlery! With the Wedgwood and the Waterford. I'm such a snob. Which makes no sense since we eat in the kitchen -- another thing my mother never permitted.

Jon Freeman, your sharp knife is your safe knife, as I'm sure you know. My grandmother used to scare me blue with her horrible kitchen knife, which skittered sideways over anything that presented more resistance than a summer squash.

That reminds me: our chef's knives need professional attention. Fortunately, the shoe-mender guy downtown sharpens knives really well. Not for cheap, mind you ...

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 12 Sep 19 - 10:46 AM

Fam farewells last night after supper, followed by a long, fast aquajog at the motel pool, in my bra, a little debriefing, and bed.

Slept great. Room packed and van 90% loaded. Home by bedtime via back roads due to observed eastbound Indiana construction when we came here, westbound. Hard on my spine, we'll see how well we work togdther after Return to Dysfunction. Usually takes a few days to get our heads back out of our asses. But we never saw Andrew after that one weird greeting. He hid.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Sep 19 - 12:18 PM

Jon, my new stainless steel set is Dansk and it's even more substantial than I expected. Definitely not flimsy, as I feared when ordering online based upon reviews but not actually getting my hands on a set first.

I have a set of Cutco that seems to stay sharp forever (one of their bragging points - you can send it in for sharpening if it needs it.) I bought that in college when I considered the possibility of sales as a way to pay my way through school, and quickly realized it was a dodgy process. In today's world of celebrity chefs, there is probably a workable angle one could use.

I may go ahead and pull the silver (plate) out for holidays, depending on how many are here (if I don't have enough settings then I use my father's inexpensive stainless steel that he had a couple of dozens of everything for his Song Circle potluck hosting.)

I slept late and missed the ideal time for walking the dogs this morning, but tomorrow I'll be up early and will walk them when I return home from a cat sitting gig. I realized this week that I'm leaving a substantial benefit on the table if I don't get myself to the gym and take advantage of the Silver Sneakers program through my retirement benefits. Fitness type exercise is sporadic when the weather is so hot.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 12 Sep 19 - 07:56 PM

She and Greg snuck cargo into the van! :-(

Brandon comes tmrw 1pm to unload the van. Until then, we sleep!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 12 Sep 19 - 08:18 PM

Dupont:

Never made it to leave for Beaver. Maybe Monday. R notes a need for some time alone. And I am getting desperate for time at Beaver. The wood needs stacking and I need to see friends. Hope to stay a couple weeks. Get things ready for cold weather - set up heaters in Bath and Studio. Pay Dan. Batten down the hatches.

Getting things in order here so there will be no food to spoil as R will forget to eat it. He may spend a couple nights on the couch at the office ... It seems too much for him to have someone at home cooking a meal and expecting him home... Seems glad to have me back after a break.

So laundry is in order and house could use a bit of organizing but that is up to R and a helper. I planted two more plants today still some left for tomorrow. Then I will feel comfortable leaving him to ... whatever.

Last batch of muffins were whole wheat - R prefers not, so bought unbleached flour and will make him a batch and freeze some, lest he forgets to eat...

International Folk Dance party on Sat, rest on Sunday, or leave depending whether or not we want to do something together.

in the cutlery dept: I bought a beautiful set at a yard sale and we do not like the heft of it so it will go to a thrift shop. Nice set at Beaver that I will bring here. Mostly we have odds and sods, some of which could leave when I collect more --- bet there is still a bunch at the mill! Next time I get there. I bring some things each trip but only what I believe I can home. So far, so good!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 13 Sep 19 - 09:29 AM

"Jon Freeman, your sharp knife is your safe knife, as I'm sure you know. My grandmother used to scare me blue with her horrible kitchen knife, which skittered sideways over anything that presented more resistance than a summer squash."

On knives wandering and drifting a bit off topic here and probably mentioned in relation to other topics including musical ones on instrument playing is that I’m a sort of adapted left hander.

I eat (and try to play fretted stringed instruments) right handed but preparing food and slicing bread are left handed tasks. That said, I really struggled with and scrapped a left handed serrated knife I got thinking it might help me cut better. It seems that over many years, I developed a way of resisting the bias that some tools have for right handers and I was all over the place with the left handed special.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Sep 19 - 11:35 AM

I'm continuing to protect that injured digit with a bandaid, the slice was deep enough that it needs a little time to heal, but not a stitch.

My Dropbox account has added up to a jumble of files over time, so I've spent time clearing out and organizing this morning. Some things were in there so I could reach them from work when I was working away from home, but are no longer called for, and others are out-of-date. The lion's share of the account is involved with uploaded phone photos (a backup) but I have a couple of accounts that do that and really should eliminate one or the other.

My neighbor is home from her cruise and we spent time last night moving the branches from the second tree over to the curb at the edge of our adjacent properties. The stack of pine at the curb on the other corner of my yard was large enough that on Saturday we knew we couldn't put both trees in one place (too much stuff for them to be willing to pick up). It was stacked near the garage and was going to be put it out for gradually each week, but the neighbor suggested putting it on her yard so they pick it up now. Nice!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 13 Sep 19 - 12:44 PM

In Stratford, Stilly, a load like your felled pine would go to a special part of the town landfill that is strictly for garden waste, and the dumper would not have to pay for the privilege. But the town takes no part in moving such loads to the dump, which is a real problem if one does not own a pick-up truck or a suitable trailer. Consequently, hauling away the carcass is an important part of the contract when doing business with an arborist around here.

I have done nothing about the dying birch that looms over our neighbour's house, and of course I now realize that it has friends -- two cedars and a pine -- that are just as moribund and even more likely to land on Judith's roof. Another call to Tim's Tree Service is in order, but this job will be far more expensive than his last visit because he will have to bring his hoist and a crew. After the air-conditioner ... !

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Sep 19 - 11:05 PM

Both trees were picked up midday by a solitary man driving a large truck; he parked and stabilized it then climbed into the controller seat and worked with a half-dozen levers to move the arm and scoop up the otherwise too-heavy chunks of wood and thumped them down into the truck. I spoke with him for a couple of minutes when I stepped down to roll a couple of pieces into position for the last scoop - then he used that big scoop to daintily pick up the last of the branch litter and headed on up the street.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 14 Sep 19 - 03:28 PM

First appointment with oncology for Pete happened this week. Jeremiah is sick. Testing for my mom took place (and all results are GREAT) and my MIL is in the hospital. It's been a week of trying to take care of everyone and still getting my hours in at work.

Other than the basic chores...laundry, dishes, floors, cooking and groceries....nothing else was taken care of. I am spending this weekend focusing on the downstairs as I know people will be stopping by.

We added a new member to our family yesterday...a little orange tabby kitten that someone dropped off on the side of the road. Pete spotted him while waiting to pick up Jeremiah from the bus. His eyes were gunky and he has a little cough....he is so very thin and it took a few hours for the pads of his feet to warm up. We took him to the vet right away and have antibiotics and dewormer on board. He was very snuggly and full of purrs last night. Today he is still snuggly and a little bit more active. He's eating and drinking....we're hoping he makes it...he's a real cutie pie. We've named him Leonard. <3

Hope all is well for everyone.

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Sep 19 - 11:26 PM

Animals that are rescued in this way and dropped into a warm and loving household are often the best pets. I don't know that they remember the rescue, or weigh the pros and cons of living in different places, but it seems like that moment of meeting, when you both decide to adopt each other, the magic happens.

I know that was the case with my pitbull Cinnamon; she had (I learned later) been chased off for weeks by various neighbors up the street because of her breed. She lived in the prairie and probably off of trash, and was at one point hit a glancing blow by a car. When she limped up my driveway I walked out and called her over. I patted her head, she licked my hand, and it wasn't until later I realized that was our contract.

Leonard will be the cat in your house with the great origin story, and when he gets big and fat and sassy, you'll always know how close he was to having none of this, and how lucky you are with that roadside rescue.

Congratulations to all of you!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 15 Sep 19 - 07:38 AM

Congratulations on little Leonard, Michelle. I’m impressed with Pete’s roadside spotting skills.

Every cat I’ve ever had came to me through some kind of happy accident that was preceded by tragedy and trial for the cat. For a couple, their landing on my doorstep came almost too late; their bodies and personalities were permanently harmed by their time on the street. But Leonard is so young that he should adapt well.

A terrible old tomcat called Bill lived with us for 13 years. He was on the street for months, all through an Ottawa winter, and turned up at our door filthy, wounded, starving and sick. Himself opened the door ... and he was our cat.

After the emergency vet visit and the antibiotic injection and the flea bath — mob-handed, and a jolly good thing Himself was wearing a cowhide motorcycle jacket — we brought Bill into the kitchen to meet the old lady cats and start learning the lay of the land. He took one look around and made a bee-line for the litter box, where he delivered a resounding shit with what had to be a sigh of relief. Then he had a thorough wash. Finally, he took another survey of the room, noted Himself in the comfy chair, and leapt into his lap, where he stayed for several hours purring like a lawn mower the whole time.

We never had any doubt that Bill had been a housecat with a proper home from which he had been somehow separated. As he was a full-grown tom who had not been neutered, I suspect that he had been dumped by people too stingy too spend fifty bucks at the vet. Like most free cats, he cost us bundles of dough over the years, but that lawn-mower purr was worth every nickel.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 15 Sep 19 - 07:53 AM

Stilly and Charmion,

I love your stories!!!!! <3   

This morning Leonard is perky, his eyes are full of light and he is more active. He's eating and drinking well, used the litter box and is interested in some exploring. We currently have him in a large wire kennel as the vet suggested keeping him separate from the other animals until he is well. Leonard comes out to play and snuggle but we aren't allowing much exploration right now. He is the cutest little thing!!!!

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 15 Sep 19 - 07:59 AM

Yes, Charmion, I think it depends on age and experience. A kitten that’s had some nice handling before being dumped will probably be easy. The other extreme is probably the cat that has grown through to adulthood without experiencing human kindness. They can develop strong fears of us and (like PussPuss who used to come here for food) may never become “pettable”.

Of the 6 (I think) we did take in here. Experiences varied from one kitten who instantly decided we were HER new home and providers to a month or so before the “new home” choice has been established.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 15 Sep 19 - 10:43 AM

Dupont:

Enjoyed reading to catch up while having a quick BF before getting on to planting ???? before leaving for Beaver. How many shall I manage today - focus on the ones going into diggable spots! Oh! forgot to mention I stopped by the nursery again on Friday and .... I am an addictive personality! But I got 3 planted then and hope for another 3 or 4 today, then gone!

R went up to the Laurentians yesterday - gave a ride to a friend and stayed over. Doubt he will be back before I leave - BIG doubt!! However, I am leaving him with the job of picking up a huge Datura which would not fit in my car but will fit in the second floor south hallway niche... if he can get it there. I am having serious second thoughts since a friend told me the seeds are deadly for animals and she was not sure about the sap. I will check next. No point in dragging it home if it is going to be a hazard - I will forfeit the $25 if so.

Your animal tales are wonderful, as are most animals. They DO remember every kindness or ill treatment - forever! They are ever so much more than most humans realize - empathetic, also.

Wood: too bad it did not get picked up by those who need it to stay warm.It would be good if the dump would have a way to offer it to needful folks. Bancroft has a wood-share program, picking up unneeded wood, splitting and, even, delivering. All volunteers. As for Charmion's trees: I had a couple removed on Whidbey that were threatening the house ---OUCH! $$$$ I tried to find someone who needed them but the removal was too hazardous.

My attempt to go folk dancing was - driving to the city, detours (an extra 30 minutes because there was an event in a park!), construction, too late for the best part by the time I was close, and no place to park anyway - and driving home again too worn out to care anymore. It was an excursion of over 3 hours to go about 35 km each way - not including detours. I was just glad to get home! Another detour coming home had me realizing why our visitors the other week got home so late - wondered that they found their way at all! Montreal is no place for the intrepid driver.

A learning experience: look at a way to get there by parking somewhere and taking one bus. Going by several buses would be too much to deal with. This is the downside of living off Island (of Montreal). I was about 4 blocks from a friend where I might have been able to park but by that time it was past their - very early - bedtime.

Hoping for some good news re Pete or, at least, not too bad news.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 15 Sep 19 - 11:29 AM

Dupont:
OOPS! Research needs to come first! Datura is not the same as Brugmansia, which is what I have bought. The parts can be lethal if ingested but not if touched. So, after I finish watching the comprehensive youtube from Richters Herb Farm, I will be prepared to receive and care for this spectacular plant....

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Sep 19 - 11:42 AM

Sacred datura is an American desert plant, also called Jimson Weed - it's a hallucinogenic and the seeds and plant material can be toxic to animals. It's used as part of the Native American Church ceremony array. I think Cinnamon munched a little seedling one time and was a bit loopy that afternoon; after that I made a point of pulling any more I saw and I never put the plant parts or seeds from the plant in the front yard into the compost in back, I bag it and send it to the trash. Last year I had some small mourning or white winged doves gorging themselves on the seeds and I think they were blasted out of their little pigeon minds.

If you're concerned about having toxic plants in the house, best not to get this one, however, the flowers are pollinated at night by moths or bats so if it's in the house it won't get pollinated (one hopes!) so maybe there will be no seeds? The seed pods are really sharp, sometimes I've seen them referred to as "thorn apples."

On the heels of Dorothy's driving adventures, I can report that I found a new interesting way to get over to the museum district where my daughter works. I previously always took the North/South freeway north to downtown then go the over the big ramp onto I-30, the East/West freeway, and exit near the museum. There are several merge and weave lanes that require timing and attention. Yesterday I headed west on I-20 to a nearby boulevard and from there went onto the toll road that drops you off just a few blocks from the museum; it's about 90 cents each way and is money well-spent. They've made a point of putting up landscaping and sculptural landmarks along the way so it's a pleasant drive.

Yesterday I picked up and re-keyed a new Schlag doorknob and replaced it this morning. And there will be a squirt bottle of water next to the door if I need to discourage Ms. Pepper from jumping on the door as I leave!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 15 Sep 19 - 04:47 PM

On routes, SRS, I really don’t know that many roads round here but having been driven to/fro the city hospital a couple of times I lately became aware of an interesting one.

The “natural” routes from here would head south right into the city (with me north of the county) with some minor variations from there.

These, looking from that way, will turn west some way before the city, cut across various roads cross country and, wind up for the last little bit on a dual carriageway approaching the hospital from the south!.

I’m not sure it’s any quicker (although regular drivers do tend to know their routes and day time city traffic can, I think, be unpredictable as well as "stop/start" at lights) but it certainly is more scenic.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Sep 19 - 01:33 PM

We still have ozone action weather going on here, but later in the week rain is in the forecast and that goes a long way to clear out the hydrocarbons baking in our atmosphere.

My weekend accomplishment was to not reclutter the counter and table that were cleared mid-week last week to have guests over for dinner. Laundry is in, dishwasher is loaded (vinegar added to each wash has my glasses back looking good again, and works over time to clear them more each wash.)

I have more eBay items listed and will keep going. The PayPal account seems to be giving false reports of attempts to log on, so I've changed the password, added questions, etc. eBay now requires more steps to take payments or add payments to PayPal so keeping it up to date is necessary. I once had an old PayPal email listed in an eBay auction and it was a royal pain in the ass to get that straightened out.

Freelance work is coming up again, editing this time. The new semester has started so everyone is in place to work on this academic journal.

I found a framed piece of art (poster) that used to lean against my office shelves at work that I brought home with me because I feared it would simply be surplussed. It goes well against the new paint here, so will probably be put up later today. It was tucked out of harm's way in the sunroom during the reconstruction of the office. It's time to finish moving around and organizing in there.

Michelle, how is Leonard feeling this week? I just love that name. (I have a new house/cat sitting client now, and her cat's name is Roger. Also a nice name for a cat.)

Susan, are you rested up from the trip and back to activities as usual?

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 17 Sep 19 - 10:24 AM

Roger is a great name for a cat, especially a sex-crazed tom or a bird-fancier who spends his waking hours chittering at visitors to the back fence.

I, too, would like to know how Leonard is faring.

Rodney the HVAC guy came to estimate our air-conditioning needs yesterday and ended up with a laundry list of upgrades and maintenance issues that should keep us broke till Christmas. I would like a whole-house humidifier mounted on the furnace, but the furnace and the cellar drain are separated by twenty feet of finished basement, and what would we do if the humidifier malfunctioned and its water supply ended up on the floor? I pointed out that a daily check of the humidifier would be less of a nuisance than cracking skin and nosebleeds in February, and got a shrug and "If you say so" in reply. The water heater -- the tankless kind that is supposed to save money and provide instant hot water and doesn't do either -- needs descaling to protect its fragile flow sensors from the liquid limestone we call water in these parts. Alas, I did not know (although I should have guessed), but now I do. Another item on the lengthening menu of tasks essential to a comfortable life in this house and this climate. As for the furnace itself, I earned a brownie point for my obsessive care of its air-filtration requirements and barely restrained an urge to preen with pride. But it needs cleaning each year before the beginning of the heating season ... ? Yep, add that to the quote.

My new book contract should start next week. Good thing, as Rodney's recommendations will probably eat about half of it.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Sep 19 - 10:56 AM

Those lists can suck the cash out of the bank account for years to come, can't they?

The aforementioned poster is now on the wall, though I first brought in a paintbrush to touch up the paint because that "orange peel" texture is difficult to paint and all sorts of tiny white dots were still showing through. And I touched up a few places where I nicked the paint while moving furniture. I think this is a placeholder and I'll put up something else large here (probably a framed piece of colorful fabric, like I have in the den). The stool, hammer, picture hooks and small brads are still in here so I'll put up a few more things today (including my MA diploma - what a lot of work that was and it is an attractive piece.) There is a fair amount of kid art that I put up also, things that still speak to me all of these years later.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Sep 19 - 01:17 PM

More computer cleanup and identifying the contents of various external hard drives that have accumulated around here. The air quality was orange or red ozone for several days so I stayed inside to continue this kind of work; today is better air but it's still in the mid-90s and I'm just completely tired of trying to do anything in the heat. Rain is expected tomorrow thanks to a tropical depression named Imelda, and after that I think regular weekly yard work can resume.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Sep 19 - 11:14 AM

Dorothy, did you get the datura/jimson weed? I shudder to ask, but have you had snow yet?

Michelle, how is Leonard, and how is your routine shaping up now that school is back in session?

Susan, are you back in the pool at the Y?

Charmion, will you be working on your book at home with AC work going on outside? How long will the prescribed work take?

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: mg
Date: 20 Sep 19 - 12:02 AM

i passed on a beautiful pendleton wool blazer and matching silk blouse. i kept thinking i would have to interview for an anchorwoman job or something but honestly..not going to happen. someone was going to meet me and pick them up plus a couple of more things just in case..but she cancelled so i am just going to give them to someone who collects clothes for homeless...not sure this is what they need but i also included sweatshirts and cords etc...they can always donate elsewhere. this is a REALLY NICE BLAZER. a once in a lifetime blazer. i have poverty consciousness so i am after things that i subconsciously think i will never be able to replace, although i probably could go to a nice goodwill and replace for $5. i think it is very important to know why we are prone to cluttering..mine is oh i think the civil war will come back and i will need to tear these old sheets into bandages. others like pretty shiny things, status things, sentimental family items etc. if we know why we can help move things on to someone who needs them more.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: mg
Date: 20 Sep 19 - 12:03 AM

or i paid perfectly good money for it. it is not worth what we paid for it. it is worth what it would go for at a garage sale, which is probably not even ten cents on the dollar.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 20 Sep 19 - 09:30 AM

Hi, Stilly — The book project has been postponed for at least a month, giving rise to a big, fat, potential cash-flow problem. I am irked beyond belief, but not at the publisher; this delay arises from the famously constipated HR processes of our federal government. This manuscript is cursed; the author must have kicked a black cat at some point in his life. Or maybe it’s just the Afghanistan effect.

Rodney the HVAC guy has acknowledged receipt of my assent to his cost proposal, but we have no start date. So yes, I could find myself toiling away on the book while large men make new holes in the foundation right under the study window. If so, it won’t be the first time; I once copy-edited the entire Annual Report to Parliament of the Department of National Defence at a desk separated by a beaverboard wall from a server room under vigorous renovation.

Further to Mary’s comments about once-in-a-lifetime garments: I feel that pain. Like many people with poverty in their past, I have great difficulty letting go of clothes that symbolize (to me) status and wealth, even though I know it is highly unlikely that I will ever wear them again. So I still have a mid-90s interview suit in the closet, and yes, it both burdens and embarrasses me but I can’t dispose of it. Yet.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Sep 19 - 05:49 PM

I'll third your and Mary's sentiments, Charmion. There are garments in the closet that are there some because I made them and they were a lot of work, others because they would still be great to wear if I lose 25 pounds. I have a cute kimono from when I was a child, and later I had an adult one (that I wore out) with the same print. And I have a knitted sweater my mother made for me when I was in the sixth grade. Some of those things you just can't discard.

A long span of cat-sitting appointments are starting this evening. It's a modest amount of pocket change and it makes me get out, and because I don't like to make trips for just one task I usually pace myself and add in shopping or a visit or something to get more bang for the driving buck. Tonight I need to run by a Big Box hardware store on my way back.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: mg
Date: 20 Sep 19 - 08:26 PM

next decision before tomorrow when bags of clothes might go...ugly beige twin set. but it is a twin set..i never had one before. but it is a very ugly color and i have one really pretty newish red one and new cream and navy ones. lands end has them on sale all the time. OK. I will wear the red one if I even have occasion to wear one until it wears out and keep the others for the anchorwoman job. I will go right now and put the beige does not spark joy ones in the donation bags.

best to not keep sentimental items or wrong size items in closet. can be put into storage elsewhere. i love vacuum bags. going to vacuum bags right now.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Sep 19 - 10:18 PM

But Mary, I love it when I periodically come across the sweater or robe as I'm doing something else in the closet. It's like a hug from the past.

I bought pickets and cross-members for the next section of fence this evening and this weekend I'll apply wood preservative to the cedar pickets and will soon be able to take down the old section and put this up. And while I was looking at some of the materials on the website I work on, I noticed a landscaping tip about using a type of black paint on a roller and it is applied to the wire of a cyclone/chain link fence and makes it basically disappear. I'm looking at putting up some chain link along with the new fence panel and I'll plan to do that also.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 20 Sep 19 - 11:00 PM

Hi All,

   Leonard is growing like crazy and is feeling better as witnessed by his playful antics. He gets along with all our other 4 legged babies although my Miss Mabel, previously the baby of the house, has her nose out of joint. She continues to growl at Leonard who just looks at her.

    I am having some kind of reaction to the little puncture points from his claws. I am so very itchy even with Cortizone 10 ointment on. I'm thinking I'll take some Benedryl before bed.

    We are working very hard to keep Jeremiah's schedule rolling as normal but there have been some bumps in the road. Pete had 2 medical appointments this week, one of which was a CT scan of his throat and chest....looking to pinpoint more information about the cancer and hopefully a lack of spread to the lungs. When we met with the oncologist last week, he asked about all the symptoms Pete was having...one of which is a small cough. However, it is ragweed season and we are surrounded by it where we live...we are thinking the cough is allergy related but they wanted to be sure which I know is a good thing.....nerve wracking as we wait for results, but good. We will know more next Thursday and then a surgical consultation the following week if they don't change the appointment again.

    Another appointment for him determined that he needs surgery on his wrist but that is on the back burner for now.

    Today I got a call from Pete while I was at work saying that the back tire of his truck fell off while he was driving (almost to Ithaca). If you are on FB, you can see the photos. Thankfully he was able to get the truck off the road and no one was hurt.

    We are both spending our days off working around the house and trying to get as much in order as we possibly can. I think being busy is useful to both of us in regards to managing stress. He is busy cutting wood for the winter even though we discussed buying a couple of cords of wood that has already been cut and split. This weekend is to bring summer temperatures and he will continue to work outside while I work inside. I have been doing extra laundry every day and keeping the dishes caught up. Jeremiah tends to the floors and feeds/waters the inside critters. He helps with other things as asked and I think he understands our flurry of activity. Pete is sleeping much more often these days and I am sure it is related to his thyroid. I let him sleep even though he grumbles about sleeping so much....he clearly needs it.

    I am thankful for a job that has such flexibility and for a supervisor who is over the top supportive. She wants me to keep her up to date regarding Pete and continues to ask me what I need. I have no idea what I need. I did ask her to hold off on assigning more clients to me. I currently have the highest caseload on staff but I am distracted and won't be able to handle any more for a few weeks. She was great about it.

    I suppose that is way more than anyone wants to know but that's my life at the moment. There is more but it borders on being ridiculous.....things are going wrong all around me and I'm trying to manage and put out as many fires as I can.....trouble is, most of the swirling activity about me is out of my control...I can't do anything but pray which I am doing tons of.

   Here's to looking forward to a nice uneventful weekend at home.

I hope all is well with you fine folks.

Love,

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Sep 19 - 01:14 AM

You're doing a great job keeping all of those irons from the fire juggled, Michelle. I wish we didn't all live so far away at times like this. Hug hugs to all of you and a special scratch under the chin for Ms Mabel - she'll get over it.

Use the weekend well, but take care of yourself while you're taking care of everyone else.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 21 Sep 19 - 09:09 AM

I may well regret this post but as others are talking health...

I’ve had a sore on my back for years which has turned quite troublesome in more recent times. I finally decided to see a consultant earlier this year. What we know from history, biopsy, CT and MRI scans is that it’s a very slow growing (and apparently “not usually troublesome”) cancer that has remained purely in the skin. I gather the next step is to talk to the plastic surgery team about cutting out and a skin graft (it’s far too big for a LA surgery job at the local hospital).

As someone who hates/fears most things medical, I don’t want to do this but, if they can do it, I don’t see there is much choice if I'm to be of use to anyone. At the moment, I’m avoiding tasks like changing the under sink water filter because of bending down and, lack of sleep (up to 4 nights in a row) has been a problem – at times turning me into little more than a zombie. The Oromorph (morphine sulphate solution) they’ve given me does help a bit with the sleeping but is not guaranteed.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 21 Sep 19 - 10:36 AM

Oh, Jon Freeman. Best of British and every other kind of luck to you, and for the love of God do your best to hurry those medical people along. You're correct; you have zero choice if you wish to remain on this side of the grass, let alone functional.

Michelle, that losing a wheel thing with Pete's truck is one of the nightmare scenarios of modern road travel, and I'm so glad it ended with no injuries. Pete must have great self-control and top-notch driving skills; kudos to him.

Today, I am dealing with a dose of gut misery, a mild flare-up of diverticulosis. It's not frequent, but it happens often enough to be a factor in household routines such as travel. When my insides are in a state of rebellion, I have to stay out of restaurants and avoid fibrous foods until relative calm is restored. Boring, but there it is; all part of living this long. On the one hand, you acquire wisdom and a wide repertoire of genuinely funny jokes; on the other, you pay with gut misery, or arthritis, or both!

Did I ever tell you the one about the pig with the wooden leg?

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Sep 19 - 11:01 AM

Well, since we're discussing health, you can mark me down as crazy today: I'm going to go over to the city animal shelter and look at the dogs (which means I will come home with a dog). There is a rather unattractive older Lab/Chesepeake lady who has been there for a couple of months who I think would be a good fit with our middle-aged and older pack; if she's gone, more power to her, and I have printouts for several other dogs over there. Most of them are the pitbull mixes, and those are lovely dogs who get a bad rap. There are so many, I think the spay-neuter news hasn't reached the community of home dog breeders. Most of these dogs are females about three years old and all appear to have had at least one littler of dogs. Those former owners discard the mother once they've got some money from selling her pups. #Heartbreaking

Okay, Charmion, what about the pig? And Jon, good luck getting the physicians to work with you now rather than waiting, which isn't a good thing at this point in time.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 21 Sep 19 - 02:42 PM

Good luck with the dog.

Back at home, mum is wanting another cat. I’m not sure I see the sanity with ages (parent’s in their 80s), general infirmaries and me “unreliable” but of course, after saying that before, we did take on (sadly killed by a car accident) Furball the stray last year and would agree with her thoughts along the lines of the house being kind of empty and a pet sometimes providing some needed alternative focus or company. We’ll have to see there but an older rescue beast has been discussed again a few times lately…

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Sep 19 - 08:52 PM

The grown dog I went in search of seemed to have been adopted, and the other grown dogs had coats that would shed (I've got enough of that already) so I ended up with a very persuasive 4 month old pitbull pup. She was a green dot dog - that meant she was so good with other dogs that she got to go outside with a playgroup in the kennel yards. They have red dot dogs - people aggressive - that I've always thought they should simply put down. Not everyone is Cesar Millan, even if they think they are, and those dogs can mean trouble. The orange dot dogs means they don't do well with other dogs. The green dot is a sign to look for.

As soon as we got home she got a bath, then the others did. She met the neighbors, and I think my daughter has named her because her brother says he agrees that the name she suggested, "Biscuit," is pretty good. I told them I was aiming at a food name (after Cinnamon, Poppy [seed], and Pepper. I didn't name Zeke.)

I set up the kennel I'd bought to use for Poppy (but Poppy died before I tried it) - this pup backs up a couple of steps and jumps right out, so it'll be nights in the bathroom and my absences in the bathroom until I get her set with the Invisible Fence collar.

She's pretty needy right now, wanting to jump in my lap. Everyone will relax after a couple of days and the novelty wears off. She learned the dog door very quickly and I have a leash dragging behind her. I need to trim her sharp little nails, we'll see how that goes.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Sep 19 - 10:35 AM

Having seen this pup's profile a few times when she slowed down enough, I think she's as much or more boxer than pit. The lower jaw has an underbite that pit's don't usually have.

So - when you adopt an older dog (like Pepper, who was ~ 3) and you leave them in the bathroom overnight they drink water and sleep. Puppies tear up the paper off of the holder and spill their water on all of it.*

We went for our first walk this morning, around the block. We had to turn around on the first block and go the other direction because there were two small dogs out loose. I met a neighbor out walking her two larger dogs (labs) and warned her, but those two came barreling around the corner and caused a bit of a tangle. With my own three I had to keep going the other way, I couldn't help. The pup has a collar but I walk these guys with the Gentle Leader head collar. We compromised this trip - she wore the head collar but I clipped the leash to her regular collar. She has to get used to this thing on her face. It took a couple of blocks before she settled down a bit and I'm hoping she learns from the other dogs that the walk is meant to travel and spend time together, not jump all over me and grab her own leash. :) We haven't been at this for 24 hours yet, so there is lots of time to work this out.

Adopting this younger dog now is strategic. There is no such thing as a free dog, the no-adoption-fee program over the weekend just gives you a little financial head start on the lifetime expense of owning dogs. Zeke is a 70-pound Chocolate Lab who will be 13 in November. They can live to 15, and we want to have him as long as we can, healthy and happy. I think eventually I'll be back to two dogs and will keep it that way when the day comes. These two girls will be in the 40-50 pound range.

*Note to self - childproof all of the cupboards.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 23 Sep 19 - 01:51 PM

Dupont:

Long time gone! Was at Beaver, back Saturday, catching up! No signal and no inclination while there.Wore myself out with a horrendous trip - truckers were bumper to bumper in two of three lanes, most of trip. Very unusual - maybe worst trip on 401 for me ever. No more Monday trips! I hope it was because it was Monday.

All well at Beaver and I got up Tuesday am and started a day of moving firewood and resting. Did well until 4 pm when the body said quit. It seems I used up the weeks energy as very little wood was moved and not much else done but it was a lovely week and I left on Sat with things fairly in order, including a tarp over the wood that still needs to be moved. Doubt there will be snow in the next few weeks, though November has seen it in the past. I hope to get back in a week or so and continue to store wood and enjoy the country and friends. Maybe even find enough energy to pot. Almost did this time and did do a bit of organizing in studio. A lot of weeding and a handful of blueberries left for me by birds!

No rain all week and came back to do some watering! One of my new plants was quite limp and I dumped a half bucket on it before running out of energy. A hose connection on front of house would be helpful but not likely to happen. Happily, it rained last night enough to perk things up.

Although I had fair success making muffins, I stopped at fav bakery - The Hidden Goldmine, in Madoc - for a pre-ordered dozen muffins and half dozen scones. (I was much less successful making scones!) So, what we have not already eaten is safely stowed in freezer. They freeze and warm beautifully. And I saved the bags for next trip, in that spot where I put "things to go to Beaver".

Trip back was just fine. I off-loaded and, eventually R came home - very tired - and we had planned overs for supper. And a scone for him!

Late morning and light bf on Sunday and off to country for R to photograph an antique machine and then meet with the architect of the Project. I now realize this is a long term Project! Serendipitously,he phoned as we reached the driveway of the country home. By the time we got into the house and met wife, daughter, her husband and son, it was proclaimed that we were staying for late lunch that was already in the making. Wonderful meal! Karina used the term, "in my country" a couple times. I asked; she is Armenian from Russia and the meal was unique, simple, eminently eatable, and I shall have to replicate a couple of the dishes. R remembers what was in them. Clearly, they were not expecting us but the country home is well equipped and they dipped into the freezer for meat. The rest must have been ready. The daughter, Marena, and I found much in common and were oblivious to the rest. R and V were talking business. The 8 year old was somewhere and his dad was doing yard work. All in their lovely Kitchen/sunroom on a lovely day. A most pleasant afternoon. I went to bed about 7:30!

So, the lovely rain spritzes sporadically. R has gone to work and I have been catching up on computer. Looked into de-humidifiers and found what I think we need - one available on kijiji, in Ottawa; will keep looking for one closer. Shocked that SRS has adopted yet another dog! WOW!! We are happy with our stuffy; a live dog would be overload. Understand the need we have to hold on to long term fav clothing. I even have a few left from before I was born. We let go of things when we are ready.

Now to go to library

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 23 Sep 19 - 03:07 PM

Dupont:

That Brugmansia is not a Datura and it is fine, at the moment, on the front porch of the second entry - a mini deck with rail all the way around. (The one I went out on last spring and the door closed and locked and I had to get a neighbor to come in and let me out.)It dropped a lot of flowers while I was away and gobbled up most of a bucket of water! So, lots of dead flowers to pick up - good bending over exercise. I think they, like the hibiscus in our BR, only last a day. The H needs lots of feeding before it will have many flowers; it was in sorry shape when I got it for $5! Having listened to the entire 58 min youtube and looked at a couple more, I feel prepared to deal with the beast - about 4 feet high and five wide.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Sep 19 - 04:33 PM

The tree-thinning impulse is running through the neighborhood, though in our yards it is a very modest attempt at reducing shade or protecting structures. My next door neighbor took out a crape myrtle today because he has a lovely weeping yaupon near the house that was being shaded out. I knew one or the other of those would eventually have to go, and I was rooting for the yaupon to stay (since I planted it for the neighbor who was living there before.) Elsewhere, there are the two parts to that property across the road from me, with a creek down the middle. Last month they destroyed the understory of the property on my side of the creek. Now the other side of that wild property is being scalped and left as trees on bare soil. It looks larger when you can see through without brush, but the wildlife! The habitat! What a waste for no good reason.

I knew a new dog would be work, but a new puppy is exponential on the work. We're seeing the glimmerings of her personality shining through the general puppy antics, but right now she is 22 pounds of toothy toothsomeness. When she first arrived, and through yesterday, it was the two big dogs and Cookie. They were aware of and treating her as a visitor. But this morning I've noticed that they're much more a unit and she is much more in unison with the big dogs. She also has picked up on Pepper's affectionate/not-exactly-submissive habit of giving Zeke lots of kisses on his face. Cookie does that to both Zeke and Pepper. I'll borrow an old term from Susan - Cookie has discovered "Dog World" out in the garage, the stall with dog houses and bedding (one of them was still full of a big comforter because sometimes Poppy would hang out there.) This was from the days when dogs lived outside all of the time unless they were indoors in the garage.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Sep 19 - 11:21 PM

Checking things off of the longer-than-usual list of things to do this month in my bullet journal. Muggier than usual this last couple of days and still warm, so I'm really really ready for those fall colors some of you have noted on your facebook pages. Dishwasher is running, and I have run the washer and dryer, but never got things put away so have pulled fresh underwear out of the laundry basket on the seat next to the bed. I'm waiting for that burst of energy that comes once it cools off here and a lot of this will be finished.

I haven't done much with my blog for a while, but I'm thinking it's time to revive it. I have an essay in mind. I've made a note so I don't forget it.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Sep 19 - 10:09 PM

Sept. 25 and the thermometer hit 100 again today. I'm so tired of this, I'm just staying indoors until it rains.

Cookie visited Dr. Bob at his veterinary clinic, and he's always glad to see a new rescue come through the door. He's seen all of my dogs for the last 15 years and all of my cats before that. Turns out Cookie has her adult teeth and is about seven months old. That said, the growth projections are reduced - she'll probably end up about 40 pounds when she's full grown, pretty close to Pepper's size. I'll start training her to the Invisible Fence as soon as I get the holes drilled in a collar to mount the electronic unit, and I picked up a bundle of wire flags at Home Depot to put around the radio signal boundary at the edge of the yard.

I visit the knee and hip center tomorrow and finally get the first of three weekly gel shots. This is overdue, and will be a big help.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 26 Sep 19 - 09:38 AM

Dupont:

I believe I have recovered sufficiently from getting here to do the return trip - just. (Sat to Thurs) Four day recovery - not too bad. Part of me wants to GO! Another part sees the stress of R might need alleviation - good meals and supportive attitude. ...

Only managed to plant one more - we had rain! About 6 to go but the weather is holding. Realized yesterday that it might be an idea to plant those daffies in the flower beds - and get them in the ground where I can, rather than wish I could clear another area! I have a small "hole-maker" and put that on my to-do list.

Feeling the need to pot so am going to try going down to the mill - an hour drive - and hope I still have the energy/inclination when I get there. Raining lightly.

Not much done here but bare essentials - dishes up to date and laundry coming due. Some re-potting - geraniums; some starting to bloom. My conserving nature may end up with some to spare and spirder plants to spare as well; they are so easy to increase!

Yes, better get gooing lest I sit on computer all day then feel lousy at having done only that for another day.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 26 Sep 19 - 06:41 PM

Dupont:

OK: drove two hours, potted two hours, threw 6-7small pots while chatting with a visitor. Did not go great but OK and at the end of the day, I feel much better for having gotten something done, some clay prep also. Visitor would like to learn so I told her I would spend time showing her how, then she can practice as much as she wants - she has a key to building. Had another visitor who took up time, so what with all of that, I can be happy I accomplished as much as I did. With any luck, I can do it again tomorrow.

A little shopping on way home - more plants: some small indoor succulents are now nicely potted and a campanula is in the ground and one other that was needing. Still a few to go. But it is sure getting dark earlier!

Had supper and now remember I was going to do laundry. Guess I will go do that.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Sep 19 - 11:44 AM

I've gotten very little accomplished this week, but it's my own damn fault. The puppy and a couple of other distractions have stood in the way of concentrating on the editing I need to do, so this weekend will be dedicated to that task.

It is the seventh day of a new dog in the house and the others realize she's here to stay. It was so sweet this morning when the big old lab went (again!) into the kennel to get the tough Kong cloth/ball/squeaker toy and wave it around enough to catch Cookie's eye. She pounced on the toy in Zeke's mouth and he pulled and gently shook then let it go so she could take it from him. This is a dog who can pull a full-grown human over in a game of tug-o-war. And when I'm not in the picture Pepper lets Cookie jump all over her.

The adoption packed from the shelter included a sheet with a gift package offer from one of the local pet stores, so I'll see what I need to take along and go pickup whatever is free or incredibly cheap. I think a bag of food, a couple of toys, whatever. They won't go to waste.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 27 Sep 19 - 05:35 PM

Dupont:

Managed the laundry in spite of a trip to music venue for an hour - plus half an hour getting lost getting there! R was very late home - midnight - so the sheets dried and were back on the bed before we got to it. And a light super ready for the nutcase.

Dragged myself out of bed - R is running on "have to get things done"and E pushing him. Soon he will sleep for a full day or more but not until after the fourth when he has to make a presentation - in French - re the Project. WE both know this is not healthy but it is the only way he knows to operate.

So, I dragged myself out this am, back to the Mill to pot, do some sorting and cleaning up in studio, brought a box of K stuff home, including a blender - for the carrot soup that is in my head for tonight's supper. And maybe a couple more days. With cabbage and tomato, onion, and some finely chopped hot pepper - OH, but it will All go through the blender! A few more pots thrown, and all well wrapped as yesterday's were not ready to trim. I'll see about tomorrow, tomorrow.

Drove 24 extra Km to pick up some more blueberry muffins from the orchard - Arghhh! Only one half dozen available. More tomorrow! And that behind someone going 15 km under the limit on a road where passing was difficult to impossible. The transport breathing down my neck managed to pass both of us! They can see further.

No planting today; plumb wore out! Maybe a nap...

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 28 Sep 19 - 08:05 AM

Update on Pete: The CT scans indicate no spread of the follicular thyroid cancer however a very small nodule was found in Pete's lungs. The recommendation at this point is just to monitor it. The surgical consultation has been changed for the 4th time and we are hopeful it is the last time as they have an opening for him on Monday.

Two staff people left the agency this week which means the rest of us have to pick up the slack so I have some new clients. New additions to our staff our starting this week but it takes a solid two weeks to get through signing up for various programs/getting clearances to use said websites, required webinars and then of course the actual training. I tell all our new staff that they are newbies for the first 6 to 12 months, there just is so much involved. In any case...despite being told I won't have any more additions for a bit, that just isn't the case. I will do what I can.

Today we get Pete's truck back from the auto shop. We also have a friend who ordered chicks which you have to order with a minimum number of chicks. She does not want all of them and has offered them to us, so we will be picking them up today. There is also a community picnic but I'm not sure Pete is interested in going and I'm currently following his lead.

I am feeling kind of alone despite all the well wishes. It's not that I really am alone but at night, when Pete just isn't his normal self and I am trying my best to be what he needs (or doesn't need), I am struggling. I think I need to give him some more space and I think I need to do some self care for myself as well. With that being said....I'd like to work either in the bedroom on the laundry situation (I'm great about doing laundry but putting it away is another story) or I'd like to spend time in my sewing room organizing or sewing.

Jeremiah is going with the flow and does not seem overly worried. His biggest concern is if he will get to go to soccer practice and games. He also wants to go spend the day at Barnes and Noble....he's quite the reading machine and that makes me most happy!

I'm hanging in there and hope you all are too.

Love,

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Sep 19 - 09:46 AM

I've heard that the hardest part of dealing with thyroid like this is the emotional roller coaster. I hope you're able to work out some ground rules between yourselves that allow for time out if it gets too much one way or the other.

I accidentally stepped in some floor finish at a friend's house and as I walked away from the spot my shoes were sticking to the existing floor before I took my shoes off. I tried to catch the floor guys (I had to go outside and around the house) but they'd left; this is going to be a strange note to write. There is a warning sign at the back door, but the dining room I walked through had no such sign and the doors were wide open. Still, now that I've stumbled into this I'll go back with some blue painter's tape and leave a spot on each of my footprints (you can see them from an angle in the light). It is like the new stuff on my shoes pulled up the shine on the non-refinished floor. Maybe they can polish it away? I'm going to write a "Mea Culpa" note and hope the remedy isn't too much work. Here we were concerned all week that the cat not get into this.

The 10-day weather forecast has us in the mid-nineties through next week, and on days 9 and 10 in the high-80s. It's almost effing October and we're still baking. It's usually nice this time of year, but not this hot.

There's a tree seedling beside the driveway that I want to transplant, but I'll flag it and wait till the first frost before I dig it up to move.

Mostly this weekend is editing, catching up stiff I didn't finish last week.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 28 Sep 19 - 10:21 AM

My book contract has been put off yet again. I am beyond irritated, but this is such an old problem -- civil service administrative constipation -- that my only reaction is a cynical snort. At this rate, I'll get started for Christmas.

This cloud has its silver lining, however; the delay gives me a good excuse to wriggle out of a half-commitment that, on learning more about it, I realize I do not want to accept.

I am now in my third season with a community choir that does Messiah at Christmas and a repertoire of concert masses and other traditional European-style classical choral works. The standard of performance is pretty good and the conductor is excellent. However -- and this is a big however -- the group has a clique problem centred on semi-annual overseas trips to sing at Anglican (Church of England) cathedrals. The conductor and his wife (the choir's perennial soprano soloist) organize these trips and recruit participants from the ranks of our choir and others with which they are involved.

I turned down two invitations to take part last year on grounds of expense, but the book contract gave me enough economic slack to agree to go to Kingston, Jamaica, in January 2020. I had believed that my financial commitment would be limited to air fare, lodging and meals, all at discounted rates, but the cost structure finally revealed to me this week also included a $550 "registration" fee for something described as a "choral course". Hmmm. I picked up the phone and called the woman who sits next to me at rehearsal, who joined at the same time I did and took part last year in a trip to Canterbury.

It seems that what I had understood to be simply a series of performances is actually a not very entertaining tour package organized by the conductor (and wife), and a nice little earner for them; the $550 "registration" fee goes into their pockets. By pitching the trip as a "course" -- I don't know what I would be learning, as the repertoire is well known to me, and learning was never my motivation for going -- they put the charge in a comparatively flattering light. But the fact that I found out about the $550 only after agreeing to go, and after several wheedling conversations with the conductor that resemble grooming more than somewhat, suggests that they know the whole deal has more than a taint of bait-and-switch about it.

In short, I don't have $550 to spend on anything that I feel ambivalent about, especially not on top of air fare, lodging and meals in a tourist destination at high season. And the delay in the book contract gives me a socially unassailable excuse to back out.

Why don't I just tell the conductor what I think? Good question. I won't do that because I want to continue singing in the choir -- the only such group in this area -- and telling the conductor what I think of him in words of one and two syllables would make that impossible. But I have to move him to the "a bit of a sleazeball" category of acquaintance, and in future I will take the long-spoon approach to personal dealings with him (and wife).

Sigh. It's always disappointing to find out that a person in one's life sees others primarily as potential sources of revenue, but it's good to know.

So this week I was decluttered of an illusion.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 28 Sep 19 - 02:33 PM

Dupont:

Charmion: Good job it happened sooner... !

Michelle: Just when you think your plate is full, it becomes more so! And not with the good stuff! You have said what you need, so surely you will keep that in mind, in addition to the needs of Pete and Jeremiah. Just remember that you cannot take care of others unless you take care of yourself. Hans Selye referred to this as altruistic self-centredness.

So after a decent day yesterday, this rainy day finds me more than half asleep. 3 hours on the internet to keep from falling asleep - after making us a nice BF and R going off for more of the same. At least he came home early (8) last night and went straight to bed - for 12 hours!

Green tea has not helped get my eyes open. I am thinking nap. Then: dishes, water plants, do some K re-organizing, finish making the soup, maybe make applesauce as the apples await me on the deck. Maybe I do not have enough energy for trips to Mill to pot two days in a row. Pots will be OK for another day or so, I hope. If they get too dry it is extra work. I did cover them with plastic.

R's share of clutter is being ignored until after he does that stress-producing presentation on 4th or 7th or?? I may be deluding myself to think there will be space before the next major stressor. Hope!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Sep 19 - 05:00 PM

Charmion, good job on figuring out that con job on the tour! I hope another chorus comes along that lets you jump ship on this if you decide that would be best. It seems like that director is perilously close to a place where a public shaming could happen rather anonymously and let that cat finally out of that bag.

Editing myself this weekend. Rewriting, more like. The main editor and I worked on this yesterday and I have the notes directing the repairs.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 28 Sep 19 - 09:22 PM

Dupont:

The cabbage/carrot soup was a big success with one small hot pepper and some fresh basil - about a gallon! Some in freezer, one container in frig; we do not mind eating the same thing for 3 or 4 days. Dishes washed and plants watered but apple sauce did not happen - the apples are out on deck and it was really raining! But tomorrow as we used up the last tonight. Feeling somewhat recovered; R home at 8 again! Fed and feeling less stressed.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Sep 19 - 10:39 AM

I just finished a 10-day stint of pet and house sitting; the off-the-books income is nice, but it does mean I have to reschedule some of my activities around the preferred times for pet feeding. Sunday morning feeding is early enough that the stores I need to visit aren't open yet when I'm making the run (they are now) - dog food is on sale (buy one get one half-price) and a couple of other stops.

I'm still waiting for fall weather to turn up. We're in the 90s for another week or so. Ugg. The yard is crispy. I'll be hand watering the okra and pots of vegetables later this morning.

Yesterday I set up the two new Hav-a-heart traps and it was as I expected - one of them was sprung by a toad. I let that little guy out and reset the trap. This way my toads and lizards won't be offed by deadly traps.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 30 Sep 19 - 09:29 AM

Today, we woke to a chilly house and no appreciable warming in the forecast. I turned on the furnace.

Summer is over in Perth County, Ontario.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Sep 19 - 11:29 AM

Lucky you, Charmion! And Alice (if she's still reading along) has snow her first week of autumn (in Montana). Here, it's dry and humid at the same time - no rain forecast until maybe 10 days from now.

Two mice went into the drink yesterday, the entire trap fits into a tall water-filled bucket I picked up along the curb years ago and have used around the garden. I think it originally held pool chemicals. This way I can release toads selectively and slowly get rid of rodents. I toss the carcasses across the back fence toward the creek where something will pick them up for a meal.

Editing again today, it's a messy process on a paper they want to publish but it was poorly constructed and sending it back to the graduate student author wouldn't help. It has a second writing credit, but that's mostly just to give the first author a chance to get published - the politics of academic publishing and sponsorship stuff.

My ear needed decluttering this morning; after a couple of sessions of the Debrox ear drops it's better, but not perfect. I don't wash my hair daily any more, so shampoo and soap don't get into the ear to clear it out. But if this is the worst of my health complaints for now I'm okay with it. The knee has improved with the first gel shot, the bone spurs aren't as pronounced this week.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 30 Sep 19 - 03:22 PM

Dupont:

YEP! Definitely FALL in Southern Ontario. I asked R two weeks ago to close the windows (storms and all) and do something about that fan in the basement- pulling any warm air out of house! (nope!) As I sat here this morning getting colder and colder, something had to be done before the brain froze! I fetched a foam mattress from upstairs - where it should not have been anyway!- put it over the doorway to the addition and turned on some heat in the main house. Went to get groceries, to get warm, and now the house is tolerable. The rads are warm! Sun gain is helping and the distiller in the K. It will be expensive but I cannot expect him to do anything serious until after the presentation.

Yesterday, R kind of took day off; he planted the tiny oak (8 inches!) - moving it from front where it would have no room, to the back which will be just fine. He also did emergency repair on toilet. I planted the juniper. Still have 3 plants to go. Digging holes in clay is no fun!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Oct 19 - 10:52 AM

Two toads and three mice so far; toads released, mice not so fortunate. I should probably put one of these traps in the attic.

A new month in some ways feels like a small new beginning. An infusion of cash to take care of business and hopefully have money left at the end of the month. There are job openings for part-time work, and I'm thinking about it for the holiday season.

The village has been doing some paving work (painting a sealant over the existing asphaltic concrete) so I haven't been able to drive up to the recycle bins. I need to make that trip soon.

This week I'll start the dog training to the Invisible Fence, now that she's getting a sense of this household. She sits until I tell her to eat (though if I don't put her on a leash she'll try to dive into one of the other bowls, so we're not perfect yet) and she's walking calmly. She's wearing the Gentle Leader head collar. I figure one thing at a time gives her little brain time to adjust.

I'm starting my holiday shopping, making practical but interesting choices, and spreading the expense out over the next three months. And I need to push more eBay items out there for people online shopping for the same reason.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Oct 19 - 05:35 PM

Poor Pepper has been so envious of that squeaky Kong Wubba toy of Cookie's that she walks around the kennel trying to figure out how to get it for herself. I figure if the puppy has to spend time in the kennel she should have a toy, which is why I've put it in with her. So today I took Pepper with me to the same feed store and we bought out their supply of extra-large squeaker Kong toys. One is camouflage, another is purple like the first, and one is red. I gave Pepper hers in the car and when she got into the house she grabbed it and squeaked and ran. And I gave one to Zeke, and they they proceeded to run around taking them from each other. I have a spare, but I'm hoping having several around will help. Pepper and Cookie get along well now, so we needed to take the pressure off toy-wise.

I've been exchanging mouse catching stories with a friend who lives in New York City and had a huge problem with them a couple of years ago. His record string of catches is 25 mice. I told him about my three and he wrote this today:

Speaking of rodents: I decided to clean the cutlery drawer under my butcher block. I took out all the stuff and washed the plastic holder and then reached in to take out anything left behind. Suddenly I was holding mouse corpse in my hand. Well, you would think I had grasped all of the Bubonic Plague. I threw it into the trash and ran to the bathroom and scrubbed my hand as if I were Lady Macbeth. It was So Gross!

I was laughing so hard from this image that the dogs all came running in to see what the noise was about and Cookie jumped up into my lap.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Oct 19 - 05:24 PM

I'm going to share this here also, it sounds so good: From Martha Stewart's magazine last year (it appeared on Facebook today).
https://www.marthastewart.com/1524910/turmeric-ginger-chicken-soup

Turmeric-Ginger Chicken Soup

1 thinly sliced garlic clove
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
6 cups Basic Chicken Stock or store-bought low-sodium chicken broth
3 ounces angel-hair pasta, broken in half
1 cup shredded cooked chicken
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Microgreens and thinly sliced scallions, for serving

DIRECTIONS

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, saute garlic, turmeric, and ginger in oil until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add stock; bring to a simmer. Add pasta; cook 1 minute less than per package instructions. Add chicken; heat through, 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice. Serve with microgreens and scallions.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Oct 19 - 10:24 AM

The dog toys were all taken up because it wasn't enough to have toys for everyone, Pepper wanted to hoard all of them and became a monster in the process. When they're out of sight she's her old lovable self and she and the puppy had a terrific rough-and-tumble run around the back yard; the point at which I opened the sliding door Cookie was on top appearing to chew Pepper's head off (with her compliance, of course.) Whew!

Another high of 96^o predicted today, but rain is in the forecase tomorrow iwth a high at 89^o, then back up for a couple of days before it FINALLY seems to settle into fall-like temperatures. This is one heckuva hard-fought seasonal shift.

This week I started reading a new environmental email newsletter called HEATED (https://heated.world/about?utm_source=menu-dropdown). The topic they discussed this week is those insulated delivery packages Amazon has developed that are totally unrecyclable, though their various components do recycle (when not combined.) It is something I consider - I don't have groceries delivered so I haven't received those, but I've seen people still try to drop them in the village recycle bins. I reuse much of the packaging that comes to the house (as padding in boxes I send out.) It makes for a stack of this stuff I have to thin out every so often. The days of wood shavings (excelsior) and padded paper envelopes seem to be gone. I wonder if you can even buy them any more?

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Oct 19 - 07:02 PM

It's me again, after an efficient afternoon. I got the second of three gel shots in my knee, and on my way home, I took a route through town that had me near a grocery store that sometimes has deeply discounted large bags of ripe bananas. So the bananas lured me in, but then I realized they had a pharmacy and I was able to get my annual flu shot. Right knee, left arm.

This morning I looked around the house at all of the things I have to keep away from the new puppy, much of it that is just here, isn't needed. I suppose I should make my next declutter goal to clear stuff out before I have to throw it out after a puppy mangles it.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Oct 19 - 09:11 AM

I found a Facebook note from September 25, posted by Susan's husband Greg, that she has been ill and will be away from Facebook (and the computer, apparently) for a while.

It sounds like she is in a hospital right now and will go to rehab on Oct. 11. From the brief update her friend posted, it sounds like a stroke.

Best wishes, Susan, and hoping you're up and around soon, and online when you're ready.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 05 Oct 19 - 10:13 PM

I'm sorry to hear about Susan and am sending good thoughts for a complete recovery!!!

Life here seems to be moving at warp speed. We now have a surgery date for Pete and so the countdown begins. We met with the surgeon and both of us are feeling very comfortable with him. Now that I know more about what is going on and the Bethesda staging, my anxiety has just about all dissipated. I'm running at full speed at work so that I will be able to have a week or two off to stay with Pete as he recovers and not lose any billing. They are being very supportive which is helpful.

Today we all went for a ride around the area, stopped for lunch at a quirky fun spot, then stopped at a new antique/crafty store and then onward to the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon at Colton Point. It was a chilly but gorgeous fall day. The leaves are beginning to change in some areas but not by much.

As far as decluttering goes....I am running laundry tonight...does that count? I made the bed this morning and wiped down the countertop. It's not much but honestly...these 10 hour work days are leaving me with my butt dragging a bit. Tomorrow is church and then the second to the last soccer game. Is it bad if I am praying for rain? ;) Not really....maybe.....

I am planning a mother daughter day soon and will also meet up with a long time friend that we haven't seen in probably year...so I'm looking forward to that. A beloved quilt shop is having a big sale and I am looking at quilt patterns so I have a reason to pick up a good deal...LOL. I am hoping to have some time to sew while I am home with Pete.

Hope the rest of you are doing well.

Love to all,

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Donuel
Date: 06 Oct 19 - 12:00 AM

I put a new rubber roof on the car port. Doing it solo with 2 ladders and ropes took some thought without any trauma whatsoever. Now the roof and 2 sides are sealed for winter. Then I put a big happy face crop circle in the yard with a lawn mower and ate fried chicken.
Some days go better than others.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 06 Oct 19 - 12:29 PM

Not looked in here in a few days....

Firstly, kind thoughts to both those who are unwell and to those carrying related worries.

On the home food delivery topic. We have our weekly grocery shop that way but Tesco deliver in open plastic crates (from vans with onboard refrigeration). These are unpacked (usually a combined effort of driver and one of us here) at the time of delivery and the crates go back on the van. I think there was a time when you could have the contents of the crates in one use carrier bags with a small charge/refund on return system but I think that option stopped and most things are just packed loose now.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Oct 19 - 01:21 PM

Years ago people had milk boxes on their porches that the milk delivery people placed the fresh bottles and containers (butter, cream, cottage cheese, etc.) into. And people expected to check early and bring things in so they weren't out too long. What goes around comes around. Amazon is cutting corners by not using refrigerator trucks to deliver the food. And if time of day is a problem, people should schedule morning or evening, etc.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 06 Oct 19 - 01:46 PM

Blue Tits were always a problem there SRS as they would peck through the tops ;-) More seriously, I’m under the (perhaps wrong but) impression that the milk rounds are gaining a little in parts of the UK but I don’t know of one round here.

Sure, it should be easy enough to pick a time slot for groceries. We pick a cheapest mid afternoon slot but there are still, IMO quite reasonable – at least if you consider the alternative as taking car to supermarket and trudging round – evening slots too.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 06 Oct 19 - 09:27 PM

Milk delivery disappeared from Ontario by 1967. The threat to milk on the doorstep was raccoons or crows. Or neighbours.

I dread the day when I can't shop for myself any more. Food delivery is a niche service in Canada; you can get it in big cities like Toronto and Ottawa, but in rural areas or small towns like Stratford -- forget it! And even if the supermarket offers delivery, you have to haul your bones out to the mall to do the shopping yourself, and pay the delivery charge.

I'm not at all sure I would ever trust anyone else to choose my apples anyway. Certainly not at the price they go for these days.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Oct 19 - 12:17 PM

Finally a cool morning! It was around 60^o and perfect for a walk with a long-sleeved work shirt over the usual t-shirt and jeans for the walk. I was just going to mention just the blue work shirt, but knowing Mudcatters, feared someone would ask if I was wearing anything under it. :-/

My daughter has a friend with dogs who will take those toys confiscated from my hoarding blue heeler, but one still in the wrapper returns to the store. I have to stop by a business that will adjust the dog collar stronger, to the pitbull part of the dog. My heartworm meds site in the UK is finally up again (I was going to have to shop locally to buy 3 ampules of Zeke's medicine for the same price as 12 of them from the UK, but the UK site was finally restored after many weeks of no payment option.)

Time to clear a back yard pile of brush that seems to be inhabited by mice that can magically teleport out of any live trap I place back there.

Fall isn't completely here, it's supposed to get hot again for most of the week, but we've had a taste of it and can soon move forward doing outside work in comfortable weather.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 07 Oct 19 - 01:37 PM

Dupont:

Not good news about Susan; may she have some recovery soon! And glad to hear Pete is scheduled! Sooner is better.

Mags dogs are a lark. I am still happy with our stuffy on the hearth! Or especially so when I read her posts!

Friday was a big day! R's long dreaded presentation was accomplished with great assist from Eph. It was very well received and people wanted more info - history of the "old port" area of Montreal which is now slated for redevelopment. A step forward for the Project.

On Friday, I had gone to the mill and in my trekking picked up a choc pie (YUM!) and, as I was passing Bo Thai, picked up a take out of his fav General Tao. Txted him that I had a special meal for him so he excused himself from the "gang" and was home by 6 for his special celebratory meal; he was high on success! And relief! And in bed by 7:30 for 13 hour sleep.

Sat am, we started out with the needful things in house but he had to go to city to show that house. An afternoon nap ensued. Then a major blowup resulting from the stress of the last couple months. We realized that I had been under as much stress as he and sorted ourselves out: that was a major de-clutter.

Sunday, windows were closed, the ceiling of basement cleaned of black mold, clutter removed from hallway, agreed to move guest room upstairs and his gonna be office downstairs (this had been weighing on him), sorted furniture in TV/sewing room so it is now usable. More, of course, to be done but it de-cluttered our beings to make decisions and changes and be "normal" again. A load of laundry concluded the work day as he had worked in his good pants and needed them for today!

Today, he turned off the fans in basement that were pulling -heated!- air out of house! I had closed off the heated part as much as possible but we need a door between main house and the addition (he measured for this and hopes he has one). In the meantime, a foam mattress is serving! Then we can heat the bathroom only. It is a BIG house and expensive to heat so we need to look at better ways.

Off he went today, after a good BF, in clean clothes to attend the presentation by the architect of the Project. R will be able to help field questions knowing his concepts have been well received!

Life feels so much better today. I had actually reached a low point where it did not matter if food was rotting in the frig. So, here we are, a rainy day and cool but R planted the remaining plants and we re-potted the Brugmansia and put it in place in the upstairs hall, access to a double, south facing window, branches stretching from wall to wall! I will have much stretching and bending exercise picking up the leaves and blooms as they fall. And watering and feeding "The Beast". On a sunny day, I shall photo it and post on FB. We are thrilled with it and happy to have a space for this unique "house" plant.

Tomorrow the weekly English classes resume. We are, or I am, going to Beaver for Canadian Thanksgiving weekend! The fall colours are going to peak.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Oct 19 - 11:55 PM

Today I learned of the death of an old friend from during my time in New York City. We both worked at two places together, and it seems that the extra time he spent working on one big project (in a park I won't name now) resulted in excessive exposure to asbestos. He apparently died of a related cancer. We were all offered checkups at a specialized hospital but I don't know who took them up on it (we were young and foolish and immortal in the 1970s.)

I've had some contract work keeping me busy today; the only accomplishment around the house was washing some dog bedding and running the dishwasher. AND - I've always used cleansers that didn't scratch up things, and then cleanser got hard to find for a while so I broke down and bought Ajax (and it says it doesn't scratch now.) I was astonished that Ajax easily removed what I thought was a permanent discolored area in the sink.

Dorothy, another dog anecdote: Cookie has been unmoved by the puppy-strength settings on the Invisible Fence collar, though she seemed to understand the beep it made meant something. So I went back to the dealer and she increased the collar to pitbull strength, since the pit part of the pup seems to be at play here. And when I took her out into the yard this time she not only heard the beep she felt the little shock (it's like strong static electricity) and jumped away from the boundary. This happened several times in different parts of the yard, and now she's staying a bit back from those areas. As time passes she'll figure out how close she can get; most dogs experience some "shrinkage" in the yard until they fine tune their understanding of the collar. Pepper does fine and I'm sure Cookie will figure out that where the other dogs go, she can go.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 08 Oct 19 - 10:24 AM

Rodney the HVAC Guy is wreaking havoc in the garden. Nothing strikes trepidation into my heart like the sound of a Sawzall at work on my property.

The concept of operations and operational plan died on contact with reality, as so often happens. We had planned to move the air-conditioner to a vacant spot along the foundation, beside the other basement window on the west side of the house. Not happening. When Rodney and his henchman opened the bulkhead running along the basement ceiling, they found, instead of the skirting board they expected, the concrete beam and steel joists that support the fireplace. So now the air-conditioner has to stay in its original spot, at the corner of the house where gas line, the internet cable and a drainpipe from the eavestrough are also located.

So now I must rethink the installation of a rain-barrel that Himself has been harping on for two years by my watch. I'm thinking flexible tubing ...

Crap.

At least it's not raining, and Rodney will also clean the furnace and install a humidifier.

And did I mention it's not raining?

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Oct 19 - 11:48 AM

Charmion, I've seen some innovative downspouts that travel laterally to deliver rainwater to barrels when they can't be placed directly underneath the best spot on the roof line.

We did a critical dog-training test this morning; the next door neighbors came to the fence with dog treats and Cookie was so excited she tried to charge up to the fence a couple of times but got zapped and backed off. She's not happy with this, but she now understands about that zap along the fence, and the neighbors will toss her treat to her. She's enjoyed ear scratches at the fence for a couple of weeks, but now we'll have to stop by on our walks out of the yard for that attention.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Oct 19 - 03:58 PM

Sheets and some laundry are hanging on the clothesline in the back yard; I'll take the puppy out of her kennel when I go out to retrieve it, and I'll have a squirt bottle of water with me if I need to start the job of persuading her to leave the laundry alone. #BabySteps

I've finished several loads of laundry in the last couple of days as I prepare to put some things away and get other things out because autumn will eventually get here. I have a lot of yard work to catch up on also. And editing and other contract work. I have managed to completely fill my days as a retiree - with the pleasure of not having (usually) to get up on Monday morning to go to the office. :)

The kitchen is cleaned up, dishwasher emptied. I'm considering how I want to leave a reminder for myself that the dishes are clean or not - there is absolutely nothing magnetic on the front of the dishwasher for a magnet with the clean/dirty message will stick to. One Pinterest post had a canning lid glued onto the spot where the magnet was to go, and that's a possibility. Or simply think of something with the messages that sits on the counter above, because dogs might notice something attached to the dishwasher and munch it.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 09 Oct 19 - 05:29 PM

Dupont:

I have 3 rain barrels at Beaver, each with its own configuration of down spouts. Must remember to let them drain this weekend!

That Cookie is a force to be reckoned with! May she soon get with the program!

Turning off the exhaust fan was an error. On Tuesday aft, I realized I was smelling chlorine and went outdoors a couple times, thinking that would help. Poor R came home early- about 7 - and said something to me which should have been innocuous. I went ballistic and went to bed- with window open and door shut. I could not even read, just pulled the covers up and mewed pitifully. An hour or so later, I ventured out and asked that he put the fan back on. I knew I was hypersensitive to chlorine but - WOW!

His Monday had gone well with the presentation. He is hoping for continued progress and, even, someday, a successful culmination. A lower stress level is a wonderful thing. Perhaps one of the best de-clutters available!

Meanwhile, I putter along, remembering to tend to plants that need to come indoors. Three lovely red blooms on the tender hibiscus in our BR window this morning! The Beast, in the hall, continues to bloom amazingly.

Had two students yesterday with virtually NO knowledge of English! Winnie the Pooh helped me through! "Cup" "teapot" "table" BASIC! Searching on line today elicited nothing helpful. Tomorrow, the library to check out I Spy books and whatever else might be available at that level.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Oct 19 - 10:58 AM

I hope that work on the air conditioner goes more quickly than the patio work. I see by my calendar that next Monday is the Canadian Thanksgiving. Will the system be working and the mess be out of the way in time (and are you cooking or having people over?)

We have a last couple of hot and kind of strange days (after the cool mornings earlier this week, these muggy warm mornings at 6am feel surreal). Then it turns cold and rainy - BAM! - from summer to winter with no autumn to speak of.

Cookie is gradually decluttering the house of the older dog beds as she rips off zippers and pulls out stuffing. They've served well but it's time to go because I'm not going to mend them. There are still others around.

Last of the gel shots in the knee, and I'm hoping it will settle into a comfortable few months (they say it takes 2-3 weeks after the final shot to get the full effect.) Ragweed is in full-pollen-mode and it will take until the first hard freeze to wipe it out for the year.

We're pacing the amount of time Cookie spends in her kennel, but I can't leave her out unsupervised. This means I get up every hour or so and go for a walk with her in the yard, and she's out when I'm not in my office.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 10 Oct 19 - 04:13 PM

Today is the first day I've been home before dark....it feels wonderful!!!!

I have laundry going and am going to do a little bit of rearranging of furniture that Pete would like to see happen....he would do it but I think it will be a nice surprise for him to come home to. :)

I'm down 2 more pounds this week. I'm not sure how as I am not tracking or exercising much but rather just trying to take it easy. My stress levels are high at the moment and I'm all about comfort food when I'm feeling that way.....just doing my best to make smart choices throughout the day.

Anyway....the dishes are almost done, the laundry is going and Jeremiah is taking care of the sweeping. He's a great helper!

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Oct 19 - 12:59 PM

That does sound like a nice surprise, Michelle! Is his surgery coming up soon?

Heavy rain overnight and in the space of 12 hours we flipped from summer to winter. Two days of autumn, tops. Ugg. The fleece jacket isn't warm enough today while the t-shirt was all that was needed yesterday.

Time to declutter the dust in the SUV and change out the cabin air filter. And while I'm working in the garage I'll paint on the wood preservative on the fence pickets so I can clear them out of that space.

I hope Susan is able to read along on her phone if she has it with her at rehab. We're thinking of you!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 11 Oct 19 - 07:52 PM

Pete's surgery is on Tuesday.

Today was my last day at work until he is able to be home on his own. I tried to wrap everything up, got 90% of this month's work completed and my supervisor told me if I'm not back for this month, she'll wrap it up. I think that's pretty awesome.

I'm feeling anxious about the surgery and Pete being out of commission as he really has been healthy for the last 27 years....it scares me.

So...as a distraction, my mom has scheduled a Mother Daughter Day for tomorrow and we are meeting up with a friend to hit some quilt shops. I'm feeling clingy and not wanting to go anywhere but I know it IS a good thing for me to do.

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Oct 19 - 12:32 PM

Your mother is a wise woman!

I've located the shoved-way-up-under-the-glove-box compartment for the SUV air filter, I'll pick it up this afternoon when an errand takes me past the store that carries the right size. I'm not a fan of Febreze in general, but I think that was in play with the current filter when I bought this and it does keep the pooch and lumber smell at bay for all of the hauling around of stuff that I do.

It did cool down yesterday, and it's time to make soup. Turkey to start with because I have some frozen pieces I want to use to start clearing out the freezer.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Oct 19 - 08:00 PM

One busy week down, another begins of two that have more going on than usual. Life continues to have moments of excitement in a house with a puppy. Friends came over for lunch today so I put all dogs in the yard and Cookie found a box to chew on the the garage that is full of those cornstarch packing peanuts. I looked out to see where she was and she popped out of the dog door in the garage with a chunk of cardboard and a peanut in her mouth. I rearranged the dog houses in there to block her from reaching the boxes any more. [sigh] The friends enjoyed meeting her, and saw the chaos that ensues when Zeke and Pepper are fetching and Cookie is let loose in the yard. Everything gets nuts.

The house got an adequate cleaning before today's event, but I still need to take apart my vacuum and clean out all of the filters, or take it over to the local repair place and let him do it. It works, just not as powerfully as it used to.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 13 Oct 19 - 10:18 PM

Mom and I had a good day out...spent too much money but surprisingly not at the quilt shop. I had set a budget for the quilt shop and stayed under it with ease. However, then we found a Kmart that is going out of business. I didn't buy anything exciting but did get some great deals....2 packs of undies in Jeremiah's current size, 2 more packs in the next size up (40% off), two packs of socks for me (40% off) and 6 matching cocoa colored bath towels (35% off) for our recliners....animals are welcome on the furniture so I like to keep it covered...all that for $75.00. I wasn't planning on spending that but it's all stuff we will use daily.

Today was church and then Jeremiah's last soccer game of the season. I'm on the 4th load of laundry, the mail has been sorted, bills paid and I have butterflies in my stomach as Pete's surgery is coming up. I am okay most of the time but now it's dark out and my guys and 4 legged babies are all sleeping....it's too quiet even with the TV on. I have lavender going in the diffusers because it's supposed to help ease anxiety....maybe it does....just not so much for me. I wish I could be more like Pete...he's so laid back and not worried at all....at least not that he's talking about.

Ugh. Just ugh.

Doing my best.

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Oct 19 - 11:20 PM

The dark hours are more difficult to get through when something is bothering you, when people are dealing with stress, etc. That's the time when playing the old comedy programs on television, or playing old familiar happy movies in the background can be helpful. Danceable music on the radio. It is important to Pete that you be your strong self, so use the tools available to help all three of you get through this. We are all pulling for you and the family - as are all of your friends and family there.

❤ ❤ ❤

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: mg
Date: 14 Oct 19 - 04:20 PM

remember we have brilliant surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, etc. Hoping everything goes well.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 15 Oct 19 - 09:48 AM

Thanksgiving is over and winter is definitely on its way, although the weather forecast is calling for a warm, wet week. But the wind is biting cold half the time and the sun doesn't scramble above the neighbours' roof until after seven -- and there we are, on the down-slope of the year.

We Canadians don't make the fuss over Thanksgiving that we see among our neighbours to the south. Here, it's about the end of the growing season and the harvest in full swing, and a ham or turkey-centred meal more or less on par with an old-fashioned Sunday dinner is about it for the festivity. The statutory holiday is nice, of course, as it gives folks time to travel and visit, but it's not the four-day extravaganza we see on U.S. television and there's definitely no shopping. We're still recovering from "Back To School!" frenzy.

Himself and I stayed home. He worked on his legal theory course, reading about German philosophers of the 19th century (I could hear his brain bleeding from the kitchen), and I roasted a chicken and made a batch of bread. Ho hum.

The new air-conditioner and humidifier are in place, and the furnace and the water-heater are clean and squared away for the winter. Four thousand dollars well spent ... I guess. I'm certainly glad to be rid of the poisonous antique that previously squatted beside the basement window, and I look forward to a winter without lizard hands, sandpaper shins, and constantly inflamed sinuses. But, in general, such projects are what I call no-fun spending: large sums whacked out to maintain a comfortable status quo. Such is the life of a middle-class householder, constantly striving against the forces of entropy.

Reading Michelle's posts, I am reminded (as if I need to be reminded!) to be grateful that both Himself and I are fit, strong, in robust health, and still happy in each other's company after all these years. I remember sleepless nights with my mind in a squirrel cage of terrifying possibilities, and count freedom from fear among the greatest blessings of my very fortunate life.

The sun is shining and the sky is that ineffable blue Ontario offers just to show that it can. Time to put on my walking shoes and head out to the post office.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Oct 19 - 11:38 AM

Keeping an eye on this space and FB for news.

Charmion, it sounds like you got a good price for that new A/C system.

I spent time this morning ferreting out the mailing address information for a friend from Canada who is in the hospital and have dug out a greeting card to send. I'm trying to send more postcards and letters these days anyway, in a retro return to civility. Who doesn't like getting an actual letter in the mail? ;-)

Editing today, with a side of laundry. It's warm and very muggy, the forecast says this is leading up to a stormy afternoon or evening.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Oct 19 - 11:01 AM

Cookie has been raiding the cornstarch packing peanuts in the garage so for now she's blocked from entering. I have to rearrange that setup because if the dog can find it mice will eventually. The dogs have been fed and it's a lovely fall morning so they're out racing around playing and deciding dominance with rough and tumble games. This puppy has energized my oldest dog; he still played and fetched before she arrived, but he's out there playing a lot more now.

A friend is doing a garage sale next month so I need to pull together a few things and take them over and join her in the sitting in the driveway talking to friends part of the sale. You always meet your neighbors during these sales, and maybe I can off-load a few bulky things.

A large loose Great Pyrenees type dog just ran up the street. I am always sad to see strays - the question is did it get out or was it dumped?

Are you all set for cold weather at your various properties, Dorothy? I will as the same of Susan, and one of these days she'll drop in and let us know.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 16 Oct 19 - 10:33 PM

Dupont:

Back to town for a week. Left Beaver in winter mode as we had heavy frosts while I was there. I still have wood to get in but it rained all day Saturday; I managed to do half of what was left and hope it does not snow before next week. Did some weeding in the raised beds and pulled comfrey leaves that were not good for drying but good to lay as mulch around the blueberry bushes. Did minimal work in studio but ensured it will not freeze.

Left early Tuesday, stopped for muffins and scones at fav bakery, en route, and also brownies and pumpkin brownies! The later are terrific; hope to be able to get more before they are out of season. Arrived back in time for English workshop. Two students, and we worked hard on basics: This is an apple; these are apples; I am, you are, we are; what, when, where, etc. Then one wanted to know the difference between love and like! We worked on that for a while but not sure... Try again next week.

As they gained some confidence, they knew more than first appeared. Today I was looking for youtubes they can watch with closed captions, to listen and learn sounds, pause and read words. This is a fun challenge. I was watching youtubes about Russian authors, thinking of Tatiana but found them very interesting as I was entranced by those guys as a young student. I even took Russian at U for one year; ended up with the highest regard for anyone who learned it, including those who were born there! So much for reading Tolstoy in Russian!

All was well at home. R has kept things in fair order and eaten much of the food I left; added a few small tables which may find good spots. Today: groceries from store and from farm and a trip to library, as well as cooking a simple meal and a batch of broccoli for self to make up for no veggies yesterdays; traveling, I lived on delicious pumpkin brownies and muffins!

R needs to batten down a couple spots where heat is lost when he has time. Work continues on the Project but with less stress now that the presentations are done. Now, is a waiting game and strategy planning. We are warm enough. Enjoying this home.

The ratty looking, potted mini rose bushes that I had bought for last year's Christmas, have finally come up with two buds, one opening to a lovely fragrant white blossom and the other red! The hibiscus needs to be cleaned of black aphids! but is producing a couple blooms a day. The Beast - R counted 23 blooms the other day! I cleaned up its debris today, a lot of compost! I admit to having bought another mini rose just because I love the unique colour - not sure what to call it but it resembles the maple leaves outside the BR window.

Waiting to hear about Pete.

We both got a great chuckle over the German philosophers! Ah, yes!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Oct 19 - 11:57 PM

I finished final corrections on documents before they are dropped into my InDesign templates. Tomorrow. The proof is in the putting (play on words) - place the text on the template and see if it goes where it's supposed to and looks the way you want.

Nice weather for walking now, and I took the dogs out before dinner.

I changed the filter in the SUV but can't get the cover back in place. I'll take a pillow out to kneel on and give it another try tomorrow.

The gym near me that I was thinking about joining until it suddenly closed seems to have, months later, reopened again? Maybe they were remodeling or something. I'll call and see if they're running again and see about actually joining this time.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 17 Oct 19 - 09:21 AM

Himself is agonizing less about legal theory, now that he has written two assignments and feels more competent. For a week at the beginning of the term he wept and moaned over this obligatory course while I reminded him, heartlessly, that this intellectual Sturm und Drang is his own fault, since he apparently feels compelled to pile it higher and deeper. "But I have practised law for THIRTY WHOLE YEARS without the slightest idea of legal positivism!" he howled. Tough, said I, and pointed out that I endured both philosophy of history and historiography -- at the relatively early age of 25! -- and lived to tell the tale.

It's raining in Stratford, and so overcast that every light in the house is blazing or we can barely see each other. Consequently, nothing of consequence will get done outside, and not much inside. We did a light purge of the library over the weekend in aid of the annual town book sale and to ease up the pressure on our crammed shelves, and yesterday I packed up the rejects and delivered them to the old factory where the sale will be held next week. Now all I have to do is keep Himself away from the sale and we're golden! For a few months, anyway.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Oct 19 - 10:45 AM

It is possible to pile it higher and deeper just here for the cost of books now that the age of seniority has been reached. As long as a class makes and isn't over-full, I could take courses. But could I make myself buckle down to do it? Or stand the commute to the university with the course I prefer?

Puppy world is still turbulent, but the older dogs have successfully made the transition from a two-dog household plus guest to a three-dog household. Meaning they are much more likely to lobby for the early release from the kennel when I stash her for a while so I can work without wondering if the silence bodes destruction. They really are cute - they gush into the office with happy expressions indicating that they want to play with the puppy, please? It's difficult to resist that request.

I was congratulating myself on finding a solid used VHS player at Goodwill to use with the digitization of tapes, only to find that it eats tapes (tested with old one that doesn't matter). It'll go back to Goodwill tomorrow and I'll try again. They used to have one for sale new at Fry's, but now even that electronics store doesn't carry them. I think there is an eBay opportunity ahead - buy them, test them, and sell them if they still work. Return or recycle them if they don't.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Donuel
Date: 17 Oct 19 - 09:35 PM

Even for a 30 year old the ambition and stamina of SRS is remarkable.
Do you sell energy by any chance.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 18 Oct 19 - 11:46 AM

Hi All,

    Pete is home and doing well! He had surgery on 10/15 and was able to come home the same day. He reports little pain but rather more stiffness. If any of you were to actually know Pete, you'd know that when the doctor told him to take it easy for 2 weeks, he laughed. With that being said, I had ordered tickets for the 3 of us to attend a concert to see Buddy Guy at a venue about 60 miles away prior to knowing that Pete even had cancer. The concert was on 10/16. Second row, center tickets....Pete said there was no way he was going to miss it so off we went to dinner and the concert the day after his surgery! He was so happy to be there and I was sure he was going to be in immense pain the following day, but no...he's good! Yesterday we went to see the oncologist and found out that the thyroid cancer was metastatic into some lymph nodes however the pathology/histology shows that there were clear margins which means it did not spread beyond that point. Currently we do not know the plan moving forward. Pete needs another ultrasound to see if he will need radiation.

I am thankful, so thankful for the good news!

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Oct 19 - 02:43 PM

That clear margin is what you want! Congratulations! And the fun at the concert is a bonus. :)

Written Friday night, before the 'cat crashed for a while:

Reaching Friday evening seemed to have been an uphill battle this week. Contract work is kicking my butt, but one project is getting close to the conclusion; it means work this weekend, but hopefully it can be handed off early next week. My eBay stuff is still calling out for attention, and my digitizing work is so close I can almost taste it. I returned a dead VHS player and picked up a couple of others to test. There was a nice looking one but it had a label indicating it had been the property of a pre-school; I figure that thing was worked to death (!).

I did a little shopping today, picking up some good Basmati rice after an interesting conversation with the guy who was stocking shelves in the Middle Eastern store I frequent. I asked which was his favorite. And across the street to the Asian market to get some good soy sauce (I bought some in a regular grocery store and it's so . . . light and tame.) I also had an interesting conversation with a guy looking for a fish sauce he really likes and we stood in the aisle talking food for about 20 minutes.

And now I'm home and all of the dogs are trying to make the case that the little one should sleep in a regular dog bed, not in the kennel. If I do that, I'll cover the dog door so she doesn't head out in the middle of the night, though I think she isn't fond of the wet grass at night (I've been taking her out at about 3am so she makes it through the night bladder-wise, so I'd still get up for that). Last night I let her out of the kennel and she headed over and curled up on the bed that Pepper had been sleeping on. So sweet! Pepper was jealous at first, but now she's learning what small children learn when a new baby comes home - there is room in your heart for all of them, it just expands with more love. They are a true "pack" now.

Cat sitting this weekend and I was able to reassure this friend that her calico was probably just pouting earlier in the day (hiding instead of letting herself be found after she saw the suitcase being packed). She was there and waiting for dinner with the others when I arrived (and I sent a photo for evidence.)

I dug out the address for Susan, if anyone wants to send a card, PM me for that information. I also dug out the address for Gnu, who is recuperating after a fall.

There will be decluttering this weekend. I'm just not sure what it will be yet.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Oct 19 - 10:20 AM

Beautiful cool morning, and I have my eye on a seedling redbud tree that I need to transplant to a pot for right now and prepare the area in the front to plant it (I have to mow down some stuff that used to grow around the tree we took out). I'll let the redbud grow a little larger before planting in front so it's big enough to see when I'm working out there.

I missed trash last week but I have a buildup, partly the stuffing that was in a cushion on the patio that has been torn up by the puppy. It is a very old cushion so probably wouldn't have been around much longer anyway, but this makes the decision to discard it immediate. Contract and freelance work has kicked my butt this week, but hopefully will slack off next week and I can get back to the fence I want to replace and start serious fall gardening. I need to thin and transplant a bunch of iris.

I hope everyone who has been ill or injured is healing quickly.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 20 Oct 19 - 11:51 AM

Mum has decided she wants to try doing a bit more baking again and that triggered a small sort out of the baking tins. There were 2 bun trays and 2 loaf tins in very good condition but the round ones I found were in a very poor state. I’ve disposed of them and got her a pair of 8” springform deep
tins and a pair of shallower 7” loose bottom tins. Hopefully that’s her (and possibly me one day if I decide to join in) set up for a while.

–
I got the juicer out of a shed yesterday. I need to find the sterilising powder (should be tucked away in another shed together with plastic bottles) and give it a thorough cleaning. I’m not sure its working right as both speeds seem the same to me but it will have to do for the (home grown and not that brilliant) grapes we want to try.

Apples were the main juicing project here. We had a system going where I had 3 demijohns which I’d fill with juice from the juicer and syphon off into bottles for the freezer. Mum used to wash and cut the apples as needed, I’d put the apples through the machine, etc. and the bottling was a combined effort. It was a bit of a chore but we processed up to 3 wheelbarrow loads of apples that way.

We did get an apple press and crusher towards the end of our apple projects but, even though these things seem to do wonders on videos, I never had much joy with it and seemed to get better yields of juice with the machine. That and those particular apples would yield a nice pink juice rather than brown through the machine.

Either way, our old “juicing tree” no longer gives the yields it used to, neither mum nor I want to get involved in longer projects and we didn’t replace the small chest freezer bought for juice and cordials after it packed in.

I've said it a few times at home but we really must get round to finding a home for the press and crusher. Although they were quite expensive, personally I’m not bothered about money for them although I’d like someone to collect. They won’t be used here again and it seems a shame that they just lie idle in a shed in the field.

–
The grass really needs cutting here but I’ve not felt up to it. I think I might get the “garden helper” mum has once a week to have a go. Then I’ll drain/use up the fuel in the petrol machines (mower, strimmer and a leaf blower) and call it quits for the year.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Oct 19 - 02:36 PM

The fridge is now decluttered of things that were needing using; some fresh organic grape tomatoes, bell pepper, zucchini, and some Italian sausage I'd defrosted. It becomes an Italian seasoning type of dish, and I add a little mozzarella to make a creamy sauce and some wine for the aromatics. I also am baking, Jon, using up some blueberries a friend brought over in a batch of muffins. And a friend coming over for dinner this evening to share this bounty.

I tested one of the two VHS machines I brought home this week and the Toshiba works like a dream (the last one was a nightmare!). I've found the manual and printed it. There isn't a remote control, but since I'm basically using it to transmit the signal from the tape to the computer, I don't need to program, etc. I have another one to test, then I'll compare them with the existing machine (a good brand, but a really stiff odd mechanism).

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 20 Oct 19 - 04:52 PM

I like blueberries but our own attempts at growing them were poor. Related is our native billberry which grew abundantly in mum’s part of Shropshire. She used to pick them but I’m afraid my own memory (and I left that area about 6 years old) of them is a bit foggy at the moment.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Oct 19 - 10:10 PM

Blueberries are an understory plant that typically comes up in areas where there have been forest fires that cleared out the trees or slash from logging, then live happily with small trees until they're so shaded out they die off. Commercial blueberries have to have acid soil and they don't like wet feet, but they need lots of water.

I've finished one of four design items to give people something to work with tomorrow when we start loading them into the online publishing software. Now that I have the software working the way I want the rest will be easier.

The kitchen is a mess; the dogs are in with the dog door covered because there is a thunderstorm right now. I have work to do, but don't have to get up and leave in the morning - that's the nice thing about being retired from the job I was doing. I'm busy, but on my own schedule now.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 21 Oct 19 - 10:32 AM

If you want to re-live your messier house renovations -- and don't we all? -- just empty the canister of your central vacuum system. Oh, boy. Plaster dust galore, with a thick layer of cat hair on top. My favourite.

Steve the Garden Guy is tidying us up for the winter even as I type, and I'm gathering strength to assault the mess that is the house. The cardboard scratcher that the cats absolutely love (and that saves the furniture) results in little bits of cardboard all over the sitting room rug, and if I leave it too long the house looks unspeakably unkempt. The other major contributor to general scruffiness is the white ceramic tile in the kitchen, which displays every fallen splotch and crumb like a Jumbotron announcement that Slatterns Live Here. So, you know, floors. Vacuum cleaner, scrubber, bucket. Bleah.

I must also go through the house with the spidey brush, a hemisphere of bristles mounted on a long handle for taking down webs from ceilings and other inconvenient places. The spiders are nesting now, so every room has a little clot of tightly-spun web somewhere in the angle at the top of the walls -- and every one shall be evicted! Doing away with the nests will not get rid of the spiders, but it will at least cut down the population, which is currently running a bit high for the comfort of this neatnik.

And that will be quite enough thankless labour for this week.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 21 Oct 19 - 11:25 AM

Vacuum cleaners were added to my (managed on Thunderbird but also gives reminders on the Androids) to do list last week. Just 2 G-Techs, one hand held. Both had flat batteries and one was badly clogged when one was needed the other week so it’s charge batteries, empty, clean filters if needed every Monday from now on. OK one or other could need a charge or emptying in between but at least we start the week straight.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Oct 19 - 12:51 PM

A couple of lines of heavy thunderstorms passed through the area last night and I'm sure the news coming out of north and east Dallas will continue to give accounts of huge amounts of damage. We got some rain and outflow boundary winds, but not the tornadic activity.

When meteorologists in North Texas told folks near Preston Hollow to get into a tornado-safe spot, about 12 staffers and customers at Fish City Grill ran to the walk-in cooler. It was cold, but it was safe.

A funnel cloud dragged over the Preston-Royal area of Dallas, and the windowless cooler kept Fish City Grill’s employees sheltered as the restaurant’s walls and ceiling were shredded.

But one customer didn’t follow the group. A server pulled him into the kitchen, says Fish City Grill co-founder Bill Bayne, and they flattened themselves on the kitchen floor. That act kept them safe, and no one was hurt at the restaurant despite massive damage.

“It looks like bombs went off,” Bayne says.

He plans to reopen the restaurant, though there’s no estimated time frame yet. In that same shopping center, Interabang Books was badly damaged as well.

Princi Italia, a restaurant at the northwest corner of Preston-Royal, also used its walk-in cooler as a shelter spot during the tornado. After customers and employees got the all-clear, some found trees smashed into their cars. The restaurant suffered cracked windows, a torn-off air-conditioning unit and damaged trees. It’s closed until further notice.

Shockingly, some restaurants in the hardest-hit areas saw no damage at all. TJ’s Fresh Seafood, on the northeast corner of Preston Road and Royal Lane — and a mere 500 feet from Fish City Grill — saw no damage.

The storm path continued northeast and devastated some businesses north and east of Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas. MoMo Italian Kitchen, near Forest Lane and Greenville Avenue in Dallas, lost its sign, has no phone and suffered some damage to the building. Still, the restaurant will open at 11 a.m.

Lots of stories like this.

I went through the house to look for any water and have been out into the yard to check trees for fallen limbs and fences that they're still in place. We lucked out - this time. The folded towel is in the corner near my bed for Pepper, who came and went during the night. Cookie was in her kennel until when the storm had completely passed, when she could go into the yard if she needed. She doesn't seem to like cold wet grass at night, so she simply moved out of the kennel and plopped down next to Zeke.

The wind and rain will have blown ragweed pollen out of the area but those plants are still standing and still pumping it out. My sinuses are still suffering.

Editing is on the final pass this week, and I'll have more free time for other stuff.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 21 Oct 19 - 07:37 PM

Dupont:
Happiness is:
1. Hearing the news about Pete. Good music surely is healing!

2. Playing in the dirt! I finally got it together to call re a load of soil - 5c.y. were delivered Sat am and I sculpted it, with a garden rake, to the desired shape and planted the few things R and I managed to get at the soon to close for the season Botanix. And the daffie bulbs that I had bought potted last spring -lots! So happy. Next day - SO tired!

R had been dubious about what I was doing to "his yard" but before I waas done, he thought we needed 5 yards more! So today I arranged for that and it was delivered before noon - Great company! I planted a number of bulbs, purchased at Canadian Tire yesterday and saved half for the new load. I am leaving it for R to do his sculpting first. There will be no more plants this season unless I can get him to extricate some of the hosta which are terribly over-crowded. I cannot budge them.

I am ridiculously happy about the improvement to the front yard. The clay is just impossible. R also planted the 8 inch mock orange, another baby from the city yard, off to its own space as it will get BIG!. Instead of a barren stretch of unhealthy grass across the whole front, we will have flowers and small shrubs. We actually have enough hosta to edge the whole thing, if we can extricate it but it is fall blooming - right now! It would be nice to intersperse it with some summer blooming.

I also moved one wheelbarrow load of stones from the back yard for the very edge. Looks great. Hope R will pitch in on that; the wheelbarrow is heavy when empty!

Otherwise, the Beast is slowing down - only 15 blooms today; I am scullery maid to this plant, everyday, sweeping up its debris but it is worth it.

Hibiscus has many blooms yet to come but only one or two a day. The house is getting very full of house plants - we probably will not need a humidifier!

The house is moderately clean and tidy, and under control. I just produced another large quantity of veggie soup. Managed to reject a "new" cutting board, explaining that we already have three and we could give this "found" one to someone else?

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Donuel
Date: 22 Oct 19 - 08:53 AM

YOU GUYS make your determined efforts and ingenuity sound practically easy. It sounds like 30,000 calorie output a day is your average.
Oh well, somebody built the great pyramid so I won't doubt you.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Oct 19 - 11:24 AM

Don, you're right - Dorothy puts us all to shame with her comings and goings!

It is finally cool enough to make cooking appealing, so yesterday I tried a box mix of a gingerbread cake. It's not too sweet and it made the house smell wonderful. I'm using it for breakfast this week.

I've been hammered by contract work the last couple of weeks, but this should be the final week of one of those projects. Toward more eBay work I have unpacked the sets of colored glasses I intend to list on eBay. I had a gorgeous set last spring and a total crackpot bought them and in the end I think she wanted a full refund and to keep the glasses. I called her bluff because she had already posted inane negative feedback before she started the process. These other glasses show a bit more use but are in fine condition. I'm running everything through the dishwasher a few times to be sure there is no limestone accumulation (using vinegar in the machine - still offering thanks to WYSIWYG for that suggestion) and will start listing them next week.

There's a lot to do around here, and enjoy the feeling that working outside is finally comfortable and we had enough rain to loosen the soil for things like thinning and transplanting iris.

There is more tech work to do; ever since adding a new C: SSD to the old computer I have to turn it on, turn it off, then immediately turn it on because apparently it doesn't see the boot drive on the first pass. I must have reversed the drive positions on the mother board. Now that the old computer is up where I can reach it, I'll make that fix.

All of this doesn't contribute a great deal to the declutter, except that if I can get stuff listed it will be off of my dining room table and I can move onto another project.

I hope you're feeling better, Susan, and I hope Pete is continuing his recuperation and treatment evaluation smoothly.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Oct 19 - 10:27 AM

Word to the wise: don't try to sleep late if there is a puppy loose in the house. I picked up stuff all over the yard this morning, and when I got back into the house I opened the kennel door and said puppy meekly walked in and sat down. We want this to be a welcoming place, but it's definitely a time out place.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Oct 19 - 07:13 PM

Slogging through computer/paper work today and STILL looking for the missing mouse pads. I have three or four and I remember putting them all in one place. And it was a logical place, but darned if I can figure out where that is now.

I spent some time last night assembling bits of estate sale and Goodwill electronic equipment, even as the unit in my office is slowly dying. The office radio and cassette player work but the CD changer/player is dead. The LP works. I need to swap this out for my work in here eventually. I guess I should shop for myself also.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Oct 19 - 11:00 AM

Today dawned as a typical October day, soggy and cool. And if I can finally finish this editing job I can get into the yard next week and start making a difference.

There is a vote411 site that gives you a look at the actual items on your district ballot so you can read and research the items ahead of time. This week and next are early voting in Texas so I'm ready to vote today after I stop for lunch with moonglow.

Last night I put the water-resistant couch cover over the sofa to allow the dogs up on that piece of furniture, now that it's cold out. They have various places they can sleep, but ever since I got rid of the futon several years ago, they've been found to misbehave and get up on the good sofa. So this is my compromise. I do *kind of* wish I'd kept that futon for the dogs, but it was so huge that room couldn't be used for much of anything else.

I've heard more from Gnu; he's sounding much better, typing better now. Has people to talk to and is getting exercise.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 26 Oct 19 - 11:20 AM

I spent the week cleaning the house. It was filthy -- cat hair and dust on everything and, in the basement, a liberal sprinkling of the wheat chaff we use for cat litter.

As I folded laundry this morning, carefully putting the newly washed towels and sheets at the bottom of their respective stacks in the linen closet, it occurred to me that I still aspire to the housekeeping standards drummed into me in recruit school and the navy hospital where I learned my trade. Consequently, I have a perfection problem; if cleaning the kitchen means preparing for the Commandant's inspection, it's easy to remind myself that we're civilians now and the Commandant ain't comin' 'round no more, and do nothing.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 26 Oct 19 - 11:31 AM

Beaver:

A good heads up re voting! I am registered on Whidbey and always have trouble with the odd bits. The who is easy but the whats are nebulous.

As for my esteemed energy. I spend large quantities of time resting, esp after the trips. Happily, Robin has been able to join me this trip. He was right up to the brink and sure he would not sleep, would not be able to rest but the country air and distance from chaos - he has slept! And gone off alone to do preferred things, as he is right now at the auction house - with no money! OR rather, he left for auction house, who knows where he actually went. As long as he is back by noon so we can go pick up pumpkin brownies at the gold mine and then make a leisurely exploring trip to an art gallery.

Direct route is an hour and a half. A Robin route - we should be there in time for the Evening of Jazz at our friend's art show - 6:30. I am resting as tomorrow is a marathon trip to west of Toronto for a wildlife animal rehabber's meeting with staff of the Ministry of natural resources and Forest. Supper with a friend in Pefferlaw!

Maybe I will have enough energy to do some wood before R gets back. Frost last night and the wood is COLD! Did some.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Oct 19 - 04:22 PM

I did a little computer cleanup this afternoon; I went under the hood in the old HP to see if I could move the SATA cables in a way that would let it boot properly. Since I put in the new SSD the boot order is supposed to be okay from the BIOS but it always hung up; I had to turn off then quickly back on and it would remember having seen the boot drive and start. But moving didn't do the trick, it actually put the old HDD back in the boot position so I undid my changes. I'll have to check out the BIOS again one of these days. For now I consider myself lucky I didn't kill it and I'll finish the project I've been working on in that machine. I did stick the vacuum hose in and hoover out some hefty dust piles while I was at it.

It looks like we'll get frost next week so the few things growing in the garden will be harvested soon. It's time to defrost the big upright freezer and see what all I have in there.

WYSIWYG seems to have dropped off of the face of the planet. Someone managing her account has unfriended me so I can't post directly there. I wonder if she has her phone with her, she did a lot of posting with it. Maybe something sent via Messenger? The friend who was supposed to update people hasn't posted in four weeks. #ColorMePerturbed

10-27-2019 update: I found the remarks on Sabrina's page from Sept. 30 to be edited with a tiny bit more information. We knew she would be moved to rehab, now we have information that confirms a stroke:
She is at encompass care at St Elizabeth until 10/11 then to a rehab facility. Right now she has no use in her right leg and arm. Keep Susan in your thoughts and prayers. I'm not one for prayers, but I have been thinking about her.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: mg
Date: 26 Oct 19 - 08:38 PM

i was the commandant and did the inspections. no perfectionism here.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Oct 19 - 01:09 AM

I would love to have one of those house beautiful homes, but need to get the place picked up enough (books, papers, etc.) and organized (decluttered!) enough that I could bring in someone a half-day a week to help maintain it. I used to do that years ago, in a different house.

At the last part now of these paper drafts. I should be able to send them out before I head to bed. Then come corrections, proof-readers know they are only to look for typos and odd placement, etc. NO EDITING THE COPY AT THIS POINT! Drives the typesetter nuts.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Oct 19 - 11:49 AM

I was up late enough to send off the last proofs of the last two essays. Today is lovely and is my time to mow the yard, get those fence pickets ready to put in place, and walk the dogs. I've packed away all of the paper copies of these articles I've worked on and I'll clear off my desktops and start fresh on other projects next week.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 28 Oct 19 - 09:10 AM

I'm sorry to read that Susan WYSIWYG is ill. She seemed happy and contented to be settling into their new place, and even with help she will be grounded for quite a while.

MG's remark about being the Commandant made me think. Of course, it was not the Commandant's inspection that really mattered; it was the Sergeant's far more searching penetration of every cubic centimetre of living space, which preceded the Commandant's appearance. Having spent my military time at the bottom of the food chain, I knew only the stress of keeping one step ahead of the Sergeant.

That said, I must also point out that the Sergeant's idea of How To Live was a revelation to me after growing up with my mother the proto-hoarder. The glistening linoleum of the barrack floors and the wonderfully predictable array in the hospital linen closet were restful; they meant regular care by thorough people and a sweet absence of nasty surprises.

So I guess I come by my perfectionism honestly. I just wish I wasn't the only neatnik in the house!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Oct 19 - 12:37 PM

I spent the time while my water was heating and my tea was brewing and then my tea was getting a little cool in clearing up the sinks and filling the dishwasher (after emptying it). I'd gone to bed tempting fate, ants, and possibly mice with all of the dishes and pots needing clearing up. I'm going to shift the rodent-catching focus to the garage for a while, and possibly the attic. I haven't seen anything, but that doesn't mean anything, as crafty as those little buggers are. The four I caught outside the dryer vent gave me a clue as to their comings and goings.

Time for some heavy lifting as things are moved from the car to the kitchen to the office. I found a smaller radio/CD player that can go with existing speakers and record player, but need to clean it up and then test it (and if it doesn't work, take it back.) Goodwill all the way. The old one is in beautiful clean condition but the CD changer turns but doesn't play. The power, when turned on, usually goes to the CD player even though the radio is what I've always had it set to. The cassette players still work, but I think it's time to completely retire this piece and not make it someone else's problem at the thrift store. To the e-waste bin it goes, probably later this week. I'll keep the peripheral record player, remote, and speakers.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Oct 19 - 05:39 PM

That player had the same problem my current one has - the CD player doesn't play. Back it goes.

But since then, my upright freezer has died, resulting in the shoving of frozen meat and fish into the side-by-side and I'll be cooking a lot this week with thawed stuff. A new one is being delivered in the morning, at which time I'll empty the chilled but not frozen contents of the old one into coolers and figure out what to do with everything. A lot will go in the compost, other things can go back in the freezer (bread, I've learned, can be re-frozen). Other stuff will be baked or cooked and then frozen.

This bumps everything else further down the list. The fence materials are ready to go up on the next nice day.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 29 Oct 19 - 05:55 PM

Dupont:

Well, Got to Beaver to find I had not washed the dishes before I left last time and they are still there as we left this time. Then came home to unwashed dishes here. Darn! Need to do better.

Send R to an auction with no money and he finds a friend to lend him! But not much. We spent most of Sat, Sun and Mon viewing a great deal of southeastern Ontario, decluttering the gas tank and the wallet. And the energy, though R did all the driving. Now, there is a stress factor! Finally arrived here at 11:10 pm. BED! Did manage to declutter some of R's stress. HE went off to work this am in fair shape, and I to my English class, half asleep at 1:30 pm.

The Beast had only one flower left so I guess it has gone into dormancy. Or we have not done something quite right. The friend with whom we stayed Sunday night had a smaller one still full of flowers. I researched but found no specific help.

R checked the new garden for squirrel damage but perceived none! He is taking a keen interest in the indoor and outdoor gardening! The new soil in the front yard is a marvellous addition. Expensive, too. But a joy to both of us, greatly improving the appearance with lots more room for blooming flowers and 3 low growing evergreens. Still need lots of rocks to edge it - about 40 feet!

Happily, there is still soup for supper; I am not up for much else.   

Turning the heat down before we left was good for the plants and the wallet but took some shivering to warm the bed!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Oct 19 - 10:43 PM

Dorothy, sometimes the way to pamper yourself is to go to bed when you need to, regardless of the state of the sink. Other times, pampering oneself is to do the dishes the night before.

I've had conversations with Gnu off and on over the last couple of weeks; he is progressing. I predict some decluttering and organizing in his future, but I doubt he'll drop in to discuss it. It's enough to know that he's feeling better every day.

I watched a rerun of Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates this evening with two dogs curled up beside me on the sofa. It's one of my favorite episodes - Fred Armisen has the most amazing family history that took twists and turns that made this as good as anything a fiction author could dream up. And puppies always make the evening nicer.

I'll head to bed early because there is a possibility that the freezer could arrive very early. I need to be ready. The current one is fluctuating freezing then not so much - mostly everything is really cold, but some of it may not be salvageable.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Oct 19 - 08:50 AM

Up early for the freezer but so far no text saying it's on its way and a thunderstorm is raging overhead. The house is a shambles from everything being hastily moved in preparation for the big transfer of stuff and the arrival of the new freezer. I hope it has castors.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 30 Oct 19 - 06:48 PM

Dupont:

I generally do dishes while attending to cooking but I guess I was too tired. Did a rack full this morning. Will do more tonight. The others are dry and put away. Did laundry/changed the bed yesterday and all is put away. Today was foraging, hot bath, relaxation, pick up bag of produce from farm. Soaked feet also; my left foot encountered a baseboard heater on Sunday night, in the dark. It hurt! In the morning, I discovered it had opened some skin and foot was swollen badly. I had to unbuckle that strap on Birkie. Still very sore and swollen. Same one that broke almost 3 years ago - so still twinges from that plus swollen. Today I could walk; Mon and Tues, I hobbled.

Supper is half ready: cauliflower cooked; will cook cranberry/maple sausages, add jar of spaghetti sauce and use cauliflower as pasta. will do more dishes while keeping an eye on cooking! Watched two hours of TV; hot bath does take some recovery. It was a lovely day - well, warmish and not raining -yet! But I did not get last plants into ground. Hopefully tomorrow - it is to be warmish but might rain, however, must get it done as the temp is dropping on Thurs!

Need to figure out how to teach English to this poor woman from Russia. She wants so much to learn - she says; but I am not sure how long she remembers what I have said. She is only 68... I am becoming concerned.

Soon November and I have "planned" to have an open house for pottery in November - like SOON! Maybe I can set it up this week, go to Beaver for a week and have it the following week. Tomorrow...

And another pot of soup! R likes the pureed soup because his teeth are bad; I like it because the flavours of all the veggies are blended so I do not get a bite of something I am not fond of.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: mg
Date: 30 Oct 19 - 07:12 PM

for woman from russia..i would just teach her tangible words for now, and verbs that you can mime..no nuances of grammar etc. OK if she speaks pidgeon English for now.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 31 Oct 19 - 11:10 AM

Huge declutter this morning as I emptied the contents of the 50-year-old upright freezer. There is a contractor bag in the trash can outside and I've tossed some stuff that I won't use or is very old (but was buried in there and would have been discarded anyway at the next normal defrost). Two coolers are stuffed as is the side-by-side freezer on the fridge. I'm not going to defrost this thing, it's going out the door full of ice.

It's freezing again now, but that period of defrost was so big it wasn't just the door left open, the big cold box is failing. So it's time. The delivery of the new one should be anytime in the next couple of hours. I don't think it will be as large as the old one, but I will be able to make due. A lot that came out was just stuff parked in there, flour, rice, baking mixes, that always go in for a while to kill any eggs in the mix. You have to do that down here or have weevils. They can all come out now and go into the pantry shelves.

Dogs will be put into the yard, I think it's warming up enough (though last night we had a hard freeze that knocked out part of the garden - the plants not in pots I could carry into the garage.)

I had a bag of ice cubes of chicken stock in there; they softened enough to kind of melt together, but most are still in cube shapes, so I think most of the stuff will be okay to continue in the freezer.

The house is a shambles, due partly to this, and partly because I have to take apart my vacuum and clean filters and such, or take it to the local repair guy (that I have probably already mused about here.)

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 31 Oct 19 - 04:07 PM

After four hours (suggested time it takes to completely chill) I stuffed the cooler contents into the new freezer. I'll organize them more later. Should have worn mittens!

The bulk of the editing job is over but alas, much of the nice autumn weather has passed during that phase of deadline work, so I'll get out when I can to work on the yard. I took a big bag to the curb for trash today, which is more than I expected to get done this week.

I'm going to look at the greenhouse, see if I can get it closed up enough to put these plants out there (and then remember to water them) for the winter. Tomato, eggplant, peppers, and some flowers.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Nov 19 - 05:16 PM

After a flurry of month-end activity yesterday and today I'm going to aim at another no-spend November. It's the time to use up what's here and do a few small repairs on things I don't want to replace.

With nice weather predicted over the weekend I think it's time to mow the back, do a thorough policing the grounds (droppings) and at least one dog is going to get a bath. and all of them will get a good brushing.

The pantry got a good clear out today and after organizing canning jars quite a few "good jars" (from pasta sauce) and lids went into the recycle bin. I keep a few for things that go in the freezer, but lately I've just used canning jars for freezing and don't need to keep the old sauce jars. Lots of canned peaches that were in there too long are now in the compost, and I have some on-the-cusp of too old tomatoes I'll use up quickly in the next few weeks. They'd been buried and out of sight or they'd have been used long ago. All of this was to clear space where previously frozen things like rice, beans, flour, and pasta were stored for a while to kill any weevils before they hatch. In a warm climate, this is necessary. The kitchen is still cluttered with stuff that needs to be put away, but it's getting better.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 02 Nov 19 - 11:54 AM

It's a very lazy morning for me today. I slept in until 9:45am...unheard of! I suppose going back to work after 2 weeks off (to tend to Pete) and the end of the month usual rush....I'm just tuckered. I had to take one day off this week to take Pete to the oncologist. Depsite that, I was able to get in my full hours....can you say LONG days?

We found out that Pete is in the intermediate risk category which may qualify him for radiation. We didn't get any answers from oncology but were referred to an endocrinologist who specializes in this area. If he has radiation and IF it is not successful, THEN we go back to medical oncology. I personally think the oncology appointment was not useful or necessary this week or at any other time so far as he simply reads the results to us that we can access at home. While all the other oncologists in this office have a card with a specialty, his card just says oncologist. I think he may be a front line for the triage and then he passes people on. It's just unnerving because we went thinking we would finally have an answer as to if we can be finished with this and move on or if there is more ahead....we simply don't know. I am frustrated but Pete, as his usual self, is quite relaxed and laid back about it all.

Jeremiah dressed up as Harry Potter for Halloween this year...cute as a button he was! We only attend the local Trunk or Treating event. Maybe next year we will add the door to door fun. It's unbelievable how much candy he came home with.

Pete wants to go out and about today....I'm really wishing we were having an at home day as I'm pooped. He is supposed to head back to work on Monday...we'll see how that goes. He gets tired so very easily....I'm thinking it will have to be a gradual return to full time hours.

On a good note, my office has Paid Family Leave and I have already received a check for the days I've had off. I get 55% of my normal pay plus I am not at risk for losing my job for the time missed...I think that is outstanding! It was a lot of paperwork but well worth it!

Hoping everyone is well.

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Nov 19 - 01:09 PM

Sometimes you run into doctors who just don't click - when my daughter was in the hospital for a blood disorder the doctor on call who took her case was so off-putting that when we were given the name of someone else who had looked at the case I called there and asked to follow-up with them. The appointment manager said we needed to stick with the first doctor, and I told her we weren't going to have anything to do with him any more, his bedside manner stunk and he was a jerk. That was enough to get us in with a much more helpful doctor.

Family medical leave is so important - I have a friend who was fired for missing work because at the time a family crisis erupted he didn't have time to fill out all of the paperwork.

I just finished disassembling a lovely CD changer and discovered it isn't repairable - the weak point in the system is the circuit board behind the control panel and the past users pushed one button so hard they cracked the board and the circuits are broken. Too bad. Back to Goodwill it goes. CD changers used to be commonplace but they're not around as much now and those that are new are very expensive. Now to go take apart my vacuum cleaner and remove what is probably a blockage near the bottom of the hose.

To those who lurk, reading the thread but not posting, good luck with your work. You're invited to share, we love to hear about how you're doing, though participation here isn't necessary.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 03 Nov 19 - 02:52 PM

Pete opted to stay home yesterday so I spent the day in my sewing room/catch all room. Eight bags were loaded into my car for Sally's and several bags of trash went out as well (old paperwork that is no longer needed/tubes of wrapping paper that had gotten crushed, scraps of fabric that are never going to get used, etc). I made a considerable dent. I emptied two of the bookshelves, dusted everything and put things back in a more organized fashion....that part of my sewing room really had become a catch all where things were just thrown to be tended with later.

Regarding the oncologist...he was nice enough but I don't see the need for us to have seen him 3 times. He read the report off the computer, explained what things meant (most of which we both already understood). I would think oncology would make the decision about radiation but not always. Also, I am familiar with firing doctors. I had one oncologist who stepped in once while my regular oncologist was out. I asked him what the symptoms of returning ovarian cancer would be and he said, "You want to know? It will go to your lungs then your brain and then you will die." I told him that was quite enough and I'm glad I wasn't a new cancer patient because that would have removed all hope. I got up off the table and left. I also reported him. F*cker.

Anyway...Jeremiah does not have school tomorrow so I have taken the day off and we will go to work with Pete. He will go to his office and we will putter about the town for the day...probably meeeting up for lunch and then I can drive us all home if he is too tired.

I have my own endocrinology appointment coming up next week. All my bloodwork looks to be in order...A1C is still a bit high but still showing signs of working it's way down.

Happy Sunday!

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Nov 19 - 03:43 PM

That does sound like a horrible one-time oncologist visit - and after all of your research and recovery from your own cancer, there's a lot you already understand. And puttering around town while Pete is at work sounds like a nice day for you and Jeremiah. Congratulations on the sewing room; mine is a huge project awaiting my attention, and I continue to make note of project ideas I have for the contents of that room.

At Goodwill I found a silverware organizer with a particularly long footprint to put in one of the kitchen drawers and now the skewers and various long thin things are organized and tongs and such that don't fit are in the rest of the drawer not filled by the tray. A few things never used and long-forgotten have been discarded. The new freezer seems to have inspired a general thinning and organizing of the rest of the kitchen along with the pantry.

Sticks and branches in the back yard are being stuffed into a trashcan for the curb tomorrow. I've had lots of canine help, not all of it useful. I also trimmed some low-hanging limbs I'm tired of snagging in my hair when I mow. There will be one last mow of the season then the dormant lawn will look pretty good until about February.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 03 Nov 19 - 08:57 PM

Dupont:

All in pretty good shape here. Quiet weekend with R going to work part of each day and getting small bit done here. I had a weird day yesterday: I was so intent on finishing a novel, I ignored the facts that I was having chills and was repeatedly falling asleep! I wanted to go to the library before 5 but at 4:15, finished the book and went to bed! R fended for himself when he got home and I was fine this am.

The K is well enough organized that R is doing more than he used to, which is rather nice. I concocted another pot of pureed soup today and w had it with some chicken breast. This soup thing is cool! I just put in all the root veggies that I get from the Farm, some seasonings and a dollop of solid chick broth and it comes out yummy!

Brought in the last geranium today. The mini rose I picked up at the grocery is a mess - the buds keep drying out and falling off; I have been careful not to over water but suspect it was maltreated previously.

Hope Pete gets some clear news soon; it is terrible to be unknowing.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Nov 19 - 09:25 PM

I diagnosed the problem with the vacuum correctly - there was a partial blockage half-way through the hose. I finally settled on using a spirtle to drop through the hose and gradually push out the wad of hair stuck to some kind of plastic clip. I've never used a spirtle to make oatmeal (though I'm making it regularly again now that it's autumn weather). I'm not sure what you'd actually do with it that is more efficient than a wider wooden spoon? It has been rinsed off and is drying before going back into the ornamental pitcher full of other wooden kitchen implements.

I moved four potted plants out onto the driveway in front of the garage; I haven't cleared out space in the greenhouse for them yet. Peppers and tomatoes and eggplants are still forming and growing.

This afternoon I had to reinforce the compost siding (a plastic wrap-around thing meant specifically to be used for compost) because the puppy figured out how to collapse one side and walk right in. That dog does the math - as sweet as the face is there is a little devil inside! After that I hauled all of those now-recycled pasta sauce jars and lids to the village recycle bins. There were two excellent sturdy milk crates in one of them that yes, I grabbed and brought home. I'll clean them up on general principles and probably use them in the greenhouse to prop things on or store tools in.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 04 Nov 19 - 08:59 AM

In my opinion, the spurtle is the world's least efficient cooking implement, and it survives only because far too many people suffer from Highland romanticism in the wake of reading Walter Scott or talking to their Scots grannie. I favour a narrow silicone not-quite-spatula for oatmeal, as its flexible edge clears the porridge from the sides of the pot on the first swipe.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Nov 19 - 12:15 PM

I screwed down the door trim that was pulling away from the jamb (due to moisture) on the outside garage door, and trimmed a tree that I always seem to end up with branches in my hair when I mow (it has thorns that often grab my ballcap in passing). Today the job is two part - pick up all of the dog toys spread around the yard and keep them in one place long enough to mow.

My lantern has the correct battery now and is charging. The wrong battery goes back today at the same time I make a run over to Tractor Supply to pick up dog food.

I'm continuing to try to puppy-proof the house. She knows when she's in trouble and simply walks into her kennel when I wave whatever she has destroyed at her. Today she didn't wait for me to discover it; when I walked into the living room there was a destroyed sock and she was already in her kennel. It's really difficult to stay angry at such a sharp little pooch!

I've sent a note to WYSIWYG and Hardy. No news after five weeks is troubling. On the other hand, I've been in regular contact with Gnu who still has a long way to go, but is communicating much better. It's his story to tell, and he says he'll do so when he feels recovered enough. I have both addresses if anyone wants to send a card.

It's difficult to stay in a no-spend mode at Costco. I needed eggs, and they have a good price for 2-dozen organic cage-free eggs, and technically everything I bought I needed - various vitamins. It's the bulk bit that makes it all cost more in a fell-swoop, though it averages out pretty well. I already have pretty much everything else I need to start on some baking for the season (and the breads freeze very well).

I have rearranged some more shelves in my office that had sat fairly empty and were slowly gathering random stuff since I restored the room last summer.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Donuel
Date: 06 Nov 19 - 06:38 AM

Did the fallen leaf cleanup duty. woof

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Nov 19 - 05:16 PM

I shouldn't have said or written anything about a no-spend month; appliances large and small are lining up with issues needing to be addressed.

The puppy comes up with more odd stuff to drag into the yard that I'm going to have to fill a bag of things to take to Goodwill based upon the working plan that I may not be using X now but if the puppy tears it up I'll have to throw it out. So I might as well dispose of it and let someone else use it. She pulled a thing off of the wall this morning while apparently jumping for something else. Maybe a ball and chain would slow her down. :-/

I'm not sharing any of the story, but it looks like Gnu is headed home tomorrow. And very glad of it.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 07 Nov 19 - 07:12 PM

Dupont:

That is a Super Pup! Too smart!

I see ads about musty houses have hit us. Since last I wrote, I got to the point of thinking I was dying - any minute I would sop breathing. Seriously, I woke up Tues am and was crying because I did not want to leave R with all my stuff to deal with. I broke down and phoned my health consultant who quickly diagnosed mold. I brought out the air cleaner so it is blowing clean air at me and seriously upped the Pau d'Arco intake. Woke up Weds feeling fine. R will give me an argument bu I believe during the mold poisoning at the mill a few years ago and the time on Whidbey about 13 years ago. Fall, close doors and windows, mold takes ownership!

So, de-humidifier in basement -yay!; commitment by R to close off basement and put door between main house and addition. SOON! as his cousin and family arrive on Tues - R will tidy up! My son and family arrive 21 Dec, weather permitting. That was going to be our time at Beaver but R will enjoy showing Taun and 2 sons his various machines; Taun worked for R when he was 20 - figuring out how to repair machines.

I cooked a large pot of cranberries with honey - might need more honey! Now working on doing more apples. They have been neglected as I lost energy over the last week or so.

Left the BF table yesterday when R came back in - truck has flat tire - can I use your car? (Not a chance!) I grabbed coat and drove him to important meeting in the city - and he was on time! As I was already in the city, I considered what I could do usefully. At Market, hot choc mix that R likes (he had bought one the day before but - even if I were a mind reader, I would avoid his complex mind!) Grocery: a couple bags of the cookies he likes since I have not found this prosaic brand near home. Mall: navy blue bath towel and several navy blue wash clothes - preferable to getting annoyed each day when the lighter coloured ones turn black. His work is often VERY dirty - hence, so is his face! There is no way he is going to wash properly and RINSE it! So - stress reduction! Checked out a few shops which had nothing desirable and finally went home. I had texted him twice that I was still in town but E had turned his phone off for the meeting and R forgot to turn it on - as usual.

So, we had snow last night - just enough to be treacherous. I would not go out the door until it melted enough for me to go on back porch for apples and planters.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Nov 19 - 07:18 PM

The light in the laundry room was too dim so I took back the new bulb and wasn't able to find any to fit it that are brighter, so I picked up another fixture like the new LED light in the front hall (after the ceiling replacement). When I took down the old fixture the junction box under it crumbled; it was in bad shape in 2002 when I had a new one put up there, and the electrician got it to stay in place with really long screws, but since then the bakelite-like fixture became too brittle. Most of it seemed to fall down my neckline when I moved the fixture. Junction boxes are inexpensive, and I'm hoping that $3 replaces easily on a solid surface. I don't want to have to call the electrician.

The vacuum is still not in prime shape, so after running a rope with a rag through to hose to completely empty it again I took it apart. I found a message about losing suction if not routinely cleaning out various filters, so I pulled and washed them and they're now drying (out of reach of any puppies that would destroy them). I have company coming weekend after next (Mudcatters!) so I want to get a jump on this dust and dog hair.

That same visit is inspiring organization of some of the stuff on my dining room table and sunroom.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Nov 19 - 12:43 AM

The round fixture junction box replacement was only $2.61. Modest, and paid for mostly with the small change I've wanted to weed out of my coin purse (they have one of those change-counting registers where you drop in the handful, not one at a time.) So, extra change decluttered.

A big batch of stuff is going over to Goodwill this weekend.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Nov 19 - 07:12 PM

The junction box operation has continued, the brace that was attached to it is too solidly in place to remove so I have to figure out how to attach the new box to it.

The day was nice so I took down the old fence panel and gate and have two of the new crossmembers in place (though I have to take the first one back down and cut a few inches off because I forgot to shorten it to the proper length). I stopped when mosquitoes came out (yes, they're year-round here in Texas). Tomorrow will take another hour or two and it'll be finished. I have more fence to do that attaches to this, but I'm doing the work on a budget, one panel at a time.

This week I'm staging a dirt and dog hair intervention in this house. The vacuum is back in great shape and it's going to get a lot of use.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 09 Nov 19 - 10:13 PM

Stilly, there is no such thing as “extra” change.

It’s all money. Dosh. Legal tender.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Nov 19 - 01:46 AM

Well, it is unused change in that it tends to be emptied out of the coin purse at intervals and end up in a fancy can, so it's usually out of circulation. I guess I can carry a little baggie of those coins with me and when I'm in a store that has one of those change trays with the self-pay register, I can off-load it.

It took some ingenuity to re-do the brace that was included with the ceiling junction box for that light fixture, but the original wouldn't fit so I finally managed a different one (with leftover stuff from putting up a curtain rod, I think) and drilling a couple of extra support screws through the side into the joist. I had to tie it into the old brace left from the brittle junction box that I removed.

Between the fence construction and the installation of that ceiling fixture, at one point it felt like I had every screw driver I own sitting on various horizontal surfaces around the kitchen and garage (and I have a LOT of screw drivers - my own plus what came from Dad's house).

That light is a thing of beauty after all of that work.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 10 Nov 19 - 06:13 PM

Dupont:

YAY for company! R has made the hall and spare room look good! De-cluttered his reading area as well! And said he would bring home wood to close off the stairwell. Each part of addition heats individually (3 rooms and hall) so I turned up the hall some; will turn it up more when stairway is covered and I can take the foam mattress out of the doorway. That was about keeping heat in house but also keeping any spores or whatever from the basement out of Den where I sit and read/computer. Will turn up heat in guest room on Weds - only the cousin is coming due to bad weather, and not til Weds.

So, I started putting out pottery on extended DR table. Three of us can eat in the K. Today, the warmest for a while, I brought all the pottery in from back deck and placed it on church pew in hall. Am gradually moving it out of boxes onto table, which is mostly full already. Will wait 'til cuz leaves to put up card tables for the rest.

I collected most of garden tools to deck and cleared it up as much as possible. Getting ready for impending snow. Glad to have snow tires on; when R went to get flat fixed no one could do it as all the tire places were up to changing folks to winter tires. He and gang did it themselves and it seems to be holding.

Re-potted small ficus which lives in Bathroom. And, finally, planted the new lavender in the new garden, where it can drape over a large rock R brought home. He really likes the new garden and is looking for more rocks to go around it. I never saw a draping lavender before but it is lovely. Frost has done in most everything, but still some colour showing in frosted flowering plants. No obvious signs of squirrel depredation! Inside, Beast has one new flower, hibiscus two, and a number of ratty geraniums are blooming in spite of me. I shall groom them better through the winter,and feed them. The one red mini rose bloom continues to be lovely!

Major shopping yesterday; I overdid it. Have 6 cauliflower - will cook and freeze - mashed for pasta substitute, on a cookie sheet cut into squares of appropriate size, so I can break it up after frozen, and bag it until needed.

My whole being is delighted to be back on real time; it just feels so right. I feel better in every way.

Thinking of Pete and Michelle.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Nov 19 - 11:39 AM

While making a fresh produce run at my favorite discount gourmet grocery I found a tall Rubbermaid bin that has a square footprint. This will go to the sun room and I may go get another (they're only $8). This'll allow some of the overflow of packing materials to be corralled and out of puppy reach.

I made a huge push last night to find and apply all of the edits to one of the essays for a journal I'm working on. When the author is making a few small editing changes it isn't fair to the document editor/designer to send a whole new document with the changes unmarked. I'm not going to just drop that document into the InDesign page, I need to know the specific changes to add to the existing InDesign document and I'm sure as hell not going to re-read the two side-by-side all the way through to try to locate them! The amount of work needed to prepare any text to put in the Adobe software is huge. The amount of understanding of these academics to the design process is puny. I finally got her to photograph the pages she wrote on so I could FIND the changes on the new document and type them into the design document. Doh! I've enjoyed the little bit of extra income, but next year I'm going to pass this off to a friend the editor knows and suggest she double the fee.

It's a gorgeous bright morning and the low overnight was down to 24^o. It's too cold to do much out there, but everything is lovely to look at. Last night I put a new dog jacket on Cookie to take her walk before bedtime and she fussed for a minute or two then settled down, I think recognizing what it was for. But she would shred it if I left it on her a moment longer than needed. These dogs with a fine one-layer coat do benefit from that reinforcement though she puts out enough heat normally that she'd be okay without. It's a human thing, putting on a jacket in cold weather.

Sweet potatoes simmering; the batch from the freezer didn't survive the thaw last week. I measure them into take-out containers and freeze them for baking later. I have one serving of my hearty tomato vegetable soup left and then I'll make a lentil batch. I love having soup handy for quick meals during the week.

Next Saturday is an e-waste drop-off event at my university and I'm going to have a large box of stuff. I'll start putting it in the back of the SUV now to remove the tripping hazard in a couple of rooms.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 13 Nov 19 - 10:49 AM

I made three dozen whole-wheat hamburger-type buns yesterday, so we have bread for a while. I profoundly resent it when bread I made with my own fair fingers goes mouldy, so I started making buns that get thawed two or three at a time.

Mind you, making buns is a damned nuisance mitigated only by good tools: a dough scraper for splitting the great mound of yeasty stuff on the worktop, and a digital scale to ensure that all the buns are the same size.

Of course, I could just buy bread. But what would be the fun in that?

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Nov 19 - 03:45 PM

I can never seem to get my homemade versions to assume and maintain the shape of the buns I visualized when I started the task. I bake bread, dinner rolls, cinnamon rolls, all sorts of yeast and/or baking powder and baking soda quick breads, but I still enjoy buying a hot fresh tandoori or Iraqi flat bread, and Mexican bolillo rolls are pretty special when purchased fresh. All of these I freeze while they're still in their prime. I make pita bread, corn and wheat tortillas, etc, but I also buy them when I know they're made on the premises in the same way I would (ingredients - but someone else is doing the work and the cost is reasonable).

I'm headed over to get another tall bin, this time to put the long mailing tubes into, I have quite a few of them here with maps and posters.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 14 Nov 19 - 09:11 AM

Anything that is usually baked in a special oven -- lookin' at you, pita bread -- I leave to the professionals.

I will never forget the stupendous mess I made when I tried to make pita at home. Flour ended up everywhere, the results were only barely edible, and I was too poor to throw away the failure and move on without regret.

Ya live and ya learn.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Nov 19 - 10:01 AM

One of the international students who worked in my library department was originally from Iraq and her mother managed to find an oven here in the US so she could make the traditional large round flat Iraqi bread. It involves rolling and stretching it then draping it over a large really, well, you don't want to look too close, pillow-like thing, and reaching into the hollow center of the oven and sticking it to the side. There is a similar setup with the same kind of odd pillow in use at the grocery where I buy it now. The other breads are made in a bakery attached to the store and are mechanically shaped and run on a production line through the long ovens. But you can make pita bread at home with a pizza stone.

We had a heavy wind earlier this week and it seems to have dropped every leaf that was once on my trees. I'll mow over all of it this weekend and let it mulch into the turf. Trees decluttered.

There's a thread about Susan's recuperation going, if anyone missed it.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 14 Nov 19 - 05:06 PM

Dupont:

Cuz not coming until Saturday. Still no cover on stairwell - maybe Sat!!

Pottery is all on display; now I need some lookers! A couple groups are sending word out. There is an amazing amount of nice pieces that I forgot I had. That's what comes of "don't unpack too much" at that last show!

Laundry in dryer, dishes minimal. Vacuumed stairwell and mat inside front door!! At least, with the snow, there will be no more leaves walking in. River is de-cluttered of boats and docks (all floating, of necessity!) A skim of ice. Roads not fun and a thaw and freeze will make them nasty.

Picked up a few groceries today and stopped at a shop to check out having a wood stove installed in fireplace. WOW! But I would like to have a source of heat in case of outage. Man will visit on Tuesday to look it over. They give a certificate for insurance co. I wonder if house is insured? R is not keen on insurance for buildings. The Jotul I want installed is, unfortunately, at the mill and I need to get it here by Tues with no help from R, who will be busy on weekend- getting that stairwell covered and whatever else he considers important before cousin arrives. He does not consider the stove important; I do.


"Complained" to bakery that every time we really like something, they stop making it! I just picked up a fruit relish, they carry, that R likes. Next week planning to go to Ontario; will pick up goodies at the Goldmine. They make dynamite scones and muffins. The Quebec one offers croissant sorts.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Nov 19 - 11:01 PM

I actually bought three more bins and have my mailing tubes in one and packing materials in the rest, and made progress on clearing out the sunroom. Tomorrow I'll make a trip to the recycle bins with lots of stuff that was culled.

It's cold enough now that I'm just puttering along working on stuff all day; the heat zapped my energy but now it's back. The greenhouse got some attention, plants moved in, and I took out the burning barrel to get rid of old papers that were too many to shred.

Next week is an e-waste event that will finally let me get rid of old computer hard drives in a secure fashion. It's not the first event on the weekend I heard about (that the city is running) but a few later on campus and I can take my stuff. I have enough hard drives here now to build a hefty doorstop, but I'd rather recycle them.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 15 Nov 19 - 08:25 AM

I have to check the town calendar for any mention of e-waste collection; we have dead gadgets squirrelled all over the house. Thanks for the reminder, Stilly.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Donuel
Date: 15 Nov 19 - 11:23 AM

I'm going to label all the old internal and external hard drives 'H.Clinton emails' and let them go

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 15 Nov 19 - 11:31 AM

Donuel -- HAHAHAHA!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Nov 19 - 04:40 PM

Good trick if you want your data to hang around forever!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Nov 19 - 11:21 AM

Time to declutter myself of the editing job from hell. The design phase is essentially completed and the editors keep finding new corrections - this is the classic illustration of the perfect being the enemy of the good. Today I put my foot down, they're eating up too much time.

There's a stray male pitbull hanging out around the neighborhood; it was below freezing last night so he was out in it somewhere, maybe under the bridge, hunkered down. I think he's probably attracted by my barking dogs who always come in excitedly to get me when he turns up in the front yard or driveway. I've posted photos on the Nextdoor site and have no response. I fear this one will end up at the animal shelter once he crosses the bridge and ends up in Fort Worth proper.

More sun room work today. And yard work. It's a cat sitting weekend so I have to keep an eye on the clock also.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 16 Nov 19 - 02:27 PM

As it turns out, Pete needs more surgery and radiation. That will be happening on Thursday. The remainder of his thyroid will be removed, medication will begin after surgery and approximately 2 weeks later, he will receive an injection of radiation and have a nuclear scan from head to toe to pinpoint thyroid cancer cells that have spread in his body, then iodized radiation will be administered. He will need to be quarantined for 4 to 5 days. We have discussed various options but I think he will be staying at a local hotel. Jeremiah and I have the option to go to someone's home but all the animals would need to be boarded....and that's just too much. I hate the idea of us being apart but it's what we are going to have to do one way or the other. We've also discussed him staying in his office at home...he can take his recliner in there and that's where he has all the things he loves to putter with...so I think he'd be fine there but we will wait and see if Nuclear Medicine says he has to be out of the house totally. One doctor told us that as long as no one touches him, we can stay in the same place but I'm not sure I trust that...we shall see.

On a completely different note, we all got hair cuts today. I had 6 inches chopped off and I think I like it....LOL....it always takes me some time to decide if I like a new haircut or not. I was ready for a change and something a little more clean cut/professional.

I am still working on what I need for Thanksgiving and a shopping list in general. I am feeling overwhelmed with everything that needs to get done before Pete goes in for surgery, getting things ready at work for my time off (thank goodness for Paid Family Leave) and then just regular chores around here....I'm to the point of being so overwhelmed that I'm not doing anything....surely I will kick myself for this later.

Work is going well, I've been training someone new who will fill in for me while I'm out. She and I get along very well and I dare say I have a new friend. :)

That's it for now. Hoping the rest of you are doing well.

Much love to all,

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: mg
Date: 16 Nov 19 - 02:46 PM

the main thing is everyone's health and stress reduction. Thanksgiving rituals can be put on hold for a year and you can have a nice quiet pizza, tv dinner, whatever. Whatever your family enjoys and does not wear you out. You could ask friends to save you some leftover stuffing and pie...

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Nov 19 - 11:32 PM

Wow, Michelle. So many decisions to process. The quarantine is to keep everyone else away from the radiation until it dissipates? It does seem that being home but in the office might be difficult to remember and manage for several days. That's an astonishing process you describe, the full-body detection of any cells and the quick move to treatment.

Mary has a good suggestion, and maybe there are a few friends who would like to help with a potluck this year? Thanksgiving can happen on another day also. We rarely have xmas or Thanksgiving on the actual day, we wait until we can get together and do it properly. That feeling you have when everyone is there and the meal is good - can happen when you're ready.

Love to all of you, Michelle.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Nov 19 - 01:08 AM

For the last three days it has been trip a day to the recycle bin to get rid of excess eBay packing materials. The sun room is improving.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 18 Nov 19 - 04:58 PM

Dupont:

With no energy at all. ... 3 hours later: recovered the energy and filled the soup pot with vegies, watered plants, etc. Mystery to me. I have decided that I no longer have the energy for solo trips to Beaver. R has agreed to go with me for a few days to ensure house is ready for winter, pick up goodies at the Hidden Goldmine, touch base with a few people, maybe go to walk in clinic at health centre. Lengthy conversation with Connie early aft, seemed to energize me but provided no ideas other than de-toxing. I will try a hot bath after R gets home; concerned that I may not be able to get out of tub without help.

Our guest was low maintenance; he, R and bro went off all day Saturday and came home fed and tired. I was low energy all day; visited craft show, bought 3 small succulents, visited new history museum in small town, stopped for groceries and came home tired. Devised a sort of terrarium with the plants in a tall (12inch), wide (8) glass jar; it looks terrific, with white stones showing at the bottom, then dried moss around the sand, then soil, bringing the tops of plants to the top of container.

R did cover the stairwell on Sat am - with a rough but fitted piece of plywood. I threw a throw rug over it. He has a plan for improvement but I am content that air is no longer coming up from basement, the foamie is retired to storage and we feel happy to have the opening to the hall and easier access to main bathroom.

Sunday: BF with cuz before he embarked on long trip home - about 12 hours. 3 folks came to visit, tea and yummies, and they bought a few pots - 5 gone, a zillion yet to go! R went off to fetch a wood stove from the mill that we hope to use in place of fireplace. Man coming Tuesday to assess situation. A fair sized expense if we do it. I am concerned about heat in case of power outages. The generator, still sitting in carton in back yard, will run sumps and maybe frig and freezer.

I am sorry to hear that Pete has more ahead of him. Tough on Michelle and J. Lots of folks rooting for you all, M!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Nov 19 - 05:31 PM

The weather today is big gray fluffy clouds, warm breeze, and they're blowing from the southeast, not the southwest. Leaves coming out of the trees big time. I was running around today, discarding the old single-unit stereo system (CD, cassette, receiver; I kept the LP player and speakers) and found a used receiver I can plug a couple of other things into. Goodwill, and now to test it. It's likely the replacement items are going to take up more space than the old one, but at least that space was allocated ahead of time when I put up the shelves.

The next two days are empty of dates, meaning I'll finish a lot of my sweeping of dog hair in preparation of weekend guests. It may also mean another trip to the recycle bin.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Nov 19 - 12:36 PM

It's windy out so I decluttered my front yard of cardboard and bags that blew in from someone's trash up the street. Trash day on windy days can be dicey.

Working my way through the laundry room and kitchen this morning, running laundry, doing the usual kind of clearing up after a busy week and ahead of a visit. I've reorganized the various cleaning rags in the laundry room, assigning them a new larger container that lets me also stash the old bath/hand towels that have long since been used for washing cars, catching water at the dog's dish, and more. The original basket I'd used for the cloths was a little on the small side. Now - reassign the basket or donate back to Goodwill? I'm realizing that part of the clutter around here are unused (as of now) containers that were emptied during previous passes through the household papers.

Listening to the hearings last week and this, hoping that some political persons will be prudently discarded after being clearly identified as trash.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 21 Nov 19 - 05:57 PM

Dupont:

We have agreed to have Jotul (wood stove) installed in fireplace, for heat if electric goes out, and maybe for a cosy heat on cold days. I have arranged to have chimney swept on Tuesday - after English class. Tomorrow I will arrange for installation, hopefully before family arrives on 21 December.

Going to Beaver Friday; need to arrange to pick up goodies at Goldmine. Hope to do a firing for Magda then close up studio for winter to save electric bill. Dr. appointment Monday noon, then back to QC until next time R can take a break.

My energy is on a roller coaster and I am trying to keep a log book to determine what does and does not help.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 21 Nov 19 - 07:38 PM

Hi Everyone,

   Thanks for all the love! Pete had the completion of the thyroidectomy today. The surgeon reports that surgery went well however, after the surgery they had trouble regulating his blood pressure which was sky high. Additionally, they wanted to keep him overnight to monitor the calcium levels to make sure the parathyroid wasn't going to freak out...that can lead to problems with the heart.

He is expected to come home tomorrow to begin the healing process and the radiation bit is to come...I don't know the timeline just yet.

And Thanksgiving....it was going to be a potluck for family and a few friends. We are to take the turkey, squash and my homemade cranberry sauce has been requested. The fact of the matter is, if Pete is not feeling up to it, we won't go but I will still deliver the food. I do not have to return to work until December 2nd. I am very happy to be able to stay home with Pete. :)

Jeremiah is doing fairly well with all of this. We have explained this to him as best we can and I am quite proud of him.

Sweet dreams all.

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Nov 19 - 08:00 PM

Good luck with the log book, Dorothy. And I hope Michelle and Pete will make it to Thanksgiving.

I caught a glimpse of myself in the glass doors on campus yesterday, and while short jeans may be a thing these days, I don't like the way they look on me, and I'm down to just one long-enough pair. My favorite thrift store this afternoon had four pair for under $20; two that are my current size and two that were really good looking that I can't quite fit into - aspirational shopping. :) The short ones will get used doing yard work, painting, etc.

I'm making progress around the house, and finding more things to spritz with bitter apple to keep the puppy from destroying. We're due rain overnight but I'll go ahead and mop a couple of floors and keep a damp mop handy to occasionally clear up what the dogs track in.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Nov 19 - 12:41 AM

Today was the finishing touches on cleaning the kitchen and living room, including moving the sofa and washing the dog-proof cover and the dog bedding in the kennel. Other stuff was done earlier in the week so it wasn't too bad today. Tomorrow is some baking in preparation for guests.

My loose SUV bumper (I backed out of a driveway and off of the curb so the bottom of the bumper smacked the curb) was fixed yesterday at no cost - good luck there! The body shop recommended by the dealer said the plastic connections needed to be lined up correctly to push back into place, and he did it. That was a relief. Though it does mean the Nissan is held together by little plastic flaps - not such a relief. :-/

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Nov 19 - 12:19 PM

I'm now at that wonderful stage where guests have come and gone and I can now enjoy a tidy house right before the holidays.

It seems people in the area are getting a jump on the xmas season, putting up lights ahead of Thanksgiving because the US holiday is so late this year. I shall do the same - the next two days are in the 70s and my holiday is postponed until Sunday (Dec. 1) when we can get the entire family here. Gives me time to set up, even if I don't light them yet.

I have several small loaves of fancy breads in the freezer, both banana and pumpkin/sweet potato types so far, ready to give as gifts to friends and neighbors. If I get my hands on some zucchini I may make some of that also. The distribution will declutter shelves in the new freezer.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Nov 19 - 09:53 AM

The tiller (lightly used but not touched for a couple of years, given me by my next door neighbor) has been dropped off at the small engine repair shop to be tuned up and lubricated. The weather is warm today but getting cold overnight, so this is the day to mulch in neighbors' leaves that have drifted into my yard and mow the back so the yard looks welcoming for Thanksgiving. I'll prune on shrub out front and put up lights while it's warm. I'll get the tiller back probably next week, and will plan to put in potatoes this year.

I did some decluttering work in the sewing room, organized thread (I put a new rack received at xmas last year up on the wall) and separated all of the mending tasks from the other stuff awaiting attention in there.

There's a list on the cleared-off kitchen counter of the things I need to buy (not very much; just a few vegetables and fruit for brine and a turkey breast and thighs, not the entire bird) for the upcoming holiday. I have a couple of craft projects to do before our family's holiday gathering, this year probably around January 3.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 26 Nov 19 - 10:26 PM

Dupont:

Thoughts of Michelle, Pete and J: Hope you have a good Thanksgiving!

Nice four days away at Beaver. But without running water! Seems a problem with the septic pump may have blown a fuse and turned off the water pump and freezer. Stuff in the freezer was still refreezable. R go buckets of water from the wee stream to flush toilet and I had rainwater and distilled water for dishes and drinking/cooking, respectively. Kept cooking to a minimum and washed dishes before leaving but left a couple pans. Bit of a clutter!

Electric blanket warmed the bed very nicely as wood stove warmed the house. Beautiful weekend with two sunny days.

De-cluttering the studio - helped Magda get a bisque firing going and she wrote down detailed instructions to complete that and a glaze firing or two. R put the boxes of clay on a dolly and brought them into bathroom. Goal: to turn off cube heater for the winter- Magda will do it when she is finished.

R assured the bathroom will stay warm. He did not dig up the septic although Larry visited and, in consulting, said the ground is not very frozen (only a couple inches) and this would be a good time to do it. Robin know what it takes ( did it a couple years ago) and did not have the energy.

Clutter and de-clutter: The amount of stuff I wanted to bring here filled the car - with R's magic packing skills. On Monday, I worked with Magda and we went to see "my" new, never met before, very young doctor. We negotiated: no CT scan of gut, just blood tests.

Went to Service Ontario to replace car registration, stolen from car Friday am. Oh yeah, 5:30 am - knocking on door, police telling R that kids had been breaking into cars, had caught them outside our house, was anything missing? Only on our way did I find the papers gone, along with the very small New Testament I bought in 1977 after we all survived my truck overturning on the prairie.

Then R went to get new fuses to leave - just in case. I went to insurance office and begged a copy of insurance card. And, R not back yet, to a thrift shop where I fancied a set of dishes with a blueberry theme - 39 pieces for $10 and very nice. The volunteers quickly boxed them and we found space in the car for them!

That car load of clutter from Beaver is now finding homes here. with some fiddling but it will work. Love the new dishes! One large bin is Christmas stuff.

Chimney swept tonight - chimney and wallet de-cluttered! Ready for installation of wood stove - which will greatly de-clutter wallet but ease mind - we will have a source of heat in case of outage.

Today, I finally figured out that my student can read English - does not always know what it means but she can read/pronounce the words. (I can read French that way!) But she does understand a lot of words and can respond when she understands what I say. She needs to listen/hear English. So, the daughter and grands, with whom she lives, all speak good Eng BUT at home they only speak Russian because the daughter want her kids to hold their heritage. It is tiring trying to help her but she is very appreciative.

Snow is gone for now and it was like a spring day!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Nov 19 - 02:53 PM

A morning spent raking and scooping leaves at the Botanic Garden in the Japanese Garden was a good warm-up and workout for the day. All volunteers were retirees and there was a point in time when aches and pains were compared - I'm getting off fairly lightly with an arthritic knee. This part of the garden is kept very well groomed and maybe it will inspire me to do some tidying in the yard.

Three dogs just descended on my office with a gush of fresh air around them and the scent of baldcypress - they have been wrestling out in the yard. I have to scoop and then run the mower to mulch a whole bunch of leaves out there.

There is a juniper in the corner of the front yard that now has the holiday lights on it and last night I turned it on for a while as a landmark for a friend who was coming over to the house for the first time. The strings that go across the front porch will go up today. Not much involved in these two zones of light, but they add a little festivity to this end of the street.

I've pushed a couple of big tasks off of my desk and now I can resume stuff I need to do around here that has waited for my attention. Back to eBay, for starters, and to do some mending and cooking and . . . when there are warmer days, yard work. The fence needs an extension. There's always something to do.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Nov 19 - 04:22 PM

It's an anticlimactic day, though I watched part of the Macy's parade (mostly out of curiosity to see if the balloons would march and if there would be any mishaps; when I turned it off only Ronald McDonald had a deflated left leg the handlers were carrying down Broadway). I have a couple of friends coming over for a "typical" dinner. Our family celebration will be on Sunday.

My decluttering today has been clearing out some extra stuff in the fridge; I have a small (13 lb) fresh turkey in the small fridge that I'll brine over Saturday night, and will need a place to put the roasted carcass remains after dinner. I have an interesting mix of vegetables to roast (I don't make stuffing) and when that is finished it will go into one container.

Now comes a mix of holiday movies - some good ones and a lot of stinkers. Good thing I have DVDs of most of my favorites (and still have a working VHS if the only versions I have are still on tape.) You never know what the kids are going to want to veg out on once we get everyone together. Some of us like A Christmas Story and one always complains about it; everyone likes Muppet Christmas Carol and I finally got a DVD of that (after watching it on VHS in years past). Some other Muppet specials also from when the kids were small are still appealing.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Nov 19 - 10:04 AM

Last night I started working on the cables behind the cabinet where all of the sound equipment sits in the den; I'll be able to run everything through the receiver and to the speakers (the television was absent from that unless I was playing something from the DVD/Bluray player). Getting the correct lengths - I found myself at one point wondering if I would have to buy more RCA cables; I think I found where a couple of the longer ones went and can avoid that purchase in this day of Bluetooth, etc.

I have a friend I worry about, who was fired 3 years ago for what we all understand was no good reason - he was a disabled person working for a know-nothing dean who drove off her best staff in the course of a few years, as they could escape to new jobs or retire, though a few did just quit and walk out the door. He has managed to do temp work since then, but not consistently. The combination of being older and being angry about what happened is dangerous to his health. We didn't do Thanksgiving yesterday, though he is invited to the family one on Sunday; what I did last night was have a couple of people over and we scoured the fridge and freezer for interesting leftovers. He's vegetarian and we ended up with a pretty darned good smelling quesadilla (onions, poblano pepper from the greenhouse, avocado, and cheese) and the others of us ate smoked salmon with our rice, salad, and such. It was a nice evening and both friends left after an evening of good conversation that decuttered the introspection of a holiday spent alone at home.

Today I hope to finish the sound system setup and maybe binge in a couple of favorite movies while I work on eBay stuff in that room.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Dec 19 - 11:43 AM

Furniture moved and a mirror found and placed in front of the fireplace (to conceal its pink insulation filling). TV, sofa, chair and footstool all moved.

Our family Thanksgiving is today. The date isn't important, it's having the people and the food that makes it the holiday. I hope everything went well with Michelle, Pete, and Jeremiah (and some family and community helpers) and that Susan had visitors and a nice Thanksgiving in her therapy setup.

Tomorrow I'll continue with the furniture moving; studies ages ago now revealed that rearranging furniture is a way to generate endorphins. I'm overdue on this particular exercise so I'll enjoy the effect.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 01 Dec 19 - 12:24 PM

It’s sleeting in Stratford and the world is covered with a layer of ice, so the little bit of grocery shopping I had planned is out of the question. I have zero interest in tidying or cleaning, and I did the wash yesterday. That leaves sitting and reading until it’s time to make dinner.

The GoodLife company threw a large spanner into our works by closing the gym that Himself and I have patronized since August 2017. The space and equipment will be taken over by something called Fit4Less that costs less than Goodlife but — surprise! — offers fewer services and no programming. Consequently, I have been looking around for a fitness place that offers adequate facilities and helpful programs at a price I can afford.

My options were narrowed considerably by the fact that my wonky foot is now grumbling with every step, despite rest and new orthotics. That leaves me with swimming and exercising in water, so now I go to the Y.

The YM/YWCA is terminally uncool and, in daylight hours, full of arthritic fuddy-duddies. I’m going to love it. The swimming pool is kept near blood temperature and the showers have grab handles. Friday was my first day in aqua-fit, with a group of codgers and a trainer who looks about seventeen but definitely knows how to deliver a challenging core workout. Deep-water class is on Wednesday. I’m told it’s a can’t-miss affair.

Best of all: I don’t have to wear a bathing cap, there’s no loud pop music, and my feet don’t hurt after.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Dec 19 - 11:45 AM

The sunshine is piling up in huge drifts here in North Texas, and the problem with this is that we never really acclimate to the season; when it drops to freezing for a stretch of days it's a jolt to the nervous system.

I've entered leftovers season to join the rest of the apres-Thanksgiving US; so far I haven't used much, I made a batch of turkey flautas (shredded, seasoned, and rolled up in corn tortillas and fried; they're reheated in the toaster oven and served with guacamole, lebne, and finely-chopped iceberg lettuce.) Soup looms.

It will be eBay full-tilt this week and a holiday party on Friday evening, as a way to balance out the alone-time at home. The little tiller given me by the neighbor is ready to pick up after a rebuilt carburetor repair, and just in time to start a bed for potatoes (they get planted around January 1 here.) My neighborhood's bulky waste pickup is next week and I have some old fence panels and stuff I intend to pull up that had edged the garden to put at the curb. The back yard leaves need mulching, so the piled up sunshine will come in handy to dry them out for the mower after a wet week.

The last few weeks have been about putting things back into service that are here instead of buying new. It's a good habit to get into. I've cleared out some space in the craft room around my sewing table and mending will come under the "put back in service" goal.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 03 Dec 19 - 08:18 PM

Dupont:

I would be tempted to try the local pool bu it has chlorine, one of my worst sensitivities. Swimming is such a top notch exercise.

Did some clean up to have the house look moderately nice for friend Hannah and her son and his partner. They removed a few pieces of pottery after considerable commentary. Hannah already has enough - a collection going back about 40 years - stacks of them! They enjoyed seeing the house and went to the attic. Hannah remembers me since she was 8 = 52 years! She and my son will each be 60 in the next week and each of their spouses have birthdays on the 10th! She is a keeper of my history. Her son worked for R for a while so we all had a great visit. We are somewhat like an "extended family".

The pottery is becoming a serious conundrum. I need to figure out a place to put it before 21st when other son arrives with family. We need the table for meals! I'm thinking....

Eng. class today had two students. I had forgotten Jacinthe; she was in FL for 5 weeks. It was more fun with two; J was helpful and we both worked on convincing T what she knows more than she thinks - she needs confidence - a word we worked on! Amongst many others! I had brought up on line a couple children's books being read well with closed captions. We watched together and talked about words and the stories and were able to have a semblance of discussion! I also read a couple of my children's books to them. Exhausting but good. I exhorted them to do this on their own at home and write down words so we can look a them next week.

Pro-biotics (50 Billion) have improved my gut health and general well-being - very much. Ginger tea helps also. My energy has improved greatly.

Magda is finished in the studio; pics of her pottery are beautiful! She is doing Christmas shows with that and her other arts. I am happy to have been able to help.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Dec 19 - 11:01 AM

I was taking Biotin to strengthen my nails and it seemed to work for a while, then not so much, but when the supply ran out and I stopped, they really got soft and flaky. So I'm drinking a cup of bouillon with gelatin once a day until my subscription (Amazon) of a low dose arrives in a couple of weeks. (If you subscribe to five things that arrive on the same day you get 15% off.) I did some research on recommended doses, and the one I had tried was "on sale" in the local pharmacy, but ends up having been way too much biotin and way too expensive for what is recommended. Live and learn.

How are your large plants looking, Dorothy? So far my four in the greenhouse are humming right along; if the forecast is for really cold I'll have to step up the measures to keep them alive. There is a heater out there and a "thermal cube" to turn on the power to the heater once it reaches a low of 39^o.

eBay is under way, as is the digitization project, where I was having trouble getting sound until I realized I needed to jostle the conversion box, one plug seemed not to be fully connected. Like Dorothy, I need the [dining] table for meals (and for other projects), so will compress and list items to clear it off.

Any holiday decorating in the house will have to be suspended above the reach of the puppy; she's a destructive force of nature these days. And to do my sofa and my house a favor I ordered another waterproof couch cover; the one on there now is falling apart after three years of use. I'm surprised it lasted this long.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 06 Dec 19 - 11:07 AM

The sun is almost shining in Stratford today and I have installed a pair of my new orthotic insoles in my winter boots, so I shall take a little stroll downtown, perchance for lunch.

I have already logged my morning's fitness requirement with another pool class at the Y. That's quite a workout if you invest a little effort.

No holiday decorating is happening in this house -- hurray! It isn't that I disapprove of Christmas, it's just that we have no room for a tree and I have zero desire to clean up after one. I might really strain a nerve and put a wreath on the front door, but that will be IT.

I finished the second batch of fruitcake yesterday, so we have six wrapped and ready -- five to go and one for us. Himself's siblings have rather half-heartedly accepted fruitcakes in the past, but this year none are going to anyone who does not definitely and enthusiastically want one; they are not easy to make, and just too damned expensive (not to speak of delicious) to waste on anyone with mixed feelings about mixed fruit. My side of the family are very pro-fruitcake, phoning up around the Sunday next before Advent to enquire as to whether I might be making any, and I have an old college buddy in Toronto who rates one. Everyone else can pound sand.

The Sisters (Himself's side) are coming for a pre-Christmas visit next Wednesday, which gives me time to clean the house. The weekend is fully committed to two performances of Handel's "Messiah" and putting up my feet in between.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Dec 19 - 11:17 AM

I was following your discussion with BatGoddess on Facebook about loving fruitcake - it sounds like a very good recipe! I also like it, but being by myself I would eat it all by myself.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Dec 19 - 01:25 PM

My side door has a two-fixture halogen light (with the 150-watt T3 78mm bulbs.) It requires a glove (to avoid touching the bulb), a screwdriver, and a step-stool for the operation, so I usually wait till they've both blown. Today I am feeling virtuous for having correctly aligned the bulbs in both fixtures without dropping anything in the process.

Bulky waste is next week so I'll cut up a few pieces of fence to stack at the curb and pull up the long planks along my garden that have mostly rotted and I need to reconfigure the space for next year.

I'm wondering how Susan is doing - I hope she has been able to catch up with our various slow-motion declutter operations and plan some more of her own. There is more of a moving target when trying to keep track of Michelle's house, work, garden, and health sagas, but I'm also wishing them well as the holidays approach and the work seems to increase.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 08 Dec 19 - 05:32 PM

Dupont:

2 weeks to figure out what to do with pottery! Working on concocting something to hold a shower curtain over the antique tub with stupid shower that one holds in hand and sprays water everywhere. Maybe today we will agree on method; R is out looking for parts! A commercial one runs $400-$600!

The stove is almost installed - the cost broke my bank! R still needs to get the rusted in screws out; will prob have o drill them out. He cleaned it up yesterday and the dust made me feel lousy before I realized what what happening. Then we discovered the new chimney liner, open into the room until stove is installed tried to suck a tissue up - What did I say about our hot air going up the chimney!! Stuck a piece of "paper" from a store bought plant - shaped like a pot - into the hole! Works! Of course I had not thrown it out; never know when something will come in handy! We are looking forward to a first fire, maybe even tonight. I will go elsewhere while he drills!

Brugmansia, "Bruggie", is like having a pet! We check its condition every morning. After all blossoms fell and most leaves, it is burgeoning, with tons of new leaves and more than 20 buds of varying sizes. One blossom opened almost a week ago; I wish I had kept a log of progress. But judging by that, we will have a few new blooms by the time family arrives! I believe this is the most exciting plant I have had. The next time it takes a break, I will need to cut it back about 6-12 inches all the way around, lest it burst the walls! Well... outgrow its space. It has earned its keep, and the $25 I spent!

The hibiscus gets turned a bit each day to maximize its south window. It used up its blooms and is now gathering leaves at tips of each of many branches. I keep an eye on its progress , wondering when... So much pleasure for $5! On the lighter side, I am propagating geraniums and spider plants. I offer spider plants to anyone. If all else fails, I can take them to the horticultural society plant sale. OR give a couple to the Thrift shop from whence I acquired the first two for 25cents each. Currently, there is one to three in each room!

I cut back the tomato plants in the LR and put cuttings in a vase - to see if they will root. The parents are still in good shape and will go outside in May - even if I have to cut them back severely to get them outside. African violets are resting and not proliferating. YAY! Plant care is a daily task I enjoy!

The rest of the house is doing OK. We need to decide where to bed down one grandson. We thought the TV room but realize there are two other options - only requiring a bed be placed and we do have a bed to place. This home will always be in transition! I sit here thinking about what needs we will have with four extra bodies - places to sit and read, computer (everyone will have one!), food...

The three engineers (budding and current) will enjoy visiting R's vast collection of used machinery. And the family will be visiting Taun's old haunts from when he was growing up in Montreal. Doubt we shall need to entertain them. Thankfully!

Friends came last Sunday and took away a few pots. And offered me another piece of furniture - a spool bed couch that I once made a cover for the mattress -40 years ago! And yesterday, we stopped by the local thrift shop, finding naught to buy but, on leaving, the spot where they put things they consider unsalable netted us an antique bureau, just the size we wanted to finish the guest room! Missing one drawer pull - R has a collection - and a piece of bottom for one drawer, easy to fix. WOW!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Dec 19 - 10:13 PM

That house sounds great, Dorothy! The process of preparing for guests lets you see your house through someone else's eyes and fine-tune your plans for their arrival. Good luck with the beds and the plants!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Dec 19 - 12:23 PM

Monday is for evicting stuff from the house: bulky waste and regular trash at the curb, a bag of recycling to the village bin, Goodwill stuff dropped off at the store, and a box sold via eBay dropped at the post office. Chipping slowly at the stuff. My cleaned out lower cabinet in the kitchen continues to be a pleasure to work with, and later today I'll dig out tins for cookies that I need to start baking. The sunroom is nicer to work in now that tall bins have been employed for packing materials and mailing tube of posters and maps. It sill has a puppy barrier at the entrance to the room.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Donuel
Date: 10 Dec 19 - 09:48 AM

Planted 4 rose bushes since this is the last 55 degree day for a long while. The leaf pile vacuum trucks took the leaves away for the first time in 10 years that they have not been snowed on or frozen to remain all winter.

Since Sunday I have had a variable visual artifact of a dime size area at arms length that might flash pure colors from 6 or 7 stimulated cones like christmas lights or a migrain distortion or nothing at all. Its not like macular degeneration but could be a couple other things not too serious, unless its a brain tumor.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Dec 19 - 10:19 AM

Go see a neurologist or ophthalmologist and keep us posted. I was recently watching a mosquito flit past the upper part of my monitor and had the thought that it could also be a floater.

The current project: I'm working on reversing the layout of my work areas. The table in the sunroom will be storage for equipment now and I'll set up the photo cube on the dining table. I pulled up a YouTube video to get a reminder of how to collapse this thing (it reduces to the size of one of those spring-loaded windshield sun guards that tucks under the visors). I should finish this transfer today (right now some of it is stacked in the kitchen as I clear the two areas then replace things where I want them.) The outcome means that the things on the dining table will be more easily removed for family meals in there this month and next.

A stop at Costco will land me 2-dozen organic eggs (and a tank of gas) and then I'm set to start holiday baking in earnest. I have a few loaves of banana or pumpkin bread in the freezer and they're nice to pull out and take with me as a gift when attending parties, and soon I'll be taking even smaller loaves to the neighbors (when it is one or two elderly people, I feel that huge loaves go to waste or waist, depending on their view of holiday foods, and can cause guilt about wasting food or gaining weight).

Next time it dries I have to mow the back yard. The forecast suggests that Friday afternoon will be a good possibility for that work.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 11 Dec 19 - 04:47 PM

Donuel, that could be a retinal injury. I hope you're on your way to an eye doctor.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Donuel
Date: 12 Dec 19 - 09:43 AM

In the fitness catagory I had my retinas checked and they were fine.
Despite having 4 days of a Xmas colored light display of mandalas and pin point red blue and yellow in both eyes. It was just a remnant of a migraine without the pain. Instead of sensing chaos, the brain turned it into filagreed beauty.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Donuel
Date: 12 Dec 19 - 10:20 AM

Today the spot is 90% smaller and non intrusive. I am only coping with the eye drops from the retinal center.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Dec 19 - 01:39 PM

Dining table cleared, dusted, ready for the photo cube. Kitchen table loaded with contents moved off of the dining table - they are moving to the sun room next.

I'm going to remake that sofa cover, the new one has good fabric going for it but that's all. I'll sew on the elastic from the old one and construct long enough tethers to tie the piece that flaps over the top and down the back to the back legs. And it will not get a good Amazon review.

I'll be doing alternate day fasting in the days before the holidays to keep the weight where it is or even lose a little. I fear kneed surgery is in my near future and I might as well do what I can to take excess weight off of that arthritic joint. Decluttering stored calories at the worst time of year for it is a huge challenge, but needs to be done.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Dec 19 - 06:51 PM

Guests are coming over tomorrow so I'll do the "lick and a promise" clean-up that involves things going out of sight, if not all to their proper storage locations.

The fridge is looking tidier; a few things have gone into the freezer, others consumed as I draw down contents. I get carried away with cooking and having leftovers and it's disappointing to have to send things to the compost bin. That said, today I made some very rich mashed potatoes and some of those went into a batch of lefse for tomorrow.

It's time to pull out a few boxes and decide what ornaments can go up, high enough to be away from the destructive puppy. It's also time to start wrapping gifts and get out the sewing machine for a few projects I need to finish before everyone arrives for the big day.

Alternate day fasting is resulting in a couple of days a week very low calorie (~500/fasting day). Decluttering a few pounds would be great for the arthritic knee. :-/

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 15 Dec 19 - 05:58 PM

Dupont:

The DR table will remain cluttered with pottery; I want the family to choose whatever they want before I pack it away. We put the leaf in the K table and it will be adequate for 6 persons, well behaved. And does not overcrowd the K - too much.

Clutter, declutter, clutter, declutter - an endless process! I went down to the mill and brought back some things I wanted and felt I could home. R brought 3 huge foliage plants from the city house - and I wish they would disappear! So one, about 5 ft tall but skinny, will go upstairs and be repotted with a piece of 3" bamboo to keep it straight. One is a scraggly looking palm in 12 inch pot ---- somewhere... Another is about 7 feet wide but scraggly enough to act as a "room divider" - behind sofa, in front of card tables full of pots. Maybe if I feed them, they will become less like scare crows.

R also brought bed rails for another single brass bed so, with some boards to hold the mattress, we will be prepared bed-wise. Lots of fine-tuning yet to go. R bought parts today for shower rod! And rubber mats for concrete steps and a mat for back deck - all to avoid falls.

I have cleared space in K cabinets for the family's special sorts of foods, whatever they may be. Son is mostly veggie now. Wife "eats anything"; grandsons unstipulated but I know one is picky. I will not be cooking much for them; clearing the K so they have their own space. Clearing frig space ...!

Without a tree, I am making some small efforts to have a Christmasy feel to house. Bought two Cyclamen - red, white and two new Af violets - blue, blue/white. All very cheery And a very nice potted arrangement of 12 inch tree/red poinsettia/white Kalanchoe/variegated ivy/ and a couple other variegated plants in a nice burgundy ceramic bowl. Other Kalanchoe are getting toward blooming, as well as Bruggie. And a few Christmasy decorations will go on another tall green plant, with tiny star-like flowers, that is supported with a copper spiral. I could even put a string of tiny lights on it - battery powered.

I checked the weather report for the trip, up through Vermont from Philly, and there is no sign of heavy snow!!   

Six more days!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Dec 19 - 06:02 PM

I soaked chick peas overnight and made falafel today, and it turned out well. There's labor involved but chick peas, pita bread, and the stuff for tahini aren't very expensive. The labor involved is the value added to the modestly priced ingredients. Though I planned for a healthy meal, we had four different things for dessert. Two I had, one was brought, and one I made when they arrived and I realized the daughter is gluten intolerant so I made a gluten free cake from a box - they all liked it so I sent the last box of that home with them and the warning that if the baked cake is around for more than a couple of days it gets really hard.

This makes for three times in four weeks I've cleaned house ahead of company coming, meaning the house is still looking pretty good, though it still has more furniture than it needs. I'm pondering what is the next large thing to send out of the house. One of the tables? The Victrola? It just collects dust. One of the trunks from the family house back East? Who knows - maybe a trunk will sell on eBay. :)

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 16 Dec 19 - 10:54 AM

Donuel, I'm glad your retinas are okay. Even with migraine, you're a lucky guy.

We had a major dose of family duties over the weekend, and an attempted break-and-enter that resulted in a smashed panel in the back door.

The Guid Sisters (Himself's siblings) and their husbands were coming for lunch on Friday, and I cleaned and cooked all day Thursday in preparation. On Friday, only Sister Number 2 showed up (with husband) because Himself's elder brother-in-law had slipped and fallen at the car wash the day before and broke his collar-bone. BIL is nearly 80, so the emergency room staff put him through All The Hoops and, consequently, he and Sister Number One spent most of Thursday night at the hospital.

So, crap.

A good visit, followed by cleaning up (dishes, returning dining room table to normal configuration), took the rest of the day and then Himself and I spent the evening in front of Netflix watching
"The Irishman", otherwise known as "I Hear You Paint Houses". It's long, complicated and not exactly up-lifting, but it's truly great drama and more than worth seeing. It's years since I saw a film that engaged my attention so completely.

On Saturday, we went to Toronto to visit with Himself's brother. The weather was truly awful, with heavy rain and fog all day verging into sleet and snow at nightfall, so the drive was even more of a challenge than usual -- clenched-teeth level, just short of white-knuckle. We went out for lunch, hiking in driving rain for blocks and blocks up Roncesvalles Avenue so we arrived at the pub soaking wet from the knees down. Then the good part started: completely unexpected, an afternoon show by one of Canada's greatest fiddlers, Dan MacDonald, playing with an Irish singer-songwriter with such major chops as an accompanist that I could sit through his original songs without too much impatience. (Why do so many singer-songwriters have lousy diction? Just sayin'.)

We went home without incident despite the lousy highway conditions, and turned in early.

Shortly after ten o'clock, I was jolted out of deep sleep by a terrific bang and crack from downstairs and Himself bolting out of bed. Clad only in underpants, he ran toward the racket, flicking on lights and yelling at me to call the police. The noise was somebody kicking in our back door. The house-breaker took off when he saw the lights, and thank God for that; he was only one blow away from driving the dead-bolt right through the jamb.

So, hot and cold running cops for the next couple of hours. They even brought a dog to trail the burglar, but gave up when they found bicycle tracks in the snow.

Back to bed, but not much actual sleep took place. At eight o'clock I left a voice-mail message for Tony the Carpenter (veteran of the 2017 kitchen project), expecting him to get to me on Monday, but he responded immediately with shock and dismay, and arrived by ten-thirty -- on a Sunday morning! -- with a large hunk of three-quarter-inch plywood and a power drill. Then he measured up for a new door.

I never liked our back door, another with the thermal capabilities of newspaper, but I had not planned to replace it any time soon. That'll be another thousand bucks or so, plus Tony's labour. What larks.

Tony took a critical look at the cracked jamb and established that it was severely under-built and would never have stood up to even the most casual application of a wrecking bar. (Good thing our burglar came equipped only with boots.) The replacement door will be pre-hung in a frame that meets today's building code, and thus not entirely burglar-proof but considerably more effective than what we have now.

I spent all of Sunday in a comfy chair, alternately dozing and reading. Didn't even go to church.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Dec 19 - 11:58 AM

Exciting times, Charmion! That fiddle performance sounds wonderful, the door kicked in, not so much.

Breaking in at night, one wonders what that burglar/robber was thinking? Down here most burglaries happen in the middle of the day, they presume people are at work and approach doors that are somewhat out-of-sight of the street. In 2005 my side door was kicked in, like you describe, and they got quite a bit of electronic stuff before a passing neighbor saw and reported the unknown car backed up in my driveway with the trunk open and three men running in and out of the house. I had a contractor who also came over quickly and replaced that door and I had a iron security door installed over it, installed one on the front door as well, and put decorative iron bars over the new windows on that side of the house to match the bars on all of the rest of the house. It makes my heart race just to read your account; that kind of thing makes you jumpy for a while. And once the work is finished you'll be glad to have the new door.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Donuel
Date: 16 Dec 19 - 07:16 PM

On npr today I heard that green light in a dark room can relieve migrain pain as well as other types of PAIN. Effectiveness is about 65%. I told my wife but she already knew. Sometimes Doctors seem to keep things to themselves.

Whatever the retina thing was about I can see that a tiny bit of residual damage remains. The color and flashing is gone but it is akin to hearing an audio nerve die. I suppose the doctor checked for the big things. The damage is minisule so things are copacetic and easily managed.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Dec 19 - 10:07 AM

I have a couple of regular cat-sitting gigs, and I spent the last four days going back and forth to a house that is just under 5,000⏍, on an acre of well-tended land. They manage to not have clutter around and the house isn't overfull of furniture and stuff, yet there are plenty of things on display. They collect rocks and coral, rugs and Southwestern art, but if they have more it is put aside for another time: there isn't too much stuff out.

I have theories. That size house, with two people (now) living in it, plus a guest house across a porch next to the second garage, means they don't have a guest room in the house were stuff gets dumped. They have built in lots of storage. There are multiple bathrooms to hold various products so it isn't all bunched up on one or two rooms. They have a weekly housekeeper and a robotic cat litter box.

All of that said, if they were slobs as large as the house is it would be full of stuff. So there must be some discipline involved there. I'd love to tap into it.

And yes, I was playing with the html symbol for square foot - it doesn't look as good as the written box with a line through from top to bottom.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Dec 19 - 09:50 AM

Office organization has advanced with the purchase of two new cables. Nothing out of the ordinary, but the six-foot cable for my camera makes it easier to work on the old computer without setting the camera out of sight behind a monitor (and losing track of it) and the six-foot transfer cable works nicely between the two computers so I can do the work on the old computer, park files in an easy to find folder (or even the same old folder, it's easy enough to navigate) and move files without using thumb drives. This is particularly good for the work on images because they're large files and the old computer has the more advanced software.

There is a paper and dust accumulation in the office that must be addressed, and I have to put out a few ornaments soon. I'm not one to put them up at Thanksgiving and take them down by February. My xmas cactus are blooming beautifully, so I need to move them to central locations to admire.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Donuel
Date: 18 Dec 19 - 10:05 AM

That atypically does not sound energy intensive. Most of Sage's projects sound like they require the energy output of someome in their 30's or 40's.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 18 Dec 19 - 09:16 PM

Agreed, Donuel. I can just about muster the energy required to vacuum the sitting room rug; the very idea of disassembling a fence makes me blench.

I have not put up one single Christmas decoration. And I’m okay with that.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Dec 19 - 11:33 AM

I have nothing up in the house, and outside I have one batch of lights on a shrub at the front corner by the driveway. I have another string I'll put up on cup hooks over the front porch, and some things to put on the mantle, but that's all.

Under the category of "It's always something," today the Universal Power Supply failed the self-test; the unit has a five-year warranty but 1) I can't remember exactly when I got it and 2) I filed the information away so thoroughly that I can't find it now. And that warranty probably doesn't cover the batteries for the whole time.

I don't go for the low-end replacement but will happily replace two of the company brand batteries in the correct instead of paying 30% more to have the company's batteries linked in a way that has the same result - two batteries installed in one unit. A comparable brand is available locally but cost $12 more each. If it were an urgent problem then I might, but I can wait a week for them to arrive.

The next fence panel is on the radar; I have cat sitting coming up next week and I use that cash for projects that I am doing incrementally. I'll load the lumber in the garage and paint on the weatherproofing there before taking down the next crumbling panel and putting this up.

Thanks for the compliment Donuel and Charmion - though I must disclose that I'm soon entering the Bionic Woman phase; knee replacement is looming in early 2020. :-/

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 22 Dec 19 - 07:42 AM

It is a beautiful morning. The sun is coming up, Jeremiah is still sleeping, Pete is in the kitchen doing his own thing and I am sitting in my recliner by the fire with only one light on in the corner. The Christmas tree is lit and the sun is coming up, shining a beautiful orange glow on the Christmas tree while Oatie snores in the chair next to me. I have a cuppa weekend coffee and the house is quiet. I SO need this quiet, the non activity.....peace!!!

I have been busy, busy, busy at work trying to catch up with things from the past two months. It's hard to believe I can fall backwards quite so quickly at work but it is the nature of the job and so while I am keeping up with the day to day, I'm busting my rear end with case reviews/client and all providers invited and I get to do a history, discuss goals, progress made and future goals while engaging the other providers (Insurance providers, PCP, Psychiatrist, Therapist, Vision, Dental, Audiologists, Representative Payees, Housing Specialists, Job Coaches, etc).   I enjoy these meetings but there is so much prep and follow up work that I need chunks of time which currently I don't have. So....I set aside a few days next week to hopefully get this all caught up. I will be working on days when others have opted to take them off for the holiday week. The office should be fairly quiet, limited calls from providers and clients is expected which should give me the time to get everything ready for upcoming meetings, etc. I have a few Care Plans to write and some provider contacts to make regarding Comprehensive Assessments. And THEN I have set aside time to do a massive overhaul of my work space. Currently it looks nice and functions well but the Department of Health has changed out some forms, etc. that I want to get out of my filing cabinets. I also have manuals that are outdated so I'm hoping to empty the binders and get new copies made for my personal use and to have close at hand. I can read it all online but I prefer paper and I like to keep the manuals in page protectors. Initially it makes more work for me but in the end, it withstands my reference usage.
    At home, Pete continues to recover from his thyroidectomy completion. He is exhausted just about all day long and continues to take frequent naps. His body has stiffened up terribly and he is having weakness. He is frustrated with all of it. The endocrinologist says that this is because he doesn't have enough meds in his system yet and has made another adjustment. I have a feeling that this is going to be slow going for some time as the med levels are checked at 3 month intervals. Radiation procedures begin in mid-January.
    I wrapped all the Christmas gifts yesterday with the exception of 2 school photos of Jeremiah to share with the grandparents. They do not want frames this year as they simply pop the newest photo into the existing frames that we have given them in years gone by.
    My dryer broke last week but Pete was able to fix it so that is a good thing! I normally do a load or two of laundry every day. Last Sunday I did 8 loads of laundry last weekend because it had all backed up. Today I have a few loads to do but only because I want some things washed separately and I need to wash the bedding. Today is the day I add the electric blanket to our bed. So far I've been adding on the quilts and while I'm warm enough, my hips are sore in the morning from the weight of the blankets...if that makes any sense!
      So...today will be laundry, writing out Christmas cards and bill paying day. And a nap. I can feel it already....I want and need more sleep!

Merry Christmas to you all!

Much Love,

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Dec 19 - 10:10 AM

Michelle, it's ironic that the current rage in bed gear for sleeping are "weighted" blankets. I also reach a point when the bedding is too heavy and put the down comforter on over the sheet and one thermal blanket that helps keep the comforter from sliding off.

It's remarkable that even with his adjustments to the thyroid medication and naps Pete is still fixing the dryer. And I applaud your making a fell swoop of the paperwork in your office. The output of time and energy next week will mean you can manage your time better when the new year and clients are up to full speed.

I'm going to have to do some work to prepare for the knee surgery, and the more fit and strong that knee is the easier the recovery, so my next couple of months need to be spent getting more exercise and strength training. I imagine gardening is going to be difficult for a while so anything I can lay out ahead of time will be beneficial to allow for spring planting a few weeks after the surgery. I'm told that I'll be walking that day, but it takes about a month to get back to normal walking around. I asked the doctor how long it will take until I can comfortably use that leg to dig with a shovel - not a question he often gets, apparently. I may have to switch feet and dig with the left foot for a while.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 22 Dec 19 - 02:44 PM

Squats, Stilly. As many as you can manage, and then some more.

The locker room at the Y before and after pool class should be a work assignment for students of orthopaedic surgery and physiotherapy, for it’s where the old crocks meet. At least two thirds of the group are dealing with the long-term effects of a major skeletal injury. A couple of the younger ones are living with genetic deformities or birth injuries. Everybody has arthritis.

Last week, I emerged from the showers into a learned discussion of knee problems. Did you know that one of the leading reasons for non-demented people to go into care is that they can’t count on being able to get up off the toilet? The take-away was that I should work hard to maintain the ability to rise from a seated position without launching myself with my hands.

Last week, I had to throw out a Christmas cactus I bought the year we were married. Back in the summer, I noticed that the surface of the growing medium was covered with a white mould and re-potted it into a vermiculite mixture, but no luck; the mould came back even worse. I am allergic to mould, and for several weeks this fall I woke up every day with a sinus headache. The plant went out with the trash on Monday, and the sinus pain disappeared by Wednesday.

I miss the blossoms, though. It flowered reliably twice a year, for Easter and Remembrance Day.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Dec 19 - 12:56 AM

Thanks for the exercise tip, Charmion. Squats do seem to be in order for knee strength. Too bad you didn't ask first about the cactus - there are organic ways to kill the mold without killing the plant. Baking soda in water is one way to kill it. Spraying straight hydrogen peroxide (from the grocery store - 3% strength).

The back yard was mowed today (yes, I know - but this is Texas); I did it to mulch in a lot of leaves and cut down weeds that don't go dormant in winter. I also scooped a lot of dog droppings; the main reason for the mowing was to make it easier to find the droppings. Into the compost they go.

The house has lots of dust and dog hair, but our family holiday is postponed a week so I have time to remedy the dust problem.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 23 Dec 19 - 07:10 AM

Sorry for preaching to the choir. Bad habit.

I did the baking soda thing. Didn’t work. The hydrogen peroxide technique is new to me, and I’ll keep it in mind for next time.

In this old house, I’m sure there will be a next time.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Dec 19 - 04:43 PM

The knee replacement date is set and now a long list of things (approvals and pre-op stuff) must be put in place for the surgery, and if I'm smart, I'll plan enough ahead to make things comfortable here so it's easy when I come home to hobble around for a couple of weeks. As loath as I am to voluntarily submit to surgery, the outcome should be a back-to-normal ability to walk, dance, and much more, so I need to go ahead and get this taken care of, not waste more time fussing about it.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Dec 19 - 03:01 PM

I started a "Bullet Journal" in March of 2017, and as I start a new page for January 2020 and add a few more "future log" boxes for things that don't yet have calendar pages, I'm finding it has been very handy and more efficient than the straightforward one book a year diaries I used to keep. I could skip through those old volumes and find many blank pages when there was little going on, but in this it is so compressed that pages aren't wasted. I typically use facing pages; calendar (numbered from top down on the left side) on the left page and the Task List on the right page. Tasks are bulleted with a dot or other reference point to show it's a task, an event note or a "signifier" (I haven't used that one, but it's there anyway). The third page is a Record of Activity that usually takes only one page, so can leave a fourth facing page blank. When that happens it gets used for something specific like to document a conversation or meeting, and that page number and a note ("surgery plan", etc.) is added to the contents list in the front.

You can be obsessive about it and buy just the right blank book, the recommended pen type, and (as one friend did) can practice with a book to see how you want it to look and then follow that design you work out for yourself. Me, I used a freebie bound book they handed out at work a few years ago, use whatever black ink pen is handy, keep it to notes, no colors, etc. As I get close to the last few months of pages left in this book I have another free one, also from work, that a friend gave me because she isn't going to use it (that one is a nice quality Moleskine with not as many pages and purchased commercially would cost over $30—I'll use it because I have it but I'd never spend that kind of money for one).

I have a shelf full of the old diaries, and this will go on that shelf when it is full and I'm in the next journal. For those following along in the adventures of decluttering, this is an efficient use of paper and keeps several years worth of notes in one place.

---

Participation in the thread has dropped as we lose friends to the hearafter, to attrition, or to ill health. It was important to the late great Katlaughing, so I've kept it going. As long as these longer threads are allowed to run here at Mudcat I'll let this one go into 2020 and change the thread title.

Thoughts? Share them here, or send a PM.

Maggie

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: mg
Date: 27 Dec 19 - 04:34 PM

I am waiting for dial a ride to take me to the thrift store with two heaters, a great pair of shoes that kill my feet, and a very large suitcase. My decluttering or cluttering mantra is i will need it some day when the tsunami/civil war comes. It is warm enough here that I will survive without the spare heaters and someone could use them right now.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Dec 19 - 10:06 PM

Mary, you've given away so much stuff I visualize you living in a single room with a hot plate, a backpack of clothes and a shopping bag with a few books to read. I hope you're enjoying retirement: are you still somewhere in Washington?

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: mg
Date: 28 Dec 19 - 12:37 AM

in washington at the beach in a little cottage. Three rooms actually. One has an air mattress and a folding tv tray and exercise ball. One has two folding tables for desk and printer. It also has three clothing racks, with one for clothes and nightwear to be worn again, with another rack for jackets in a hallway. Two others are for solid color clothes..one in my main neutrals of navy, white and tan, and other for other colors. A few prints, plaids etc. in closet, where i have some bins for papers, cds etc. an exercise machine. rolling drawers. kitchen has three rolling carts and one baker's cart. i have full stove but use a hotplate and little convection oven. more room than i need.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 29 Dec 19 - 09:42 AM

If I were on my own, I could live as Mary does, but I think I would miss having at least enough furniture and crockery to entertain one other person to tea or supper. Living with Himself, however, means that I am surrounded by stuff and spend a surprising amount of time riding herd on it so the gangways are clear and none of the windows is blocked.

Today, I am having an asthma flare and, consequently, doing not much. Laundry maybe, but not necessarily. Cooking dinner, perhaps. Until then, strictly reading.

We spent Christmas in Ottawa with Elder Brother and SIL in their big old house, which is not only crowded with books, furniture and potted plants but also very dusty. We also went to Midnight Mass at Smokey Barney's, the church with the most elaborate liturgy I have ever experienced, and got thoroughly doused with incense. Plus, it was cold. So now I am paying for my adventure with wheezing, chest pain, lots of coughing, and the jitters brought on by the bronchodilator drugs.

At home, the sacrifice of my Christmas cactus with its coating of white mould has made breathing considerably easier. I'd hate to think what state I'd be in if it was still tossing spores around my living space.

We are not having a normal winter in Perth County. Every speck of snow is gone and the temperature is hovering above freezing. The forecast today calls for rain, with more rain tomorrow. At this rate, the whole damned world will be covered with mould.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Dec 19 - 10:24 AM

Charmion, our temperatures have been in the 70s, forecasters are telling us this is about 15^o above normal. We had an early hard freeze, because the weather can play dirty tricks on gardeners, but since then it has been fairly warm most of the time. I have to mow the lawn again because the weeds have grown tall.

Somehow I'm not motivated this year to throw myself into the flurry of holidays. Family is arriving this week and we'll do our delayed event a few days from now, so I need to make a couple of types of cookies to give a somewhat normal appearance to the festivities. I smoked salmon for the kids, a thing that has become an annual tradition (though their dad has bought a high-quality farmed fish that is okay smoked, it isn't as rich and as lean as the wild-caught fish) and I need to find the stockings and put them out of harm's way from the 30-pounds of destructive puppy teeth I have living here now.

I learned yesterday that I have had to declutter my address book of the names of some old dear friends this year, a weight that also affects the holiday season. I had a conversation with the youngest son of two of these friends and it was a trip down memory lane even while he has pointed out that now we are the oldest generation in our families. I was aware of that many years ago; my parents died in their 70s, his in their 90s. (They died within six weeks of each other, one three weeks before Thanksgiving and the other on Christmas Eve). Those holidays are going to involve some heavy emotional lifting for their large family for a few years to come.

Time to get moving around here - I'm going to test my theory that the steam cleaner I use on the carpets *might* work to scrub the tile floor in the den, though I'll pick up a couple of more mats to use inside and outside before I test that theory.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: keberoxu
Date: 29 Dec 19 - 10:58 AM

Charmion!!
I have GOT to ask:

what kind of name for a Roman Catholic parish is
'Smokey Barney's'   ?

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 29 Dec 19 - 12:13 PM

Smokey Barney’s is the Church of St. Barnabas, Apostle and Martyr, in the Anglican diocese of Ottawa. It is a “high” parish, with the full range of censing, aspersions and sound effects. For 15 years, I sang in the choir (a small and ambitious aggregation), Himself and I were married there, and we were active members until Himself left the Army and we moved to Stratford.

Anglican parishes in Canada come in three basic types, and most diocese have at least one of each kind. At the most Protestant, in fact nearly Methodist, end of the spectrum are the “low” or “pine and pain” churches, many founded in the early to mid-1800s by settlers from Ireland and Scotland. Low parishes are most common in the country. The majority of Anglicans, especially in urban areas, belong to churches of the “brass and class” type, which are usually nicely appointed, with plenty of stained glass and polished metal, and moderate in liturgy — they use Rite III in the Book of Alternative Services (“and also with you” instead of “and with thy spirit”), but they have Stations of the Cross in Lent. At the fully Catholic, but never Roman, end of the range are the “high” or “bells and smells” parishes, which have the most elaborate liturgy and usually the best music — and lots of both. Elderly RCs are sometimes spotted in the pews, come to inhale the incense, hark to the Sanctus bells, and hear mass settings that their own church pitched after Vatican II. High churches are typically urban, often found in working-class neighbourhoods; most were founded by the London Missionary Society.

And I’ll bet that’s a lot more about Anglicans than you wanted to know.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Dec 19 - 12:35 PM

Fascinating! And just enough information to offer some fine brush strokes in there to create what these look like (and smell like) in my mind's eye.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Dec 19 - 03:37 PM

I have drawn down containers of mashed bananas from the freezer and emptied the bowl of overripe bananas on the counter and the house is now filled with the scent of banana nut bread. Company's a comin' and this is the first volley to make them feel welcome.

Trash pickup on Thursday last week was real slow, they didn't get to my block till after dark because there was so much holiday trash to collect. Trouble is, most of that stuff was entirely recyclable. And the things they discarded, electronic devices and equipment, that could have been donated or should be recycled through an e-waste collector. This is one of the most depressing times of the year when one thinks about the stuff sent to the landfill. I haven't put trash out for almost two weeks because I didn't have enough to fill a small bag. The recycle bin is ready to be emptied and the compost is chugging along. /rant off

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 30 Dec 19 - 08:42 PM

Dupont:

Computer/modem malfunctioned and I copied previous post then turned off computer. Now I am back on line but lost what I copied. Oh well.

We all survived the family visit. They took one large box of pottery which barely made a dent. ... They left yesterday by way of a bagel factory near Montreal where they obtained a supply to take home to PA. They arrived home safely and texted me that they were cutting the bagels (in half for freezer) and had been home 20 minutes! I had that much energy 25 years ago.

Now R and I are returning to our solitary life, dealing with furnace that keeps quitting; son says new relays - not simple. So R goes to cellar and fiddles until it goes on again. ... He has just gone to work for first time in a week as he has been recovering from CO poisoning from driving fork lift with faulty exhaust. This bout has impressed him sufficiently (2nd time in a month) that he will NOT do that again. Researching it is impressive; it can cause problems down the road - big ones. He will be going for those test the Dr suggested a while back. Blood test re iron level to see if he can take Floradix to improve health - without getting iron poisoning!

I have a refurbished Apple laptop on order (Jan 6) and son bought me pieces to connect laptop to TV as well as get a bunch of programs - I wrote down instructions and suspect I might figure it out eventually.

The boys watched some while they were here. Of course, they each had a laptop and a smart phone... There was an octopus of charging cables in the LR! Family spent a lot of time in Montreal and a lot of time on devices. DIL read quietly wherever she could find a spot. The house served well for 6 individuals - room to be alone or with others. K worked as they ate what they ate and we ... No overlap except C dinner and a last dinner at a local very nice Indian Rest.

I enjoyed them being here other than the stress of DIL (she behaved fine but I was never sure).

Brugmansia bloomed for them - they were not impressed! But R and I are. It has a dozen or more in various stages of opening. A delight - last thing at night and first in the am.

Thinking of Michelle, Pete and Jeremiah and the stress of their life. Hoping the new year brings them healing.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 31 Dec 19 - 10:52 AM

It's a sunny day here, with none of the smoke in Australia or the snow or cold rain of regions to the north. By rights I should be out working in the garden to plant this winter's potatoes. I do expect I'll get them planted in January, I need to do a lot of that before mid-February when my knee will be out of commission for a few weeks, at least.

I have been making passes through the house to clear up clutter, though I haven't discarded much, just organized it better. The village recycle bins are emptied on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so I'll plan to take a large bag of stuff over this afternoon once the xmas boxes and stuff has been picked up today.

I baked banana bread yesterday and I need to make a few of their favorite cookies for our family event on Sunday. Maybe I should start with the most labor intensive ones, krumkaka, and work backwards to spritz and snickerdoodles.

I don't make resolutions, but I have things I must do this upcoming year anticipate needs for moving around the house in the immediate weeks after returning home with the bandaged knee.

Time to change out calendars, the annual expandable file (bills and receipts), and probably other stuff. Laundry is in and the dishwasher has been emptied.

See you all next year! Best wishes to Michelle and her family and Susan and hers, here's hoping health issues are resolved during the early months of the new year.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Jan 20 - 09:03 PM

This afternoon I took apart a thing in the corner of the den near the sliding glass door; years ago a neighbor cut down the crape myrtle tree next door and this limb fell over the fence. I decided it looked interestingly sculptural and set it in a huge clay pot on a rolling plant stand with a couple of hundred pounds of coarse gravel holding it up. I wrapped several strings of xmas LED lights around the limbs and use it as a source of light in that part the room, but it is quite bulky. One of the strings of lights couldn't be repaired so it's in the e-waste bag and I've reassembled it.

I could take the whole thing apart and free up that space, moving the adjacent dog stuff further into the corner (these are a small set of shelves and an antique trunk the tubs of dog food is stored in). It's a classic situation where getting rid of it would make more room, but I use it every day. It's an awkward space to try to put another light, unless I hang something from the nearby beam that has an old plant hook. Decisions, decisions.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 02 Jan 20 - 09:27 AM

Happy New Year, fellow de-clutterers, and good health to all.

While snow squalls swirled through town, I spent the first day of 2020 turning out the filing cabinet and working on Himself's billing records. Now the waste-paper basket is brimming with instruction leaflets that came with long-dead electric doohickeys and documents from the owners' association we belonged to (not by choice) in Ottawa, and we are ready to face another Law Society audit with confidence.

I also figured out why the DVD player was not delivering an audio signal to the television, and corrected the wiring connections. Boy, did that make me feel competent or what.

The house is not clean, thanks to the cats and their shedding habits, but it is tidy. That's enough for now.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Jan 20 - 12:06 AM

Good work on the speaker wires, Charmion! I'm fighting that battle myself these days in several areas around the house as I rearrange radios and other output devices.

This week has been a series of repairs around the house. I've also cleared out some computer files and rearranged some stuff in the office (it isn't completely organized since moving in a few months ago. It may never be completely organized).

The puppy has gained weight; I finally got on a scale with her, then put her down and subtracted the difference. She is up to 35 pounds from 26 when I brought her home. She's still slim and muscular, but not so skinny with ribs showing as much as before. I'm guessing she's about 10 months old now (I've had her a little over 3 months). The vet guessed that this would probably be her adult weight. Now to order the veterinary heartworm meds—thirty pounds is a cutoff from one dosage to the next—also to work out the kilograms since I order from a place in the UK. (Geez - after Brexit, will that will work the same?)

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Jan 20 - 11:15 PM

We had our delayed family holiday today and as a result a couple of elderly appliances were replaced with new ones; the elderly items are going to Goodwill this week, with manuals and all parts included. They work, but are too small or too slow to do the job I need done.

The house is clean after the "lick and a promise" before company arrived; tomorrow I have to mow the yard since it's warm and the weeds are prolific. It's warm enough to do some gardening. I asked in the feed store if they have onion sets or potatoes yet but they say two weeks more. So if I'm smart I'll start turning over the garden areas where I want those plants to go in, and not bring them home and let them dry out before I dig to plant them. I have that new-to-me tiller that will help.

I have a long list of items on my task list for January, and some have moved through the bullet journal for many months. I'll make a point of trying to finish them and add new projects to the list next month.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 07 Jan 20 - 04:52 PM

Dupont:

"I wanna go home..." So emailed neighbour for phone number of the plumber she uses and mentioned problem getting hold of guy to plow drive. Quickly received both and phoned both. Plumber will send someone tomorrow to see if anything - not too expensive- can be done and will phone me. Steve will care for drive. I am desperately homesick but cannot deal with no water by myself. R can fetch buckets from stream. I may try to go for a couple days between snowstorms or beg R for a four day weekend.

Not doing anything. Nothing pressing needs doing. Need to eat a salad - right now!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Jan 20 - 12:22 PM

Dorothy, homesick for Beaver? Or is your new-to-you house needing sudden plumbing repair and snow removal?

I've removed the few outside holiday lights today. The electrical cord on the lawn meant I wasn't going to mow, but next door neighbor mowed yesterday, making my lush weeds look all the more robust by comparison. Yes, we mow year-round in Texas, and I'll do it this afternoon.

I am trying to do a no-spend month, so I need to turn my attention to mending. I noticed quite a stack of stuff when I did a quick mend on the handle of a canvas shopping bag I plan to keep my gym equipment in. Yesterday I signed up at the gym and I packed the bag with the clothes and towel, etc, that I'll use. It's in the car and ready for an appointment on Friday with a trainer to go through the facility and plan my pre-surgery knee strengthening routine. (I stooped in the hall yesterday to put a new faceplate over an electrical plug and my knee creaked and ground around like a parcel of broken crockery). At some point I'll also work on an après-surgery routine. This is me picking up the money on the table - as a state retiree they pay for the gym membership through a program called "Sliver Sneakers." This isn't the closest to the house, but it's only about four miles from here. I chose a gym that has a lot of classes, and I'll focus on yoga to get some flexibility back along with the leg-strengthening exercises. They also have a pool and a sauna.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 08 Jan 20 - 01:43 PM

This week is a massive financial bust, and it’s only Wednesday.

On Monday, I paid the geeks for our new desktop computer, which will be a Mac with an extra-large screen. Still numb from that transaction, which (from the dollar amount) should have provided me with something new to drive away in, I took a phone call from the vet who was relieving Cat 2, the redoubtable Isobel, of a rotten tooth. “A” rotten tooth? Why, no. Three rotten teeth. And, by the way, her liver enzymes were askew. So think of a number — not a small one — and triple it.

There are no flies on Isobel, so any vet visit presents a major challenge. Combine that with medication, and brace for an athletic couple of hours. At 0615 we had to dose her with a pre-operative sedative, and I guess she sussed my intentions from the moment my feet hit the floor because the chase was on. Himself finally ran her to earth in the Harry Potter cupboard under the cellar stairs, after we had pursued her through every room in the house and out from under or behind every piece of furniture. Not a great way to start the day. On the bright side, she did not piss on either of us.

The vet prescribed three post-op doses of an oral antibiotic-analgesic drug, saying cheerfully, “Just mix it into her food.” No way that would work; each dose is a full-dress hunt-and-snatch job. But today she is much better, and has forgiven me to the extent that she’s snoozing in my lap even as I type. Only one more dose to go.

As for the computer, the new one will take two weeks to arrive as it’s a custom job that has to come all the way from China. With luck, it will arrive maybe two days before the new book job lands.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 08 Jan 20 - 08:33 PM

Dupont:

Not communicating very well lately. I did eat a salad yesterday! I did get the plumber to check out Beaver and there is water and all is well - but it is going to minus 25 tonight so I hope that does not freeze the water somewhere under the house. I hope to go Friday. I tried to ask the plumber to add in a heater from the studio but he did not appear to be comprehending me so I decided not to confuse him.

I did get hold of the fellow who said he would clear the Beaver drive and yes he will check on it and keep it clear. I did get the Christmas turkey boiled up and de-boned and added veggies so there is a meal ready. A couple days ago I tried a lovely Indian meal but the sauce - from a jar - was way too hot. I can manage it but not R.

AND - drumroll!!!! Today I trekked to the Apple store to pick up new lap top. Not near as expensive as my new car! But still, with that and the chimney installation for the woodstove and a donation toward scholarships for a wildlife rehab course this weekend - I am overly extended for the next couple months - and the plumbe which I hope will not be a great amount! I will juggle.

In the meantime, my hours at the Apple Store were toxic and exhausting and inconclusive. Had to phone Applehelp to get help with emails - very nice fellow magically helped with a couple issues. I am now happily FBing and more, with my tiny new airbook. May even try using the TV option son provided.

I will let R play with the old one. Ephraim calls it a "classsic"! The guys at Apple referred to it as "heritage"! From 2007, my son is amused that it lasted this long. The new one seems tiny and lightweight! And will be wonderful once I learn more. I have a training session booked next week.

The best part was getting home before rush hour!!! I got lost on the way there and had a tour of a nice residential area... I may knuckle under and try to deal with a GPS. Understanding the verbal is a problem for me.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Jan 20 - 09:25 AM

It looks like moving into a tiny house like this would certainly require decluttering. They didn't show the size of her dog (and she should have the treadmill downstairs so she and the dog could take turns getting exercise).

I'm going to have to rearrange furniture in order to accommodate recuperation materials for knee surgery. And thinking ahead, I'll have to cook and shop and clean house right before so I'm set for a couple of weeks "in" until I'm up to driving. A guy I spoke with at the gym yesterday had both knees replaced and said he was driving earlier, and part of the reason is because he didn't take the hydrocodone after the first couple of days. They presume you're on the heavy meds and don't want you driving when they say wait two weeks. He did it the way I typically do; the first day or two are the only time I use that stuff.

We had a huge amount of rain overnight and the tornado sirens ran for about 30 minutes in my area, so my activity will be indoors for a few days. Once it dries enough I can go do a bit of transplanting I've had in mind (while the soil is still moist, not wet clay, but also not the hard clay like when it's dry around here.)

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: LilyFestre
Date: 11 Jan 20 - 06:25 PM

Happy New Year!!!

    Not much to report here. I've been working and helping Pete the best I can. He is struggling with some nasty, nasty muscle pain that has left him so weak he can't throw wood on the fire at times. Last night he couldn't close his fingers enough to take meds out of my hand. The endocrinologist says this is partly due to the fact that his meds are not yet regulated. It take some time to slowly bump the meds up to where they will need to be. Tumor markers are very high but doctor says not to worry and will explain at the next appointment. Radiation begins next week.

    I am doing ok and will be having my own tumor marker checked next Friday. Work is going well. Jeremiah is doing well.

I am slowly...oh so slowly getting rid of things we don't use. Most of the time I'm just trying to keep up with daily chores and family care alongside work.

Hoping everyone here is doing well!

Much Love to All,

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Jan 20 - 11:19 AM

You have your hands more than full, Michelle. Thanks for finding a few minutes to let us know how all of you are doing. When my mom was undergoing radiation I found recommendations of aloe vera gel to rub on the skin. It's also good as a general hand lotion. Mederma (an onion-based gel) is designed to help with scars and might also be useful.   

I received the booklet and papers to do with the knee replacement and see that I need to start ahead with stretching, exercise, and strengthening, and also plan a major re-arrangement of the furniture around here. I talked to a friend about mowing the lawn for a month or two. Helpers will be on call for trips out, and the biggest challenge will be The Dogs.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Jan 20 - 01:29 PM

Charmion, do you have an ETA on your new computer? These days the tracking can be so precise you can see a delivery van crawling through the neighborhood. I've been trying out different old computer speakers I have around here to use with my current computer and am going to toss the ones that don't seem to be working. No point in giving them to Goodwill and make someone else test them and return them. These will go to the e-waste bin on campus next time I'm over there.

This weekend I was at an estate sale a couple of blocks from my house, the home of an elderly man I frequently stopped and talked with when out walking my dogs. He was a gardener and a putterer and his house was in pretty good shape all things considered. I found a small glider that I brought home and put on my porch, and a robust sprinkler that I'll have to figure out how it works (it is one of those cast metal tractors that follows it's own hose, I think.) He was a man after my own heart with nice audio equipment and speakers and such.

As I walked through the house I envisioned my house in the future in a similar circumstance (going to estate sales is a great way to remind oneself of one's mortality) and have started going through the hall linen cupboard. There's so much stuff in there I don't use and have kept for "just in case." I have a bag for donations, I'll put the vintage pieces that can go on eBay in the den at my photo station, and once I've emptied the cupboard I'll put some of the sleeping bags and sleep pads in there. Like they don't need to go also? As to other stuff, my children will laugh at the number of radios I have all around the house, garage, and even one in the greenhouse. I guess I should do a sweep of the equipment around here and thin out some of it.

I went to the gym last night to start an exercise and stretching routine to get my knee in better shape. I've also started an audiobook loaded into my phone that I can listen to as I walk or pedal. I'm now working through the decision if I prefer earbuds or headphones.

Susan, I hope you're making progress with your therapy. I'll post on the other thread as well.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 13 Jan 20 - 03:08 PM

Seven to 10 business days from last Monday, Stilly. So sometime between Wednesday and next Tuesday. The speakers are the only part of the dead computer that I have not scheduled for disposal, and I’m waiting to try the Mac’s built-in speakers before deciding whether to keep them or not.

Yesterday, I invested a couple of hours in sorting out our bulging collection of printed music, and about a third of it should be re-homed as soon as possible. I tossed a huge stack of photocopies this morning, and the main thing stopping me from tossing a lot more is the tedium of removing hundreds of pages from plastic page-protectors.

But Operation Portal began this afternoon with the delivery of the new front and back doors. I imagine that Tony the Carpenter will be installing them later this week when the weather is as foul as possible. Life’s like that.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Jan 20 - 02:13 PM

Charmion, time to pack up the cats in the kennels and get out the heavy sweaters!

A friend is coming over this afternoon and bringing a couple of things I can borrow for post-surgery; I don't want to have to buy stuff that then collects dust. Better to borrow items that can go home later.

This is January in Texas and it's up to 70^o today so I need to mow the back yard. When I head to the gym each day I try to have another stop as well (I dislike one-off trips out, they're a waste of gas) and I think Goodwill is today's other stop. Lots of things pulled out of the tech cupboard that can be recycled (though there is some non-functioning stuff in a bag to go to the eWaste bin on campus next week.)

I pulled up some videos of tiny houses to share on Leeneia's kitchen remodel thread. They are rather addictive to watch, but I can't help thinking that these folks must have off-site storage for some of their projects.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 14 Jan 20 - 08:41 PM

Dupont:

There are things I could part with--- but not yet. There is room for everything so far and this home is in constant transition. Still, I do get rid a a few definites each month. My son helped by - NO mother, that is of no value any longer!!

Brainstorm today: R likes drumsticks; I never buy them because I do not like them. Duh! So I bought a packet of two from the good meat store, used already cooked rice and ? in oiled pan, added sage and celery, laid the sticks on top, covered with aluminum foil and baked in toaster oven, then broiled to brown them. Voila! Chicken with stuffing! Cooked efficiently. Two meals for R. with salad. I will have salad also.

I seem to have become dreadfully addicted to cookies and other stuff. Sure I have gained weight but scale is at Beaver. I did not manage to get there. Before I had driven an hour, I felt that four more was untenable. Turned around and came back. Comfortably.

I am giving serious thought to what I can do to exercise - that will not stress ankle that still gives nasty twinges. Going up and down the stairs is not enough! Maybe I will check to see how good up and down stairs is... I still park a bit of a distance from the doors of stores as long as there is no ice.

70 degrees, Stilly! HAH! Huge piles of chunks of 8-10 inch thick ice up on the bank of the river today from the tons of rain and the winds. And more on the river.

Went to a resto on Sunday for supper; on way in, R noted ice; on way out, I went first and ascertained that my hip bone is still not too fragile! Scared R, and me. But I took time to assess condition before sliding to a step so I could get up - with help of R and the owner. DUMB! But not even a bruise!!! Winter coat helped.

Friend visited today and praised R's shower curtain rod. He will be pleased. She brought a home made choc/whipped cream pie - THAT bakery, down near her home, is closed most of January so she made it herself. Very sweet of her. She offered to help me pack up pottery but I have not yet decided to do that. It is mainly out of sight.

The two Schefflera R brought from Montreal house: one looks really bad; the other is losing leaves like mad in part but also getting new leaves on other parts. Checking info, could be change in temp. It would be OK if the one leaves us. The one that is growing is a lovely "room divider" behind sofa in LR, ie, between LR and DR which are only defined by type of furniture.

I do have a surfeit of plants. Bruggie has lost all leaves after putting on a good show for the family. I have cut it back and await the next round in a month or so. Hibiscus is getting ready to start again with one bud getting there. Cyclamen have quit - time to check on info.

Getting used to new computer. On line training tomorrow.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Jan 20 - 11:42 AM

Dorothy, I still have a few plants in the greenhouse and (so far) have kept them watered, and added one light close overhead to stay on to help a little. They're alive and the fruit that had formed is still growing. It's an experiment, to see if I can move these out in the spring and hit the ground running with tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers.

I've discovered some of the "club" aspect of going to the gym; they have banks of television screens in the rooms and if I go at the right time I can do the stationary bike and plug my earbuds into the machine, tune in MSNBC and listen to Rachel Maddow. They have WiFi so I could also stream her on SiriusXM. (She's on fire this week with some interviews relating to the impeachment.) The rest of the time I listen to my murder mystery audiobook. I haven't been there enough to keep running into the same people, and for now I'm trying out different times to see how the traffic is to find the times and days that work best.

Today is a totally sloppy rainy day I'm focused on indoor chores. Last week I mowed both the front and the back so they're looking okay, but this rain and the continued warmth means I'll be mowing again next week. I know that in the north there is a special viscosity to the mud that comes after ice and snow, but here we have regular mud that dog feet churn after the rain and it's tracked in. I have notes on my shopping list to find large mats to help with the problem, I just haven't gotten to the Big Box stores to see what AstroTurf or extra-large door mats they have in stock.

Time to pick up papers and magazine renewals and such and shred or file everything. Why do they start begging for renewal 9 months before your subscription expires? What a waste of printing and postage. I need to keep a list somewhere of my subscriptions because I think a couple of them have been renewed too early and they move the goal post so the new subscription doesn't include the remainder of the last one.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 18 Jan 20 - 09:48 AM

It's snowing in Stratford, the beginning of a weekend storm that Environment Canada is making out to be Snowmageddon -- just silly in comparison to what's happening in Newfoundland. Now, that's a storm.

The new computer has landed, and I'm getting used to it. Slowly.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Jan 20 - 12:38 PM

Congratulations, Charmion. Does it have a "new computer smell" like a new car has a distinct scent? My new one (a few months ago) was silent running until I put in an extra HDD, and now it has a low vibrating hum every so often.

I put the last of the xmas ornaments away this morning, and it's still only January! Yay to me!

The rain and heavy overcast of the last few days has lifted and now it's a lovely sunny incredibly soggy day - inviting to enjoy until you put a foot on the lawn and feel the sucking squish of mud under the turf. Looks like another day of indoor productivity, with a possible dog walk (where we will stay on the pavement).

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 18 Jan 20 - 01:24 PM

No new computer smell, alas. Far less clunkiness than the old Windows machine, and no more snake's nest of wiring behind it and on the floor, but I'm not loving the painful process of learning all over again how to do all the basic stuff -- receive mail and save attachments, file documents, do the fucking household bookkeeping.

The house is filthy after the double door transplant effected by Tony the Carpenter on Wednesday and Thursday. Part of a modern pre-hung door is a metal threshold that must be secured to the sill of the doorframe, typically a two-by-six plank. In this house, however, the doorsills are cast concrete with a slight lip on the inboard edge intended to butt against the weatherstripping on the bottom of the door. These lips had to go, so Tony went to Canadian Tire and purchased a grinder attachment that mates to the hose of his Shop Vac. Thus equipped, he ground both doorsills flat, generating great clouds of dust that MOSTLY ended up in the Shop Vac. Guess where the rest of it is.

The new doors are great. No more fighting with the old exterior storm doors with their hyper-strong return springs, and the whole house is more comfortable now the winter wind stays outside.

The agenda for this afternoon is an exciting roundabout of vacuuming, dusting, and laundry, as Himself has achieved bingo status with respect to clean underpants. It's a great life if you don't weaken.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 18 Jan 20 - 02:10 PM

Dupont:
You guys cheer me up and cheer me on!

Plants to outside: I have tiny sweet pepper seedlings (from the pepper that grew this winter in Bathroom) on the rad in den south window; the tomato cuttings are doing very well in a west window; one has a tiny tomato! and the plants themselves are still in the west LR window. Doesn't everyone...? Less than two months to the equinox so along about April I might do more cutting back and rooting. There will be plenty of cherry tomato plants to put outside in late May. In Toronto, nothing tender is planted before Victoria Day.

I have discovered that Cyclamen need cool semi shade so they are now in the pantry north window, the coolest spot other than the unheated bedrooms and there are no plants in them as it may get very cold. minus 16 C outside today. Both schefflera look like they are getting used to new home.

I too am still getting used to new computer, after two calls to applehelp and one short training by phone; she sent me some emails to help out; I will look at them when I have the mental energy. Finder is a mess!

I really need to get to Beaver but no energy and R cannot take time off. I will put a notice on the Bancroft area ride board to see if there is anyone in Montreal wanting a ride to Bancroft. Slim chance.

Managed to eat less junk yesterday. Stairs and watering plants are my exercise! Even if the outdoors were safely lacking in ice, I cannot see myself going to a so-called health club sort of thing. I shall keep an eye out for someplace convenient, then check it for toxins in the air... OR go up and down stairs a LOT! Until it is safe to walk around.

Concerned about coming storm; no real firewood yet and R has been in the city for two nights due to vehicle non-function. I suggested time for a newer pick up; "I like driving this one"; I did not shout, "But it is not drive-able!" GEEZZZZ! He might rent a car today but that precludes picking up wood. The weather does not wait on his convenience!

In the meantime, I am staying safely in the house, where I might get up the inclination to do more than watch TV/read. The squirrels did not come out today. I have started making observations about their hours in yard and not in yard. Weather seems to have an effect and if I work it out, I could read their predictions.??

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Jan 20 - 04:13 PM

As Dorothy perfects her Squirrel Barometer _{[Pat. Pending]} and she and Charmion and I all work out our new computers, it sounds like there is still dust and clutter in the background to keep us busy later. I still haven't set up the backup drive, but it is time to put new batteries in the UPS and then figure out how to connect the many-terabyte HDD to it for regular backups, keeping the backup drive out of the way. The place where it will live is probably dusty right now.

I have an interior door serving as an exterior door on the garage and it is crumbling. Time to measure and replace, probably find a handyman to do that. And install a new dog door once it's up. It's also time to file and create a folder for tax documents. Indoors or out, I have plenty to keep me busy.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Jan 20 - 11:11 PM

This evening I evicted non-working electronic equipment to the SUV to drop off in the e-waste bin on campus this week (the remote control still works so it will go on eBay). Sometimes these things are valuable enough they can be sold for repair or parts, but that doesn't seem to be the case. A couple of boxes with replacement batteries for my UPS have been sitting here waiting for attention, I need to finally install them and the old batteries will go to the bin.

I've started working through the stretches in a book a friend gave me (Bob Anderson: Stretching, it has been around for decades) and it feels pretty good after working through the leg set. I'll start a yoga class after the knee surgery; right now I have to choose moves that don't make the inflammation worse, awkward during a class. I found a PDF of the book (saves me scanning pages of mine to print to carry with me to the gym, I can load the PDF into my phone). Exercise to warm up then use the bicycle, treadmill, etc.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 20 Jan 20 - 07:19 PM

Dupont:

Posted the anti-inflamation tea twice today:
* a couple of teaspoons of termeric (preferably organic)

* a nub of fresh ginger, peeled and grated

* juice of a whole lemon

* a few shakes of cayenne pepper

* hot water

You can mess with the ingredients to your taste.

It also occurred to me afterward that cinnamon would also be a great addition health wise as it's also an anti-inflammatory. It's just whether you like the taste...

I need to use it too! I have been doing pretty well with my handful of supplements. Two sessions of Clearing the Car of Snow added to my exercise regime! An hour today and then a trip to store. Streets were icy but the parking lot was OK. Watering plants takes about an hour a day. cooking BF half an hour... I wish I could get inspired to write a book, or anything.

R made it home last night.

Post on ride/share elicited suggestion from a friend that I stop in a hotel if I get tired. Better idea: start early, stop for a lunch en route and finish trip before dark. Maybe Weds. I am so fed up I don't care if the food rots in the frig or the plants die from lack of water. I need to get there and breathe the air, see the friends,clear the back deck, fire up the wood stove... HOPE the water is still functional. I have always found it less icy there so feel safer walking around.

Pepper plants are growing. Bruggie is getting new leaves after complete loss. The days are truly getting longer!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Jan 20 - 07:20 PM

Batteries are replaced in the UPS and the old ones will be recycled later this week. Replacing them costs about 1/3 the amount of replacing the whole unit (and no point in replacing it when it otherwise works perfectly well). I see a lot of these at the thrift store, probably when people don't know about replacing batteries.

Since I had to move equipment around to do this I rearranged before plugging it all in again. The printer is now where I can reach it to use the sheet feeder and easier to fill the paper drawer. And it makes the old computer and that equipment easier to work with. Having a well-running office with this much stuff is a work-in-progress.

The glider on the front porch makes the space seem smaller than before, but it's nicely placed to view the yard and street and I dozed off for a few minutes in the sun this afternoon. There is a small tarp with two corner grommets tied to the back legs of the glider (good use of old sneaker shoelaces from the junk drawer) to flip over the top and front when not in use.

I need to transplant one batch of asparagus and transplant a redbud seedling to a pot for a little while before putting it in the front where the huge pine was removed. Redbud is a smaller understory tree with lovely heart-shaped leaves and is one of the earliest bloomers in the spring.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Jan 20 - 04:55 PM

I completed my first morning volunteering at a local museum, doing some of the work I did at the university library. This will be six hours a week, giving me a nice destination for an outing a couple of days a week. It may put me in contact with more germs, I want to avoid germy school children (who frequently tour the museum) and such. That is one problem associated with getting out around people.

Harbor Freight is a chain hardware and tool store that is probably around the US. I stopped by to pick up batteries (at 20% off - coupon) and pick up the ubiquitous LED battery (free with coupon and a purchase). I keep them around the house in case of power outages, also to help see what I'm doing on various tasks in tight places around the house. Old eyes. I now buy the replacement batteries for my free flashlights at Harbor Freight. :)

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 21 Jan 20 - 08:21 PM

Thanks for the tea recipe, Dorothy. I’ve been wheezy lately, so I’ll give it a whirl.

I think I have pretty well figured out the Mac, except for one thing: downloading and saving documents. If there’s a Mac version of the Windows “save as” command, I have yet to find it, and I get a “failed to save” message with dreary frequency. Any hints that might be floating around would be more than welcome.

I also miss the Windows “right click” capability, which I now realize saved me a great deal of twiddling and faffing about.

In other news, I finally cleaned up after Tony the Carpenter, and gave myself an asthma attack as a reward. Boo, hiss.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Jan 20 - 09:40 PM

Why did you buy a Mac if you're so proficient on the Windows machines?

I'm sorry about the asthma attack; here we have a miasma attack of politics (Trump's impeachment "trial" as conducted by the Trump toady McConnell). Hold your nose.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 22 Jan 20 - 08:56 AM

I bought a Mac because I do not want to have to replace it any time soon. If all goes well, this computer will last as long as I do -- or, at least, as long as my eyesight and wits do.

The problems I'm having now arise from ignorance -- I do Windows things because I don't know what the Mac thing is, or don't know that a Mac-specific thing even exists. A bit of Googling last night led me to a forum where I learned that Duplicate is the Mac version of Save As. More Googling will reveal the Mac equivalents of the keyboard shortcuts I have become so accustomed to in Windows programming.

Relearning is painful in one's mid-60s, but unfortunately necessary. Not to speak of good practice.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Jan 20 - 12:12 PM

My 2010 HP is still running fine, though I would have to refresh the operating system to get it back online (and lose the software I've installed).

I have a printout of the 12-days-of-cleaning thing that LilyFestre shared back in ~ 2018 (it was meant to prepare for the holiday season). It serves as a nice way to break up the number of tasks that need to be finished by a set time - and is what I'll use as I get the house ready for the comings and goings of family and physical therapists after the knee thing. I need to pamper myself ahead of time with a clean house and prepared meals.

I have 11 days of cat sitting coming up, something that is good because it forces me to get to bed earlier so I can rise early to head out to feed kitties at their normal times. I should be getting to bed earlier anyway, with the days still dark early it's easy to loose track of what time it is when most of the light in my day comes from artificial sources.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Jan 20 - 09:39 PM

A group of former co-workers gathers here for lunch every few weeks to catch up on life and news, and yesterday I threw out a few possible dates for the next one (and probably last until after the knee stuff). They concluded that the one date that works best is Sunday, so tomorrow I will be giving the house a good going-over in preparation. This is primarily because one of those friends is allergic to dogs.

There are several boxes of things to go to Goodwill and the eWaste bin. I'll stash them out in the SUV so I don't have to remember to take them out later.

Soon I need to build another enclosure for compost, one that must be dog-proof from the very beginning. I should probably peruse Pinterest or someplace to see what has already been invented. It's time to start putting in beds for spring, and I need to do it before the surgery, so the weeds need to have someplace to go. My daffodils haven't opened yet, but I've seen some around the neighborhood. Spring is just around the corner.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Jan 20 - 12:30 PM

I just received the book Secondhand: Travels in the New Global Garage Sale I'd stashed on my Amazon Wish List last fall. It arrived with an order of good-fitting yoga pants for wearing to the gym. (With the way Amazon delivery people seem to be stressed I try to be more efficient and not place single-item orders.) The book is a look at the business of thrift stores and how castoffs from the US travel around the world. There need to be more people speaking up about how to recycle effectively, and I plan to start here in my village. The crap people throw into the recycle stream via bins down at city hall is a starting place. And the stuff that goes to Goodwill that should instead be put in the eWaste or fibre stream.

The turf weeds are growing tall so some of my fitness activity this week will be mowing. The gardens are taking shape by themselves sprouting new growth and daffodils have buds already. There is a lot of digging to do out there, and in the back of the back yard there are several piles of finished compost to move to the beds out front.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 28 Jan 20 - 03:48 PM

I just spent an hour of my life that I'll never get back on the phone with eBay customer service. The poor "team member" who picked up my call had the sketchiest command of English I have ever heard in a call-centre employee, and the script she was obviously working from was of zero help to her as it did not cover the thing I wanted to talk about; i.e., refunding the sum I was charged for shipping an item through eBay's Global Shipping Program because the seller sent it direct by US Mail.

What I really wanted was to get eBay to use some of the money to pay the seller his postage and give me the rest, but that was way too complicated. In the end, I "escalated" the issue (as they say these days) to talk to a manager, who promised to give me my money back. I wrote to the seller and asked him for his PayPal address so I can pay him myself.

Sometimes I quite dislike the 21st Century.

Meanwhile, in another part of the forest, we have just learned that all kinds of materials that we were used to putting in the recycle box are not, actually, recyclable at all. So parsing the garbage just got more complicated.

The new manuscript has landed and I am hard at work, except when I'm reading the Mudcat. It's the same book I was working on almost two years ago; it's been in production limbo while the part of the Department of National Defence that was supposed to publish it collapsed and apparently died. Army Headquarters is still struggling to get something for its money, so I'm back on the job.

As Flanders and Swann once sang, "It all makes work for the working man to do."

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 28 Jan 20 - 04:50 PM

Dupont:

Charmion:
Applehelp is wonderful. And generally answer quickly. I called twice the first few days. One sent me bunch sites for explanations.

I tried shoveling snow last Thursday, almost one hour. Seems like a month ago. Exhaustion, aching, hot baths on Fri and Sat and Mon. By Monday, it became apparent that I ached, hurt, - I could feel aches in muscles that shovel - and was sick with some sort of a bug- the first time in years. R got it too. He may have brought it home as I have not been anywhere other than the grocery store, briefly on Weds or Thurs. My life has stood still since then, mostly in bed not caring about anything, and periodically coughing my guts out.

R comments on the pile of dishes but he doesn't feel like doing them either! We have plenty more!

Today I got back to watering plants.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Jan 20 - 09:24 PM

eBay is trying to compete with Amazon and Zappos and all of those cheap, free shipping, free returns companies, but many sellers don't handle those kinds of products. You have to spell out that you don't do it eBay's way if you're a small vendor selling vintage stuff, etc. I don't do much international shipping any more because there are so many hoops to jump through. I've bought things from just north of the border that were probably mailed on this side.

Time to order new glasses, and this year I'm not even considering going to the optometrist's shop in town, they are way too expensive. It actually costs the same with insurance as without; people without insurance are given a 1/2 price offer. With insurance it is "full price" and the insurance brings it down to about the same amount out of my pocket as those without, so what is the point of insurance? I'm surprised they haven't been busted - they just make a lot more money out of every insurance holder.

Related to nothing in particular, this evening I plugged in my lava lamp (my mother always called them "Oobleck lamps" - did anyone else love that Dr. Seuss book as a child?) It's quite a nice mesmerizing thing to have at my computer desk, to fixate on as I'm thinking.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Jan 20 - 04:41 PM

I finally found an inexpensive sewing machine table that will fit my current main machine. It needs to be re-glued and some screws put in to stabilize it, but it will do the trick. Then I can rearrange my craft room and consider what to do with the large table that is in there now. I still need space to spread out stuff, but it will be easier without a sewing machine in the middle of that space. That said, this table has a sewing machine in it, but I don't know if it works. I could probably recycle or donate that machine if I don't need it.

I also found a nice steam iron that only needed the face plate cleaned up, and I've put it in the spot in the laundry room where I've kept an old Black and Decker iron forever. That B&D iron has been used to heat strips of veneer to work on projects around the house, it's pretty dinged up and not used for ironing clothes any more.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Jan 20 - 12:04 PM

A day to myself when I don't need to go anywhere (though I will probably go to the gym later) - so, round up stuff that needs to be redistributed into the recycle stream or the donation stream (Goodwill) and head out. It's cold this week and I didn't feel like lugging a dead CD player and some huge batteries to my eWaste bin on campus so I'll leave them in the garage and load them before the next trip over.

I have probably mentioned that I need to construct a dog-proof compost bin and get started using it soon; the other one has enough stuff in it now that it should just sit and compost for a while. Pinterest, here I come. One of the few things I use that site for is figuring out how other people already solved this kind of problem.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 30 Jan 20 - 07:49 PM

Dupont:

Dishes achieved yesterday! WE almost hit bottom. I really thought today would be shopping but energy quickly gone. R stayed home again - because he could. Plants got well watered. That's all.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 31 Jan 20 - 10:27 PM

I try to make myself do some chores like emptying the dishwasher while I'm waiting for the kettle to boil for my morning tea. It takes about the same amount of time. And if I make an evening cuppa I'll load the sink full of dishes to wash tonight or tomorrow.

All of the horizontal surfaces are once again covered with stuff. This weekend I'll take a shot at putting stuff away or discarding it. Earlier this week I stopped at a Goodwill and found the right size sewing machine table to fit my main sewing machine, so I can move that machine off of the table I use in the craft room. I'd like to eventually be able to use that table for laying out stuff instead of having to use the dining table (that has it's own story as far as projects set up right now.) That sewing table had a machine in it, I haven't tested it. The funny thing is, it's apparently meant for sewing jeans. My oldest machine is an original White from the 1940s or 50s, my newest machine is a knock-off White that doesn't use any of the same attachments; this is an actual White from before the Chinese company bought the company but it's much newer and uses cams. And when I mentioned this to my daughter at lunch today I saw her pupils dilate and she was interested that I had a heavy duty machine for denim. Usually I send her a photo and ask if she's interested in machines when I find good ones, and I didn't this time - she would have said yes, I think.

So, I have three sewing machines here now, but I also have several bins of denim from de-constructed jeans for projects I want to work on. So it may be a good fit (but it means I have to decide which machine stays in the sewing table . . . )

Three steps forward, two steps back.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Feb 20 - 07:19 PM

I've had trouble getting going lately, partly due to ongoing allergy symptoms (headache and runny nose) but today I made myself get out and mow the back yard. All of that walking seems to have put my brain in gear and I'm feeling warmer and more energetic. Tomorrow I'll mow the front yard. I've had to tip the mower on it's side periodically and use a screwdriver to scrape all of the pasted on grassy goop from under the mower case. It's so wet out there none of the mulched grass is landing on the yard.

I've cleared a few horizontal surfaces in the kitchen and when I go out in a few minutes I'll take some recycling and Goodwill donations to drop off. And I need to look for a special pet hair broom a friend told me about, one that has short dense bristles and seems to dislodge a lot more from the floor than standard brooms. My whole house needs a going over at this point!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: LilyFestre
Date: 02 Feb 20 - 03:36 PM

Hello Friends!

    Today I am full of anxious energy. Pete will get the results from his full body scan and CT scan tomorrow morning. I've finished up 3 loads of laundry, made a batch of homemade Cheeseburger Soup, balanced the checkbook cleaned out the fridge and have had a shower. I'm looking at my piano which is covered with all kinds of stuff and am thinking about taking care of that surface next. My closet still needs MAJOR assistance but I'm not sure I have enough energy left for that mess!
    I am doing well aside from this miserable anxiety. I have Xanax and another anti-anxiety medication but I think cleaning/cooking works equally well for me so I'm trying that route first. Work is going well. I had to take a week off to assist Pete with medical things but I saw all of my clients and everyone is all up to date which means I crammed 4 weeks worth of work into one!
    I had a lovely Mother-Daughter day yesterday with my mom. We went to lunch at a new Thai place and did some grocery shopping together...doesn't sound like much but I was so happy to have some girl time..it didn't matter what we were doing.
    I haven't been keeping up with Mudcat lately but know that I think of you all often and hope all is well with each of you.

Much love always,

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Feb 20 - 04:33 PM

Careful, Michelle - they'll start thinking you can work like that all of the time and quadruple your case load (not entirely jokingly - this is an issue in many social service agencies.) But good for you and your fortunate clients! Our best to you all as far as the results tomorrow! Will you be making another quilt one of these days for Pete's health care center?

Anxiety and medical stuff do go hand-in-hand, and it's building now that I'm ~2 weeks away from a knee replacement. I'm pushing past the anxiety on the stationary bike at the gym, and though it's a bit of a struggle, I mowed the back yard yesterday and the front today.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 03 Feb 20 - 07:32 AM

Garbage day in Stratford, the weekly feast of municipal neatness. You never appreciate garbage service until you live somewhere without it, or a place where they charge you up front and in cash what it really costs.

The book project is going okay, but I’m still working on the not-shirking-fitness piece. It’s too easy to sit down in front of the computer at 0815 and return to reality just in time to realize that I should have left for the Y fifteen minutes ago. Bugger.

Fingers crossed for Pete.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: LilyFestre
Date: 03 Feb 20 - 01:30 PM

Pete got great news at the doctor today! The scan shows that there are still malignant spots but we were assured that this is normal and that the radiation will continue to kill off any cancerous cells. Pete will be safe for us to be around although the radiation activity continues for about 3 months...it is still a powerful tool against remaining cancer cells. He will have scans, bloodwork and medication adjustments in the months ahead. For now, we get to breathe and hopefully get some peaceful rest.

Also, I mis-typed in my last post. I got 4 weeks worth of work crammed into 3 weeks, NOT ONE...Oh my...that just isn't possible!

Maggie...my mom had her knee replaced a few years ago....the more you prepare yourself with exercise now, the better. Who will take care of your dogs while you recover?

Thanks for all the good wishes, prayers and crossed fingers for Pete!!!

XOXOOXOX

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Feb 20 - 06:23 PM

Whew! I'm glad to read that, Michelle, on all accounts (Pete's health and your workload!)

We're going to wing it on the dogs - I think they'll spend more time in the yard and garage stall (with a heater, if it gets cool); I'll have my neighbor come wrangle the dogs before PT if I need help. I'll have someone spend the night for the first couple of nights home, people stopping by on their way home from work, and a couple of friends I'll schedule for rides to appointments. One thing about being retired with retired friends, our time is more fluid.

There is stuff to do beforehand, and today's "joint camp" offered insight on what to plan for at the house and what to expect as far as the surgery. Keeping the dogs out from underfoot is going to be critical because they're tripping hazards under the best conditions. I think I'll be moving the SUV to the far side of the garage to leave plenty of space next to the stall and gate, and have it set up so whoever is feeding them doesn't have to fool with them coming into the house via the back door or dog door.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 03 Feb 20 - 07:21 PM

Dupont:

Good news re Pete!

A better day today but still far from energetic! R went to work for part of Sat, and today he is not home yet. This has been a real nasty bug. The AI tea has been great. We both drink it in sips all day. Clears the head pretty well and makes me feel a bit better generally. R has been taking vit C. Today, I have eaten more food than any day in a couple weeks. I want to try not to get back to eating "too much".

Had to throw out 2 qts of once good soup today, found in back of frig.

Weather at freezing point - only! - and longer days are cheering.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 04 Feb 20 - 10:11 AM

Himself set out on the train today for Ottawa, where he intends to do some legal research at the Mother House of the Judge Advocate General of the Canadian Forces. He won't be back until Sunday, so I have the house to myself for a few days.

But my main concern is the book.

It is *so* not a good book, but the best I can do with it is make it a little less bad. The author has spent his adult life writing about war and armies, especially the Canadian Army but he's not picky. He's prolific, with some 14 works in print right now, but he obviously went native at some early point so every paragraph is larded with staff-speak and soldiers' jargon. After only a week of working with this book again, I'm already heartily sick of troops "engaging" insurgents with mortar fire, enemy forces being "attrited" by air strikes, and fighters "exfiltrating" the area of operations. His primary sources are the Daily Situation Reports in which every manoeuvre unit records the minutiae of life in their grid square, and they are overwhelmingly written in the passive voice. So the author does the same, to the great detriment of the story; when everything is passive, it's a tad difficult to tell who does what and with which and to whom. Which, as we all know, is the very essence of Story.

But, as my dear old sergeant used to say, it's clean work and I don't have to do it at night if I don't want to.

Speaking of clean work, with Himself out of the house, I guess I can wash the kitchen floor any old time.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Feb 20 - 01:03 PM

Making a checklist of things to do daily and at various frequencies once I'm home again after surgery. And after reading through the list of exercises involved in PT, I can see that I'll need to arrange some sets of chairs for stretches and leg extensions, depending on where I am in the house when the time is right. And instead of Swedish "death cleaning" I'll undertake surgical "health cleaning." It involves clothes, bedding, and towels right before I go in, and having things that are easy to wear after. A shopping I will go (for sweatpants)!

Too bad Susan hasn't been able to participate for a while, because I'm also entertaining entering one of her favorite therapy zones: the swimming pool. I worked through a chart that suggests the size I need and I'll go over to the local Academy Sports and Outdoors and try one on. Better to have it ahead of time than have to go get one later. WYSISYG has quite an apparatus setup, I think, that goes in the van or car and with her to the gym. I'll have to go look at some of her older posts and see what she settled on.

Charmion, I also need to mop the floor. We're in another rainy session so it'll only work for so long. I also am testing a silicone broom thing that was recommended by friends to more thoroughly pick up pet hair and grit when sweeping. This one. With silicone "bristles" it does seem to keep hair from going airborne.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 05 Feb 20 - 03:19 PM

Thanks for that link, Stilly. The same tool is for sale on the Canadian site, and I'm a-gonna get me one -- or maybe two. Our kitchen broom is a disgrace, and the one in the basement is worse.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Feb 20 - 11:53 PM

I went in for a pneumonia vaccination a couple of days ago and that knocked me a bit off my game; the arm is stiff and I was moving slow, but I've perked up this evening.

An expansion card for the computer (more USB 3 ports) arrived so I need to again rearrange the stuff in my office so I can reach the back panel of the computer to install the card. It takes up two of the SATA slots for power so I may not be able to add much more (it will be connecting to external devices instead). More clutter on the desktop. :-/

Next week I'll see about taking unusable devices to the ewaste bin on campus; I have a bunch of batteries and old disks also. Today I was talking to a friend who is converting old computer disks and commented they needed access to a Commodore to do some of that work. I still have my father's old computer, but it hasn't been turned on in 23 years. Perhaps it's time to find someone who would like it and in return have them convert all of the disks into something usable on a modern machine. I happen to know such a geek. . . it would be nice to have it out of the house. And the huge CRT monitor that goes with it.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Donuel
Date: 08 Feb 20 - 07:30 AM

Enjoy the things you can on your 'joint' vacation.
With all your prep you have assured you do no harm to yourself immediately afterwards. There is such a thing as "too soon".

Unsinkable, indefatiguable, undefeatable as you are, use the brace as needed.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Feb 20 - 10:20 AM

I may need to arm the walker with spikes to keep the dogs at bay! ;-)

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Feb 20 - 10:54 AM

More mowing today, and if I'm smart, I'll pick up all of the hoses that are around the edge of the house in the front yard - I manage to miss them with the height set on my mower, but I'll have a friend mow a couple of times later this month and he has a riding mower that seems to cut shorter. I'd rather not declutter my pocketbook buying new hoses for summer.

It's time to assemble a new compost bin/enclosure that is dog-proof. Easier said than done. On Pinterest I see one assembled with pallets, and over the years I've had a few pallets, but finding four that are roughly the same size that aren't contaminated by something that soaked into them - I'll keep my eye on the trash this week. Pallet compost bin would go up quickly and I could build a chicken wire top to keep the pup out of it. The other thing I could have used is old fence panels cut to size, but I got rid of those and don't anticipate taking apart more fence until spring. I suppose I could build my own cut-down fence panels. Treated lumber cross-members and cedar pickets. Hmmm. That might be a more reliable way to do it than wait for pallets.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 10 Feb 20 - 10:22 AM

Himself is returning from his research trip today, and I have not washed the kitchen floor. I swept up the loose matter (enough cat hair to start a new cat), but the splots remain. My bad.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Feb 20 - 10:55 AM

No worry, I did some of that for you. I'm working my way through the house this week to clean and dust and discard things that should have been tossed a while ago. I've used a combination of mopping and a scrub brush to release debris from the embossed pattern on the tile, and I'm thinking maybe one of those Swiffer spray thingies kept near the door to regularly go over dog footprints? It'll be a test, at any rate. I tried a new cleaner I see around a lot (a Mexican one called Fabulosa) that I really dislike the smell of. Not many places sell my old favorite Spic and Span, so I'll find some citrus scented PineSol. The pine scent gives me a horrible headache, and the Fabulosa may be a contributor to sinus stuff this morning. #FirstWorldProblems

Last night I finally plugged in and installed and tested a printer from my son's college days; time to list it on eBay. I've since uninstalled and moved it out of the way. I'm thinking anything I pack and prepare to list this month will be scheduled to start on March 1 so I'm more back to my old mobility to get any outgoing parcels to the front door to hand to the postal carrier when they come by.

Michelle, are you in the middle of winter-time activities there or is it soon time to start bringing home the chicks, calves, and piglets? Will Pete take on some of the same tasks this year, do you think? I hope he continues to feel better all of the time!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 11 Feb 20 - 11:46 AM

Change of subject.

Today, we are dealing with a true late-life issue: signing the contract and organizing the payment for our interment arrangements. Who knew that getting ourselves buried would cost ten thousand frickin' dollars? I sincerely hope that includes the cremation.

As veterans, we are entitled to be planted in the National Military Cemetery in Ottawa. No, it's not our version of Arlington; Canada doesn't roll that way. Almost all our war dead lie overseas, as it is the British tradition (which we share) to bury fallen soldiers where they died. Cheaper. (You think I'm kidding? I'm not.)

It's also way beyond time I finished typing out our wills and power-of-attorney documents. We hired a lawyer in Ottawa, but he (or his assistant) made an insultingly bad job of it and, when I complained, fired us as clients. So I have their draft, with its crap language and weirdly old-fashioned provisions -- who nowadays cuts a relative out of the will because their parents were not married? Half Quebec would be in probate court on that rule alone.

Meanwhile, in another part of the forest, I am learning to type with gloves on. They are special open-fingertip gloves made of magic fabric for people with Raynaud's Syndrome, and I'm desperately hoping they work because productivity on the book project is currently crap. It's hard enough to copy-edit a great thumping book about the war in Afghanistan that seems to be written entirely in the passive voice; doing it with numb fingers is just Too Flipping Much.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Feb 20 - 03:35 PM

There is something in Washington State called the People's Memorial Association. My parents there both were signed up and they prepaid their cremation and all of the stuff ahead of time. I think we were out of pocket only a couple hundred dollars for some of the legal documents involved. They offered to write the obituary - I worked for a newspaper writing obituaries, and have seen the crap ones funeral homes write. You'd think they'd be better at it. Anyway, I don't think they do out-of-state folks (never did) but if I end up back up there, I'll sign up. Plan prices for members. This doesn't cover a funeral, and no one in our family has wanted or had a funeral in decades. We rent the local hall in a park nearby and do a huge friends and family potluck "celebration of life" with time for people to speak. It works for us. (When dad died it was all of that plus a song circle.)

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Feb 20 - 12:03 PM

A huge load of dog-related laundry is in right now, and there will be bags of shredded dog stuff at the curb on Monday morning as I thin out some of this stuff.

I found another vintage White sewing machine in a table at Goodwill yesterday - cleaned up and with most if its attachments these things sell for good money on eBay (though they're cast iron and weigh a ton as far as shipping - a random check show that some of these cost more to ship than to purchase). The attachments alone would sell for more than I paid for this. Something to work on next month.

In the realm of the totally mundane, I've settled on a citrus scent PineSol product for mopping because it doesn't give me a sinus headache every time I get a whiff of it. This doesn't just apply to a scrubbing product; I know I'm not as sensitive to stuff as Dorothy is, but I'm careful about my laundry detergent, I never use dryer sheets (yuck!) and soaps and shampoos need to be mildly scented or I can't stand to have them around. It seems over time and is a good thing the magazines have stopped shipping with perfume strips (I always had to meet those at the door, rip them out while I was outside, and toss them straight into the trash can).

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Feb 20 - 12:57 PM

Sunshine and cool air today, but it should warm to about 70 for the next couple of days, so I must turn my attention to the clutter of tangled hoses and weeds that thrive even in cold weather and low light and gush into growth as the days get longer. It's also time to take bags of stuff to Goodwill and the recycle bins. I dropped 12 pounds of lead acid batteries (two from my updated UPS) at a local battery store.

Dog stuff needs attention. It's time to launder the sofa cover and add a couple of more lengths of denim to the backside of it that can then be tucked under the seat cushions to keep it in place. It works much better than elastic bands. Maybe I've invented the next big thing that can be sold on Amazon.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 15 Feb 20 - 05:08 PM

Still at Dupont!

A neighbour at Beaver kindly took key to post box and let me know what was there, ascertained nothing needs attention until April. But I would like to get there!

Actually started feeling alive again last Sunday! WOW! I was beginning to wonder. And I am really trying to maintain. With cold weather, I managed a 30 minute walk once this week and a trip to the library and grocery. I begged R to bring the snow shovel back so I could work on clearing the back deck; he brought it, and before I knew he was here, he did the clearing I wanted to do - for exercise! What part of.... There is still the rest of the deck but I am not going to waste energy clearing that which will get another foot or more before spring finally appears. It is so difficult for me to do something unnecessary even when I need the exercise. I go up and down the stairs often, happy to have the energy to do so.

Today, he put in an absolutely needed new outlet in the TV/etc room with two power cords. Now I can gather my brain to install new printer - hope.So far it is out of the box. Next wave of energy, I will try next move. The weather is getting heavy; this affects my ability to think clearly.

I am still drinking/sipping the anti-inflammation tea much of the time; it really does make me feel better.

I did the floors and the dishes and laundry are caught up. The pepper seedlings are surviving; bruggie and hibbie are getting new growth. The big schefflera each have new growth. I cut some more tomato shoots and put them in vases to root. There is still about 18 inches of snow on yard. - on top of our daffies!

With bitter weather, I have started using the wood stove - after getting a cord of nice wood. It does make the den cosy. Does not save any money on heat since I keep the doors closed and the thermostat is across the hall in the LR.

I suppose we could turn the thermostat down a bit but we are afraid to touch it. We thought we had convinced the furnace to stay on but it quit again last week, after a month of flawless behaviour! R did fiddling once or twice and it started again. He has no idea what works. My son and Dil also tried when they were here but - it does what it does! I thought my son the engineer... but... Hence - I am happy to have wood for the stove! And some heat in cellar and addition so things won't freeze... hope! A professional? Not in the books! I guess we both believe a "pro" would have no more luck and would be $$$$!

I have confidence that spring will come again...! Some sun is wonderful!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: LilyFestre
Date: 15 Feb 20 - 05:28 PM

Hi Everybody!

   Things are very, very slowly working their way back to normal. Pete was able to go to work for 4 days this week. I was able to get in my full 40 hours and Jeremiah's schedule really hasn't changed at all...we did our best to keep things *normal* for him.
    Today I got my bangs trimmed and did a little shopping on my own. Alone time! Last weekend, after church, I did a ton of grocery shopping and then had a little time out with some friends to do a craft project. I think it's the first time since October that I've been able to do that...it felt good but strange.
    I've been putting in a lot of hours at work, so much so that I had to go in late and leave early on Friday. I clocked out but spent some time going through old paperwork, getting rid of a lot of outdated Department of Health notices and did some organizing and filing of other things. I also got rid of 3 amaryllis and potted 3 more bulbs to place in the office hallway at my end of the building where the sunshine is almost magical. I know you can keep the bulbs to replant and have done that before without luck...so we voted to just ditch them...it's not like our cubbies/cubicles are big enough to store a lot of items. Anyway...then I went through with the Clorox wipes...lots of flu in our building and my goal is to stay free of all of that.
    I wish I could say that my home is as organized and as neat as my work space but alas, I don't think that will ever be the case. Right now, I am content to get the daily tasks completed. I am often tired and so is Pete. I am hoping that I feel a little more energized when it's warmer out and we have longer hours of daylight.
    Maggie, when is your surgery scheduled for?

Love to all,

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Feb 20 - 12:02 PM

My good deed for the week was to take a new trash bag across the street and gather up the trash that was evidently put out last night and dragged apart by raccoons or dogs or whatever. They're both elderly and it was an easy thing to do for them.

I decided to upgrade my Fire tablet to the newer version since I've read that it can use apps from Google Play Store and not just the wonky stuff in the Amazon Appstore, but like any moderately geeky buyer knows, you have to hack your device to get it to do this. It's not perfect, but I have a few of my apps in that I couldn't get otherwise. I've also realized I could have done it on the older reader, but this one does have a longer battery and various upgrades to be expected.

The trip to the mobile vet at my favorite feed store wasn't a total success this weekend. Two of the three dogs got their nails clipped; the old lab was pretty mellow, the little boxer/pit mix struggled a lot and kind of lathered a little bit. The blue heeler was having none of it and even managed to struggle out of the muzzle I told them they probably needed. I was taking the lab back to the SUV and bringing in the pup when the vet tech met me at the front door with the blue heeler, and she described what happened. "She went berserk when you walked away." It reminds me that while dogs are pretty good survivors, a grown dog you brought home from the shelter has some baggage. She was at the shelter for about four months and someone took her there, handed her over and walked away. It breaks my heart a little. :-( We came home and she stuck real close to me, but by bedtime she was back to her old self.

Monday is laundry day even though it is a US holiday. When you're retired I guess every day is a holiday.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 18 Feb 20 - 03:13 PM

... or no day is a holiday. Same for freelancers -- you never have a day off because you're always either working or looking for work.

Today I'm editing with seven kilos of purring, claw-flexing tomcat on my lap. It's not going well.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Feb 20 - 08:34 PM

I had a day and a half off, and am now back with a new titanium knee, and a number of bottles of pills to tend to the various aches and swelling. Just checking in before heading to prop the leg again. I have a squirt bottle with me to keep the dogs away from the walker.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 20 Feb 20 - 06:01 PM

I hope you're not too uncomfortable, Stilly.

Now, there's one way cats are better than dogs; they don't have wagging tails that knock your walker over. Also, depending on which part of you has been surgically insulted, they can be great company during convalescence.

I have pleasant memories of waking up from a drug-hazed doze to find Black Maria, a half-Siamese cat of great wit and sagacity, watching me from a perch on my fresh plaster cast, which was propped on a stack of pillows. Her eyes glowing in the dark made her look like an imp of Hell, but any fool could tell from the purring that she was working on an agenda from The Other Place.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Feb 20 - 10:30 PM

I nodded off on the sofa for a while with a small black and white puppy snuggled up beside my other leg, and it was nice to have that little bit of heat. Back when I had cats I found that they have a great sense of the best place to hang out and purr, or sometimes to purr and massage.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Feb 20 - 10:28 PM

My circle of friends and family seem to have hit a low point; I'm limping around with a walker (and keeping the foot up more after overdoing it a bit too much today); a friend had surgery (carpel tunnel, a disabled friend whose husband has an advancing form of dementia - "I never thought I'd be the sound one of the two of us"), a friend with a case of the flu who has a parent on life-support (who she was going to go say goodbye to this week). We'll all just take it one day at a time for now.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: mg
Date: 22 Feb 20 - 04:17 AM

Just as you said that the song one day at a time popped into my head...been singing it a lot lately. It

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: mg
Date: 23 Feb 20 - 03:16 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYNS_piIwiI

one day at a time

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Feb 20 - 01:20 PM

I'll spare the blow-by-blow account of this knee, except to say that the bruising on the back of my leg is spectacular and the ice pack comes in handy on various parts of the leg during the day. I'm using the walker to rattle at the dogs to get them to back off, I don't really need it to walk, haven't since the weekend. I'm working on walking upright, heel-toe, heel-toe, and we'll see what the physical therapist says.

Voting is coming up and I have plans to attempt early voting this week at a near by location; my request for absentee was rejected by the county and though they sent a new application it had to be received the next day. If they couldn't receive the last paper in four days, one day would be impossible. This is my only thing on the "to do" list for now.

Susan, if you can vote, I hope you do. Every vote counts this year!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Donuel
Date: 24 Feb 20 - 01:31 PM

March comes in like a wounded giant auroch and April comes in like a kitten.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Feb 20 - 10:55 AM

I have realized over the last week that the hip abduction exercise, moving your leg from straight over to the side and back ("windshield wiper" my PT calls it) has given me a raging case of bursitis in that hip, and it doesn't respond to the narcotic pain relievers. Ibuprofen is perfect for it, but I can't take it now. So I'll stop doing that exercise several times a day and see if this clears up. Today the rest of the leg is incredibly tender after the massage workover it got; she texted to see how I'm feeling and said we can skip that next time. Yes, please!

Declutter isn't high on my list right now, though I did manage to take that silicone broom/squeegee thing and round up the worst of the dog hair accumulated over a week. (Charmion, have you received one to try yet? What do you think?)

There is a rather demented sounding songbird that seems to come in around 90 decibels right at dawn outside my bedroom window. I notice it because it's usually about time to get up to take medications and the first time I heard it I was astonished at the noise. It perches in a tree about 10' from the house and blasts out this greeting to the world. I suppose the really odd thing is that it is only this one bird. It seems that dawn thunder used to mean lots and lots of birds that time of day.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Feb 20 - 01:03 PM

The endorsement entry today. :)

My new glasses from Zenni arrived this morning - I think it was Michelle who gave them a ringing endorsement when I was considering going to mail order. They look good, and this time I did let them add a couple of the coatings I usually refuse because online they don't add hundreds to the bill.

Good Rx is continuing to be my new best friend. With all of the running that has to happen after surgery I've decided to change pharmacies to the one that does save us a lot, and adding on Good Rx makes it much more affordable.

I called the grocery store pharmacy to talk about how to pay for the Rx without having someone make an extra trip for my payment card and I'll update the app I already had to take care of that. While on the phone I shared with the pharmacist the name of the product that has me back at the store regularly: Private Selection Denali Extreme Moose Tracks ice cream. This is the mid-range of three Moose Tracks ice cream they carry - the most hard core one is too much for me (Denali Extreme Maximum Fudge Moose Tracks is so over the top it's overkill for me).

Those are my endorsements and I'm sticking to them. (I'm not buying the ice cream now because I'm avoiding sugar since I don't think it would be helpful with this healing process.)

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 27 Feb 20 - 10:01 AM

And here I was thinking that Moose Tracks ice cream was peculiar to Canada! The creamery that produces it around here is called Kawartha Lakes in Peterborough, Ontario, where moose are most definitely a thing.

I hope the post-op pain is beginning to ebb, Stilly. I hated having to dope myself up to get through the day with busted bones because the drugs made me too weak to get around, especially in and out of the bathroom. That was genuinely grim, and rather frightening.

Work on the book is going better. The client -- not the author -- likes the first chapter, and I'm deep into the second (of five). Author isn't under contract yet for this phase of the project, so I'm not allowed to talk to him about it. He's not going to cheer when he sees how much military jargon I have tossed. It's the kind of book in which soldiers don't fight, they "engage". Not on my watch, they don't.

Yesterday was Ash Wednesday, so we are now in Lent, the season of fasting and repentence. I'm not very good at the repentence part, but it's my favourite time of the year for getting my shit together: cooking healthy meals, squaring away the taxes, turning out closets and washing grubby corners. I also go on the wagon in Lent; six weeks without booze is a favour I like to do for my liver. Let's see if I make it all the way to Easter this year.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Feb 20 - 01:45 PM

There are good days and bad days with the knee. At least the PT explains what the thing is that is feeling bad when I point out some painful exercise or massage move. Counting down the days to when I can stop wearing these compression things on my calves. The two months of workouts ahead of surgery are making a big difference.

This afternoon I checked the mail then spent 20 minutes in the sun on the new glider out there, reading the latest David Sedaris essay in The New Yorker. There could be worst stuff going on right now. Later on I'll have a friend help me by changing the florescent bulbs in my bathroom fixture; all four went out at once (probably the circuit will be restored if only two bulbs are replaced.) Simple stuff for now.

Moose tracks is too good to sequester north of the border. Thankfully things like recipes can be safely reproduced by other companies. Good luck assuaging that author. With the repetitions you describe it isn't simply an example of "kill your darlings" to make it read better. It has to read better before you can kill any of it off. :-/

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 29 Feb 20 - 12:56 PM

Dupont:

I continue to muddle along with a moderately clean house, dishes washed when necessary and an energy level that goes up and down like a roller coaster. Each morning I wonder what it will be today. R has been getting up earlier and dashing away, sometimes before BF. He seems to have hit a high energy spell. Good for him. When he leaves early, I can go out and do things - if there is no snow/ice and it's not bitterly cold.

Today I went out to clear the car of ice and gave up. I park facing the sun but it had not had time and I ran the engine to warm the windshield and found it cost as much gas as driving to the store. Turned it off, not yet cleared, and came back inside. With the Prius, I have become more hypersensitive to fuel consumption - it tells me. I would have gone to the Ile but maybe I will walk down to the river; it is up to minus 9C whatever that is -COLD.

All morning on the computer: FB, finances, emails. Keeping the fire going in the den last couple days. Nice little stove; good wood. Heater went off, again, a couple days ago. Started the fire, R did what he does - "I have no idea"! It did not get too cold as there is supplementary heat in the basement, and the wood! He tried again in the am and the house was warming by bedtime. Hot water heat: it takes a while for the water to get warm! Professional - HAH! maybe a visitor will have an idea - but not so far. Anyway, it will be spring in a few weeks!

Sun gone; lunchtime.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: LilyFestre
Date: 29 Feb 20 - 08:41 PM

Hey Maggie,

   So glad to see you are home and it sounds like you are doing well!!!!   My mom had her knee done a few years ago and ended up having to do rehab at a local nursing home for a few weeks as an inpatient. Give yourself some time....that surgery takes a bit of time to really heal up. I'm super glad your pre-surgery exercises have paid off! I'm also glad to hear that the glasses from Zenni worked out well for you! I order glasses from there for clients who have Medicaid and are only allowed one new script every year or two and haven't had a complaint yet!

Things here are ok. It was a work week from you know where....the weather isn't helping.

I can't wait for full on spring days with longer amounts of daylight and no worries about icy roads.

Love to all,

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Mar 20 - 03:36 PM

I have a few photos of my leg from the last almost-two weeks, and have had conclude that Stan Boreson's Song I Just Don't Look Good Naked Anymore is timely. Maybe if I finally lose the 30 pounds from the polymyalgia and then the grinding of the arthritic knee I can revise this status.

Around the house I am managing to keep the dishes washed and the laundry done. I've swept up dog hair a couple of times and yesterday tackled the carpet in the front room with the vacuum. I'm walking well enough that I can take the trash bags to the curb tomorrow morning.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 02 Mar 20 - 10:53 AM

Both Himself and I are writing these days. He's on his first paper for his doctoral program, and I, of course, am editing the dreaded Afghanistan book. (Think of the lovely money, Charmion.) So it was a minor miracle that the laundry got done yesterday and some much-needed cooking, but the house remains a mess. But it's March, so the world's a mess; after a week of snow, high winds and intense cold (for Stratford), today we have rain and it's disgusting.

I laid off pool class last week while it was so cold, and the red rash on my face cleared up. So that's definite; it's eczema from the pool chemicals. Phooey. I guess that means I have a choice: smear my face with Vaseline on pool days, or go around looking like a teeenager with acne.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Mar 20 - 12:24 PM

I still have to do elevation and exercises but thankfully those annoying (but necessary) compression cuffs are off of my legs as of today. Shuffling around the house with that weird hum and buzz of them working, walking up tethered to the charging cord - ack.

I'm sorely tempted to mow the back yard - in small stages. I know, I know, give it time. But still, it's going to be a real bitch to mow after the rain coming tomorrow.

I am managing to maintain a relatively clean kitchen, running the dishwasher every day or two and emptying doesn't take long. Doing laundry. And I vacuumed a whole bunch of dog hair the other day. Then I rested. The PT says no pool for at least another month.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Donuel
Date: 03 Mar 20 - 12:36 PM

Let April arrive unmolested by impatience.

Our kitchen has never been so clean and organized.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Mar 20 - 01:47 PM

This month is my quarterly bulky waste curbside pickup and I'm not dragging anything to the curb. I haven't dismantled any fences, furniture, or trees to need to discard. But come June, I may have something to contribute!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 04 Mar 20 - 12:01 PM

Himself has a Barbour jacket that has finally met its end with the ignominious parting of one side of the zipper from the front panel of the garment. Barbour jackets are sinfully expensive, but this one owes us nothing; it was purchased in 2003 and has been resealed and repaired several times, but it is now so worn that the canvas shell looks as if Himself might have gone turkey-hunting with Dick Cheney.

So the mail-order crap shoot begins. The best hope is something called the Upland Shooting Coat from LL Bean, and Himself spent the morning in correspondence with a Freeport minion over the precise measurements across the back at shoulder level and from the back collar seam to the hem. The great virtue of the Barbour was that it went on comfortably over a Harris tweed jacket dating from the long-skirted 1970s (no bum-freezers for us), so the replacement must do the same.

The Barbour will end its life in the Stratford landfill, though I think it deserves a Viking funeral.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Senoufou
Date: 04 Mar 20 - 06:42 PM

We only noticed yesterday that a new poster had been attached to a telegraph pole near our house, declaring that our village is having another huge Yard Sale on March 29th. We hurried down to the village shop and registered our address, so when they print the maps, our house will be marked as 'selling'.
Now I'm having a lovely time scurrying round opening cupboards and drawers to find things to sell.
The last one, during the autumn, had to be deferred twice due to bad weather. Hope this one will go ahead as planned.
I thought I'd more or less got rid of any stuff we no longer needed, but I'm finding still more to put out for the customers to grab!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Mar 20 - 09:32 PM

A friend is having her kitchen remodeled, and spent a couple of days opening all cupboards and drawers, astonished at the redundant items and the things she never uses. Much of it will be donated, and I suspect most of us could do something like that.

Bandage came off, stepping down on the painkillers, still in PT and exercising, no driving yet. A field trip to the grocery store after the doctor was nice, I picked up my first chocolate in over 2 weeks. I already had some nice mixed nuts, no peanuts, just the good stuff, brought in last week by a friend as an item on my shopping list. I always buy dark chocolate chips to mix in with them but didn't want to make him look for too many things; I thought I'd be fine with the nuts, but they just weren't quite right. At the store today in the point-of-purchase area I grabbed a bag of peanut M&Ms to mix with them. It'll work - and it's the little things that make all the difference sometimes!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Mar 20 - 12:26 PM

Next week outpatient therapy begins, and I picked a place that is easy to drive to, though I may not be driving the first time I go there. Google maps was helpful (some of these places are tucked into hard-to-reach neighborhoods); the place I chose I've heard good things about and I can reach via surface roads instead of the freeway. When I'm not in therapy, just on my own, I need to walk upright, shift weight from one leg to the other without a sway or limp, etc. I've started moving furniture back to it's original places.

The kitchen is clean, the dining table is in good shape, I've kept up with laundry and bed linens, etc, and I should start doing the eBay stuff again soon. I've finally figured out when the mail carrier tends to come by and can hand things over to her instead of driving to the post office. My old routine can pretty much pick up where it left off not quite three weeks ago. I'm not sure when the activity of dog walking will be added back; I'll probably have to walk them each one at a time for a little while.

On a separate note, it sounds like there is some important decluttering happening at my old employer. The state chancellor has forced out the university president (who was recently sued for bullying women employees) - he announced that he leaves end of August. And at that time there will be no more protection for the wretched human being who has been the library dean since 2012. If they get rid of those two I can see people considering returning to work there.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Mar 20 - 11:28 AM

Field trip to the grocery store, via a ride from a friend. I'm down to half a day without the heavy-duty painkiller. Trouble is, when I sleep I thrash around and my knee is sore in the morning. They forbid sleeping in a recliner, so it's a tussle with moving a pillow around the knee. My fitness tracker shows I wake up between 8 and 11 times a night over the last couple of weeks.

Back to the stretches, exercises, and elevation. . .

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Mar 20 - 10:02 AM

I've just cleaned out some of the male posts on that oddball "buzz flies" thread - I'm not interested in joining it, but unhappy that some of the guys feel the need to pile on, not understanding at all why that is inappropriate. #DoneAndDusted - for now.

So yesterday I tried half a day with just Tylenol and it was a fairly miserable 12 hours. The tramodol (I just took at night yesterday) is making things more comfortable, so I'll try 6 hours without it today and extend the periods between taking them. The knee is much better, the flexibility is increasing, but every morning after thrashing around in bed all night the swelling is back and I have to work to decrease it. And today I have to go to court to tell them about the accident I witnessed a few months ago - the woman who was at fault is contesting the ticket. I have some loose black trousers that will give the knee room to move and should be businesslike enough for that environment. No pajama pants or gray sweatpants for court.

With all of my deliberate steps around here, walking heel-toe to use the knee properly and train myself not to limp, the laundry is getting done and the dishes are washed. I took my trash to the curb. My neighbor mowed the front lawn the other day and that kept me from thinking I might try it, or calling a friend who has a fancy mower (and charges a hefty fee). The back yard will be a jungle when I next get to it, making a grassy pesto under the deck of the mower that I have to regularly tip so I can scrape off the green paste.

This is getting old; I'm to three weeks and it's much better than it was, but I have a lot of ground to cover before I'm up to my old energy level. International Women's Day was celebrated yesterday, I enjoyed listening to reports about it on the news this morning. By next January I'll be back to my old self and be able to put on my pink knit cap and march in celebration (or protest, whichever it happens to be).

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 09 Mar 20 - 10:19 AM

Garbage is out and the sun is shining. Off to a good start.

We had the neighbours in to dinner last night, which forced me to vacuum the sitting room and wash the dining room floor, and Himself to clean the ground floor loo. Sure enough, when i went in there to pee before bed, the sink was lovely and shining, a fine contrast with the squeeze bottle of Vim standing proudly beside the soapdish.

Sigh.

Housework is truly the macho bullshit of women.

Stilly, if you're thrashing around that much, are you sure you're taking enough dope at night? I remember that phase of recovery, and it was a bitch -- do too much and you writhe in pain today, do too little and you writhe in pain the day after tomorrow. I learned to sleep on my side with the affected leg resting on a pillow between my knees, without rolling over, but that was 30 years ago; I doubt I could do that now.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Mar 20 - 11:17 PM

The pillow thing works sometimes, but the trouble was that after a couple of days a hip abduction exercise brought on an excruciating case of bursitis in that hip, and the painkillers for the surgery did squat for it. I stopped that exercise and asked about it and do a mix of ice on the hip and heat on the thigh muscle or behind my hip in back and under the thigh, so when those muscles relax the bursa settles down. But if I lie on my side it pushes the muscle down onto the bursa and it starts hurting again. It's too close to the surgery to get a steroid shot in it. Ice, heat, and a couple of specific exercises have helped and I can sleep with the pillow a little bit now. Motrin isn't allowed now, and it is those anti-inflammatory meds that make a big difference.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 10 Mar 20 - 06:32 PM

Dupont:

Let's see, now: Last Friday I drove to Beaver, and back - ten hour trip. The front door was iced shut due to my negligence in not removing screen door in the fall, I had to clamber around to the back door through 2 feet or more of snow and the back deck had over 2 feet. I turned on the electric blanket, and started a fire in the stove, having discovered water spraying out of the plumbing. Pulled the plug on the pump and ... Went to neighbour to pick up mail she had gotten for me - She was so sick, she threw it to me out of the second floor window (in a briefcase! Went back to the house, battened down the hatches, turned off the blanket and got back in the car and drove back.

Today, I finally got the mental energy to connect my new printer to the wifi. Had to phone Epson for help and the third person sent me an email with good instructions - too bad they were not in the box. The push was so I could vote on line - When I went to do that..... The emailed ones needed to be in by 2nd. If it were not such a waste of energy, I might have wept.

I have finally kind of figured out the apple add on to the TV that my son gave me for Christmas and watched two wonderful programs yesterday.

And reading through the current posts, I was reminded to wash the sheets today! Other, than that, I am recovering from trip and almost ready to try again. House is in its usual moderately clean condition. OH, but the heat has gone off today so I need to keep a fire in the stove!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Mar 20 - 07:03 PM

Oh, Dorothy! It sounds like Beaver is going to be a challenge when the weather finally warms. From previous reports I'm guessing you have to get past the freezing and then mud parts of the year before you can do much there.

Physical Therapist here today worked with me to figure out a combination of pillows so I should be able to sleep comfortably on my side, at least for a longer period of time than I have been.

I sent a query out into the ether on Facebook to see if anyone has a report on WYSIWYG. Hoping for the best, but after such a long time, fearing the worst.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Mar 20 - 12:41 PM

I am about 25 days out from the knee replacement and last night was my first better night's sleep in all of that time. My fitness tracker shows I have been waking an average of 11 times each night (typically I wake 1 to 3 times) because I struggle with a way to get comfortable. Last night it was only 6 times, and I can feel the difference. When my timer went off to take my nighttime dose of pain meds I went back to sleep and didn't wake up for the next nearly six hours. I think the knee is finally to the point where I can position it so the bursitis doesn't flare up. #BabySteps

For the last 3+ weeks I've been stuck at home in recovery mode, and since I have a recent surgical injury still mending it's all the more important to spend the next 2-4 weeks at home in dodge-the-coronavirus mode. I need to give myself a big task to do (that I can put down when I get tired) so I feel like I'm not in limbo for two months this year. Are any of the rest of you making a similar decision, and are you working on a goal at home to make the time productive for you? Michelle, I worry about you the most with a job in a public-facing agency that absolutely needs to be there to help clients. Are you able to help some of your clientele over the phone or do they have to appear in person?

I started a bit of a contretemps with a former co-worker when I suggested that the library not let students congregate in the library if they can't go to classes. The whole point of not having classes is to keep them socially separated for their health but they also have to have a care for the state employees (who may want to stay home as well). My coworker thought I would kick out the student employees without paying them, making it harder for them to eat. I'm hoping the emergency legislation that is underway now will allow students to be paid their regular hours - they shouldn't have to risk their lives to have food to eat. Same with so many minimum and low wage jobs (and those without paid sick leave). This is something unlike we've ever seen before, the paradigm has to shift radically and let people and businesses alike come out alive at the end of it.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Mar 20 - 11:29 AM

So, two days later that particular library is still open, but many others (city library, museums, etc.) have closed for at least two weeks. I'm not sure if they're more stubborn or stupid.

I have many things I want to do here, with this period of isolation, but I think I should prioritize and set some goals. I'm still doing PT exercises and elevating the leg, but between those activities I can do most things, at least in moderation.

The house is on it's own routine during this time, and yesterday the rubber flapper in the master bathroom loo broke loose on one side so I do need to make a trip out to find a new one. I had spares here at one time but I think I donated them to Goodwill. Silly me.

Most of us are older, some are limited in our activities. Not all are reporting in on this Mudcat thread to share their stories, but it's sufficient to say that we all need to take good care of ourselves and if finding a creative or decluttering activity will help give a pleasant activity during the next couple of weeks, please report in on your progress.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: mg
Date: 14 Mar 20 - 05:06 PM

here is my free and clutterless hobby.. i .live by the ocean..just on my little cell phone and post pictures on twitter. usually flowers, clouds etc. nothing special but some have turned out quite nicely. unless you are living in a crowded city, i see no reason not to go outdoors and not get close to people. fresh air, sunshine, vitamin d. and we can have social contacts from ten feet away..i'm irish..it's normal. any closer would be some sort of sin.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Mar 20 - 07:29 PM

We have a week of stormy weather ahead, probably exacerbating the cabin fever here in North Texas, but I agree, fresh air out of doors away from people is good for us. Send me a message and let me know your Twitter handle. I seem mostly to post photos of dogs and flowers myself (via Instagram). Twitter is my most political outlet.

I wish I felt better - the knee takes a while to heal and the aggravation of the secondary things one has to deal with when on pain pills and antibiotics haven't helped. I have some stock thawing and will make a batch of chicken soup this evening, that should help a lot. I did too much on Thursday, and it takes a while to get the energy back. #LiveAndLearn

I haven't heard much from Canada about this (other than Trudeau's wife testing positive). I haven't looked into it but I think yesterday Mexico closed the borders to Americans to keep the coronavirus out. Isn't that ironic.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: LilyFestre
Date: 14 Mar 20 - 07:50 PM

Hi All,

    To answer Maggie's question, my agency is still up and running in New York State. At this time, our requirements of required face to face contact with our clients still stands. Our agency complies with the New York State Department of Health. As of Friday morning, there was talk of a waiver of the face to face contact with clients who are children. No word for adults. However...that was on Friday. Since that time, all Pennsylvania schools are closed for a minimum of two weeks (this came out late Friday afternoon) and as of today, all schools in the city where I work are officially closed for 3 weeks. So far, no reported cases in the county in which I live or work however, there are reported outbreaks in the county in which Pete works.

    I'm not sure what to make of all of this. I went shopping on Thursday and picked up enough items to get through a couple of weeks if need be. We went to Walmart late this afternoon to pick up a few non-food items (and no, not TP). I had Jeremiah with me and he was able to see first hand how there is no bread, pasta is just about all gone, the meat case was looking empty, no paper products in sight. I took him on purpose as he was teasing me about the groceries I had already purchased and then wanting to go to the store today. Now he knows and I hope he feels secure. The store itself was crazy and has always been a 24 hour store until today...they are now closed from midnight to 6am. I presume this is to allow time to safely stock the shelves although I could be wrong.

Pete's lab is still up and running although the university has now closed for students and no more classes will be happening in a live situation, it will all be online. Given the Pete's lab is mostly Iranians and Chinese students, I'm not sure how much longer they will stay open. He may be able to work from home more often than not...time will tell. That may be true for me too....who knows. Our agency requires a Face to Face appointment at least once a month but the state requires a F2F only once every 3 months. I suppose a lot of work could be conducted by phone from home if need be.

I don't mean to ramble, everything is so up in the air at this point.

I hope the rest of you are well and that you are coming along with your healing Maggie.

Please share if you hear anything about Susan. I have been thinking about her too and am hoping she is ok and maybe even at home.

Love to all,

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 15 Mar 20 - 08:43 PM

Beaver!!!

At BF on Thurs, I announced leaving for Beaver. and left. Boom. Forgot a few things but shall survive. Everything in Quebec and most of Ontario is closed down. The Farmers MArket up here cancelled on Fri and the one in Quebec also. Nothing to do and nowhere to go! Long walks on the dirt road would be good - I might. Could make pots if I could get into the studio but a couple feet of frozen snow is beyond me! MAybe in a few more days. It is just about freezing - a little above in the days, a little below at night. Good for the maple syrup production but not melting enough snow.

Water: Melting frozen snow for washing. HAve distilled for drinking and cooking. I can strain the melted ice and distill it. And the 3 rain barrels will provide fairly clean water for washing and, filtered, for distilling.

NEighbour Larry stopped by and we plugged in the pump briefly to find source. Frozen pipe split. Water flew everywhere! We cleaned up and considered the situation. The plumbers left the Bath door ajar rather than shutting it as I requested. That caused the heat to be insufficient. Sent them an email. YEsterday a very knowledgeable friend - "oh no! You didn't use them!" etc. House may dry out by August. I looked out the BR window yesterday and there was a small pond out there. The water had gone down through the cracks in the
floor and created the pond.I have no idea how long the pump was spewing befor4e I got home last Friday! A LOT of water!! (no basement. House is very close to the ground.)

Spring will come eventually. In the meantime: I lived without running water for almost 15 years so...

Gave R instructions on watering plants, AND taking supplements, and eating the food I left in frig.

Son phoned from Whidbey today. They are near Seattle and being VERY careful. We agreed I am safer here than in Quebec - where R continues to go into the city daily. The Province has asked those over 70 to stay home. No TV here and the internet connection is expensive (per each piece I look at)... I have several books. Hundreds actually but not many I really want to read! I may reread a few good ones.

I get to bring in wood and feed the fire. And, with any luck, I will be inspired to get rid of, or at least sort out and organize. Beautiful sunny days are terrific. No tinge of green on the poplars yet. Down near the LAke, there was a tinge on the willows. There was also bare ground!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 16 Mar 20 - 08:35 AM

Spring is springing in Stratford, which is great because going to the gym or the Y is a bad idea at present. For the next three weeks, most of southern Ontario has retreated into their hole and pulled it in after them.

I went out for a nice long walk yesterday (sun was shining, temperature above freezing) and le tout Stratford was also out to celebrate the return of strolling weather. We politely waved and smiled at each other, keeping our distance as the Medical Officer of Health has directed. Churches throughout the province are closed until Palm Sunday, so — no church. Some restaurants are still open, but business is lousy at our normal Sunday breakfast spot. The farmers’ market held its last session “for a while” on Saturday, and the butchers’ counters were absolutely rammed; a visitor from outer space could be forgiven for thinking that meat was going out of style.

We bought a lot more than we usually do, and I spent half the afternoon cutting up a blade roast into stew chunks and vacuum-sealing a pork roast, four enormous kaessler (a kind of smoked pork loin chop), two pounds of bacon and the stew meat. The freezer is now full to the top. The Instant Pot has been in production since Saturday, and we now have five litres of duck stock and five litres of chicken stock.

The supermarkets have been stripped of the things people can’t bear the thought of doing without, most notably toilet paper, but also bleach, bread, potatoes and canned tomatoes. Himself was inclined at first to throw himself into the frenzy, but I slammed on his brakes; we don’t have space to store any more than we have already, and we’re not hoarders.

The Stratford Festival has cancelled all performances in April, so that’s our Hamlet tickets up in smoke. My choir has cancelled its next concert, scheduled for 30 March, and all rehearsals until 6 April, and the executive (which includes me) will meet on 7 April to re-assess.

Himself and I are not going to France; we were supposed to leave on 30 April. The government has told us not to fly anywhere if we can possibly avoid it, and people who are out of the country must come home RIGHT NOW while they still can.

So far, “community transmission” of the disease has not begun in Stratford, and we have only one confirmed case — a man who tested positive after flying home from a holiday in Mexico. Our neighbours went to Mexico with their grandchildren on Friday, much to our dismay, and I imagine they will face a quarantine order when they get back.

We are practising “social distancing”.

Himself just went to court for a meeting in which the criminal lawyers (Crown and defence) will hash out what to do with their most urgent cases. (God alone knows what they will do in big centres with beaucoup crime, like Toronto.) Jury trials are cancelled, and all other kinds of appearances have been postponed for 10 weeks. Himself says A LOT of people will have to be let out of jail to relieve crowding.

As for us, we have plenty to do and the wide world to stretch our legs in — as long as we avoid other people. Cross the street, smile and wave.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Mar 20 - 11:56 PM

I have added a way to stream a few of the cable channels without the local cable company running an extra set of equipment to the house. Sling TV (Blue) for $30 a month gives me several I will watch, once I figure out how to get it set up on each device. The smart TVs will be easy enough, I thought it would go through my Sony BluRay player, but apparently not. It goes through many other devices, though. And with so much time being spent at home, now is the time to add it.

I'm not hoarding toilet paper, but I bought ahead on the dog food today, since I was in that part of town after PT. Wednesday is the 1 month anniversary after surgery; I have PT for two more weeks. The time has crept in six-hour increments (it was 4-hour increments when I was on the oxycodone). Now I'm mostly on extra-strength Tylenol and I can do a lot of "normal" stuff, albeit carefully. I guess I've had an extra quarantine period because of the surgery.

I've checked on neighbors, and will run errands for the couple across the street since it's hard for them to get out (three adults and one car).

Bizarre times. Desperate times. So many of the actions being taken are by established businesses and people with jobs or places to live. As all of this shuts down it will reveal all of the people who bin-dive for food or other needs; it will lock them out of the public spaces where they sought shelter and were able to wash and change clothes. So many marginal jobs will vanish and there is no recourse for those students and working poor.

I keep some $5 bills in a stash in the SUV; every so often I've passed by panhandlers at traffic intersections or in store parking lots, and I've tried to take a more kind-hearted view of their lives. I hand out bottles of water in hot weather, and lately have handed over a $5. Usually it seems that is enough to do something with; invariably I'll see them turn and head over to the store they're outside of to get the gas they need or the sandwich they wanted. It's satisfying that they don't have to keep waiting to collect change and small bills to add up to enough to eat.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 17 Mar 20 - 09:40 AM

For the first time in history, Canada's sea and air ports are closed to foreign travellers; you can come here only if you live here. Travel from the States is still allowed, but barely; my guess is, if you're not a homeward-bound snowbird, you'd better be driving a truck loaded with fruit and veg.

Closer to home, the Ministry of Health has ordered restaurants, bars and coffee shops to close except for take-out orders. No one is allowed to sit down in Tim's or Starbuck's even to gulp their coffee, let alone hang around for hours on their laptop. The YMCA is closed for the duration, so exercise will be trotting up and downstairs, and walking around the neighbourhood. No hugging the neighbours, though patting their dogs is probably okay.

So today, we are doing what we did yesterday: writing and editing, with a little light housework in the mix. Himself is not going to court. I am not popping out for a few things at Sobey's.

The weather is chilly and wet, so this is what we would do anyway.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 19 Mar 20 - 06:27 PM

Beaver:

House is drying - on the surface anyway. Food stores open. Nice to have a couple minutes of conversation. Bringing in wood - not a lot as the weather is "mild", hovering below freezing at night, a little above during the day. Hoping for close to 60F tomorrow and rain. That would greatly help the melt. Then going down again so I can go back to Chateauguay for a few days - until it warms again.

R is ready for me to do some cooking! I left him much but... He is tired of watering the plants - all 70 of them! Darest I tell him I need to start a few more veggie seeds, to be ready in May.

GREY day! and getting very humid. Pau d'Arco tea has been making me feel much better. Prob go back on Sat.It has been nice to see a couple people, talk to a few on phone, check family for their status. I have been profligate with the use of internet here; it is not unlimited and already up to almost $50 so I am saving lots of things to read and listen to when I get back to the unlimited! But the company of FB friends has been helpful. Doing OK with the water - very stingy!

Looking forward to tomorrow's melt, then trip back to R. I slept for hours and hours after the trip here. Two days to recover. Hope it does not take that long again. Weather is a factor. WOW! a bunch of birds in nearby tree. They must feel spring also. It does give me a sense of something good is happening! The raised beds still have almost a foot of snow on them.

Stay well!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Mar 20 - 07:42 PM

I skipped my ophthalmologist appointment today; it's an annual check and it's just too close for comfort right now. My physical therapy appointment in the morning is still on - we wipe things as we go and there are very few people in there now. The students (interns) were recalled and the oldest higher-risk clients have decided to stay home. Tomorrow I'm going to ask for a set of exercises to do on my own at home and skip the next few sessions; there is an assessment on April 3 that, depending on circumstances, might be useful. The last post-op appointment is in the following week.

This whole surgical experience, timing-wise, was a case of defacto self-isolation. I only got out a few times during the entire month, and none of them to crowded venues. Texas is way behind other places in enacting measures to keep people home; rules governing public events and public businesses has fallen to the city and county governments. I was planning to pick up my usual outside activities, but have had to back out (and those museums and parks in turn announced today that they are closed to the public until further notice). My attention will turn pretty exclusively to the yard and garden (baby steps out there) and it's time to turn over the contents of the craft room and decide on something to work on.

Stay healthy, everyone. Stay sane. And be kind to yourselves and your neighbors. (Most of you know that this week I gave out hot homemade rolls to a few neighbors; next week, by request, blueberry muffins.)

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 20 Mar 20 - 01:33 PM

Beaver:
YAY! Spring thaw, phase one! 55F today and we had some rain. Now the sun is appearing. Larry came down to make sure I have things in order - as well as possible. He broke up some ice and threw it down hill and I poured hot water in a spot that was impeding flow. And put extra snow in a low spot, hoping it will freeze tonight to block water coming down drive from road. Temp dropping again tonight and several cold nights ahead. I could safely go back to Dupont for a few days - to my unlimited internet --- and R! And running water!

Got a bucket of water from rain barrel! Ice/snow slid off 2/3 of east roof this am, waiting impatiently for the other end to leave; then I can turn off heat cables. The ice is overhanging about 18 inches and dripping like mad!

Larry considered clearing the studio door so I could pot but it still badly blocked and he has enough of his own to do. I can live without potting a while longer.

Not using much wood but there is room for a bit more so I can do that while it is not raining.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 20 Mar 20 - 03:03 PM

We are adjusting to the go-nowhere rules, made easier by the blustery weather. This morning, we saw our first Lake Effect storm of the season, with line squalls blowing through town and monsoon-like rain.

Our neighbours who went to Mexico last week are supposed to come home today but might not make it. According to their dog-sitter, one member of the family party of 10 is running a fever. Oh, shit.

The Stratford Festival has now cancelled performances to the end of May and promised refunds, probably a result of the big federal relief program announced yesterday. I'm glad the festival will almost certainly survive, but this crisis will certainly winnow Stratford's many hospitality businesses.

Meanwhile, we are planning a supermarket dash at 0700 tomorrow morning. Here's hoping they have broccoli and cauliflower at Zeyr's.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Donuel
Date: 20 Mar 20 - 03:54 PM

In DC the TV stations are discouraging people from seeing the cherry blossoms at the Jefferson Tidal Basin. I'm not complaining but its 79 degrees outside today under complete cloud cover.
I'm down to 3 1/2 rooms to declutter.
No expectations for the NIH to reopen until May. There is no expectation for Federal assistance for months. Lightning speed for Congress was 2 weeks with 5 days off. But the supplies are good and people are empathetically insular *will not speak or make eye contact* Only the deniers are outspoken in public. This week the infections are predicted to rise by 1000%.

Its the teenagers and atheletes who ignore self isolation and social distance between themselves. There is more talk about managing stress. But I feel great until I wake up in the morning :^/

SRS are you half healed up? Have things radically changed for you Charmion?

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Mar 20 - 03:59 PM

I made my last trip to physical therapy for at least two weeks; I told her it just seems too dicey, so she gave me a list of exercises I can do on my own, and my next appointment, if things are normal enough to make it happen, is right before my next post-op visit and will assess my progress.

My stops on the way home were at Aldi where they had almost everything I needed (but they're down to spinach, fresh and frozen) - good thing I really like spinach. I also stopped at the restaurant supply and picked up more gloves (I gave boxes to family members this week) and I found frozen broccoli florets and carrot sticks. Those will do me as a form of vegetable for the time being.

Now if it will clear up so I can work in the yard I can start some lettuce and other small greens. The week has been one of overnight rain storms and flood warnings. Trouble is, once the rain is gone, the pollen will be up all of our noses.

Charmion, how are those special gloves working for you for typing? Have you been able to pick up the pace?

Michelle, how is Jeremiah holding up - is he at home all day now? I imagine that as bright as he is he has lots of things to keep him busy. And there is an interesting array of kid-centric stuff turning up online.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Mar 20 - 05:43 PM

Thanks for asking, Don. The knee is at 125^o when bent (pretty close to the other non-surgical knee now) and at 2^o (almost flat when I flex it). I'm almost completely off of the heavy duty Rx, just at night to give myself a shot at getting a good night's sleep, and sometimes after PT, because it hurts.

I concur with your declutter plan - I am starting on the kitchen this afternoon, not just sweeping floors and cleaning counters, but trying to put many of the things that typically sit out away where they actually should go.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 21 Mar 20 - 12:35 PM

No, Donuel, things have no changed all that radically for us, but then we are seniors who work at home anyway. But our town is very different.

This morning we went shopping with the wrinklies at the crack of dawn, when the carts were still relatively clean and the cabbages had not be handled by half the county. Only the pop and candy aisles were fully stocked; stuff we (and le tout Stratford) need was in limited supply or not there at all. Fruit and veg prices are through the roof ($2.49 a pound is the new 99 cents), while fuel prices have dropped to levels not seen in 25 years.

The theatre festival (a very big deal) has cancelled all rehearsals and performances until June, and laid off the actors and musicians. That is unprecedented. Unlike similar festivals in Europe (such as Glyndbourne and Bayreuth), which are almost entirely government-funded, the Stratford Festival gets about 60 percent of its revenue from the box office, and of course ticket sales have tanked. God alone knows how we'll fix that.

Stilly, you asked about my fancy gloves. I should have bought the ones that cover the fingertips; the open-tip style help, but not nearly enough -- my right index finger is gun-metal grey right now this minute. Book productivity is better but not as good as it could and should be. I'm generally too twitchy to concentrate for long, and I spend too much time on the Internet checking for news updates.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Mar 20 - 11:30 AM

I went through the garden center (an outdoor business) and picked up a flat of bedding plants. I was going to pick out some seeds but there was someone over coughing in that part of the store.

Now if it would stop raining every day I could do something with these.

I installed a Wireless Access Point in the other end of the house to accommodate all of the wireless devices that are springing up lately, and to let the neighbor log on if she needs; her service is slow and sometimes unusable for her work from home. It took a few tries but I hope it's set correctly now.

This week's baked goods to share with neighbors is blueberry muffins. The rolls were a hit last week. I bake them and then remove with tongs, bag carefully in bags from a box of bags (untouched by human hands) and wear gloves to carry them next door and across the street.

I am still working from home, only a few hours a week. So far so good.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: LilyFestre
Date: 23 Mar 20 - 12:34 PM

I took today off. I'm feeling anxious at the current world situation. I know I'm not alone but at times I feel overwhelmed. Anyone else here feeling this way?

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 23 Mar 20 - 01:06 PM

Yes, Michelle, I do.

Every morning now, when I wake up, I remind myself that it's really happening and it won't be over any time soon. I'm afraid that I or my husband will catch the disease, and that other people, including our governments, will do dumb things out of ignorance, fear and/or venality.

My work does not reassure me because it's a book about the war in Afghanistan. Himself's work is about crime, so that's no help either.

It's still Lent, so getting drunk is not an option.

Today, I have to change the bed linen and the towels in the bathroom. The kitchen floor needs sweeping; as usual, it's a disgrace. We will make a really good supper. I will not look at any news source for the rest of the day.

That's the best I can do for now.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Mar 20 - 01:30 PM

No alcohol while I have the heavy-duty Rx for the knee on hand, and I've lost a few pounds so I'm not likely to add it back into my diet soon.

Yes, Michelle. It's a perverse version of Groundhog Day, a double dose for those of us who still haven't gotten over the 2016 election. The press conferences are an exercise for real health professionals in suppressing the nonsense once it comes out of his mouth.

My neighbors called from the store asking if I needed any thing, and when the bag arrived I put it in the sink and washed everything and the bag in the holding area to let possible germs die and then washed my hands.

I put a hand washing station on my front porch, assembled with household stuff. A small tub for washing in, a gallon of water, a bar of soap, a roll of paper towels hanging from the mailbox and a small trash can. A note on the wall with a QR code to Alton Brown's video on the science behind soap and water for killing the virus, et al. It's there if someone who delivers stuff needs it.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Mar 20 - 11:52 AM

Yesterday was still overcast but the blueberry muffins brightened things in the late afternoon. Today is a vast improvement, sunny and clear. Now to tend to the seasonal allergies as pollen arises. Here is a CDC/Merck/U of Michigan chart to help you sort out symptoms of cold, flu, norovirus (the one that USUALLY takes out passengers on cruise ships), and COVID19.

We are in a county in which the mayors and county court at law judge have done what the state's governor SHOULD have done, and imposed a lock down and closing businesses, and people should stay at home except for the essentials of picking up groceries, food (restaurants are trying to stay busy with take-out only, handed over at curbside), medical appointments, etc. So a meeting of my small groups of ex-library friends can't get together at my house (even if we sat separately in my driveway and all brought our own food). I think we'll be trying a group meeting on Facebook or download Zoom and see how that works. I worry about a couple of them and without eye contact it's hard to gauge how they're doing.

The good news, decluttering on a different scale than this list usually covers, is that it has finally come to the state's attention that the corrupt man who served as university president since 2013 is in fact corrupt. He was going to step down on Aug. 31 of this year and was in the running to be president at a university in Florida. Insiders must have finally caught the attention of the local newspapers because they ran satisfyingly thorough accounts of his misdeeds and finally the faculty members got their say in public about him. He withdrew from the Florida application (I'm sure people sent all of this dirt to Florida) and last week he was forced to step down abruptly. Now his yes-man milquetoast Provost is acting president, but I suspect he won't last long. In the end, I hope this trickles down to the awful dean in the library (who was somehow ignored by the president, money-wise, yet allowed to retain her position despite all of the investigations and complaints lodged against her). A lot of us got out when we could, a lot of people are still suffering because of her targeting older and disabled employees to give inappropriate jobs to or outright fire. Heads are rolling and I hope my university is able to weather this storm and resume the good work it has done for over a century. Those people are why my little group is together now, and I'm sure everyone there knows how to spell Schadenfreude backwards and forwards by now.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 24 Mar 20 - 03:40 PM

Beaver:


Larry just finished clearing the studio door! No excuses; he wants to see some pots freshly made! Maybe tomorrow am I can do that. I turned the cube heater on although it was 48F in there with the sun - sporadic today. It will be warm in the am and if the sun does not shine, there are lights. Still waiting for full sun and lots of rain to clear the snow. Yesterdays 3 or so inches is starting to melt...

I feel like - "is it still Tuesday?" I went for groceries at 7:15 for the special Seniors time. The place was near empty but there was adequate food. and TP!; I went to the pricier store as there were so many cars at No Frills, and people waiting outside. Since I don't usually get up until at least 8, this makes a longer day but it was a nice change. Larry made a nice break also; we kept our distance. Later today he will be doing maple syrup; he already gave me a nice bottle!

I washed hair this am with melted snow (WARMED!). Found another bucket in the studio and now I can go fill two with snow to melt for next chore. Maybe wash some dishes, etc. And I keep a container of water in the bathroom for washing hands. Life is becoming routine but I need to fill the long empty times. If only something would inspire me to write something! instead of just looking at FB, which, BTW, seems to have become boring. Very little meat, a lot of covid, complaints about that man, and cutsey pics. Without unlimited internet, it is expensive to look at youtubes, programs, or anything of that sort.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Mar 20 - 01:55 PM

Weather changes so quickly here - it went from cold and wet to warm, so warm that it's difficult to work out there; after surgery I am finding it still is a bit difficult to deal with temperature changes. But I'm doing my exercises and that helps things work better when I do venture outside. I've loaded a plant from the greenhouse into my kids' old Radio Flyer wagon, and once I've cleared a space for it, it will move into the potted garden area beside the house. They all need to be sprayed with dish soap in water to knock off some red mites that got started.

Last week I subscribed to Sling TV in order to see some of the cable news networks. I didn't want to have to turn it on every time I wanted to see what was playing, so I have programmed my TV Guide account and starred just the channels that I get locally. They have a page of Sling offerings and I was blown away by the world of channels they carry. They advertise to narrow markets, so I get channels in English that carry American networks and cable, but they have the world covered. I can't view those other channels (and I wouldn't understand them) but it's interesting to see that they're there. It took me about 30 minutes of slowly scrolling through the list to "star" the channels I actually get, before then setting it to just show my favorites. The other online channel guide I use, set to over-the-air in this market, is Zap2it. This is the Mother of all broadcast listings, feeding out to the rest of them. And it's set for the channels I have set as favorites on my HD TV at home. The other not-quite-online tool I use is a homemade home page. Years ago I created my own home page that lives as a file on my computer desktop, and every so often I add new links to it (so when I got Sling I added a link). Google used to have customizable home pages and I was so sorry to see it go that I created my own. Simpler, but effective.

The news right now is saying that Mardi Gras in Louisiana is probably when many of their Coronavirus cases spread. They look like the next hot spot, but are barely a blip in the news. But next door to Texas, there is bound to be some germ synergy between the two. I will continue to stay at home. And curse those people who suggest that all of this is "overblown" or a hoax and ignore stay-at-home recommendations. This said, I am having to meter my time watching and listening to the news. It can make your heart race after a while.

Stay healthy, everyone.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion's brother Andrew
Date: 26 Mar 20 - 10:45 AM

Charmion wrote, "It's still Lent, so getting drunk is not an option."

Charmion's brother: "I would say, 'hold my beer,' but that'd be counter-productive.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: mg
Date: 27 Mar 20 - 12:49 AM

for catholics, if you watch the pope tomorrow at 1 pm eastern time you can get a plenary indulgence, which is really great. but i can't say where it will be broadcast.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Mar 20 - 11:10 AM

I tried looking that up, but it's pretty confusing. Good luck to those who want to try for such a blessing.

This is the most grim thing I think I've ever read in my entire life. This is Journal of the Plague Year and The Painted Veil.

Staying home, and now that I've watched this video on how to bring home groceries I have cleared the peninsula counter in my kitchen and will work my way through the house removing things that are in the way that would be touched unnecessarily. And wondering how in hell we are going to survive this crisis with a self-dealing self-absorbed sociopath and his grubbing friends in the White House. Hillary warned about this during her campaign. Hillary=Cassandra.

Home, in the dumps, but safe. Stay well, everyone. (I read about your brother mg - flu is bad enough, but I'm glad he didn't have coronavirus.)

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 27 Mar 20 - 11:24 AM

mg, I was under the impression that indulgences -- plenary and otherwise -- were done away with sometime in the 17th century!? Please correct me if I'm wrong; as an Anglican, I have a less than reliable education in such matters.

The plumber just paid us a visit, to attend to a leaking connection in the laundry room, and I confess to having put on a clean shirt for the occasion. Our social circle is now entirely notional; all contacts with humans with whom we do not share a domicile are either electronically mediated or strictly business.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 27 Mar 20 - 03:35 PM

Beaver:

So R got here yesterday and has cleared paths to important places - like his library. I threw 3 pots yesterday and a bit more work - wedging/reclaiming clay. Also some snow removal. Then was totally exhausted and had big pain in back. Heating pad and rest the rest of the day! Except refrigerating what he brought and organizing the rest, including nice pile of books!

He slept on sofa and I in bed, just in case. He sleeps well on sofas. Today, 3 more pots and some more clay prep and then back... heating pad... Nice to have company. Realizing this is a long term project. There will be trips back and forth every few days to water the plants! I suspect R will decide he needs to do some office work (that is safe).

There is now water in the rain barrel I can access most easily so I washed dishes this am. Need to empty the water outside as the septic still needs work; it is still covered with about 18 inches of frozen snow, then frozen earth. R is anxious to get it sorted. Cannot rush Nature!

Life goes on at a very low level.I hope my body will get used to doing clay work again. And another couple weeks may see some clear space in the yard. Hoping to see the sorrel soon - green stuff to add to salad; comfrey is sprouting and I should be able to clear the old growth in a couple more days, also rhubarb and... The raised beds still have 10 or more inches of snow cover! But the thaw is progressing daily!!

Thankful that it is spring coming and not winter! Sunshine and a flawless blue sky does help.

Breaking news: R cleared the snow from the septic. Now the sun can get at the soil.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 28 Mar 20 - 11:34 AM

Once again, Dorothy reminds me to be grateful we live in town and don't have to nurse a septic tank. Thanks for that.

First shoots in the garden; bulbs planted in front of the house in one of our few full-sun spots, and the primrose in full yellow blossom.

The Robinovitch family has returned; I hear them in the morning and I saw Papa pulling something delicious out of the lawn the other day. Few things amuse me quite so much as the sight of robins running; they look like old ladies hustling to catch the bus.

I read "Journal of the Plague Year" in university, some 40 years ago. I don't need to read it again; I remember it all too well, especially in my least-favourite dreams. Likewise "La peste". Somehow epidemic disease is still worse in French, even if it's an allegory for fascism. Or maybe because.

It's raining in Stratford. Bleah.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: LilyFestre
Date: 29 Mar 20 - 11:49 AM

Hello Friends,

    Tioga County Pennsylvania has now joined the ranks of most other counties in the state as having identified someone with COVID-19. The county in which I work is now over 10 cases I believe...up from just 1 a week ago. Statistically, I know things are looking good for us in this area however, I am finding myself maybe a bit over anxious about it all. My job is moving everyone to 2 days at the office and 2 days working at home. Either way, we are speaking with clients and providers telephonically. I had once poor soul come to the office last week and while standing at least 8 feet away, I sent her home after explaining the why of it all. Our agency still remains open for face to face visits if a client is in crisis or extreme need. Tomorrow I will approach my supervisor and share that due to being in a high risk category (diabetic), I will no longer see clients face to face. I am on the verge of requesting to just work from home. According the American's With Disability Act, I am legally able to do this....will my agency approve? I'm not sure. Honestly I would prefer to work at the office...distractions are far fewer and the overall business of myself and those around me is quite enjoyable.

I haven't seen my mom in a week now. I know maybe that sounds silly to some of you but my mom and I are very close and used to seeing each other maybe 3 times a week. I do talk to her daily, sometimes a few times a day but I'm missing her. She is missing me also...both of us to the point of tears already. If today wasn't so cold and rainy, I'd go sit with her on the deck....6 feet apart, probably more like 8 to be safe....and just visit. I worry about me taking any germs to her as she is also diabetic but also has age and a respiratory issue that puts her at even greater risk.

Ok. Enough of this. Thanks for letting me vent.

I did some sewing yesterday and today I will putter in my sewing room to make space for my necessary work gear for next week. I'm planning on roasting a chicken and some vegetables later and also a large crock pot full of spaghetti sauce with fresh veggies and meat. That should hold us for a few days anyway.

Pete is home full time with Jeremiah. Schools here are closed until at least April 9th although I have a feeling that will be extended. Pete is not doing well. He has continued pain in his shoulder and right arm. He has had a scan that shows no sign of a blood clot. He is disappointed about that because he said that if it was a blood clot, they would be able to break it up and he could move on without any pain. So far he has had 3 heavy duty pain medications, none of which do a thing to help. He has a video appointment with his PCP tomorrow..hopefully they will have something helpful for him. In addition, he fell out by one of the chicken houses and hurt his right hip. He did say that that is feeling better. Why am I sharing all this? Maybe to justify the ridiculous amount of food I am trying to make ahead so he won't have to do much I suppose. Also, I like to cook and it helps to settle my nerves which I seem to have an overabundance of.
Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Donuel
Date: 29 Mar 20 - 11:56 AM

Hello Tioga Co, I'm from Broome Co.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 29 Mar 20 - 12:15 PM

Beaver:

Well, mostly I prefer living in the boonies, septic, wood stove, peace and quiet... The other morning we woke to the top of the west hill RED!! Then it wasn't. This morning we awoke to Charmion's RAIN! Weather does move from west to east in this part of the world!

R cleared paths to the outhouse; he used it but today we make do. Also cleared to the Library and most of the back deck is clear. --WOW!!! I is pouring. This should get us past the thaw! Glad I emptied the night bucket a bit ago!

So he went shopping for something for the plumbing and some food stuffs and to avoid going stir crazy. I am fearfully tired this am. And a tich concerned. R believes we are both fine. Time will tell. I wash my hands about every five minutes! Or so it seems.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Mar 20 - 12:49 PM

Michelle, I understand your sadness and frustration and not seeing your Mom. I talk to my daughter several times a week (she lives in the county north of me) but if we were to meet we'd have to stay several feet apart and no hugs. :-( I also think you need to stay at home to protect yourself and your family - if they lose you they will be lost; you're a rock for them. So stay healthy.

I've found myself at the drug store a couple of times a week, usually because of some or other health thing following the surgery (the yeast infection that won't quit - but any more would be TMI). I understand Pete's frustration with the pain; I'm stepping down on medication strengths, but am being careful to always eat something as I alternate Rx Ibuprofen and slow-release Acetaminophen so I don't tear up my stomach. And while I thought getting off of the oxycodone after two weeks was pretty good, I switched to Tramadol (codeine) that is in some ways more insidious. It's difficult to stop taking it and switch to something non-narcotic; after 3-4 weeks you can't just stop it or it makes you feel really bad overall, and this different pain is on top of whatever you're regularly treating. I'm tapering now as I cut the pills and try to stretch it out to longer and longer between the smaller doses.

There are many cases of COVID19 in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, but few seem to be tested. It's anecdotal until people are sick enough to go to the hospital for testing and admission. Texas is doing little regarding building extra capacity and ventilators, that falls on the cities and counties. People may want to use this site https://covidnearyou.org/#!/ recommended by Mrrzy in another thread. Report every day and be part of the data. I take my temperature every day now that I have the new thermometer (I bought it when I was recovering from the surgery so I could detect an elevated temperature due to infection; who knew this would come along at the same time.)

In my declutter activity (there is still some!) I took the sturdy part part of a large dog bed that got torn up by the puppy and folded in half and sewed it into a pouch that I closed on one end with strips of velcro. I folded a torn-up-but-washed-one-more-time comforter from the kennel and put it in the casing. And I sprayed it the the bitter yuck stuff to keep the puppy from tearing it up. The kennel was bare for a few days and no one used it, but now that the new padded thing is in there, it is once again a place the dogs voluntarily go to sleep. I rarely close the door on it (unless Cookie is in time out - she's getting a little better about some of the puppy nonsense).

Charmion, I was in the driveway yesterday watching a mockingbird go through an elaborate display on the next door neighbor's rooftop TV aerial. And the sounds - I'm not sure where all of them came from. I have in the past heard them mimic car alarms, but we don't hear those alarms so often any more so the birds have moved onto other electronic noises to perform.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: LilyFestre
Date: 29 Mar 20 - 01:05 PM

Hey Broome County! I work in Chemung County...you aren't far away at all.

Hope you are safe and sound up in your neck of the woods....I see on the daily news of the climbing number of diagnoses and death. :(


Wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands (to the tune of Be Our Guest, Be Our Guest, Be Our Guest from Beauty and the Beast) ;)

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 29 Mar 20 - 09:08 PM

More rain today. Himself went out for a walk on the Avon Trail this afternoon, but was hardly out of town when he found himself facing a flood on the path. It ‘s been pitching down since Friday — or was it Thursday?

I’m struggling to the end of a chapter, and Himself has just finished a big, fat paper on military law that he wants me to read. I have plenty to do, God knows, but right now this minute I don’t wanna.

Maybe I’ll be more public-spirited in the morning.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Mar 20 - 11:15 AM

Someone has finally convinced Trump that Easter isn't a go for people being out and about; in China, where they dealt with this several months ago they're still having difficulty convincing people they need to come out and return to work. The population is leery of the conditions and knows that the export market has dropped out of sight in the rest of the world.

Much of the human world has lived a charmed life until now; and only now, and still from positions of relative privilege, are we glimpsing the problems that have come up in other places with other types of outbreaks. And those other places where standards of living are so much lower and people are so much more crowded, people will simply die.

The great leveler around here is the weather. Tornadoes. We're into the dynamic spring weather pattern, and all it will take is a super cell or two and we're in a similarly desperate situation. Everyone, keep your heads down and pay attention to your neighbor's needs as well as your own. It's the only way we're going to get out of this alive.

Cassandra

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 30 Mar 20 - 02:42 PM

We get Lake Effect weather that whips storm cells (also called line squalls) across the landscape to engulf an area in torrential rain and then pass on. On one of my first trips to the allergy doc in Kitchener, I drove through no fewer than four such storm cells on my way home, each more blinding than the last. Just at the town boundary, I saw a SUV hydroplane off the road and into the ditch, sending up a tsunami that flooded the road even more and damn near sent me into the ditch, too. Fortunately, I was pooting along in third gear at rather less than 50 kph, so my wheels remained in contact with the pavement; any faster, and I would have shared the SUV driver's fate.

Today, it's just grey and chilly. Very Monday. We're working. Nothing else to do.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 31 Mar 20 - 12:00 AM

I haven't been able to buy flour. I fear I'm going to have to go to Costco and buy a big honker #40 bag and decant it into gallon bags that will live in the freezer until I need them. I did a grocery run for my ex, who did several grocery runs for me after surgery (and a couple of taxi-service runs that no one would do now.) I found everything on his list and mine, except the flour. I put the bags on the kitchen counter and emptied things into new containers and tossed the bags and boxes. Eggs into tray in fridge, toss the boxes. Washed the fruit, and washed the outer sealed plastic bags that some things came in.

Oh - two things. I forgot to look for chocolate.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 31 Mar 20 - 09:59 AM

Oh, Stilly. If you lived with Himself, you would never forget the chocolate.

The air is alive with the racket of chainsaws and woodchipper as the Lott family of Tim's Tree Service take down our rotten poplar tree before it can fall on the neighbours' roof. Then they will move on to three scraggly white cedars, also threatening the neighbours' roof, and the oversized yew bushes in front of the house that give our verandah the air of an Irish churchyard -- not conducive to an evening beer.

Steve the Garden Guy has given up his freelance business in favour of full-time employment, so I need to find another jobbing gardener. Quickly. When Tim & Co finish logging out the property, the front of the house will look very bald.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 31 Mar 20 - 11:14 AM

My next door neighbor made a run to Costco this morning in support of her son who is an essential worker and can't manage to get there. He needed toilet paper, and while shopping, she found the #20 of flour I buy there. Bless her! I will live without chocolate (I can make something, I have some cocoa mix) but it's time we all just stopped going to the store a couple of times a week. Though Aldi has the chocolate just inside the front door, and I could pick it up then step over to the register and be in and out quickly. I can mail order it from Amazon. Chocolate is doable.

I'm finally off of Tramadol. It took four extra days of weaning.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Apr 20 - 11:22 AM

I'm testing the delivery system set up by Aldi and have ordered a few luxury (to me) items - chocolate and beer and some snack foods. I'm doing very well at pacing myself and not wiping out snacks in a hurry, but I'm out and it isn't worth a trip to the store to buy beer and chocolate and chips.

I've rearranged the books behind my office chair and am ready to take the hood off of my web cam. I don't use if often so I keep it covered to avoid unexpected photos of myself in my bathrobe. I'm enjoying seeing all of the places commentators and reporters are setting up to broadcast, whether in a home office (usually with books or art in the background) or in hallways or basements with various architectural features balanced by a television displaying the company logo on one side and balanced with some light fixture on the other side.

Sun today, rain tomorrow and the next several days, so I must take myself out into the yard. And I took the dogs for a lovely walk last night, and they'll benefit from another one today. The titanium knee feels much better than the old one. Now if the swelling will finally dissipate. I still have the ice pack handy after a busy day of walking, but I am doing pretty much the normal amount of walking now. I'm shifting my exercises to exclude the last one that seems to keep the bursitis a little bit flared. That will be a big relief (and since my doctor isn't seeing patients right now unless they've hurt themselves somehow, I don't think I'll be able to get that steroid shot that promises some instant relief).

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 02 Apr 20 - 09:43 PM

If anyone ever sees me broadcasting from my desk, they can damned well take me as I am, with my hair on end and Watson the cat climbing onto my shoulder. He’s the worst editorial assistant ever.

Today I went to Kitchener for my monthly allergy needle. The doctor’s waiting room was stripped of its comfy chairs and magazines, and the nursing staff had the place set up for isolation technique — one patient at a time, halt at the door, bring nothing in with you, lots of questions, mask and hand washing, don’t touch anything. When I took my sweater off, the nurse told me to hold it so it did not touch anything in the room; she shot me, and then let me out by another door after washing my hands again. It was like 45 years ago in the infected wounds ward at Stadacona Hospital.

Instead of the recreational shopping I usually indulge in when I go to town, I came straight home and made a large batch of soup.

I notice that we’re saving money. Lunches out and fancy coffees cost a lot; who knew?

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Apr 20 - 01:24 AM

It's good to know how it went at your doctor's office. I think my appointment for Monday may be on after all, but from your description I'll make a point of carrying my wallet in my pocket and leave everything else home or hidden in the car. I think the office will take temperatures at the door, make everyone wear a mask, don't bring anyone with you if you don't need to, and checkout is probably paperless.

I have three different patterns to try out for the masks that may be required soon in parts of the US. I'll make a few this weekend and have them on hand at my doctor's office and see which the nurses and physician's assistant prefer. (I'll iron some and store them in plastic zip bags, and have one of each model out to look at.) Might as well ask the pros, then go from there. I'm mainly going to make them for friends and family, I think. Though I have a friend who is seeing orders go through the roof from area doctors and hospitals (she's a seamstress).

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: mg
Date: 03 Apr 20 - 02:13 AM

i hope that those who need money can earn a bit by sewing these and gowns.   i think i said my simple trick..a hair elastic..big kind like a headband. Secure a paper napkin in and done. I keep getting extra napkins given to me at mcdonald's..i never liberate them. I also tried a long t shirt for those who don't have many options..just pull it over your head, up over your nose and tie the sleeves in back. Tuck in excess. It does look foolish but which is more important..looking sophisticated or saving lives. And I truly believe that our failure to insist on wearing face coverings from day one has cost us many lives, as well as terrible economic devastation. Wear them please whether required or not. Lives depend on this.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 03 Apr 20 - 10:49 AM

Beaver:
(Being written Thursday night but, due to wifi, will not go out until tomorrow.)

I think chocolate is essential. It seems to be the only thing that gets my eyes open in the am and I needed another bunch a couple hours ago to get going again. It just generally gets me feeling alive! This is a recent development OR maybe I should have tried it sooner!

The thaw is taking its time this year. I watch bits of the world re-appearing. My sorrel plant, close to the south wall has leaves that should soon be edible! The comfrey and rhubarb are peeking through. Raised beds still covered with frozen snow - but less each day. The 2 foot wide brook is about 20 feet wide but only a bit more than half way up the culvert.

R went back to Quebec to water the 70 house plants. He could not fix the septic until the ground thaws. He may not be back soon.

The front yard there is clear and I want to go see my plants appear - those I planted so happily last fall! Montreal is seriously impacted but Chateauguay could be OK; I would not leave the house. And it is large enough to keep our social distance. I fancy a nice hot bath! And my car needs servicing at the dealer.

However, I shall try to hang in until the weather is a bit more settled. I could go one day and come back the next. R can send me pics of the yard. At my age each spring is precious! Watching things sprout and grow is one of my greatest pleasures. And nurturing them!

The LR rug is still damp and rolled up in the woodshed; I cannot move it otherwise I could have put it out these dry sunny days. All the rag rugs need laundering but ... no septic. I wash dishes and undies in large bowls and dump the water outside! It helps melt some snow. I washed and cut my hair today. And scrubbed the top of the frig! Had to use the 3 step ladder but had plenty to hold on to - in case. Got some cobwebs while I was up there! Little improvements happen as the spirit moves me. Like: "Oh, that does not need to be there!"

Maybe tomorrow I can eat some choc and trim the pots I threw last week! Even wedge some clay. Even throw a few more. Maybe.

The moon is so bright tonight, I cannot look at it directly! The decreased pollution even affects us in the boonies!

Well, it is still morning (10:30). I have been to a small store for frozen organic boneless skinless chicken breasts; I asked if it were ok to take two bags; it was. And a 5pound brick of medium cheddar - orange, which I detest but they would not have the one year white for a couple weeks. Staff (all two of them)were well prepared with plastic face shields, and stir sticks to use on the credit card machine as it was over $100. The stick "is yours" and I put it in my pocket in case... Wore my pollution mask. First time out in near two weeks.

The fire is going, had a healthy BF: pureed black beans mixed with the celery stew and some orange cheese. Made a batch of anti-inflam tea; no lemon so I will use apple cider vinegar.

1 April was the 5th anniversary of buying this property. We were looking around, when R was here, exclaiming on the improvements we have made - with much help. We both love it. It was also my 2nd son's 57th b-day. He works from home, in his condo. May be out of a job in 2 weeks. The wife he is trying to divorce works for a major pharma; she will not be out of a job. She refuses to accept the idea of divorce; I fear she will become nasty when she does. I fear I have raised a son who is too nice for his own good. He needs his (big) brother.

Drizzly day. 40F.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Apr 20 - 08:11 PM

We're back to cold weather for a couple of days—it was a slight drizzle so I didn't go mow the front. These days instead of mulching onto the ground I'm using the bag to catch some of the grass to put into the compost, and then once that's cooking I'll move the plastic barrier and start a new pile for the year.

No six-week post-op appointment next week; instead the nurse called and asked how I'm doing and since I'm fine, we pushed the appointment out eight weeks. Many appointments have been pushed way back.

Time to get moving - the dog hair has piled up in drifts, telling me it's time to sweep, mop, and then once the house is looking better, I need to start brushing the dogs. Spring is here.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 04 Apr 20 - 01:33 PM

Well, I cleaned the bathroom. Enough of that nonsense. Maybe tomorrow I'll take the vacuum cleaner out for a spin.

But today I get to go to the supermarket -- whee! I just hope I can find something tasty and different for supper; I'm ringing the changes on our routine menu, but running out of ideas.

It is also to be hoped that the price of oranges is at least a little less frightening than it was a week ago.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 04 Apr 20 - 08:08 PM

Beaver:

Warmish and not raining, I put all the throw rugs out on the deck vacuumed, shook the rugs and put them back in place. Also swept the front door step. It will look nice for a few days. Weeded around the sorrel and ate one fresh, and tasty, leaf! Cut back the oregano and saved some of the seeds.

It was too warm to work in the studio (solar gain) but I did a few small things to be ready for next time.

Drove to town (6 min) to meet friends for whom I save boxes; this bunch had been in and out of my car a few times since October so I was happy to finally have them gone. I had not touched the boxes in two weeks so I let them remove the lot to their vehicle, and a pile of egg cartons for the DIL who has chickens. It was nice to see these folks for a few minutes. And nice to have that out of my car. Next, some things for the thrift shop - they are all closed so I will put that stuff into the outside cabinet, in a construction grade plastic bag.

Cooked a pot of split peas; mixing them with the celery stew and some cheese.

A big chunk of each day is spent going through 100, more or less, emails and signing petitions. Sometimes I manage to "unsubscribe" from a few but I am not sure it lasts! And, of course on FB and info seeking.

The lovely day went grey and heavy so mostly just read. Even forgot to bring in wood but there is enough. I think it was up to 50 today so I pretty well let the fire go out and restarted it about 6pm.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Apr 20 - 08:49 PM

I've laundered two sets of fabric, one light, one dark, from my stash, and today I cleared off a lot of clutter on the table where I sew. I have several requests for masks so I need to start making them. I've identified four different types of patterns and ideas about how to assemble them. Once I have a few prototypes I'll post photos for those who made requests to tell me which they want.

I actually have a job for several hours a week so that happens a little bit every day. I worked at home before, so nothing has changed, except that now there is an urgency to getting the content out there for people who are looking for our kind of information, so I'm throwing in a couple of hours a week I'm not reporting.

I haven't completely shrugged off the bursitis. I use an ice pack and alternating heat on the adjacent muscles, but I also am doing a hot soak in the tub each day, at least as long as the weather stays this cool.

Today I bought a couple of tote bags from a friend who sews for a living; they're gorgeous, and one will be a gift for my daughter. She will mail them and the package can be disinfected then the bags ironed to kill any virus. Or washed then ironed. Mostly I wanted to offer some income since my friend is mostly sewing masks these days, giving some away, selling the rest (as requested by local doctors and hospitals). My stash isn't as huge as hers, but I have a lot of of other fabric here that could be used, garments not being worn, etc. Give them a wash with bleach or an oxygen cleaner, iron them, and they will be good to go.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: LilyFestre
Date: 05 Apr 20 - 11:56 AM

I've been making masks too. Yesterday I started making masks with a tie as faces are so varied by size. I don't have any bias tape on hand so I am making my own...not hard but time consuming.

Pennsylvania has been asked to wear a mask whenever we go out....this family will do just that IF we go out.

I spent 3 hours today going through a box that I have been tossing mail in....organized a lot, threw out even more and paid most of our bills. I am proud of us in that we have saved enough money to pay our property taxes early enough to qualify for a 10% discount. YAY US!

We have a bear at our house. We've lived here for over 20 years and have only one other bear that I know of and he was only in the field at the end of our very long driveway. This new bear is on the smaller side but he was on our porch last night!!!!

Working 2 days a week at home has proved to be more difficult than I thought but only because I am so easily distracted. Maybe it just takes time to get used to it.

For those of you who don't live in the US, what kinds of restrictions are you facing due to the COVID-19 virus?

Stay safe and healthy out there!
Much love to all,

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Apr 20 - 12:38 AM

Yes - for a while the world will revolve on the homemade bias tape holding on face masks. I have made wide tape for big projects; making it narrower means you get more length for the amount of fabric that is used for it, but I totally agree, it is time-consuming. I don't have any of those bias tape tool things that you pull it through and iron it, but I have an antique sewing machine with a bias tape foot that will serve me well. (Any sewing related stuff on Amazon is all sold out until May; we have to be resourceful and use skills learned a very long time ago.) And what is so remarkable, all of a sudden that stash is not being laughed about as the frivolous hoarding of home-sewers.

We've lived under a literal cloud since early last week, and while the next couple of days are supposed to be warmer they're still overcast, then we get more rain end of the week. I do wish it would pace itself. Now that I'm more active I'd like to walk the dogs, but not when it's cold and blustery.

Baking again tomorrow; it seems the dinner rolls are a real hit, so the proposed cinnamon rolls will wait for another day. I've taken them hot out of the oven with tongs, used gloves and bags out of the box to hold them then delivered next door and across the street. I wouldn't try it with anything that wasn't just cooked and delivered immediately. Next door offered chicken salad, but there is too much chance that could pick up something if they've been exposed. What a life we live these days.

Stay healthy everyone. And Dorothy, I hope R is being careful if he's going about any of his regular business.

Susan, if you're reading along, I hope you're in a safe place. We're still thinking of you.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 06 Apr 20 - 10:57 AM

My sister-in-law is making masks for us, and for now I am making field-expedient ones out of Himself's worn-out tee shirts and elastic bands.

There's a nice video on YouTube of the U.S. Surgeon General demonstrating how to make an improvised mask

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Apr 20 - 05:26 PM

Here's a hospital video showing how people can construct masks for hospitals (and the hospitals will put in the final pieces).

There is a PDF pattern with it linked from the YouTube page.

My days are split between daytime/outdoors activities and evening sewing, web content work, etc. I don't think it's people just hanging out in their pajamas at home any more.

Dinner rolls are in the bread machine for baking and distribution in a little while.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 07 Apr 20 - 10:12 AM

Himself beat me to the field-expedient mask project and whomped up his own out of a red bandanna. He found it too hot and it steamed up his spectacles, so today he's experimenting with a Buff, a neck-gaiter-ish garment made of technical athletic fabric.

It's not dense enough to be much more than a sneeze-catcher, but it has Welsh dragons on it, so, bonus.

Jobs today are laundry for me, and bread-making for Himself. Plus editing. He's chopping at his jeezly big paper to get it down to publishable length, and I, of course, have the Afghanistan book. I'm on Chapter 7, and it's 2010 in Kandahar Province, where bad things are happening.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Apr 20 - 03:59 PM

Here in Texas it goes from cold to hot like the flip of a switch, and today is hot, in the high-80s. As will tomorrow be, so I'll finish my mowing in the morning. Today I tackled a part of the yard where my garden usually resides; I took down some short green metal fence posts and my next job will be to shift the soil along the line and push it into specific raised beds instead of having all of that soil spread where it was part of a much larger garden (it was up against some 2x12 planks for several years; now I'm planning to confine the garden to smaller but better weeded areas).

Some years ago my sister mailed me boxes of fabric that constituted part of my mother's stash - most of it had been used the the next-to-last house she lived in, the one where I spent about half of my school years. We sewed a lot back then. Mom smoked a lot and that house was built into a moist hillside so it was always musty. I left it in the boxes for a long time, but finally took it out, and decades later that stash was still smoky/musty. It has been through several washes and finally is "normal." The oxyclean seems to have tipped the scale; anyway, this will be part of the mask operation.

Last night I took the large outside fluffy cloth case that had held some kind of fiber for an expired dog bed and folded it in half and sewed it into now double-layer case. The original fiber came to pieces in the dryer; for this half-size bed I had some of the padded fabric from the previous dog-resistant couch cover that was folded several times and inserted; I sewed it closed (no zippers, this is a rough job and who knows how long before Cookie drags it out the dog door and destroys it—though I did spray it with that Yuck! stuff to discourage her.) This will go in the closet doorway in my office where Pepper hunkers down during thunder storms.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Apr 20 - 05:42 PM

I took a lot of leftover chicken wire and metal fence posts and old vinyl clothesline and assembled a covered compost pile. I'm sure the three dogs will figure out how to dig in soon, but I'll have to defeat them after that and then I can use this for the five-gallon decomposed kitchen waste that slowly fills beside the kitchen door (where the dogs don't go). I made a hole in the middle of the lawn clippings, poured the slop in from one bucket, and topped it with a wheelbarrow full of weeds pulled yesterday in the new garden plot. That bucket is rinsed back in service, the second one will go into the compost next week. I usually don't let them both fill like this, but with the surgery I wasn't going to be lugging them to the back yard for composting.

Until I assembled this thing I wasn't going to try to put in the new garden beds, because I start a new compost pile every year and I didn't have one yet. I have three or four mounds back in that part of the yard that were previous compost piles so I can dig and move them for more topsoil where I need it. As "finished" compost there is no point in piling raw stuff on top of them.

Checking the mail. I use a pair of tongs and place the pieces on a shelf next to the door, leaving it for a couple of days. I checked the post office and put it in a cloth bag, then when I got home used paint stir sticks like chop sticks and pulled the mail out while I was in the garage. It sat on my workbench for several days. Today I have a parcel a friend mailed(the tote bags I mentioned a few days ago) and I'll use a disinfectant to clean the outside of the package. I figure the fabric items inside won't have any COVID19 virus after several days (and because the friend is high risk as a recent cancer patient and will have been in her house for weeks now.)

So far the dogs are enjoying the new dog beds I've made. Knock wood they're still in place and not shredded.

I'm tired of my own cooking, but I'll still have dinner here today. I'll plan to pick up something tomorrow.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Apr 20 - 10:05 PM

A day later and the dog-proof compost enclosure has not been breached by a dog. I dug another wheelbarrow full of weeds and deposited them inside, and then was able to put in a few plants in the part of the garden I've managed to clear. They're reinforced with a plastic pot or a straw (split lengthwise) around the stem hoping to defeat cutworms that were such a problem last year.

I delivered 3/4 of a batch of dinner rolls to my ex this afternoon, in exchange for some groceries he picked up. I also shared some of my supply of yeast. I kept just enough for a few small sandwiches for myself.

Back to the sewing machine.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: mg
Date: 13 Apr 20 - 12:42 AM

found my mailbox key..spare one. was worried i lost my key very close to mailbox, so anyone who found it could just easily get into the box. talk of bread reminds me i was going to have my cream cheese an ritz crackers. yummy.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Apr 20 - 12:07 PM

I have a couple of parcels next to the front door and a box in the SUV that arrived or were picked up recently - they're just sitting. And when I finally open them they'll get a wipe-down with a household cleaner. When I again check my post office mailbox (sometime this week) it'll sit on the workbench in the garage to air out for a few days. As I read about disinfecting protocols it seems that household cleaners are considered pretty good for the job; last year I bought a large bottle of Formula 409 to refill my spray bottle, which is used for a lot of this work.

I examined my old White rotary sewing machine this weekend; the side-loading bobbin case isn't attaching properly in the bobbin shuttle, so I'll have to take it apart at some point and see what's up. And one of the vintage machines I picked up to sell on eBay, turns out it's missing the bobbin case altogether. eBay is still up and running and after a little research it looks like these front-loading bobbins are pretty standardized. I've ordered one to see what happens. So all of my mask sewing is on my regular sewing machine and I'm making the bias tape a bit wider to make it easier to work with now that I've worked out the pattern and process for the masks I'm making for friends and family. (Three layers, with a gap left on the inside layer on one side in case the user wants to slide in a folded coffee filter for extra protection.)

The oldest sewing machine has the bias tape attachment, and if the newer White machine had a bobbin right now in theory the old attachment will fit on the new machine. I think the new bobbin will arrive mid-week and that's one package I won't let sit awhile before opening.

Spring cleaning today, meaning vacuuming, dusting, rearranging and where there is too much stuff, storing donations until they can again be dropped off. Quilt and delicate bedding are in the washer on the gentlest cycle available.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 14 Apr 20 - 08:08 PM

Dupont:

A week ago Sunday, I decided a flush toilet is a priority so I drove back to Chateauguay. Quebec had police at the border with NO masks. I stopped and was asked to roll down my window so I put on my mask and did so and explained why I was going to Chateauguay. To see mon homme and get car serviced. Of course, I cannot get car serviced nor am I going anywhere. An excursion to obtain groceries last week was a two hour ordeal. It was all easy and well organized, It was only when I was safely home that the stress hit me - for two days. I am planning to have them delivered next time - in a couple weeks or so.

I have only left the house to walk around the yard - when it has not been cold or raining. R worked two days in the city but not near any humans. I am not sure which of us is more stressed by this. I have only managed bare essentials: meals, dishes, laundry. AND watering the 70 house plants! It is nice to see the bulbs, planted last fall, coming up! And other things poking through.

Just talked to my son in PA. Does not seem to be getting things done. Put him on calendar for Thurs to check in. Yeah, he is 57 but these are tough times!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Apr 20 - 10:08 PM

Yard work this afternoon, house work this evening. I've moved a couple of televisions around the house (one was finally put back in the craft room for when I can work in there again) and upgraded the setup in my office. I had a "free" Amazon Fire stick for paying for the first two months of Sling TV, and that is in the front room. As soon as I set it up I realized it was light years ahead of the little old Fire stick working in my office. So I ordered another and that is now in my office. The old one is fine in the craft room.

This afternoon I did some research for a friend with a small business that is in danger of going out of business because the landlord insists on the rent, no giving a break because of the shut down. However, the county isn't processing eviction notices now and when they begin there will be so many that I think (hope!) things will be able to sort themselves out.

My routine has settled on various things during the day and sewing in the evening. I'm about to turn to that now for a couple of hours.

I am going to share something here that Lilyfestre posted on her Facebook page. If you're not friends on FB, it's easy enough to contact her through here. This assistance can include homemade face masks.

Calling on all friends and family...

As an essential employee, our office is still open providing mental health services (individual psychotherapy), medication management, injections, health monitoring, case management, home health care, and crisis services. Some services are offered via telehealth, while others must be offered face to face (for various reasons). Our agency (along with many other agencies) are in desperate need of the below listed items to keep our staff and the clients we support safe/reduce risk of COVID. We have been trying very hard to purchase these items but have not had much luck and we are running out of supplies!!!

I'm reaching out to see if anyone has any of the following that they would be willing to make/donate to our agency or if you have found any of these items in stock, please let me know; face masks, hand sanitizer, gloves, clorox wipes, lysol, and "no touch/no contact" thermometers.

Any help is appreciated!!!!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 16 Apr 20 - 09:37 AM

Himself is washing the kitchen floor. He could not stand it one more minute.

Now, this is a man who, for more than 20 years, has maintained a level of blindness to muddle and mess that I could only marvel at. So colour me impressed at what boredom will do. He has also finished and submitted a massive scholarly paper on military law (conduct to the prejudice of good order and discipline), and he's working on a case for Innocence Canada that just might be a wrongful conviction.

I'm polishing off another chapter of the Afghanistan book for submission, and considering a nice long walk as the sun is shining today. Also, laundry -- running out of socks. And thinking up something different to do for supper with the leftovers from Easter -- cold roast lamb. Yesterday I served grits for the first time in more than fifty years of cookery; kinda like polenta, but coarser.

As we head into our second month of "social distance", I spend a little time each day assessing our situation. We have two government pensions and my editing job, so money is not a problem. Our house is comfortable and well-organized for two desk-jockeys to work at home. It is also stuffed with books and electronic gadgets for when work palls. The cats are always ready to help us sit around and read. We like each other's company. Food and household supplies are available in plenty at reasonable prices. We believe that the bureaucrats and politicians of the various levels of government that affect us most closely are doing their duty to the best of their ability.

We are not angry or scared. We are blessed.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Apr 20 - 11:56 AM

Charmion,

I spoke with a friend the other day about the same thing - it seems that as retirees from robust businesses or government entities, pensioners are going to the be the most stable part of the population for a while. Not the highest paid, but able to withstand what comes. I do think my spending is going to change considerably, trying to support my small local businesses.

This morning the mail carrier delivered my replacement bobbin while I was out pulling weeds and we spoke for a minute; he said he'd used the hand washing station on the porch after a "handoff" on the route - I told him that it's there to be used so if he needs to wash his hands he's welcome to swing by at any point when he's in the neighborhood.

I'm making masks for friends and family still - it's going faster with each one as I figure out a routine. The bias tape is the slowest part. Too bad Virginia Tam is so far away - she finds making bias tape a restful task, a way to keep her hands busy, and has amassed quite an output from over the last couple of weeks (as seen on Facebook). I've never made so much bias tape in my life.

I mentioned ordering tote bags from my seamstress friend in Hawaii. I held onto the package until an online chat with my daughter and opened it (one is a gift for her) - they are magnificent. Gorgeous fabric, and very sturdily made. My friend lines them with the clear plastic or vinyl that I have typically used for table covers and window coverings. Hard to sew on that but the bags are durable this way.

The new bobbin is here; time to see if it fits, then get out the screwdrivers, the machine oil, and some rags to use for cleaning up the old machine and see if it works. If it does and it takes the old White attachments, my bias tape problem just reduced by half (I won't have to iron each piece in two or three passes).

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Apr 20 - 02:46 PM

I mailed three boxes of the sturdy vinyl gloves (100/box) to Michelle yesterday. The restaurant supply place also has the paper-thin type (500/box) but those are also skimpy and don't seem quite up to the job. They limit it to 3 boxes per customer at $3.90 a box, the usual price. The limit came when they realized a guy who bought a couple of cases then stood at the freeway off-ramp outside their building and sold them to passers-by for $20 a box. They aren't gouging, and they're a family-run business and he said they're doing everything they can to protect their employees, who are like family. PM if you need me to send you boxes.

I also mailed two 3/4 sized masks to my hairdresser, who has a 3-year-old daughter. I heard from them this morning, tiny Valerie is very happy with the masks that fit (the adult ones they tried to put on her were met with revulsion). Of course, now she wants to go to the store with mama to pick up groceries. They'll have to find outdoors places she can go and wear her mask that don't put her in the store with other people.

These are tough times, you can't just go to Michaels and buy what you need for sewing. I did get lucky with my small rotary cutter when I found spare blades for it, plus an unopened Olfa cutter in my Mom's stash. Earlier I described going through some of Mom's fabric my sister mailed to me years ago, this dive through the bins produced the even more helpful sharp objects. I've ordered spare blades for the larger cutter and they should arrive in early May, though Amazon does seem to be faster than the current listings suggest.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Donuel
Date: 20 Apr 20 - 07:01 AM

Since I'm looking through them more lately I washed the downstairs windows yesterday inside and out includimg the inside louvered shutters. Mowed the big lawn. Today I start sorting presorted bins for phase 2 decluttering.

I'm making a bold bouquet of Lilacs and Azalea for the front bay window.

Due to climate change the blueberry bushes and pear tree have no pollinators yet.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 20 Apr 20 - 09:46 AM

I'm waiting for the daytime high to struggle above 15 degrees Celsius before getting out the sponge and squeegee to tackle the windows. As you say, Donuel, I'm looking through them so much more attentively these days. After a winter's worth of drizzle, the patio doors are so grubby I could barely make out last night's rabbit on the lawn for his evening nibble.

Today, I have sworn off work because the sun is shining and I haven't been out the door in more than a week. Himself grumbled that the kitchen floor is filthy again; well, he can damn well wash it if it bothers him that much. He has taken to doing the dishes after breakfast, too. And wiping down the stove.

Strange.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: mg
Date: 20 Apr 20 - 03:23 PM

i hope that as they ease up here and there that shops will be able to do drive by pickup. It seems there would be far less contamination risk from paint or fabric than from food from restaurants. I want things to be phased in as safe, but i think letting people get household goods is very important, especially now that many have time for projects and the weather is very good in general. What I want to see is dutch doors in many businesses...keep people out, let in fresh air, which is oh so important. Perhaps only cashless transactions for now.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Apr 20 - 04:55 PM

Today in the front yard I discovered a blooming poppy that I'm pretty certain came from a packet of seeds sent several years ago by a British Secret Santa. MyGuruAlwaysSaid or Sarah the Flute, I think. One part was showing a lopped off part so it must have been sprouting first time I went over the area with the mower; now I'll weed around it and let it drop a few seeds in the spot.

My vehicle inspection for the year was today; the dealer isn't doing a great job of keeping unmasked shop guys away from customers, and they drive the vehicles so are in your personal space long enough to possibly pass along virus. I wore a mask once I entered their driveway and since the only social distancing was the seating in the waiting room I left my mask on during my drive home and washed and sanitized when I got to the house.

I transplanted some plants today and am packing up a couple of face masks I made to take, with the plants, to a friend. We'll sit on opposite ends of her front porch and visit. I have to make similar deliveries to a couple of other friends later this week.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Donuel
Date: 20 Apr 20 - 07:28 PM

Maybe I could mount new tires at the dealership tommorrow but it seems like a risk since getting the winter tires in the backseat is quite a manuver if the guys are infected.

I washed the car and filled the spa with new water today.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 20 Apr 20 - 09:02 PM

Today I dropped some refundable booze bottles with a nice guy from church and damn near talked his ears off. When this is over, we’ll all have a massive pent-up demand for the company of people who don’t live with us 24/7.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Apr 20 - 11:14 AM

A friend in NYC perhaps thought he was doing me a favor by telling a friend of his about my making masks - but he needs to be doing it himself. I don't work very fast with the other things I'm doing around here during the day (I still have a job that I have always done from home). Two or three a day is typical. So I'll determine if he has a stash to work with and figure out how to get more 100% cotton to him and get him started sewing. Amazon sells fabric though I don't know how fast they are these days. Most orders of other things seem to come within a week.

I have a growing list of people I'm mailing them to; my sister, a former co-worker, a fellow-Mudcatter I've been in touch with, and a couple of friends in the next town over. There will be more who need them but as I identify them I'll figure out if I can deliver to door step or send through mail.

Today is baking and mowing, then sewing. On the restoring older machine front, I've set up the newest of the old White machines and determined that the motor is sound and runs very nicely and I think the replacement presser foot is set to arrive tomorrow. I have several cans of sewing machine oil and need to go over all of them while I'm thinking of it. I'm doing this a few minutes at a time; as interesting as the project is I do have other things to do during the day.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 21 Apr 20 - 04:23 PM

Dupont:

Mostly all I want to do is go back to bed -- but I don't. Two afternoon TV programs, then the 6pm news, TV if anything suits - rarely! 10 or 11 pm news and late to bed. Might feel like getting up by 9, sometimes 8. Depends largely on R; he sometime stays in bed longer and I make BF and eat, saving his until... He is overwhelmed by things that came to a screeching halt and then, when something needs to be done, he might do it or have a panic attack. Up and down like a yo-yo. This am I could not get moving so, seeing no BF forthcoming, he cooked a decent one for both of us.

The murders in Nova Scotia flattened me - like being run over by a Mac truck. There were only 9 Covid deaths---then 20 people murdered. This does not happen in NS, nor even in Canada. Stan Rogers music has been in mind.

Then he moved in a bunch of stuff he picked up at the, still unsold, Montreal house yesterday. This am, after trying for the 2nd or 3rd time to encourage the heat to re-start, he was putting stuff somewhere. I care but do not have the energy to look. He seemed happy; that is a plus! I did a load of laundry and watched my two programs, then, when I thought it was clearing, it started snowing!

I do have an outdoor project. Too early to plant anything but I take a walk around each morning to see what plants are progressing. Then spend 10-15 minutes a couple times a day, recovering what was once a nice stone pathway from backdoor to garage. A funny old, pointy at two ends and the edge, hoe, picks at the grass in between and on top - just shy of archeology! WOW! wider than I thought! Then the birds get the worms! I do it until back protests. Then back to FB and conversations there until I feel I can go at it again. (GEEZ!!! Now the sun is out!) The project is rewarding as it looks so much nicer!

Bit by bit, I am forming a comprehensive grocery list - for soon. I cannot do that again - go to stores! And R is not volunteering either. He is very careful not to get near any dubious place or person.

Not coping.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Apr 20 - 11:03 AM

I buy my dogs' heartworm medicine from the UK because it costs about 1/3 as much as if I buy it from the local vet. I still go to the vet for other stuff, but it's expensive. So now my UK supplier isn't taking orders because they can't guarantee delivery—there aren't enough flights to take the mail. The vet is holding my toes to the fire; since the dogs were in and had their heartworm tests a few months ago they haven't had medication from the clinic so I have to get them tested again before they'll sell me the very expensive medication. $$$ It used to be that if you had a continuous monthly dose and the dog came down with heartworm they would treat the dog for heartworm (free). I haven't gone with that plan for years because I have used a different method (slow-kill) of treating heartworm and because I save so much buying overseas. But they go with the fiction that we're still doing the monthly treatment with them. Oh, well. I'm stuck now.

A care package is ready to go in the mail, and masks are ready to be delivered. I have a sewing operation going in my den and I think that's the next room that gets the super cleaning treatment. I'm enjoying my dust- and clutter-free bedroom from the last concerted cleaning effort. I have to take two of the dogs for heartworm tests this morning. My plate is full.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Apr 20 - 11:33 AM

The refrigerator fan (between the freezer and the cooler) that keeps the non-frozen food cool has died. It happened before, maybe a dozen years ago, so I recognize the signs. I've turned it into an "ice box" with lots of containers of ice (some manufactured for the occasion in the new big freezer) and this morning it's at a "normal" fridge temperature, but nothing is in there now much that I'm using. I crammed most of the fridge stuff into a small bar fridge which is now probably freezing a lot of the contents.

Monday afternoon the Sears repair guy will appear. I filled out the form online saying I haven't been around COVID-19 and I'm feeling good, but then I need to let a stranger into the house to work on the fridge. [sigh]

The fridge is 18 years old, and it might be more prudent to replace it, but THAT is a nightmare in this day and age and delivery is only to the door and would take weeks. And the repair should cost less than a new fridge, but you never know. If I decline the repair it will cost me the $99 service call.

Still making masks; it goes faster now that I've put my mother's previously purchased but never used good rotary cutter to use, and that the process of making bias tape is completely understood and goes pretty quickly. I can make enough now for about four masks at a time. I distributed a bunch of masks this week and now have a few more. I'll poke around and see who in the neighborhood needs them.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 26 Apr 20 - 02:33 PM

Dupont:

The fear of fetching groceries got me way down. So, Sat am at 6:30 R and I set out for the produce store after a mostly sleepless night. He stayed in the car and I was the second customer shopping! Forgot a couple things but managed a large order of staple fruits and veggies, loaded into boxes (they no longer allow reusables) which they helped me load onto the cart and I took it outside and got R to bring car around and load it. WOW! What a relief! R went back to bed!

I finally got the growing pile of dishes washed. And cleaned the first floor. Thought I did the second also but missed a lot. Maybe today. R's B-day yesterday and, with the weight lifted, I cooked him a nice meal and pulled a very special frozen cake out for desert.

Spent an incredible amount of time over the last few days trying to order food on line. The one store's mode entailed hours of searching. I almost had an order ready but decided to try a dif store; much easier to navigate and I can pick it up on Tuesday - they put it in the car and no charge! Three desired items that I know they carry were not on line... I shall suffer without my fav cookies. But we found a couple interesting items - pumpkin seed butter and pumpkin crackers!

I feel so much lighter believing food is forthcoming without risk. We are enjoying our feathered and furry neighbours - a flicker this morning! R has placed binoculars by the back door so we can observe through that window without disturbing them.

My project of clearing the grass from around the stones on what is turning out to be a lovely path, proceeds as the back permits. Then the robins feed on what surfaced! Crocuses are blooming and the new front garden is being a delight - of expectation. Most of last fall's purchases are coming up anew; I talk to them and encourage!

The wood fire keeps us warm. And the weather is improving...slowly. R has been cheered by moving forward on a few of his business affairs; there was a month of feeling nothing would ever happen but a few machines have been sold and transported! And some small chores being accomplished around the house. I have requested clearing junk from along the garage wall to be ready for the clematis I found there last summer!

A drive down along the river a few days ago lifted our spirits as we saw hundreds of Canada Geese enjoying the sun and two each of Great Blue Herons and lovely white egrets - prob the same two we saw in that spot last year. I consider those thousands in this time who do not have these advantages. A friend in NS posted an article on why people snap - a pro pos of the poor man who killed 22 people in NS last week. That event plus the Covid and the grocery problem and my friend who lost his adult son - I do understand that people can and will snap. It gives more meaning to "Stay safe".

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 26 Apr 20 - 09:25 PM

All well here in Stratford. It’s still a bit cold and wet, but looking up.

We put the porch chairs out on Saturday and had a cocktail outside for the first time this year, along with a natter with Jane across the street who was sunning herself on her driveway. We’re all starved for conversation, but following The Rules.

I’m really impressed with our neighbours. Everybody is trying really hard to do the right thing, and the low rate of reported infection in Perth County shows it’s working.

Himself is writing a “case comment” — that’s a short paper lawyers write about current issues — and learning how to do Zoom conferencing. Me, I’m still struggling through the war in Afghanistan. We’re both sincerely grateful to have useful work to do and comfortable quarters in which to do it.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Apr 20 - 02:59 PM

Papers and dry-erase boards on the fridge front have been removed, perishable contents left in there (with several large tubs of ice) have been removed to a cooler. The darned thing is like the pet you take to the vet, now acting just fine, though sick as a dog last night. :-( I'll ask the repair person to check the thermostat and replace the fan.

Today I flattened a dozen or more boxes that had stacked up near the side door in my sunroom. The way mail gets checked now, nothing is opened immediately; envelopes, magazines, and boxes just sit for a while before opening, and then boxes just sit out of the way.

Over the weekend I planted more of my garden and got out some seeds to start plants for transplanting later in the season. I still have beds to work on, but the first basic one is in. The "kitchen garden," right under the kitchen window.

My thrift store donation bin is gradually filling up; no thrift stores open right now. I imagine there will be a pent up supply when they do, and I imagine people needing things will descend on them as soon as they do open. That's a busy part of the economy that could probably have been categorized as "essential," considering the number of people who shop there for clothes, to repair or replace dead appliances, etc.

I have confirmation of delivery of a care package to a friend in NYC; more of the gloves like I sent to Michelle, and a couple of masks, and a variety of other things. My sister also received her masks. I also sent a packet of needles to another friend; when poking through Mom's sewing stash I found a gazillion sewing machine needles and had the size she needed.

Just had a call from the Sears service tech - Umberrrrto - he rolls his r's. He's working in the area and expects to be here in a couple of hours. Looking forward to having that fixed soon.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Apr 20 - 06:47 PM

Housekeeping Fail: The problem with the fridge was the compressor underneath was clogged with dog hair. Who knows, maybe that was the only problem with the old freezer last fall? I can't remember the last time I thought to vacuum under there. (It still is reassuring to have the newer appliance). The fridge is cooling now so I haven't put everything back yet.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 28 Apr 20 - 09:18 AM

I am quite terrified at the very idea of rolling out the fridge to vacuum in its space.

I think we all have at least one housekeeping fail to confess. For months, I could not figure out why the dryer was so temperamental. I would load it, close the door and push all the right buttons, but quick as a flash nothing would happen. Or the thing would start, and conk out five minutes later for no discernible reason. Randomly.

I spent $150 on a visit by A+ Appliance Repair, only to learn that (a) it worked just fine for the technician and (b) he could not explain its erratic behaviour either.

Roll the calendar forward an embarrassingly long time, and I notice that the door does not always latch quite right. Lo and behold, when I give the door an extra-hard shove, it starts up reliably every time.

A few weeks later, when the beer fridge came down with cancer of the thermostat, the same technician visited to perform the transplant. "Didn't you have trouble with your dryer?" he asked (small town). I confessed to the door latch issue, and he commiserated politely. "At least you figured it out before it cost you the price of a new dryer."

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Apr 20 - 09:36 AM

The old freezer was 50 years old, but it was a beautiful avocado green and the insides gleamed, so it was like removing a work of art from the kitchen. :-)

Turns out the repair guy is the one who lives a block up from me on the other side of the street (Sears doesn't usually have repair people work their own neighborhoods). His wife is a friend who helped me refinance the house the last time. And he was wearing a dark blue cloth mask made from a piece of fabric that had the company logo printed on it; he'd made it by hand after the company sent the pattern and cloth. When he saw my mask he asked if I sewed, and explained that he had hand-stitched it because he doesn't know how to use a sewing machine. Would I make another one? - he has a friend who liked his and said she'd send him the cloth. Certainly! He said "charge me!" - it would be nominal if I charged a neighbor anything, but it does give me the idea that they would like more. He said he has a box of the N95 masks in his truck but when he has used it during the day and it gets dirty it makes customers nervous. So they would like the dark blue masks that they can line with a filter or wear over the N95. And it has the company name in a bright orange print. I haven't sewn any of that pattern yet but I have it here and have been meaning to try it. My seamstress friend in Hawaii makes a lot of them this shape, but they take longer. (He needs more than one and it needs to be more than one layer of cloth or it is not really an effective mask.)

I sent my bias tie masks to my New York friend only to discover that his frozen shoulder means they're difficult to tie behind his head. I've suggested tying a loop on one side, loop it over his ear, then figure out how big a loop he needs on the other side and tie it or fasten it with a rubber band. Elastic is worth it's weight in gold right now. You can't get into craft stores (though some should open on Friday - I could try curbside pickup?) They'll be cleaned out within 5 minutes of opening.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Apr 20 - 12:24 PM

It turns out that a few of my favorite places need help, so I'll be ordering or buying (prudently) as time allows. Tonight I'll pickup an order from my favorite Mexican restaurant, and next time I'm in the next town over to the east I'll visit a couple of the International markets. With my mask and gloves, and knowing that I can move around in the areas with lots of space.

I had a teleconference appointment today, and I realized that this and the fridge repair were the only appointments all month that could be kept. Knee doctor, hairdresser, volunteering, everything else is pushed way into the future. Next week my dog goes to the vet. Whoo hoo! I'll hand him over and wait outside in the fresh air. (I trimmed my bangs again because they were in my eyes - and even as long as I tried to make them they still came out a little short. Oh, well. They're not in my eyes now.)

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 29 Apr 20 - 02:01 PM

We are seeing the same trend here, Stilly. Himself went to town today to recover our espresso machine, which went in for routine maintenance just before the lockdown, and came home with rather too many packets of biscuits (cookies to you) from a shopkeeper who caters to British ex-pats. Maybe our greed will keep him afloat for just a little while longer.

I made a vat of minestrone yesterday, so there are lunches for another week. I hope to snaffle a ham hock on the weekend ... Oh, the things I used to take for granted!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion's brother Andrew
Date: 29 Apr 20 - 06:23 PM

Going into some stores of late has reminded me of intelligence briefings we used to get about life in the Soviet Union: desolate grocery stores with little of anything that anybody wants, but without babushkas queuing to buy what they do not want.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Apr 20 - 07:18 PM

I have to admit that yesterday, given the opportunity to pick up a year's worth of pork, I bought a half-dozen pork tenderloins that had just appeared in the freezer of my local gourmet/discount/bulk grocer. They hadn't frozen yet and I imagine most of them were snagged before they had time to freeze in the store. Unrelated, a sausage-making meat-packing company in the next county over closed this week after two of their employees died of COVID-19. It's happening everywhere, and it's going to have a huge impact on feed lots and farmers, if they can't move their livestock through the regular production channels.

Stay healthy out there, everyone!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: LilyFestre
Date: 29 Apr 20 - 09:46 PM

Update: Someone in my building at work has tested positive for COVID 19. The agency has closed all three locations and we are not allowed back into the building until at least May 11, 2020. We have been told to work from home the best we can.....

I am feeling a lot of nothing.....

Very strange.

Carry on.

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Apr 20 - 02:48 PM

I have a friend who, with her husband, thinks they had COVID-19, but she hasn't been able to schedule the antibody test until June 1. They stayed at home and I hope that's the end of it. She was pretty sick for several weeks, but didn't go to the hospital. That said, I hope no one else in your building has caught it, but please, if you feel bad go to the hospital if you feel you need to and don't wait till the last minute.

I'm working on the old fence posts again; last year I think I set up a pulley to help pull them out but I can't remember what I did now. There's no driving back there to pull it up with the SUV and a rope. I'll have to keep working on a ramp-like hole and eventually pull and roll it out.

Right now it's a good temperature. I wish our summers would stay this way. (It's more like summer in Seattle right now). Summer in Texas is nothing to pine for.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 May 20 - 05:42 PM

I have remembered what I did about the fence post footers. I dug them out on one side then took the 2-pound hammer and a concrete chisel and knocked off enough of the base until I could lift it out of the hole. Two down, two to do. I started digging around them this afternoon but it was getting hot, so I changed course and got the battery-operated reciprocating saw and trimmed some of the privet that needs to be removed from the back of the yard. I stashed it on the creek-side of the fence until next month when we get another bulky waste pickup.

A friend in the next state over wrote and asked if I would sell her face masks, since her sewing machine isn't working. I talked her through how to clean the bobbin case and shuttle and then to go ahead and clean and lubricate the machine and see if it will work again. I'll send her masks if she still needs them, but I think she'll enjoy the victory of reconditioning the sewing machine herself and starting to make her own masks. I expect to hear soon if it worked or not.

Reheated Mexican restaurant take-out this evening. It took a couple of tries to figure out the system (order online, wait in one of the numbered parking spaces, call and let them know you're out there.) Usually someone is standing in the parking lot and just goes and gets your order. Whatever works.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 May 20 - 10:03 PM

All of this mask making had me thinking about other sewing tasks around here, so this afternoon I pulled a pile of mending from the craft room and reassembled four canvas grocery bags that the puppy destroyed handles on and several other garments needing holes zigzagged together. It clears a spot on that table and gave me a little break from mask making.

I've cut out some form-fitting masks in a light denim; I'll zigzag around the edges before making masks to keep them from ravelling.

I finished a cat-sitting project after a week of a friend being away (and we were careful - I wore a mask in the house for three days after she left, then I wore a mask in the house for the three days before she arrived back home. No one else has been in her house for the last month or more.) It really comes down to close-friends and trust for this to happen; her parents are elderly (she's my age, and my parents both died more than 20 years ago) and have been isolated for a couple of months now.

I'll check my post office box tomorrow; I saw in "Informed Delivery" that there is a letter from Pennsylvania. Looking forward to that!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 May 20 - 12:06 PM

Ironing the form-fitting masks is difficult on a regular ironing board and the craft stores are closed, so I made a small stuffed "ham" out of a bit of jeans leg denim and stuffed with scraps of fabric. Much easier and the price was right. Must be careful to keep it off the floor or the dogs will discover and demolish it. I think I prefer making the rectangular pleated masks, but I cut out a few of these for a change and to see if I can streamline the process. Figuring out what pieces to sew in what order makes a difference in finishing time.

Elsewhere around the property, I'm to the last post needing removal in the back yard; a couple of nights ago I dragged the hose over and soaked each hole and did more digging yesterday. We're due some rain so I'll leave the last excavation till when the digging is easier.

I made my first batch of jelly this year yesterday, though the juice came from the freezer. Had the landowner across the street left the grape-covered tree alone I would be harvesting in June or July, but I think they chopped the grapes and left the poison ivy. Idiots! I'll pick up more Sure-Jell and make a couple of more batches soon. I have a lot of frozen juice from the last three years.

The last of the ordered sewing machine bits arrived yesterday and I pronounce my $10 White Rotary from Goodwill a total success. I'm keeping this and using it now as my main machine. (It was $35 but I had a big discount based on redeemed shopping points). I have a couple of other machines here, really old cast iron bound for eBay, that I need to start working on. It's a rather pleasant activity, and a lot less messy than rebuilding automobile engines or restoring old tractors. ;-)

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 06 May 20 - 07:12 PM

We’re eating the last jar of the chutney I made in 2018. Geez, I hope I’ll be able to get all the ingredients for another batch, come the fall — that recipe takes five kinds of fruit.

But it’s SO FRICKIN’ GOOD!

The house is grubby but fairly neat, and both of us are getting fat — me faster than Himself. I washed the ground-floor windows the other day, and that’s enough Advanced Class house-keeping for this week.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 07 May 20 - 06:06 PM

Dupont:

I manage to get bits accomplished: one upper inside window that was really yucky for some reason - washed, two bathroom sinks scrubbed, a few weeds pulled for a few minutes a couple times a day - all the bending over I can do. My hope for today was to mow at least a part of the back yard BEFORE the dandelions get big enough to be cut. By the time I figured out where I might plug in the mower, I ran out of energy.

LONG phone call with youngish musician friend who is trying to feel where her life is going. But she is putting last touches on a new CD and people are buying on line!!

Mudcat solved a puzzle for me: Who wrote Go Down Dancing. It was really bugging me. Then I could look on line - but no youtube. Next trip to the mill, maybe I will find my LPs.

Our dryer also MUST be closed properly! And I am glad to not have cat or dog hairs - except then I would HAVE to clean the floors better! The rads were warm this am for the first time in a while - OR maybe we gave up noticing! R: but I wanted it NOT working for someone to come see!!! It is warm enough now that it was no longer a problem. If I found it too cool, fire in stove!

R finally removed a useless, large "piece of furniture", so the den looks better - room for the brass wood holder and box of kindling
and the double doors can open properly. He also cleaned up back yard and started sorting junk left behind in garage.

My dinosaur grave/front yard is nicely sprinkled with flowers and more to come. Monday it may be safe to plant the tomato, pepper and squash plants. I hope to have the guts to look at Botanix for seeds and a few veggie plants. I have gotten good at obtaining groceries by delivery!! I would like to wear an astronaut suit when I go out there.

Not wanting to purchase any old maple syrup at the grocery, I emailed a friend who has an orchard in southern Quebec and a home in Toronto.
Was he going back and forth?; could he drop off syrup in Chateauguay? Return email: Tomorrow! So I met him at a gas station where he could get off and back on the highway. We exchanged a few sentences but NO hug! I cried driving home. But glad that he and wife are being super careful, like us.

After spending a lot of time at home for a few weeks, R has started going to work - 12 hour days. But no contact with people except bro and Dan - both hyper careful. He no longer complains about washing!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 May 20 - 12:27 PM

I'm thinking it's time for a foray into a room I rarely use, mostly because of the way it's set up and because the dogs have claimed it as a place to sleep (three black or dark brown dogs in a dark room on a dark carpet are the classic recipe for tripping hazard!)

My piano gets little attention but I still do enjoy playing, despite it's out-of-tune status and one high C hammer having fallen off. It is from about 1885 and has been in the family since it was new. I'd love someday to restore it when I have such a thing as disposable cash.

There are several trunks, book cases, and a wall of books that could use dusting, and there is stuff in there I intend to sell on eBay that is out of sight so not organized or listed. There is a large reclining lounger chair that needs the seat cushion restored with an upholstery cover (the leather one ripped). I have the materials, so there isn't anything keeping me from working on that now that I have the sewing machine set up (and it is a machine designed for use with thick layers of fabric.) Perhaps a special Mother's Day project since there isn't any chance I'll see the kids this year. A gift for myself.

That said, I'll be careful with the lifting; I pulled a muscle yesterday hefting a large bag of dog food.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 May 20 - 04:10 PM

Heading to the post office soon with envelopes of masks for friends. These are the more fitted ones with a wire across the nose (replaceable with a plastic-coated twist tie) and loops for the the ears that are adjustable (but not elastic). I'm still making the accordion ones also, but I cut out a bunch of the denim at one time so I'm finishing those before I go back to the accordion style.

I'm slowly picking up around the house after cycling through having more stuff than need-be spread out on horizontal surfaces. This whole process of considering re-arranging the contents of rooms will make that worse before it gets better, but if I do it, it will keep me busy. I'm also working on plant starts by seed for the garden, though once the pots are filled and seeds in, it'll be a wait of several weeks before I do anything more.

Health-wise, I am taking myself off of a sugar habit that restarted a couple of weeks ago after I picked up some bulk peanut m&ms at my favorite discount grocery. I regulate myself well with dark chocolate bars, those sweet chocolate and peanut nuggets do me in. Time to nip this in the bud.

I've started restoration work on the next sewing machine. These are charming projects, though I does involve having to shift them around (the cast iron ones are really heavy) and bring in really good task lighting.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 13 May 20 - 12:19 PM

Himself has taken to washing the kitchen floor after he finishes the breakfast dishes. This is a side of him I have never seen before.

Anyone out there sleeping more? Today I didn't get up till nearly nine -- I haven't done that since I can't remember when.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 May 20 - 12:44 PM

I'm back to finally sleeping through the night; it only took about 10 weeks to reach that point after the knee surgery.

Since I was retired at the time the COVID-19 #StayHome suggestions came into play, I already had a fairly robust routine of stuff. I am not going to volunteer at the museum 8 hours a week, and I miss that, but I still have a lot of other stuff keeping me occupied. I took another run at my old White machine, and even discovered that an even older one I found at Goodwill (before the surgery) uses the same bobbin case. I didn't need to buy a new one to find out that it isn't the bobbin, it's something in the shuttle that isn't working. More to study, I want to get this working. (The Goodwill machine has the most amazing old non-directional plug, but it works!)

Mailing more masks to a friend today.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 13 May 20 - 08:22 PM

Dupont:

At last, some fine weather. R has completely cleaned out the garage which meant a very messy yard but only for one day as the grass still needed mowing. He also found an outdoor electric outlet under the deck! and fitted it with a cord that comes out into the yard. With the super long one connected I can mow almost anywhere and today I did most of the back and side, carefully missing dandelions and violets. Braved a local hardware store for some seeds and veg plants. Today I mowed, tomorrow I plant - if I can move! Found and marked the clematis on edge of woods. And have designated a strip on east side of garage for planting. I believe it also has some clematis. I need to create a climbing place for them - climbing places!

A neighbour walking dog - big black one!- greeted me yesterday and we exchanged names. I have seen them walking often. My first Anglophone neighbour. He admired the front garden! The flowers have come beautifully and only one seems dead. The ones in the front of the house are also peaking through - a couple not seeming to make it.

Managing pretty well with groceries delivered but I still want to get produce at the produce store - at 6:30 am... We rarely get up before 8 because we stay up to 11 or 12. We have heavy drapes to keep out the street lights. I would love to see the morning arrive.

A couple dozen seagulls gave us an incredible show the other day! Suddenly they were swooping and swirling over the yard next door - down to the ground and up and around and around. We were watching from the second floor window. It was amazing. I never before appreciated those clumsy birds. In the air they were magical! I realized how da Vinci must have watched, and designed flying machines.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Donuel
Date: 13 May 20 - 08:44 PM

It was a quick small thing to do but I replaced 2 shower heads which has turned showers into a 5 star spa experience. The ergonomics are engineering perfection.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 14 May 20 - 07:14 AM

Today I didn't get up till nearly nine -- I haven't done that since I can't remember when.

I don’t usually plan on getting up much before 10am. That’s the time I see dad go from his bedroom to the bathroom. He walks with his zimmer but has had supervision after 3 falls in 3 months starting at the tail end of last year. I’d like to think he could go back to being independent with this but he can walk well for a few days and then we’ll have an outing where he just doesn’t seem safe…

It’s a nice gentle start for me. I get the papers in, and do a couple of other bits and then see dad to the living room. I then do a few puzzles and try to work out what I might want to achieve (by plodding) during the day.

Yesterday I did a bit of mowing and strimming and spent a few hours in the field round the back with mum. She is really struggling with mobility at the moment but managed this trip with the help of the wheeled walker. She even got into the pig sty we call the BBQ shed and we made a cup of tea on the stove in there.

It might lead to another little job for me. A few well placed grab rails outside on the house and/or pig sty walls might make some access easier. I’ve ordered a couple and mum (who was a physiotherapist who worked a lot in elderly rehab and care) should be able to advise me as to the best places to fit them.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 14 May 20 - 04:02 PM

Dupont:

Tired but managed a bit of planting and weeding this am. Try more later. But getting less supple as the day wears on. Well, need to get things in the ground so they can be rained in tomorrow!

The garage project is clearing up from previous owner - stuff! And 20 years of neglect? So,repairing the garage door, then maybe jacking it up to level and strengthen it, then maybe a paint job! R seems motivated.

The rest of the mowing will have to wait til the next dry spell. And the myriad tomato cuttings too.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 May 20 - 11:47 PM

I dropped off recycling at the city hall dumpsters; I had ripe bananas so made a double batch of banana bread, baked in small pans that I distributed to neighbors and my ex. And I went by the city compost site and picked up a contractor's bag full of prime mulch.

Yesterday I started clearing out the garden around the garlic that I will soon harvest and then I can plant that area. The mulch will go in that area to start with. And, I drove by a friend's house and delivered some homemade masks. The one she bought from a neighbor was too tight on her ears. This whole exchange of stuff between friends is still complicated. I sat about 8 feet away on her front porch while we visited, and held up the different styles and fabrics of masks from a box I took with me, then put three in a plastic bag on the table, weighed down with a pair of pruning sheers sitting there. And when I left she took the bag and masks to drop in the sink and give everything a good soapy wash.

I've been watching television with an eye to backgrounds (rooms at home where journalists set up their computers, tablets, phones, or cameras) and looking to see how their hair is doing. There are several who don't look changed at all, maybe they have access to network makeup and hair staff. Right now there's a reporter with a long rather interesting gelled hair style that I think means he really needs a hair cut–it's quite a flowing mane. I trimmed my own bangs, but the rest of it continues to grow and as long as I can braid it, I'm fine.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 15 May 20 - 08:04 AM

I’ve revised my ideas with strimmers and want to get rid of 2.

I couldn’t see myself starting a petrol strimmer, at least for a long while so I bought a better battery one. I got a Ryobi one, which uses the same batteries as a mower, my drills, a garden sprayer… and wish I’d have done that in the first instance. It will still enable me to cut up to the chicken wire for example without damage (somethings I can’t manage with the petrol one but gardening brother says you do develop a touch…) , it can cope with a fair amount that would have had to be the petrol strimmer before and I have longer runtimes.

As for the 25cc Husqvarna strimmer, I’ve found I can start that easily if I say put it on a garden bench rather than try from ground level and I might yet try to get further up the field back under control this year so that remains a keeper.

But it’s really time I made an effort to get rid of the 52cc Stiga that gets in the way in one of the sheds. It was another mistake of mine – I probably should had hired a tool… I had a very heavy patch to clear 2-3 years ago and felt I needed something stronger but as long as things are kept reasonably clear, I don’t see myself wanting to use it again and that’s assuming I’d even be able to handle it…

So that’s 2 to give away if anyone wants to just take them away.

If it does still run (I’m pretty sure it will), the Stiga might be a good one for someone else. It’s had under 15 hours use. Mum reckons I should ask for something for it but I hate that.

And I’m not even sure that is me being charitable. I really struggle with setting prices and don’t cope either way with haggling,.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 15 May 20 - 10:32 AM

Work on the Afghanistan book has slowed to a crawl. It's dense and depressing. But the money's good! And the project manager likes my work, which is a relief. Author hasn't seen it yet, however.

Himself is heading out to the fancy organic food shop for peanut butter and flour, for which they charge twice as much as the supermarket so they still have some. I can hear him rummaging for a mask. The big grocery chains in Ontario are leaning toward requiring all shoppers to wear masks -- although I note their staff don't.

Ontario is taking its first tottery steps toward what everyone is now calling "opening up the economy". This weekend, I shall go to the garden centre and try to buy some perennials -- Monarda is what Himself wants -- and a rosebush, and some herbs. Well, parsley. We also want a rain barrel, but that might be more difficult. I'm not sure whether Canadian Tire is quite ready for that kind of business yet. I foresee a great deal of dodging and weaving in our attempts to get what we want without invading others' personal space.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 May 20 - 12:09 PM

Jon, I understand the difficulty in pricing things. I sell on eBay all of the time and look to see what others are charging for the same or similar items, and it's more or less the law of averages (and if you know you have something in demand and rare you can ask a bit more.) But in the neighborhood - well, you could look at neighborhood websites and see if others are for sale.

Out walking the dogs this morning I spoke with a neighbor who lives a block up the street—we've visited in passing over the years and when I had extra okra I'd take some up to her. We spoke from opposite sides of the street. Now she's using disposable masks, and would like some washable ones, so I'll make a few and drop them off. "How much are you charging?" - that's the question but I haven't sold any yet, I've spent evenings watching TV and sewing and when I had a few I sent them to friends or family who need them. I suppose I put in crimp in the market of those selling masks for a living. I suppose I could list a few on eBay or Etsy. Right now I'm thinking about making a very fancy little princess mask for my hairdresser's daughter; one intended for play, not for going out (one that would be harder to sterilize because it will have some bling on it.) It's nice to get creative at times to create joy for four-year-old girls.

I heard a little radio essay on the BBC News Hour (this episode from May 13, morning) and if you push to about 50 minutes into the program they talk about a virtual exhibit at the Victoria and Albert museum. The director talked about how as COVID-19 started everyone was getting out 3D printers to make respirator parts, but then attention turned to PPE and old technology - the sewing machine (that has been around for about 150 years) was dusted off. "Thousands, or hundreds of thousands" started making masks, gowns, and other surgical garments. And how the sewing machine will be a part of the story of COVID. It makes me think that would be a great photo subject for a Instagram series.

There's always something to do around here if you set your mind to finding it!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 May 20 - 01:10 PM

Thinking big: I'm in the house by myself. Is everything in the best place it can be, or have I simply left things where they are because I'm accustomed to it? It's time to engineer a room reorganization, starting with the deep cleaning of the only carpet in the house, in the front room. That room has a wall of books, a wall with a huge upright grand piano, and a lot of trunks. The wall of books will stay, all else is negotiable. There is an antique lawyer's bookcase (glass front) and a small secretary (serpentine front faux-Chippendale desk). It reminds me again of how much extra stuff there is in the house. BUT - if I move everything out of the sunroom and move the dining table and chairs from the den and a row of trunks to along the wall in the sunroom, I could put other stuff in the den as a conversation/TV media area that is better than where it is now kind of in the middle of the room.

Wheels are turning. And I think the COVID-19 quarantine episode has reached another stage - reimagining my space. Moving furniture is always a great way to generate endorphins, in case anyone is wondering why despite the hard work it feels so good to move stuff around like this.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Donuel
Date: 16 May 20 - 01:38 PM

Just cuttin bamboo

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 17 May 20 - 10:28 AM

Yesterday we went to the garden centre to buy perennials, and today we are digging holes.

Or, more to the point, Himself is digging holes. He rather enjoys making large messes, but after the adventure of the cubic yard of clay he dug out of the side border a couple of years ago, he will be more restrained this time.

The objective is to plant a rosebush, two Monarda (bee balm), two foxgloves and three hellebores. Let us hope we do not end up with a heap of spoil on the lawn and a hole to China.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 May 20 - 08:55 PM

This afternoon I finished pulling out the last fence post and chipping off the last concrete footer. The holes have all been filled and the posts stacked neatly next to the garage. I dumped the extra blocks of concrete down by the back fence and will probably eventually spread them around on the other side. It only took 14 months to finish that project.

I think I've managed to mute most of the notifications that everything on the new phone would like to send. A battery wouldn't stand a chance, let along peace of mind, with the blinking and racket of nonsense notifications.

The old phone is not going to be terribly functional as a telephone after the end of the year, but it still is a good camera, all of the Internet stuff works via WiFi, and I have it paired with a pair of Bluetooth headphones for listening to audiobooks. The new phone will do all of these things also, but if the old one isn't easy to sell on eBay, then I could probably give it a dedicated task around the house. No point in tossing it into the eWaste bin.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 19 May 20 - 01:19 AM

I bought a pair of telescopic shears the other day. Their only purpose is to keep the likes of Clematis from obscuring the 2 outside cameras and they have achieved what I wanted, ie. I only need to go up a couple of steps on the step ladder now and no stretching that I don’t think I’d manage safely.

As for me and a previous post on health. I got as far as a pre-op med. That was OK until the results of blood tests came back. I wasn’t just the mildly anaemic we knew about, this time I was at a point where they wanted to give me blood transfusions and I had to attend the “Acute Medical Unit” clinic a couple of times.

Then they had to put a camera down both ends of me, the results of which were reported to be OK. Then they wanted to rerun the big end, then they wanted a stools test to justify the re run, and they want to do some fibrescan (liver) test. Then, along comes Corona Virus and everything is on hold.

Whatever, I’m actually feeling a fair bit better in myself than I was a month or so back. I’m wanting to try to do things and, at my plodding pace, I’m achieving bits outside. Here’s a bit of the farm track – looks like potatoes in the field this year - I like to keep down. A lot of growth was over 1ft but strimmed then a rough mow on Sunday. I can’t eg. weed or other things at ground level but some things don’t trouble me.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 19 May 20 - 09:55 PM

Dupont:

Very little by very little, I am getting seeds and plants into the soil. Bending over is uncomfortable so I pull a few weeds and move on a few steps before bending over again.

WE went down to the mill on Saturday and I collected a couple small boxes of kitchenie stuffs which have been re-homed here. Moved R's collection of jams and jellies to a less accessible cabinet since they are rarely used; there are 2 or 3 in the frig... I have no interest in them.

R is making progress on garage project. The back yard is a clutter of stuff left from previous owner but a good bit is being trashed! He is being good about minding the bricks protecting the blue/white violets
which I am trying to move to a circle in the front, around the peonies where I am also putting a few roots of dwarf purple iris and creeping Jennie - from the mill. There is tons more but there was no shovel so I need to remember to take one the next time. He picked up four bags of soil for a bare spot in the back yard. I planted wax beans and will fill the remainder with lettuce. The rooted tomato slips are in Dahlia soil in 10 inch pots - 3 to a pot. The 4 tomatoes (2 yellow cherry; 2 red pear shaped) produced in the house were pronounced delicious so I hope they do well outdoors in good soil. And egg shells and mag sulfate. (Dahlia soil: bought a bale of it a few years ago not realizing how much it was! I will be using it for quite a few years! Although I bought it from a dahlia grower, I guess it is not exclusive.)

The house is in moderate state of clean. Meals get cooked and dishes washed at fair intervals. The rain was good but no more in sight for a while. I have marked out the clematis already coming up and R found some items for them to climb.

My energy level is in get out and push mode.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 May 20 - 12:36 PM

Today is incredibly humid, so while it is a good temperature for mowing the front yard, it will be a sweaty job by end. It's time to get out the little gas tiller the neighbor gave me and I had tuned up; seeds are sprouting and I need to work over the area where I'll put in a raised bed (trying to kill off some of the stuff that is on the spot before I put down the edges and fill in with some soil from the surrounding garden area).

Later this afternoon looks like a good time to work indoors. Pushing myself to start one of these large projects is what I need to do.

Jon, I have a 6' long Fiskar's pruning "stik" that is great for reaching over my head to trim trees, though I originally bought it to pick grapes in the tree across the road. Lay down a plastic tarp then drop the small bunches on plastic so they can be found again; extra points if they land directly in the bucket. I don't think there will be any grapes this year.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 21 May 20 - 06:39 AM

That link doesn’t work, SRS but I’ve tried to look it up. I don’t think we’d have a use for one of those but I like your use.

We do have some of our own grapes in one of the pigsty bays that we call the vinery. I suppose it looks nice but there’s never a crop of grapes you can do much with.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 May 20 - 11:50 AM

That link landed on a Google shopping search but was probably tied to my account somehow. The term is "Fiskars Pruning Stik Tree Pruner, 1.25"" Not sure what the 1.25 is, maybe the length of the blade?

I am pleased with myself this morning that the trash went to the curb on time; the trash guys shifted to their earlier schedule (they do every spring when it gets hot out) and I missed them two times in a row. It's not like there's a lot, but there are some fish wrappers in there.

I put a new battery in the collar that I've had the lab Zeke wearing for a couple of days. I was trying to get him to stay back from the fence, but this morning I kept hearing something while I was scooping droppings for the compost - and realize the deaf old dog was prowling the fence line looking for tender grass. He can't hear the beep and his coat is thick enough I guess he wasn't feeling the static shock. The puppy's collar has a bigger clout but won't fit on him, so for now I simply put a new battery in the one he was wearing. I need to get a couple of collars and drench them with the "Yuck" stuff and have them available for swapping out those collar units on the different dogs. The two younger dogs usually wear them all of the time.

The puppy recently noticed the window blind was up in my office and was on her hind legs looking out at the yard. I need to discourage that; it's a nice insulating blind and I don't need a dog destroying it. Since the office is at the front of the house I don't want a view into the room with computer equipment. When I had cats they were really hard on the mini-blinds. As it is she's really hard on dog stuff (I stitched together a hole in a dog bed that she keeps revisiting in order to pull through the comforter inside to pull out the stuffing. Same hole, not tearing a new one. Odd.)

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 May 20 - 02:27 PM

I've begun the repair of a seat cushion that goes on the big reclining lounger. The leather is old, I didn't do anything to keep it in good shape, and when the puppy arrived she decided a small tear was an invitation to raid the stuffing. I put it up quickly and today dusted it off and started a rudimentary stitching to pull the gap together. I'll probably use a glue and fabric to reinforce this, then I'll make an upholstery cover to put over the entire seat cushion. I'll find something that looks good with the rest of the leather. I want to put this back into service for me.

This is the first of the things I need to do as far as moving around room contents from the sun room to the front room. This will go in the den and I don't want to move stuff in there that can't be used, hence the repair. It's so large that once it's out of the way I'll get started moving other large objects (trunks, but also a desk, a book case, and a Victrola) and empty the room for carpet cleaning.

I'm watching one of the old "Sell This House" programs on the little HD local stations with really cheap old programming - the homeowner has two of the heavy old CRT TVs in the house being renovated for sale, and Roger tells her "You only need one television." I hate to think of how many duplicate televisions and various players are around this house. The light weight and low cost has made a huge difference in how television viewing happens in this house.

Onto the chair. . .

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 May 20 - 12:58 AM

I finished piecing together three similar samples of upholstery tapestry to cover the seat cushion, all of it except that last seam on the sewing machine. The last bit was by hand and went pretty quickly. Anything new that appears becomes a target of opportunity for the destructive puppy, so the pillow will slowly make it's way down to the seat level on that chair. Now comes the dusting and vacuuming.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 May 20 - 12:54 PM

Me again. I have two bags and a box ready to go to Goodwill after my first pass through the old garments (daughter's outgrown teen-years shirts, mostly) and school supplies in the craft room (was her bedroom). I think I have my sewing machine working - was it *really* so simple as turning the wheel the backwards way to pull the bobbin thread through the plate? I also found a long straight edge in there, intended to be used with the Olfa rotary cutter. A final gift from my Mom's stash?

I have a hair appointment on Friday, but upon looking up the COVID-19 test results and number of cases in this area, the numbers are still going up, so I shall pass, and try again next month. It's one thing to go to a doctor's office, it's another thing to go into a narrow rabbit-warren of a salon building, clear to the very back, and hope that every person who is in or who was in that building within the last few hours hasn't been breathing novel coronavirus particles into the air.

On a personal note: my new office glasses arrived, and I realized I picked the exact same frames for these that I have for my everyday glasses. I'll never be able to tell them apart, so I dabbed on a little nail polish on the inside of the bridge. Now to get the pads to the right point and then adjusted (since one ear is a little higher than the other).

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: LilyFestre
Date: 26 May 20 - 08:38 PM

Hi Everybody,

   Today I ordered a dumpster to be delivered....getting rid of LOTS of STUFF and construction debris.

    Hope all is well with everyone!

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 May 20 - 12:20 AM

When I had a 30-yard dumpster across the road from my dad's house during the estate work every so often there would be a knock at the door.

"I have a toilet that I'd like to get rid of - can I put it in the dumpster?"

"I have some screen doors I need to get rid of . . . "

The answer was always yes, because they asked. It's nice to be able to do people a favor.

What are you deconstructing before you construct, Michelle? Will you take before and after photos?

The sewing room is much improved; I'm testing using my now-main sewing machine in the classic sewing machine table it came in. I'll probably just put it on the big table where my other sewing machine is so I can position the ironing board closer to where I'm working. My dining table in the den is now cleared.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 May 20 - 10:35 PM

Garlic was harvested the other day and today I trimmed off the stalks, knocked off dirt, and collected the corms to use for later or to give away. There are always a few that fall off when I dig it so I usually don't have to put any more corms into the ground for next year.

Cleanup today was setting the scene for putting in more garden beds. There are seedlings that will soon be ready to go in the ground.

Since I've been clearing out the guest/craft room I got rid of a lot of my childhood craft things that were still floating around—I never use them and they're not suitable to donate. I visualize my children discovering this stuff as part of my estate and realizing they can't use it and feeling bad about throwing it out because I had scratched or scribbled my name on them. Time for a little spring Swedish death cleaning.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 May 20 - 11:31 AM

From BuzzFeed:

I Don't Feel Like Buying Stuff Anymore

Our economy is built on Americans of all class levels buying things. What happens when the ability — and desire — to do so goes away?

I didn’t even realize I’d lost my desire to shop until one day, about six weeks into isolation, I absentmindedly clicked on a Madewell email offering an additional sale on a sale. I don’t even have anywhere to wear the jumpsuits I already own, let alone one that would require heels. Every work trip, every speaking gig, every quick vacation had already been canceled, even as my calendar still had reminders of the life I had planned in advance, on a different timeline, for myself. But in a matter of weeks, those, too, would be gone. I feel very lucky to spend my days walking my dog on the same loop I always take. But that walk, for the foreseeable future, requires no new purchases.

I don’t need new makeup, because I’ve stopped wearing it. I have Zoom calls with my friends after they’ve put their kids to bed, and everyone’s hair is just as wild, their faces just as makeup-less, as mine. I’m still lucky enough to be working. Others have been furloughed or laid off. Those changes may shape the tenor of our shared but separate isolation, but not its fundamental character. The aperture of my world feels very small, its rhythms incredibly repetitive. Sometimes, it’s almost calming. Other times, it’s incredibly claustrophobic. Either way, there are only so many pairs of leggings I need to navigate this new life.

Not wanting to buy things feels as bizarre as not wanting to sleep or not wanting to eat. It’s been ingrained in us, as Americans, as an unspoken component of residency. Before the coronavirus pandemic, I’d find myself clicking on the emails that overflowed the Promotions tab in Gmail, seemingly from every store I’d ever patronized. I’d online shop while I was traveling for work, while stressed, while avoiding a seemingly insurmountable number of other emails in my inbox. Buying things, especially things on sale, provided a momentary sense of comfort: I was fixing some problem, completing some task, simply by clicking “Buy Now.”

We’re trained to buy often, buy cheap, and buy a lot. And I’m not just talking about food, which everyone has to acquire in some capacity, or clothes. I mean all the other small purchases of daily life: a new face lotion, a houseplant holder, a wine glass name trinket, an office supply organizer, a vegetable spiralizer, a cute set of hand towels, a pair of nicer sunglasses, a pair of sports sunglasses, a pair of throwaway sunglasses. The stuff, in other words, that you don’t even know that you want until it somehow finds its way to your cart at Target or T.J. Maxx.

In post–World War II America, the vast majority of things we buy are often not what we actually need. But they’re indisputably things we want: manifestations of personal and collective abundance. We buy because we’re bored, or because planned obsolescence forces us to replace items we can’t fix. We buy to accumulate objects meant to communicate our class and what sort of person we are. We buy because we want to feel something or change something, and purchasing something is the quickest way to do so. When that doesn’t work, we buy “an experience,” whether it’s a night at Color Me Mine or a weekend bachelorette trip to Nashville. We buy because, from the Great Depression onward, how we consume has become deeply intertwined with how we think of ourselves as citizens.

The US didn’t become a nation of consumers because everyone has ample amounts of discretionary cash. Before the pandemic, income inequality had reached its highest levels since the Depression. Most Americans’ wages, when adjusted for inflation and purchasing power, have barely risen in four decades. In 2018, with the economy at its most robust in years, 61% of Americans said they could not cover a surprise expense of $400. In 2019, a study by the AARP found that 53% of American households did not have an emergency savings account — including a quarter of those who earn more than $150,000 a year.

So how do Americans buy so much when we have so little discretionary money? Massive amounts of credit. Payday loans, credit cards, quick and easy car loans, and the newly common “Afterpay” function in online checkouts incentivize spending beyond our means. The average American has a startling $6,194 in credit card debt, with an average interest rate of 16.88%. Over the last decade, auto debt has gone up 40%, and the average auto loan for a new car is a whopping $32,199. In April 2019, Americans reported borrowing $88 billion over the previous year just to cover medical costs. The middle class is going deeper and deeper into debt to maintain the expenditures of middle-class identity. The working class has done the same — borrowing for cars, for tuition, for everyday expenditures — only often at much higher interest rates.

And yet we keep spending: As of 2018, the average household expenditure was $61,224. That's rent and groceries, but also nonessential items: entertainment, vacation, clothes, plus all that other random stuff that ends up in your shopping cart.

It's a long read, so this is just the beginning of it.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 31 May 20 - 11:44 PM

Today I dismantled part of a cotton-blend red Hawaiian shirt to use for brightly colored masks. I sent a photo to my 5'10" daughter who wore that when she was several inches shorter and probably didn't have a bosom - "Awww! That's my Hawaiian shirt - and I want a mask from it!" Good compromise. She admits that she could probably fit only one boob in that blouse at this point. :) (And you'd think "bosom" would have two S's - took me a while to get it right).

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 01 Jun 20 - 08:26 AM

That’s an interesting essay, Stilly, and more or less summarizes my far less organized thinking on the subject.

I never wore make-up (hate the constant twiddling, and the sticky sensation on my face) and the only thing I ever do with my hair (beyond brushing it ) is a haircut ever six weeks or so. I stopped needing “professional” clothes in 2013, when I quit my last job. But the urge to blow money on personal things somehow never goes away.

Moving house is a great excuse to throw discretion to the winds, and it’s very difficult to draw the line and say, Enough. There always seems to be a project that requires substantial purchases of stuff — we spent $600 on rain barrels, hose and hose-management equipment in May — and when a project is finished the urge to acquire does not subside, but must be suppressed.

The big difference wrought by the virus is that I’m not pushing a huge cart casually through Canadian Tire or Sobey’s on any given day, and I don’t stroll down the main drag gazing into artfully arranged shop windows, so the lust for novelty does not get much spark. I don’t watch commercial television, either, and I am training myself to scroll briskly past the algorithm-cued advertising on the Internet.

But we still have a credit-card bill fit to choke a Clydesdale every month.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Jun 20 - 01:32 AM

I found a couple of interesting fat quarters tucked into the sewing room stash that are now in the dryer, along with a 90" wide large piece of muslin. I think I bought it on sale from the remainder table, I didn't buy it because I was making a quilt. So I'll trim off a piece and use it in the masks that are still underway. Most recent request came from one of our former student assistants at the library; we're friends on Facebook and she has seen the masks. Since she wears a headscarf I sent a photo of one I thought would work best and she agreed. It'll go over the whole scarf, not behind her ears (having to adjust the scarf every time she shifts the mask).

My craft room table has two sewing machines set up; the oldest one has no zigzag but it sews over anything and is fast—I'd forgotten how powerful this old rotary machine is. The newer machine has a different color thread and is the one that does zigzag and is a better motor than my original machine. I'll probably sell that one on eBay.

The garden is progressing and soon it's time to use the little tiller to put in the next beds for plants that were started from seed a few weeks ago.

There is protesting and damage and arrests here in Fort Worth; my village doesn't have any restrictions but Fort Worth has a 7pm curfew through at least tonight, so there has been no evening driving around unless you're headed to work, or doing something essential. We are staying home and out of everyone's way, but in past years I've attended rallies (the local Women's marches and other political responses). This one, in the time of COVID-19, is more than I'm willing to take on right now. I fear the result of all of this unmasked commingling for the last week will undo all of the quarantine of the last three months. I'd better keep making masks.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Jun 20 - 03:44 PM

Today's declutter is dog hair. I got tired of the crunchy feel of hair and dirt and yard detritus they've dragged in, so got that spiffy new silicon floor sweeper and dislodged a lot of it. I'll mop next, and then proceed to the other side of the house. A wad about the size of a soccer ball was tipped into the trash can from that first pass through.

It was 96^o (36C) the last time I looked at the thermometer, so I'll work inside until evening, when I will be able to do some puttering in the yard. At last count I have nine masks finished or almost ready to go, and several others in pieces ready to assemble. I'll be doing another mailing soon, since this hot weather is a great excuse to work on those.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Donuel
Date: 05 Jun 20 - 04:59 PM

If you're changing things up why not consider a total makeover with professional help who might know things you could not.
You might save time and $. One can get lost in the little things and miss the big picture.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Jun 20 - 05:04 PM

I'm not sure who that was aimed at or what exactly it was about. The nature of these threads is to discuss things we're doing ourselves. Where do you envision professionals who would see something we would miss?

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 05 Jun 20 - 09:10 PM

Today I moved some furniture around. The old wingback armchair is not as comfortable as it used to be, and that matters more as my back gets older. So it migrated upstairs (thanks to Himself, as it weighs a ton) along with the handsome tilt-top table that has always been too large for our sitting room.

A small rocking chair, a rather battered wicker armchair and a tea table have settled into the vacated space, which has ideal reading light from the big front window. I have ordered new cushions for the wicker armchair from Amazon, as the current ones date from a visit to IKEA circa 1992 and are lightly spattered with paint. (I hear that shabby chic is a style, but not that shabby.) The cats have decided the change is okay.

I carried the tilt-top table upstairs by myself, which would have been a bad mistake if my core muscles were even a little bit weaker. It's a pedestal table with a round top 40 inches in diameter, made of solid mahogany some time in the late 18th century. I unlatched the top so it hung vertical and picked the whole thing up, with my left hand under the pedestal between the feet, the pedestal leaning against my chest caber-style, and my right hand controlling the top.

The table and arrived upstairs without incident. Right at the top of the stairs, as I turned to start sidling into the enormous room over the garage (much more in scale with the table), I took my right hand off the tabletop for some reason, and it started to tip toward the horizontal. I felt my back take the strain as the weight swung over my shoulder, and my body rocked back on my heels (still at the top of the stairs, remember). I then gently put my right hand back where it should have been all along and returned the tabletop to its vertical position.

In a very undignified shuffle, I made it to the new spot by a row of bookcases and put the damnable table down safely. I then unkinked my back and resolved NEVER TO DO THAT AGAIN. At least not when I'm alone in the house.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion's brother Andrew
Date: 06 Jun 20 - 10:51 AM

Just as you would when working with heavy weights at a gym, this sort of awkward work should be done with a spotter, if not someone also engaged in the lifting, sister dear.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Donuel
Date: 06 Jun 20 - 11:04 AM

There is a limit as to what one can do themselves based on resources, budget, age and need. What ever one's opinion is of; designers, architects, engineers, contractors or other professionals there are things others may do better than the most dedicated DIY enthusiast.
Then there are the disaster stories or on the other hand lifelong back injuries. But I suppose all that goes without saying.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 06 Jun 20 - 11:45 AM

Yes, okay, Donuel, but I’m pretty sure most of us would rather do for ourselves what we can, if only to get the job done before the ice-worms nest again.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Jun 20 - 03:36 PM

Sweeping, vacuuming, moping a few rooms today, those that get traffic. No point in doing anything in the guest room, it's closed and rarely entered. The craft room was swept recently. This means about 1/3 of the house has had the floors cleaned, and it was humid enough to stop at that point. In the summer one has to pace oneself with these moisture-generating chores. Now to hang some laundry on the clotheslines recently freed of tree branches.

As I read Charmion's table-moving post I was wondering how it came out and thinking "at least if she can write about it she didn't die from it." Good thing you didn't hurt yourself.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Jun 20 - 07:14 PM

After several searches through the garage I finally thought to look in some of the boxes (that were moved around when the puppy arrived and started chewing on them). I found my 50/50 tarp for shading the back patio, took my much safer step ladder out (after discarding the two-step wobbly one last year) and put it in place in about five minutes. The patio got cooler as I worked.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 08 Jun 20 - 10:18 AM

Thanks for wondering Stilly. I'm fine, without so much as a pulled muscle. I'm not the genius of body mechanics I was thirty years ago, when I could easily move a massive bookcase taller than myself, but I can still handle any piece of furniture I can get leverage on.

And as I said above, I won't take that particular risk again -- at least not when I'm alone in the house.

Our sitting room and dining room are ankle-deep in cat hair again, but I'm not quite desperate enough to haul the central vac hose upstairs and tackle it. Himself has taken to washing the kitchen floor, but the vacuum cleaner remains beyond his chosen arc of influence; he claims not to know quite how it works. I believe him; thousands wouldn't.

We were pleasantly busy this weekend, mostly in the garden. The composter is in a new spot that was vacated by last year's patio project, and we stabilized one of the rain barrels by resetting it on a large square paver the patio guys found under the demolished deck.

But most of last week I spent recovering from a flare-up of diverticulitis, which is that thing that typically happens to the lower guts of North Americans who live long enough. In me, it manifests itself as stabbing pain about three inches north of the pubic bone, accompanied by just enough nausea to make me wonder if it really is appendicitis this time. I sent Himself out to purchase ginger beer in tins and a clinical thermometer, which we have not got, and apparently clinical thermometers are sold out in Stratford. Not ginger beer, fortunately.

After a couple of days on a diet of ginger beer and bananas, I recovered enough to start eating normally, then promptly had a relapse -- leftover barbecued ribs. Back to ginger beer and bananas for another day, and now easing back much more carefully. Pasta with plain tomato sauce, shrimp, cooked veg.

Today, I might try something raw that is not a banana. Perhaps a ripe tomato.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Jun 20 - 05:47 PM

How are you feeling, Charmion? I think about my across-the-street neighbor's gut issues each time I take over baked goods, hoping none of it will make her worse (because she might eat things even if she shouldn't if it smells good).

We're to the time of year when outside work is best performed morning or evening, and since I'm not much of a morning person I usually head into the yard around 5pm. The next stage of the veggie garden is going in as seed starts are progressing and ready to plant. I'll be digging out the worst of the big roots then tilling in amendments and see about tilling paths to keep the weeds down.

The next big declutter project is to pull out some of the stuff that has accumulated along the sides of the garage and either fix them (the grill needs work), use them (there are planks for raised beds that actually need to be made into raised beds) or put them away in a better place (the wheelbarrow is in there now, filled with a home-mix of potting soil to keep it out of the weather). There is still room for the SUV, but not as much as there was the last time I cleared it out. Time to push back on the encroachment of stuff.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 11 Jun 20 - 11:12 AM

My guts have settled down at last, thanks for asking, Stilly. Your neighbour must really have it bad if she has to avoid baked goods; I can usually eat white bread as soon as I get off clear fluids, and the only bready things I must avoid are those containing nuts, seeds and dried fruit.

Our place is looking good, if not particularly clean. Monday is recycle day, so I am looking forward to clearing the garage of a great heap of cardboard boxes, and a trip to the dump is in order to dispose of a shredded cat tree and some broken screens. Fortunately, the city fathers have re-opened the dump to the public, probably to ensure that the fly-tippers have no excuse (not that those assholes need any).

We have a fire-pit now, but we will have to be very careful about what we burn in it; nothing that will flare up and scare the neighbours, and nothing that will stink. I must purchase a fire-extinguisher ... although a bucket of water kept handy might do.

The last outside project is a small shed for storing firewood so we can get it off the front porch. Dunno if I can get that done before the snow flies.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Jun 20 - 11:54 AM

You pegged it, Charmion - it's the nuts and raisins I've been concerned about. I make sure if I send banana bread with nuts that they're all on top to be picked off if need be, or no raisins in the cinnamon rolls she receives, etc.

Michelle, how is your workplace now? Is everyone healthy and able to work the staggered schedule? My daughter has two days a week she goes to her museum office; they had a lot of shared offices so now it's one person at a time, staggered days. They haven't built a volunteer schedule up yet, but they'll probably move us from small offices to wide open spaces with our gear on carts to be moved in and out. I'm not in a rush to expose myself, I'm just waiting to see how they work it out. Volunteering in the open air at the Botanic Garden is more likely to open up for me sooner.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion's brother Andrew
Date: 11 Jun 20 - 12:16 PM

A bucket of wet sand, Charmion, just damp enough so that it will glom onto whatever should not be burning.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Jun 20 - 07:13 PM

The COVID-19 rates of infection are shooting up fast in North Texas, so it looks like I'm continuing to stay home. Not that I expect to go out much, but since the stores are full of people NOT wearing masks, I'll return to ordering online. Kroger today was full of people who were either clueless or didn't give a damn because they don't believe in it. Local and national politics are part of the problem. Was I taking my life in my hands to buy waxed paper? Aldi doesn't carry it or I'd have gotten it there; the smaller stores seem to have a more conscientious customer base.

I've done the math on the postal requirements for mailing these homemade masks. I found some 4" x 6" cardboard flat mailers that will compress the cloth masks easily and go as first class letters of an odd size. $1.00 or $1.20, depending on whether it's 2 or 3 ounces. Padded envelopes go at $4.05, so it's a nice savings (the new mailers came at about .40 each).

In the Increased Efficiency At Home Department, I have refined how I make ties for masks - this YouTube video was the most helpful lately, it shows how to make "t-shirt yarn," more efficient than tearing on the bias or just doing individual loops across a shirt. There's much less waste when you have one continuous strand. I'm enjoying learning these new things. Now that I'm expert at making bias tape I'm not having to make as much, but I do have a comforter I need to make some for to finish it.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Jun 20 - 05:12 PM

Mudcatter and pot-maker extraordinaire Guy Wolff posted on Facebook this morning photos of the face masks his wife Erica is making, and it added a couple of helpful ideas to the constantly changing features of the masks I make and send to people. I shared tips for ties that I hope help her.

I've had the new phone for just under a month and have had time to look at the online account and realize it wasn't calling and getting data via WiFi. A series of emails between me and a help tech has it set to rights, and yesterday I also connected my Google Voice account to the phone. The tech tells me that will reduce my bill (already low) a lot because phone or WiFi through my Ting number show up on my bill. Google Voice doesn't. This is in the "don't-declutter-the-pocketbook-as-fast" category.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Jun 20 - 11:07 AM

I watched a couple of movies yesterday while I worked on turning several large t-shirts into rolls of t-shirt yarn to use for mask ties or other things. There are two self-healing cutting boards on the table and with the new larger one this work goes quickly, I don't have to keep stopping and shifting my work to stay on top of the mat.

We're to the season of lots of fresh fruit available and I have to be careful how much I purchase at a time. Last night's dinner included guacamole since I bought a half-dozen avocados the other day (most of it is now frozen), and today I think it will be peaches with every meal. The difficulty in shopping for fruit in this year of COVID-19 is that if I pick up a peach to sniff it to see if it's ripe, I can't smell it through the mask, and the realization that once I've touched it I'm pretty much obligated to keep it. So buy only a few at a time and hope when they arrive home that they will perform as expected.

I'm still finding things around the house to repurpose now that the original function is moot. Boxes, baskets, tools, art supplies, interesting jars, emptied-out plastic storage bins, etc. It is gradually clearing out a bit and I'm still planning the big rearrangement. The linchpin in this operation is steam-cleaning the front room carpet so it's ready to receive the items I plan to move in there. And I need to move stuff off of that carpet before I clean it. In the end, those repurposed items will probably find themselves in that front room where my eBay stuff will be organized. It's the kind of plan that, since it doesn't involve people coming in to do work, has no fixed schedule.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Jun 20 - 12:49 PM

I just can't make myself go out and mow the lawn in this heat, but when it's this hot the lawn doesn't grow fast so it looks a bit ragged but it isn't out of control.

This COVID-19 environment is getting more charged with political anxiety as a belligerent segment of the population has decided they don't need to be careful of others with masks and social distancing. If you say anything you get a snide response that has nothing to do with the science of the crisis and there is no logic behind this behavior, it's simply following the model of political figures in their particular party. It is becoming more and more isolating for a large part of the population who choose to avoid those thoughtless individuals.

I keep notes of where and when I have gone so if contact tracing becomes necessary in the future I can point at places (and via receipts, times of day) I've been. We could really benefit from adults in charge right now. And while we're staying home, here is a virtual exhibit of Pandemic Objects at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Pandemic Objects is an editorial project that compiles and reflects on objects that have taken on new meaning and purpose during the coronavirus outbreak. During times of pandemic, a host of everyday often-overlooked ‘objects’ (in the widest possible sense of the term) are suddenly charged with new urgency. Toilet paper becomes a symbol of public panic, a forehead thermometer a tool for social control, convention centres become hospitals, while parks become contested public commodities. By compiling these objects and reflecting on their changing purpose and meaning, this space aims to paint a unique picture of the pandemic and the pivotal role objects play within it.

We're all in a position to set up our own home-based exhibits. :)

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Jun 20 - 11:59 AM

After a stormy night it's a morning indoors of clearing up dishes and pans I should have done last night before bedtime. And soaking the tea cups with water and bleach to clean out tea stains.

I think it's time for another frugal month, so I'll aim at keeping July as low-or-no-spend as possible.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 21 Jun 20 - 08:14 PM

Dupont: STILL!

R has not had time to go back to Beaver to fix the septic. I have pretty well missed June in a blue funk. I mentioned my distress at being in Quebec - highest covid in Canada - on another forum and a fellow pmed me; for some reason his two brief emails triggered something and I decided it was time to rejoin the living.

I have managed to get plants and seeds into the ground and things are growing in spite of NO rain for ages! Putting all the geraniums outside had de-cluttered the window sills. There is a great need for window covers on west and south windows, which plants make more difficult. Of course, I now have to water the outdoor house plants almost daily.

Out back, the numerous tomato cuttings are potted - 3 to a 12 inch pot and are on the railing of the deck, with a few small peppers and tomatoes coming along. MORE watering! The seedlings in front flower bed have sprouted and will live or die; will not be watered! Many flowers on the four zuke plants but without rain... Most of the bulbs and plants I planted on the bought pile of soil - I call it a dinosaur grave - are being very successful with a nice succession of colour. The peony clump has not lasted a week; I wonder if the lack of moisture?

The garage project is on hold. 2 weeks ago R found himself with a kidney stone and I waited on him for one whole week as he suffered great pain. Then one day the pain was gone but he shows no sign of getting back to work. An op is scheduled for Friday and last Friday we went to hospital for pre-op tests. He reads and sleeps - a lot! Fixed a couple leaks in plumbing - a great help to the damp basement.

The K faucet leaked but I had no idea what it was doing until I saw dampness in the cabinet! Expecting it to be dry, I had stored a large bag of oat flakes - original bag perhaps 50#! When I pulled it out the bottom disintegrated and R gets 10 gold stars for rescuing what could be - 15 large yogurt containers and taking the rest out to the woods. He LOVES cleaning up messes!! Oh, JOY!

The house is moderately clean; we are eating very little that needs much cooking; I still use the distiller as we need the water but now put it on the stove next to the vent with a fan to pull hot air out of the house! I never knew there was such a thing but it is great!! Cooking odours and heat ...GONE!

Oh, Big thing was we hosted a young raccoon for 3 weeks while searching for a rehabber. bottle feedings to solid food and PHEW! A wonderful woman took him to a new home for us just as R was hitting the worst pain. He was wonderful but too much. "moderately clean" includes paw prints in various places, some of which, "I washed that twice already!" I miss him; it was quite enchanting to see his brain working, problem solving. I hope he has the best possible raccoon life! He needed a peer group and wanted to be outdoors; he could smell it.

Now our only pet is a huge brown/black spider that R found in the cellar. It looks like one someone called an Inspector Spider years ago. R wants to show it to someone then let it go. I hope back in the cellar.

I took a bath a couple days ago and got an unusually good look at the state of my body. R agrees it is horrible. I have asked him to put all the cookies where I will not find them. I have gained much weight in the last two months and it was bad before. Crisis time. Maybe I can go back to the only diet that ever worked for me. One day at a time.

R installed a portable AC in BR today and found the large fan which we can use in the TV room. Right now I am trying to get it to bring the cooler air up from downstairs, which would bring cooler air up from the cellar. Hot air can go into the attic and out the "hot air chimney" up there - an early 1900 tactic built into the house!   There is another AC for his office, in which some progress has been made - y'all know - papers everywhere!
I cannot breathe if the temp is over 73 so any improvement helps. I spend time opening and closing windows and drapes. The "cool night air" is currently around 71 but it does help.

As for SRS and her DIY projects: Sure is hard to find someone who does it the way we want and as well as we can!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 22 Jun 20 - 10:52 AM

Our fire-pit has been installed, so we marked the solstice with supper outside and a nice fire to dispose of rather a lot of deadfall branches from our many maple trees. Now I'm just waiting on a local metal-worker who's making us a cooking grill long enough to reach across the 32-inch diameter.

We definitely have a mouse problem. Watson (large black tomcat) is enthusiastically efficient at catching them when they venture into the main spaces of the house, but I'd rather they avoided us entirely. Besides, Watson makes a lot of noise when he's on the hunt at zero dark thirty, thumping about and meowing on the other side of the bedroom. I know the mice roaming around in the kitchen cabinets under and on either side of the sink and dishwasher because I have found spoor, as it were, but they don't seem to have discovered the pantry, for which much thanks.

More than 40 years ago, when I was posted in Germany, I lived in a house that dated from the end of the 30 Years' War. The floor was stone with linoleum laid on it, and I could see daylight around the casement windows, so it was about as airtight as a lace curtain. That house was alive with mice and beetles, especially in the fall when the famers reaped the fields and the weather turned cold, and I very quickly learned to keep all foodstuffs in gnaw-proof containers. I still do that, thank God.

When we moved here, the packers complained bitterly about how much "kitchen stuff" we had. A lot of that kitchen stuff was then, and is now, my museum-quality collection of Mason jars, canisters and hard plastic bins and boxes, and I don't plan to dispose of a single damn one any time soon.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Jun 20 - 09:20 PM

You have had your hands full, Dorothy! Good luck getting the grill in place, Charmion. And I've used live-traps so I can distinguish between pests (rats and mice) and the good guys (toads and lizards). Some are released, some aren't.

I've figured out how to restore two torchiere lamps that I haven't used in ages because they were made for the the blazing-hot halogen bulbs that occasionally fricassee a passing moth and stinks of burned wings and disturbed dust. I used to have more but donated or broke them down, depending on their condition. These last two solid examples will receive dimmer but much better LED replacement bulbs later in the week. Amazon says they will arrive on Wednesday. Sometimes you have to stop what you're doing and poke around to see if what you need has been invented yet. These bulbs exist, and while there are brighter bulbs that would be perfect replacement of 300 to 500 watt halogen bulbs, they cost over $60 a piece, so I will get along fine with the $9 100 Watt equivalent replacements. I usually never turned them up full strength anyway.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Jun 20 - 03:45 PM

I disturbed a lot of dust this morning as I moved trunks and furniture from one side of the front room to the other. The two remaining items are a three-level glass front lawyer's bookcase (full of books) and a half-ton upright grand. I'll move those two items then steam clean the rest of the carpet in that room (started over the weekend). I took down some curtains that have never been moved since I moved into the house; they'll go to Goodwill. If I'm going to do all of this work I might as well come up with the room looking different and being more useful. I'm thinking that one side of the room can hold a bunch of the antique trunks, stacked two-deep and it can act like a counter-top for the eBay stuff that I'll move in there.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 23 Jun 20 - 09:35 PM

Dupont:

We GOT RAIN!!! Maybe half inch and slightly less humid and a bit cooler. Supposed to go down to 16C tonight!

The spider has gone to someone who will care for it. Yesterday they gave it a pork bone to clean up. Who would have thought? It enjoyed it.

Other than that, I just open and close windows and drapes. Started soaking chick peas to cook tomorrow for humous and made a lentil stew. No choc or cookies for two days. Tonight is hard but I will manage.

If the grass dries, I can cut some tomorrow. And deadhead some iris and day lilies when they are in the shade. Did the peonies yesterday.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Jun 20 - 11:30 AM

Following two days to let the second half of the carpet dry in the front room I now need to start moving furniture in earnest. It's a good workout. And when I finish that, there is some heavy lifting in the garden to do.

My county is, as of 6pm today, under a mandatory mask-wearing order for anyone entering a business. It will run until early August. Yesterday I mailed a half-dozen facemasks to family members and last night I pinned a few together while I waited to see if I could successfully launder the heat-resistant cover of my ironing board. Yes and no; it's back on the board for now but the next time I make a run to the Dollar Store I'll look for another one. It's getting a lot of use right now but has been in place for many years, so it's time to replace it.

The garden is producing tomatoes and peppers. I need to plant the small okra, that's part of the heavy lifting coming up. Shaping those beds.

Stay healthy, everyone!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 26 Jun 20 - 06:40 PM

Dupont:

Made humous and a pan of stew yesterday, deadheaded a bunch of perennials, considered mowing and rejected it but cut down a bunch of burdock that were getting ready to bloom. The tomato plant saucers were full of water from the wonderful rain Weds night! Changed the bed, did a load of laundry. Enjoyed the cooler weather and stuck to a diet free of choc and cookies.

Today I re-found the lovely daybook that only made it to 4 January, just so I can write in it the number of days, to encourage myself to stick to it. Today, Day 4 is being difficult. My 5pm meal (veggie stew) is not sufficing. Going back for lettuce/humous. Now.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Jun 20 - 09:23 PM

Pedant alert: it's Hummus. Not Humous. That sounds like a medical condition or the gardening by-product. :-/

Piano shifted across the room next to the doorway to the hall, and may be moving to a different part of the house later. Trunks moved.

The two torchiere lamps have been refurbished with LED bulbs, $9 each and saving me having to buy new lamps.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 27 Jun 20 - 08:58 AM

Himself's brother and his wife moved from the Big Smoke to our corner of Paradise yesterday, after months of stressful preparation, and their arrival represents the beginning of a new phase of our life here. Up till now, we have been much on our own, as any family visit required somebody to saddle up and drive half across our very large province.

We hosted their elderly cat for the day while tumult and shouting prevailed at their new place, and gave them dinner. They were the first guests to cross our doorstep since the 13th of March. (The plumber and the HVAC guy don't count.)

Perth County is now in Stage 2 of opening, with hair-cutting establishments back in business (with shields and masks) and restaurants setting up out-door patios. Much to their credit, the town council voted to give up large expanses of street-side parking to allow the use of curb lanes for umbrella tables; squint hard, and you could be in France. Alas, it's raining today, so we won't be patronizing even our favourite joints quite yet; if I have to get wet while eating outside, I want army food and a Field Service Allowance.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Jun 20 - 04:24 PM

Charmion, that is excellent news about family moving to the area!

Texas is rolling up the sidewalks again now that the governor has finally seen the light. I was planning a trip to the grocery store on Monday during senior hours, but I'll see how busy the parking lot is before deciding to go in. Costco has large aisles, that's their saving grace; I've saved up on things I usually buy there and have a rather long list. Going through a shopping service means I'm bound to miss things I forgot to put on my list but still need and will spot in the store. What I really crave right now is some sharp cheddar. I've been out for ages.

Today I've begun emptying stuff from the sunroom into the newly cleaned and emptied front room, though I've stopped for the time being to give the dust a chance to settle and to think about the next step - how much packing material can I discard to reduce the volume in there. Over time it's too easy to stash stuff, and when you see it all at one time in several containers and realize there is way more than needed, it's time to cull. A lot of it isn't recyclable, so I expect a large bag at the curb on Monday.

The craft room has gained a fresh ironing board cover; the old one was probably 25 years old. I left the old pad under the new one so it's the Cadillac of ironing board covers now. I've assembled a bunch of fabric for the next set of face masks, I mailed a bunch last week, and I have a few new orders.

What I'd like, when I finish this rearranging, is a more efficient house and something that will entertain and interest the family next time they walk in and see it so different. And decluttered.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Jun 20 - 11:00 AM

Weird windy weather today, and I think we still have Sahara dust swirling in the air also. I was going to set up the burn barrel and clear out some old files and add some of the extra paper packing material, but not with the wind. I think the village has stopped emptying the recycle bins, so either I have to lug mine over to my ex's house (if he has room in his bin) or simply put it out at the curb. Now that would be depressing, though in this market I don't think much recycling is going anywhere. Many marketplaces have shut down.

And since Texas is having a surge in novel coronavirus infections, I have to cancel my plans to make a trip to the grocery store. The law says everyone has to wear a mask, but there are scofflaws who have them on and suspended under their chins - the letter if not the spirit of the law.

Mowing awaits my mood shifting. It's so muggy that it's like pushing the mower into a steam room. The only steam room available these days since my gym (pre knee surgery) never re-opened.

I've made progress moving things from the sun room to the front room, and need to keep that going. I need to establish an area for setting up my photo cube (a nylon tent-like tabletop setup that works for diffusing light from the sides and getting good photos for eBay, etc. The goal of organizing this stuff is to resume full-time eBay activity.

Now if I can just keep track of the day of the week.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 29 Jun 20 - 12:16 PM

"Now if I can just keep track of the day of the week."

Oh, yes. I'm ashamed to admit that I check the phone or the computer to remind me, and then I forget again, especially in the grey space between Tuesday and Friday. After Garbage Day has passed, my only firm guide is the amount of effort I have to put into the New York Times crossword puzzle.

BIL and SIL are still in a welter of paper and boxes, with days if not weeks of sorting and shifting ahead of them. Their new house is much bigger than the little rowhouse they left behind in Toronto, and was rather ruthlessly renovated about ten years ago to turn it into a bed-and-breakfast. It has two large bathrooms that, oddly, have no doors; oddest of all is the man-cave attic, with a massive Jacuzzi whirlpool tub right spung in the middle of the space. Whoever installed that would have needed a building permit and an engineer's report, followed by the agony of hanging double joists to take the weight -- and why? Likewise, the largest bedroom has a huge en-suite bathroom with no enclosure to block the view even of the toilet.

However, it's their house. I just thank my lucky stars that it wasn't the only house in our price range when we hit town three years ago.

Speaking of houses, ours is as dusty as the Sahara right now, and it can damn well stay that way for a couple more days; I have zero interest in housework right now. I will probably get over that soon, as the weather is hot and muggy enough to make any expedition unpleasant. Of course, there's nowhere fun to go.

Himself chivvied me out yesterday morning for breakfast downtown, our favourite after-church spot having reopened for take-out service. It was okay, but frankly I would rather have eaten at home; perching at a picnic table in the market square to eat out of compostable boxes is just as unlike restaurant dining as it sounds. Plus, no church, although the bells were ringing. The Anglican Church of Canada has hoisted in that group singing is actually one of the most dangerous things to do when COVID-19 is around, so ... no church. And when church is finally back, it will be said Matins and Evening Prayer. No singing, no eucharist. Bleah.

I have put on ten completely unwanted pounds over the last six months, so I have to pay much closer attention to what I eat and when. Since recovering from my last bout of diverticulitis, I have been eating only small meals a day, fasting from eight o'clock in the evening to noon the next day, and that is beginning to turn the tide. Trotting up and down stairs and around town is about the only exercise I get since the gyms are still closed, but today it's just too damned hot.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 30 Jun 20 - 08:19 AM

I’ve bought two tools in fairly recent times to deal with a couple of things I found in the garden. Aviation snips to cut up an old rusty incinerator and bolt cutters for the springs from an old mattress (not sure where that came from…). In both cases, I was able to get things down to reasonable sized bits for easier disposal.

I’ve been dotting about between a few outdoor things and one other thing I’ve been doing is trying to reclaim the area behind the pigsties. I remember strimming there when I first moved here around 20 years ago but it got forgotten about at some point and it’s surprising how quickly nature can take over…

Between ivy, brambles and elder, most of that patch was impassible a few weeks ago and, apart from clearing up stuff I’ve cut, it’s probably about at a point I’d settle for now. The main things to me anyway are having access again to the back of the pigsties and to the blue pipe which carries water from the 12 butts at the back of the house down to join 4 more by a shed and all used for watering round the back. I think we need to fix the fence by the back of the house.

Another thing I’ve done bits of and need to do more of is bits of garden timber. The bit that has my attention at the moment is the table outside the “BBQ shed”. It’s looking a little weather worn but I think it’s it’s a nice piece of quite solid, simple furniture. I’ve not tried this before with anything but I’m going to try sanding, a little bit of wood filler and teak oil with this one.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 30 Jun 20 - 09:55 AM

Dupont:

R is still in kidney stone mode; until that finishes there will be no - ever so longed for - trip to Beaver.

The cross the street neighbours took out the 8-10 foot high hedge between the two drives. The view from my usual chair in the Den is vastly deteriorated; instead of the lovely old cedar hedge - 3 or more vehicles, a camping trailer, a not too bad small building and the back porch and side of house - not terrible. But now there is a 24/7 light on the bloomin' trailer. I am trying to adjust plants on the sill to block the view without losing the nice breeze --- now that the weather is blissfully cooler. I realize they did it to gain space; we sure miss that hedge!

We have also had wonderful rain a couple times. I lost a tiny hydrangea to the dry - it looked as though it was getting ready to bloom and then it looked totally dried out - lack of attention. The squash flowers all gave up - no water, no squash. They can try again; the plants are still healthy. But everything is showing its happiness to have water! - lettuce, beans et al.

The stores here, at least those I use, have online sites with a chart showing how busy they are throughout the day. So, needing stuff, I checked several times yesterday and went off to the produce store at 6pm. Bought groceries in an almost empty store and went to check the plants adjacent - already end of season sale! but nothing suitable. I want to use some very large clay pots filled part way with styrofoam and then 6-8 inches of soil for potted geraniums (keeping them in 5" pots). I wanted to infill with something droopy and flowering. May try a nursery today if it is empty of people.

That does it! I have to put a sheer curtain across that window, just the bottom 15 inches! Too ugly looking at all that.

Today is day 8 of being hyper careful of eating. NO choc -let it run out; no cookies - R put them where I don't see them. I actually feel better. I also feel hungry a good part of each day but am managing pretty well so far.

Thanks for the spelling, SRS! I always wonder but close enough... In any case, my hummus has been a treat on a big bowl of lettuce with a dollop of salsa mixed in.

Now, a curtain!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 30 Jun 20 - 09:58 AM

Jon Freeman, that space behind your pigsties is what I would call an "unpleasaunce". Every property has one: the spot where stuff gets put because no one goes there and it's out of sight most of the time and, therefore, out of mind.

The development of an unpleasaunce is close to inevitable, but they can harbour hazards. Before I married Himself, I lived in an old house in downtown Ottawa with a large garage in the back yard. The back wall of the garage was very close to the property line, as was legal back in the days when Ottawa city blocks were bisected by lanes to allow the polite passage of the night-soil man. But by the late 20th century backhouse latrines and cesspits were bit distant memories and the lanes had been absorbed into the house lots, creating the perfect space for an unpleasaunce.

Mine was occupied by a family of raccoons and, at one point, some brown rats.

I came to terms with the raccoons, who did not bother me if I kept the garbage under close arrest, but the rats were a different story. One of my cats, a small black fellow named Cecil, killed at least two -- he brought me the corpses -- and they did not invade the house, but they were a major threat to the wiring of the garage and anything stored in it.

Ah, city life.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Jun 20 - 11:20 PM

Much of last year was a series of kidney stone episodes and I think three surgeries for my next door neighbor. I'm happy to report that he's feeling much better now, his diet is somewhat restricted, but it's worth it to avoid building the stones again.

Horrible heat and humidity here this week; I see most lawns in the neighborhood need mowing but few people have bothered to step out into the steam room to mow.

July and August are pretty awful in Texas, and this year of #COVID19 makes it all the worse. I'm going to be staying home most of the time and will order what I need via the delivery services. I made a big push to get somethings today that I didn't trust someone else to select for me; now it will be fresh fruit and vegetables and occasionally beer or wine.

Some friends and families have been trying to expand their quarantine to other family members of neighbors, with the understanding they won't go anywhere else so there won't be extra risk. But the numbers in Texas are climbing so fast that has to be put on hold.

I'm moving stuff between rooms and preparing to put surplus packing supplies in the trash and donate items I'm not interested in selling on eBay to Goodwill. At this point everything is in flux but I hope by the end of the week to make the rooms functional and have the sunroom a welcoming space for the time when anyone is able to enter my house again.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 01 Jul 20 - 06:06 AM

I’ll try to remember that word, Charmion. I don’t think ours have ever been treated to more than being referred to as “the dump”. Like you, I think the patch “no-one ever goes to” that develops into a tip is quite common.

We have had lots of problems with (brown) rats in the roof here over the years but that area of ground has never been implicated, in fact I think the only outside thing that was has been bird feeders. We are hoping that the last round of trying to have things cleaned up and rat proofed has been successful. This took place sometime last year and so far so good…

We have had problems with field mice instead. These have been seen on the kitchen floor but not on the worktops. I think they have been getting in via a gap around a kitchen or bathroom waste pipe but we’ve not wanted tradesman in doing work with the virus worries.

That said, I’ve not seen a mouse in over a fortnight although we are setting a peanut butter baited humane trap in the kitchen every night.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Jul 20 - 12:04 PM

I've stopped putting out birdseed to reduce the number of rodents on the property, and it seems to have helped. Now keeping the bird baths filled with water is the main attraction for birds.

There is a single panel of fence in place where there once was an expanse of fence that was removed when the garage and driveway were built in the back yard. That remnant at the side of the driveway has served as the place to stash the trash cans, to leave the mower when I want to hide it but am not ready to put it back in the garage. Everyone needs a place like that.

Our heatwave alert runs through Thursday evening so I might get the tall grass mowed on Friday morning.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 01 Jul 20 - 12:14 PM

We have mice, too, Jon. Cute little brown critters, probably field mice since our surburban house is close to cropland. Watson, our tomcat, has slain at least six over the last year. I don't know how they're getting in, but I suspect our rickety basement windows might be implicated. That's our next capital project, for when we have more capital.

We have found mouse signs only in one kitchen drawer and in the cupboard under the sink, but the cats have killed mice in the bedroom upstairs and in the basement, as well as in the kitchen and dining room. One poor little soul had taken refuge at the top of the dining-room curtains, and Watson had him in a nanosecond after I shook him out of the folds.

No rats here, but we definitely have raccoons -- when we first moved in, Himself put a hunk of mouldy bread in our brand-new composter, and the very next morning it was uprooted and overturned, and bits of bread were all over the garden. Raccoons are very intelligent, for a small animal, and strongly attracted to high-calorie edibles such as bacon grease, bread, fish and meat trimmings, and bones with even a trace of meat on them. I'm sure they also monitor the composter, because they'll have the lid off if we put eggshells or gnawed corn cobs in there.

Our current unpleasaunce is a small triangular space between the toolshed and the seven-foot cedar hedge that encloses the east end of our property. It is full of deadfall branches from our four huge maple trees (sadly, none of them is a sugar maple), bits of old drainpipe, and a stack of cast-cement pavers left over from the last year's major capital project, the construction of our patio and front path. The pavers are too potentially valuable to dispose of -- sure enough, we needed some this year when we installed two rain barrels -- and there isn't enough drainpipe to justify a trip to the dump, so ... there it stays!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Jul 20 - 04:00 PM

I learned today that a family friend, the ex-husband of another family friend, died suddenly last Friday. And apparently while no one was looking he turned into a hoarder. Their kids are the ages of my kids, and are grown and married. They will work it out, but it's a shame that happened because it makes getting over the loss of a loved one so much more complicated.

Tomorrow is the bank holiday and Saturday is July 4, so I'm expecting lots of fireworks noise. I'll have to keep the dogs in at night; one is very unhappy about the noise and the newest one feels the need to bark a challenge at the back fence at every explosion. The oldest dog is deaf so is blissfully unaware of it now.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 02 Jul 20 - 04:12 PM

Clearing up after a hoarder is definitely an eye-opening experience. That family has my sympathy.

Canada Day in Stratford was very quiet, both literally and socially. In previous years, we have heard many minor fireworks explosions around the neighbourhood as well as the cacaphony of the municipal display, mounted more for the tourists than for us townies in my opinion. This year, the town celebration was a live-streamed concert; if we wanted more than that, we were on our own.

We invited the still-unpacking BIL and SIL to dinner and drew the line at that, but some of our neighbours broke out the firecrackers. Desultory detonations marred the suburban peace until about eleven o'clock, when everybody just gave up and went to bed.

The cats paid no attention, focussing instead on the antics of the back-yard robins.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 03 Jul 20 - 08:49 PM

Dupont,

A murmur indicted we would go to Beaver today but the murmur was withdrawn by the end of Weds. I took it a bit hard. SRS comment about neighbour is scary. How long until we know whether he is out of the woods. Dr next Thurs. I thought to go alone to Beaver but not wanting to leave him in case. When I just do not feel/care about doing anything, that smacks of mild depression; I have just given up. But I shall recover. In the meantime, and with the heat, why would anyone lift a finger! Meals happen. R has taken to cooking some or all of his own BF. Doing very well! I asked if I have been depriving him all these years but he is ok with it. I now only eat 2 scrambled eggs with a bit of cheese for BF. Today is Day 11. Keeping track does string me along.

We have mice much of the time in this old house. We just deal with it. No cat. The little raccoon might have been handy. but I am still finding places to clean up from him. Mice are easier. We have had rain and things are growing. Some plants that were supposed to be perennials succumbed through the winter. Makes me doubt the nursery.

Someday I will vacuum. And mow some more lawn. The back is a field of lovely white yarrow. NOT cutting it!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Jul 20 - 03:56 PM

I have since learned the details of that sad estate: hoarder and spendthrift. Loans taken out, recent new car purchase, I fear the kids have their work cut out for them. And the spouse of one jumped the gun, was there with his pickup backed up to the house before the body had cooled. I'll leave anything else to your imagination. So sad.

Hot work now, but a lot less humid. The trimmer and I have toured the front yard so far, and I'm in for a few minutes to cool down. I had a nice conversation with an old friend this morning and we tested our various video call options. I have a little hood I put over the top of the web cam when not in use, and will need to remember to replace it each time. I found photos in a file in the last computer with me in my bathrobe, something the computer captured when I wasn't aware.

Those of you in the states, I hope you have a safe and explosion free evening. Last night it sounded like artillery being fired across the creek. I kept the dogs from exiting the dog door as I will again tonight. A story on the news today said the firework stands have done a booming business (pardon the pun), with many people planning to fire off their own stuff instead of going to firework displays. Keep the fire department on call tonight.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Jul 20 - 11:42 PM

Last night was wretched, clearly no one was enforcing the "no fireworks" laws in the county or municipalities. What they choose to enforce or ignore; in some instances it's a matter of "choose your battles." Here is a county with several million population and all of these scofflaws would have been too much to ticket, even if they were causing fires, yet George Floyd died because he had the bad luck to have a bogus $20 in his pocket when he went to buy cigarettes. Police officers chose not to ignore that, tell him to take it to the bank tomorrow. So much of what we experience these days must be viewed through the COVID-19 and George Floyd lenses.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: mg
Date: 06 Jul 20 - 03:25 AM

I wish they would issue tickets. Fine them. Reasonable Amount first offense. Get some revenue.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 06 Jul 20 - 09:55 AM

No more recreational explosions on this side of the border, which is still closed to non-essential travel. We hope it will stay that way for a good while yet.

Southwestern Ontario is in the shank of a major heatwave, and our thermostat just died. Rodney the HVAC Guy promised to visit this afternoon, but right now the mugginess is mounting throughout the house. I don't think I have opened the bedroom curtains since sometime last week; otherwise, the heat in there would be intolerable.

Before Rodney arrives, I must do something about the domestic obstacle course in front of the breaker panel in the laundry room. A boot tray with Himself's hiking boots, work boots and Wellingtons (marry a soldier and you get his footwear fetish), sacks of water-softener salt, a rack of mops and brooms -- I can pick my way through it, but it's my minefield. I might have to rescue Rodney.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Jul 20 - 11:01 AM

I've built a few minefields around my house. My front hall, case in point, now has a small serpentine front desk and a Victrola pushed against one side. And screens for the security door on the other. It is a bit of a dog obstacle course these days—they have their own steeplechase.

Bt and compost tea in a bottle sprayed on the tomatoes and other crops because caterpillars have started to appear. I'm canning soon, and ran a case of pint jars through the dishwasher yesterday.

Last night was remarkably quiet compared to July 5 on previous years. I think the explosives amateurs blew the entire box of fireworks overnight on the fourth.

There is almost enough stuff in the donation bin in the laundry room to make another run over to Goodwill. If I see the guy who gave me the black elastic I'll offer him one of my cloth masks as a "thank you." Not going in anywhere right now, the horror stories we heard from New York City last spring are beginning to emerge here in Texas and other southern tier states. And New York isn't finished; the story of the 41-year-old theater actor Nick Cordero who died after 90+ days in the hospital and after the amputation of one leg should be a cautionary tale for all of us. (They had recently moved from NY to LA, but New York still claims him.)

I'll keep working around the house and I've continued to make masks. I have enough now to offer a few at a time to local friends who are needing them (until now I've kept family and close friends and neighbors supplied). You can't really get by with just one or even two; if you wash the mask after using it then that is out of circulation until it's dry (and ironed, if needed). Three minimum. I have one by the front door in case I need to speak to someone there, a couple in the kitchen waiting to be washed or hanging dry, and a couple in my handbag.

Maybe I'll finish moving things to the front room and restage the sun room today. We had a surprise thunderstorm in the wee hours today so there won't be yard work until it dries out a bit.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 09 Jul 20 - 10:30 AM

Nick Cordero may be claimed by New York, but he was born and raised in Hamilton, Ontario, and got his start in the Toronto theatre scene, where he is sincerely mourned. Here's a story about him in our local rag, the Stratford Beacon-Herald.

The case of Nick Cordero demonstrates how very little we know about COVID-19, even yet. He was a strong, fit, healthy man in the prime of life, not a frail senior stuck in a nursing home until some opportunistic affliction gets around to carrying her off.

Speaking of frail seniors, our neighbour Neil's mother died the other day of one of those opportunistic afflictions, probably pneumonia. She was 96. Her husband, Neil's father, predeceased her at the age of 99. Neil himself is about 70 and looks 60, except when he's chucking garden rubbish into his flat-bed trailer, when he looks more like 40. I get the impression that he knows he still has a fair few years ahead of him and keeps fit accordingly.

It's blistering hot here for the nth day in a row -- forecast high of 35C (95F), and the ground under the frizzled grass feels like brick. We now have soaker hoses rigged for watering the garden beds, and I get a bit of exercise hauling out and reeling back the 100-foot feeder hose, which is hitched to our only external tap at the back of the house. It's a great way to ensure that I sit down to supper with my hair drenched in sweat.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Jul 20 - 11:03 AM

If ever I spend a ton of money on plumbing work one thing on my wish list is an outdoor spigot on the driveway side of the house. There is one front and one back, but most of the watering happens on the side, so it means lots of hose-dragging.

A friend is scheduled for "elective" surgery (not really - it's a partial colectomy, meaning she has felt bad for a long time and really needs this now) and we have our fingers crossed that she doesn't test positive for coronavirus (she goes for the test today) and they haven't closed down elective procedures by Monday. Every day now the local record from the day before is broken; in Texas there are 9,600+ hospitalized and on Wednesday 98 people died. Just Wednesday.

I cleared the packed eBay boxes off of the bench in the sunroom, but I tossed a lot of flattened boxes into the room behind it so at this point the sunroom contents are simply achieving a lower level but the floor is still covered. As I get things arranged in the front room I'll either move more sunroom contents or take them (boxes) to the recycle bin or garage. It's a deadly move to store flat boxes in the garage because they multiply when left alone in the dark.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Donuel
Date: 09 Jul 20 - 12:27 PM

I was cleaning the pool and the water pump died after 20 years.
It's the last part of the system to be replaced. The weak link are the impeller blades. So tommorow the repairman comes since I'm not messing with electricity and water. Meanwhile the water is green.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 09 Jul 20 - 09:15 PM

Dupont:

Donuel! Green water sounds gross!

All of southern Quebec has been having that heat wave though we did have a good rain Tuesday.It did not cool for mare than an hour! Grass not mowed has a better chance of survival, she says hopefully. Only the part next to the neighbour was mowed, by R, on the weekend. Oh, I did a little more but knee high grass and a small mower... My back ached two days later, predictably.

The AC in the BR has gotten the room down to 78, from 82 earlier. Seems the best it can do. I use the large fan in the TV room to survive. Today, even the first floor is too warm. Up to now, it was OK. Guess the heat is in the brick wall now.

On day 17 of "diet". Have no idea if I lost any weight but I do feel noticeably better. I am used to feeling "hungry"; I doubt it is actually hunger but just a desire to eat. So, I told R Weds that on Friday, I or both of us will be going to Beaver. This depends on whether or not he comes home tonight and can or cannot go tomorrow. I made a large pot of veggie stew today in prep and things earmarked to go are in the car.

I also did a shopping trip today. Watching the charts on line that tell how busy the stores are at a given time - live and changing with the time. Refresh and AH! I dashed out just after 6 to the produce store which was virtually empty; it closes at 7. Then to the grocery for a number of things. Also empty. YAY! The frig is full again.

The previous Sunday, we went to the still unsold city house. The neighbour has been insisting the Manitoba Maple is how raccoons get in his house. Of course we know a raccoon does not need a tree; it can go up the brick wall with ease. So, I read and he cleaned out the shed enough to see a row of concrete blocks missing from the side of the house next door. He texted the neighbour and he and the landlord came and saw and Agreed that was the entrance and agreed to put up a new wall after R clears away his board wall - which he now has! Landlord also agreed to help pay for removal of the "maple"!!!! Although everyone likes it, it is a nuisance, growing so fast, R has to keep removing branches that are on various neighbours roofs! This past Sunday, we went again and I read while R cut branches. A huge pile! I also found stuff in frig which I packed up and brought here. I never realized that R had not moved that stuff, and cabinets full of food! All re-homed now. This was a MAJOR accomplishment.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Jul 20 - 12:29 AM

Good work on the shopping, Dorothy! I ordered online today, deciding that as COVID-19 spreads so quickly here I need to leave the selection of a bag of potatoes, onions, or a carton of milk to a younger, healthy person who is part of the gig economy.

Charmion, that link isn't behaving, partly because of my ad blockers, but possibly because it wasn't durable. I'll try searching on Cordero's name on that newspaper later.

I saw an interesting video this evening to do with restaurants putting their menus online and simply presenting a QR code for customers. Scan it with your phone or tablet and the full menu appears. If you don't have a QR scanner in your phone, this would be a good time to find one in the Google Play Store or the Apple Store. Point the scanner at the square block and it instantly brings up the item it's linked to.

Also, Dorothy, good job on the old house. I hope it sells eventually—I saw your link to houses in the area and it does have great potential for someone to renovate.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Donuel
Date: 10 Jul 20 - 01:26 PM

Well I don't need a new pump. It just had indigestion because I fed it too much mud. The heater needs a thermister though and no one does that so it is a DIY project. Its like changing a light bulb with screw drivers and wrench.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 10 Jul 20 - 02:18 PM

Today, I finally get a haircut.

With masks all round and waiting outside until the previous client leaves, it will be remarkably like a visit to the minor surgery clinic, but at least I will be free of hair in my face and stuck to the back of my neck. Hip hooray, and a tiger.

I must also visit the supermarket. No use wasting an excursion on a single errand.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 11 Jul 20 - 11:27 AM

Seventy dollars (Canadian, to be sure) for a flat of raspberries! Himself is out shopping.

That feraminous price probably comes from lack of pickers in the fields, due to You Know What. The most stubborn outbreaks in Ontario are on farms that employ migrant workers, which means pretty well all fruit and veg producers.

I guess I had better not burn the jam, or let it boil over. No pressure!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Donuel
Date: 11 Jul 20 - 04:02 PM

Ahh the green is gone. I hope to use kid power to brush the giant 50 ft bathtub clean. Were not pressure washing an empty pool this year for such a short season.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Jul 20 - 07:10 PM

Flattening boxes and moving piles of books today, as I continue to empty the contents of a small room into a larger one. The front room bookshelves had empty spaces so this stuff isn't ending up on the floor like it was in the other room (though the shelves could be the front room equivalent of a black hole). Things are being placed in logical groupings, something the other room lacked. A lot of unneeded packing materials are going to go into the recycle bin or the trash.

I may be close enough to finished that I can complete the moving of stuff tonight. One thing to figure out is swapping out eBay items currently stored in a shallow cupboard in the sun room. If I move those things I'll leave a fair amount of space (I'll forget about them if I don't move them). I'll need to think about what else might be satisfactorily stored in there. That cupboard is about 14" deep and runs the width of the room, with mirrored closet doors that slide open over the opening. The mirrors make the room look a lot larger. Now to make the room a welcoming space when people walk in that side door.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Jul 20 - 12:44 AM

Trash at the curb tonight contains a lot of used padded mailing envelopes. They work well as free packing material inside packages being sent for eBay, but I have a selection and tossed about 3/4 of what was here. The contractor-size plastic bag for recycling is full with a lot of the cardboard stuff oddball shapes in there that would be handy for mailing but I don't really need. A stack of flattened cardboard boxes is out waiting to be dropped off at the recycle bins.

The sunroom bay window with the plants received much-needed attention, the old dropped flowers vacuumed, dust washed off the counter top and lots of things trimmed and watered. The pup got her butt swatted with a broom after she pulled the trimmed contents out of a trashcan and spread them through the hall and out into the yard. It took about 30 minutes to trim all of that stuff, 15 seconds to drag it out.

The table in that room is ready to be moved and then it's pretty well finished. The front room is somewhat organized and the next step is to organize it a lot more.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 13 Jul 20 - 09:40 AM

At half-past nine in the morning I feel as if I have already done a day's work -- I put out the garbage and the recycling, including heaps of cardboard boxes, and washed the garbage bin.

Jam season struck yesterday with three (count 'em, three!) batches of raspberry amounting to six litres altogether. Himself came home from the market on Saturday with a large flat of dead-ripe berries, so it was use 'em or compost 'em. The canner was going all afternoon, and supper was take-out pizza because I could not face another half hour at the stove.

I think that's about two years' supply of jam for us and the Brother-in-Law, especially since the church bazaar is most unlikely this year.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Jul 20 - 12:50 PM

I know that "use them now or they're gone forever" stage of fruits and vegetables. And there is a feeling of great accomplishment after rescuing them at their peak because the jelly or jam will be delicious. Congratulations! My sister grows raspberries and makes jam that she shares with our brother (who until last year lived at the beach and brought her fresh Dungeness crab or salmon). She sends me a jar every now and then, and I send her my mustang grape jelly. I sent them pickled okra last year but not everyone jumped for joy at that.

The trash was picked up, now to make a run to the recycle bin and see if there is room for all of this stuff. It is emptied on Tuesdays and Fridays, so I may be out of luck until Wednesday.

Now to stage that sunroom to be a usable and welcoming space. I still have too much large furniture in the house, but if I move the right combination in here, maybe it will be less conspicuously over-crowded. And I should tile the floor, or at least paint it. Since it is nearly empty now, painting isn't a bad move, but a quick search shows me that I need to clean, possibly etch, prime, then paint. It's a job to keep me busy.

As far as I know my friend will have had her surgery this morning, then spend a couple of nights in the hospital. At this point hospitals are still open in most Texas counties for elective surgery, but I suspect my friend has gotten in just under the wire before that changes again. COVID-19 cases are growing exponentially.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Jul 20 - 10:08 AM

You know how some of those "sell this house" programs from 10-15 years ago are still playing on the B-list over-the-air television channels? And how Roger always manages to bring a few pieces from around the house to the now-empty room to make it a welcoming space? That's the thing I'm trying to figure out how to do now. And not manage to jam that room full in the process.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 14 Jul 20 - 10:31 AM

Stilly, I think you have to choose a specific function for your room if Roger's technique is to succeed. Then you bring in the stuff required for that selected function and put everything else somewhere else. I infer from your previous remarks on this task that, until now, your sunroom has been stash space, and you're trying to change that. If you want to hang out in there yourself, or invite people into it (when you can), then probably most of the stuff currently in it has to leave in order to provide not only the space but also the mood required for sitting and reading or watching telly or just nattering.

Me, I can't relax in a room full of stuff-in-process (such as all that packing material and goods for sale you have mentioned) because I feel guilty for not working on whatever process the stuff was accumulated for. That one characteristic might be what made me a neatnik.

Could you designate the sunroom as work space? Then you could consolidate eBay stuff and sewing stuff in there. But then you would have to find new places for everything that is not related to work ... Crap.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Jul 20 - 11:35 AM

You nailed it, Charmion. I did have the sunroom designated as the room for eBay, but alas, it is also the room people walked into when entering the house, right past the piles of what looked like clutter.

We usually don't bother with the front door, it's always the driveway side we enter. So there was my stash. Yes, the room is almost empty now, so the things that will move in need to set the scene for a small parlor, or since I call it the sun room and have a lot of plants in there, perhaps the glider from the front porch and a few small tables and such for more plants. But that would have me moving something else large into the house.

The front room is next to the front door, essentially a second "living room" and the den, further back in the house, is a step down into that room and it's the larger "living room." These Texans, always putting in two living rooms. The front room is several feet wider than the sun room and is where I hope to organize the eBay stuff a bit better. And despite being next to the front door, its placement means most people won't even notice it.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Jul 20 - 10:21 AM

There is a five-foot-wide cabinet that was against the wall but I turned it perpendicular and a few feet into the room from the corner. A wooden bench is up against the back of it now and it doesn't look too odd. I'll get used to it. This creates a view into that room from the doorway, and in that room so far are the original large (and very heavy) maple mid-century table that is completely folded and compressed now, but has two sides that drop down and two leaves that extend it (at its full size it's huge). The recliner with the newly re-covered seat cushion (using samples of upholstery fabric) is in there, and I had three ceramic fish in a box that I hung on the wall just to get them out of the way. They're arranged in a group of one in front of the other two, they are above and below. I live near a creek, I guess fish on the wall are fine until I take them to Goodwill or somewhere.

Now to figure out where to move some of the other errant pieces from the hall and the den where they were parked when evicted from the front room.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 15 Jul 20 - 09:40 PM

Dupont:

We managed to get to Beaver!! Left Sat am about 9 and I drove so we made good time. Got to the bakery and picked up some goodies and were at Beaver by 4. I started weeding and did lots until teh bugs were too bad and then in stints all day Sunday. I "found the blueberry bushes - no blueberries - and cleared most of one strawberry bed (4x8) and about half the raspberry beds. And around Good King Henry- and time ran out. Next door neighbour stopped as we were ready to get in car; gave her some GKH seeds.

I picked up the mail, went to the Credit Union, shopped at the natural food store - gave her my list and she packaged all the bulk food stuffs for me. modus operandi for now.

R did not manage to finish digging the septic - it was TOO HOT! He also did not write an important letter, but read books and managed to pick up another bagful at a thrift shop. I hope he relaxed some! He also managed to wrestle a too large cabinet out of the house and stored it in the outhouse, where it fits nicely and could be useful for storage. We also wrestled a bureau out and into my car to bring back here - "here" being somewhere in a Montreal building. Made lots of nice apace at Beaver! Feels breathable again!

No septic means no water can go down the drain. I bought 2 dishpans at the dollar store making it easier to wash dishes, so got the kitchen cleared nicely. I was hoping to go back alone this week but it took Tues to recover and today as well. I drove back; the idea being that R would not be so tired when he had to go back to work.

Hot all weekend but not so bad as here; the nights were cool. I sorted the BR some, putting away winter stuff - but not too far away as it will soon be cooling again.

OH, HELP: I am all over bug bites - very itchy ones. It started a couple weeks ago with a couple and I did not think much of it. Then at Beaver a couple more. Now... Watching TV yesterday, the itching was so bad I took a bath with baking soda and Epsom salt and that helped. Today, it started again and I realized it might be some kind of bug where I was sitting.

I took all the pillows outside, removed covers, washed everything! Put a clean cotton sheet, folded double on the futon and when I got up saw several tiny bugs on the sheet! barely visible Almost transparent and about 1/4 inch long - like a tiny bit of thread/fish line. Cannot find on Google. Some of the bites have become welts an inch or more in diameter. A dozen at least. They take turns itching. I stripped the bed and washed everything... And R has none! But he must have brought them home from somewhere. I have not sat down anywhere out of the house. Put a shower curtain and another clean sheet on the futon so I could sit.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Jul 20 - 12:00 AM

Oy. I hope those aren't bedbugs, Dorothy. Look them up.

Benadryl is my friend when it comes to summertime bug bites. I usually just take it at bedtime.

I spent about 45 minutes in the garden after 6pm and came in before getting sick from the heat. I went out a while later but it wasn't the right time to see the comet in the NW sky. I'll try again tomorrow. And tomorrow I'll be able to finish planting and mulching the rest of the garden.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Donuel
Date: 16 Jul 20 - 05:37 AM

Just in time for the hottest week of the year the pool is back to crystal clear. I painted a 55 foot black whale and her calf on the sun side and bottom of the pool for extra solar heating by day.
It is heated by night by natural gas. I still have to adjust the lights I put in the trees to illuminte the pool.
Yeah I'm bragging and not complaining for now.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 16 Jul 20 - 07:25 AM

I think our blackcurrants will be around the use or loose point about this weekend. If we do use them I think we’d get about 5 of the pound jars of jam from them. That would be our lot in terms of soft fruit.

Later in the year, if some horrible wormy thing doesn’t ruin them, we will have Victoria plums that could be turned to jam – some of them anyway, the tree seems fairly well laden. I also think that this year between a green gage and an oullins gage, we could do a gage jam if we want. We also have a damson but I’ve not seen many fruit.

We will have to see what happens.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 16 Jul 20 - 10:50 AM

Dupont:

Pool sounds great, Donuel! You deserve to brag!

I neglected to mention my good news. I weighed myself at Beaver and am down 5 pounds from April. I am sure I gained some before I started this "diet" so I am much pleased. And pleased with how much better I am feeling. Today is Day 24. Keeping just this reminder in the log really helps me when the going gets tough. "You've done it for..days, you can keep it up!" Cheese makes me COUGH. Now I find that cashews do too.

Woke in agony of itch this am. Whimpering, I drew a bath again which did not help as much as yesterday. R is now on the case - about 45 bites. And no idea what the culprit is. Not bed bugs. No pic of it on google where there are dozens of "house bugs that bite". Put tea tree oil on most of them this am. R did my back which is covered with them. He is the house scientist and a stubborn Scot; he will persevere. I can barely think straight.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Jul 20 - 11:36 AM

That sounds wretched, Dorothy. Find the source of that soon! And Donuel, I'mma comin' over to your house. That pool sounds fabulous! I have a water feature, a creek, and it's lovely to stand above and watch fish and turtles and snakes swim, and birds wade, but it isn't really welcoming for humans.

Jon, I had to look up your "gage" fruit. They sound like some kind of a plum? "The stone is semi-clinging" - it means some work, but not as bad as some peaches. So do you cut the fruit off and can it in slices, or make a jam out of it?

It's difficult sleeping weather now, trying to keep the A/C from blowing on me during the night and making my feet or my hips ache; optimum conditions include just a sheet and the ceiling fan moving the air a little. But it's too humid for that to work. Plus in the middle of the night the dogs chased a possum onto the fence next to my bedroom window so I had to go out with the hose and chase it out of sight. That wakes you up at 3am!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Donuel
Date: 16 Jul 20 - 12:57 PM

I remember the process of painting with epoxy paint and rollers. When I tried to walk up the steep incline to the shallow end I kept sliding back down with my slick wet epoxy sneakers. The reflected heat at the bottom rivaled Death Valley. I had to take off the shoes and walk backwards in socks touching up with the roller as I went.
Today my most important water device is assembling and installing a toilet. Its already prepared by a pro plumber so the yucky underfloor pipes and wax rings are already done. I'll be using it year round compared to the pool. Expensive toilets weigh over 100 pounds but this one is a modest 67 lbs.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 16 Jul 20 - 02:44 PM

Yes, SRS. I suppose gage is a subgroup of plums. They are usually smaller than say a Victoria Plum and green or yellow in colour. They are often very sweet and some will have it that the green gages are the best tasting of all the plums. I’m not sure they are the easiest to grow though and our green gage tree is not very reliable. That said, the oullins gage we have is supposed to offer a similar taste with better reliability but that one has rarely cropped here either.

We would be making a jam with them. The stones come away as the jam cooks.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: mg
Date: 16 Jul 20 - 04:15 PM

could it be scabies? hope not. https://dengarden.com/pest-control/invisible-bugs#:~:text=Invisible%20Bugs%20That%20Bite%20and%20Cause%20Itching&text=Contrary%20to%20popular%20belief%2C%20scabies,Burning%2C%20nonstop%20irritation

https://dengarden.com/pest-control/invisible-bugs#:~:text=Invisible%20Bugs%20That%20Bite%20and%20Cause%20Itching&text=Contrary%2

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 16 Jul 20 - 09:15 PM

Dupont:

R's friend has studied bedbugs and informs us these are immature bed bugs. R will endeavour to redeem himself bring them home by also bringing home the needful things to eradicate them...eventually eradicate. Meanwhile, two baths today with epsom and baking soda helped me maintain moderate sanity. My brain is only somewhat functional. R says when he had 6 bites it affected his ability to think. Well, he managed to get rid of them that time... Meanwhile, I am sitting here killing the tiny critters as they appear on the muslin cover and on the fresh sheet they somehow manage to find their way on to. They seem to be smarter than some people. That might seem to include me as why am I sitting here? I might itch all over but I am comfortable. another bath before bed and I hope to sleep.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Donuel
Date: 16 Jul 20 - 10:30 PM

Sunshine is a simple way to kill bedbugs

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Jul 20 - 11:10 PM

Maybe. But in the meantime, everything in the room (at least) will have to be bagged in plastic bags and set aside and you may have to have a company come in and use heat to kill them in all of the seams and places where they will have crawled to. If you know what piece of furniture brought them in, get rid of it. Out, and don't try to bring it back. You may have to keep your mattress (the next new one) in a vinyl zipper sack to keep any stragglers from finding their way to it.

Which house is this at, or have you been bit at both houses? You're going to have to bag your luggage, wash all of your clothes, it's a long list of things to do. Think about cleaning out the upholstery in the car. It might be time to call in professionals.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 17 Jul 20 - 10:43 AM

Dorothy, I am so sorry for your trouble. I had a bad flea infestation once, and that was awful enough -- the job included smoke-bombing the house (by a professional exterminator) and insecticidal baths for four cats -- but fleas do not go dormant and hide like bedbugs.

Himself encountered bedbugs in a Ramada Inn when he went to Petawawa years ago to do a court-martial. The deeply apologetic manager had all his clothes (including a very expensive dress uniform) steam-cleaned, and his suitcase went into the dumpster behind the hotel. In more than 20 years of travelling all over the country and overseas, often lodged in semi-crappy motels, that was his only brush with the little bastards -- amazing.

The hydro bill came in yesterday, a sum that fairly made my head spin. Of course, now we have an air-conditioner that actually works, and a thermostat ditto, and the weather has been hot like the hinges of Hell, so that should not have been a surprise. At least I'm not mopping my brow while seated at my desk; I hate paying for hours and hours of air-conditioning at peak rates when the upstairs stays hot and stuffy.

I really, really love air-conditioning. In the olden days, by this stage of summer, I would have heat rash all over the back of my neck and in several less mentionable places. The price of electricity may be unnerving, but I pay the bill without (much) complaint.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Donuel
Date: 17 Jul 20 - 02:27 PM

Charmion, there must be some place and time on Earth where the climate, flora and unique conditions were ideal for you. Unless Earth is the wrong planet. :^]

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 18 Jul 20 - 09:49 AM

Donuel, I find the climate of northwest Europe quite comfortable, especially near the coast. Not too hot, not too cold, not too much snow in winter. Guess where my ancestors came from?

I don’t live there because said ancestors had very good reasons to leave (revolutions, cholera, financial collapse) and fixable physical discomfort is not a good enough reason to go back. Canada has its drawbacks, God knows — too hot, too cold, too much snow in winter—but here the neo-Nazis are still the frazzled edge of the lunatic fringe and fatal diseases don’t usually leave families bankrupt as well as bereft.

The summer heat of Ontario doesn’t last long by American standards, but it’s quite stunning. My Dad, who spent much of the war in east African waters, said the only place he found hotter than Ottawa in July was Aden.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: LilyFestre
Date: 18 Jul 20 - 03:18 PM

Hello from North Central Pennsylvania,

    I took the day off yesterday and Jeremiah and I started in one corner of the kitchen and started going through cupboards, wiping things down, getting rid of expired items and reorganizing. It felt wonderful!!! I suppose I could spend a good solid week doing as such before it would be complete but we did make a noticeable difference! Today I am focusing on the counter top I use most and putting away appliances that we aren't using much right now like the bread maker and Panini maker. Those tend to get used more when the temperatures are cooler. Right now, the counter is often filled with bowls of fresh eggs and produce from the garden. :)

    We also had use of a large dumpster for 3 weeks and made good use of it! It was a a little pricey but worth it in my opinion to be able to throw things in and let someone else haul it all away!

    Life here is going as well as can be expected. I continue to work full time and Pete is now back at work full time too since the university has partially opened. I had a tumor marker check done this week and am thrilled to share that my numbers are the lowest they have been in years. Pete heads to the doctor next week for his 6 month check up which is pretty involved.

Day 1: Ultrasound and bloodwork
Day 2: Injection
Day 3   Injection
Day 4: Small dosage of radiation
Day 6: Hour long body scan

    Jeremiah is growing like crazy, it won't be too much longer and he will be taller than I am. Right now, he is one shoe size smaller than me!!! He loves to read, ride his bike, swim, play basketball, garden, play with the animals, build with Legos and of course, play on his computer (which is extremely limited in our house....he is lucky if he plays for an hour 3 times a week). There is a plan for school in our district where the children in his grade will go to school 2 days a week and have 3 days of remote learning, however, the Governor is already alluding to possible complete closures given the rate of COVID's second time through. It's challenging for households like ours, with two working parents to figure things out when there is no set plan. Pete has NO flexibility in his schedule so I have worked out 4 viable options for me to continue working full time and managing homeschooling/remote learning, as needed. Truth be told, I'm leaning towards keeping him home despite the school schedule as I'm not feeling confident about the plan the school has in place. I'm lucky to have a job where I have a lot of flexibility and a supervisor who is willing to work with me and explore various options so they can keep me on staff. What a crazy world we are living in.

So...that's my update for now. I hope you are all well and staying safe.

Much love,

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Jul 20 - 03:46 PM

Michelle, I think you're correct - the latest series of stories hitting the top of the Twitter feed have to do with over-worked and under-supplied janitorial staff in many industries and locations. If they are relying on an almost invisible staff (working nights or weekends when no one else is there) who have to struggle to meet or exceed standards with inadequate staffing or supplies - it's tough.

That's great about your tumor markers, and good wishes to Pete for his upcoming checkup.

Dorothy, short of burning down the house, have you and R managed to work out a plan to eliminate the active and hidden bedbugs? They're one of those things that happen without warning and you just have to grit your teeth and work hard to get past it. I have a friend in NY City who had had a couple of brushes with them, but they have an app for city bedbug outbreaks that at least helps a little bit to steer clear of them.

I've moved more furniture around today and am nearly finished reorganizing the two rooms where I swapped contents, and have what is now a very tidy and functional craft room. I still sometimes set things on the bed until I find a place for them but it isn't like the bed is piled with a mishmash of stuff any more.

Under normal circumstances a social outing wouldn't be anything to report, but I enjoyed visiting with two friends last night. We sat about 10 feet apart in a triangle under a friend's breezy carport. These kinds of locations are precious now; I'm going to trim a few lower branches on a pine in my front yard where I have a suitably spaced conversation area - years ago I built a stone wall facing the street and on each end is a capstone that is perfect seating for a couple of people visiting under the trees.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Jul 20 - 12:38 PM

Tending the garden now in hopes of a fall crop of okra and cucumbers. I'll prune back the dried tomato branches and see if the roots grow a new set of branches. Bush beans are in a big pot and I see a few, but I may have to race against bugs to get any. I've had to start the organic pesticides and glue traps to try to get rid of a batch of stink bugs that are tormenting the eggplant.

This is a no-spend month, though as usually happens, the struggle is in trying to keep it to a low-spend month. I've had to do a couple of repairs or replacement of existing items around the house, but am resisting buying new stuff; I'll stick with the research for future projects without buying materials.

I'm looking through my almost-full Bullet Journal book. It has been an incredibly useful exercise (started in March 2017). I have the next book to use when this is full, and this will stay by my desk as a valuable reference. I taped a little list in the front of it, probably something that turned up in a Pinterest post, and I'll print another copy and tape it into the next one also. It's something I need to look at more often:

Start by doing 1 push up.
Start by drinking 1 cup of water.
Start by paying toward 1 debt.
Start by reading 1 page.
Start by making 1 sale.
Start by deleting 1 old contact.
Start by walking 1 lap.
Start by attending 1 event.
Start by writing 1 paragraph.
Start today. Repeat tomorrow.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Jeri
Date: 19 Jul 20 - 04:52 PM

I've been making some progress organizing/shoveling out the house. Got one room emptied out enough to do yoga in it, then stuck a TV in. I think there's still room for yoga, but it's too hot to move.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Jul 20 - 07:28 PM

That's what I've been thinking about the sunroom. I'd have to put my yoga mat up every time or the puppy will destroy it, but with the sunshine and plants it's a welcoming room for that. Is that your new TV you put in there? Is it on the wall or on a cabinet of some sort?

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 20 Jul 20 - 07:29 AM

Well I had a look at our blackcurrants yesterday afternoon and something (probably a blackbird) has beaten me to them. I don’t think there is a quantiy that would be worth making a jam with now.

Staying with berries, the rowan tree round the back is looking really good, particularly in the early evening sunlight. The berries are orange at the moment but will turn to red and of course will be welcomed by the birds later in the year.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 20 Jul 20 - 09:40 AM

John Freeman, what you call a rowan tree -- does it look like this? Around here (southern Ontario), that tree is often called a mountain ash. Hardier souls than I make jelly from its berries, but I have always left them for the birds; by February, the non-migrating species are glad to get them.

I used to live in a house with a Montmorency cherry tree of considerable size and beauty, and I don't think I ever got enough fruit off it for more than one pie and one batch of jam. As the cherries ripened in summer, the birds flocking to it in the morning made enough noise to rouse me from a sound sleep.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 20 Jul 20 - 10:08 AM

Yes, that's the one (or apparently family), Charmion. It's known by both "rowan" and "mountain ash" in the UK.

This is ours which set itself in one of the pigsty bays. I'm not sure if it was there when mum and a brother did the initial sorting of the land or whether it appeared in her time here but it's grown a bit in the say 20 years I've known it.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Jul 20 - 11:21 AM

The grape vines that covered the hackberry tree across the road (that I've harvested every July for more than a dozen years) were struck a near-fatal blow last fall when the property owner "cleared" the land and the little man who came in after to pick up trash cut all of the vines around the tree base that the bulldozer missed. I haven't walked over to look because anything in the tree is too high to reach; we can only hope that benign neglect creeps into their maintenance plan and the grape vines again droop down from above. I'll walk over with the loppers and cut any poison ivy vines that try to commingle with the grapes as they did in the past.

For the third week in a row I took my large trash can to the juniper adjacent to the driveway and continued my project of trimming off the long sprigs growing out from it. Once I have a can full of branches I drop my bag of weekly trash on top and drag it all to the curb. I nearly cut the entire evergreen shrub down two years ago, but at the last minute saw an interesting shape it the central part that hadn't been removed, so left it. Since it is a mature root system it can grow quickly so I have routinely trim it back. I don't want that thing reaching the size of a motorhome again, encroaching on the driveway and the yard. Right now it's about the size of a small Prius.

The dog training collar arrived and I'm reading the booklet before embarking on a no-barking plan for my blue heeler. There are particular times of day when she isn't doing her normal alert on the mail truck or the trash truck, but barks at the neighbors hoping for a treat.

Stay cool, everyone. A friend of mine from New York City has an overnight trip planned out to Fire Island during this heat advisory. I hope it isn't so hot that he can't get out and enjoy the sea breeze. Maybe it's time for me to plan a drive out to an area lake just to get out of the house. The dogs would enjoy a walk on the beach.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 21 Jul 20 - 09:16 AM

I have spent several days at my desk, grinding through the chapters I have finished editing to ensure they're ready to go to the author. If I do say so myself, I have actually made the book readable; when I got the manuscript, it was incomprehensible.

Author says he thinks at some point it was fed through some kind of text-management software and then revised by a French-speaking person who knew nothing about the Canadian Army. Knowing what I do about some government employees and their regard for the quality of written English, I think he may well be right. He's not even looking at the version I was given to work from but just reading my rewrite and adjusting for what he knows that I don't.

I'm beginning to wonder if I should be looking for more than a production credit on this job.

Himself went back to the gym for the first time since the lockdowns began in March. Users have to book their time, so the place does not get crowded, and the showers and saunas are closed, but at least the weights and cardio equipment are available. I think I should follow his example; the pool at the Y remains closed with no forecast for re-opening, and I'm getting fat and even creakier than previously. The stationary bike is less than ideal, but at least it will not add to the embuggeration of my poor feet.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 21 Jul 20 - 12:44 PM

Dupont:

!!!! First: Wonderful to hear news from Michelle - GOOD news! I do hope you find way to keep J home from school! You are resourceful!

Today, I actually put on clothes for the first time in a week. I was down to undies and one of R's dress shirts (lots of old ones here). How often I realize the joy of large windows but not where anyone can look in without an effort. Over 50 bites last week took a terrific toll, plus the heat; majorly stressed x4, with covid and R's kidney stones - which have not bothered him but also have not left so we are looking toward a op on Friday. Today is cooler and I went out front to water and deadhead the geraniums and pulled weeds on the "dragon grave" where things are finally growing. thanks to some rain. There will be green peppers from the dozen seedlings, squash from the bought plants, lettuce from seed and the 'sturtiums are finally starting to bloom. Flowers are blooming, prize of which is a hybrid daylily in shades of pale yellow; may it increase greatly! I had to come back inside due to mosquitoes - now a couple dif bites! Earlier, I watered the potted tomato plants, and one pepper, on the back deck railing while it was still shady. Lots of tomatoes coming along and 3 healthy peppers on the one plant, mother of those in the front garden.

AS for the bedbugs: R has them in the city house a couple years ago, while I was, thankfully, at Beaver. We knew from a friend who stayed in one of his loft spaces (a dif building) that a sofa had bugs, but he sat on it. OH WELL! I suggested vehemently that the sofa should go. And NOW it has. But, I am sure, and he admits, that is where this new crop originated. He comes home from work, sits on futon to watch TV THEN stretches out and falls asleep. I calmly noted how many years I have been asking him to take work clothes off when he gets home...

So, he came home with DE and put each leg of futon frame and bed in a plastic container with DE. I washed everything washable, including the futon cover, in HOT water. Since, I have been putting things in the dryer daily,including our day's clothes, on HOT. AND put things on the porch rail in the very HOT sun (Donuel!). No bites in a couple days. IF we experience another hatch, he will cover things with heavy plastic and use a special "safe" heater to cook the critters - 130 degrees does it. We are so fortunate that the original instruction booklets came with the beautiful washer and dryer set we bought at auction. Otherwise we could not figure out how to get HOT (degrees stipulated). We may not be totally out of the woods but we are not currently being bitten. Some of my bites still itch but not to the whimpering stage.

In the heat and all, I only managed a good veggie stew and a roast pork with veggies, done in frying pan on stove top to avoid excess heat. Yummie. And kept on top of dishes. R did some vacuuming in TV room and "his" chair in Den re bugs. Now, the vacuum is sitting here looking at me... Maybe I can do the LR...

Day 29 of my "diet". I have done pretty well with only a couple small treats (1/3 of a raspberry/oat square) in the time. Feeling better and more able bodied. The other day I tried to do a leg lift while lying on bed. Could not manage an inch! I was lying there, "I think I should be able to do this??" This morning, several inches twice! Yes, I am supposed to be able to do this! I'll try more later. Made R blueberry buckwheat cakes for BF; did not eat any, only my usual 2 eggs scrambled. Routine helps. I am planning a bw cake for lunch, with almond butter.

Thanks for all the ideas about the bedbugs. I did find an excellent website that covered every question one might have quite well. And R's prior exp. And a scientist friend is examining the little critters I found on the futon for positive ID.

May we all avoid the covid, and practice stress reduction!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Jul 20 - 12:33 PM

The back yard is finally tamed and I played fetch with the dogs last night since their toys weren't disappearing in tall grass. Next for the front and digging up the keyhole garden beside the driveway to plant some late sweet potatoes. I have cucumbers coming up from seed and the okra finally got transplanted from pots to the ground last week (and I ate a couple of fried okra with dinner last night, the first two of the season). Tomatoes have stopped for now but I may put in new plants for fall soon. I got 1 1/3 cases of tomatoes canned so far this year.

The big news down here is that on Tuesday mornings at 6am the Walmart stores are open for seniors and my next door neighbor said that this week the closest store was quite empty. I didn't know they had these hours still, and I have a couple of things that take me to Walmart maybe twice a year, so next week I'll get up early and head over. Our COVID-19 numbers are increasing in Texas so taking advantage of special hours when the stores actually relatively free of people is a good thing. Next to Sam's Club, Walmart has the cheapest Sudafed knockoff in town. This year I've been more careful about taking it before I go out to keep my allergy sneezes under control. YMMV in your state or province, but it's worth checking out.

Dog baths this week. Once a year whether they need it or not. The water is so warm coming out of the hose that I use a lead to keep each one in place and hose and shampoo then rinse. It doesn't mean there will be less dog hair, it will just be cleaner dog hair. :-/

Good luck with the heat applications, Dorothy. That's what I've heard is pretty effective. Shame on R for being so lazy about that sofa at work!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 23 Jul 20 - 09:48 AM

I know darn well that I have no contagious diseases, COVID-19 or anything else, but from the beginning of the pandemic I have always worn a mask when out of the house because the frequent coughing that goes with asthma is so unnerving to other people. I had a hacking attack in the park one day back in April, and it quite hurt my feelings to see a woman veer widely off the path and around a tree to avoid me, her eyes (above her mask) wide with what really looked like fear.

I just wish I could use Sudafed, or anything that resembles it, but the pseudo-epinephrin that is its active ingredient interacts badly with the bronchodilators that keep asthma under close arrest. Sudafed and its clones are still the most effective of the non-drowsy antihistamines.

Meanwhile, in culinary news, Himself has decided to try cooking a whole chicken in a Dutch oven in the fire-pit. Not sure how this will turn out ... If we come down with ptomaine, I'll know why.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Jul 20 - 09:28 PM

Over the years my sister has sent boxes of books from my mom's house. This it was week three boxes of books, and I recently relocated one box lost for ages in the sunroom that was full of stuff from travel to Japan decades ago. The books are WWII era, and I'm thinking that I have a set of stuff (videos and books) that may do well as donations to my former university's special collections to their veterans materials. Mom was in the Women's Army Corps stationed in Japan. Anyway, my daughter and I had a social distance lunch today and I took an assortment of boxes for her to poke through. (There we were in the parking garage with boxes on the ground behind my SUV.) #ChristmasInJuly

It looks like one of my long-term eBay sales items was finally purchased. My new phone didn't make the lovely "ca-ching" sound of a cash register that alerts me to a sale, so I'll have to figure out how to set it up. And list some more stuff.

I took out a couple of NY strip steaks to thaw and use on Saturday. With COVID-19 the way it is in Texas no one is coming into the house, but this time of year I can set up the little terracotta grill beside the patio and have a friend over for dinner in the driveway.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 24 Jul 20 - 12:41 PM

Dupont:

I went with R this am as he drove my car to hospital for his kidney stone op. His cousin will bring him home - soon, I hope. We were at the hospital before 7 and I turned around and came home for a pit stop and headed to the produce store where I was the only customer at 7:45! The staff all had masks and were busy stocking everything on this lovely Friday.

I stocked up on fruits and veggies, and eggs and frozen chick and a pork tenderloin. I wish they had a roast of pork as we enjoyed the one I cooked last week - in the frying pan on stove top, with veggies. I only buy this local protein from southern QC. It is so much better than the usual. The roast, from a Bancroft store ("free From" brand), had been in freezer at Beaver and I used it as "ice" in the cooler on the way back here.

Getting home from the store at the time we usually get up, I have managed to do a number of useful small things and some weeding, froze 4 pints of Quebec blueberries. Feeling happy to have this renewed energy, esp with the cooler weather. Doing stuff made me hungry before my appointed lunchtime so I ate some blueberries and a piece of cheddar. Two pints of blueberries and two of QC raspberries still available for munching.

This is Day 32 of my "diet". As I write it in the book each day, I am encouraged to hang in. four very small treats in 32 days is very good. Feeling healthier is also encouraging.

Yesterday, R helped me move the tomato plants to a better spot on the back deck, where, if a fruit falls, it can be seen rather than lost in the profusion of plants below the railing. I will bring in the best three pots in the fall to start new ones for next. Learning the ways of tomato plants and how they grow is interesting.

Charmion: I too cannot take anything related to ephedrine. For antihistamine I have been using, for about 25 years, chlorpheniramine maleate, recommended to me by the wonderful pharmacist in Bancroft, who now has her own pharmacy. My bro also uses it and finds it works as well as the Benadryl he had been taking. It comes in a small bottle in a small box- about one inch by one inch by about 4 inches tall. I always have to ask for it but it is 100 in a bottle so I only need to find them every few years. Under $10 last time.

The bug bites are almost gone and no new ones! We are hoping we have won this round but are prepared. That old couch, the cause, was very heavy and R needed someone to help move it. I am assured it is now gone. In the 2-3 years since Linda got bit, I have asked him a few times and "What! It's still there!!" He has a lot on his mind. I have also asked him, for 10 years, "Take your work clothes off when you get home..." Now he does. He also drinks water, now that he is aware the lack thereof could have caused the stones. I begged... He also takes his supplements - whatever I give him. And it only took 10 years!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Jul 20 - 10:07 AM

Sudafed - I can take one and have an effective antihistamine effect; take two and I'm climbing the walls.

This morning I sat up straight in bed thinking it was Sunday and I'd forgotten a regular Saturday night post I always put up for a site I work on. As I scrambled to turn on the computer and bring up the software a little time passed and I realized it was Saturday morning, not Sunday. I can't say that happens very often any more, since retirement.

I hope R's kidney stone procedure went well. My next door neighbor had three different attempts to get a particularly large stone last year, and he's much more comfortable now.

It's overcast today, but the not-quite-tropical-storm that was headed for the coast hasn't reached this area with it's bands of storm clouds. I suspect this cloud cover is the result of the regular SE directional weather stalling in the face of that front pushing to the NW. It is hurricane season, though it usually means rain here at the most, not the heavy weather since we're several hundred miles NW of the Gulf of Mexico. We're in that time of year when just keeping the garden alive is the goal, it won't be producing much until fall. Keeping a patch of turf green in the back yard for the dogs, and occasionally watering out front to keep the encroaching St. Augustine grass alive (because it's better than the weeds I did have growing here). The cucumbers are seedlings now, the okra are perking up and growing larger. The tomatoes are almost completely dormant and I think I pushed back the encroaching leaffooted bug nymphs that will suck plants and crops dry if not treated. I'm hoping for homemade pickles this fall, cucumber and okra.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Jul 20 - 04:25 PM

After yesterday's post I mowed the front lawn and trimmed the area beside the garage where I hide the trash cans from the street. The humidity make the work exhausting and I seem to have gotten enough dust and grass up my nose to cause a sinus headache today.

The two front yard bird baths got a quick scrub with a tough nylon brush and clean water added, and there is now a small solar fountain thing floating in the birdbath close to the office window. It splashes enough water out of the birdbath that I have a gallon of water on the ground next to it to fill it during the day. This isn't a sustainable plan, so the little solar thing will come in for periods of time (it isn't supposed to be allowed to run for long if the water dries up). It really needs a deeper basin of water to be left untended, but if I tried (for example) to float it in the trough the dog water is in the puppy would fish it out and destroy it. This was a gift from a friend.

We aren't getting hurricane weather, but walk outside for a few minutes and you're dripping with sweat. Take a look at Windy and you see the storm clobbering Monterrey, Mexico and the humidity gushing across all of Texas. There were boxes of books in the garage I brought in and emptied and the flattened boxes are now ready for the recycle bin. I don't like storing books in the garage or attic here, because of the humidity.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Jul 20 - 10:28 AM

I went to Walmart today at 6:30am and found the aisles as empty as my neighbor described. I loaded up on their store-brand cold and cough medications since what is in my cupboard is incredibly out of date. Happily I have avoided colds for a while, but when the need arrives, it's nice to have the basics on hand. The old stuff will go into the trash or to the Rx recycling receptacle at the Walgreens down the street. So this isn't so much decluttering as simply updating.

While I'm thinking about medical stuff I need to find out about getting my shingles vaccine and when to get this fall's flu shot. These need to be spaced out.

Tuesdays the city hall recycle bins are emptied so this evening I have a run to make with more cardboard and various kitchen things to contribute. I'm trying to corral the cardboard. Some of the books my sister sent have no sentimental value or commercial value so they'll also go in that bin.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 01 Aug 20 - 12:49 PM

Dupont:

R was a long time getting over the effects of epidural but Doug brought him home about 5or 6 pm and we had supper together. Then, as soon as Doug left, bed!

Yesterday/Friday, I was waiting for R to leave for work. After two hours on phone with Tech support I went and found him watching TV??? He thought it was Saturday!

Most of this week was spent working on the problems deriving from a major computer hack. A major nightmare! 12 hours with Ephraim on Weds as he worked on computer and, talked to Whidbey tech support and then a trip to Apple Genius about 30 minutes away - lucky to get an appointment at 6 pm! Only one available in the area. The nice "Genius" worked on it for an hour trying to get rid of anything unnecessary and/or offensive. Then back here and E continued to consult with techies and work on computer, leaving about 11:30; R took him back to the Metro.

Thurs: spent hours trying to come to terms with what had been changed. while getting rid of the accumulation of emails. A couple more calls to tech. I could receive but not send. Tues eve there had been no new emails, my first call to tech!

Friday, having found that I had to put in the new - rocket science - password every time I left the computer for a few minutes...techie Jodie spent almost two hours helping me reset up email so I could understand it and find and click a box so I did not need to re-do every 10 minutes! Imagine, I go to stir the stew and come back and... ARGHHH! Someone also helped me change the password to access email to something more human.

Sent an email of thanks to Whidbey Telecom re Blaise, Adam, Thomas, Jodie ... Eph was also impressed by them.

Exhaustion from Weds precluded me going to Beaver on Thurs. Also the need to get bank accounts revived, trip to get new access card (complicated by my ID being Ontario and this is Quebec and a long wait due to social distancing which they were doing quite well), phone calls...

Now, I seem to have lost all previous emails, the important ones that were in "smart mailboxes" so they could be easily accessed and that have info I would like to or need to access. I do not have the energy left for another call to Techs. Maybe tomorrow.

Weds, I ate almost nothing. I have been good about not "making up for it" and on Day 40... I am still exhausted but there is a fresh pot of stew ready for a good meal, or four! Now, at 12:30, I am ready to go back to bed. A lovely, Hot, day. The lawn is still not mowed. R is still not 100%. Ephraim has moved into the city house from his tiny apt, a good thing not to have it empty. Also more convenient to the office. (He works with/for R and bro. He is worth more than his weight in gold, even if he gave me passwords worthy of Fort Knox!)


Prior to the hacking: On Tues, a mother and daughter came and chose 37 pots from the display in DR! Terrific De-clutter!!! We are trying to decide where to move them so they are still accessible but not taking up the entire DR! The first floor actually got vacuumed before they arrived! No more sign of bedbugs!! We've had rain so I don't need to water outdoor plants and those in the ground are starting to grow!

I still have a bureau in the back of my car, from Beaver to undecided so it just stays! I can hardly hold my head up. TV or bed...

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Aug 20 - 01:05 PM

Wow, Dorothy! Computer nightmares there. And that's funny that R thought it was Saturday - his brain perhaps unconsciously telling him to take it easy for a little while. He can rest up; anesthesia takes time to get over and out of your system.

August is here, this is usually when the "dog days of summer" set in, but this year we got an early start on them. It isn't the hottest year, but it has been long and muggy and we're all stuck at home.

I am restarting the eBay activity, and the first things to list are simply what comes to hand as I clear off my dining table. One of the 30-gallon plastic self-lidded bins that I emptied in the old sun room is now organized with mask-making fabrics that were spread over the table. Boxes my sister sent are broken down and the items are either ready to be donated or sold. None of it was stuff I wanted to keep.

I managed to clear the pile-up on the kitchen table (instead of eating in one little clear spot I can now spread out). Battling the tyranny of horizontal surfaces - logical but not organized landing pads for stuff.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Aug 20 - 04:13 PM

The first eBay box contents are photographed and ready to go. I have to go between the two computers to use the newer version of Bridge and Photoshop to process photos. I did find some photos I'd forgotten about in the camera. Nice bonus.

Ants seem to be the plague of the garden right now, I've been out spritzing diatomaceous earth on my pepper plants. I'll go out later with vinyl gloves and give the plants a good once over to rub off some of the aphids or other pest eggs that are turning up on the leaves. It doesn't help that we're only allowed to water two days a week and I have to be sneaky to water on the days I actually want to water. Too much or too little is hard on the plants.

I hope you're enjoying your pool, Don. I was reading about the heat wave on the east coast. I hope Jeri got her air conditioner finally (a Facebook conversation brought over here).

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 03 Aug 20 - 07:48 PM

Dupont:

Never made it to a nap because when I went upstairs there was no bedding! Oops, it was in the washer. So I moved it to the dryer and perked up as I got a bunch of little things done.

The woman who bought the pottery, emailed that her daughter is coming with a friend who wants some so it will stay where it is a while longer. I can also give dghtr the excess cash Mom had given me - this darn slimy money sticks together. This morning, my brain was good enough to figure out the finances! And a couple other things. Wonderful, as I could not do it last week.

R and I have agreed that I will go to Beaver on Thursday and he will drive part way on Friday and the short part on Saturday so he can finish the septic. Here's hoping!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Aug 20 - 08:09 PM

This afternoon I settled down in the newly-cleared sunroom for a power nap in the recliner. The classical station was playing Resphigi's Airs and Dances and I woke 20 minutes later to one of Brahms' Hungarian Dances. I think I've found a good reason to leave that current setup in place. It's also lovely to tend the plants with no difficulty in reaching them (lots of boxes and furniture used to be in the way of that wide deep window).

The struggle these days is in the garden, to keep the aphids and ants off of the okra and other crops. I've sprayed with soap and orange oil a couple of times, which helped a lot, but now I'm down to using Diatomaceous Earth and a veggie wash product (they sell it to use in the house to wash vegetables before cooking or eating, but it also does the trick on bugs in the garden and is very gentle on the plants).

I'm ready for the next stage of mask making, with a new set of fabric and to work out larger and smaller versions of the standard ones I've been making so far. The dining table is clear.

Still working on clearing other tables and kitchen counters. I spent time dusting shelves and realize that this house is going to continue to be a box of dust that gets rearranged unless I do something serious like vacuum up a lot and control the dog hair. Get it out, don't just dust a little here and there with a rag.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 05 Aug 20 - 09:41 AM

I am plugging through the copy-edit of the rewritten chapters of the Afghanbistan book, which I am now shipping off to Author. Consequently, the house is dusty and cat-hairy, and I don't care.

We have had a couple of days of torrential rain, so the garden looks perkier. But next year I really must plant something -- besides the mint and the oregano -- that blooms in mid- to late summer.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Aug 20 - 07:16 PM

From the Washington Post

The great decluttering of 2020: The pandemic has inspired a cleanout of American homes

“People are feeling their spaces right now,” says Gretchen Rubin, author of nine books, including “Outer Order, Inner Calm: Declutter and Organize to Make More Room for Happiness.” “Some people feel like nesting and just want to paint everything. Others feel claustrophobic. Many have figured out they need more elbow room. Some are thinking, ‘I don’t want to waste something I’m not using. I want to put it back out in the world.’?”

“Think of how many people created home offices out of a room they had used for storage,” says Michael Frohm, chief operating officer for Goodwill of Greater Washington, which saw donations rise by 20 percent over last year and rented three temporary warehouses to store them. “They didn’t want all that stuff in back of them during a Zoom call. They were forced to clear it out.”

And this, from the same article: The temptation continues, because "On a recent Saturday at Goodwill’s Glebe Road location in Arlington, there were 600 drop-offs from overflowing cars and trucks. For thrift shoppers, Frohm says, it’s a gold mine: “The quality of stuff right now is amazing.”"

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 05 Aug 20 - 07:32 PM

After the move, I became quite savage about accumulation, and that attitude is our new normal. Muddle is not allowed, and everything must have a home. The comparative lack of storage here is a feature, not a bug.

Except for books. We still accumulate books — but none of them are stacked on the floor. That’s forbidden.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Aug 20 - 03:38 PM

One step forward, two steps back this week.

I got the replacement bulbs for the bathroom fixture, then realized that while I did want to switch to LED, I needed T8 not T12. Back to the store where people aren't good about wearing their masks. I'll go early this time.

Dogs. One seems to have a sting on her nose, I'm watching that spot, and one may have anal gland issues. Which to the vet first? I need more heartworm meds. I'll take care of that stuff next week.

I ordered groceries to be delivered to save one trip into a store, but there's always something you can't get that requires a trip or a different order (and to meet a minimum purchase). This staying home isn't always an easy process. And it's a lot more expensive. Since I'm headed to a grocery store pharmacy next week for my singles shot, I'll pick up the missing items then. When I'm there early during senior shopping.

The groceries arrive this afternoon and I'll put the dogs in the yard before that happens. The scrum at the door isn't pretty when things are delivered.

In the garden this morning I decluttered the okra of a whole bunch of aphids under the leaves. They've been growing way slower than normal, and I finally realized why. I headed out with a plastic container with soapy water and a paper towel and gave the big leaves a once-under and with each pass it came back green and buggy. I'll use the soapy spray every three days and see if that helps now.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Aug 20 - 07:24 PM

I pulled up some of the photos I have of things to list on eBay, but I haven't found where I stacked all of those things (now somewhere in the front room). So I'll shoot some new photos for the things that are near the top and go from there. I have new eBay listings and am aiming at one a day this month.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Aug 20 - 08:17 PM

I spent the afternoon aligning four sheets of pages printed from a PDF into two parts of a 3-D mask, and it comes with concentric lines for seven different sizes. I selected four of the sizes so far and taped and cut out pieces then made cardboard templates from each of them. This is the next phase of mask making, for people who have a larger nose and dislike the way standard masks fit. I'll make one in my size this evening, step by step with the video from the woman who designed the mask. She doesn't have print instructions, and while the general routine is understood, there are still steps that can't be neglected, so I'll follow along and write them out myself.

She has a great tip about using "pony beads," plastic or acrylic children's beads with a large hole to allow adjustable ear pieces and. Lots of good stuff in this video. The masks are evolving as people figure out ways to make them easier to wear and in some instances, easier to sew.

Trash day tomorrow so time to round up everything. Also to put more recycling stuff in the car to drop off. I'm trying to not let there be spillover from the front room and I don't need to save any more packing materials so when boxes or padded envelopes come now they are filed in trash or recycling. Small stuff, but it adds up quickly.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Aug 20 - 12:02 PM

The once every six weeks or so Costco run is (apparently) for the heaviest objects I could find in the grocery section of the store. Cases of sparkling water, bags of flour and baking soda, and I needed mayo so ended up with a larger-than-life jar of Hellmann's. I can't go to the gym, I might as well go to Costco. Senior shopping is until 10am.

I've been reading about lots of people decluttering. It's ironic that our houses are looking better than ever and we can't have anyone over to enjoy the improved space. People can look through the doorway to see the sunroom, but that's about it. How is everyone else doing in this endeavor? Have you made any big changes to what room things are arranged in, etc? Taken up any old hobbies and pulled out those materials, or put away any current projects as not necessary at this time?

Any lurkers out there want to check in? We'd love to hear from you!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: mg
Date: 12 Aug 20 - 02:57 AM

I am using up my extensive sliver of soap collection. Using them to wash out clothes in the sink mainly.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 12 Aug 20 - 05:45 AM

My attention has turned to my shed which has been a mess for a few years. I’ve made sure the mini lathe, bench drill and bench grinder are all working and cleaned up a few rusty items. I’ve also changed the board the lathe rests on on the bench as the old one had warped quite badly.

I’ve got 4 shelves on order which I can fit 2 by the work bench and drill and 2 by the lathe and will hold tools and other bits relevant to these machines/areas and should make more space for the main shelving to hold the rest – I think items to store have increased since the shed was last tidied up.

I’m also waiting for 2 led light panels which should improve things in there. I think I’ll leave the main clearing up and sorting until these other 2 bits are done.

I did consider trying to fit a small vertical mill in there, something which (I could get one in) would involve a complete revision of the left side of the small amount of space I have to play with but I decided I can’t justify or afford that and that it would be going far beyond the scope of the project.

The shed is unlikely to get much use but I’d like it fit for use as/if required. It used to be that I could quickly lay my hands on anything kept in there and the shed was pretty much “ready to go” if anything cropped up. As it stands about the only things I’d find easily are fasteners and even that involved wading over junk on the floor. And say using the vice or drill would involve moving one pile of things to another spot….

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Aug 20 - 09:51 AM

Jon, yes! Organizing what you have so you can use it when you need to is rewarding and is a good reason for self-congratulation. I hope you enjoy the process! I occasionally have to rearrange the stuff on my garage workbench for the same reason.

Mary, I have a stack of soap slivers on a soap dish in the bathroom and I occasionally stick them to each other to form one larger more usable chunk. And sometimes I give up and toss them all. Good for you for actually using them!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 12 Aug 20 - 12:21 PM

While tidying the Glory Hole (basement storage area) yesterday, I saw that we have been accumulating not nearly useful enough kitchen gadgets again.

Some items are the result of an on-line order I made with a company that I thought -- from the name and address -- was Quebecois, but turned out to be Chinese, and not quite clear on the concept of shipping precisely what was ordered, no more and no less. Consequently, I ended up with nineteen (count 'em -- 19!) pairs of silicone-tipped tongs that slightly less than six inches long -- probably designed for serving from a buffet, but utterly useless for cooking. Deluded into believing that the tongs were 15 inches long, I had ordered two pairs, plus a few other items that I doubt that I will ever see.

But -- 19 pairs of useless tongs. Plus a plastic egg separator I have never used, a balloon whisk (gift of a relative) that won't fit into the drawer that already accommodates the whisk I have been using since 1995, three oyster knives (flat-end screwdriver works better), several novelty tea infusers, many water-bottles and take-away coffee cups, and a cutlery organizer that does not fit any drawer in this house.

Geez. It never ends.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 12 Aug 20 - 06:52 PM

Thanks SRS. I think I'll start enjoying it when I start to see things taking shape.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Donuel
Date: 13 Aug 20 - 05:18 AM

The family media room is done except for some wiring and hanging a 10 mirror.
That leaves the futility room, basement and spare office to go.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Aug 20 - 02:53 PM

Please! Tell us about the "futility room."

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 13 Aug 20 - 03:01 PM

Dupont:

Went alone to Beaver due to crisis #2345673456... Left on Thurs and picked up goodies at the Hidden Gold Mine Bakery. Had a nice few days of good clean air - it is qualitatively different - delicious! Had social distance visits with two - separate- neighbours! And visited one of the art galleries. Sorted papers and trashed some, organized a lot. Went through fabrics and picked a pile to bring back. Found things! WEEDED the raised beds until I could do no more. Cleared around the raspberries, blueberries and Good King Henry. The strawberry beds need to be cleaned out and re-started; they ARE that bad and one has a wasp nest in it so...!!! Stopped at the farm store and bought some fertilizer for the potted plants here; the tomats are looking forlorn, worn out from producing fruit!

Texted the fellow who kept the drive open last winter, "I really want to pay you!" He came by and was duly paid, and contracted to cut the field around the house; some of the greenery is taller than I! I had trouble walking around for fear of being caught and tripped! Hopefully when I go back it will be walkable. I had wanted to collect comfrey to feed the plants. Sue, next door, was excited about Steve cutting the field; she wants the green stuff for her compost. She will rake it up - at least some of it! I will make sure she gets comfrey when I get back. It is prolific!

Left on Monday; Brought home frozen muffins (peach/cinnamon) and scones in cooler; added a frozen chicken and 2 liter jug of apple cider. Put the cooler on the floor in the front to get max cool air. When I unloaded everything was still frozen! Put the cider back in freezer, and the goodies, and thawed the chicken which I roasted last evening, with carrots and potatoes. - to be ready when R came home; He phoned about 11 to tell me he was not coming home and might not tonight either. I was so fed up, I watched episodes of Heartland until 3 am - and ate chips and humus.

Considered going back to beaver and just staying. SO tired of these crises. But - I am a maid to all these house plants! R gets tired of being janitor when I am at Beaver. And the garden here is producing - not much, but some. One nice zuke went into the latest stew. The long drought really kept progress from being made.   

Woke up feeling like.... Day 52 and I messed up "diet". Very late BF of toast/tahini and a poached egg, on top, did not help. Now it is mid aft and a salad is on my mind. Went to the produce store last night just before closing; almost no one in the place so I refilled the fridge. And there is a lovely pepper on the plant on back deck. Lots of small ones on the seedlings. And a fair number of tomatoes on the six pots of patio tomatoes - Italian or "peach". R is enjoying them.

Going to the store, there was a nice round patio table and four chairs on the curb. I hoped for R to come home with the truck... Oh well. I could have collected the chairs but not the table. We have no such and it would have been nice. People really are de-cluttering. They may have upgraded...

The heat is not as bad and I have managed a few small tasks and feel hopeful of getting more accomplished with the sewing stuffs I brought back. Super negative side, I seem to have left my list of passwords at Beaver! ALL of them, except for the Apple TV, which is in a notebook. I thought the list was in there also and cannot visualize where I might have left it - at Beaver for sure - but have not totally ransacked the car yet. I need to think of it before the sun hits that area. Two small boxes of pottery in there also, dif from any I had here. Need to bring it in and wash it as it sat in the screen house for a year!

Fall is on the way and while many mourn the end of summer, fall is my fav time of year.

No new sign of bedbugs!!!!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Aug 20 - 05:04 PM

Whew! I need a nap after reading all of that, Dorothy!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Donuel
Date: 13 Aug 20 - 06:54 PM

Futility: a definition - What chu gonna do about it. You can't stop this clutter ^uck. You couldn't stop me with Muller, you can't stop me with impeachment, you couldn't stop me in the courts, I still keep spic kids behind barb wire, I still haven't given you my tax returns- you ain't gonna get those either, I released my criminal pals from jail, I won't allow the post office to deliver voting by mail, so whATCHU GONNA DO ABOUT IT?

The futility room has a water heater, tub sink, exposed ducts and sewer pipe, folding long table and two closets. Besides art supplies there are the things no one is to see. Racist electric skeletons singing dixie, Halloween stand up Trump, fire suit with helmet and visor, stuff that stopped working and piled on the table 3 feet high ranging from rock slicers to violin varnish. Blocking entry to the closet of infamous flammables is an electric folding bike. The floor bears evidence of a previous flood on dog poop brown colored linoleum and the walls are a canary yellow painted cinder block.
The flouresent lighting was engineered by Jerry Rig with extension cords. The futility begins with the question of where to start.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Aug 20 - 09:15 AM

You sound like a candidate for the "one thing at a time" approach, even if it is just one thing a day. Pick it up and do whatever needs done. Trash, donate, repair, or put away somewhere else.

I find paper has encroached on my office desktop again so it is all in a stack and when I leave the room I'll take it with me and put it were it belongs, whether shredded, filed, or into the recycle bin. Some things need first to be noted in the spiral notebook that lives under the printer (like new addresses).

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 14 Aug 20 - 09:43 AM

I don't put any paper on my desk unless I have to do something with it -- pay a bill, for example. Otherwise, it goes into the trash or the filing cabinet. Addresses and phone numbers are added to the contacts list on the phone, which works because I share an Apple account (and its cloud storage) with Himself. We stopped losing contact information in 2014, when the iPhone came into our lives.

Himself occasionally dumps paper on my desk, usually because he can't be arsed to file it. I have decided that this behaviour is tolerable because it could be worse: at least he's not tossing tax bills.

Donuel's futility room sounds familiar, from the yellow paint on cinder block to the dog-poop brown linoleum and the lighting by Jerry Rig Inc. My Dad's basement was like that, including the clutter; his included 30 years' worth of LPs in mildewed cardboard boxes and a stash of bayonets under the workbench. I ended up hiring a dumpster and clearing it like a disaster zone, starting at the stairs in front and ruthlessly plowing to the coal-hole door at the back. That was a formative experience.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Aug 20 - 10:26 AM

My dad's estate required a 30-yard dumpster to organize. I knew why he kept a lot of things, but it never dawned on him that it wasn't necessary. Some things, like boxes to electronic equipment in the house (including the packing materials) ended up being handy, but a lot of it wasn't and into the dumpster it went.

Pepper just shot through the house, taking a corner too close to the case of Topo Chico and sent a bottle breaking across the dining room floor. As much as I've mopped, swept, and peered into corners with a flashlight, there will be shards remaining. Another box is now on top of the bottles. Also regarding Pepper, her training collar must be charged every other day. It wasn't working this morning when it really should have, to keep her from incessantly barking for treats at the neighbor early in the morning. It is getting better, but isn't resolved yet. We'd hate to have to go cold turkey on any treats for any of the dogs, they do enjoy the once a day encounter over the back fence.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Aug 20 - 05:01 PM

As hot as it is, I have been tired of having just two pair of Capri-length or knee-length pants, and finally dove into the closet looking for the pair of Gloria Vanderbilt capri pants I've worn for several summers. Nowhere in sight, but I did find a dressier pair that I had for wearing to work. Well, now they're summer around-the-house pants. Summer pants inventory just increased by 50%. Though I really do wonder where I put that other pair? I looked in another closet, in the linen cupboard, in case I might have decided to store clothes in there. It will turn up eventually (probably November) and then I'll hang them in the closet with the rest of my trousers.

I don't order clothes online, I usually poke around the thrift store, to start, but I haven't been out to those places for ages. I like Academy for this kind of thing, and Kohl's has some nice discounted stuff, but I haven't been into Kohl's often (just a couple of times to return Amazon packages, since they have some kind of arrangement). The goal is to keep these clothes going until it gets to be safer to shop. My being tired of two pairs of pants really doesn't matter since it isn't like I'm going to the office in the same clothes every day. I have enough fabric, I suppose I could use one of these pair as a pattern to make more.

How are all of you handling the reduced access to shopping?

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 16 Aug 20 - 11:22 AM

We were shopping entirely online before the lockdown. The difficulty we experienced came largely as a result of an increase in people doing their grocery shopping online. We struggled and often failed to manage to book on line delivery slots for the first 2 – 3 months but neighbours helped us out. This situation has not returned to normal but has eased somewhat and I expect to be able to book a slot from one or other of two supermarkets each week.

As for clothing, I’m simple. For the main items, I have 6 fleece jackets (for cooler weather than it has been for most of the past few months), 8 t shirts and 6 pairs of trousers. All of each item is the same make and style but the colours vary. 2 of each item are kept back for “best wear” and the rest is “general wear”. I think I need to replace 2 pairs of trousers (same again will do) fairly soon but everything else on that list should be good for at least another 12 months.

Back to my shed. I noticed the board my tool chest stands on was badly warped and has to be replaced. I used the same cheap industrial shelving units for the lathe and the tool chest and I see all the boards/shelves have warped to some degree but the others can stay as they are. They are not as badly distorted and don’t carry the same sort of weight (my mini lathe would be 90+ lbs and the tool chest around 70lbs before adding tools) . I think the 18mm water resistant mdf board I’ve used/have on order should do better that what was there before for the tops.

There have been a few unplanned expenses in this project although the others I hope are just improvements. I’m adding 4 shelves (should be with me Monday). I’ve done some electrical work – I still need to use an extension cable to get power out there but I can now just plug in at a central point and the lighting is better. And I’ve replaced some of the crates which allowed smaller things to fall through with storage boxes – I initially ordered 5 but figured I could double that and hope that doing so may help towards relieving some clutter in my bed/living room. There are things that could go out / perhaps even belong there if I can make the space.

All this for an 8x10 workspace which I don’t anticipate getting an awful lot of use… but I think/hope it will be worth it.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 16 Aug 20 - 11:45 AM

It is raining in Stratford, praise be to whoever.

Helena the Garden Goddess — tall, robust, tanned and Dutch — descended on us on Thursday with two cubic metres of mulch, a truckload of Tri-Mix soil amendment, and a crew of well-trained high-school girls, each with her own pick and shovel, who almost literally whipped the property into shape in three hours flat. They double-dug and raked, weeded and planted, and then laid a thick coat of mulch over the whole achievement. We now have a low hedge of box, rather a lot of hydrangeas, three Roses of Sharon, a flowering dogwood and something called a weeping pine, plus at least a dozen heucherae and three dwarf cypresses, where before was wreckage and bald dirt.

Now all I have to do is keep it all hydrated until the autumnal rains set in. Since the Garden Nymphs drove off in a cloud of sweat and diesel exhaust, I have been hauling hoses and lawn sprinklers about, and I badly need a day off.

I hope it rains all week.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 16 Aug 20 - 12:30 PM

I’ve been glad of the rain (in North Norfolk, UK) today too. We had several hours of very heavy rain and I think we could do with more of the same. It’s mostly been hot and dry here for months and when we have had the cooler days with rain forecast, the rain hasn’t really amounted to much – a few light showers when I’ve felt the ground needs a good soaking.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Aug 20 - 04:19 PM

Jon, I suspect that once the room is in shape you'll be drawn into it and think of things you want to work on there.

Charmion, the garden transformation sounds amazing. Right now keeping things alive in the extreme dry heat is a big challenge. One tree lost some leaves after getting to dry, but this is what they do and I think it will recover (it's in a pot, awaiting transplant in the fall). I've been spraying aphids off of the okra and today I took some metal fence posts, a roll of chicken wire, and a piece of wire edge fencing and built a kind of support for the various cucumber plants that are just now putting out the climbing tendrils and starting to grow flowers. Those are the plants I'm holding out hopes for this autumn.

I'm finishing up some of the fitted design masks; I saw a video this morning that is the first one that I found to be a bad example of construction and technique. I looked at the remarks and am pretty sure that any critical remarks have been removed; no experienced person doing this much sewing would use some of her techniques. (No iron, for starters). I didn't leave remarks to test my theory, but know that there are a lot of crappy two-layer poor-fabric-choice masks out there thanks to this woman. Too bad.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: LilyFestre
Date: 16 Aug 20 - 11:35 PM

I'm pretty basic when it comes to clothes. I tend to find a few things that I love and buy them in multiple colors. Black slacks for work and a short sleeved ribbed mock turtleneck keeps me going all fall and winter. Spring is off white or khaki capris and a cotton top...easy care, lots of colors. I order my clothes from online...keeps it simple.

School will be starting soon here which means I will be working at home more than I will be in the office. Typically I enjoy being in the office but there seems to be a lot of drama there lately so I'm just as happy to work from home.

Pete begins his 6 month testing for his thyroid cancer. It's quite the process and will take place over several days. I am thankful for FMLA so I can take these days off to be with him.

I have taken up target shooting. We had an unwelcome visitor at the house that thankfully our dog scared away but it was a wake up call for me. I am getting very familiar and good with my 9mm and I added a Glock 44 22LR (pistol) to the mix this weekend.

Jeremiah continues to grow at an incredible rate.....I am going to be in trouble as soon as he decides he likes the girls!! He's a handsome young man if I do say so myself!

I hope all is well with everyone and that you are staying healthy and safe!

Love to all,

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Aug 20 - 10:17 AM

I rely on the dogs for their noise; enough of my neighbors have guns that if the need presents itself, I'll let them know and try to stay out of the line of fire. You're out there in the open, so good luck with that, Michelle.

I suppose if I look at particular manufacturers whose sizes I know fit, that is a starting point, but there is a recent meme out there pointing out all of the different pants that are all labeled "size 12" (I hover between 12 and 14 at this point) that it might take a couple of tries. (See if this Instagram link works. I just added it for this topic.) I've always bought a couple of colors in tops I like, but I suppose now I can expand that practice and buy several. All of my somewhat dressier "work clothes" are sitting there unused right now because I'm not even dressing to go volunteer at the museums with the COVID-19 activity going full-tilt in Texas.

Jon, if you're like me, you have some "aspirational" tools in that workroom of yours. I found one on sale when the Sears near me closed and moved back in 2002 - a router that I've never really learned to use. Still in its box. I suppose I should make that the top of my list and start finding projects just so I can practice. Anyone else have tools they want to learn to use?

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 17 Aug 20 - 10:50 AM

I’m not going to be doing that in the foreseeable future SRS but the idea is a good one and actually quite topical for me recently in another way.

Brother in Queensland took an interest in 3D printing. He had one which I think he bought fully assembled and he’s just gone on to putting his own delta type together. We had some email exchanges on the subject and his progress while he was doing this as well as some talk on more general tools, his possible workshop (as well as my tidying up here), etc.

I’d think there’s a fair amount one could look at if circumstances were right. Cnc lathes, mills and routers come to mind as do laser cutters and engravers

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Aug 20 - 11:19 PM

It took me a while to edit and crop and edit some more, but I finished a short set of information and tips for caring for these homemade face masks I've been making. I decided it was time because I kept finding myself having to explain these things about care and adjustment of the mask ties every time I handed one over. I can fit six of these statements on a single sheet of printer paper. They'll be tucked into the bag with the mask(s).

I've cleared a fair amount of sewing stuff off of the dining table (again). And have made a number of prototypes of the 3D mask; it won't be the main one I make, but it is a viable style to offer, in particular to people who feel their noses are large enough that masks won't ride well on their faces.

Back to regular clearing up.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 18 Aug 20 - 07:02 AM

Re-reading SRS… I think I’ve more dived on things I could love to have a play with in my previous post.

Looking at things a different way, My mini lathe (bought to do one particular task but I can’t remember what and figuring I might find other uses for it) would be my most likely candidate as a tool. I think one way I might have got into learning more on that would have been to try a Stirling engine project which could have led on to steam and might have got me started on learning a few techniques.

Things counting against me is that I think material (at least brass) costs are high for one thing and for another, I’m very poor at settling down just to learn things…

It doesn’t happen often (much less than once a year now) but what suits me is thinking of something that I figure I can do at least mostly with the tools and knowledge I have (maybe adding little bits of both) and seeing what I can can come up with out of my head.

My (modified/second build of) “windmill” is probably my best example. There are attempts at metal work, stepper motor control and other bits of programming (eg. you can get direction and speed of rotation and start/stop it using an Android app) in there.

Back to you router and it being unused, maybe you have a slight touch of me there? I mean maybe you need some idea to come along first and then think “I’ve got a router and that’s just what I would need for that”?

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Aug 20 - 10:27 AM

I need to watch This Old House and The New Yankee Workshop more often to find the examples that would work as starter learning projects. There is a television program just about routers also, but I haven't seen it in ages.

I owe the next door neighbors a lawn mowing, they've trimmed the side of my yard so often. But when everyone is home all of the time now it's hard to do it as a surprise when they're away for an afternoon or a day if they're not going for any of those outings now. I'm thinking I did some kind of mental reset regarding heat after the surgery this spring; I just don't tolerate it as well as in the past, but I expect this will cycle away by next year. I'll do the lawns the next cool day we have.

Back to the pants topic - Kohl's has "Senior shopping" for exactly one hour, from 9-10am on Wednesday. I see a handful of types of Cropped/Capri style pants in the website, so I suppose tomorrow is the day to try a visit. Maybe a new bra while I'm at it. I love shopping thrift stores but the factor of taking time to browse works against them these days. I feel like I'm leaving a lot of treasures on the rack, but it would be foolhardy to spend much time in there.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Aug 20 - 01:57 PM

The smartphone doesn't weigh any more with all of the apps installed, but it certainly is more a complicated little computer with everything in place. I am disassembling the built-up software on my old phone, and it's a slow process. I could do the quick "factory reset" but I want to be sure the things I need are out and in the new phone before giving the contents the deep six. #VirtualDecluttering

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Aug 20 - 12:40 PM

I'm going to have to rethink some of my eBay packages for a while. As inconvenient as it is to have to take parcels elsewhere, Mr. DeJoy has so tangled the post office right now that parcels aren't arriving at the speed people expect. I'll continue to mail personal parcels that aren't perishable through the post office.

I'm drawing down some of the stuff in the freezer, and back in April and May I had managed to fill it pretty well because of the preparations for no shopping for a long time. I still don't shop often, but I can get what I need now, so the surplus is going into use. The thing that takes me out is needing produce, salads, etc. I have frozen vegetables, but fresh is nicer when I can get it.

Now everyone in the family has had a birthday (or will soon) during the COVID-19 period. We do what we can to celebrate, but mostly activities are deferred. We've jokingly speculated about a family Zoom meeting for Thanksgiving and Xmas. That doesn't seem so outlandish any more.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 21 Aug 20 - 01:29 PM

My birthday is imminent, and I recently told my brother that I neither need nor want anything, so NO SHOPPING. He seemed a bit non-plussed, but I don't travel or do anything new and different, and I can get any book I want (pretty near) on the Kobo (e-reader) with the added advantage that it won't gather dust, so ... !

I think I would like a Roomba (robot vacuum cleaner), however; cleaning is a chore that needs mechanical assistance if ever there was one. When I said as much to Himself, he griped that I could buy it whenever I want and it's hardly a birthday thing. We have different ideas of what birthday thing might constitute.

As for the U.S. post office, I am full of sympathy and more than a little exasperation. I ordered some underwear from an American company back in May and I'm still waiting; first, they were busy making masks, and that was okay, but at least two weeks ago they sent me an email to say that my parcel was in the mail and ... crickets. Good thing I;m not going anywhere near the gym yet.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Donuel
Date: 21 Aug 20 - 05:01 PM

Under the heading of life and possibly fitness, mid week flying coast to coast in a time of pandemic is much like the most cheesy low budget pandemic movie you have seen on late nite TV. Empty airports, planes that seat 200 with only 20 passengers and few venues for food. You can walk directly to the check in counter since you are always first in line. In a twillight zone twist I expected to hear "there's room for one more dear".   
The eerie quiet is most disquieting as well as no temperature or contact data taking. There are mandatory mask wearing rules. At the airport hotel you have the pick of any room on any floor. The TV is always tuned to Telemundo for the cleaning staff. It gave the feeling there were maybe 20 people in the whole place. Little 'SANITIZED' signs were everywhere but gave little confidence.

The chosen route was DC to Columbus then on to Portland. Other rejected routes involved hot spots in the southwest. Mask wearing is easy but gloves have to come off after an hour or two. Changing clothes is not reccomended in the bathrooms so 'creativity' is key.
Social distancing is not an issue and you probably won't see any Walking Dead.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Donuel
Date: 21 Aug 20 - 05:04 PM

An Uber ride seems riskier.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Aug 20 - 10:10 AM

Though I did read the online newspapers this morning, I am attempting a news-free day as far as radio and television. The last week has been particularly rough. Next week will be horrid.

I'm reading a very old book - Sinclair Lewis' It Can't Happen Here. It's like he went on a acid trip in 1935 and landed in the summer of 2020 long enough to look around and report back. But of course he was looking at the rise of Fascism in Europe, the book was written when Mussolini and Hitler were still alive and prior to the opening volleys of WWII. Even a few years after it was published it must have felt remarkable. Particularly interesting is that there is a main character with the surname of Jessup. :) I'm only to page 70, no spoilers, please.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 22 Aug 20 - 11:16 AM

Well that’s stage one of my shed done. The next step is to find someone to fix the doors so they open and close easily. I’ve still got some storage boxes of bits (,eg. plumbing fittings and some other oddments) to sort out as well as my work bench dray but these can be done later.

This is the shed now. I’m not sure that it looks like much but I’m quite pleased with my efforts especially considering the sate I’d let the shed and some of the tools get into before I started.

That and I’ve improved a couple of things and even after moving some stuff out from my room in the house, I’ve still got some shelf and storage box space over.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 22 Aug 20 - 03:23 PM

That’s a Cadillac shed, Jon Freeman — it’s even got windows! And electricity, if I’m not mistaken. You could sit out the Apocalypse in that, if you brought a fat enough book.

I have spent most of the day (so far) cleaning, and I’m here to tell you that two cats can shed an ASTOUNDING amount of grey fluff.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: mg
Date: 22 Aug 20 - 04:38 PM

i am setting out a beautiful polti vaparetto steam cleaner for free. it breaks my heart. it just quit working. i tried customer rep. i am dismal at fixing things but i suspect it only has a minor glitch. hopefully someone can fix and use it. of course i said it was not working. it had all these little brushes etc. that i never even got to use.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Aug 20 - 05:55 PM

Mary, there isn't a tinkerer of your acquaintance who could take a look at it? It is disappointing - I'm still not completely convinced that the 50-year-old freezer was dying, now that I know the fridge suffered the assault of brown and black fluff (similar to but denser than Charmion's current task). The freezer is gone now and the new one is on a warranty and is Energy Star, etc. But I understand the dismay. It always is a good idea to go online and find the owner's manual and see what it says about problem solving. If you can't find the paper that came with it, just google the brand and model and it should appear. They all do nowadays.

Jon, that shed looks great, lots of usable counter space, room to walk around easily, and the long planks stored up above out of the way. I find that once everything is clear and in view I'm much more likely to do some work that I'd have otherwise put off. An organized shed or garage is inspiring.

Today I used some small scraps of xmas holiday fabric and made a few masks in advance of that season. I started because I was thinking about how to cheer up a friend; her husband is declining from a neurological condition that has dementia-like symptoms, and he is no longer able to carry on much of a conversation. She loves the holidays and does a lot of decorating, and she expressed an interest in holiday-themed face masks since we'll likely still be wearing them then. The masks are a small thing, but are a reminder that a friend is thinking about her. We all need those little touchstones at times.

There are projects that I would like some new materials for, but I can do them with things I have here, they just won't look the same. This COVID-19 era means that delaying the purchase of something isn't procrastinating, it is prudently putting it off going out for as long as possible and maybe it will be safer next week or the week after. And making do in the meantime.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: mg
Date: 22 Aug 20 - 07:18 PM

well, the steamer was left outside and was gone within the hour so I hope someone is able to fix it.

and if anyone is thinking of coming to Portland...be very aware. It is a dangerous city..yeah, right, just a few blocks. Wrong...they are now making house calls.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Aug 20 - 01:25 AM

Who are "they?" What is happening, something you're seeing?

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 23 Aug 20 - 11:12 AM

Dupont:

About 10 days ago: it was a Friday morning at BF, R decided that, the current crisis being well resolved (!!!), he could go to Beaver. I left after BF and he, eventually, arrived Sat aft. Back to Dupont yesterday aft (me) and late last night (him, by way of a couple more garage sales... and a visit to a friend). I was here by 5:30 after driving straight through from my stop at the bakery for goodies. About 4 hours, flat out. Unloaded part of car - cooler, laundry - lots! We left Beaver is good working order: septic system repaired and hole re-filled - not with soil but with layers of styro-foam topped with plywood, some soil, and a row of pressure-treated 4x4s to protect it all! BR back together, a new element in water heater, and a bunch of smaller things checked off the list! We left that home in good shape, including clean bedding and the electric blanket back in place, ready for the cooler weather to come. Clean chimney and fire laid in stove, ready for a match.

R's trip to Beaver was slightly eventful: brakes sprung a leak about 70 miles away and the friend he had visited took him to find brake fluid. Because he was so late - by the time he called me - I rushed down to the bakery (an hour) to pick up an order before closing. He arrived and I followed him to Beaver. He was all over the road - terrifying! - as he was on the left coming up to the crest of a hill, repeatedly; I stayed well behind! Not knowing if it were the vehicle or him falling asleep, I kept blowing my horn; he never heard it. Sunday, we took the truck to my mechanic of almost 40 years and got it back on Friday! (R said "Pete needs a sign!" Me: "He has more business than he can handle, why bother with a sign!" Truck was well repaired and his trip back to Dupont was fine - except for too many yard sales and a visit so he did not get home until about 10pm, by which time I was asleep.

Having carefully checked the weather and noted only 10% chance of
rain, we did not cover my cherished "curio cabinet" being brought here on back of truck, on top of a mattress. Add to that several bags of books acquired en route! I woke at 6:15 am and heard rain --- RAIN! Threw on clothes, grabbed a handy (serendipitous!!), very large piece of heavy plastic and rushed out to cover the already wet back of truck. R is currently down in his library drying out books. It rained almost an inch.

The fertilizer I put on the tomatoes and a few other plants seemed to have made a difference; they seem much healthier than 2 weeks ago. It rained enough to keep them and the geraniums alive. Watered houseplants - in sore need- and trimmed some. (I am really still asleep!)

I have put aside a couple items - to leave - replaced by more useful yard sale purchases. Washed the pottery I brought back last trip and had a bite to eat - trying to get back on track as I had too many "little" treats the last few days.

While R did his fix-it jobs- and read and rested - I pulled more weeds until my body refused to do any more. Got stung by one of those underground bees and read while my hand throbbed and R suggested an antihistamine, which helped. There are still more seeds and the soil from the septic hole can be transferred to the nearby raised bed with a helping of wood ash.

His friend gave him a couple unique tomatoes and we saved the seeds: black Russian and a zebra sort. I am already thinking next spring and am saving cuttings from this year's plantings and will start the seeds and see how I make out with them through the winter in the spare room. Also brought back a planting shelf unit with lights that can go in that room - a Plant Room! (It will get to be a bath room someday, hope.) The pepper plants are producing. I will feed them in thanks.
And start doing laundry...

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Aug 20 - 05:38 PM

On the kitchen counter there was a pile of papers that required some sort of attention, such as the "get a $5 gift card for writing an Amazon review," and a photocopied page from a book I've been meaning to pick up next time I'm at the university library, except right now only enrolled students and faculty can get in there. I finally got smart and looked on Bookfinder.com, a used book store has a good clean copy for $6 that includes shipping, so it is ordered (the round trip would cost me that much in gas, under the old higher-gas prices). And with each of these items checked off the sheet is put in the circular file, recycle edition. Those examples are representative, I've tackled a half-dozen or more now, written, ordered, filed, tracked down. I can't say how long this slowly growing stack has been moved from one counter to another. I have to go through the files and cull old bills and such, but with as hot and dry as it has been, the burning barrel won't come out until after a good soaking rain.

This is a sub-set of the "clear off kitchen horizontal surfaces" project. The small kitchen table now has a fresh table cloth and I'm working on the tall table in the middle of the kitchen proper. The kitchen queen tall cabinet has quite a few things piled on that counter, and if I can clear it also the kitchen will really look good. The house is looking much better than "normal," and as I'm said many times over the last few months, it would be wonderful if friends and family could come in to enjoy the changes.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Aug 20 - 03:04 PM

Always look at the journal label when the renewal documents start coming around. I couldn't remember if it was The New Yorker or Smithsonian, but last year I remember getting an offer for my renewal and two free gifts when I'd rather renew for three years. I finally called the subscription office and they found an offer that gave me 33 months for 33 dollars. Backtracking I see the same offer is coming now but I pulled out the receipt and have two more years on my subscription. I think they'd save a lot of money if they weren't mailing out all of these renewal forms unnecessarily. And these things sit around gathering dust until I finally get around to doing something with them.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Aug 20 - 02:16 PM

In person trips this week were the vet on Monday and today the knee doctor (mostly to discuss my bursitis). Still having some bladder capacity after that visit, I made the executive decision to stop in at Joann for fabric. You just can't get what you want very easily online. I'm set for those seasonal requests now and have backed up the supply of flannel and denim for the filter layer of the masks I make. My stash is somewhat restored - I doubt I'll ever manage to draw it all down at this point, but I'm finally working with new stuff.

Hurricanes headed for the Gulf Coast this evening, so mandatory evacuation traffic is headed to various inland population centers. The next few days are good ones to stay home and stay safe. Sew and listen to audiobooks.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Donuel
Date: 26 Aug 20 - 03:40 PM

I'm closing the pool early to avoid storms and leaf problems. So far I emptied 4 ft of water for the next step.

Is anything better than Ebay for selling die cast vintage toys & stuff nowadays??

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Aug 20 - 10:43 PM

I think eBay is still the best place. And check first to see if there is too much lead in them, that makes them harder to sell.

Cleared out some leftovers in the fridge, made a new set of leftovers for meals for the next few days.

I've drawn down a fair amount of fabric from my stash and was needing to look into the seasonal stuff and more flannel and denim for the filter layer. I also picked up some fat quarters to experiment with color and design-wise for more masks. At my doctor's visit today I handed over a handful of the "ADA masks" I am making (they don't need to be tied after the first time the t-shirt yarn is adjusted to the right length.) The doctor said last visit that he has a big nose and the disposable masks don't work well; he tried on the Adult size of the 3-D mask and it fits but he really could use the next size up. It really helps to see people try these on when they have specific fit issues.

Wind is picking up and it is high humidity now, as the storms begin to push ashore. It probably won't do much up here, but we're in the proximity for this part of it.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 27 Aug 20 - 01:25 PM

Dupont:

SRS: When I make a big pot of stew or soup, those are not "leftovers", those are "planned overs"! I endeavour to leave R some when I am leaving for a few days. This time, staying longer than I thought, I was going to give him something else last night but he came home too late so - more planned over stew.

Staying longer because I have a goal to cut the "grass" before I leave. Dis a fair chunk yesterday but, this am, I fooled with other tasks and ---DARN! it is dripping out there. So I went to the Telus/Koodo kiosk to try to find out why I could not send pics to computer. Nice lad decided it was the computer so I need to call Apple Help again! He did readjust the weather feature. When I first got this new phone, I was delighted that it told me the weather wherever I was. But after my son messed with it - being helpful he thought - I only get it for here. Does not help at all when I am there (Beaver). So, next trip I shall see if we won.

Piles of laundry completed, most to go back to Beaver. Curio cabinet has dried and is in its new home. Need R to order new shelves as the originals died a sudden death in a storage unit on Whidbey when a friend moved the wrong thing - holding them in place - a resounding crash! "Oh dear" said my friend. Or maybe that was me. It was done. Oh well. I won't try to order them as I cannot be trusted with numbers. But, more because he is in the city where thing like this can be ordered.

The sudden change in the weather has changed the daily "exercise"! No more opening windows and drapes at night to let the cool in! Now all windows are closed, and make sure drapes are open to enable solar gain. Time to pull out the air cleaner. The best part is that my energy level is MUCH better; excess heat is seriously debilitating. But the tomato plants are not happy.

Maybe I can even get some sewing done... I brought back some vintage drapery fabric in hopes of heavy drapes for LR/DR that will help keep warmth inside.

The fellow who was going to cut the high "grass" at Beaver, did so! Well, most of it, so I could walk around without something wrapping around my feet to trip me. The frogs and friends may not be happy but there is plenty of area for them. Steve said they were "everywhere!" I am encountering the same here. And a 3-4 foot snake that escaped into a flower bed.

At Beaver, I walked into the LR as a 2-3 foot snake went onto the hearth and behind the cradle we use for kindling. "ROBIN!" He calmly found it was still behind cradle, opened the back doors and gently encouraged its departure, onto the back deck where it went down between the floor boards - at a spot where I had disturbed it's sunbathing earlier in the week. It prob came in under the screen door during the night when the inside door was open.

Hope everyone is safe from teh impending storm.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: mg
Date: 27 Aug 20 - 04:11 PM

storm looks like it has really declined in force. some terrible leaks and fires. read up on cajun navy being prepared to rescue but it sounds like good luck for once.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Aug 20 - 04:52 PM

I'm hearing a storm surge was "unsurvivable" but we haven't heard the size or range of that parsed yet. Lots of news coverage and drone images of flooding, trees down, roofs ripped off. Louisiana took the brunt of it.

The new fabric is washed, dried, ironed, edge threads trimmed. Life continues as usual, such as COVID-19 allows here, and this atheist recognizes that "there but for the grace of god . . . " we could be in that mess. I got a call about going in for COVID testing, I don't think I've been exposed but I guess they are calling people because they want a range of testing done. A spit test.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Donuel
Date: 27 Aug 20 - 05:28 PM

No symptoms but my wife was tested at NIH anyway. A bad Uber ride would make the swab test moot. Quarantine remains the smart choice.
The pool is covered and the hot tub cleaned. An abundance of caution has worked so far at home but not for the nation which is nuttier than squirrel poop
.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 28 Aug 20 - 10:00 AM

I opened the patio door to let the cats enjoy the great outside and turned away to do something else. "Did you mean to let Watson out?" said Himself -- and, sure enough, I had completely missed the fact that the sliding screen was wide open. Fortunately, I was able to seize Watson by the tail and recover him without too much struggle.

But it's obvious my eyesight is not what it once was. Actually, it never was much cop, and now it's even less cop than ever.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 28 Aug 20 - 11:37 AM

Dupont:

Pics of the storm were horrendous on CBC last night!

Took a load of mind this am by sending off two cards with notes, months overdue. Why am I so loathe to write to folks - so I have lost people who moved without bothering to tell me because they never heard from me. Because, I write too much and it makes me loathe to do another! I hate the manual exercise of writing - since grade school! So off went these two notes to "kids" I have not seen in over ten years. The mom, who quit phoning me years ago, and I quit phoning her because I only ever got the father, a nice man but...

But she sent me an invitation to the older daughter's grad - on Whidbey, in 2019! It was months late when I received it due to old address about which I had forgotten. And more months for me to "get around to it". But now they are done - one to each "child" as I could not leave the younger one out. And a change of address not and donation to The Catholic Worker; I only read bits but it has been part of my life all my life, so I could not just send a donation and "please stop...". Now to find a safe post office.

Now, beautiful day. I will try the yard for mosquitoes; they were vicious yesterday but today is dryer... I am mowing bit by bit. Was trying to finish before going back to Beaver but maybe not. Tomorrow we can go fetch "patio furniture someone is giving R. There is enough mowed area for it in the side yard! Maybe Monday to B.   

R has been leaving earlier and coming home earlier. Really does not like driving in dark; has not made eye appointment...

Broke diet badly yesterday and again this am. Start again from where I am... I ate enough choc - from a fancy gift box - to feel sick already. May cure me? Doubt it. MUST write in book right after BF!! But I was focused on that other writing task.

OK, plug in Lawn mower and see how much I can get done!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Aug 20 - 07:39 PM

The state is still slow on testing for COVID-19 but the county I live in is trying to have lots of people get tested, so I set up an appointment. I don't think I've been exposed or had it, but they need as many as possible tested and are reaching out to a group of 45,000 to start with. I responded to a rather complicated message in my voice mail to call in and learn about this. Since I went through a period of recovery from surgery in the spring if I'd had a virus that didn't have overt symptoms I wouldn't know and I was feeling bad enough already to have missed any.

It's tremendously hot here this week, so most of my work has been indoors. I transported a large box to the FedEx drop-off for an eBay sale (finally!) - shipping is more complicated now when the USPS is so messed up by Trump's postmaster general. Bashing sorting machines mean it takes over a week for a first class parcel to travel 20 miles. Anyway, that was a couple of cubic feet of bulk cleared out of the front room.

I'm reading two books, one due in a week (audiobook) and one I just want to finish (Kindle). Completing both of those won't affect any space in the house. There is a cartoon of a huge set of bookshelves in a grand home library and they're empty, except for a Kindle propped on the bottom shelf in one corner. I'll never get to that point, but my Fire tablet is slowly filling with volumes.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 29 Aug 20 - 11:40 AM

Dupont:

First: this week's chuckle: You will laugh at my utter delight in sewing two buttons onto an old flannel shirt. But it was not the sewing on of the buttons but the finding of buttons from having sorted through both BR and back/back shed at Beaver. Then re-finding the bottle of buttons, sorting them by size AND, rather than just putting them back into the bottle, realizing I had a plastic container with cubicles just for this need! All of which also entailed sorting of next sewing tasks, and of fabrics and getting everything re-homed much better than before, leaving the sewing room in much better shape! Then I mended the pocket of a pair of slacks - chewed by mouse to get whatever was in there! Months these have been waiting - for the right configuration of the planets/weather/ mindset/ physical energy... All to remind me that I still do not have the extra bobbins for the machine...

Lawn is getting mowed bit by bit. Today - rain - no mow. Cool weather. R notes that he sneezes when he goes down to the book room/basement. I say "mold". He says "not". ...

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Aug 20 - 12:19 PM

Dorothy, I found a nice online place for sewing machine equipment and they have reasonable shipping prices. Sewing Parts Online. I bought a bobbin case and and couple of presser foot parts from them when restoring the Goodwill White "Jeans Machine."

My daughter showed me the test for thread to see if it's too old to use (at least on the sewing machine and for garments you want to move around in and not break the seams) - giving a length of it a quick yank quickly decides it. It breaks, it's too brittle. I had to discard so many spools (mentioned before as something listed now on eBay for crafters who don't care if it's old) and it resulted in the dismal discovery that these spools of thread for regular sewing machines aren't offered in every color under the sun any more. You're lucky to find the basic ROYGBIV colors plus black and white. Joann's has lots of coupons to untangle but I recently discovered that the sewing parts place also sells thread and fabric.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Aug 20 - 07:54 PM

This weekend the PBS secondary station "Create" has been playing several hours of The Best of Sewing With Nancy, and one of them made me go looking at the web page. She spent the half hour demonstrating how various of the attachments and presser feet for sewing machines worked. Seeing these in action makes it so clear and worth trying out. Best of SWN: Untimate Fancy Footwork Part 1. There are three parts of this, and I'll watch the other two that I haven't seen later. You should be able to poke around from this link (scroll down) to find the other two and many good topical programs.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 31 Aug 20 - 12:59 PM

September, even as warm as it is in Texas, is around the corner, so in my prickly-heated brain a break from summer misery is on the way. Autumn is brief here (if we get a week that feels like that season, we're lucky) is on it's way. It goes from hot to cold like someone flipped a switch.

The wheelbarrow is out and I'm going to be making some deliveries to the compost pile today. And doing some digging to start transplanting a few things that have waited for the worst of the heat to pass.

Inside, the house is in much better shape than it was a year ago, or even six months ago. It's time to start shopping my own cupboards and see what I want to move around to make it feel more like the holidays are approaching. And it's time to start listing the holiday stuff on eBay.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 31 Aug 20 - 02:27 PM

We have decluttered a laser printer that eats expensive toner cartridges at a ridiculous rate, and now Himself can actually open his office window without performing a complex balletic stretch.

Well, he could, if only it had a fly screen.

Gotta do something about missing fly screens, but probably not this year.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Sep 20 - 12:52 PM

I'm sad to not be shipping via USPS, it's my go-to service, but it's broken right now and anything for eBay has to be able to arrive quickly to keep buyers from going ballistic. Everything else can go into the mail and take it's chances. I have another eBay parcel to go today; I have to drive over to the nearest Office Depot store to drop off FedEx boxes.

Finally some rain and cooler (90s) temperatures this week. I'll be able to get into the yard more in the mornings. I have stuff to load up and take over to Goodwill; I'd love to browse their offerings right now, but I'll stick to t-shirts, I need a few more colors for my mask t-shirt yarn. I am finally producing enough to sell, if anyone needs a small order. 3D, fitted, or pleated, various sizes depending on type. $10/mask and $1/per mask shipping up to a certain number when it's moot and they can go priority envelope (8).

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Sep 20 - 06:55 PM

Finally, after several dives into the dark corners and upper shelves of the closet, I found the pairs of Capri-length trousers I was looking for. They were where I thought they should be, just further back and really well hidden. I could have used them all summer, but at least I know now that I wasn't losing my mind, that they were here.

How is work going in the Futility Room, Don? I periodically need to tackle my laundry room (or Utility Room) and it's about that time again. Too many boxes and parts of old projects on the dryer, not put away in the cupboard above or carried out to storage in the garage. And the Goodwill bin has stuff sitting on top because the inside is full.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 02 Sep 20 - 10:16 AM

The laser printer went to the Habitat for Humanity ReStore yesterday with four -- count 'em, four! -- halogen lamps, a steam iron, and a bunch of other excess electric and electronic gadgets.

I loathe halogen lamps. They generate a great deal of heat, and the bulbs are a nuisance -- they come in several types that are sometimes hard to find, and they are fiddly to handle. When a lamp takes bulbs that may or may not be available for purchase within half an hour's drive of the front door, and replacing said bulb means taking the lamp apart with a screwdriver and may entail burning one's fingers, that lamp is a Problem, and that's Problem with a P that rhymes with T that stands for Trash.

So now we are both (wirelessly) using an office-type ink-jet printer that has not given a lick of trouble in three years, and the Glory Hole has a bit more swing space.

Which is a good thing, as Himself came back from the market on Sunday with a huge plastic keg of maple syrup that will keep us going till next Easter, if not beyond. It needs about a square foot of shelf space, fortunately not in the refrigerator until the seal is cracked. That will be a while, as we're still working on the last keg Himself brought home from the market ...

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Sep 20 - 12:39 PM

I have weeded out most of my halogen lamps also, but I have a favorite kind of banker's lamp that I keep going. They make LCD replacement bulbs for halogen fixtures but they don't have the clout in lumens of the bug-burning scorched-dust smelling halogen. And they're very expensive. My dusk-to-dawn motion-sensor porch light uses them and I bought some online recently that are crap. The porcelain bases on each end crumble after little use. I won't buy those again and I wrote a scathing review on Amazon. (And this is why I always read the bad reviews first.)

Last night I decided to remedy problem of sluggish sewing machines with an hour spent with a small brush (originally the stiff nylon bristles of an old typewriter eraser pencil) and the sewing machine oil bottle. It has been six months since the last tune up; they're like a hot knife through butter now. It's rewarding how good maintenance can keep a machine running. ;-) There was quite a buildup of lint inside the bobbin casing areas after six months of mask making.

Now to make the appointment for the Nissan update. I discussed this with my daughter and concur with her approach to car maintenance: she had her oil changed last week and the shop owner didn't wear a mask (county ordinance says we all should). So when she got back in the car she disinfected the steering wheel, starter button, etc., and then, while still wearing her mask drove for several miles with the windows open to blow out any remaining germs in the air.

We had a heavy rain overnight and several days more are in the forecast. The heat wave appears to have broken. I must start mowing the lawn again. And now the air conditioner is running to pull the moisture, not the heat out of the air.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Sep 20 - 06:56 PM

My annual flu shot was the first stop on a fairly convoluted trip this morning, resulting in a couple of bags of groceries (including a lot of Envy apples, a variety I buy for my ex when I find them and pick up a few for myself). The rest of the trip was to drop off masks to various friends. We don't get to talk for long, and it's on the front porch or in the carport, but every visit like that is precious.

There were over-ripe bananas needing attention so despite the high humidity today I turned on the oven and made a double batch that went into four small pans to distribute to friends (I got a text a few minutes ago from next door saying hot banana bread goes really well with Blue Bell ice cream). Spreading goodwill, one loaf at a time. The loaves are small enough that no one needs to feel guilty if it disappears quickly.

With this extended quarantine activity the upcoming holiday weekend is going to be a dud. Not that I go shopping for mattresses or new cars or whatever the item that is pushed heavily on this September occasion, but for so many people it will just be another day at home, not an occasion to go shopping. As people plan for Halloween and xmas the question will arise - will anyone be able to come into the house to see a tree or fancy mantle, or to join a big meal? I predict the energy will be spent decorating house exteriors.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Sep 20 - 12:11 PM

I can no longer put off mowing the lawn. The heat wave has broken and we had a fair amount of rain to give the turf a boost.

Puttering this morning as I attack more things in the stack of papers that need some kind of attention (product warranties - worthwhile, or simply a future source of annoying email?)

I think it's time to brush the dogs and give each of them a bath. The weather is good for it, the water coming out of the hose isn't cold (for any of our comfort - I get pretty wet during the process) and they're overdue. It doesn't really remove the amount of hair in the house, sometimes I think grooming lets more loose for a while (even though I discard copious amounts during the brushing).

The weather is also good for transplanting, so the redbud that I dug out of a bed beside the back gate and potted a while ago will be planted in a place of honor in the front yard near where the Elderica pine stood until last year. It was going to eventually fall, and most likely on the house, so I took it out. The other pines in the front yard are a much better adapted variety for this area and are a little farther from the house. This redbud will be fine in the open or just as happy in the understory when the remaining pines grow out the broad umbrella tops (it takes about 40 years before they start producing cones with the wonderful pine nuts, so I probably won't be here for that.)

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Donuel
Date: 06 Sep 20 - 07:52 AM

Debbie was saying she got a root canal yesterday and was glad to get out of the house.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Donuel
Date: 06 Sep 20 - 12:51 PM

This morning I got my shots. The mystery flu shot was without sensation but the Shingles vaccine was a real middle school punch in the arm.
Its only as sore as from extreme exercise. Two shots to go.
It was good getting out of the house.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 06 Sep 20 - 01:56 PM

Geez, what we are reduced to.

Every four weeks, I drive to Kitchener (80 km round trip) for a needle at the allergist's office. It's the only contact I get these days with real, genuine strangers -- you know, people one has never seen before and never expect to see again.

In the Time Before COVID, that happened every day. Now, only once a month.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Sep 20 - 02:59 PM

We go months without being touched by another human when we live alone. COVID-19 times are strange indeed.

A friend called this morning and asked what I was going to give myself for my birthday. I hadn't thought about doing anything like that, and with so few places to go, anything decorative or new as far as clothing or jewelry would go unused. I have worn out a couple of pairs of shoes lately and have a DSW coupon for my birthday month, so shoes are a possibility, but they'd be casual.

That set me to thinking, though; if I were to put in something like a new piece of furniture I'd love one of those cabinets that houses a Murphy bed and get rid of a regular bed in the craft room, opening up floor space and room for a cutting table in there. All of these family antiques mean the swap is highly unlikely, but I COULD go ahead and rearrange that room again. It's set up like a bedroom with my craft stuff on two walls. The bed has room on three sides now but if I moved it to the corner that would open up several more feet that now serve as access to the closet. No way I'm going to move the large cabinet I built years ago to house all of my daughter's stuff (there was a time when none of the floor was visible; the cabinet cured that) but I think there's room for the bed next to it on that wall. Moving furniture is good exercise and generates endorphins. I got a big bang out of moving all of the front room and sunroom contents recently, now it's time for another revitalized room.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: mg
Date: 06 Sep 20 - 04:15 PM

is the cabinet big enough for a twin mattress? And if you can make a big cabinet you can make a murphy bed. they have kits. And I gave away my duplicate coffee grinder yesterday and I don't drink coffee..just grind pepper and flax seed.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Sep 20 - 08:56 PM

The cabinet is about 8' tall and 7' wide and has 30 fairly square 15" deep cubbies for storing lots of stuff. I can't see taking it apart to try to fit in a mattress frame, but then, I didn't describe this cabinet before. It's put to good use filled with my sewing and craft stuff.

I've made a lot of progress, the bed is in the corner, the fossilized cat barf is mopped off of the floor from where the bed stood for the last 10+ years (there were old pieces of antique bed frames and slats stored under there and the cats, in their last days, seem to have hidden among them and been ill). I am now looking around the house for a small table I might use in there to shift the sewing machines off of the long table. I moved in one small cupboard already that will work for some storage of things; if I can rearrange some more stuff I can use the large table that now has 2 sewing machines instead for cutting cloth. But I need a table that doesn't have hinges or slats because I'd be losing pins and whatnot through the gaps. I have a lot of funky tables that won't work but I can probably trade them out around the house and find something. There's one in my office I can move to my bedroom . . .

Not quite someone's "Futility Room" or "Glory Hole" but this room has been a smallish black hole allowing me to ignore things I'm never going to use and really don't need to be keeping. There is one piece of furniture that may go to the Goodwill and a bag of trash to the curb when all of this is finished. I didn't touch the long narrow closet, that is its own disturbing storage space that my daughter will have to tackle one of these days.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Sep 20 - 12:20 PM

I went into the new and improved sewing room this morning to grab the full trash can before the morning pickup. The room has been swept, dusted, and reorganized and while it can be used for someone to sleep in, mostly it is a space to work in. The only thing needed for a guest to stay is to put away the ironing board next to the bed.

I've parked a few things in my son's room next door, and that is the room I do use as the primary guest room, so I need to think about where those items will go. There is an antique sewing machine in a table intended for eBay that needs cleaning and rewiring before listing. One small three-shelf cabinet was moved from there into the sewing room to hold supplies next to the sewing machines that are now each set on sewing machine tables. The large rectangular table is now laid out with the cutting mats for the rotary cutter.

If my family is ever allowed into the house again they will see a changed place. Moving furniture during quarantine is a therapeutic activity that offers good exercise.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 08 Sep 20 - 10:22 AM

We're playing tunes at my house today, and it's raining with a forecast high of only 15C -- definitely not patio weather. Serena the fiddle has recruited Mary Anne on guitar, so this afternoon I must calculate socially distanced seating for three women with three instruments between our dining room and parlour.

Fortunately, neither of the others is allergic to cats.

Ideally, we would sit around the dining-room table, but it's a 48-inch round job and the dining room is small. Therefore, one can sit at the table, another can sit in the kitchen door, and the third must sit out in the parlour.

The things we do for tunes!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Sep 20 - 12:19 PM

Sounds nice! I'm watching the COVID-19 infection numbers start to level off here, hoping by October I'll be able to have a couple of family members in the house, seated far apart but at least under one roof. We have to see what mid-September looks like after the three-day-weekend before making that decision. For now, company visits in the driveway or we go sit spaced apart on the rock wall under the pines in my front yard.

Today is the day I have decided to start the alternate day fasting again. It's still hot out, but the quality of the heat, the amount of cooling overnight, make for better walking weather (and mowing weather - I've put it off long enough). By starting now I still have several months before the colder cooking and eating more weather sets in, that make the diet a bit more difficult.

I have an exercise to do to help with the bursitis, and a note from the PA at my orthopedist's office to Google "IT Band stretches." As the swelling decreases around the knee surgery I'm able to do a few things that involve kneeling (working in the flower beds has been from a bent at the waist standing position all year), though I need a well-padded cushion still.

Late last week I went by Goodwill to drop off the stuff that was in my laundry room bin and the large lampshade I decided isn't going to be used here any time soon. It was a good idea that didn't pan out. Now I don't have to move it every time I do laundry. My next efficiency move is to re-think the compost buckets beside the back door. 5 gallon buckets have always been really heavy to move when full, even years ago when I was more fit. It's time to look at lidded 3-gallon buckets. I've worked out how to put them in the compost so the dogs leave them alone - dig a hole in the existing pile, pour in the glop, then dump at least one full bag of lawn clippings from the mower on top. The grass is growing enough now after rain last week that I can mow the back yard for the clippings, I don't need to lug the bag contents from the front.

There are still big things on my to-do list - now that the knee is fine and the weather is cooling, watch this space for notes on fence repair, patio cover repair, closing the loose vent cover hole in the soffit that I don't want squirrels entering.

What are our regulars and lurkers planning for fall? I've heard from a few via other channels but won't post here unless they ask me to. I still wonder how Susan is doing - there is a lot of content on this thread, plenty for Hardy to read out loud if they are curious about our comings and goings. I hope by the end of the year to hear something from Susan herself. That would be a good goal.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Sep 20 - 05:38 PM

I've had an informal goal this month of low-spend, if not no-spend, but the electric weed trimmer finally died. I'm surprised it lasted this long. The gas-powered one needs to go back to the shop, it leaks fuel. Looks like it's time to shop around. I have a number of Ryobi tools that use the same batteries, I wonder how long a battery would last in a trimmer in a big yard? I'm probably still best dragging the long power cord and finding another cheap electric one.

The front yard is mowed and some of the trimming is finished. The worst of it along the NW side of the house is where it got overheated and died. I did finish that stretch first.

The reason I came to post is that I finally figured out what is up with my phone app for Google Fit and have it again tracking my steps. It doesn't make a difference around the house during the day but it renders a nice map of the neighborhood when I walk the dogs. This is a new phone and I hadn't completely set it up when I logged on.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Sep 20 - 07:31 PM

Charmion, how did your music session go? Did you leave windows open during the visit?

I have turned my attention to digging out the particularly seasonal items in my stash of stuff to list on eBay. It's time to take an extra photo with a holiday bow or wrapping paper under the items to go with photos already listed or taken for the upcoming-listing. It can be edited out later if the items don't sell by the holidays. I also weeded out stuff that I'm just never going to get around the listing and it's going to Goodwill.

It was a low calorie day today, two meals instead of three, and drinking lots of water. I won't be sharing details, just observing that I'm trying to get back on track now that exercise is easier. I still don't have safe access to a gym, but I can get out and walk comfortably around the neighborhood, which explains the timing.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 10 Sep 20 - 10:56 AM

The tune session was great, thanks for asking, Maggie. No windows open; it was just too chilly and wet.

We did manage to maintain two-metre spacing, with no trouble. I had a music stand for Mary Anne, who perched on a dining chair in the middle of the parlour rug, I sat in the kitchen door, and Serena had a seat at the table. Serena and I are supposed to be off the dots by now, but Mary Anne is brand new to this repertoire and needed both the roadmap and something to scrawl notes on.

Watson the tomcat paid a visit to inspect Mary Anne's ankles and express disapproval of the fiddle, but his primary mission was to tell me that Treat Time was imminent, and obviously the higher priority.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Donuel
Date: 10 Sep 20 - 06:31 PM

OK all right already. I'm goaded and shamed to go ahead and remove a bed that has taken up space for 10 years. It is wrought iron.
Last time I tried I failed. This is a job for a meson disintegrator but it isn't invented yet. There must be another way. I may end up having to use a sawzall and fire extinguisher. I wonder if the old fashioned coil spring under mattress has any tales to tell.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Sep 20 - 11:43 PM

I have an old fashioned flat spring set built into a sturdy wooden frame (from the late 1800s) propped up in the garage. One day I may use it for some kind of display thing. Good luck moving the bed. Have you tried a wrench and a screwdriver?

While the power was out for hours from overnight to midday I spent time reading (on the Fire Tablet/Kindle) and once there was enough light coming in the kitchen window I worked my way along the far counter and stove with a couple of old rags and the bottle of 409. When the lights came back on that area looked very nice. There had been a buildup of dust, held in place by a fine layer of cooking misted grease.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 11 Sep 20 - 06:45 AM

The only (I think cast rather than wrought) iron bed frame we had came apart easily enough with a spanner.

I wanted to cut up the springs from an old mattress (that had long lost any fabric) into manageable pieces fairly recently.   I used 24” bolt cutters for that and needed the leverage they provided to get through the spring steel.

We got 6 x 50cm plastic tubs the other day so that’s the veg plot the shorter side from the gate as you go in all given over for container growing. We now have 11 of this diameter pot with two holding rhubarb plants. I’m not sure what (except courgette) will go in the other 9 over a growing season and guess well wind up experimenting a bit to see what works and suits us and I think we have a bit of scope to do that.

I want to sort out the watering for them next but am out of (on order) 4mm irrigation pipe.   I’m thinking in terms of an 8’ cane (our old bean row ones) in each tub and running the pipe at a high level. That should make trimming round them (with a Ryobi One+ tool, SRS but I can’t help with your question*) without having to move the pipe and drippers easy.

The grass has been recovering and much has been growing quite quickly. It’s surprising how it can come back. 2-3 weeks ago I’d say our 40x5 yard “yawn” part of the track was the worst I’ve ever seen in with more brown than green but a good health looking green has returned to nearly all of it.

Over in the field, I saw a tractor flailing the crop one night early this week and there are just short bits of stem sticking out above the ground now. I guess the harvest will come next week.

--
*All I really know is that my 3 5Ah batteries are enough and depending on what I’m doing, I may only need 2. The first battery will usually take me mowing our (todays guess is…) 40x5yd “lawn” patch and into the veg plot. If I’m just going to follow up with going round the pots and a quick tidy up round the edges with the trimmer, I’m not going use much more from the battery I will have changed to during the mowing. If say I add in mums “orchard” (let’s say an 8 x 8 yd square which has a couple of trees in and I like to allow to grow a bit longer [or sometimes not cut some of at all when say the daffodils are out]) into the bit I want to trim (the whole patch – I don’t mow here), I’ll be getting into the 3rd battery.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Sep 20 - 10:13 AM

I have a pot full of basil sprouts that needs thinning. I'll try using a spoon to scoop a few and transplant them instead of just pinching off the extras. You can never have too much basil!

I have several "to do" things on my list for this month that are out in the garage. It's the first month in ages that working in the garage is something to consider. When I park and close the garage door I then push the button to start the door lifting and stop it quickly, so there is an open inch or two for air circulation. It makes a huge difference in the amount of heat in there (since a window and the door on the opposite end are open to create a cross-current.)

Other to-do things are the transplanting in anticipating of the fall growing season. One tree needs to be planted, another one needs to be dug up for a friend.

It's time to start planning the fence work, and I usually pay for the lumber out of pocket any time I do some work for a friend (cat sitting). This cat sitting is still up in the air; she will stay with her parents while the sibling who usually keeps an eye on her parents is away for a vacation. If the travel plans are still viable, then this will happen. But even if she doesn't travel, I'm still set to do the work (there just haven't been as many ways and places to spend money this year so I have the savings in place for this work). I have larger fence plans that it would be nice to put into place this year.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 13 Sep 20 - 01:06 PM

“Fall growing season” — wow! I guess that’s why perfectly sane people put up with the hellscape you Texas people call summer. In Ontario, fall is the withering and rotting season.

Materials for our woodshed suddenly appeared yesterday, so I assume Steve the carpenter will make good on his undertaking to finish it before the snow flies. I am looking forward to shifting the firewood off the front porch, where Himself leaves a major mess for all the neighbours to see and critique whenever he splits a few hunks of cedar for kindling. We are expecting a cord or so of ash around Thanksgiving, and it would be so nice not to have to stack it twice.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Sep 20 - 03:28 PM

As my father used to say, firewood should warm you three times: once when you split it, once when you stack it, and once when you burn it. You would be getting more heat for your money by moving it twice.

As a kid I was the participant in lots of firewood handling. By the time, in college, when I went to work for the US Forest Service on a fire crew I was surprised that one of the guys (a forestry student, even) didn't know how to properly handle an ax when doing that work. I took his ego into account and walked him up the road and around a corner out of sight before teaching him how to hold and slide his hand on the handle in order to use it effectively. This was back in the 1970s, when not three days later they rounded up the men from that crew (him included) and sent them to Eastern Washington on a fire and left me at the station, steam blowing out of my ears in anger. (At least after this last time the whole group went into the fire boss and told him that they thought it was totally unfair I was left behind and I participated in fires after that.)

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 14 Sep 20 - 05:00 AM

Last year was the first one where we didn't light the woodburner. Dad's not been able for several years, mum no longer can do it safely and my problems make getting down to load it up quite painful.

They got an oil filled electric radiator to go in front of the stove instead as the central heating doesn't quite manage that room on its own (it would need another radiator fitted somewhere - where?. I think it made for high electricity bills but people stayed warm. That said, the price of a load of logs keeps rising and we've never sat down and worked out the cost of a few (paid in cash) deliveries over the year.

As things stand, there are 2 pigsty sheds stacked with what by now will be lovely dry wood (I think mostly beech) and that's a nice stock to have should the woodburner get started again.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 14 Sep 20 - 09:49 AM

Jon Freeman, your remarks about woodburners remind me of my aunt and uncle, who lived in a ramshackle house perched atop of a rocky outcrop in the Eastern Townships of Quebec. The property was a hard-scrabble farm and bush lot that Uncle's father acquired during the Great Depression, so it was very basic when Tom got his hands on it circa 1959.

Uncle was one of those village genius types, convinced that he -- with his bachelor's degrees in history and education -- could figure out a better solution to most mechanical problems. With seven children to raise on the salary of a Montreal high school teacher, he was also committed to the DIY principle. The "country place", a holiday home when my cousins and I were kids, was where Uncle exercised his fertile imagination and questionable skills the most, conscripting his four sons as labour.

Heating did not become the primary concern until Uncle and Uunt decided to sell their suburban bungalow (seven children in a three-bedroom house -- just think!) and retire to the country. The house had no furnace, and no cellar in which to put one, so the heat source was a stove in the middle of the main room. The house was surrounded by 160 acres of bush and forest, so Uncle decided that fuel was not something he needed to spend money on. But how to get the wood up the side of the crag to the house? By that point, Uncle was 65 years old and disinclined to spend his sunset years in heavy manual labour.

Uncle's solution was a home-made funicular cog railway of his own design, with a windlass at each end. He would bring firewood out of the bush on a skid towed by a small tractor, load it into the hopper, and crank it up the slope to the landing stage at the top. Groceries and everything else heavy and/or bulky ascended the same way. When Uncle's arthritis made the stairs too risky, he would ride the hopper himself, in an adapted lawn chair.

Uncle died about five years ago, having managed to stay on the rock until the very last months of his life. Aunt, now aged 90 and living with a titanium hip, moved to a nearby village (on flat land) only last winter. The house on the rock, complete with the cog railway, is now occupied by one of the cousins and his family -- the place is uninsurable, so there's no point in trying to sell it.

I haven't been there for a few years, but the cousins inherited Uncle's village genius gene, so I assume the adaptations continue.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 14 Sep 20 - 09:54 AM

What an amazing story (and person), Charmion. Thanks for that.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Sep 20 - 11:37 AM

I have met a few intrepid inventors like that over the years, what with working out in the sticks where you often make something yourself because it's too far for a craftsman to travel. Probably not the case these days, everything can be built elsewhere and delivered. There are probably still folks like that in Alaska and far West Texas with a smattering around the rest of the US (a friend of mine was an electrical engineer at Lockheed so when he quit and he and the wife and cats moved to West Texas he learned welding and such and was off - has been building and tweaking things on his properties for years. It's a great activity and when I visit I love the tour of projects.) I will note that she was an RN and worked several more years at a hospital out there, keeping up their insurance until they were ready for Medicare.

I pronounced the electric string trimmer dead this weekend (I'm not going to try to replace the motor, it would cost more than the trimmer) and have a new one on order. I put it at the curb with the trash this morning and I won't be surprised if it disappears before the trash collectors get it. If someone can use it for parts, more power to them.

I am reminded by Charmion's story of what it was like when we spent summers at the cabin on the edge of a lake in Northwestern Washington. My father inherited it from his father, and since he was a teacher we had summers off, so we headed up for 2 or 3 months every year. But it meant more work, especially for Mom, who had a washer that did the agitating and rinsing but then had to be put through one of those laundry rollers to squeeze out the water before hanging it up to dry. There was the white two-hole trash burner that offered up heat in the cabin that was probably 800sf, and took baths in a tub of water in front of that stove. There was an out house up at the top of the yard. The stove was electric, and there was a fridge, and we had the only phone along that stretch of the lake and there was a key tucked away on top of the porch so if a neighbor had an emergency and needed to call for help they knew how to get in to use it. As mentioned before, we had to help with the firewood (usually alder logs from our own property). I don't remember much of the indoor activity, probably reading or games. We lived in Seattle the rest of the year, but those summers and the time spent outdoors at the lake are my most complete and fondly remembered times of childhood.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 15 Sep 20 - 10:54 AM

It's frankly chilly today in Stratford, and If This Goes On we will see our first frost before Michaelmas (29 September for alla youse non-Anglicans), and a proper Indian Summer. So it's time to book the annual furnace maintenance, lay in a fresh supply of furnace filters, and find out whether I can squirm into last winter's lined jeans despite getting fat in lockdown.

I went through the closet yesterday to remove garments I did not wear last summer and will not wear this winter -- or, indeed, ever again. Alas, for those expensive "technical" Under-Armour tee-shirts that clung uncomfortably to my ribs in the hot weather -- off to Goodwill they go, while I return to the cotton ones from Eddie Bauer.

On the other hand, heat rash is over for this year, and we can let up on the heroic garden-watering efforts.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Donuel
Date: 15 Sep 20 - 11:41 AM

Today I wage a channel battle
Water's gettin in th' back door
It used to only rain inches
Now it rains 2 feet or more

I'll dig a ditch as deep as the roots
And hope we all will stay dry
when it comes to fire, shoot!
you just have to lay down and cry

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion's brother Andrew
Date: 15 Sep 20 - 06:23 PM

Meanwhile, in the other corner of the forest that Charmion knows so well, we have had frost warnings. The upper Ottawa Valley may have seen its first frost last week, and ours in Ottawa cannot be far off. I have been cycling in fully sleeved jerseys and full-fingered but light duty gloves. I almost put on cycling tights when it was 5°C out, but have been glad I haven't.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Sep 20 - 10:01 PM

Don, do you have room and the slope to dig a French drain? Down here they're a popular way of moving water away from building and places where it collects and stands. Fill it with gravel and it can even grow turf over the top again. Sometimes there is bottom half-piece of PVC buried under the gravel. I've put a couple of small trenches in in my back yard to keep water from my back door.

Adjusting to this alternate day fasting means not tempting myself with too many favorite snacks around the house. I shopped today and did a good job of keeping it to meat and vegetables and materials needed for making pickles (since my cucumber crop is beginning to come in.) Admitting that you're eating too much sugar and getting off of it is always a challenge, but it feels good now to stick to healthier foods. Weight loss is minimal right now but the improving cooler weather and amount of yard work awaiting my attention guarantee a lot more exercise soon.

Meanwhile indoors the dog hair is forming drifts again so it's time to sweep and vacuum. And on the dog front, I spoke with my next door neighbor this morning - the dogs now quietly wait for him to go out into his back yard in the morning. Pepper has responded to the training collar and figured out that her barks are what cause the shock. The command she gets in the house (like when I'm going out the door and she barks at me) is "quiet" and if she still barks, the shock. So she knows what the shock means when she's out at the back fence watching for Cecil. Now we're working on stopping the jumping around at feeding time when I tell her "sit" and she doesn't stay still. She sets right down when the small shock is offered. After I'm satisfied that those commands are learned, Cookie will get a go at the collar for a couple of her problem behaviors. It was expensive, and I took time to read up about how using it correctly for training before I deployed it. I had to modify some of my behavior also, it wasn't just Pepper. We're all much happier without Pepper barking from the crack of dawn, and I think she is also. She's more relaxed when she waits for the morning treat from across the fence, it's like we turned off, or at least toned down, an anxiety thing in her brain that was there out of habit. My change to help with this is to get up very early to feed them, so if she was complaining because she was hungry, now she had turned that attention to me and she's at my bedroom door promptly at 6:30 when the alarm goes off. I hear a single "scratch" at the door telling me she's there waiting (not barking).

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 16 Sep 20 - 09:46 AM

French drains are popular here, too, as our subsoil is clay with the consistency of concrete. When house-hunting three years ago, we lost a bidding war over a house with a French drain in the front yard and no fewer than four sump pumps — dodged a bullet there.

I weighed myself yesterday and swore an mighty oath to pay A LOT MORE attention to diet and exercise. Southern Ontario is now in the first stages of a second wave of COVID-19, so going to the gym is not a good option. I guess that means daily trots around town, mask in pocket, and yoga stretches on the bedroom rug.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Sep 20 - 11:18 AM

It's very muggy as we get the very outer ring of humidity swirling around Sally. Too muggy to enjoy walking today, but we're getting closer to that time when it will actually be autumn-like. COVID-19 is leveling out, but with school starting it may rise again so gyms are a risky venture still. I'm only down a couple of pounds with the alternate day fasting, but that's partly because exercise has been minimal.

Here in Texas, at least in this part, they rarely build basements, and when they do, sump pumps are necessary. Where I grew up in the Pacific NW basements were commonplace and water generally wasn't a problem (though in the last house where I lived with my mom the floor was sloped and there was a steady little dribble that ran down to a drain near the garage door.) I think the farther north you go the more essential basements are to the stability of the foundation and the house. It has to do with freezing.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 16 Sep 20 - 11:28 AM

In Ontario, the footings of a decent house are at least four feet below the frost line, and that’s usually easier and a lot more cost-effective if you just dig a goddam cellar already. Also, having four to six months of actual winter, we need plenty of frost-proof (at least) storage.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 17 Sep 20 - 09:55 PM

Dupont:

Lots of interesting posts since I was last here! I went to Beaver for 2 weeks and have been back since Monday but the trip wore me out more than usual so I have been recovering. At Beaver, I worked like a fiend: pulled weeds frantically until body rebelled, made pots and did a bisque firing. Then body really quit! No unlimited internet there so I read a few books. Enjoyed the weather as it turned cool. Put a fire in the wood stove the last couple days. Separated a clump of sorrel I planted two years ago: almost need an axe to separate it. Planted a dozen smaller bits in a raised bed, shared with Good King Henry. These very hardy leafy vegetable perennials are quite nice. I look forward to having enough to feel I can harvest! So far I have only been nibbling.

Came back to Dupont and have been weeding the bed here but mainly with the little Japanese hoe which scrapes the tiny weeds off at soil level. very labour efficient. Green peppers are producing. Squash never did. Today I potted a healthy parsley plant for inside and the two little basil, and brought in an oregano plant to have for K use. The 3 I planted here last month are doing well - oregano does! Big job today was bringing in all the tomato pots, carrying them up to the second floor room -"gonna be bathroom" with its good west window. Also brought in - I am an idiot! - the seedlings of striped tomatoes and black tomatoes from ones someone gave R. Any intelligent gardener would have saved the seeds until March!

I sewed on more buttons! And have a bunch of projects lined up in orderly fashion. Awaiting energy. Put a fire in the wood stove the other night but mostly not necessary yet. And we do have a furnace! But I think a little heat in the den on a cool-ish evening means we do not need to turn on the heater yet. I switched to warmer clothes.

I lost my diet the last few days. Maybe I can get back on track tomorrow, having eaten everything in sight today.

And tomorrow we have an appointment to view a house for sale - one of our favs along the river, built in 1780. She warns it needs work... So, I am already thinking of pros and cons. We do love this house. And I have NO energy for moving.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Sep 20 - 11:14 PM

Dorothy, there's a warm and fuzzy feeling after reading about all of your productivity and forward motion when you move between those two properties. Good work! With your gardening antics you might enjoy this gardening story: last month I bought a tub of fresh mozzarella balls in olive oil, sealed and with plenty of time to use by. I kept trying to remember to buy some basil but never spotted it. So 2-3 weeks ago I put some seeds in a couple of pots. The package says to thin them when they're tiny, but I didn't. Now they're dense and all producing the first and second whorls of leaves, about 4-6" tall, so I transplanted a couple (dug into the middle of the clump of basil with a spoon and pulled a few out). Then I thinned three or four plants and brought the leaves in and pulled out a container of grape tomatoes and the mozzarella cheese drizzled with Balsamic vinegar and made a capriccio salad. I'll do the same thinning a couple of more times at least for more salads. I have lots of cheese.

My cucumbers planted about six weeks ago are producing and I made pickles earlier this week, three jars (they are Atlas canning jars that marinara sauce came in) of fresh pickles are now aging in the small fridge. I have more to come, but I won't always make fresh pickles, I'll probably also process some, maybe bread and butter pickles.

Today I learned that my daughter's fiance loves xmas, to the point that "she would play xmas music all year, if I let her." And the red with snowflakes mask I sent home with my daughter today will be welcome. I'll happily make her some more—she's someone I haven't really known what gifts would work, when everyone is grown and has jobs and can buy what they need.

The weather is still warm but the quality of light is shifting to fall, and that always is welcome after the scorching summer. I have a light cotton blanket for the bed and have pulled it over me a couple of times in the last week. It's a process of gradually adding layers until it's finally cold enough to change out the bedding to full-size wool blankets or get out the down comforter - but that's probably three months away yet.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 19 Sep 20 - 05:37 AM

The laser printer broked down (2 paper jams in a short time and then printer stuck with a “jam at exit” message I couldn't clear) so I ordered a new one which came yesterday. I had a little bit of trouble getting hplip working (I needed a newer version for one thing) but once sorted, the printer was working on my Linux network.

The only other problem I had was that I was getting loud beeps when printing. I couldn’t find anything related to sound in the printer’s menu or the manual but a Google search revealed the answer I’d not seen. I’d plugged the new printer into a socket powered via a UPS. The beeps were the UPS complaining about the load when the printer was printing.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Sep 20 - 10:28 AM

My UPS sends me email when the power has gone off or has been restored. Through the computer that it keeps an eye on.

Nice weather for yard work today; I'm still waiting on the delivery of a new electric string trimmer (Monday?) but I need to get started on the rest now. And start walking the dogs regularly again. That's good for them, to remind them of who is the "pack leader" and also get us all out of the house.

It's also time to start cleaning up the green house so in a few weeks when I want to start moving stuff in I don't have to struggle past stacked stored stuff. Last year it worked pretty well to over-winter a couple of potted plants. And while I'm at it, I need to count the number of fence slats for the next section I should put up this month. So many projects were pushed to cooler weather and now I need to organize them. If I bag some mulch today at the free city site I'll be able to put it in the gardens I weed this afternoon.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Sep 20 - 09:29 PM

The California smoke has arrived. The air is thick and the sun this afternoon was orange in the sky. I was going to do yardwork but after just a few small projects the allergies started in, or the smoke has that effect, who knows? After a good long nap on the sofa with a puppy I felt much better, but then it was time to walk the dogs before the mosquitoes came out. Maybe tomorrow.

Tonight's walk was a chance to see if the Google Fit app in the phone is set up. It looks different than the version in my old phone, but it's now tracking how far (.91 mile) and 21 minutes with the dogs. We aren't going for a land speed record and we talk to people while we're out. I'll be walking regularly now that the weather is cooler.

I didn't make it to the compost site, first I went to my favorite discount gourmet food warehouse and found fresh mushrooms so now I have the dehydrator finishing up the first batch. I'll do one more batch in the morning and then sauté and freeze any that are left. Tomorrow is the compost site, I still have all of the materials in the back of the SUV. And tomorrow is the weeding.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 20 Sep 20 - 06:26 PM

Dupont:

Not sure if it is eyes or brain but there comes a time in each day when sewing seems too much and each day I say to self, start early tomorrow and each day I do not. Maybe the computer fries my eyes. But my good down coat has all its buttons, ready for the worst of winter!

Today, we sorted through a truck load of stuff R brought home - "take what ever you want:, someone said. Books, rugs bits of furniture. Nice pine bookcase is next to his chair for better organizing! Oddly made, round, wooden, folding table on back porch. Folding luggage rack of ancient vintage may go into guest room after a paint job. A nice tall wooden lamp is in hall waiting for a harp and shade. A nice pedestal fan will go somewhere useful. And a little pine foot stool, a handy reaching aid for upstairs. The nice 3-step has already been used in the pantry.   Books are stacked. Rugs rejected. And a neighbour who happened along loved the old, rather cute, tea trolley! Leftovers went to the city.

That incident reminded me: A potter in Minnesota told of clearing his mother's apt. After the family did their choosing, he went to the post box area/vestibule and put a sign: Mrs ... apt is open. Take whatever you want." When they returned, it was wonderfully empty!

After the day moving tomato plants upstairs, energy level is low. I also indulged in a surfeit of choc the last few days -NOT today! It was getting out of control again. When I left Beaver I had maintained a loss of 12 pounds; hope to still have that when I return in a few days.

Still have not heard from internet provider up there and am thoroughly fed up. If I am going to spend time there, I need the unlimited, esp in the winter. And with the covid lack of events!

I need to order a couple face cords of wood for here. Have been keeping a fire going on these cool days. Wonderful little Jotul holds it all night - with good hard wood. I have closed LR door and den doors; at bedtime, I open the den door for the heat to go upstairs, having closed all rooms but the TV and BR. I wonder how long I can keep from turning on the furnace!

Close to frost the last 3 nights but may warm for a couple weeks. I covered the green pepper plants but hope they can be uncovered soon. The upstairs plants are going to take gallons of water! I shall need to carry gallon jugs up as the upstairs powder room sink can only fit a 6 inch container!

Brugmansia lost ALL its leaves over the summer and made numerous attempts at sprouts to no avail but two new ones finally look as though they will make it. The directions said it needed lots of water, but I finally got the message to STOP. I hope it is finally dry enough to make a new start on life; almost two weeks now! We did get two massive blooms from it- last fall and again at Christmas.

Trimmed lots of parsley leaves to dry. Hope to get fall leaves from neighbours to (they bag them!) to put down on a portion of back yard through the winter, in attempt to prepare a small garden space for next year. I have netting to put over it!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Sep 20 - 06:45 PM

Today I made a big push in the front garden on half of the front, and most of the weeds are out except grass in the iris, and those I think I need to thin and re-position in that area. I have a bucket of daylilies I dug out of one area that I'll move somewhere else. There are a bunch of bulbs along the wall that are various kinds of daffodils, and I may move those and cluster them somewhere. It was a bright idea to put them along the wall but it is an artificial line in a yard that I've tried to make natural and park-like with clusters of things or individual shrubs, no hedges. Right now it's clear some of the tall grass is gone, but until my new trimmer arrives (fingers crossed - tomorrow) and I can mow and trim it won't really look like the bed has been tended.

There is a corner of the grate on the soffit that is drooping and I need to refasten; the question is, are the critters using in diurnal or nocturnal? If I close it now and there are nocturnal roof rats using it, they'll be stuck in the attic. If I do it in the morning after squirrels are out then that keeps them out. I have a trap on the front porch where I've seen droppings and after I catch one or two I'll close the gap and see if that is enough. I'll probably have to put the trap up in the attic after I close the gap, just on general principles.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Sep 20 - 05:22 PM

While mowing this afternoon I found several mounds of dirt that weren't associated with fire ants. Something is burrowing into the berm I built in the front yard, so I must deploy the Hav-A-Hart trap. I don't know if this population has anything to do with the droppings I've found on the front porch and on the swing glider. I should have a wildlife camera set up with infra red out there.

No trimmer yet; the store hadn't received today's shipment and the guy said it is often 10-14 days waiting for delivery to the store. I won't make that mistake again. I also worked in the veggie garden a little, just long enough for a few ants to find their way onto my clothes and occasionally stroll onto an arm or my neck.

A bright flashlight arrived on the porch today via Amazon; listed as a "spotlight" it's very lightweight and has a USB cord to charge. Times have certainly changed as far as flashlight technology, but I will once again be able to shine a light clear to the back fence to catch the old deaf dog's attention late at night when he gets started barking.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Sep 20 - 10:59 PM

These darker days are noticeable now, and I find myself leaving more lights on around the house to compensate. Most are low-power use LED so it doesn't hit the electric bill too much. And now we're out of the extreme heat the electric bill will drop considerably.

I'm preparing a box to send to a friend that will include several working but retired computer peripherals from here - a USB port, some cables. I should probably find a power strip with a really long cord. He's one of those New Yorkers who lives in an apartment that doesn't have nearly enough electric plugs for this day and age.

Pickle time tomorrow, with enough cucumbers now for 2-3 jars - I have extra juice from the first batch in the fridge and I have some juice from pickled okra that I won't be able to use, they're not growing fast enough now. These will probably be the cooked variety, I'm thinking of a couple of jars of bread and butter pickles or dill slices for sandwiches.

Another eBay listing went up this evening. The other listings are getting attention, one has a watcher, but there really isn't a way to know when something is going to sell by those clues. It can sell after 20 views or 200. You just launch the item and see what happens.

We're about into long pants season again. It was warm today but rainy and soon the Capri pants will be folded and placed in a place on the shelf in the closet that I can find next spring, not hunt around for weeks like I did this year. It will free up some pants hangers on the rack.

I'm eating a lot of fruit and salads these days as I try to stay off of the sugar habit. There are fewer times during the day that I need some kind of a boost, and going between meals without snacks has been a goal. Good proteins, healthy carbs. I haven't lost much weight so far, but feeling good is an equally laudable goal.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 24 Sep 20 - 10:57 AM

Steve the carpenter has almost finished our woodshed; only the roof remains to be shingled. We have a load of firewood (probably ash) coming in the next week or two, and then we can clear the front porch and sweep it clean of bark and splinters. There's most of a white cedar stacked up there now, along with the last of the 2019 load of ash and Himself's chopping block, and I have to admit I would much rather use that space for something a bit more sightly.

On 15 September (a week ago Tuesday), I set myself to stricter attention to diet and exercise, and now I am 3.9 Kg (8.5 pounds) lighter. I have a ways to go, however; my arthritic foot is acting up severely, and I must pare off some major plumpness in order to relieve its load and thus avoid surgery. If you thought I am sane and logical enough to do this without requiring actual pain to motivate me, you would be wrong. Sigh ...

Himself is also feeling rather porky, so he is not complaining about dinners that lack such refinements as pie and gravy. The cocktail hour, too, must be honoured more in the breach than the observance, at least until I can climb into last winter's jeans without the help of a shoehorn.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Sep 20 - 12:00 PM

My diet goals are primarily to reduce the bursitis; I have a set of therapy exercises for the greater trochanter muscle that causes the discomfort, but the first thing on the list of remedies is to lose weight. So, like you, it takes pain to make me cut back on the sugar and carbs.

I would love to have a wood-burning stove, but my fireplace is so poorly built that it lets cold air in winters and hot muggy air in summers. I finally filled the fireplace with a box I made of the pink insulation stuff and sealed the front with a large piece. I now have a mirror on the hearth blocking the entire thing. I imagine when I get ready to sell the house I will have to buy a glass door and install it again. One of those cast iron fireplace inserts would be nice, but the chimney would require work first.

I sold the old smart phone on eBay; it was listed less than 24 hours. I listed it via "buy it now" at the highest price for the phones I saw that had already sold that had the same features, though one in an auction went for about $70 more. I won't second guess, I got my price, but when they go so quickly, you wonder. I looked up the buyer, it turns out he buys used smart phones all day long so he must have a business reselling them. This was the last phone of this type with a removable battery, a desirable feature, and I liked the sized better than my current phone, but what really made me switch is the changing telecommunications offerings - after the end of the year many calls on that old phone won't go through as the lower end of the cell phone offerings (the 2 and 3g channels) are being turned off and re-used by the FCC. I wanted to sell it before I couldn't sell it. I mention this because those of you with older smart phones will likely have to replace them at the end of the year and it may be the number of buyers mean there will be fewer sales or discounts. Here's some information.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Sep 20 - 07:45 PM

I had a couple of birthday coupons burning a hole in my pocket so I did a little shopping after my dentist checkup. I have concluded that these days I fall in the category of 'cheap date'—I was out to find something to treat myself and I came home with a dozen pairs of socks and a fanny pack.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 25 Sep 20 - 11:02 AM

Cheap date? You and me both, Stilly. I confess to having once spent a birthday cash card on a lamp shade and a shed-load of LED bulbs.

Thumping and banging from the garden indicate that Steve is shingling the roof of the woodshed. Similar noises from up and down the street indicate that the whole neighbourhood is having a home-improvement orgy: a snazzy garden shed -- almost a bunkie -- next door, kitchen cabinets across from us, a new roof at the corner, drainage tile and brick siding around by the mailboxes, and plenty more similar projects hither and yon. Among other things, this tells me that Stratford, or at least our small corner of it, is not suffering too much from the economic effects of the pandemic.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Sep 20 - 11:13 AM

That work in your neighborhood sounds wonderful! The day is beautiful here so I think I'll prepare the bed and plant that redbud. I picked up mulch last night so it'll have a polished look when I finish. Still no trimmer.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 25 Sep 20 - 08:13 PM

Dupont:

Still here, waiting for load of firewood but R says he can be here for it so maybe. I was planning to leave Weds but the woman caring for the house we wanted to see had to get a covid test. We went today. It is very interesting. Lots of room, nice garage- "Pottery studio!" Beautiful back yard with some raised beds and lovely trees. Close to a road that is moderately busy, across from the river with "water frontage" - so steep it would need a staircase to get to the water. In good shape with lots of pieces needing completion, lots of possibilities, a great "plant room" facing east. And only about 5 minutes further for R to get to work. But more expensive. We are thinking about it. We love Dupont but I think we would also love the 1780 house with fireplace and exposed stone walls in places. I see it as more usable space as I cannot deal with the cellar here. I need to be above ground!

SRS: Installing the wood stove here was $1500 CAD for a chimney - two stories! R already had the Jotul. And $150 to get the chimney cleaned before hand.

The most important thing I have accomplished is voting! I managed to connect the printer to the computer with Wifi but could not get the scanner to function. No response at either Epson or Applehelp, I called my son but he could not help either. I tried the office supply store (Staples/Bureau en Gros) but in the end I begged help at the library. And off the packet went! Then I no longer felt as though I had an elephant on my head. I will try to address the printer problem before next year.

It is cool enough for a fire but I suspect we shall soon be asleep.

Mudcat friend sent me a link to a wonderful pottery youtube and I was up til after midnight last night viewing youtubes. It just never occurred to me to go that route for info.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Sep 20 - 10:00 PM

You're still getting settled into the new house - Dupont - but you're thinking about moving again? I'm exhausted considering the possibility!

The redbud is planted a few feet from the ground-level stump from the pine I took out in spring of 2019. It's very small, but planting small trees is always much easier and they catch up to the larger more expensive ones very quickly. This one was in the yard and I put it in a pot last fall, so there wasn't a cost. It probably was a seed-in-bird-droppings source. Right now it's sheltered by some salvia shrubs and I cut the bottom out of a plastic nursery pot and cut the side to slip this around to protect from accidental weed-eating.

Tomorrow morning I'll make pickles. I ran out of steam for it today. The dogs got a good walk and now it's a quiet evening of sewing.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Sep 20 - 12:34 PM

Decluttering dog hair today. Brushing then bathing. We'll all get a bath by the time this operation is over.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Sep 20 - 12:58 AM

We have a wind advisory overnight so I secured the light weight things out in the yard that might otherwise end up out in the street. It is a good feeling with this kind of wind - change is coming. Cooler weather. There are still three long months left in 2020, but they will hopefully be more comfortable than the previous three.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 29 Sep 20 - 10:25 AM

Today I ordered a new coffee percolator from Amazon because I could not find a replacement bubble for the one Himself has been using for the last several years.

I must have spent hours Googling for percolator bubbles. Amazon had one that *might* fit, but it cost a ridiculous $34.99 -- three-quarters the price of a new complete pot. The manufacturer, Farberware, does not sell parts, and EBay had nothing to offer.

While Googling, I found many references to a type of enamelware percolator that is fitted with a very common and widely available bubble. So I gave in.

And another kitchen gadget is bound for landfill.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Sep 20 - 11:48 AM

eBay is the place to look for those spare parts, not Amazon. You'd be amazed at what people sell there if you haven't taken a look for a while. When items are "sold for parts or repair" that means the party buying it is likely to disassemble the item to sell the components online. I've repaired a number of things that way, and have sold parts that way myself.

I have a lovely green enamel coffee pot with a fancy fitted perk top that sits on top of my cupboards like a piece of art. I'd guess it's 100 years old now, and I'd guess it still works. I don't drink coffee, though, so I haven't tested it.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 29 Sep 20 - 01:46 PM

I went on eBay, and nobody was offering the part we need. Every other imaginable part, but not that.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Sep 20 - 05:33 PM

The thing about eBay is that often times people don't use the correct descriptions, so poking around with other keywords has yielded things like a 70 year old replacement bobbin case for the sewing machine, and other things I can't remember I repaired in the past this way. But sometimes it draws a blank.

Automotive work today, air in the tires and an oil change, and they washed it - I rarely if ever wash vehicles so this was nice (even cleaned the inside of the windshield - I should ask they what they use, because I can never seem to have it free of streaks). I sat outside and read as I waited, none of their waiting area for me this time. Too many people still think if they have the mask over their mouths but not noses they're fulfilling the state requirement. I'm tired of reminding people to protect themselves by covering the nose, tired of people trying to pull a fast one.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 01 Oct 20 - 10:45 AM

The new coffee percolator arrived yesterday and has proved unsatisfactory. Its coffee basket fails to keep the coffee grounds under close arrest during the percolation process, resulting in a brew full of grit. As soon as I get it packed up and labelled, it's going right back.

Fortunately, the old percolator has yet to leave the building. Next, I shall try a "Fitz-All" replacement bubble, suitable for percolator lids with apertures ranging from 13/16ths of an inch to 1 1/2 inches in diameter. The aperture in question measures 2 cm, which is (sorta, kinda) 7/8ths of an inch, allowing a whole one sixteenth of an inch of play. Crossed fingers.

I have invested an insane amount of time and effort in this problem, and I have the Google history to prove it -- at least a dozen variations on "Farberware stove top percolator replacement parts".

Farberware, once based in Brooklyn, moved to China some time ago and left customer service behind in the process.

With respect to masks, Stilly, I suggest you resign from the Mask Police, if only to preserve your sanity. We have the same problem here: scofflaws to the right of me, whiners to the left, all sure their petty discomfort matters more than public safety or community solidarity. A few weeks ago, I read an article by an epidemiologist in the Globe & Mail that helped me get some perspective. He suggested concentrating on the majority of people doing their best to obey the rules, each one mitigating the risk by his or her little iota. What matters is the majority effort; as long as -- say -- 80 percent of the community follows the rules 80 percent of the time, the risk level is tamped down to a manageable level.

Of course, for that kind of thinking to work, at least 80 percent of people must think of themselves as 80-percenters who are not "special" enough to break the rules. That's hard for some egos.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Oct 20 - 10:46 PM

I had a conversation with my daughter today, who was near the end of her patience with her boss, who continually walks into her office without a mask. The state has rules about masks in public, the county and city have rules about masks in public, and HR at her employment insists everyone wear them all of the time. My daughter has a preexisting condition that means she isn't able to fight off bugs as easily as you or I might. And she doesn't think she should have to tell him what her condition is for him to follow the rules and do her the curtesy of wearing a mask in her office. I've sent masks to a couple of the folks I worked with when I was able to go volunteer there; I'd like to resume that work but the numbers in our county have gone up, not down (and were higher than Dallas County this week.)

I'm putting my fitness tracker to better use these days, getting out to walk the dogs around the neighborhood. The old lab kind of drags by the end of very long walks, but I think that's mostly because they're out of the habit of the walk. We'll work up to longer ones, today's walk was a bit much because I miscalcuated the block I turned on at the top of the hill and had a long walk around it.

You remember a some months back I talked about that silicone floor cleaner, particularly good for cat and dog hair? I've been using it in my sewing room to keep up lint and pins and hair, but today I went through most of the house and came up with quite a stack of mostly Labrador retriever hair. It does work pretty well.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 02 Oct 20 - 01:13 PM

That boss needs a talking-to, but not by your daughter, Stilly. Her job has an HR department, and this kind of situation is why they get paid the big bucks.

Despite rest and regular doses of Army smarties, my inflamed foot ligament is still hurting like stink. Consequently, I'm not racking up the mileage I should and I have not become any less porky this week than I was last week. Irritating.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Oct 20 - 12:14 AM

You're correct about that. I'll inquire about her progress in dealing with the problem again one of these days, but I make a point not to insert myself into her workplace issues. I think it helped just to talk about it the other day.

Lovely fall-like weather right now, and evidence of rodents in the garden. Something took tentative bites out of a cucumber whose vine was dragging on the ground, so I've set up the trap again.

More fresh pickles bottled this afternoon (three spaghetti sauce jars) and I have a bowl brining overnight to make into bread and butter pickles tomorrow, probably 2.5 pints. I'll end up with about a half-dozen jars of those to last me through the next few months. The fresh ones will be ready to eat in about two weeks and they don't last long, they're popular with my ex and my next door neighbor. And me. I think we're nearing the end of the season, as the vines are looking rather bedraggled, but they've had a good run and there are another dozen or so growing out there.

As I hunted for a Ball jar box to store these newly-filled pints in I found a few things that are way too old and now in the compost, and I then turned to the condiments in the fridge and tossed another four jars. The commercial jars are in the recycle bin, the canning jars are in the dishwasher. I have a good collection of commercial jars already that are used usually for freezing things like sauces or my Puerto Rican bean recipe.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Oct 20 - 10:35 AM

Time to start putting some of the plywood pieces over the floor-level wall vents in the greenhouse, so when that first freeze threatens I can move a few pots in for the winter. And time to sweep and declutter as well. Most of the stuff on the front porch will stay there, but there is one plant that needs to come in (Bat-faced cuphea.

It's also time to start transplants around the yard. Thin the iris, move the lilies, move some aster, plant garlic corms, etc. It's a dry week coming up so I also need to remember to water the little redbud I transplanted last week.

It's cool enough that I feel like cooking again - finally! This year has been rugged, so being able to make comfort foods is welcome. On Friday I made a batch of macaroni and cheese, and to reheat I put it in a covered bowl in the microwave with a splash of milk. Heat on medium until ready so it doesn't become rubbery.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Oct 20 - 05:48 PM

A note about my plants since I emptied the sun room of the storage and eBay stuff - there is plenty of room to reach all of the plant stands in the large 3-window bay-type window, and one puny little African violet has been nudged back to life and surprised me this morning by opening two pretty pink blooms! I've potted another of the succulents I rooted in water and planted a mum in a pot outside.

Some of the okra, the eggplant, and the tomatoes have been pulled and tomorrow I'll start weeding and digging for the next crops, probably broccoli, maybe cauliflower. I suppose I could try growing Brussels sprouts, but I'm not a huge fan so I'd be giving them to my daughter who does like them.

The back yard was finally mowed, but 3+ weeks out I'm still waiting for Northern Tool to get my trimmer into the store they're supposed to deliver it to. Lesson learned: I'll never again buy anything from them that they don't have in stock.

Middle of next week is Amazon Prime Day; I have a few items added to my wish list that I'll order if they're on sale. I've been working on getting the most functionality out of the devices I have here and have finally gotten the Adobe Digital Editions working on my Fire tablet HD and loaded several books (Bat Goddess told me about this a couple of years ago - the University of Chicago gives away a free eBook every month; if you get signed up for their email the note comes right about on the 1st and the send a link.) You need to use the Adobe authentication software and for the Fire I have to put the book into a Dropbox file and transfer it in that way; for some reason I can't get the computer to navigate to this tablet. The other device that has issues is my 2013 Sony SSD laptop; the USB ports are marginally useful so I've ordered a bluetooth mouse and will try that with the computer. If it isn't great I'll reset the computer to use in tablet mode and see if that helps. It's a touch screen and the mouse can be used elsewhere if it doesn't work on this device.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Oct 20 - 11:47 AM

Me again.

When I was dealing with PMR a couple of years ago (treatment concluded in September 2018) I cut way back on the flour I was using (going as gluten-free as possible to eliminate an "inflammation" source in my diet). I had some interesting flour here in various jars and canisters that has since gotten very old and mostly rancid. So after going through the fridge to removed old condiments, this week I'm looking through cupboards and shelves at the flour that needs to be dumped. Some of it is going in the trash, some might go into the compost. When it gets wet it becomes a gloppy mess that probably doesn't help the compost. I could sprinkle this over the ground but it would attract pests. I guess the dump needs some organic material to help stuff break down.

I'm not eating as much flour as I used to, so I'll replace these out-dated grains slowly, with things I'm actually going to use. I like spelt flour, white and wheat. I had a lot of brown rice flour but I usually only used that to make homemade dog biscuits. And I don't suppose the dogs care if that flour is old or not. Semolina - also too old to use - but I enjoy making pasta noodles occasionally, so I'll get more of that. These days I can buy as much as I need in the bulk section of a nearby grocery, so I don't need to worry about buying large packages I can't use fast enough.

Dorothy, have you moved all of the plants in? I'm preparing to bring in some herbs that will struggle but probably survive in the window over the winter. This is our big transplant season and I need to move a particularly successful aster from the bed it's in now to a bed where it can sprawl to its heart's delight. Among other chores. I'm also planning one more batch of pickles.

The trimmer has finally arrived at the store so I'll pick it up today. Curbside pickup, to keep myself out of the indoor air that is gradually going to be more of a hazard to all of us. The North Texas COVID-19 numbers are going higher these days, what with school starting back up (in particular).

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 07 Oct 20 - 10:07 AM

Thanksgiving is next Monday here, and the public health officials can't quite bring themselves to discourage family reunion dinners. "Don't eat with anyone you don't live with", says the Medical Officer of Health, while the official provincial guideline says "No gatherings of more than 10". How many households comprise as many as 10 people? In today's Ontario, vanishingly few.

We accepted an invitation to dine with Himself's brother and family, including The Nephew and girlfriend who live (and work in public-facing service jobs) in St Catharine's, and now Himself is wrestling with the risk. I am willing to go, but Himself is not sure. I believe that he's afraid the visitors from St Catharine's will (unwittingly and unwillingly) infect me. I told him to make the decision soon, preferably today -- somebody has to be the bad guy, and he's the one with the doubts.

The next sunny day, probably Friday, I must get out with the secateurs and dead-head the flowers, especially the hydrangeas, although I see lots of them fading away in other people's gardens. The August drought claimed one of our shrubs, a species known around here as "burning bush" for its fall colour, and I shall take down most of it with the secateurs and a pruning saw, leaving the roots for Helena the Garden Goddess and her shovel-wielding minions. Apart from that, I'll leave the plants to take care of themselves; so far, they're good at that.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 07 Oct 20 - 10:09 AM

Further to my last:

I have shed 4.5 Kg, which is just over 10 pounds. Another couple of kilos and I will be back into last winter's jeans.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Oct 20 - 12:25 PM

Good for you, Charmion! Getting into last year's jeans is a practical way to verify to yourself that you've lost weight. I'm not yet into the lower size that I still have hanging in my closet.

When I picked up the trimmer I made a loop past a couple of garden centers and picked up two shrubs, a fern, and some herbs and vegetables to plant. Now I really do have to get out and work, but today is a poor air quality day so it will wait till tomorrow. The fact that I have enough shade to plant a fern is a testament to my plan back in 2002 when I moved in here to create some shade in the front yard so I could plant shade-loving plants in the under story. And one of the shrubs is the American Beautyberry, also needing less sun, so both of these will be planted under the baldcypress down by the street.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Oct 20 - 06:23 PM

The new electric trimmer has been assembled and awaits a cooler day to be put into service. We're back up into the 90^o range this week.

I spent a few evenings in front of the television this week disassembling large sized beefy men's t-shirts to make more t-shirt yarn for the masks I've been making. Lots of great colors now; I was running low and limited in the mask fabric I could use (to have the ties look good - I suppose I could use black for everything, but there are so many vivid colorfast colors out there to work with). I have about a dozen new rolls to draw from as I assemble these, and a growing list of people who want them.

I'm down about six pounds since I started paying attention and doing a couple of days of modified fasting each week; still in the same pants sizes for now, though. No dog walking the last couple of days, but probably tomorrow in the morning, and if it cools off again. Mowing the lawn, digging in the garden, and walking the dogs are my main sources of exercise since the gyms are still off limits. The Texas COVID-19 numbers are going up again, after not really decreasing as much as they could have (as we see in other parts of the country). This is depressing. I'm thinking I can do some outdoor volunteering at the Botanic Garden now that it's cooler and my knee is in good shape.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Oct 20 - 12:29 PM

I'm going to set up a place, possibly in Dropbox, for photos of mask fabrics and styles, to help answer the questions I get from people about what kinds I'm making (and selling a few). And for the friends who would receive them anyway to express a preference.

It got hot again this week, and the air quality was poor, so I haven't been out digging as much as I hoped to be. I think by the weekend it will be more seasonal again.

I am convinced that when I dust around here I'm simply rearranging the same dust, not removing any of it. The girls (Cookie in the lead, and Pepper as her co-conspirator) grabbed a fiber feather duster off of a low table and demolished it out in the yard this week so I need to get another, and I'm looking at one of the multi-tube vacuum attachments meant for getting dust from areas hard to reach or where things might get sucked into a regular vacuum attachment. Maybe if I can catch some of it and send it out of the house I'll get ahead of it.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 09 Oct 20 - 08:12 PM

Dupont:

What a couple weeks it has been. After viewing the wonderful house on the Friday, I left on Sunday for Beaver. Two beautiful days floated by with no energy in me. The sum total was: unloading the kiln and finding some had exploded, and took others with them but still a good quantity. I reconstituted the underglazes that had dried out in the 10 years since last used. I thought a lot about how to decorate the pots and tried out a few brush strokes on paper. In the end, I did not have the will to try and had no energy most of the time. By the time I decided to do the same old stuff, I just gave up but trimmed the pots left from last trip and left them drying in the heated studio.

Feeling a little dizzy and wobbly most of the time, I finally broke down and phoned the health clinic and WOW! got an appointment to see Dr on Thurs - yesterday. Not having seen me in a year, and with new info, he wanted new blood tests and an ECG. I managed to see him, get the tests, get the house in order - except the unwashed dishes went in a dish pan and are stored in the Bath tub, to avoid mice. Also squeezed in short visit with Larry who was excited about the array of bisqued ware - in the LR! Larry is so supportive, even making me that path to the studio last spring through 6 inches of ice; it causes me to feel I must produce - for Larry! I certainly do not need any more pots but it is something to do.

Got on the road just in time to make it to the Goldmine before it closed - for pumpkin Brownies and apple crisp tarts - both scrumptious! (R and I shared one tart for BF this am.) But the last hour of trip was in the dark and not fun. I can see fine but still... I prefer daylight now. The shorter days are a pain!

The house we looked at had features that are sadly lacking here - space for potting and a huge enclosed veranda for plants and raised beds in the beautiful back yard. A few days later, R told me there was an offer and "I'm not really in a position to make an offer right now" I was so upset (I had already "moved in".) I texted him that I really did not want to talk to him. I needed to process and get over my distress/fury. We still have not mentioned it. Ten years of trying to be supportive and not add to his stress... I am now viewing as self defeating/counter productive, and I am exhausted and fed up. Ground hog day (the film) is heavy on my mind.

He did get home last night shortly after me. And, in my exhaustion, together we pieced together a meal. He had cared for the - now over 60 in-house plants - including the tomatoes, two producing pepper plants now, and all the rest. Brugmansia seems to have recovered from its snit and is getting new growth. The geraniums are still outside and I am not looking forward to finding space for them - but I will.

Tomato seedlings were not brought in soon enough and about half of one sort succumbed to damping off but there are still 8. I no longer remember which were which. Happy to know that Larry saved the seeds from the, one of each, R gave him. He has enough smarts not to start them til spring. In the meantime, I keep taking cuttings from the tomato plants to keep them from taking over the world so they ARE taking over our world as I am going to be "compelled" to pot them and find space for them! This may be becoming a serious disease! (mine, that is) When the weather warms in the spring, I will be able to put plants out on the curb "Free to a good home"! Even the African violets are becoming too many.

We have not turned the heat on yet. Chilly but R has not been here much and I can keep a fire in the stove. I did manage to bring in armloads of wood today and cover the new load to keep it dry as we are having rain tonight. It was fairly dry. Making a roast tonight to the oven is adding heat. If it gets seriously cold, I will turn on the heat.

Appointment on 15th for another sort of heart test (Echo, whatever that is). I can stop in at the hospital on the way back to Beaver. The timing works!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Oct 20 - 11:47 AM

Damn. Refreshed another page and this one went instead, taking my finished message with it.

Dorothy, keep an eye on that house you were interested in, sales fall through. Though I have to say that the house you're in now sounds pretty darned special!

I was up late working on masks last night, something I need to avoid because I do want to get up at a decent hour in the morning. I mentioned in another thread the photographing and posting of photos somewhere so people can see the styles and types of fabric. I'll do that this week.

I've been working on a prototype for keeping track of masks with earloops, after dropping and losing a new earloop mask this week. The idea is to use 3mm silky rattail, like is used for necklaces to hold pendants (I have a couple of these, but didn't know what to call the strands - it took a lot of searching). It will involve clips like those that hold plastic nametag cases to lanyards and the rattail, clipped to the bottom corners of the mask. I'll add them in the photos.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Oct 20 - 12:15 PM

It's a nice time of year so I'm headed to volunteer at the Botanic Garden outdoors soon - things like raking leaves need to be done and certainly provide the social distancing I am careful about. The knee limited what I could do last fall and spring, but now the gardens are open and my knee is in working order.

I think I've solved the itchy dog problem (I don't know if I've mentioned baths and a rinse in case soap was left on them) but I finally remembered that the biggest dog, a lab, got 3 Zyrtec a day (calculated by the vet) and that helped. So I've started the two itchy dogs on it and hope this helps because as much as they drive me nuts with the licking and scratching, it has to be driving them insane. Thank goodness Costco sells a generic in relatively inexpensive bulk.

Sometimes just remembering how you used to do something is a great discovery - I was working my way through the list of things I was going to need to try (I had already tried the extra rinse and switching food, but I remember now the vet said the dog was probably allergic to the grass in the back yard, so as long as the food is wheat free it won't make a difference). The food is an easy fix and I can go back to the regular stuff once the current kibble is used up.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Oct 20 - 10:53 AM

More cucumbers mean enough for more pickles; maybe relish this time. I have a really good green tomato relish recipe that I could substitute the cucumbers in.

I'm listening to a lot of classical music this week. I typically change over to the classical station during the public radio pledge drives (last week) but I can't stand to listen to the nonsense coming out of the senate this week.

The sprinkler is running this morning; later this afternoon once it has sunk in a bit I'll do so weeding, planting, and mulching.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 15 Oct 20 - 07:32 AM

In the last few days, I’ve had the radio on almost non-stop, usually tuned to a Sirius satellite station that plays nothing but classical music and does not do news, weather or sport at the top of the hour or any other time.

It’s years since we had any need for a clock-radio in the bedroom, what with Edmund’s insomnia and the cats’ uninhibited penchant for timely breakfast, so I was pleasantly surprised to find a CBC app for the phone that streams whatever is coming out of its various network stations. Now I just have to figure out how to make the phone automatically play the six a.m. news from CBLT in London.

That’ll give me something to do when the tumult and shouting of the funeral are done and all the out-of-town rellies have departed.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Oct 20 - 11:59 AM

If you have Alexa in your phone you can tell it to play that station at the time you want. I think. I haven't tried it myself, though I did get a second Amazon echo/dot thing this week to put in the front room where I need to be working more and there's no radio, tv, etc.

Second and final shingles shot today so I'm all caught up now with the available immunizations.

It looks like weather is moving in today, with a little rain possible behind the outflow boundary that is passing over right now. It's getting to be better cooking weather every day.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: mg
Date: 15 Oct 20 - 05:14 PM

So sorry to think of what you are going through right now, Charmion.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 17 Oct 20 - 09:14 AM

My mother died of cancer when I was 26 and my father was 61. At the time, I thought he was surprisingly brisk and calm, at times a little too brisk and calm. Now, I realize that he was working through a private checklist that the cool, intellectual part of his mind had compiled during the ugly last months of my mother's life.

So, a day or two after the funeral, he brought a big box into the kitchen and filled it with every warped pan and busted implement in the room, quite a haul as my mother was no cook and very hard on her equipment. He put me to work emptying my mother's chest of drawers and her side of the closet, and sent me out around town to give various keepsakes to a long list of her friends. Mum had compiled that list and designated the items herself, and it kept me busy for at least a month.

My husband was a collector and, under certain circumstances, he could have developed into a hoarder. Thanks to a decent salary, he could afford to indulge his taste for fine clothes, books about everything under the sun, camping and athletic equipment, electronic gadgets, and doohickeys of all kinds. Now I'm looking at it with a mental checklist: launder or dry-clean the clothes and rehome them, especially the valuable ones (hello, Canada Goose parka), as quickly as possible; start looking for book dealers; clear the kitchen of cast-iron cookware that he loved but is too heavy for me; stow all but one of the way too many coffeepots of various types and most of the coffee mugs in the Glory Hole for the next church bazaar, whenever that might be.

Likewise, several pieces of furniture will leave the house as soon as I can arrange their departure: a futon sofa that unfolds into a queen-sized bed (Edmund's napping sofa); a green leather La-Z-Boy settee that the cats savaged; two pine chests of drawers; and Edmund's office furniture, to wit: office chair, computer desk, writing table, full-height Billy bookcase from IKEA, and two two-drawer filing cabinets.

The bedroom we shared since we moved into this house is enormous, being as wide and about three-quarters as deep as the two-car garage upon which it was built. My voice echoes off the wall when I talk to the cat. So within the next couple of days I shall move into the guest room and my grandparents' Victorian bed, which I inherited from Dad and used after I divorced Mr Wrong, until Edmund and I got married. At more than six feet tall and solid with muscle, Edmund was a bit big to share an old-fashioned double bed.

The original master bedroom in this house is currently the study, with six bookcases and a filing cabinet, plus my computer desk, printer and my old drop-front writing desk. I will move my desk and computer into Edmund's office, along with the filing cabinet; with any luck, it will be a bit warmer in winter than the study, which is on the windward side of the house. That room will become the new guest room, with the queen-sized bed I shared with Edmund, and the huge bedroom will become a library-cum-family room, with all the bookcases, the TV and the sofa.

That should keep me running around until at least Easter.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Oct 20 - 12:30 PM

When I worked on various family estates I found that all of the lifting and shoving and general walking around led to a desirable higher level of fitness. Just as well in this time of COVID-19 when going to the gym can be risky behavior.

Those houses where I was working weren't my home, so I set up a break station so I could stop for a cuppa tea and whatever baked good I'd brought with me for the day. It was also there for others who were in the house to help.

After several great aunts' household goods came my way I realized that I'm not a museum and I started selling things on eBay. This allowed me to learn about items, decide the appropriate value, and if there was a story behind the item it was included (I am a storyteller, so the backstory was sometimes the thing that helped the item sell). Quite a few things went to collectors, and I still have the photos but they don't take up space or collect dust. Just to splat an item and a photo on eBay is impersonal; I didn't spend a long time writing, but I did flesh out the listing.

At my Dad's house the donated items were assigned a value and used to reduce his tax bill for the year he died because I was the administrator.

I still have quite a few kitchen items from my father's house in use here, and they serve as daily reminders of his enjoyment of cooking (something he learned after my parents divorced). When I arrived at his house to work after he died I ended up using several of his heavy cardigan sweaters and have kept them for cool days when it isn't cold enough for my parka. I have a couple of his comfortable chairs for reading. The rest was distributed and donated.

Mainly, I have his music collection - his papers, recordings, reference books, and equipment. That I still need to do something with the print and audio resources to donate to the university where several other Puget Sound area Mudcatters have already donated their collections.

The files were probably the most personal part of his estate, and I worked his paper shredder overtime. You notice that I haven't offered any advice about how to emotionally process this - I'll just give the head's up that the files can be a really hard part to work on.

Take care. Stay safe. Come up for air several times each day, and talk to people regularly.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 17 Oct 20 - 02:50 PM

I dealt with both my parents’ papers, a task that involved a substantial donation to the National Archives of Canada of materials from my father’s ancestors in Quebec. My mother’s papers included a 32-volume diary written in legal-size hard-bound notebooks, and carbon copies of every damn letter she wrote after about 1960, plus the incoming correspondence. The diary ended up in the Archives, too — big tax credit for that.

Edmund’s papers will be a doddle by comparison. I have already filled the blue bin (recycling container for paper) with nearly a cubic yard of government bumph and research notes, and it’s on the front porch waiting for Monday. It was so heavy that I had to ask Neil-next-door to carry it downstairs for me. I will burn his old letters in the fireplace.

The funeral was a pale copy of what an Anglican funeral should be, because we were not allowed to sing. Sitting in a pew while the organist plays hymn tunes IS NOT AN ADEQUATE SUBSTITUTE!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 18 Oct 20 - 10:01 AM

A month or so ago, I wrote that I was pretty well done de-cluttering, and boy howdy, was I wrong.

Edmund hoarded clothes and books. Over the last couple of days, I have emptied two chests of drawers literally stuffed with his t-shirts, socks, underpants, pyjamas, gym shorts, race shirts made of skithery technical fabrics, running tights, sweatpants and sweatshirts, fleece sweaters and rugby shirts. First it all went into laundry baskets, but there are only six in the house (who needs more?) and I filled them in an afternoon. Then I started stuffing the stained, torn and faded items into old Army-issue field laundry bags, and now there are three of those leaning up against the wall.

My brothers came down from Ottawa for the funeral, and they each left with a quantity of shirts, sweaters, jackets and workout gear. Big Brother now has the Canada Goose parka, and it makes him look like the offspring of a human and a firetruck -- it's long, puffy and scarlet, and BB is about six foot two and broad with it. Brother Andrew went off with a Luftwaffe flight jacket and a handknit Fairisle-type sweater from Orkney, among other things.

The main bedroom closet is still full. Unfortunately, neither of The Brothers shared Edmund's size in shoes or hats. The big closet has a four-tier rack of men's shoes and boots, with more in boxes on the floor and the shelf, and at least three closets contain stacks of hats. They will have to sit for a while and marinate.

Today, I shall go to church and have brunch downtown. The fridge is full of cooked food, thanks to other people, but the folks at the diner will be looking for me (I broke the news to them on Wednesday and there were tears and contraband hugs -- public health says no hugging people you don't live with). I will probably find my friend Yvonne (sings soprano in the choir) and her husband there as well.

Sur avec la guerre, as they don't say in France.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Oct 20 - 02:10 PM

My dad was the same, at least with shoes. I filled a 24" tall U-Haul moving box with all of the walking/running shoes he accumulated. Tied the laces together to keep them pairs. It was like he was in the shoe of the month club for years. I calculated a fairly high-dollar donation rate per pair when I took them to St. Vincent DePaul's, and these were something they were really thrilled to get, barely-used comfortable men's shoes.

I gave his goose down parka to my tall daughter (every so often she turns up wearing it and I'm reminded again of Dad). Tons of bath towels (not so odd, though, since he lived at the beach). He filled a wall of shelves with pottery purchased from Sam Scott in Seattle. When friends and neighbors stopped by while I was working on the estate I had them step into the room and choose a piece, since likely he'd already given them something from this collection, and they'd have another piece to match. I still have a lot here and have sent it to siblings and cousins upon request.

Years earlier Dad sent me an interestingly knit zipper cardigan sweater from LL Bean, and I finally wore it out. At Dad's house I found not only his own sweater in that style, I found one in the plastic bag that was a spare! Joy! And the next door neighbor had the same one in my size they had inherited from one of their parents after they died. I ended up with three of my favorite sweater that was out of stock at LL Bean.

I didn't have much at all from Mom's house; that estate was complicated but also for years she had been a heavy smoker who lived in a damp house. The combination was deadly as far as ever getting the smell out of anything that had been in the house. All of the kids grew up ardent anti-smokers, as was Dad (they divorced decades earlier, but smoking was always an issue for everyone in the family.) My sister shipped me lots of Mom's fabric stash and it went through long pre-soaks with baking soda and repeated washes before it could be put in the same room with the rest of my fabric. Books are still musty if you get close to them. But I digress. . .

I just made two denim masks for a friend to take to her father for a long visit. She spent the last two weeks working at home, not going anywhere, to be able to walk safely into her elderly parents' home and spend 2 weeks while the sibling who lives nearby and is their regular caretaker goes on a long vacation. We discussed the style he would probably like, the type of ties, and when she said she wasn't sure if he'd wear the brighter or seasonal prints she had chosen for her mother I remembered some denim I've used so made two of them on the fly last night and she picked them up on the way out of town. Under the new "normal" you really have to work hard to be eligible to get those hugs!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Donuel
Date: 20 Oct 20 - 06:57 AM

I have begun the project of restoring/finishing 4 cellos and 4 violins.
A matching burl violin and cello with a beautiful grain pattern of ghostly figures and faces in the wood, are first to be finished and set up. The cello is done this week.
Then an actual Virzi resonator violin neck repair. A 300 year old baroque cello that has had its wood stengthened for steel strings will be done by spring. Whoever made it originally created a masterpiece of tone and the most artistic carving I have ever seen.

I put a painting of 3 Clipper ships under full sail beneath a rainbow from a passing thunderstorm sailing beyond a distant lighthouse and will be finished with a whale at the bottom of a new violin back. The grain of the wood suggests the reflection of a sun beam on the water. I put the images beneath the varnish.
An old German shop cello with a lion head scroll will get the most powerful acoustic magnifying linings inside that I invented as well as a unique varnish I also invented. A modern backward violin needs a soundpost and set up. That leaves a 30 year old unvarnished cello that needs my imagination. Maybe leopard spots :^/

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Donuel
Date: 20 Oct 20 - 08:43 AM

The first post I ever made to Mudcat was about this sideline of mine.
It was met with accusations of spam. I haven't mentioned it again till now. The scroll of the 300 year old baroque cello is like none other and is a lost art of devine eloquence. I have made a dolphin head cello, Tiger violin and a devil's violin with eyes that follow you in 3D out of an antique Stiener violin but I could never carve a Roccoco-ramic scroll like this one.
I have a duty to do the best I can for the legacy of this cello That I ressurrected from its seperate parts found in a barn in Maine 30 years ago. I made a dozen great finds from ebay back in its wild west days when people sold whatever they had on hand be it a Paris School JB Vuillaume or other great instruments from the 16-1700's. Those days are gone.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Oct 20 - 03:54 PM

It sounds like a wonderfully creative thing to be doing, Don.

I was working with wood today also, but in this instance it was picking up the pickets and cross members to replace part of the old fence at the side of the garage. Western red cedar pickets, treated 2x4 8' Douglas fir cross members. I'll lay the pickets out and paint on the wood preservative on all edges and sides before I put them up outside.

Since I was going to be painting on the preservative I thought I ought to treat the garage like it needed for this work, so I swept up a lot of leaves and grass that have gradually crept in.

I've remarked here several times about ordering a new trimmer, with a $10 off coupon, and deciding to save more money by having it shipped free to the store. So my purchase price was under $50, but I waited almost a month for it to finally arrive. It's a nice trimmer, so no complaints there. But a couple of days after I picked it up I got a call from FedEx asking for a street address because they can't ship to a P.O. Box, and I figured out that the package was from the same store. I had a tracking number and called the store and said I thought maybe someone had accidentally started the order again on one of the occasions I called to find out when it would arrive. I gave them the tracking number and said they should have it sent to them, if it wasn't the one I'd already picked up at the store. Then they'd have one in stock.

Today I got an email telling me my return had been received and I think they've credited back the full purchase price. I guess if they're going to take that long to ship they'll occasionally end up giving away the merchandise.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 21 Oct 20 - 10:53 AM

Today is my third day straight on the phone, cancelling subscriptions and changing accounts. Edmund's pack-rat tendency is surprisingly helpful here, as he kept cards for every damnable thing in his wallet, which consequently had a somewhat pregnant look. Right now, as I type, I am on hold with the Department of Veterans' Affairs.

The local Goodwill outfit has a program that collects good men's clothes for job-seekers, and Edmund's suits, dress shirts and dress shoes will go there, on Friday if all goes well. I have to round up some boxes and bags, as he was quite the snappy dresser. I have sorted the library books out of the substantial collection in his office, and next week I will take a road trip to London to return them. It's possible that I may be able to donate Edmund's law-and-crime collection to the law library at the University of Western Ontario, and that will loosen up some swing space in the bookcases.

Some 10 shelf-feet of books (scholarly and otherwise) on the American Civil War are next on the out-the-door list.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Oct 20 - 11:26 PM

Librarians refer to "linear feet." I donated about 13 linear feet of materials to the university Special Collections when my job was taken away and I wasn't willing to leave my work product and photo archive to others to trash or discard. It's quite a resource now.

There are serious collectors of American Civil War materials (books, etc.) You may want to do a little search on some of the items if they seem specialized or very old (I suggest BookFinder.com and eBay.)

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Oct 20 - 09:40 AM

Today we're getting the soaking rain I've waited for. Tomorrow or the next day will be perfect to plant the shrubs I brought home last week because the soil typically rock-hard soil will finally be pliable.

Horizontal surfaces need attention today. Most of them are out of sight.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Oct 20 - 06:25 PM

There is a Blu-ray DVD player in the kitchen under the laptop computer and connected to a TV on the wall. It turns out that player is now SO OLD the NetFlix app on it is out of date and won't play. Very little of the original software works. It still plays discs and I can plug a thumb drive into it to play mp4 files, etc. I have a spare Amazon Fire stick that I can put on that TV to remedy the NetFlix thing, or I could turn on the laptop and play NetFlix through it, but I mostly just use that TV for over-the-air viewing when I'm fixing meals (though the radio still gets the most use around here.)

I listened to Nottinghill while cooking - one I've seen so many times that it's like listening to radio - I pause to watch just occasional scenes. Good company when cooking, good songs to sing or dance along with. And this relish - lots of pans and bowls and equipment. It'll take a while to clean the kitchen but there are six pints that use up the last of the cucumbers from the garden. There are a couple of small ones out there that might grow large enough to put into salads, but the season is pretty well over. This adds to a nice haul from the garden that is only about 10' x 10'.

Now I need to think about what to do with the peppers. Probably freeze them. Poblano and jalapeno.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Oct 20 - 05:35 PM

This year few stores are carrying pie pumpkins. These are the variety that one steams and peels then freezes to use for pies and other pumpkin-y goodness. I found a store that I think has them so will make a trip in the morning, and shop for two other folks as well. Making a special run means it's a good time to spread the wealth. This is the first year I can ever remember having to drive to a different town to buy pumpkin.

It's a big push in the yard this week, because the weather will be perfect, we had a nice soaking rain on Friday, and the soil will be workable. It'll be both fence and landscaping.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 26 Oct 20 - 09:35 AM

A great clearance has been achieved with the packing and removal of Edmund's regular everyday clothes, most of which went to Goodwill. "Weekend wear" (jeans etc) and gym gear (with no sweat stains and all their buttons) went into the regular stream, and office-worthy clothes and shoes went to a program called ClothingWorks that distributes the garments to people who need better clothes than they can afford, either to get work or to get better work.

All that's left is formal wear, such as his kilt and doublet and his mess dress uniform, and a couple of sentimentally important items that no one else would want, such as the embroidered jean jacket he brought home from Afghanistan and wore All.The.Time.

Oh, and winter boots, of which he had many. Those I will pack up and deliver to Goodwill this week.

I'm sleeping a bit better. Still waking up at zero dark awful, but now dropping off again and waking for the day at about the normal time, which is, of course, cat o'clock.

I also secured a promise of skilled moving assistance when it's time to shift all the bookcases. Ron the furniture restorer and his antique dealer brother Tim agreed to do it (for a price), and, after seeing them haul out a very large walnut chest of drawers, I know they will do it right. One bookcase in particular, a large Victorian walnut number with glass doors, will require shoe horns and lubricant to extract it from the study; I never should have had it moved upstairs in the first place. The chest of drawers? Huge Victorian number from my great-grandfather's house in Beauport, desperately in need of rehab for splits and cracks, and the little bites out of the top finish where Edmund chucked his brass-buckled army-issue belt every damn' day for nearly 20 years.

Today I shall call Habitat for Humanity and arrange for the removal of half a dozen pieces of furniture that are excess to requirements: Edmund's computer desk, which is too high for me, and filing cabinets; at least one IKEA bookcase; and a futon sofa that converts to a queen-size bed. The futon was Edmund's bed before we got married, and we replaced the mattress and used it for a living room sofa in Ottawa. Here, it did not fit into the sitting room and we didn't need it for anything else, so it has been taking up space in the basement. No more of that.

I weighed myself this morning and found that I am down 6.5 kilos (a hair under 14.5 pounds) from 15 September. At this rate, last winter's jeans will be comfortably loose by the time the snow flies.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 28 Oct 20 - 11:12 AM

Seven kilos down this morning, and I wore the largest pair of last winter's jeans yesterday without discomfort, though they're still a shade tight.

Today I feel ever such a 21st-Century Fox (or perhaps cougar?), having researched an irritating thing about my Mac computer, found the solution, and executed it without error.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Oct 20 - 11:53 AM

Solving computer problems is always a satisfying task. Keeping them up to date to begin with is a problem a couple of friends have, and I hesitate to offer to connect via remote desktop to work on their systems in case the problems they have are shared.

How are the cats adjusting to the change of furnishings around the house? Now that the destroyed chair is out of the picture, are they targeting a new piece as a scratching post?

We're in the middle of another drizzly day so my work entails drying dogs (the towel is by the back door), mopping up muddy footprints, and not spending the entire day munching. My alternate day fasting is happening but at a slower pace than I've done it before; most days I try to keep the calorie intake at a low "normal" level, and I do the low-calorie "fasting" days (about 5-600 calories in the middle of the day) just often enough to knock off a couple of pounds every two-to-three weeks. The fasting system works but it's difficult to stay on for a long time and more difficult to keep weight off if you just stop the fasting. Some of my current size jeans are getting loose, but I'm not into the next size down yet. Slow and steady. Having a functional knee again helps get more exercise, though the bursitis is still in the background. I'm employing stretches to try to resolve that (and the weight loss should help also).

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 28 Oct 20 - 05:14 PM

Things are looking up. I had no trouble whipping through the New York Times crossword puzzle today. Okay, it’s only Wednesday; let’s see how I do on Saturday.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Oct 20 - 10:17 PM

You're ahead of me, I haven't done crosswords in years, though I used to. I wonder why I stopped? My mother did the crossword puzzles in ink, I always used pencil.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 29 Oct 20 - 08:58 AM

I believe (though I have no proof) that crosswords are good for the aging mind. They force me to think laterally and to pay attention to word forms and nuances that don't occur naturally in conversation. The NYT crossword increases in difficulty through the week, from easy on Monday to thorny on Thursday (always a gimmick) to really quite a challenge on Saturday. Before Thanksgiving, I could usually power through the Saturday puzzle in 10 to 15 minutes, depending on how many clues depend on knowledge of American university sport.

I do them on my iPad, which I admit is close to cheating. I allow myself to look up certain factoids on Wikipedia: e.g., the names of rappers and hip-hop artists, and American sport arcana, such as the abbreviations of NCAA conferences.

Today I have already moved Edmund's computer and office furniture -- except a Billy bookcase that I have yet to unload -- out of his study and moved mine in. I am now pattering away on my Mac keyboard in what was originally a child's bedroom at the top of the stairs. At little more than eight feet by ten, it's just the right size for a home office, and -- unlike the study (originally the master bedroom) -- it is not cold in winter, so my hands don't turn gunmetal grey and seize up.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 29 Oct 20 - 10:57 AM

Dupont:

I guess I have been working through some stuff. Watching lots of pottery youtubes and even asked a potter friend, "HOW do you...?" and gathering ideas, and materials/tools that can help me try some new ideas. Also, the 1780 house IS sold; I drove by a week or so ago and saw "VENDU" on the sign and had a moment of desolation, then, realizing R was in no state to have bought it, I moved on to relief that I no longer need to think about it - that is a major de-clutter!

But next concern comes back: the need for a place to pot here. Looked for a second hand garden shed and realized: not going to settle for something unsuitable and, anyway, R does not have time to help; he is up to his eyeballs de-cluttering his business life, taking truckloads of stuff to the scrapyard and organizing the rest - 10 hour days. A deadline looms. I will bring the small wheel back from Beaver and set up in a spare room here.

So, having done lots of pottery when I was at Beaver, I am stuck here and really needed to take in hand my need to DO something. And, if I make them, how do I get rid of them in the midst of covid safety?

Friends near Beaver are renting a space for Nov and Dec for a cooperative selling venue and I am in. Last eve I started packing up pots and will load the car today, added to the stuff I picked up at the mill yesterday. Maybe I will even get the DR back to normal before I leave. Leaving for Beaver tomorrow for as long as it takes to feel I am ready to come back for a visit!

Decided to pot the pepper plants today and bring them in. There is room in the TV room, an east window. It is going below freezing most nights now. OK: pot peppers, make applesauce for R, finish packing pots and load car...

No word from Dr re tests so I am assuming health. No more problems either. Promise I am being very careful.

Turned the heat on yesterday to about 60F. This is a big house and expensive to heat. I have been keeping a fire in the wood stove and the den has been toasty but not the rest. There is a cube heater in the Bathroom. And a throw in the TV room!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Oct 20 - 12:20 AM

We finally have nice weather after a week of drizzle and rain, just in time for some work on the fence and yard. I visited a friend's yard today and he has the kind of shrub I'm putting in this week - and seeing how large his has grown, I am revising where I will put it.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Oct 20 - 05:26 PM

Lovely weather out, achy sinuses inside my head. Such timing, when I really want to be outside, but feel like I need a long nap. I'm going to clear out the freezer of some of the little bags of things that have been in there a long time. The remainder of cilantro, basil, etc (when there are more recent frozen containers of it), etc. I made a bread pudding today from the ends of three different loaves of bread that were in there. I did stuff a whole bunch of strawberries into the freezer after buying 8 quarts for $7 at my discount gourmet grocery. I trimmed then, took out the tops, and am going to put the frozen fruit into the steam juicer later on and make the juice for jelly. In the past I've bought bags of frozen strawberries at $2 to $3 a pound; these were under a dollar a pound. I've saved one box of berries for my ex who is coming over later to pick up several items I got for him on yesterday's run to the Halal market.

I have a knit tube that is usually used doubled over and worn like a turtleneck to keep cold air out when wearing a parka, but it also works as a headband, and I'll put that on to help sooth the forehead/sinus stuff and go out to the garage to finish putting the preservative on the pickets. That fence panel is going up this weekend.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 31 Oct 20 - 04:00 PM

Lovely day, sinuses still a bit wonky, but I'm muscling past it. I have about half of my cedar pickets treated with the wood preservative; I stopped for a little while after emptying the old can and bringing the brush in to wash out. I'll stir up the next can (different brand, but also clear preservative) and finish after a late afternoon lunch.

Across the street a friend is taking down an old decrepit mulberry tree for that neighbor; he had the limbs down and the top half of the tall trunk off. He had sawed several vertical lines through the stump (the center is hollow) and was preparing to take it off at ground level when a guy drove by with a stump grinder on a trailer and offered to finish the job. They conferred and negotiated and now the stump is ground down and Antonio is finishing cutting up the rest of the trunk. It was an extra bit of cash for the guy who had rented the grinder to finish off several of his own tree jobs in the area, and it saved my friend a lot of work - he still made a reasonable profit on the job, but had a lot less work. We all stood around and talked for a few minutes - it was a nice visit. Then I headed back to my fence work in the garage. I may be able to put up the new fence panel tomorrow.

Don't forget to set the clock back an hour tonight, if your community participates in that Robbing-Peter-to-Pay-Paul program. Back to Daylight Savings Time.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 31 Oct 20 - 08:18 PM

Today, I bought a small three-drawer dresser to hold mitts and scarves and things by the front door. It’s teak veneer over mahogany, inoffensive in appearance, and precisely the right size for the spot where I put it. I’ve been looking for such an item ever since we moved here.

Then the carpet cleaners came to pick up most of the rugs (all pretty filthy), leaving only three that they will take when the bring the first batch back.

Then I went to Kitchener to test-drive a car.

I have had enough excitement, and spent enough money, for one day.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Nov 20 - 11:49 AM

I sent Consumer Reports information (via Messenger) about the cars under consideration, and in the past I've sent others research on fridges, stoves, etc.. Keep this in mind when you're shopping, CR lists their recommended and best buys for smart shopping - having ended up with a couple of lemons over the years, I always try to do the research first.

Fence materials are assembled and the panel work will commence soon. And this afternoon I am going to get ready to make strawberry jelly by putting all of the frozen berries into the steam juicer. I could have done it with them fresh, but you get more liquid when the berries were previously frozen and all of the little plant cells ruptured.

The dogs have tracked in an incredible amount of grit and twigs and such - and I need to wash the covers on their dog beds. I need to see if there is some kind of outdoor mat or carpet to put down on the patio to catch some of this stuff before they bring it through the dog door.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 01 Nov 20 - 12:02 PM

Beaver:

Met with group at “Carriage House”, a very nice venue! We open this Thursday; I will do my first two days of staffing on thurs and fri, with friend Leslie. What a relief to have a nice place to sell (hopefully) some pots, cooperatively with, mostly, friends of many years. Long talk with Pat, the ring leader, this am. She is looking at this as long term and has bought a property nearby to build a shop on “Back Street”, visible from highway.

Now, I am looking for energy/inclination to get out to the warm enough studio on this drizzly day. I loaded 4 very nice director’s chairs into the car - from the screen house - to take to the shop later. It is a half hour drive so I will not do it unnecessarily. But others will be moving stuff in and we need to be in tune with what is available/happening.

There is lots of pottery work to be done here: decorating, mixing new glazes and remixing the old ones that have been sitting, as well as throwing, trimming… And a novel to read… On a rainy day!

One ongoing de-clutter I am working on: For years I seemed to always be in a hurry. Forty years ago a fellow student told me she perceived me as always looking harassed. I took it to heart and tried to slow down when I caught myself running - but I am still doing it! The years when I was trying to make a living as a potter were frantic; I always needed more pots for the next show. And I was doing shows 2 or 3 weekends a month in the season - May to Dec. En route I would hesitate at each intersection to remind my self “Where am I going this week?”

Then I worked for the newspaper for 6 years- running from place to place to catch the important events. Even covering a School concert in Coe Hill at 7 pm, then driving like mad to catch another an hour north, while it was still happening.

Something inside me is still pushing me and I have to get my head around the concept of not needing to do that anymore! It is OK if I sit here and read and drink tea until I feel like …

I found a whole bunch more pots in the screen house this am! I will bring them out before it snows! The ones already at the shop will take a lot of time to label, hopefully at a time when there are not a bunch of other people in there; I need to focus. MY 94 year old friend often says, “The best thing you can give someone is hope.” This shop has picked me up greatly!

Yesterday I was faced with heavy frost. The frost is OK; the house is warm. But the walkway to the studio was a hazard so I spent some time going to each possible store (within a mile or so!) for a rubber runner to save my neck! The fourth place, they tried hard but suggested the carpet store, so out of the way that I forget it exists! I now have a 12 foot runner that I can roll up and put in the tool shed when not needed; as it won’t be most of the winter. Then I took stuff to the studio and brought things in as needed. A wonderful new “tool”!

I am organized. I will get doing when I darned well feel like it. And Pat will be able to pick up the new (commercial) glazes I am considering and save me the 6 hour round trip to Toronto!

Rain is heavy now. 11:30 Sunday am.

I LOVE my Prius! Swear by Toyota products. Just would have liked a total electric but not feasible in the wilderness.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 01 Nov 20 - 07:49 PM

I would seriously consider a Prius, Dorothy, if only they came in hatchback form with a manual transmission!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Nov 20 - 08:49 PM

A friend has a hatchback Prius, but I don't know about the manual transmission.

The first fence panel in this line of fence is finished. It's a way of working backward, and this was the most complicated because it tied into a corner and there was old fence support hardware pieces in place that are cast aluminum that completely surrounded the fence post. I had to disconnect hardware I put up last spring and slide them up the post and ended up with two slid up one position and one removed off the top (I used the two). Now the next door neighbor doesn't have to work around the wonky one that used to stick out from the bottom corner of the fence. Tomorrow I pick up the next set of pickets and cross members, put the more preservative on the pickets, and put them up. The pickets today were still wet from the preservative I painted on last night, but that isn't a problem, it isn't like wet paint. It'll be the same tomorrow. Today's panel was a foot shorter than the rest, the next two should be a straight shot down the line.

Once these are in place I can look into switching out how this part of the yard works. I'm thinking about putting up some cyclone fencing and a gate on this side of the garage. It won't happen until the boundary fence is finished. My neighbor offered cash to help cover the cost of lumber, thinking all of the fires this year would make lumber more expensive, but actually, the Forest Service and other agencies will be scrambling to harvest this burned timber (the bark might be singed and the leaves burned, but the wood will be good, it isn't like burned up match sticks). I think this will continue to be an affordable operation. Good nieghbors, though!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 01 Nov 20 - 09:40 PM

My Prius is also hatchback but automatic. After a lifetime of manual, I realized the need for automatic. It is so much easier on my right shoulder. I have found it easier all round. R was stunned as I always dissed automatic. I actually considered it in '05 when I bought the Scion; it would have been a good move then. Now I am delighted!

Long phone call with friend tonight who is in desperate need of de-cluttering. Does anyone know of a forum she might join?

Snow on the ground this evening; just half an inch so far. Going to minus 7C tonight and up to 1C tomorrow! Snow tires are on. House is cosy.

The new shop is shaping up nicely. Fun too. Nice to be with 3 dear friends. I wore mask in shop today. Cannot be too careful. Decorated a few pots tonight; may wash off a couple - or use a dark glaze. Experimental...

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Nov 20 - 12:31 AM

There are groups on Facebook, but some of them I've noted are rather hair brained and I "un-liked" or "un-joined" them. The "Non-Consumer Advocate group is actually pretty sound. https://www.facebook.com/groups/thenonconsumeradvocate/ She'd do best to read along, lurk a bit, and see what they've already talked about. It's a starting point as far as no longer accumulating stuff, and suggestions for offloading what she doesn't need. Also joining a Freecycle group (https://www.freecycle.org/ would give her an audience often happy to lug off stuff.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 02 Nov 20 - 01:51 PM

A two-metre IKEA bookcase and a small pine lingerie chest have left the building, gone to live with a family from Chile whose possessions are mostly still in boxes.

I have firm nibbles for two 2-drawer filing cabinets and a computer table. I may be shot of them by close of play today.

The rest of the household reorganization will be all about books and bookcases.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 02 Nov 20 - 08:10 PM

The computer table is gone. Hooray!

I never liked it, and I would have been rid of it long ago if Edmund had not clung to it.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 03 Nov 20 - 10:40 AM

Beaver:

Way to go, Charmion!

Today, I woke with energy. The inch of snow is cleared from deck and my wonderful new runner makes safe movement between house and studio. I carried, safely, trays of pots from LR to Studio! Glazing is done, BF eaten and I shall soon go out to load the kiln - in 0C but no precipitation. No sun either but tomorrow a warmer sunny day is predicted! After the kiln loading, I will go seeking better stickers for pricing pots. Post it notes do not stick well to the bottoms.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 03 Nov 20 - 11:42 AM

Edmund’s 2-drawer filing cabinets are gone, and this afternoon I’m going to look at and, probably, buy a large crimson Iranian rug.

And there’s a firm nibble for Edmund’s computer desk.

When that’s gone, I shall turn my attention to consolidating the changes I have made so far, and moving books.

I will also finish the two and a half appendices still outstanding on the Afghanistan book.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Nov 20 - 08:28 PM

My second fence panel is waiting till tomorrow morning. I had lunch with my daughter mid-day today but the changing humidity and ragweed have knocked my sinuses for a loop. I took a nap, which helped, but it was then too late to work on that panel. Tomorrow morning will be fine.

In my craft room I've cleared out a bag of scrap material and moved it to a lower drawer and now have another bag to collect all of the corners and edges and odd pieces from mask making. When I have larger trimmings of flannel I make them into pieces I sew in for the wire sheaths. As for the rest, when I made the ham for ironing masks I stuffed it full of old t-shirts and such but now I would use this stuff. And I need another box of sandwich bags to put new masks in.

I'm not sure how late I'll be up tonight, and how many election returns I'll watch. I'm thinking of streaming something and waiting till later. The coronavirus is here regardless of the election and we'll be wearing masks for a long time to come. These can be put to good use.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 04 Nov 20 - 08:30 AM

At the risk of boring you all with yet another detail of my creeping progress toward what I hope will become the New Normal -- today I moved the Household Filing Cabinet (there can be only one!) out of the old study (soon to be the guest bedroom) and into the new study, previously Edmund's office. With it came my guitar, which has settled in beside the desk. So my workspace is pretty well settled, although the bookcase is still full of Notable British Trials and volumes on legal theory and military justice.

Book-shuffling is a job for another day, after I have finished the Afghanistan manuscript and mailed off the files to the publisher at Army Headquarters.

Yesterday afternoon was given over to the task of driving to Guelph to buy a large Persian rug.

Guelph looks close to Stratford on the map, but it's still more than an hour away by road and the outbound leg of the trip included an unpleasantly crowded stretch of Highway 401. The weather was okay and nothing bad happened, but I was rather too aware that I have not driven on the 401 at all since last winter and, apart from the monthly visit to the allergy doc's office in Kitchener, I have made only one longish car journey to an unfamiliar destination -- to London to return Edmund's library books.

The woman selling the rug completely forgot she had agreed to meet me at three o'clock, and wasn't at home when I arrived. I sent her a text saying that I was ringing and knocking to no avail, and then another ten minutes later saying, "I give up. Call me if you still want to sell your rug." "Oooooh noooo," she replied, and popped out the door of the house across the street. The rug is very large, and made of acrylic rather than wool, so I almost refused to take it, but I had made a commitment to her and it was the right size and colour. So instead of an incredible steal it was an okay deal.

It's also punishingly heavy. It took all my strength and hers to get it up the stairs and out to the car, and all my ingenuity to shove it entirely into the car and close the hatch on it. "Now I know how to move a dead body, should I ever have the requirement," I said ruefully, looking at the end of the rolled-up carpet protruding between the front seats and butted up against the dashboard -- fortunately just to the right of the gearshift. "Oooooh nooooo," she said, looking alarmed. I don't think they make jokes like that in Iran, where both she and the rug originated.

At home, I managed to extract the rug from the car and drag it into the house, but I just didn't have the strength to haul it upstairs to its destination in the huge "bonus" room over the garage, previously our bedroom. So I pocketed my pride and crossed the street to Neil and Jane's house, where they were just finishing supper, and begged Neil to give me a hand -- again. Oh, what I wouldn't give for a little extra testosterone and the muscle it confers! Neil made me promise not to try to carry anything heavier than myself, and I swore a mighty oath.

No, I didn't carry the filing cabinet. It has silicone glides on the bottom, and I pushed it.

The weather's nice today, so I'll walk downtown for lunch and a tangle with the insurance people, who seem not to have noticed that they're charging me more to insure two cars than they charged Edmund and me, although with only one driver you'd think the risk was halved.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion's brother Andrew
Date: 04 Nov 20 - 08:54 AM

"Now I know how to move a dead body, should I ever have the requirement," she said as a consequence of her exposure over six decades to naval and military senses of humour.

If Western's library declines Edmund's law books, you might try the University of Ottawa's Brian Dickson Law Library. I cannot think of a library more likely to attract legal officers. If they want them, between you and me, we can come up with a way to get them there.

I would suggest that you flog them to Michel Drapeau, but I think you might end up being haunted. ;)

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Nov 20 - 10:57 AM

Good luck with the books. There are various government entities and agencies that might take them - it depends on how long you want to hunt for a new home before posting a notice somewhere.

Today I've drunk my tea and eaten my oatmeal and the day has warmed comfortably so I'm out to work in the yard. The fence first, then using the new trimmer to get rid of the tussocks of grass growing out of cracks in the concrete driveway.

After several tries I've finally received a box of sewing pins that are what I was hoping for. Plastic pin heads melt when the iron goes over them, so I've looked for glass. These have 4mm glass heads on 1 1/2" sharp fine but not flimsy pins. I have a couple of boxes of pins that were false starts, some too thick, others too thin, that will go to my daughter to distribute to sewing friends. She might find the very fine sharp ones useful when she works on flimsy fabric of costumes, but I don't do that kind of sewing.

Out to the yard.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 04 Nov 20 - 11:37 AM

Andrew, I wouldn’t piss on Mikey Flag if he was on fire, let alone hand over anything that ever belonged to Edmund.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 04 Nov 20 - 07:54 PM

Beaver:

Nice Chuckle, Charmion! I am so impressed by your progress - not the dead body!

Trying to find stickers that will stick, I saw a couple pots still wore stickers from the Art Gallery gift shop. Starting my errands yesterday, I encountered a couple Gallery folks and asked about the labels. They suggested a specific shop and I went and got a sheet of 80. When I got home Carol phoned and said she had some to give me, so off to their house. They were Avery so I thought I could pre-print initials and number them - and I managed that this morning! 1000! I had to run and get more while the printer waited to finish the job. But I was happy and went to the shop this aft and stickered until I was plumb stickered out. Tomorrow is our first day open and I am on duty so I can finish stickering.

Yesterday's glaze firing came out nicely and was added to the array. I bought a sander and sand paper, realizing the nice one I had may never re-surface and I need it now - to grind bottoms and clean a kiln shelf. The two pieces I played with - underglazes and clear glaze came out cute. I do not generally do cute... But I will see what kind of reaction they get. Would not doing more and trying different colours and "designs".

However, I worked hard yesterday and today my energy was low. I still have not thrown any pots this trip but lots else done.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Nov 20 - 12:02 AM

The next panel is in place, and was finished before the neighbors got home from a week out of town. I called to tell her that I'd moved a few things out of harm's way next to the fence construction area, and she was glad that they'd been moved. I'd hate to have dropped a plank and broken a pot or bird bath.

The next panel ends at a T; a fence panel put up by the contractors who built my garage and put in place so on one could walk around the garage and into the back yard. I'm not sure how they tied it into the side fence (I put up some reinforcement when I got the dogs.) Now I need to find a way to enclose the yard closer to the driveway and take out the bit the contractor put in. $$$

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Nov 20 - 01:05 PM

Drawing down contents of the freezer that have been there for a while. This week I'm starting on a package of haddock, and I've had really good luck with these packed "planks" before. I make my own tartar sauce and bread and fry these to be like the fish of fish and chips. If I make potatoes they won't be deep fried, they'll be sautéed in a skillet, but they go well with the tartar sauce also. And now that it has cooled, I'll start baking more. Maybe cinnamon rolls to start off with a bang (and to share with the neighbors).

I need to clean the garage and put stuff away, there is too much stacked on the work bench and room on the shelves where things need to be returned, and things standing around the sides of the space. I can still park inside, but I want the luxury of more space in there. I did leave the fence-construction stuff all in one spot and would like to return to that before winter sets in.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 06 Nov 20 - 05:04 PM

Edmund’s desk has gone to a family with a new home business, and that’s the end of Phase 1 of reorganizing the house. Phase 2, moving books and bookcases, begins when I have finished the Afghanistan manuscript.

Having reached an agreement with the Volkswagen dealer in Kitchener, next week I will take possession of a blue 2021 Golf. Negotiating the extended warranty package nearly finished me, but the nice lady behind the big desk talked herself into giving me a $250 discount, which allowed me to accept without regret. Lord, how car sales people like to talk! If I were a donkey, my hind leg would be loose.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Nov 20 - 07:08 PM

Are you trading in a vehicle in the process? Sometimes it makes the most sense, other times you get a better price selling it yourself (but the process - not always fun).

Staying even closer to home than before, and going out only during the slow time of the day (I needed dog food). I have figured out how I'm going to fence the gap between the garage and the property line, it will involve getting two four-foot wide gates and the hardware to turn them into a double gate (like for driving through). A friend will pick them up in his truck, I don't think they will quite fit in the SUV (four feet wide, six feet tall, on an angle - maybe - but maybe also hard on the upholstery or the head liner.) Once a gate is in place I can continue working on replacing the fence panels.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 06 Nov 20 - 07:47 PM

Beaver:
Pottery is all stickered and I have done my shifts at the shop. Off to QC tomorrow morning.

Bit the bullet and bought a new palm sander - for smoothing pot bottoms - on Weds. On Thurs, the flyer had them on sale for $10 less so today, having not gotten around to using it, I went in and said I wanted to return it so I could buy it for $10 off! No problem! Love that store.

I actually managed to load the "new" antique washstand, for the house in QC, into the car all by myself! We left it here last trip as R had bought so much at the auction, most of which went into the city. Some is still in the front storage cabinet - until he gets back; I do not touch nasty old metal stuff.

Have maintained 12 pound weight loss; Dr. told me it is good for older women to have meat on their frame! Leaving house in good shape, even washed down the K cabinets today.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 06 Nov 20 - 08:13 PM

Trading in two cars, Stilly: Edmund's 2018 Kia Soul and the 2017 VW Golf Sportwagen we got in exchange (plus money, of course) for our last VW diesel in the class-action settlement. The Soul has an automatic transmission that I don't like, and the Sportwagen is more car than I need and gets lousy fuel economy.

Sharp practice on that palm sander, Dorothy. I bet they noticed!

Watson the cat is nesting in the pile of padded envelopes I stashed in the bottom shelf of the printer stand. Somehow, I don't think he's doing them any good.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 07 Nov 20 - 09:45 AM

Emptied and moved a bookcase. Go me!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Nov 20 - 01:23 PM

I suddenly have a burst of energy - and hopefully will sleep better - though we still have a couple of rough months ahead until inauguration. That said, we still live in the middle of a pandemic that is experiencing "exponential growth" as far as infection numbers. Our economy is in a state of crisis and I'm continuing to make masks and I will get the web site with photos and sizes up soon.

Charmion, that Sportwagon looks about the size of the SUV (Nissan Pathfinder) I drive now. This one is 2017 and gets better mileage than the 2012 that was all steel, built on a truck chassis, and though I liked the design, it didn't have many safety features as you can get standard now. The newer vehicle is a lot more plastic so it is lighter and gets better mileage, and it has a backup camera and sonar back there (though I really miss the compass reading on the mirror from the 2012 model). This is the size calculated to let me move a lot of stuff without actually buying a truck. Trucks are expensive and here in Texas hold their value so even getting a used one is difficult to.

I have puttered in my bathrobe this morning, doing things like thinning out the copious plastic and paper shopping bags, keeping a few and the rest go to recycling. I always use kraft paper bags to put cookies on to soak up a little grease, and we're into that baking season. The rest - various sizes - and when did everyone start putting handles on their bags? - are going to the recycling bin. Those bags with handles are harder to make myself discard, but there were too many. Laundry in, dishes loaded in the dishwasher, garden watered and ready for work. Plenty to keep me busy and at home, as tempting as the Saturday market is at my discount gourmet grocery warehouse.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 07 Nov 20 - 02:03 PM

Stilly, if I could find a winter-proof roller-skate with a reliable motor on it, I would drive that. Maybe it's because I started civilian-type driving in Germany, paying European fuel prices, but I like to keep my automotive footprint as small as possible while maintaining a sensible standard of safety and comfort.

Two large guys in military tee shirts came this afternoon with lots of boxes, and left an hour later with almost all of our accumulation of books about the American Civil War. They paid me a handsome price for them, for which I am duly grateful. I kept three, which I think is quite enough for a non-buff such as myself who has the Internet at her fingertips.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Nov 20 - 04:33 PM

My first car was a VW Beetle. You would have loved my little Ford Courier 4-cylinder pickup (made by Mazda). Great standard transmission (it meant it wasn't stolen when parked in NY City when I lived there because few thieves knew how to drive it; some kids who did push in the vent to steal change out of the ashtray were caught in the act a second time. Turns out they thought that was an anti-theft device and I didn't correct them. And I told them if they ever broke in again I'd know who they were, the guy sitting out on his porch watching all of this would know who they were, so they could come to my building and ask for the park ranger and tell me if someone else was bothering it in the future. Over the next couple of years every so often one of those kids would greet me on the street with a happy Hello! My NPS co-workers were astounded: "You lectured them?" But I digress . . .)

That's great news about the books. Sending them to a new home where they will be appreciated is the best outcome, especially if you didn't have to carry them around. If you could see my dusty books, you'd know that I have quite a few, even though I have thinned them considerably over the years.

The dust here is getting to me, and along with recently ordering the extra vacuum attachment for getting dust around small objects I've ordered some more microfibre dusters (and will keep them out of the dog's reach). I need to sweep, mop, dust, and vacuum so when it comes time for the holidays, if there is ANY chance that anyone could come in the house (or at least look in the windows) that it will be ready for guests.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 07 Nov 20 - 07:14 PM

I never keep money in the car, even change— too many years living in crack-ridden downtown Ottawa. In fact, I try hard not to leave any possession visible to a passerby, even a coat or hat. Over some 45 years of driving, I have experienced only two car burglaries: the first in a parking arcade, in which I lost a shopping bag full of maps (think of the thieves’ disappointment!), and the second in our own driveway, where I had parked the car overnight because I was too damned lazy to haul open the garage door. That time, they took the Blaupunkt radio that came standard on Volkswagens back in the ‘80s. Boy, was I mad at myself.

This house is also full of dust, and each emptied shelf of books sets me sneezing. The grey pall on the sitting room carpet is downright embarrassing.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Nov 20 - 03:41 PM

The change wasn't in view, the ashtray was closed, but there were lots of tolls to deal with back in the late 70s. I lost a bag of maps also, within the last couple of years, so again that would be a disappointed thief, but I was also disappointed because I've had to find and replace those maps. I still like to have paper versions handy even with all of the advancements in the Google maps on my phone.

The microfiber dusters arrived today. If I do a room a day it'll be just under two weeks to clear out the house (counting small rooms like bathrooms and laundry). By then it'll probably be time to start again, but if I actually get the dust out of the house and not just rearrange it perhaps the problem won't be as bad. It's things like rock collections and the open shelves in the den that will provide the biggest challenge. I wonder if I'll have the discipline to put things away as I work? That would be smart, but it might also slow me down in my dusting and cleaning. Decisions, decisions.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Thompson
Date: 08 Nov 20 - 04:13 PM

A great gadget for dusting, and one that makes the job actually pleasurable, is a painter's dusting brush. Also beautiful.
Some of the modern ones have plastic bits. Just… don't.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Donuel
Date: 08 Nov 20 - 08:44 PM

I am impressed at the respect, dedication and dignity you give the legacy of your predecessors and mudcat archives. It is a daunting respondsibility. I know the feeling of trepidation of preserving the past. That old cello I spoke of was made anywhere from 1590 to 1690 and requires a repair that will involve taking off the top. It is my respondsibility to pass on this work of performance art that was 'alive' throughout Bach's lifetime and survived all the wars up till now. In the wild west days of ebay I bought and received this instrument in all its component pieces. A farmer had rescued it from his barn in Maine. I assembled this forgotten relic and was amazed at what I found. This was more unlikly than finding a real Strad in an old refridgerator.
I'm not saying it is an original Amati since it could have been built in Germany but it is identical to late Amati dimensions with a scroll strangely and beautifully unlike any I have ever seen in my life and research. I have to complete my work and get it into respectful hands before it finds another dead end somehere for posterity's sake.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Nov 20 - 09:26 PM

Mudcatter InOBU (Lorcan Otway) does a lot of fine work on instruments; he has several harps he has restored, and he builds model sailing ships with minute detail. I just posted information about him on the "Fall of Trump songs" thread. Are you on Facebook?

https://www.facebook.com/lorcan.otway/posts/10158766350231678

I walked around looking at the rooms and deciding this dusting business is going to have to be one wall at a time all the way around several of these rooms. Huge job. I just don't dust most things, just tabletops, the TV screen, sweep the floors, surfaces in my bedroom, but not everything around the house. It is time.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 09 Nov 20 - 06:48 AM

Thanks for the tip, Thompson; that looks just the thing for whisking spiderwebs off light fixtures and curtain rods.

Donuel makes an interesting point about respect for objects and records handed down to us from previous generations. Throughout my adult life, I have lived with tension over my ancestors’ stuff, to the extent that I have wondered sometimes whether I am housing humans (and cats) or furniture — especially bookcases.

At my age, and confronted with massive cultural change in my own family and in the nation at large, I know that I should disembarrass myself of most of the hundreds of books in this house. Two large rooms are occupied primarily by books, a situation that is not sustainable in the long term. Books — by which I mean the physical article, dust-catching bricks of paper, glue and cloth — just don’t have the value they did when I was young, and my heirs and assigns will not want to deal with them when I am gone.

With the rest of the stuff now in my sole possession, my policy is to keep only what I can actually use and maintain everything so it is handsome to look at and pleasant to sit on, eat off, etc. I must eventually give up this house, which is far too big for one woman and two cats, and I don’t want to be still dealing with other people’s clag when that day comes.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 09 Nov 20 - 09:42 AM

Moving books again. I'm racking up thousands of steps just trotting from one end of the house to other with armloads of history, music and military theory. When I start shifting the law and crime books to the basement (to await re-homing), and the novels and British and European history upstairs, the fitness benefits should flow like the mighty St. Lawrence.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Nov 20 - 10:35 AM

Are you taking a daily Allegra or Zyrtec or perhaps keeping Sudafed on hand? I almost sneezed just reading about those books, even knowing they've only been in place in that new house for a couple of years. I suspect there are mouse pathways behind my books in the front room on that entire wall of bookshelves. It is probably this process you're going through now that unconsciously started me looking at my own dusty books and considering streamlining the house. Take motivation from wherever when it comes along.

It also reminds me of a couple of projects I've planned but put off regarding estate paperwork inherited from both parents.

The kitchen counters are almost clear as I prepare to start some baking of holiday breads. The gardens are at the perfect time for planting. I have plenty of things available to keep me busy at home and away from the exponential growth of the novel coronavirus. It's a shame we have to wait seven more weeks before someone starts doing something effective about this pandemic.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 09 Nov 20 - 01:01 PM

Dupont:

DUST!!! The mere thought... I dust sporadically as I perceive a need in space. Just did down the sides of the stairs with a damp wash cloth, shook it out side and deposited in laundry. This house does not seem to gather too much, very fast. Even the pottery that was sitting out for a few months did not show any. I do have a heavy duty air cleaner going 24/7. And I damp mop the wood floors one I feel inclined.


On this glorious day, I cut the dead peony leaves and some darned stuff that looks similar to a hydrangea but is ugly as sin (IMO).

Stopped at a shed making place on the way here on Saturday. Beautiful solid wood. Have sort of found a spot for one and showed R today, for his consideration. This will be dicier than C's car! Deciding about the costs and logistics and what size I might be able to afford - including getting it here! In no case scenario can I have one before Spring.

The river is largely decluttered of floating docks and boats. Lovely! Now the geese, ducks and seagulls are taking over - much nicer. Even if it does mean winter is not far. In fact, about 5 days away.

R ate most of the food I left, thawed as he needed and eating it for BF and supper! So, I am preparing to cook a bunch more in prep for next absence - which will be subject to weather report. Shopped at both stores this am - mostly empty! Frig is full. Prob will not need to shop again for a couple weeks.

Will do a load of laundry later, including sheets, then remake bed. And make cauliflower soup. Maybe I will be inspired to reduce the sewing...

Our beautiful new wash stand made it from my car - I managed to get in in by myself - to the hallway this am. Maybe tonight it will get to the upstairs bath and the thing there will make it down to the LR.

As for books: I suggested to R this am that it was time for 3-4 boxes to be removed to the "library" in the semi-finished basement. The hallway is getting CLUTTERED!!






)

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Donuel
Date: 09 Nov 20 - 05:03 PM

Along the ground level windows I put down red mulch and soaked it in cedar oil. The catalevered roof will keep it fairly dry and allow for scented fresh air on the days that allow open windows..

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 09 Nov 20 - 08:15 PM

Just finished Zoom choir practice. Weird, but I'm getting used to it.

According to my Fitbit, I climbed the stairs thirty-two times today, in aid of moving three bookcases' worth of history books up from the basement and hauling down Edmund's entire collection of Notable British Trials, popular and scholarly works about murder, mayhem and organized crime in North America and Europe, and thick tomes on legal theory, military justice, and the practice of criminal law in Canada. Edmund's sister-in-law Jan joined me for this extravaganza of effort, and we did in three hours what would otherwise have taken me anywhere up to a week, if I could have whipped myself into action at all.

I also moved five more two-metre-tall IKEA bookcases out of the old study, now guest bedroom, and into the ... Hmmm. What am I to call that space? The library? I guess that works. The hard part of that job was ducking each bookcase under the lintel of the door in the original east wall of the house that opens into the library, which is an extension on top of the garage. I'm rather proud of myself for figuring out how to do that.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Nov 20 - 01:43 PM

Last night I loaded all of the recently frozen strawberries (seven quarts) into the steam juicer and turned the burner on high and over the next 45 minutes I got about 3/4 of a gallon of strawberry juice for making jelly and syrup. The house smells amazing! I have a Rubbermaid container full of the leftover solids and will figure out what to make with that (maybe strawberry bars or something?) since there isn't enough for a batch of jam. I'll make jelly later this week. I'll put a case of jelly jars in the dishwasher in preparation.

The counters are relatively clear as I prepare to start some baking. Back in the earliest COVID-19 days when I had the whole peninsula cleared so I could disinfect all groceries entering the house (set on one side of the counter top, and once cleaned moved to the other) I had a lot of space. Now we know that isn't necessary the clutter had crept up over time.

We have learned so much about so many things during this global pandemic. Our habits have changed. Our visits with friends and family are so carefully staged and are so precious. I think another Declutter thread title (not quite two months from now - this thread ran for two years) will need to reflect these COVID times.

Dorothy, what will that new shed be used for? And which "here" will it be sent to? I was driving south of my home on the Interstate a few weeks ago and noticed a business on the frontage road that is advertised on my favorite radio gardening program. There's something about the design that has it staying a lot cooler in summer, and they're cute as can be. But I can't think of where I would use one (or how to afford it) right now. :)

We have heard nothing from or about Susan (WYSIWYG) for a long time now. I hope she's getting better and staying healthy in her rehab facility.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 10 Nov 20 - 07:18 PM

Dupont:

I IRONED today!! It has been years, honest! But the collection of antique, and not antique pretties demanded to be ironed. The new wash stand is beautiful! with a nice white embroidered thingy(?) in the middle. I did not want to cover all the lovely wood surface but wanted some protection. Actually that one did not need ironing, but having dragged the wood ironing board and the iron up to the TV/sewing room - a very good spot! - I perused the pile that had been in waiting and did a number of other things, even sprayed a few with the spray bottle that is on hand for the one orchid - that never blooms but looks healthy anyway. Found a set of 4 - white with nice lace - valances that will be lovely in the LR/DR someday when R has time to go up the ladder and change from the old, tacky and not very clean ones. A valance is all we will use. No need for more; less dust and we like lots of light, and those four windows are full of plants, of course.

This am R put the new washstand in place and took the other piece to the LR where it is far more suitable. It has a nice runner and decorative items on it and the very large schefflera is on the floor at one end, needing a much nicer pot now that the pot can be seen. It, and another in another corner, have been doing very well a distance from a window; plenty of light from large windows seems to suit them. This guy is getting a new shoot. Messy guys! I have to sweep up fallen leaves - when I get to it.

Did some dusting with a damp cloth. Tore up dead flannel sheet for "non-paper towels"; I keep a stack for jobs of that paper towel sort and if they get too dirty I can throw them - in the laundry or the trash, depending. I rarely use a paper towel.

The shed would be for pottery studio and display. I want it to look nice, not to detract from the Victorian brick house. The rough lumber ones are in the very small barn concept. The usual Quebec garden sheds are tolerable and available locally in many colours and configurations. It will be a project finding out prices and comparing possibilities. I have the studio at Beaver (10x12) but am frustrated here not to being able to do anything. Had a great time last week glazing and thinking about new ideas.

Put two more lawn chairs in the garage. Thought about leaving the big wicker chair on deck??? Would need to cover it before snow but it might be nice when the sun hits there to sit outside a bit. We got two lovely BIG cushions for it at a thrift shop recently. They do not even need to be re-covered!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 10 Nov 20 - 07:46 PM

Thanks to Neighbour Neil, My Hero, the queen-sized bed has migrated to the guest bedroom, and the library has only library stuff and music stuff in it, including a very large scarlet Persian rug that *really* pops.

Moving the bed was a beast of a job. Neil’s knees are not what they were, and neither of us could see the bolt-holes in the metal bed-frame clearly in artificial light, but we achieved the mission with only about three times as much sweat and aggravation as I had initially estimated. Boy, do I ever owe that guy. He’s a prince.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Nov 20 - 12:29 AM

There are so many occasions around the house when I curse the low light or my changing vision and go get a flashlight to shine on what it is I'm trying to see or read in some out-of-the-way place. I took an idea from a friend who lives way out in the desert west of Texas - in case the power goes out they have small LED flashlights in each room. I did that and now usually don't have to go far to get the light source. (I used coupons at Harbor Freight over the years and got the free flashlight any time I needed to pick up something else there.)

Oatmeal cookies made tonight, and they came out particularly good. I like them crunchy, and I added roasted pecans and raisins. I'll be taking some next door and across the street tomorrow.

I tried ordering groceries to deliver this evening but they won't arrive till morning. I could have gone during the senior half-hour of shopping in the morning and saved $20. Live and learn. It really is best to not go out now, the US hospitals are all filling up with new COVID cases and Texas is color coded on the Pandemic map as a state with a high number of infections. I still need a couple of things that I get at my discount grocery but I put off going there so it's maybe only once a month.

Tomorrow is Veteran's Day in the US. My Dad died on Veteran's Day in the late 1990s; I hadn't heard from him for a few days and was wondering what was up when I got the call from a close family friend that his next door neighbor hadn't seen him and finally went looking. We had to back-track to when he last logged on his computer, made phone calls, missed a doctor's appointment. The holiday morphed from a day to think about military service to thinking about a dear departed father.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Donuel
Date: 11 Nov 20 - 07:42 AM

What color to paint rooms? Here is an interesting pallet for natural colors. Colors of the moon.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Nov 20 - 10:48 PM

A new personal challenge has arisen this evening. My part-time job is all work from home, but my employer and his office manager are going to be in town for an appearance in two weeks. The location is just a couple of miles from here, and I will attend part of the time. I will also offer them an invitation to come by here to see the yard and meet the dogs (they love dogs). That means I have a lot of yard work to do, to have some of these beds looking the way I envision they can. There's nothing like a chance to show off the work to inspire one to get out and finish the job.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 12 Nov 20 - 12:47 PM

Dupont:

Drove down to the "mill" yesterday, the last warm day until ??? Picked up 2 glazes, dried out in their buckets so no mess! Just add water when I get them to Beaver. Also a bunch of sundry items that I am hoping to re-home here or at Beaver. Did not, however, find my box of Marie Corelli books and rue the day I left them "right there" and have not seen them since. Also thought there was a ghetto blaster there but no luck.

From the Mill, I went to visit a friend, sitting in her garage, out of the wind. Then to a fruit farm but it has little left but apples and I have enough of those; the lovely Anglophone owner, gave me a card so I can phone if I want more apples, which I shall. Then to the bakery in St. Antoine for a new Dark Choc Cake and two baklava. (1/2 is adequate!) Then stopped to visit Rita and Dan who were entertaining a neighbour's 4 chickens - with the fallout from their bird feeder! The back to Chateauguay - tired and happy.

Thinking about shed: Maybe Joe (teaches construction) knows someone who could build one on site? or MAYBE I could enclose a piece of the cellar and install dehumidifier and air cleaner. Later today, I shall don a respirator and visit the cellar - very carefully. Check to see if phone gets a signal (safety factor). Would certainly be less expensive --- but no place to show finished wares.

Put fire in stove when I got home; as nice as it was outside, the house was cool. Still coals this am so it is nicely perking away. I am challenged to see how long I can keep from turning the heat up - and save on electric!

Wonderful neighbour, Charmion! My Friend Larry has admitted to diminishing power in the five years. I was happy to do the washstand myself and not call for help!

I have a couple Pear tree seedlings (3 inches!) from the pears bought at Petits Cailloux in the early fall. The owner was delighted at this info.

Now to unload the car.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Nov 20 - 05:00 PM

I have a whole bunch of masks to start packaging and putting in the mail, and some new ones to cut out and start assembling. Three of the four in my immediate family (who live here - my son is in Seattle) had a really-late birthday lunch for my daughter and me and her dad joined us. On the museum grounds with enough breeze to clear the germs from the area. And I handed over more masks - every time I see them, it seems, but I want them to be safe. And on the way home I stopped to buy a couple of packages of nuts and the clerk's mask was ill-fitting so I trotted out to the car and got one of the packaged spares I keep there for handing out. This was a holiday print 3D mask that will work well for her, I think, and I showed her how to wear it. She apparently has only two cloth masks (time to get some disposable, then but whatever).

I have sometime before dark so will go do some digging in the garden. I need to get the broccoli planted, but it'll go in around where the garlic is coming up and I've wanted to be careful not to step on those sprouts.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 12 Nov 20 - 06:00 PM

Today, the String Sisters (we’re a band!) came over to play tunes in my new music space, and it was great. In dining chairs spaced six-ish feet apart around the edges of the big, red rug, we fiddled and picked and strummed for an hour and a half. The acoustic is good for tunes, with just a little reverb. The rug and the stuffed bookcases absorb the excess. Serena the fiddle wants to make a video, so now we’re getting serious.

The rest of the day was spent hauling books around, and going to the allergy doc in Kitchener. I distinctly remember a time in my life when I had a job — how did I ever fit it in?

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Nov 20 - 12:15 PM

My daughter and ex and I had a lovely lunch on the otherwise deserted grounds of the museum yesterday, with lunch coming as takeout from a local French cafe and bakery. We do what we can to get together, and discussed possibly doing some kind of small thing in the garage a week ahead of Thanksgiving so it might still be warmer out. I could cook in the house and hand out plated meals in the garage so it doesn't all get set up to get cold fast out there. But we're still in discussion. It is a risky business and we wouldn't have many of us in one place and we would be all spread out and outside.

Whatever we plan, we'll have to do our family visit via Zoom or Teams or Duo or Messenger during an off-time to avoid getting a poor connection or getting knocked off of the session.

I promised myself that this week I would research and order the gate for the space beside the garage, so with the week running out I need to do it today.

A slightly-related aside to my decluttering and work around the yard: a couple of weeks ago I jammed my thumbnail, at the side, onto a piece of silverware when I was emptying the dishwasher. It cracked the nail at the corner and instead of being patient and trimming with clippers (ok) or putting a bandaid on and letting it grow out (best) I pulled off the nail piece, and exposed a tender part of the nail bed. It took two weeks before it stopped hurting enough that I can do some of the more rigorous things like pulling weeds without pain in that thumb. I've had nail bed injuries before, when I accidentally stabbed myself with a spring key ring trying to put a dog rabies tag on a collar. I finally had to go to the doctor and he used liquid nitrogen to kill the bulge that wouldn't heal between the skin and the nail so it would retreat and the nail grow over. I just got lucky this time it healed by itself. Now to resume some of my more rigorous outdoor activities!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 13 Nov 20 - 07:02 PM

Dupont:

Bit by bit, things find new homes, get laundered, tossed in fire or trash and set somewhere off the beaten track while I figure out where they can go. The huge set of Porcelain -plates, etc, do not look so appealing when I am faced with space and the choices of what to keep, or not. At the shop where my pottery now resides I can sell decent second hand stuff. Things are starting to go into the bag/box for that re-homing.

I pulled my sweatshirt over my mouth and nose and went in the back entrance of the basement to the cellar. Possible to enclose a large enough area. Require some financial output and then carrying tons of stuff 30 or 40 feet. There is heat, and light - need lots more. Then carry pots outside to fire and back in to glaze and back out to fire...Talking myself out of this idea? Versus several thousand dollars for a shed?? I have been away from studio too long already!

I wish I had a Dan here, to do the carpentry. New stairs at other end of deck, closer to where I think of putting the fantasy shed.
Have not heard back from Joe. Suffering serious withdraw.

Laundering stuff that was at the mill - a big garbage bag full smelling a bit moldy. Was not moved to iron today, or sew. Meals are ready; house is clean enough, plants watered enough, potted 3 more spider plants, and hope I can take a few to the shop next trip.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Nov 20 - 08:56 AM

I decided to see how many of those restaurant plastic silverware containers were in the kitchen cupboard where I stash that stuff. I have those racks that have bases screwed onto the shelf and the basket pulls out for easy access, and along with the space beside and behind the rack, the rack itself was overflowing. (These are those cellophane enclosed napkin, knife, fork, spoon, and salt and pepper sachets.) I ended up half-filling a little restaurant meal-sized tote bag. Most of these are unopened and I'll see if they can go to the same fridge I'm going to donate rice and olive oil to soon. It's a community project where food is donated and anyone who needs it can pick from what is there.

The room I started my dust-the-entire-house program in is the back bathroom. I've tossed some stuff, and while I was at it I looked under the sink. Yuck. More for the trash, and while there isn't a water leak but it's musty so I think I need to put in racks or something to keep things up off of the floor surface of the cabinet for better ventilation. The tub got a good scrub, the rubber mat is going into the washer with a bunch of towels to help clean it's surface (and keep the suction cups from clinging to the inside of the washer).

Good luck with that basement, Dorothy. Light is probably the easiest of your needs to work on. Look for some of those new LED fixture at Home Depot, Lowes, etc. Those diodes put out a lot of light and are energy efficient. They're also relatively inexpensive. My laundry room was transformed when I put one in.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Nov 20 - 03:13 PM

Now that I've started looking - there is all sorts of stuff under the sinks that can go. And a leak of some sort in the hall bathroom sink. Probably just through a corroded spot at the base of the tap that is used all of the time. If I buy two new fixtures for the hall bathroom I can move the little used one into the master bath because that tap is looking pretty corroded also. The rubber bathmat went through the washer with a bunch of towels and is looking better than before. I'm trying to not add PVC to the house (the off-gas isn't good for anyone) and using rubber mats, but they do require a bit more care.

The car is loaded with recycling stuff. It'll take a couple of stops to drop off everything, then back home. I would like to pick up one thing at the grocery store, but Saturday afternoons are so crowded that in this COVID-19 time I need to pace myself and go next week during senior hours.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 14 Nov 20 - 05:03 PM

Wow, what a day.

The cat-savaged La-Z-Boy settee has gone to live with a pair of likely lads who arrived with a truck. In return for the “free” couch, they easily hauled three full-height IKEA bookcases up two flights of stairs from the basement to the library. Then the carpet cleaners arrived to deliver five clean rugs and pick up four dirty ones. Then, just as I was getting my teeth into cleaning the hardwood floors before putting down the clean rugs, Kathleen my cat-sitter friend with the house-cleaning side hustle arrived to add me to her client list.

So for the next three hours, she scrubbed and I hauled furniture about and swept — by the way, Stilly, that silicone broom from Amazon is Da Bomb for hardwood floors. Then she helped me lug a wing-back armchair downstairs and a leather-covered comfy chair and the TV and its stand upstairs. So, now all I have to do (HAH!) is load the last three bookcases with the rest of the books, which are currently stacked on a six-foot folding table in the middle of the library floor.

I’ll do that tomorrow. Today, I think it’s time for a beer and a sit.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Nov 20 - 09:27 PM

After moving stuff off of the mantle, moving the huge mirror leaning against the fireplace that sits on the hearth, I used the brush nozzle on the vacuum and over about 30 minutes cleaned off years, or decades, of dust on those ugly stones. It doesn't really look any different, but it's nice to know that the I've made a good start. It'll be interesting opening the Shark dust tank this time, to see what comes out. Lots of crumbling stuff from the mortar on the fireplace, for one.

I've also had good luck with that silicone broom - here it works well getting the dog hair off of the tile floors, especially going up and down the halls and scraping it from around the edges next to the wall. It's good you had help with that work. I know a place that is supposed to be good with rugs and I keep meaning to take my antique Persian rugs over - I suspect they will come back looking incredibly bright.

The recycling was dropped off, and I had a couple of food items that ordinarily I might have returned to the store that this time I donated to the community fridge in a neighborhood north of me that is a "food desert." There was a woman finishing loading a bag as I pulled up and she waited to see what I was dropping off - so the 10 pounds of rice and quart of olive-oil blend never made it into the fridge. May she have many filling meals out of those two ingredients!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 15 Nov 20 - 08:55 AM

Apparently, hand-knotted Asian rugs -- especially those made with traditional vegetable dyes -- should be washed every two to three years to keep them in top fettle. Vacuum-cleaning is okay on the nap, BUT NOT IF YOU USE A POWER HEAD WITH A BEATER BAR! (Yes, I'm shouting.) One of my rugs, an aging Indian my father bought at auction in 1982, shows clear signs of vacuum abuse: about an inch from one end, where the cat hair accumulates most thickly, there's a little bald patch where the wool of the nap has been wrenched out.

I have several; come to think of it, every rug in the house is Asian. When he was in Afghanistan, Edmund went to the Kabul rug bazaar with his translator, an ex-refugee who had made carpets himself as a child. That day Edmund bought four hall runners and two area rugs, including a big, red Turkman and a multicoloured silk-and-wool Persian that just gleams. Mike and Vanya, the carpet cleaners, went quite gaga over the Turkman, and stroked the Persian as if it were a cat. There's also a mid-sized, ruby-red Pakistani Bokhara I bought from a dealer in Ottawa, and a large, green Afghan Bokhara I bought from a couple who just couldn't find room for it in their flossy new house in Stratford. They put it up on Kijiji for the risible price of $250, and I threw the money at them, grabbed it, and ran.

Thanks to a 40-year flow of immigrants from Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India, Canada has lots and lots of businesses, small and large, that import hand-knotted rugs from all the countries and cultures that make them. Too many Canadians don't understand their worth, which means they can often be bought privately for peanuts.

It's pouring rain in Stratford today, so the outside world has little appeal for me. I shall go to church, have lunch at the diner, and then shelve the rest of the books. If I can clear the six-foot folding table, I will consider it a good day's work.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Nov 20 - 11:06 AM

This rug guy is an Iranian immigrant who my ex visits with every so often, I think they became friends during the first couple of rug cleanings (my ex has a tiny house and not many rugs). I learned about this guy because he's taken rugs over there and I keep intending to try it out. I don't think these rugs have ever been cleaned in their 100 years of existence. They came from my great aunt's house in Connecticut.

As I work on the household dust project I realize I need to wear a dust mask or one of my many COVID-19 masks. I woke this morning to seriously upset sinuses.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 15 Nov 20 - 04:58 PM

Dupont:

SRS! Did I neglect to remind you to wear a mask when dusting! Why I use a damp cloth where possible. And rarely dust! My fear of inhaling it greatly exceeds my need to have a clean looking house! And vacuuming just blow it around! If I feel the need to vacuum, I plan to leave home to let the dust settle.

C: What an incredible amount you have accomplished! Awesome! I used to manage that much energy...

Talked with R this am about using a corner of his "gonna be library" temporarily. Just for a wheel, shelves for ware in progress and table for wedging, etc. No progress is being made re shelves for books - just STUFF accumulating! The cellar was too claustrophobic. Lighting has to suit my peculiar brain. He seemed to be OK with it.

Very windy here; Will soon be getting C's rain! Hoping to get back to Beaver on Thursday, if R recovers from Dentist. Watching weather closely!

Maintaining 12 pound loss. Wood moving is good exercise. Brought in a bunch today to dry near stove. Dark, damp and forbidding out there! Keeping furnace about 68F. (I could turn it down a bit but R needs it.) A cube heater in bathroom (broken wall heater in there) and one on hand for TV room if R needs it; I wrap up. But colder weather will be here. There is a surfeit of prepared food in frig which must be eaten so R can choose his own when he gets home --- esp at 10PM! I put another container of soup into the freezer to save its life.

Did a store run about 7:30 last night; the place was fairly deserted, as in 1 person per aisle! Bought lots, including 2 boxes of Clif bars for R to take with him so he does not pull any more no-food-for-12-hours stunts. I may get a delivery of same stuff tomorrow! I spent time preparing an order for "free delivery" and, at the end was told "not valid". Sent a nasty email - for all the good it would do. But I see I ended it with "cancel email" rather than "cancel order"!! Received a itemized bill - with no charge on it for delivery - so I guess I will have lots of clif bars, etc. Nothing that does not keep. I usually use two bars per 5 hour drive and do not leave home with out a couple, just in case.

Will soon have an empty plastic, under the bed, bin for which to choose a new use. Almost everything it contained will be going to the shop. And WOW! brought knife holder from Mill in the last lot and when I took the knives out - That's where the good ones were! How wonderful to have knives that cut properly! I was at the point of try to buy a couple - big one, little one.

5 pm and dark as night! More wood on fire... This brick house prevents me from hearing that wind; I am so much more connected to the world at Beaver.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Nov 20 - 12:47 AM

Washington state is going through another severe shutdown period; I spoke with my sister this evening to compare notes on our respective community approaches. Down here in Texas it is the Wild West. I'm being very careful, not going out much at all. The growth is exponential now, just in time for a major U.S. indoor holiday.

I was motivated to update my long-neglected blog in order to share facemask information. I started by briefly summarizing the reason for eight years of neglect and created a separate page that I can update as needed that describes the styles of masks I make and how to care for them. I'll do another page to share current fabric offerings. Most of them now are 3D, it simply fits more people better than the other masks. My pleated masks cover everything but they can really take over your face. After a long time away from blogging (and various updates) I had to relearn a lot about the Wordpress blogs, including pulling up the now LinkedIn-owned Lynda.com training tutorials to get some tips (I love those tutorials, I've learned a lot of interesting stuff using them).

I've also edited the slip that is inserted with masks into each zip lock sandwich bag. It now includes a QR code to the blog entry describing mask fit and care and allows people to contact me if they want more.

Dorothy, it took time this morning to get over the dust assault from yesterday. I'm going to resume the work but with a mask in place. And I agree with you about the amount of work Charmion has done - and ending up with a music room and practice already is an excellent result. There are stages in the grieving process that are quite energized, by necessity. (Hugs, Charmion)

Stay safe, everyone. It's going to get worse before it gets better.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 16 Nov 20 - 10:11 AM

Last night's windstorm, which Dorothy noted in Chateauguay, knocked out the hydro in my part of Stratford for more than an hour in the shank of the evening. Edmund's collection of camping gadgets includes a rechargeable lantern with a solar panel on one side, a USB cable and even a crank; fortunately, it retained enough energy to light my way to light the stove (yay gas!), make a bit of supper, clean out the litterbox, and go to bed. Across the street, I could see Neighbour Neil's flashlight bobbing about on what looked like similar missions. About five minutes after I hit the sack, the lights came on again and I had to get up and turn everything off.

The books are stowed, and the library lacks only the big green Bokhara rug, currently out for cleaning, and the teak-framed sofa from the sitting room. I also have to fold up the six-foot work table and get it downstairs again, most likely with help from wonderful, long-suffering Neil. I can carry that table on the flat, but I'm fairly sure I would have trouble controlling it on the stairs.

Edmund's rechargeable lantern now lives in the front of the bottom right kitchen drawer, where I can find it in the darkest dark. I should get another one for upstairs; power failures are not unusual in these parts.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Nov 20 - 02:59 PM

I have been thinking about getting a generator to run in the garage during the longer power outages. When you live by a heavily-wooded creek, trees fall down over lines. And I have a tree that needs removing but it pulls a stunt like that. I have a pump I bought years ago that has never been out of the box (for running hose to the creek). I should sell that and use the space for the more useful generator.

Bread is rising, I haven't made it in ages. A little self-care, making the house smell good and making bread when I don't feel like hunting down a better multi-grain bread at the store. Trying to stay out of stores for now.

Stairs and gravity usually mean the folded table will travel downstairs, it's just a matter of how fast and if you're in control. Mine isn't the difficult to fold and move around solo, including stairs. Good luck navigating with it!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 16 Nov 20 - 07:51 PM

Dupont:

The folding table story a la SRS - ho ho ho! I could see that happening! And me going down with it.

R brought a large book shelf for my mini pottery work space-to-be. (from Montreal house.) A corner of his library-to-be will do for a while. I will bring the bare essentials when returning from Beaver: portable wheel and its stools, tools and a plaster basin and bucket for trimmings. Oh yeah, and a folding table!! Only four steps down from outdoors to get in here and it is in a cabinet at front of house, near car. I am seeing on FB reports of nasty snow there today, and it will not be melting soon. So I am fore warned. Take boots.

Ransacked house and car looking for my protective mask (for dust/toxins) to no avail.I have two; how could I have misplaced TWO! But sorted, ditched and filed papers, dry mopped upstairs, caught some cobwebs, caught up dishes, watered plants as necessary. And fed the fire.

Windy all day and power was off part of time in the vicinity of Beaver. Nothing I can do about it so hoping nothing freezes is only option. There is a generator here - in the garage NOT connected! And no gas can to feed it. We do have adequate electric cords to use but it is still in the box... R is too busy with business (well-named!) to attend to our home. I had the fantasy that this house would inspire him... The electric was off here in the night but I doubt for long. The stove clock was flashing - 4:55.

Still not cooking much as the planned-overs have lasted too long. The order from the grocery did not arrive! And no response to my email. Fine!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 16 Nov 20 - 09:56 PM

I teetered the folded table out of the library and propped it on end against a wall in the hall. It’s way too heavy to move downstairs by myself — it would skid on the wooden nosing of the steps and take me down with it.

Time for bed.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 17 Nov 20 - 09:48 AM

First snowy day in Stratford, and the house is chilly, especially the library. I'm thinking of acquiring an electric fireplace ... Any pros, cons or comments, O Hive Mind?

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 17 Nov 20 - 01:05 PM

Dupont:

C: electric fireplace looks nice. Does not give any more heat than a $25 electric heater which can be used as needed and stuck out of the way when not in use. But, an electric heater adds ambience. You might end up watching the fire instead of reading!

Finally finished unloading a box that was too heavy to bring in loaded. Now I have some pretties to re-home and a banana box full of foamy and bubble wrap to... under the DR table for now. There is almost NO first floor storage. The beds in spare rooms are too low to store a banana box but will do for the under bed plastic bin. I am loathe to carry anything down the steep cellar stairs AND, worst of all, no sign of the mask I need to brave the cellar. The website for replacements - nothing available until mid December! I have worn it in late summer, early fall! Neither pockets nor tote bags have one hiding... Maybe at Beaver when I get back there.

Wood stove is doing a good job. Cosy in Den. Makes me want to sit here, on computer, but I get up and do a few things elsewhere and come back to warmth. Oops! Those ARE snowflakes I see!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Nov 20 - 02:02 PM

Dorothy, PM me your address and I'll mail you some of my 3-layer masks. They do the trick.

Charmion, I have some of the oil filled radiant heaters in the greenhouse and garage because I wanted a warm spot with no exposed elements. I have the little ceramic heaters with fans in each bathroom and have been known to move one of them into the office on occasion. The link (in case it doesn't work) is the Home Depot and it looks like they have the radiant oil filled fans that just heat, and some with thermostats and timers.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 17 Nov 20 - 02:39 PM

Those oil-filled heaters look like a much better buy, Stilly. Thanks for pointing me at them.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Nov 20 - 04:45 PM

I initially got one to put next to the dog stall in the garage and I wanted something that didn't have any exposed elements, that would turn off if it was tipped over, and was warm, not hot enough to burn oneself on. I later put one in the greenhouse. I use that one with a plug that detects the temperature outside and when it gets to a certain low it powers on until it reaches a particular high temperature. The range is on at 35^o and off at 45^o. Anyway, look up "heat cube" or "thermo cube" for those. (I think I remember Dorothy getting some of those years ago, we talked about this before.)

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Nov 20 - 09:09 AM

Another day, another home-owner adventure. The new sewer line stops at the old sewer line down near the curb (the friend who did the work couldn't find the gas line so they tied the two before the city sewer line itself - the job was finished just short of getting rid of the worst of the old line). The tree roots have once again encroached on the sewer and the washer has backed up into the bathtubs today. So I will rent a snake and do what I can to cut out the roots. Trouble is, the machine is 225 pounds. I need to figure out a way to set stuff behind the SUV so I can move it from one level to the next without dropping it, and then when I am ready to return it, to get it back up my homemade ramp of stuff. With a regular ramp I couldn't push and pull it by myself. I've contacted a friend who is working in the neighborhood to help. It's that or rent a trailer, but I don't have a hitch on this and that's a whole 'nother expense. I might as well hire the plumber for $250 if I have to do the automotive AND plumbing thing. (The Home Depot rental is $69).

I will report back later.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Nov 20 - 11:23 AM

It's in the yard, I have it for four hours, and a friend came and helped me offload it from the SUV. I think we put a little hole in the headliner, I'll mend that later. When we put it back it will go on it's side or my friend will put it on his trailer and return it.

Electric cord, leather gloves, safety goggles, and I've watched a video about how to install the various tools. I downloaded a PDF of the instruction manual specific to this machine and that helps even more. And this is what I was looking for:

Continue to automatically feed cable until obstruction is met. When cable begins to drag or rotation becomes difficult, move the lever to the neutral position and allow tool to cut away at the obstruction. I hope this is as easily done as the guy in the tool rental department said it is.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 18 Nov 20 - 01:48 PM

"I hope this is as easily done as the guy in the tool rental department said it is." Famous last words. This is yet another time Stilly demonstrates her tendency to be braver than may be entirely wise.

For any task that requires equipment that I (a) don't own and (b) can't lift by myself, I'm gonna hire somebody.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Nov 20 - 02:39 PM

I downloaded the PDF manual for the machine and read through it once I had the "Electric Eel" set in the yard (a friend came over to help me unload it). I sussed out the most important parts of the operation, positioned it properly, and was finished within 30 to 45 minutes. I wasn't timing myself, but it wasn't long. I cleaned up a bit (hosed off the snake in the cage it rolls up in) and rolled the machine to the side of my driveway. After Antonio finished the next job he was working on he came by again with his truck and trailer and rolled it easily up onto the trailer bed. I met him at Home Depot and had it turned in with more than an hour to spare. I gave the man at the rental desk two of my homemade cloth 3D face masks. He is big and has a beard and the disposable masks just don't fit well. Mine are kind of bright, that may take a little getting used to!

Now I need to soak and scrub the bathtubs. The plumber is $250 to $300 for the most bare bones running the snake job. This cost me $85 (I paid $10 for the "just in case you break something" insurance).

Now I'll work in the yard a bit before all of my clothes go into the laundry. It was generally pretty clean but as the snake retracted there was some slight splashing.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 18 Nov 20 - 03:48 PM

Colour me impressed. That’s a project I would never have attempted on my own, or even with help.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Nov 20 - 01:08 PM

A hip bursitis flare up today is a souvenir of standing and bending to hold onto that machine as it worked yesterday, but I'm still so pleased to have NOT had to call a plumber that I can live with the Ibuprofen.

Over on that "bacon gizmo" thread Leeneia asked a question about Texas kolaches that I answered with enough detail that it has me thinking I'd like to take a road trip. Short, but out, and around. I don't know if I'd want to take the dogs along, and there are no other passengers who could go. But maybe. Patty Clink and I have talked about places she traveled and she has stayed at Cleburne State Park, an hour's drive from here. It's lovely weather, maybe a trip there with the camera to get fall colors is in order.

I am being cautious as far as human contact for the next couple of weeks. On Tuesday that I got an SOS call from a friend who totalled his car in the town south of me and needed a ride home to the town west of me. I set up the passenger-side seat in the third row of seats in my fairly-large SUV so there was more than six feet between us and we wore masks and didn't talk much. The windows were partly open. (I also gave him extra masks and told him to discard the one he'd been wearing when I saw him last week because it wobbles up and down too much with his beard.) I've been reading that passengers on airplanes are generally doing okay as far as staying healthy as long as the air is exchanged and the masks are worn and hopefully we weren't much different (neither of us has an indication that we might be ill, but our bubbles did overlap in a big way). I realized that his knowing he could call here for help was incredibly important to him, and I wonder if he realizes that we were literally risking our lives to make that drive?

Anyway, I'm staying busy around here. Everyone stay safe and I'll be interested to read how you plan to navigate the upcoming US holiday.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 19 Nov 20 - 03:04 PM

Today, I found the original of Edmund's will. What a relief.

It was in one of a series of higgledy-piggledy files containing some fifty years' worth of family letters, a mother lode of old playbills, and far too many Certificates Suitable for Framing, in a tape-sealed brown envelope that had been stuffed into a folder of faxes and Xeroxes from the Canadian Forces Release Centre. I'm surprised/not surprised that it took me so long to find it, but of course it was beautifully camouflaged, in the filing cabinet along with all its buddies.

The lawyer was very happy -- nay! thrilled to bits -- to see it. Suddenly, the task of getting Edmund's estate through probate is a whole lot easier.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion's brother Andrew
Date: 20 Nov 20 - 11:54 AM

So glad your persistence has paid off, Charmion.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 21 Nov 20 - 11:11 AM

The last pieces of furniture that can be moved by amateurs are now in their new spots, and Kathleen the housecleaning cat-minder is attacking the kitchen. Edmund was a frying fool, and the stovetop has looked like the wrath of God since about twenty minutes after it was installed three years ago. Kathleen is more committed to the art and craft of scrubbing than I, and I hope she can reduce the evidence of too many bacon-and-egg breakfasts to a negligible level.

How's your bursitis, Stilly? The only effective home remedy I know of for that ailment is Advil, which folks our age should probably consider a food supplement. I have heard of people who are allergic to the stuff, and I wonder how they manage.

The inflamed ligament in my right foot is still inflamed, in fact not much improved at all, after six weeks of laser therapy. It still feels like a rock in my shoe, and I can't walk even a mile without resorting to a heavy limp. At yesterday's visit to the chiropodist, I learned that the next level of intervention is cortisone shots, and I'm close to convinced that the sooner we start doing that, the better.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Nov 20 - 03:09 PM

The bursitis is subsiding, and Ibuprofen is what I usually use. I have an ointment that is supposed to be a good topical treatment, but it's like Tylenol, apparently, in that there can be kidney damage if you drink. The package places a higher drink limit per day than I ever drink, but still, the idea that alcohol and this don't mix well is something to consider. I think after January 20 the drink in the evening will be less necessary. :-/

I have a list of things to do in the yard - a gardener friend stopped by after an event in town and give a cursory glance at the various projects I have going on here. The patio cover is falling apart and I hadn't thought about how sloppy that looks until company arrived - seeing through someone else's eyes is always revealing!

The eBay stuff seems to have stalled, but I have more things to list for this season, as much to clear out the front room as the boost sales. Some of the prepared boxes (ready to ship) are on the dining table and need to be moved back to the front room. I have a couple of projects in mind that take up the entire table (layout of sewing patterns on the cutting board, and possibly moving a sewing machine in there for the duration of a large project).

This week is the US Thanksgiving. Such a weird year in so many ways, but I think having to skip the family Thanksgiving really brings it home to a lot of people. I was at an event this morning where I was the only mask wearer (it was outside, but people did walk indoors near the end). I wonder how many of these people will survive to xmas if they are determined to crowd maskless indoors this month.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 21 Nov 20 - 06:03 PM

Beaver:

"I initially got one to put next to the dog stall in the garage and I wanted something that didn't have any exposed elements, that would turn off if it was tipped over, and was warm, not hot enough to burn oneself on. I later put one in the greenhouse. I use that one with a plug that detects the temperature outside and when it gets to a certain low it powers on until it reaches a particular high temperature. The range is on at 35o and off at 45o. Anyway, look up "heat cube" or "thermo cube" for those. (I think I remember Dorothy getting some of those years ago, we talked about this before.)"

This also comes in a higher range (45-55 I think). But must have that special outlet, as in bathrooms. I could only find it on Amazon. It is terrific for the need here.

Thank you for the mask offer, Maggie. I found mine - designed for environmental sensitivity - the same day C found the will! In the SAFE place - the plastic envelope containing important papers (like passport) with which I travel back and forth. Maybe I need to make a list, keep a log book of where things are... I have made a comprehensive PW list and made two copies to put in safe places where
I hopefully will find at least one. And made more business cards for the Shop while the printer was working. The one at Dupont is having a problem.

So got home to Beaver yesterday and, after pit stop, went up to the Shop and chatted with Pat, the ring leader, remembered to leave half dozen spider plants! and came home to start recuperation. At least I had brought supper with me! This am, started out with a couple errands - thrift shop for books, "Pop Shoppe" to order large chunk of 2 year old WHITE cheese, Home Hardware - nope we never carried that (terrific velcro strips that really stick and hold) and then to Shop with the box of new stuff, bought somewhere, sometime in the past for some long forgotten reason.

There were too many people there! I felt as though I'd walked into a hornet nest! Left the box and asked Pat to please price things for me. She is far better at it than I, and happy to do so.

Then sat in car and phoned my long time - over 85 year old - friend whose husband died on 12th. This is one of those where he never told her anything! Fortunately, her, almost 60, son and 3 grandkids, and ex DIL are being incredible. Hard phone call. I had been going to visit, but the road to her place is long, winding and steep for about 30 min; I consider it life threatening in July; with rain threatening and freezing weather... I will try to make the burial on Monday. Tomorrow is a snow day. Monday might not be good either, but son will be there 'til Friday. It might stop precipitating!

When safely home, call from son, very close friend whom I pulled through a rough stretch about 35 years ago. He admitted to alcohol problem, as I had heard from Mother and ex wife; I suspect he was already under influence and I admonished him sharply -gently sharply as he is far more rocked by dad's death than he expected. The fact that Mom NEEDS him, can make it better or worse. His daughter is a nurse and very solid and has offered, a gratefully accepted, grannie flat in her home until mom can get into a retirement apt. Mom will be well cared for.

Having performed what the family considers a "miracle intervention" 35 years ago, it weighs heavily on me that they really are hoping for another one. I only found out about his alcohol problem in the last year. Parents never told me during any of my faithful visits with them. I gave him "what for" and "your mom needs you", and your children - what about Neil (the youngest who is clearly on the path). Well, I can only do what I can do. Oh dear!!!!! I am going to go read about octopuses. Apparently "octopi" is incorrect!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Nov 20 - 10:25 PM

This is always a difficult time of the year, but 2020 brings a unique set of complications, doesn't it? I was at an outdoor "event" today, sparsely attended, but when I briefly walked indoors was astounded to see about eight adults standing around talking at close proximity and none wearing masks. I was out of there again in a couple of minutes.

This NPR story gives a grim account of daily infections, deaths, and risks, and I sent it to the friend I was speaking with at this event who doesn't seem to quite understand how serious it all is. 1878 people died. On FRIDAY. 1878 of COVID-19. That's like four or five jumbo jet disasters in one day. I handed masks to the two friends who were running the event, and I sincerely hope they use them.

When you're living alone it's necessary to dig deep into the activities that bring satisfaction, to pull out the favorite music recordings, videos, or books that bring joy, and to absolutely make the phone calls or in-person distant and outdoor visits one can to stay sane. In 2020, paying attention to your surroundings is vital.

Today's event brought a boost for me that will help through the next week, and I'll be talking to my kids and probably sharing food with my ex. (There was an interesting story on the Moth Radio Hour this week - a couple who realized they weren't destined to be married to each other, they were destined to be best friends. That's us.)

Now to brew my cuppa decaff spice tea and head back to my sewing.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 22 Nov 20 - 08:10 AM

COVID-19 infections are rising in Huron and Perth counties as well, despite our thin rural population and general obedience to public health guidelines. The epicentre in Stratford is a privately operated long-term care home where 43 residents and 19 staff have caught the disease and nine residents have died. Two recent outbreaks in rural townships suggest that community spread might be starting here.

The public health people are very diplomatic about the source of the spread, but I would bet serious money on long-term care staff, especially personal support workers. They are not supposed to work in more than one institution, but they are paid crap wages for unpredictable shifts, and can't really make a living without grabbing all the hours they can get. All the long-term care homes are chronically understaffed but it's even worse now, so the temptation to break the exposure protocols must be irresistible for at least some of these folks.

The small percentage of the community who are given to griping are getting loudly vocal about mask rules, which rather surprises me; for most of us, checking for a mask in our pocket is now almost as firm a habit as ensuring that we have our keys and spectacles when leaving the house. At the bank the other day, I saw a man swan in with no mask, past the big sign with the rules in big letters, past the hand-wash station and the barrier rope, and none of the snugly masked bank staff said boo. But that's still an exception; yesterday I went to the supermarket but never bothered to get out of the car because people were lined up outside in the cutting wind. I don't need anything that can't wait till senior citizens' shopping hour on Monday.

Except maybe lemons. Late November is prime toddy season.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Nov 20 - 10:29 AM

Odd morning. I had the alarm set to wake me in time for a program I listen to, but I fell back asleep without intending to and dreamed I was up and around the house getting ready for the radio show. Twenty minutes passed and I finally got up. :-)

Two mornings ago I called the dogs for their breakfast and Cookie didn't come right away. I looked out in the backyard and the scamp was wiggling her way through the layers of my carefully constructed chicken wire compost enclosure, like a Hootchie Kootchie contortionist. A quick search shows that my local big box hardware stores carry 4' tall wire in modest length rolls. And then this morning I read a Freecycle offer - someone giving away various widths of chicken wire, some of it in rolls. It's not expensive, but if they have some to be got rid of, I'll help them out first if I don't have to drive into the next county to pick it up.

My running is very limited this week, and I think some of it I can do as curbside pickup instead of entering the businesses involved. Dog heartworm Rx at the vet need to be refilled and they will probably take pertinent info over the phone and hand parcel out the door. I may drive to drop off prepared food, not go in anywhere. They really do need to do a lockdown again in this area but this is a GOP state, pay no mind to the face that my city's mayor just tested positive for COVID-19.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 22 Nov 20 - 09:50 PM

Beaver:

Planned power outage 7 am to noon today. Woke to CO monitor beeping. Unplugged it and went back to bed for a while. Made toast on wood stove and warmed water to add to left over Green tea. Looked at forecasts and wondered WHEN the snow would start. Finally decided I really need to go see friends but by the low route. Had a good visit with the mother , then the son came down from the cottage and the 3 of us had a visit with - gasp! hugs as I was leaving. Five minutes after I left the snow started gently wafting down.

Lunch and reading and trying to get myself to DO something - to no avail but I did think about it! Neighbour Larry stopped for a visit, informs we are getting 4-6 inches. Yep. I cleared an inch or two from back deck and now there is another 3-4 inches. Maybe I'll clear that before bed. Easier to do in smaller quantities.

That was a smart move! Lotta snow! Beautiful light fluffy stuff but heavy anyway.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Nov 20 - 12:01 PM

I think our beautiful odd warm fall has ended, this week is cooler with rain forecast throughout. It's a holiday week so everything ends up a needing more attention since there are liable to be more people out. I went to Costco for Senior Shopping (from 9-10am Monday through Friday). As I left just before 10 I was a gauntlet of people with their carts lined up around the store ready to load up for the holidays. My treat to myself is several cases of sparkling water. I should have gotten sugar and butter but forgot, so maybe tomorrow morning at the 24-hour Winco near me, they're usually quiet around 6am and they have beautiful produce. Everything is super-sized at Costco - part of the haul was a 3.5 pound bag of squash (yellow and zucchini) so I'll plan to make some zucchini bread for the holidays. The small citrus clementines come in a 5 pound bag so I'm going to give half to my ex; I have trouble working my way through a 3 pound bag because they don't keep very long. I really need to load up on frozen vegetables or blanch and freeze what I bring home and just not go out for several weeks. This COVID-19 is racing through the county.

A friend texted to ask about getting family photos somewhere outside, but I think the overcast days won't help, so maybe some interesting backdrop (the exterior of a museum, a library, etc.). It's been a rough year for documenting special events - last year she said she hoped that this spring I could take photos of her daughter before her senior year prom, and that never happened. If I can help them with the family photo I'm happy to do it.

My next door neighbor is smart, I see his holiday lights are up already while it was warm. I'll put up some strings of the little LED lights in the juniper this afternoon.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Nov 20 - 06:36 PM

On Instagram Martha Stewart posted photos of rearranging the furniture in whatever house (Katonah?) she's residing in right now. It's a nice big room and she's putting down a sisal carpet. Not a good option here with all of the muddy dog feet. That kind of reorganization is energizing (as we've all experienced vicariously via Charmion's efforts for the last several weeks). It's kind of inspiring. Maybe in time for the holiday? Just using existing stuff, nothing added. Dorothy is doing a lot of moving stuff also. Hmmmm.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 24 Nov 20 - 07:11 AM

Over the last six weeks, I have moved every book and bookcase in the house, some of them twice. I can’t honestly say it had to be done, except of course the part where the books and their shelves got dusted and cleaned, but the work burned off a fuckton of stress that manifested itself in an inability to sit still. And now the house is substantially reoriented, and more logically configured for life on my own.

I am now deep into the last appendix to the Afghanistan book, and one more day with no interruptions will see it done.

I’m still not cooking, however. At best, I heat stuff up and slice fruit and veg into pieces that I can eat with my fingers while reading. So yesterday I hit the frozen food section at Sobey’s for a pile of microwaveable “civvy MREs”, and last night I supped on a nuked lasagne-for-one with a glass of actual red wine.

One glass was quite enough, for which much thanks The possibility that I might dive headfirst into the bottle has been drifting about my mind a lot lately, but so far I’m finding that a beer, or one small snort, and now one glass of vino, is all I want. But I can feel my on-board, built-in, personal watchdog paying very close attention.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Nov 20 - 12:37 PM

Monitoring your intake is important and is good that it's visible to you, Charmion. And for frozen meals check out the Lean Cuisine Marketplace gourmet type offerings (I just looked - that particular variety doesn't show up any more, but they do have some "Favorites" that are a bit more adventurous). I didn't buy them for diet reasons early this year, I bought them because they looked good and I wasn't going to be up on my feet a lot cooking while my new knee healed. There are also some really nice bags of frozen ravioli that might appeal to you.

I did a marathon sewing session last night to get a dozen masks off of my sewing table. I'm trying to reduce the number of sewing fabrics I have sitting around - this wrapped up two of the early patterns I was using.

The whole furniture moving thing really has become something I'm working out in my head right now - the question being how drastic do I want the changes to be? And if I move the whole entertainment set of stuff it means running a lot of new wires. I have both sides of the room set up for wired Internet so the devices will still stream at the fastest rate. It's just configuring things (and deciding what needs to be retired.) And what about moving the new freezer? It really would be helpful if I didn't have this 1970s step-down den thing going on.

Any lurkers out there want to emerge and share their fall activities? How are the sheds and the garden, Jon? Has Patty Clink settled down for the winter? What is Donuel working on this autumn? Anyone else?

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 25 Nov 20 - 11:02 AM

Beaver:

The snow shoveling is getting to be too much. I can shovel snow or I can work in the pottery. I do not seem to be able to do both. A discouraging conundrum. If I stay here, not getting the "work done" - just the shoveling? Or stay at Dupont while the snow builds up here, and ice, until I cannot get in the house or from house to studio...??

Yesterday I wrote a long email to my friend whose dad died. It helped me feel less sad, but brought to the surface other issues.

My main declutters these days are snow and my mind - while more snow falls, and more thoughts arise.

I do have a few more things to take to the Shop. I also have the wood ash problem - how to dispose of without polluting the stream.

Go to town and get more nuts and a thermostat for Dupont, and wait for the muddy waters to clear.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: LilyFestre
Date: 25 Nov 20 - 05:21 PM

Hi Everybody,

I just wanted to check in to say hello. COVID is rocking Tioga and Chemung Counties....one is where I live and the other is where I work. I swing between, I'm ok....I'm following masking, social distancing and handwashing guidelines, I use hand sanitizer and have been known to double mask up when I see clients at work. Thankfully, the majority of my work can be done remotely.....but then I swing the other way. I think it's probably pretty normal....but I hate that feeling.

I am well. Jeremiah is well and doing school 100% remotely. It has proved to be a parenting challenge in regards the day to day care but again, thankfully my employer is very flexible. He can come to work with me sometimes and other days I can work at home while he does his schooling.

Pete begins a new job soon as his job, which was a grant funded position that was renewed annually, came to an end. We are most thankful that he found a position that sounds very promising. This will change our schedule yet again but we are flexible and doing things the best we can.

I haven't done much decluttering......just bits here and there. I have changed the way we eat as Pete and I are doing KETO and have been doing so since July. He is down 25 pounds and I'm down 18....it's slow going for me but it's better than going the other way. I recently had blood work completed and while the weight loss isn't going nearly as fast as I would like, my blood chemistry...including my A1C is all in range! My triglycerides, LDL and HDL are all in range for the first time in just about FOREVER. Even my thyroid is happy! So....the weight loss will come but the other is just stellar news!

I hope you are all well and would like to wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Love to All,

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Donuel
Date: 25 Nov 20 - 08:57 PM

Decorating for Christmas outside this year I have put up a 10 foot wide   7 ft tall mural 0f a Japanese red maple forest with fog and a carpet of red leaves on the forest floor dappled with sunlight. The beauty part is a real Japanese red maple 25 feet in front of the mural. The mural can be drawn back like curtains.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 25 Nov 20 - 10:36 PM

Beaver:

Michelle! good to hear from you!

Donuel: Your Christmas decor sounds amazing!

As for myself: I have finally gotten energy back. More shoveling today and the neighbour de-cluttered the driveway wonderfully while I went out and replenished (edible) nut supply, and purchased a better thermostat for Dupont. I have done some organizing and figured out part of why things were not progressing, made a list of things to throw (pottery) tomorrow. Warmer day (7 degrees above freezing!) so it will feel easier to move around outside and my hope is to glaze and load kiln, then throw, then... As energy permits! Life seems brighter.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Donuel
Date: 26 Nov 20 - 04:52 AM

With acrylics they take 3 days. Take 2 white shower curtains and paint a very faint back ground of blurry trees with very watered down paint on wet curtains from middle to top. The leaves are pinkish and trunks barely visible to invisible.
Let dry and paint bold trees from bottom to top in fading color at top with lots of thin branchs and leaves in grey and dark grey. Dry and paint red leaves on the grey leaves and new ones as well from the middle red to red pink at the top then in strong burgandy to bright red (sunny spots) do the forest floor. The only brush technique involved is to create a quick tiny leaf in one stroke. Leave some shadowed branchs and leaves in grey. This could take hours.

Heh heh drying takes 2 hours tops with acrylics. Like Bob Ross anyone can do it.

Or you can just buy a printed
shower curtain :^/

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Donuel
Date: 26 Nov 20 - 06:23 AM

Naturally I painted only for half an hour to knit 2 polyester panels together for outdoor use. They are cheap and impressive. There are hundreds of scenes to choose from. Indoor versions are pricey.
I'm tired of silly holiday lights. (and lazy)

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 26 Nov 20 - 06:31 AM

I look in for the first time in a while and see my name mentioned.

I had quite substantial surgery on the tumour on my back near the end of September and spent 7 weeks in hospital, having a further op for skin grafts towards the end of my stay. My mobility is not great and I think it will still be a long haul before I’m up for things like mowing the grass.

I had a fair bit of catching up and sorting out to do when I came home. Both parents had computer problems during my absence and some other things needed doing but I soon caught up with that.

Re the computers, dad’s laptop trouble was just his mouse switched off! Mum’s situation was more complicated and she called a repair guy in and (in agreement with me in hospital as I didn’t know when I’d get her back running) had a second hand Windows 10 machine installed. He left her without email set up and without the programs she is used to, eg. Firefox and Thunderbird. Annoyingly, there was no fault with the Linux box (probably something as stupid as dad’s moust though I can’t suggest wrong and a guy who didn’t know what he was doing with Linux and wroly suggesting her system was very old) and I’d like to switch her back to that one. I can’t get down to do the cables yet though.

Staying with computers, I have also repaired and upgraded the software on my laptop which had been languishing for the past couple of years. The fault was that the screen would either flash or go blank when running on battery. I took the £70 with postage gamble (well I did read up but wasn’t certain) that a replacement screen would cure the problem (the laptop is a few years old but an Intel I7 with a SSD I fitted and worth a bit of spending on) and it paid off.

I wanted it in action because, with the help of dad, I got a 3d printer a few days ago. I need a PC for the slicing software but am not yet allowed to sit down (I alternate between being on my feet and lying in bed) so I prefer using the laptop from my bed to standing to use my desktop.

I’m having mixed results with the printer and only have 8 objects (but printing does take time) I’ve kept so far and the green bowl is damaged but I gather that is fairly common when starting out with 3d printing and one just has to persevere and try to learn from the mishaps. I’m not really sure why I got the printer though – I think it was a bit of a whim but I’ll see how and where it goes.

At the moment I’m just downloading from thingiverse and printing and perhaps I’ll be able to use that for a couple of Chrstmas presents but maybe one day I’ll try to get my head round a CAD program (I’d start with FreeCad) which would open up the possibilities of making my own bits and pieces.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Donuel
Date: 26 Nov 20 - 07:44 AM

Jon I'm just 2D xmas
snow
snow path
background painting"
go to Amazon for shower curtains /snow or / anything for about 16 dollars. This how matt painters must make a living when movie sets aren't hiring fantasy

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Nov 20 - 01:38 PM

Aren't you guys talented! Don, I never thought about looking for a printed curtain like that but soon I'll have a couple of those on my xmas lists! It is possible to become the maven of fancy shower curtains with so many to choose from! And the 3D printing is an established art form now, Jon, I'm not surprised it caught your attention. I'm glad you're recovering from the surgery. I have a standing desk that I need to remember to occasionally put in the up position just because. I got it when I had not yet been diagnosed with PMR and thought it might help. Right now I'm sewing lots of masks, making them high-end as far as fabric, design, top-stitching, etc. I'll post photos later (that is the next step in a blog I'm reviving). And Dorothy has been making her amazing pots in front of us for years so sometimes we forget about all of her artistry!

I came into the computer to check the television guide, but I'll probably just put a movie in to play as I spend the next few hours in the kitchen. Chicken this year, a turkey is too big for just two of us trading off food, and dinner rolls. I'll roast some vegetables, and he's making pies to bring over to share. Last summer I made a couple of pints of pickled okra and this afternoon I took one jar and some of my recently made cucumber relish to my next door neighbor. They live a bit dangerously - they're going to her son's house for dinner with his family. I think they're trying to maintain a "bubble," but with teenaged grandkids, that may not really be happening. I hope they stay safe.

All of you stay safe also, and to those in the U.S., have a great Thanksgiving!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 26 Nov 20 - 02:55 PM

Big news: I shipped off the Afghanistan book to the client today. The feeling of release has yet to set in, as neither the author nor the publisher have provided any feedback.

I can now move on to my next self-appointed task: sorting Edmund’s work files. The highest priority there is identifying all material related to his last project for Innocence Canada, and sending it to their office in Toronto. The rest are mostly if not all Legal Aid cases, and my responsibility there is just to stash them somewhere clean, dry and secure for a year (I think). The Glory Hole will be perfectly adequate for that.

The Stratford Christmas dinner will take place at my house because I have the least portable elements of the feast, to wit: the goose, the pudding, and the custard. The Elizabeth Street contingent may bring a ham (!) as well as the veg and the wine. I foresee a general digestion alert in the aftermath of all that.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 26 Nov 20 - 04:41 PM

Beaver:

Still doing more thinking than doing. Snow is melting today but still LOTS.

Donuel! Snowy day in July before I paint trees! Someone nearby has had an amazing scene hanging on a garage for at least 20 years; I am amazed that it is still there and still vibrant; I look forward to seeing the HUGE flowers, clearly an super enlarged pic, professionally printed on something super durable! I sometimes think of stopping to see if they remember where they got it. More than 20 Ontario winters and facing mostly south???!!! However, an already printed shower curtain is a fine idea. Beaver has a rainbow painted on the north wall, by friends using scaffolding.

Charmion! What a wonderful sense of completion!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Nov 20 - 08:36 PM

Our movable feast was good; the chicken came out of the oven just before my ex arrived with the pie (he somehow managed to scoop out half of the pumpkin pie and replace it with half of an apple pie because we always have one of each every year since the kids have different favorites.) I've kept a few black-bottomed restaurant takeout containers for this kind of occasion, and had a rotisserie chicken box from Costco, so I cut the chicken down the middle and boxed half. The vegetables were cut up and roasted in olive oil and black pepper with sprigs of rosemary, this was in lieu of several other side dishes. Veggies went into another takeout container, and my offering finished with a brown paper bag of hot dinner rolls. It was warm enough today that we could have eaten here outside but at dusk the mosquitoes and gnats would have been uninvited guests.

The kitchen is cleaned up, and that's about as much as will be accomplished this evening.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 27 Nov 20 - 11:14 AM

Bugs in late November. Grim.

The Black Friday phenomenon has invaded Canada to the extent that both my email and real mail boxes are jammed with advertising for things I could never imagine buying under any circumstances, let alone now. Are Americans really shopping till they drop?

For the first time in months, perhaps years, I have no obligations and no deadlines. I hardly know what to do with myself.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Nov 20 - 12:34 PM

If it wasn't a COVID-19 climate around the world I'd suggest visiting your local parks or museums to volunteer, or explore the tutoring programs for K-12 kids. I did both of those up until early this year, when it all came to a crashing halt. Now I'm looking at volunteering in an outdoor situation in the botanical garden. Last year I hobbled painfully on those tasks, but the new knee is ready to go for some leaf-raking or tulip-planting activities.

Today my backyard greenhouse needs to be put into order, the vents covered, and potted plants moved in because our first freeze is expected over the weekend. This is as late as I ever remember a first freeze. We usually can plan on early to mid-November, and last year's mid-October hit was a true disappointment, but this has been remarkable. How do you plant your winter crops when the summer crops are still happily producing?

The faucets need to have the freeze covers put on, and I need to change the washer in the back faucet, it has had a slow leak forever (drips only, but they add up.)

Shopping - I am one who never goes to a store on "Black Friday" ever if I can possibly avoid it. (I need dogfood soon, but think I can wait till next week's "senior shopping" hour at Tractor Supply.) There are movements that celebrate small business days and homemade crafts days and such, I don't pay attention to any of them. I did most of my small item shopping in October and my closet is stashed with bags to wrap and pack and ship soon. It's all small stuff this year, there isn't really anything big most people need.

Thanksgiving dog story: those roasted vegetables I made last night were probably my favorite part of the meal. I have enough for another meal or two for me, and since it was a holiday I decided to give the dogs a treat. They usually get some kind of cut up, often cooked, vegetable on top of their dry food for the extra moisture and fiber, so each got a chunk of roasted carrot. The dog food bins live in an antique trunk, so I fill the bowls on top of the bins, collect them, close the trunk, and set the bowls on top of the trunk while dogs bark or dance around behind me. Since the two big dogs have been getting an antihistamine because they were itching so much this fall, I stuffed the Benadryl into Zeke's and Pepper's carrots, dropped them on top of the bowls, then proceeded with our meal ritual.

Zeke first, he sits and shakes hands, then I put his food down. I put down Pepper's bowl and she gives me a kiss on the cheek, then I put down Cookie's bowl and she gives me a nose boop on the cheek. They are to wait until I tell them "eat" and they dive into their bowls, and beforehand they leave each other's food alone, though Cookie always checks out Zeke's bowl to see what's for dinner before moving away. This time she went in for the kill and I wasn't fast enough to block her before she snatched and swallowed-whole that cooked carrot off of the top of his dish! She doesn't seem the worse for the dose, though she did take a long evening nap. Clearly these carrots are irresistible and will become something they get for special occasions - though I will distribute differently!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 27 Nov 20 - 06:34 PM

Beaver:

After a full week here, today I managed to glaze and load the kiln, now firing, as I meant to do last Saturday! Energy came in fits and starts and snuck up on me when not expecting it. Worked in the studio with changing to studio clothes - not two messy, used a damp clothe to clean off bits and put it in laundry.

Needed a meal of mainly veggies and the food stores were too busy so I went to M&M and bought a chicken stir fry kit. Too much meat and not enough veggies; I ate all the veggies and saved much of the chicken for tomorrow. Maybe I will try a grocery later this eve. In the meantime, I had the meal I needed. - at a price! But I really needed it.

I find the Canadian use of "Black Friday" contemptible. It has nothing to do with us - just another marketing ploy - and people fall for it.

Charmion: Rest and relax and new activities will come to you!

I am off to the Thrift Warehouse tomorrow to get another light for the studio here. The lack of adequate lighting stymied me when I thought I might go do something in the eve - or maybe just an excuse. Maybe just a clip on; something I can do alone. I have done quite a bit in the LR but felt a bit of throwing energy a couple evenings. I seem to be needing more light these days. My eyes are OK...

The death affected me far more than I expected; it is complicated - the web of people affected/involved. Unique; I doubt I shall have this sort again. HOPE!

I will go back to Dupont on Sunday - a non-snow day! None of our favs at the Bakery so no need to plan to get there on Sat. Will take new pots to the shop tomorrow and load the car. And a bag to Thrift shop!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Nov 20 - 10:26 AM

We're to the time of year when the programming of the thermostat kicks in and the house has cooled enough overnight that it warms up at about the time I used to get up when I was going to work. I never reprogrammed it, and now it has been helpful for these few mornings when I'm getting up early to go feed a friend's cats. I find the covers too much and wake up kicking them off and get up. (BTW: my friend lives alone and is careful about self-isolating because she leaves to visit her elderly parents. I wear the mask the entire time I'm in her house, to protect both of us.) Since the heat is now coming on it also reminds me that it's time to get out another blanket. I have a thermal blanket and a quilt on the bed now, with a knit lap throw over the bottom half of the bed. I can go with these layers except that they slide around. Better to put on another blanket. If it gets really cold, then I swap out for the down comforter.

Last night I cleaned up the kitchen and ran the dishwasher at bedtime. I am reminded of my next door neighbor, who moved a couple of years ago. I would visit (as in drop in, sometimes unannounced) and the house was always spotless. It occurs to me that it is probably just as easy to keep a house clean by putting things away as you use them as it is to let stuff pile up and clean every so often. Discuss.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 29 Nov 20 - 05:13 PM

Dupont:

Arrived about 2:30 and have unloaded car and put most things away. And started supper, though it will wait until R gets home...Whenever. He was home by 7:30 last night, when I phoned, thinking I might be home; assured me he would not be so early tonight. I may fall asleep. There are only a few dishes in the sink. Watered a bunch of almost too dry plants, and snipped another geranium cutting.

Saturday aft, I took the new pots to the shop, including some polka dot - cookie cutter - ceramic bunnies with gold cords for hanging on tree? or wherever. They look cute!

Left Beaver in good order with sheets changed and dishes washed. Pottery stuff everywhere but that's OK.

I need to make a check list for by the front door lest I forget an essential in the getting-ready-to-leave mode. I was afraid
I had missed "close bathroom door" last time and texted neighbour to check as she passed by. She kindly did and it was fine but my brain is no longer "sharp as a tack".

Today, I gravely miscalculated gas consumption and need for washroom - both! Got off highway, thinking I would not make it to next service centre, and miscalculated where I was re civilization - read that GAS Station! As both became desperate, I stopped where there were a lot of houses and parked cars - nobody home anywhere! But across the street, I saw a dog - loose! As I crossed over toward it, it stayed inside its "fence"! and appeared to have a human. Very kind human let me use washroom and looked at my dash info and assured me I could manage the few km to the promised gas station. He did not have any -hoped for- gas for lawnmower as he had put it in his car! I made it and then life looked better. Note to self: Fill up the tank! (Remembering a former mudcatter who admonished me, as I set off across CA, "Always refill when it is only half empty!") I just hate stopping!

Now, relaxing with fire in stove!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: JennieG
Date: 29 Nov 20 - 08:25 PM

'Black Friday' concept has spread across the Pacific Ocean to Oz, also. We are not happy.

Still......I suppose after a year in which many businesses were closed for months and some will never re-open, those left are taking the chance to separate fools and their money at every opportunity.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Nov 20 - 09:24 PM

Absolutely fill up at half a tank down. Not only do you avoid "running on fumes," you actually get better mileage because there is less space in the tank for fumes. That seems to make a difference (I listened to Car Talk on National Public Radio for years. When to fill up and when to get an oil change were pieces of advice frequently discussed.)

I have one meal left from the Thanksgiving leftovers; I'm trying to not have so many things going at once in the fridge so I can avoid throwing out food. Especially since I've started participating in stocking the Community Fridge. That spot is drawn down quickly. Peppers I put in this morning were gone this evening when I stopped by to add a few more. I have some that I need to cut up and freeze that I won't leave there (they aren't perfect, but they're perfectly good to slice and freeze, cutting off the spots something nibbled on in the garden).

In this time of COVID - having a modest steady income is good as long as something doesn't rock the boat. Illness. A large repair. Accident of some sort. So many people are in such a difficult position, not just trying to stay afloat, and as good as the rice and lentils are in that community food exchange point, having protein, having extra ingredients also helps. Spices. Salsa. Flour for baking. I'm thinking that next trip up I'll leave a few printed recipes in the dry goods side also. To help those who don't know how to cook but who can follow simple instructions; maybe even put a QR code to the videos I made for my kids, teaching them cooking basics while they were away at college. Whatever can help. Coming up isn't a Winter of Discontent. It is a Winter of Desolation. I suspect we haven't seen anything yet.

Because of that, self-care is all the more important. I have bread rising, almost ready to put in the oven, not only fresh bread but the smell of fresh bread will help lift spirits here. Put up those xmas lights and decorations if they make you feel good because we need every ounce of inspiration we can find right now.

Take care.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 30 Nov 20 - 09:06 AM

Opinions, please, fellow Clutter-Busters:

Last night, I celebrated the first Sunday in Advent with a bonfire of "classified waste" -- by which I mean documents I don't need any more that contain information I don't want blowing down the street on garbage day. It occurred to me that I should be burning the folders full of old family letters as well.

I'm 66 years old, after all, and not a figure of international fame, so my personal papers are hardly the stuff of history as yet unwritten. And Edmund had/has no more profile than I do.

Edmund tossed every postcard and personal letter he ever received into an ancient valise, and now they're sitting in the bottom drawer of the filing cabinet waiting for SOMEBODY to make a decision. I could foist them onto his siblings, but that would be very unfair. Likewise, I don't like the idea that whoever settles my estate will have to paw through four drawers of folders before he or she considers that duty done.

So: I think I should spend some time this winter burning old letters. Agreed?

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion's brother Andrew
Date: 30 Nov 20 - 10:06 AM

Dear Sister: that is why there is such a thing as a "fireside." The papers sound as if they would be useful as tinder.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Nov 20 - 10:11 AM

Oh dear. The "old letters" question. I'm horrible about keeping them also, there are several bins around, though in recent years I have gotten better at tossing the cards with little or no message once I'm sure I have the address.

As a writer, I keep thinking that one day some of those letters will serve as reminders of things I want to flesh out. Most likely fiction that is loosely based upon events lived through. I should probably go through those bins and start tossing also.

I use a 20 gallon Behrens "composter" that was made as a burning barrel but is labeled composter because not all communities allow burning. I wait until after a rain (such as we had this weekend) then I put a couple of bricks in the bottom to support the paper placed in a vertical position and propped on each side (bookends) with more bricks. It burns better this way. And there is a water bucket and shovel sitting next to it. Always burn with the lid on. The resulting ash is tossed into the compost heap and I don't have to clean the fireplace.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 30 Nov 20 - 10:13 AM

Okay. I'll take that as permission granted; let the conflagrations begin.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Dec 20 - 10:07 AM

This may be the day for me to follow Charmion's lead and get out the burning barrel, that I left in easy reach when I cleaned the greenhouse last weekend.

I had to scramble to find a few flat rate Priority mailing envelopes (I had to swap Express envelopes for some I had my mask patterns stored in) and will order more. The post office doesn't charge for Priority boxes and envelopes, but they will take a few days to arrive. I have a couple of small flat rate boxes that will also do the trick.

Today I'll try the curbside pickup for my dog food at Tractor Supply. They have too many customers who simply don't wear masks or who do it improperly, and I'm tired of arguing with their willful stupidity. I called to inquire about the process, they say it takes about an hour. I do go into Joann's to get fabric because it's too difficult to order online.

There was a hard frost this morning that got all the way up to the house. Now is the time to consider any work that trees need, and bulky waste pickup is in about 10 days, so I'll take the battery-operated reciprocating saw out and trim a few limbs.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Dec 20 - 10:40 PM

I did a lot of running around today, but most of it was outside connections on doorsteps or walkways, in two instances delivering face masks. I did curbside pickup for my dog food and only went into two businesses where I need to do my own shopping. That's pretty much it for the week. The dog food store doesn't do a good job of making people wear masks, so I did curbside pickup. A couple of people in the grocery store needed reminding about masks, and one guy needed shaming. Maybe people will decide just to wear the masks correctly instead of having people fuss at them.

When I was at the discount grocery I loaded up with various essentials; pasta, bag of flour, several bags of rolls, condiments, canned items. I drove those by the community fridge that I have started participating in. This photo has a few items in view that I donated, so must have been taken pretty soon after I left. Food goes very quickly here (it's a screen grab from the Funkytown Fridge Instagram account).

This month I don't need an advent calendar because I'm not counting down till xmas, though I'll be careful to mail family boxes early. I'm counting down till January 20. That's when xmas and thanksgiving and a new year all converge, when we ultimately declutter the White House.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 02 Dec 20 - 10:59 AM

Dupont:

WOW! I just re-organized the hall closet and made space! Don't really need two halves of a banana box at all, never mind taking up two spaces! I found a couple things and feel well rewarded for the few minutes work.

R went to look at a shed, second hand, today; it looks nice but the question is whether it can be moved as a whole piece or must be de-constructed. If the latter, it may not be worth the effort. It is not insulated but is wired with convenience outlets. Otherwise I am preparing to convert a spare room into a studio, at least until spring; a place to throw then package up and take to Beaver to fire and glaze and fire.

I did a chat with a man who builds on site and was on the cusp of commitment when it dawned on me that I was preparing to spend about 25% of my annual income on a shed that was really not what I wanted. Felt badly telling him I was not going ahead. That is when the distancing of chatting on computer is a bonus. I will get over it.

Have done 3 loads of laundry, which finally got folded this morning and piled and placed in the direction of destination. Asked R to clear the non-stairwell area of books do I can get to the Christmas box - sitting there since last year! Everything piled in front, NOT by me.

Tried another batch of muffins from internet - to use sour milk. Certainly not doing that again. Looked for another one and saving it for next try. Even full of blueberries, these are barely "OK".

Brought in a good batch of firewood Monday and called a place for more - NONE! Left message at another; no response. Will try one more. Every phone call is a stressor for me, even if I am sure they speak English, I may not be able to understand. The guy Monday insisted I speak French and I managed the two necessary sentences. And recognized the concept that there is none.

The feeble looking parsley plant in the front window produces enough that I can put a sprig on R's plate when I remember. I cut a couple ahead and have them in a jar on the back of the stove - even then I forget! Maybe I could bring in another plant; they are still doing ok outside. Maybe not after the next few days.

I am already taking cuttings off the tomato plants I - idiotically- started in the early fall. Have planted a couple in large pots. Continue to prune cuttings off the old plants. Some of them and some of the pepper plants I brought in, have died but there are still peppers coming along on others and a couple tiny yellow tomatoes. I just like growing things! A cutting from overgrown aloe vera is taking off, so I shall start a few more. Excess can go to the Shop. The young spider plants I took there are adding a bit of life to the array of goods.

Two cabinets in the pantry may get attention today. The clutter on the pantry counter is at the point of "AGHHH!". Energy is recovering from trip here. What else can I manage????

Re throwing away letters: I regret the book I could have written, had I not tossed letters from my mother in '77. I recently found a couple that missed the dustbin; they mention my son Taun fondly so, the next time they surface, I will send them to him.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 02 Dec 20 - 04:51 PM

I now own only one car, and my relationship with the insurance broker has stabilized. What a relief.

The new ride is a blue 2021 VW Golf with most of the available bells and whistles, the notable exception being an automatic transmission. Instead, it has a nippy six-speed manual gearbox that I like much better, not least because car thieves hate them. Unlike the 2017 Golf Sportwagen I traded in, which cornered like a chesterfield, it handles like a sports car.

I have also leapt through the last estate hurdle at the bank, and now have access to what remains of Edmund’s practice funds. That means I can pay his HST and income tax, and I might get a coffee with whatever’s left.

This afternoon, the chiropodist finally gave up on treating my wonky foot with a laser device (snake oil, in my opinion), and started injecting cortisone into the inflamed spot where the plantar plate ligament attaches to the bone. It feels better already.

Tomorrow at ten, two large muscly gents are coming to move the big, awkward Victorian bookcase downstairs, and haul a substantial tallboy chest of drawers to my brother-in-law’s house. That’s the last transfer of furniture.

To crown the week, the last four rugs will come back from the cleaners on Friday. Hoop-dee-doo, I can hardly wait.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 02 Dec 20 - 07:08 PM

Dupont:

Well not as exciting as Charmion's news but I did re-organize and large lower cupboard and part of an upper one, resulting in a bag full of recycling! And room for better organization - like that box of glass bottles that were on the DR floor! I am so pleased - and pleased to have the energy today!

Still working on the shed situation: the man who offered to come build one this weekend also offered 10% off. But Robin has not been paying attention and was to go look at the second hand one today but had no time. And did not know where I was planning to place it - I did show him... The man is waiting word, as am I.

But the cupboards are sorted!! The laundry put away, the den is warm and supper is ready.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Donuel
Date: 02 Dec 20 - 07:25 PM

I love the golf sports wagon. It can corner at 30 mph. If you want more there is always the GTI.

I made 4 foot tall outdoor ornaments out of prism board that rainbows in the sun. Bell, tree, globe, star. They did well in the rain and wind. The sun colors are intense. I got them in bulk years ago.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 02 Dec 20 - 07:35 PM

The Sportwagen can corner at 30 mph, but it swings wide and feels sluggish. I’m glad you like yours, and just as glad I’m rid of mine.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Dec 20 - 12:38 AM

I envy you the standard transmission. It hasn't been available the last few vehicles I've bought (used - I tried the few standard transmissions on the lot and was underwhelmed.) Do you have to mash the clutch all the way to the floor now to shift? I've run into that a couple of times - weird, or broken.

I finally realized that the popular YouTube yoga program a couple of friends have been doing is free, so I've "subscribed" and am going to do the beginner basics and see how I like it. I used to go to a class at the dance studio but that hasn't been viable for a long time now.

I have a stack of stuff to do tomorrow. It's probably stuff I was going to do yesterday and put off to today; I think I need to start making a list again to keep track of what I'm doing to get that sense of accomplishment when something is crossed off. And to be sure I'm moving forward.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Donuel
Date: 03 Dec 20 - 08:19 AM

I've only driven all the VW's.
Standard trans once got me off RR tracks and is good for roll starts.

I showed the cheapest possible murals and curtains earlier but you get what you pay for.
The pricey Nat. Geo collection of wall murals captured my attention for 2 hours. The resolution is photographic and the scenes are as you might expect, anyplace in the world.
https://www.magicmurals.com/the-trevi-fountain.html

https://www.magicmurals.com/autumn-birch.html
https://www.magicmurals.com/notre-dame-cathedral.html

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 03 Dec 20 - 09:51 AM

“Standard” transmission ain’t standard any more, so I prefer to call it “manual”.

In fact, I still drive a Volkswagen even after the cheatin’ diesel affair (which affected us) because they are the only builders of semi-affordable cars that put manual transmissions in their top-of-the-line models. I refuse to pony up for an Audi, a Beemer or a Merc, or anything built (and priced) as a sports car, so that leaves the Golf. Fortunately, it’s well designed for what I want a car for, and does not attract the wrong kind of attention.

Back in the 90s, I drove a 1986 “classic” diesel Golf. It was white, and I kept it in pretty good nick, and I habitually drove it anywhere between 10 and 20 kph above the speed limit. I had an interesting conversation one day with a highway cop (Ontario Provincial Police) who told me that, in that car, I could probably bomb down the 401 at Mach 3 and get away with it. “Hmm. Volks diesel, middle-aged lady driver. Nothin’ doin’ there.”

The movers are on their way. Hurrah!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 03 Dec 20 - 12:50 PM

And the bookcase is in its new, much better spot, the chest of drawers has gone to its new home, and my sitting room is back to rights. Ronnie and Timmy, the muscly gents, were wonderfully efficient, and they charged me only $250 for the entire evolution. Nothing damaged, nobody hurt — money well spent.

The sitting room rug is still with the cleaners, so the space looks a bit austere. The cats don’t care, but I do; a sitting room without a rug isn’t cosy.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Dec 20 - 02:38 PM

Visualizing how things in the living room could be moved or repurposed has been an interesting thought exercise this morning, after reading about all of this shifting of shelves for storage. I think it generated a few endorphins with the anticipation of change.

I took a look in the freezer, organized some of the meats in the baskets on the bottom couple of shelves, but didn't tackle the whole thing. In the fridge there is stock for making chicken soup, or I could freeze it and make lentil soup now (I prefer that with water, not stock). The oven is pre-heating for a collection of things to go in; acorn squash, halved, a lone Russet potato, a piece of chicken and a piece of halibut. Fish is for lunch today, with the potato, and the others are for later meals. But cooking them all at once is more efficient (only the chicken or fish would be good candidates for the toaster oven).

Time to make a list.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Donuel
Date: 03 Dec 20 - 03:10 PM

Timetodownsize the dining table. I'll just take a leaf out. Then I will Oxy the carpet stairs and hall with the scrubbing shampooer.

Today I canceled the air duct cleaning crew tommorrow for another season when we are not at a peak infection rate. Its at 13 now.
I'll wait until its 3 or less.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 03 Dec 20 - 04:22 PM

Our living room is sort of repurposed at the moment. It always has been divided into two areas with one half with the settee, comfortable chairs and the tv. The other half has become my living/sleeping area and accommodates a hospital bed.

As things stand, I think we will look to restoring things early in the new year. The bed was particularly useful to me as I found raising it helped me get out and lowering back in without assistance but I don’t need that now. I also think it’s been good for the community nurses changing my dressings but I’m healing up quite well and there is only a little left to be dressed.

The change back will involve a fair bit of organisation as my room has become a “dumping ground”. I’ll also have a bed and mattress to deal with. Not the hospital one. That is a NHS loan and someone should collect when I no longer need it. But in between mum and I discussing how we would organise my return and agreeing my room wasn’t the best situation and the hospital OTs deciding the best plan was to organise the hospital bed, I had ordered a new bed and mattress.

I’ll keep the new mattress and the council will dispose of my own mattress for a reasonable fee (which covers up to 4 items so we can get rid of a couple of other items too with that) but I’ll keep my old bed to which I fitted casters to raise the height and store more underneath a few years ago. I’ll treat it to new slats though (and see them on sale at Amazon) as a couple of them are warped.

That will leave me with a brand new (self assembly) single bed in its box in my shed. I’ll try to find out if anyone wants it on a free but collect basis.

--
Thinking tables btw. I love the old one in the living room. It's a simple country/rural made oak job that I think saw service with my mum's grandmother.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 04 Dec 20 - 07:21 AM

I have a round mahogany dining table that I bought from a neighbour when I was married to Mr Wrong, back about 1992. The pedestal and leaves fit neatly into the car, but not the expandable top, so we picked it up and carried it home, a distance of four long city blocks. News flash: mahogany is heavy.

Jon Freeman, I’m glad to hear of your recovery. That thing with your back must have been really nasty, to require a special bed and visits from a nurse for dressing changes. I hope you can take the winter to regain strength; come spring, that garden of yours will need all you can muster!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 04 Dec 20 - 10:09 AM

Thanks Charmion.

For one reason or other, I didn't have much time out of bed in hospital and it was only in the last week of my stay that I started to be able to walk round the ward (twice a day) with the frame.

I think that coming from a practically bed bound state for much of my stay as well as the effects of the surgery, I've done quite well (/been fortunate) to progress as much as I have so far in the time I've been home. I am walking freely round the house and going for a daily walk down the field with the help of a walking stick.

I still need to build up strength (and also want to gain far better mobility in terms of bending down) and I expect this to take time but the way things look at the moment I'd think being ready for the next growing season and the bits I do out there is very achievable.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Dec 20 - 12:35 PM

I'm nine months out from my knee replacement surgery and the front of the knee is still numb, so anything that involves kneeling is done carefully and often with a cushion. It takes time for the full healing to happen, and I have a follow-up appointment for the one-year anniversary and will be interested to see how much longer it will be healing and changing. And how much longer I need a megadose of antibiotics before I go for a dental cleaning, etc.

I think we've reached a point in this crisis of COVID-19 that staying home as much as possible is the only way to survive. I wasn't out a lot, but now curbside pickup will replace going into most stores. Don't go into any building where there are people not wearing masks properly.

I put up a new set of LED lights on the front porch last night, and have been testing the solid versus flowing and flickering pattern. I swear, some of those could bring on seizures. More lights in a shrub at the front of the yard will go in this afternoon. I had two strings of lights that I used to put on the front porch that aren't ready for retirement so I may find a way to repurpose them. I don't know if I have enough extension cords to run them out in the yard, but I may think of something else. Draping them on the decorative bars on the windows maybe.

I've been planning to make a quiche and was thinking about how to get broccoli that I usually like to add, but this time I think I'll sprinkle it with the smallest poblano peppers that got picked at the end of the season and need to be used or frozen. These are the inch or shorter ones that you would never see in the store, the size of small jalapenos but not so hot. I just spent several minutes removing the tops and seeds and cutting them in half. These are little bite-sized peppers that should be wonderful in the eggy custard.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Dec 20 - 09:47 AM

Benjamin Franklin apparently invented a library chair that is hinged and folds over the top of itself to become a step ladder. Clever, and typical of the great man. I started down a Google rabbit hole of looking for chairs like that for sale online and they are legion. Some of them are quite beautiful. Not that I am shopping or need any more chairs here now, but someone in our group might find one of these useful and have a local builder or furniture store with them in stock.

The furniture I need to pay attention to now is the sofa, that I haven't covered with the dog-resistant ugly cover this year. I lieu of that access have a number of thick dog beds on the floor (and am not letting them into the one carpeted room). I redid the seat on the leather chair (now covered with upholstery samples) so I'm not letting the lab up on that either unless it's covered. It all depends on whether they stay on the floor or start demanding access to furniture in cold weather. Negotiations are ongoing.

My phone weather app Weather Underground let me program the conditions I want in place for walking the dogs. Temperature, wind conditions, daylight, etc, and it tells me if the next day has those conditions. I need to pay attention to that more and get out walking. It was handy to remind me about walking times morning and evening during the heat of the summer, now it tells me the warmest part of the day during winter months.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 05 Dec 20 - 06:16 PM

Dupont:

New load of two Face cords of wood now in back yard waiting to be stacked on deck. Not today. Letting the world dry out from last rain. But I re-organized the closet in the TV/sewing room. The room is less cluttered, more conducive, she says hopefully, to taking out projects one at a time. The ironing board is still in place with a pile of ironing to be done - not essential and not in the way. The reorganized pantry cabinet has made R happy that it is his for tools, etc that he does need to go to cellar for. Celebrated by him spending an hour sorting through all those metal thingies that accumulate, washing out the plastic bins and, finally, finding 3 screws to put the back/shelf on the "new" washstand. The shelf holding, instead of a candle or oil lamp, our current best Af violet. Looks terrific.

After much looking on line and talking to a couple friends re my perceived need to pot, I have, for now, given up on a shed. Then, this am, R tells me he actually has a trailer suitable for moving a shed! Maybe in the early spring, after he gets the trailer into actually usable condition and determined what size it will accommodate, I will look at this again.

However, have not given up on the idea of potting here completely...

Now that 6 more boxes of books have gone to the basement "library-to-be" so I can get at the Christmas box, I am bringing out bits and pieces as the spirit moves me. Moving wood will be a daily task until completed - before the precipitation begins again.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Dec 20 - 10:03 PM

Sometimes we concentrate on the project so much we lose track of how it might best be used. It sounds like there are more details to work out regarding your potting shed.

The dogs and I had a nice walk today, into a small open area that is a park, back out and around a couple of more blocks. At home dinner was a combination of leftovers and new. I made that quiche and though the Swiss cheese kind of clumped up it was still pretty good, made in a bundt pan without a crust so it's a simple custard. There were a few spinach leaves submerged in it also. I've been clearing surfaces in the kitchen so it was nice to cook with plenty of space and not moving things out of the way first.

Research for a sewing project today and photos from my son to assist (making a quilted cover for a Kitchenaid mixer he gave his girlfriend). I needed the bowl dimensions. The fabric is already front and back with batting and quilted, I just need to make the item out of it.

Sharing this cartoon (linked from Instagram) for your consideration. Along with these things, running the dishwasher, washer, and dryer result in clean dishes or clothes, but they also give the house a pulse or a heartbeat when they're running. If I'm feeling particularly blue, I make a point of running one of them.

Subject: RE: clutter & witness: House, job, life 2020
From: Donuel
Date: 06 Dec 20 - 06:27 PM

I ordered art supplies for a sizeable pour art project with a twist using masking and layers that include acrylic and metalic powdered pigment in the clothing portion. Here are examples of pour art
paintings

My twist is adding a measure of control and a clear depiction of a figure against a background by masking and layering.
I have never seen one like my mental image before. Nature will have an equal hand in its creation. I began using pour technique 45 years ago.
It sure is prettier than Jackson Pollack.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Dec 20 - 10:04 PM

That looks like the paint on top of the medium in water before doing paper marbling. I suspect there are cognates between the marbled end papers and your "pour art" results?

Subject: RE: De-clutter
From: Donuel
Date: 07 Dec 20 - 06:08 AM

Messier than making digital fractals. I discovered by accident that even an elephant is a fractal object. Change one parameter and everthing changes. Fractal forums.com has lots of free fractal programs. Here is a beginner trying out his free program
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wz4uv9GcX4U

My messy planned painting will try to create a fabric design on a long dress.

Your technique is hundreds of years old and was used in the inner leaves of many fine books.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Donuel
Date: 07 Dec 20 - 06:30 AM

Its 'fractalforums.org'

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 07 Dec 20 - 08:50 AM

The last rugs came back from the cleaners on Saturday, and the house is as squared away as I can make it at present. A large chest of drawers is still in rehab, a new underpad for the sitting room carpet is still in the mail, and the guest room needs curtains; time will fix the first two, and it will be months before I can have visitors anyway. Also, the guest room even more desperately needs a paint job -- it still has its original decor of putty grey and briefcase brown walls, all pocked with nail holes.

Much to my surprise, I came down with a mad urge to cook yesterday. I emptied the veg drawer from which a cauliflower and most of a head of celery had been radiating guilt, and made a batch of chicken stock in the Instant Pot. Today, I will roast the cauliflower and turn it into soup. I must go out for cat food, so I might as well also hunt and gather the ingredients of a batch of fruitcake: one each for The Brother-In-Law, my old college buddy in Toronto, and Elder Brother in Ottawa. Fortunately, fruitcake travels well by mail.

My next challenge is figuring out how to send bottled cherry liqueur to The Brothers in Ottawa. Wrapped in bubble-pack and stuffed among styrofoam peanuts in a large box? Actually, that just might work.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Dec 20 - 06:40 PM

When I lived at the Mexican border I would buy some of the interesting liqueurs for gifts and put them in the mail. You're not supposed to mail alcohol, but it's really fortunate that the other big seller in the same stores in Mexico are bottles of Mexican vanilla. So when the postmaster rattled my box and said she could hear liquid, I told her I was mailing vanilla, and she couldn't argue it or open the box to look.

I did some cooking this afternoon as I cleared a couple of fridge leftovers at lunch and created something else that is now itself a leftover. I was planning to make spaghetti sauce but it turned out the sausages I grabbed from the freezer were bratwurst, so I had to add a lot of seasoning to give it the smell of Italian sausage. Not perfect, but not bad. And I'm still using up some of the gluten-free pasta I still have from my PMR days.

The dogs and I took a nice walk through the neighborhood and I spent time in the yard watering recent plantings. It's a really lovely day out, and the rest of the week is forecast to be the same or warmer, in the low 70s.

My kitchen table has reached the point where it is loaded with stuff except for a space carved out next to my chair where I can put a plate, a glass, my phone, and the TV remote. I think it's time to clear up in there. Mostly it's boxes that are in the process of being filled for shipping. And one eBay box went out the door today.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 07 Dec 20 - 07:30 PM

Breaking news: roasted cauliflower soup is da bomb. Recipe from the New York Times.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 07 Dec 20 - 07:50 PM

Dupont:


Roasted cauliflower soup sounds interesting, C! The pour art looks interesting also! We love cheddar/cauliflower soup but a change might be interesting. The man who told me 10 years ago he did not mind eating the same thing every day, does! Today's BF was left over porridge mixed with two eggs and fried in minimal olive oil. Having found I love sweet potato FFries, I have compromised by cutting it one thin and frying it, also in minimal olive oil. Very yummy, we think.

And now! I just put an apricot cake in the oven. First cake effort in years. R bought me a jar of additive free apricots from Greece. He has nudged me to do something. I dearly hope this effort is far superior to the two dif batches of muffins - one batch = hockey pucks, the second have no flavour in spite of wonderful blueberries. This time, I used unbleached flour instead of WhWh. It has been in the freezer...

I brought in a good bit of wood yesterday - maybe 1/8 and a few armloads late this aft. My back said it needed a rest. Changed the bed, load of laundry. Keeping the fire going as the furnace has decided to take a break. There is heat in the cellar, a heating pad on the bed and a small electric heater in the TV room. The den is fine! The distiller has been running and that generates heat. I am not sure about the oven; this peculiar stove has ...peculiarities! I could look it up on line! There might even be a way to get it to speak English!!


And THIS has reminded me there is another heating pad that I could put at the foot of the bed. It was cool this am.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 07 Dec 20 - 07:53 PM

WOW! I went immediately to the laundry room - before I could forget - and found TWO heating pads! Now if I can find places to plug them in - safely - in this OLD house.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 08 Dec 20 - 11:44 AM

Dupont:

This wonderful OLD house does have a deficit in the electric dept. I eventually got warm enough to sleep, after R phoned at 1:30 am to tell me he better sleep in town. YES! So I took the little heater from the TV room and plugged it in, in place of the two heating pads, on an extension cord from the hallway. That got the room almost to 60 by this morning!

Today, thinking to improve things, I pulled the portable AC/heater out of closet and plugged it in to the extension - as it had been in the summer. Came downstairs and had no internet. Rearranged items in LR and have internet. Getting warm while I figure out how to plug in the heater. TV room is blown also. OK! internet was top priority! Now for the heat. I keep re-warming my tea to have something warm to hold, and drink.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Dec 20 - 11:56 AM

Dorothy, when it gets that cold I pull out the down comforter to replace all but the thermal blanket and that takes care of the problem. And wear socks with my flannel pajamas. Maybe a trip to Amazon to order a comforter (once the Internet is up again)?

I saw that the UK gave the first COVID-19 vaccine to a 90-year-old woman, and the experiment begins. (Her name was Maggie - that's a good sign!) Maybe in a few months there will be flights between the UK and the US and I can order my veterinary heartworm medication. I bought six months of it here and it nearly broke the bank. Big vet bills around the holidays tends to be traditional here for some reason, so I shouldn't be surprised.

I've recovered an extension cord from use in the sunroom when I realized the radio that was plugged into it could reach the plug on the wall easily. There is a basket in the laundry room where I keep all of the "regular" extension cords (the really thick long ones hang on a bungee cord on the side of the pantry shelves), and I've been low on cords. I didn't want to buy more because the moment you do you find the others around the house. Murphy's Law has an important corollary about that.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 08 Dec 20 - 12:11 PM

Dupont:

If I had a nickel of each extension cord I have bought!

I came back on to assure y'all that I am using heavy duty ext cords. Now hoping the outlet in the addition will take the load. I am choosing judiciously what gets plugged in where. The internet is fine. The whole upstairs is dark! So big ext#1 is plugged into the addition hall and goes through the den and upstairs - one wrap around the banister to hold it - then one of those fancy, multi things plugged into it and another heavy duty one to TV room. plugged in small heater. When I go to watch TV - soon - I shall turn off larger heater and plug in TV. Time to text R and add to his stress? Maybe wait until he gets home? If it were not for the covid, I could spend the shed money on getting my brother to come up from PA. He is top notch - and expensive! But I am his big sister. OH well.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 08 Dec 20 - 12:15 PM

That multi-thingy with a switch that goes off instead of blowing the whole house.

I have to admit that I do not even know where the electric panel is in this house, due to my fear of the cellar air quality.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 08 Dec 20 - 02:09 PM

Hah! Snow flakes gave me a great reason to cover the remaining wood. I had stacked enough that it could ALL be covered! And brought in a couple arm fulls of small stuff. Now, to arrange for candles and fetch flashlight from car. Our phones function for that also.

This little heater in TV room is pitiful. Cannot feel any heat sitting in front of it - 2 feet away! The BR did get warm with the other. YAY!    Guess it is time to cook something.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Dec 20 - 04:38 PM

More often than not when I have a work area I use surge protectors for plugging in items. I have one set up in the sewing room because there are two sewing machines, two lamps, and a television on one side of the room. In my computer room I have Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS) that use batteries so everything can be turned off after saving, etc, if the power goes out while I'm working. Even the power strips around here have on-off switches that will pop if there is a surge.

You can buy surge protectors everywhere - from Lowes and Home Depot to Office Depot, Big Lots, or even the grocery store, to say nothing of regular hardware stores. Clearly they are a fact of life all around now.

Don, I've been shopping around through more painted/printed shower curtains since your earlier post. I've found some lovely tree views, but then this one blew me away when I took a look at it.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 09 Dec 20 - 07:36 AM

I bought a bad extension cable a few weeks ago. It had 2 USB ports as well as the plug sockets and seemed just the job until I tried to charge one of my vape mods (the bit with the battery in) up with it and it stopped working. I then checked the voltage on the USB ports and found they were 8.6V rather than the USB standard 5V.

I think I’ll try to test any other USB charger I get before use in future. Maybe others should too if they don’t do already?   USB testers are easy enough to find and probably cheaper than repairing/replacing a damaged device.,

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 09 Dec 20 - 07:48 AM

Jesus Christ on a bicycle, extension cords are dangerous! Especially in an old building with iffy wiring, and even more especially with high-load appliances such as anything with a heating element! Youse all are gonna burn down the house!

Okay, rant off.

But ... !

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Dec 20 - 10:50 AM

Heh. ;-) That's why the discussion of surge protectors. Much safer with high load appliances. They turn themselves off instead of bursting into flame or melting.

Our spread-out family this year is figuring out how to fill the xmas wish list for the kid who is accustomed to visiting every winter and receiving a batch of home-made smoked salmon to munch on during his 2-week visit. We're going to send him a new smoker and chips and the recipe and instructions and have his aunt point him at good places to buy fresh or frozen salmon so he can do it himself. He's a motivated learner on this one. (His aunt had a fancy computerized smoker she apparently gave away - we use the low tech aluminum box in it's old cardboard box with an element in the bottom and a pan for the chips.) He's seen me do this often enough it will be easy enough to figure out. Now would his sister use one also? She lives nearby and gets fish from us regularly.

Thinking out loud in this year of COVID.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 09 Dec 20 - 10:29 PM

Dupont:

Surge protectors is what I am using but could not remember what to call them. Very useful. We have several.

And, Charmion, I am aware of the dangers of diddly squat ext cords which is why I added that I am using heavy duty ones - big fat orange or yellow ones bought to do big outdoor jobs. So, the larger heater is on one that is plugged into the hall of the addition; 50 feet long!

The entire second floor and the outlet in the LR are, we discovered on one circuit. R turned it back on when he got home about midnight. In the meantime, I had warmed up the BR and used another heavy cord for the little heater and TV in that room. Now they are back in the outlets in the room and only the heater in the BR is on the ext. My reaction is "We need to work on the electric!" But R thinks it is just the way old houses are and we will live with it. How I wish for my brother, the electrician!

Of course, the heating system is another ball of wax. He probably does not have the knowledge to fix it and Dan (office manager) might but is sick - really sick. Cause unknown but not Covid. So, I am to live with: the cellar is heated so the pipes won't freeze, the BR is OK, the TV room can get warmish - until the outdoors gets colder! And the heat from the hall of the addition, adjacent to den, with an open doorway, is helping the little Jotul keep the Den warm. Oh, and the cube heater in the bathroom keeps that warm - since the wall heater there does not work.

And I am beginning to fear we are back to square one - in a lovely house that is not going to be repaired in my lifetime. I would love to go to Beaver and just stay there until things are sorted but fear for the plants. What are they worth??? I am about to check out the cost of a new furnace; maybe I can afford it.

The cake was decent. R likes it but I would like a little more flavour and put a bit of maple syrup on it. A big pot of yummy stew will keep us going for a few days. It snowed about 4 inches today but tomorrow I shall need to replenish the larder. The roads will be clear and the temp about 1C, better than the minus 6C today; I did not bring in much wood. But enough! And I keep feeding the fire. and looking at pottery youtubes, and FB.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Dec 20 - 12:37 PM

In many places the building codes dictate that once you touch an electrical project you have to bring everything up to code. When I moved in there and remodeled the old garage and put in new plugs we had to upgrade the circuit breaker box and raise the weatherhead (the pipe that the power lines runs to on the house from the pole in back). This work could extend to evenly-spaced plugs on separate circuits for rooms or zones in the house. $$$

Cold weather on the way, so this afternoon I'll try to finish my lumberjack work in the area behind the fence, removing the invasive shrubs and making room for the native species in the undergrowth. Limbs will be dragged to the curb for bulky waste pickup next week. There should be at least one nice weather dog walk this afternoon.

Tis the season of lots of work to do in preparation for the holiday even though it will be spent alone for some of us. Parcels and letters are our way of reaching out.

Time to take some recycling to the village collection point, and supposedly they're recycling cooking oil. I have a pint jar with some that I'll take along and see how they collect it. (Leftover from frying fish--though I think this was set up for larger amounts after people fry turkeys.) Personally I can't think of a more wasteful cooking method than deep oil frying. My oil is from shallow cooking in a skillet and that's bad enough.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Dec 20 - 09:56 PM

Instead of cutting shrubs I attacked more dust to finish dusting the den. It involved wearing a mask, using the Shark vacuum, the hand vac, and two different microfiber dusters. There were lots of trips out into the yard to shake off the dusters and this unloaded a lot of the buildup.

The ceiling fan was loaded and I went over the trim on the wood paneling as well as furniture surfaces and odd places I could reach with the duster that has an extension handle. The most time-consuming part was the built-in triple bookcase with all sorts of collectibles on display.

A number of those are going to come down and others will be rearranged. It's tempting to take them all down and put books in there again, but there isn't really a better place for the collectibles to live and be available to look at and they are great conversation pieces. Antique toys, cameras, Indian baskets and carvings, some Asian toys and art, and antique stuff from my great aunt's house, like scales, wooden sock darning eggs, eye glasses, all sorts of odd little household things. There is a similar shelf of relics and rock samples in my bedroom that will need careful attention.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Dec 20 - 10:12 AM

I was out the door at dawn to shop at Lowes while it was relatively empty (and it was). I had a printout in my pocket for a 4' wide 6' tall silver gate panel listed on the web site (that I was going to have to paint black), but instead found a 3'5" wide by 5' tall black painted gate panel that will work just as well. It didn't look like the gate had a sales barcode so I took a photo of the price above that bay on that aisle. When I got to the register the SKU wasn't coming up but one similar in her register that was $45 higher. I got this one for the price in my photo - they had three of them, so I could have bought two and made the double gate I want, and I still may, but I now need to look at the hardware involved. It's time to check into YouTube fence and gate videos.

This run was just before the rain started. We could use a good soak, and it's supposed to clear tomorrow. Today I'll paint on the wood preservative on the stack of pickets (on the garage floor) and be ready to put them up tomorrow. And tie in the new part of fence where the gate will go. I'm looking forward to the day when the dogs can get a look at the driveway and that side of the house as far as my barking at strangers security system. That's one of the reasons I have dogs (aside from their company, of course - and now that it's a rainy day they all smell like wet dogs and I've had the big towel out to dry them off once already).

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 12 Dec 20 - 09:08 AM

It's raining in Stratford. Bleah.

The String Sisters are coming over at ten o'clock to play tunes, and Serena the Fiddle wants to make a video recording. Mary Anne the Guitar is suffering terrible qualms of nerves over Serena's insistence that she have the sets memorized, and again it is my job to urge that we let perfection sneak up on us in its own time. I guess this is the good part of being a generation older; I say relax, and they do.

I spent too much time yesterday hauling rugs around, having decided that I would rather have the big green Bokhara upstairs in the library (big things go in big spaces). That meant hauling the smaller red Bokhara and the old Turkmen that Edmund brought home from Afghanistan back down to the sitting room. I worked up quite a sweat, and most of my upper body muscles have comments today.

And I made a batch of fruitcake. I'm cooking again.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Dec 20 - 12:26 PM

I saw your stand mixer on Facebook. Is that new, or just new to use for the fruitcake job? It's a very pretty color!

I struggled with a particularly complicated eBay listing last night that failed to launch and was saved as a draft. I researched the complications of the process and went to bed and slept on it - that seems to have helped. I'll try again today.

The daylight shows a lot of dust still around here, mostly doghair on the floors. I am still working my way through the house dusting upper levels of shelves, walls, and furniture (the disposable mask helps a lot!) but the floors - ugg.

This year everything holiday-related is more complicated. Shopping then shipping via a post office that is still short hundreds or thousands of automated sorting machines, or figuring out how to ship via commercial companies. The in-person part is a strange distant dance. Doing my in-person shopping on weekdays early or very late to avoid other people and not on weekends when more people are in stores and fewer of them are following the masking rules. Waiting for the other shoe to drop as far as the election, immunizations, COVID-19 testing, and the other underlying regular life activities we would usually be doing.

No stacking of firewood for me here, but I will be hauling old wood fence panels this weekend. Next week is when the village public works guy drives around looking to see what all we've piled at the curb and decides what kind of truck to send around to pick it up. I have some branches also.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 12 Dec 20 - 03:33 PM

The stand mixer is a couple of years old, and until now I have used it only for bread dough. But fruitcake requires creaming a whole pound of butter into a full cup of Demerara sugar, and then adding to it eight eggs, and then the flour and FOUR POUNDS of fruit, plus nuts. Done right, it becomes a large bowlful of the stiffest batter in my culinary repertoire. So Edmund used to do most of the mixing on fruitcake day.

I bought the mixer at Canadian Tire (my favourite emporium), where it was marked down to half price because KitchenAid had discontinued the colour. Whaaat? I didn’t care; nothing with baby blue.

I’m getting a grip on the dust. Kathleen is upstairs mucking out the bathroom as I type, and I have scrubbed down the sitting room furniture. It’s easy to tell where the cats perch and lounge — pussy pawprints on the silver chest and the tea table by the sitting room window, and a thick drift of black cat hair in an old wicker armchair.

I don’t know what Watson thinks he’s doing on top of the silver chest, which lives on the sideboard; I often find him sitting there, very much on the qui vive, gazing fixedly at the top of the neighbouring china cabinet. At first, I thought he was observing a spider at work, but no. Maybe that’s where the household ghost hangs out.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 12 Dec 20 - 10:47 PM

Dupont:

YAY! Dan came out this eve, in the rain but not the freezing rain that was predicted! R now knows what is needed, and can purchase on Monday. Only 2 out of 5 elements were working and the pump that was being nasty is now working just fine. He will have to drain the system to do the installation. For now, the rads are getting warm!

If we had to redo the electric in this house... we would have to sell the house to pay for it! There may be some modifications in our future but minimal- and quietly. When we talk about "maybe we could"... "the taxes would go up!" So... Eventually, the deck will get new decking but no roof.

Pecking away at the woodpile and watching it diminish. We are delighted that a manual wood-splitter R dragged in from somewhere, actually works! I cannot but he can split the too large pieces, of which there are quite a lot.

A couple days ago, I went on line - Canadian Tire - because there was a sale of those glass storage containers and I needed a couple more large ones. I ordered 4 - more than a couple- and, since, found another tucked away. And ordered some extra lids for a dif size, the only ones available. Sometimes the glass part is at a thrift shop without lid so... And looking at what else was available on sale, chose a small kitchen Aid chopper/ puree thingy. Used it today to chop the ginger for my anti-inflammation tea. Wonderful! MAybe next time I will puree it.

I ordered "pick up at store" (10 minutes away), An hour later, email that it was ready to pick up at "Locker". Phoned to see where that was and was assured that if I parked and phoned, they would bring it to my car. But when I got there, on way from un-busy produce store to un-busy grocery, CT was also un-busy so I went in and announced "I need help!" and immediately got shown to the area, a few feet from entrance and a staff put in my security code and handed me packages!

Frig is full again. Heat is perking, wood is moving inward and a load of R's incredibly dirty clothes are now in the dryer - clean! Dishes can wait 'til am. Now, I shall waken R from his 3 hour nap and hope he will eat something and go to bed.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Dec 20 - 05:38 PM

Today's decluttering has been of the virtual sort, deciding if I'm going to keep a subscription to Flickr when it doesn't really sort well and I rarely use it any more. Once you start wading around in photos and videos they kind of have you - but they also exist in many other places, and several of them are free.

Last night I got out a few items and some garland and decorated the mantle with lights and holiday stuff, and hung up a basket with lights where it usually goes, and a wreath on the door. The mantle is enough, I think, to achieve an indoor holiday spirit; anything else would be overkill. Especially with dogs, two of whom manage to chew up a lot of stuff.

I awoke to thunderstorms this morning and the day has remained heavily overcast. Our long and lovely autumn may finally have come to an end (last week was kind of a revival after the prior week being cloudy). It was W*Y*S*I*W*Y*G who in past de-clutter year threads wrote about the right kind of light for this time of year with short days - that does make a difference in how it feels.

Time to make the snickerdoodles and spritz. I'll be giving them to people still, it'll just be a handoff and not giving covered plates to people who are here visiting in the house. The good xmas movies haven't been playing much yet, just the low-budget Hallmark type on the channels equivalent to the old UHF spectrum. I guess I'll have to dig out a few DVDs and crank up the player. I found notes to myself last year about finishing my holiday letter and sending it late but I never did, so I really must finish one this year and send it before people forget I even inhabited this planet. And perhaps catching up with people is the best gift I can give this year.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 14 Dec 20 - 11:56 AM

I'm still decluttering the filing cabinet and the computer.

Today, it was old health insurance claims Edmund made years ago when he needed physiotherapy for back pain. The classified waste bin is full again, and I just cleaned out the fireplace.

I have yet to open his computer with intent to do anything with the contents. Maybe I'll let it sit and marinate in the study closet until whatever's on there is completely overcome by events, and then just type Format C.

Does that still work?

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Dec 20 - 09:44 PM

Are you wanting to fry the operating system as well? Is there only one drive in the computer? It's rather typical these days to leave the operating system and the programs on the C: drive and keep the data on the D: or other letter-named drive. In which case, formatting D: would leave you with an otherwise functional computer.

A favorite old Tupperware container committed suicide this evening when I opened the freezer and it slid off of the shelf and landed on the corner of it's flat self and shattered. It was originally sold as a container that could hold ~ two pound packages of bacon; I've used it for all sorts of stuff, everything EXCEPT bacon over the last 30+ years. I will miss it, and I'll go see if the Container Store has something along similar lines. I liked it for saving things like enchiladas that were baked in a foil-lined pan and then I could put the foil-wrapped contents into the Tupperware and freeze them for later. It was good for cookies, for various other small things that there weren't a lot of. RIP, faithful old Tupperware. Most of the rest of it has been replaced and given away (except the nesting three color bowls with lids).

I repaired the strap of a shoulder pack (it's a tear-shaped single-strap pack) in which the padding inside the strap had slowly slid down, wadding at the bottom. I pushed and tugged and massaged the padding back up to the top of the strap them used the sewing machine with the walking foot to zig zag a couple of rows of stitches across that. Works like a dream and the bag is going to feel better to carry around.

This evening I'm finishing a holiday letter and some work to do with the eBay listings of some masks. The algorithm involved in searching there doesn't let my distinct sale name turn up, it only confirms it is the correct sale if someone can find it. Search engines work after a site has been crawled and indexed, and I don't know how long that is taking these days.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 15 Dec 20 - 12:09 PM

As usual, you're right, Stilly. No, I don't want to fry the OS, little as I like Windows. And I just realized that I should check it for stuff Edmund was doing for Innocence Canada; if I find any, I can put it on a data key and send it to Toronto in the box of papers and notebooks from the filing cabinet.

Also, condolences on the death of your Tupperware bacon box. I used mine for cheese, until the lid split at the corner.

I have slowly come to realize that one source of my constant edginess is caffeine, and espresso in particular. Consequently, I shall move Edmund's prized Rancilio Silvia espresso maker to the Glory Hole, once I have finished soaking the reservoir in vinegar to decalcify it. (Stratford water is liquid limestone.) I'll try drinking tea instead; see how that goes.

It's snowing lightly and the sky is the colour of cold tallow. A good day to spend in the house, folding laundry, footling around, and avoiding humanity.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Dec 20 - 02:03 PM

Your water sounds like mine. I use white vinegar regularly to clean out my glass electric kettle and have to use distilled water in the iron. And a glug of vinegar in the dishwasher to keep the glasses from clouding up.

Tea is my drink of choice, but I had to cut back because even there the caffeine was a problem. Two smallish cups in the morning and anything else is decaff.

Do you still have the bottom to your bacon box? I could send you my lid and you'd have the whole set. :)

I'm looking at a wall of unfinished projects here and it's getting me down on this gray almost-winter afternoon. I have to select something and finish it and maybe I'll be able to move forward.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Dec 20 - 11:05 AM

A batch of Snickerdoodle cookies is in the tins for distribution, and when I went to bed last night the kitchen was a two-sink pileup. That carnage was dealt with while morning tea was in the works, and now to do something productive with that clean space. I must mail two boxes today, they've been sitting here forever waiting to be finished and shipped. And they aren't even xmas stuff.

Yesterday I finished drafting a holiday letter and must finish the layout (adding a few photos) and print and mail. No trip to the printers this year, it will be black ink on printer paper but I'll provide a link to a file where the photos can be seen in color. My nod to the corona virus this year. And the folded sheets will be tucked into cards of various sizes left over from past years because I'm also not going out to shop for cards.

The dog hair around the floors is at a crisis level, though I set up the vacuum yesterday and got some of it in the den. They have dragged in branches, apparently, because part of the problem is a lot of dried leaves in the mix.

The shopping that does need doing is two-fold; the ingredients for smoked salmon brine, and the ingredients for a Puerto Rican meat pie (empanadillas) that I'll make this year for my ex. We took a year off from the PR cooking last year but since it is one of the few things that I can do here and hand off and know will be consumed happily, it's back on the menu. (The problem 2 and 3 years ago was too many cooks working on a rice dish that resulted in burning to the bottom of my enamel pot. We all declared it was time for a break so we got Chinese and Italian takeout last year.) I noticed that Instacart is delivering from the Fiesta store, so I may take advantage of that delivery offer and save a trip into a store that doesn't seem to do anything about maskless crowds.

I don't have plans for anything like fruitcake, but I like a good fruitcake. Charmion, can your recipe be transcribed for Mudcat distribution? (Or scanned and sent via Facebook Messenger?)

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 16 Dec 20 - 12:44 PM

Dupont:

Not making it back to Beaver until we can lave together for Christmas and, hopefully New Year, break. I meant to go on 9th but the heat was off. It went off again yesterday. and was on this morning! I suggested a furnace repair person and R countered with, Dan knows... But Dan is not here and it is not functioning correctly. Now being blamed on the new thermostat - very ordinary - that R finally installed the first time it came back on. Und so weiter!

AT minus 16 Celsius I was not prepared to bring in more - needed - wood. When I said that, R offered and did! It is SO much easier for him! Even with the heat ON, the wood stove adds an extra warmth when I am sitting with computer or book. And R always comments on it when he gets home after a 8-12 hour work day - sometimes outside but never in a warm building. Genteel living it is not - with warming/drying wood stacked on the nice hearth all around the lovely little stove, behind the very nice antique fender! And time to clean the floor again! The two "bowser" stuffies add character of their own at each end of the hearth - where dogs love to be.

Something someone wrote yesterday reminded me of something... have to go back and re-read! The point being that I get reminders and ideas from you guys! Almost two hours on phone with apple help and some times with whidbey telecom tech support seems to have sorted out my email problems, that have been annoying since July. My APD and other brain fogs make these phone calls a trial and tribulation that I avoid until I can't take it anymore. The last straw was an email that looked suspicious and said 3 emails could not be sent. It was a phishing. So, I felt justified, and since then Whidbey has sent me two emails with lists of things they consider spam so I have to sort through those and figure out the instructions. Most of them were not or... maybe I will take a closer look.

I have deleted some senders recently. I don't mind ones asking for donations - which they will not get - if they also provide interesting info. With my limited income, if I feel I can donate it is to groups I know near Beaver (Bancroft), a small community where I can see the real needs of real people.

The huge pot of chili I made on Monday is so hot I cannot eat it and R certainly cannot! Is it possible that chili powder gets hotter! I thought I put in the right amount but it tastes like twice.. I had not put in all the beans so added some of the HOT to the remaining beans - even that is hot but tolerable - for me. What do do with 5 qts of super hot chili is ...??? ... add a whole lot of cooked rice... or potatoes... make more beans and then have ten qts of hot chili. I shall try some of each. Later today when I hope to be more awake. I already filled a 7 cup glass container and froze it. Manana... "my father said that I should learn to make a chili pot, but then I burnt the house down, the chili was too hot! Manana......"

The plants are watered, dishes under control -- floor needs a sweep and a load of laundry might be useful. Maybe a nap, too.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Dec 20 - 01:11 PM

I would freeze the chili in small containers and next time you make a batch don't add the pepper at all, add some of the frozen and see if the seasoning needs adjusted for everything except the pepper. It would be a shame to waste the food if simply thinning the amount of heat later will work.

I bought 8 quarts of strawberries on Monday, and got the flat for $3. The berries were near the end of their time and it took a while to pick up fairly good quarts. I had to process them that evening and threw out at least a pint of them as I cleaned and took off the leaves. But for $3, it's worth it and now they're all frozen and bagged for smoothies and such.

We're into cold weather now and people are burning wood in fireplaces so it smells nice, but it isn't enough to tempt me to unpack this worthless fireplace and build a blaze. I got rid of the glass doors and packed it with insulation, that's a better way to keep the house warm. But in the past I've had various wood burning stoves and fireplaces with heatilators that kept the place toasty. This house originally had one, but it burned and rusted through over time.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 16 Dec 20 - 01:35 PM

I posted the fruitcake recipe in the What Are We Eating thread, Stilly.

It seems nobody has eaten anything interesting since the beginning of the month.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Dec 20 - 01:50 PM

I'll go look for it - and I revived that thread a few minutes ago because I figure there must be interesting cooking going on about now. :)

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 16 Dec 20 - 11:01 PM

The 3d printer and FreeCad has been taking up more of my time than it should. I’d not used a CAD program before and found FreeCad baffling to look at so I very basic got a tutorial book from Amazon. I’ve only got through the first two chapters but I felt I’d read enough to have a go at trying to design something. This lighthouse was the result. I’ve made it in sections (eg. this one to take a MES bulb holder which I found together with a LED bulb amongst my bits and pieces) that push together.

I don’t expect to ever good at CAD but I can already at least amuse myself a little with it and it can be added to my tools that I muddle my way through with when I’ve an idea for something to do. I already have ideas in my head for another lighthouse which would have tapered structure and a light that sweeps round… but I’ve got to do other things – I had intended to cook the Christmas nut roast today...

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 17 Dec 20 - 04:12 PM

Just what is a “nut roast”, Jon Freeman?

Tomorrow I shall bottle the cherry liqueur that I put up in July, and make the Christmas pudding. Also hard sauce, which will exhaust the household strategic reserve of butter.

The tumble dryer has taken to emitting loud yelps when I turn it on, leading me to suspect a worn belt or bearing, so tomorrow morning is committed to attending on the appliance repair guy. I hope it’s the same technician who replaced the thermostat on the beer fridge in 2019 and failed to diagnose a starting-up problem with that same dryer in 2018. I think we have a rapport.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 17 Dec 20 - 05:18 PM

A nut roast is the thing I failed to make today. I will be doing this one again. Perhaps you call the nut loaves.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 17 Dec 20 - 07:23 PM

Are you all vegetarian in your family? That looks like a thing I could feed to my veggie nephew.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 17 Dec 20 - 07:47 PM

Mum and dad are vegetarian. I’m not but I am finicky with meat and rarely miss it. I used to get a bit of turkey for myself for Christmas but I haven’t bothered for the past 3 or so years.

I think a nut roast is pretty standard vegetarian fare.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Dec 20 - 08:38 PM

This afternoon I decided to try to follow a strict COVID-19 protocol and only pickup at curbside all of my purchases today. That is exhausting! Getting into the tiny spaces allotted is the first challenge. In one instance as I sat waiting to turn into a space a woman zipped into it from another direction. When I circled the lot and moved into the space opposite her big white Jeep my mouth was moving as I told her what I thought and I'm sure she figured out that she'd been out of line. (The parking lot scene in Fried Green Tomatoes comes to mind.) My pattern of driving partly had to do with making right turns into businesses because some of those lefts at that time a day are brutal.

I did manage four stops. My next shopping trip will be in the wee hours to a 24-hour grocery in hopes the building is empty.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 18 Dec 20 - 07:39 AM

Oh lefts are the easy ones (took me a while to realise we drive different sides of the road there)…

I never took my test but have driven a few thousand miles (all on L plates and mostly sharing driving with mum) and suppose a lot is what you get used to?

Some people hate rural lanes but having lived up a hill in N Wales for a number of years, reversing a little way up or down a 1 in 4 hill to let someone else pass isn’t a problem to me. On the other hand, trying to negotiate busy city traffic could be a nightmare to me. Norwich isn’t that bad (although I tried to avoid the centre routes) but when I had a brief time in Sheffield with a brother, I never really figured how he managed one roundabout of several lanes of swift moving traffic.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 18 Dec 20 - 08:05 AM

Roundabouts are becoming more common in Canada, but too many Canadian drivers behave as if they have never seen one before. On my monthly trip to the allergist, I take a county road that eventually becomes a major arterial street in the city of Waterloo, which -- from the sudden proliferation of roundabouts -- evidently employed a planner who had studied in Europe. The locals take each one as a venture into the lions' den, either delicately tip-toeing in or bashing through as if waving a large weapon, which I guess they are.

Stratford, where I live, has several awkward intersections that could do with a roundabout. The early Victorian surveyors who laid out the original townsite liked to reconcile their grids with the free-form landscape by adding "gores", or angled lot and concession lines, that inevitably led to the development of angled roads and oddly shaped city blocks. One such gore ends up at the intersection of two major arterials, creating a goose-foot crossroads where I have to crank my neck around to the left like an owl to avoid being T-boned by a truck heading for London. A roundabout there would be a blessing, but Stratford town council would have to expropriate one end of a small strip mall to make room for it; most unlikely.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Dec 20 - 12:09 PM

There are a couple of large roundabouts or traffic circles in Fort Worth, and a couple of months ago as I approached the largest of them I realized I hadn't been there for a while, so took my time entering it, only to have one driver lean on his horn as he took offense at my lane of entry. I was curious so later on my return I took the same roundabout from the other side and looked over my entry point, and realized that guy was in the wrong place when he decided to exit and crossed four lanes at once. He was the one who needed honking at, but since he was in the roundabout with the right-of-way, it was harder to tell.

There are two small ones installed within the last five years along a route I took home from work (that were like Charmion described, the awkward intersections of more than two streets), and I found that after I drove through them once my brain kind of settled down at the approach and it wasn't a challenge. But you need to drive them occasionally to keep that skill. The intersection that might do well with one but with so much traffic it would still be ugly is Seventh Street at University Drive where there are six streets entering one intersection. I go through it sometimes with my daughter when I pick her up to go to lunch and as I approach the intersection on the way back I've asked her to just point the direction because it's like an optical illusion right there, figuring out where to point the vehicle as you exit that intersection to not end up in oncoming traffic.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Dec 20 - 01:50 AM

It took a lot of soap and scrubbing to get the smell of salmon and brine (heavily flavored by soy sauce) off of my hands. I put the fish (brought by my ex cut and ready to go) into brine this afternoon, and now it's out and rinsed and drying a bit in the fridge to give it a good surface for the smoke to combine with tomorrow. Now to bed. The smell would have been an annoyance.

This evening I finally swept an annoying amount of dog hair and detritus from the yard and had a mound of stuff about the size of a basketball when I finished the worst rooms. Most of it was hair and leaves. Maybe I should do like some of the grocery stores and put a strong fan blowing at the dog door entrance to blow some of the crap off of their coats after they've been out wrestling in the yard.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Dec 20 - 01:08 PM

The puppy is banned to the yard (dog door cover is over the flap) for the time being. Overnight she tore up more of the rubber mat in the dog bed in the kennel. I picked up the rubber all over the nicely swept floor and tossed it and sprayed the thing AGAIN with the "Yuck" stuff that is supposed to discourage them from chewing.

I've been slow to get my boxes shipped and I'm still not ready, but hopefully I can get some of this stuff packed and ship this evening by dropping off at Office Depot via UPS or FedEx, which aren't experiencing the same delays as the hobbled USPS (DeJoy needs to go straight to jail when he stops being Trump's head postal administrator.)

Last night I again sewed up a storm and think I have most of what I want to add to some of these packages on that front. There are still a couple of items, though, that may have to go in an express envelope.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 20 Dec 20 - 09:51 AM

I just paid MasterCard and decluttered my chequing account of a substantial sum that did not really belong to me anyway.

Today, I shall extract the goose from the freezer and pack the box that's going to Ottawa. I have a sturdy wine carton with heavy corrugated dividers, and if I wrap each item (except the fruitcake, which should survive Armageddon) in bubblepack, and sift styrofoam peanuts in and around everything until it's quite snug, it ought to arrive safely. I have mailed marmalade to Afghanistan, dammit -- I can do this!

Foggy and wet in Stratford. My money's on a green Christmas.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 21 Dec 20 - 11:55 AM

Dupont,

I asked R early this am if we were going to Beaver on Weds and got a clear affirmative! This last week I have been in a mood; suffering Beaver deprivation because I did not go on 9th. I must remember this and do what I need to do in the new year. But, if I had not stayed, he would not have done anything about the furnace and I would have come back Saturday to no heat, he having worked and stayed in the city, not even thought about the furnace, and the poor plants. I am annoyed.

The chili: one large container in freezer. One qt I have eaten with rice and veggies - and survived. The remaining two will get the addition of rice and another large can of stewed tomatoes. I had to make a trip to the store for the tomatoes and other items. Building myself up to go do the two stores takes mental/emotional energy ao when I arrived at the produce store at the usual time -half hour before closing - and it was closed - it threw me for a loop. I managed the grocery store with its usual half dozen customers and enough helpful staff to find things.

Mainly, a nod to Christmas, I wanted a turkey. There were no choices - what you see is what there is so I bought one that said "cook while frozen". I decided to cook it yesterday, according to the chart attached. What a mess! I put it in last year's "disposable" pan, more than the requested "3 inches deep" and then on a large cookie sheet. After the stipulated time, I removed it from the oven - the skin crisp, and the rest falling apart.

OK, so I separated it into dark in one container, white in a large bowl as I was stymied/stunned! The deeper pan was set to overflow in spite of have removed quite a bit as I saw "the waters rising"! There was some on the cookie sheet as well. Two cleaning jobs! However, even though not being able to stuff it was a disappointment and it certainly was not suitable for the ritual of "carving the turkey", it was cleared away in short order and the juice saved for soup. This was both annoying and rewarding, I guess. I still need a trip to produce store for veggies to take with us as the store in Bancroft is too crowded - and by the time we get there, there might not be much left!

This morning, after giving R porridge for BF, I sorted out the turkey and rice and cooked veggies AND moved a frig shelf to make it more efficient. Been wanting to do that for awhile - an energy thing - mine! All the planned overs are neatly arranged and stacked in glass containers - and the pot of turkey juice is on the stove waiting to be made into soup - during my next energy burst.

#2 son phoned Sat and we had one of the best phone calls in recent years. I gave him custody of the family photo albums about 5 years ago, by default because when I asked for them back, he was not finished with them. Apparently, he has moved all to his computer. Could he send me that pic of his GF? Sure! He uses it as his screensaver! My Dad on his Harley 1929! (was in the H-D newsletter that year!) I want to send it to someone and cannot find it on my computer. He sent me a bunch of pics, couple of some stranger, a few of my mother - NO thank you!, a couple others, but no father. Taun was still in utero when my dad died. I have written a short piece about my father and sent it to the "boys" a few weeks ago, incomplete as I keep thinking of more - like his motorcycle days. Will send it to grands also. This son is the family archivist, even uses Ancestry. He informs there is a "sibling facetime call each month two sons and their half sister and adopted sister; I feel a bit jealous but glad he is connected. One (half) sister was awol for about 30 years; they re-connected with delight about 15 years ago, via his efforts. She and her family are in France. At least two of her four kids have Cherokee names. I met her and she reminds me so much of her mom who, unfortunately for her, married my ex.

Now, resting after K efforts, wood fire burbling - so glad we have it! I need to prepare for snow removal - about 3 inches - front and back. MAYBE bring more wood from yard to deck.

Even with half rice, the chile is barely tolerable! I may be eating it for the next five years. with yogurt. So soup and something with chili still need attention.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 21 Dec 20 - 02:48 PM

Now that I cook only for me, I find that I quite like my food considerably pepperier than Edmund would abide, and I have taken to asking for hot sauce when I have huevos rancheros at the diner. Chili was also on Edmund's list of shunned foods, which was short but non-negotiable. So chili is back on the menu.

Sour cream is what you need for your overpowering chili, Dorothy. Yogurt is okay, but doesn't quite hit the right note. In my not at all humble opinion ...

The Christmas boxes -- one bound for Ottawa and the other for Windsor -- are packed and ready for UPS. God alone knows when they will arrive, or how much the shipping will cost, but one does what one can.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Dec 20 - 06:20 PM

My old Domestic sewing machine sold on eBay overnight and this morning I found a message from the buyer - "Is this easy to learn? I've never sewed in my life." Oh, my! I told him/her that this was a good machine to learn on because it didn't have all of the fancy stuff of modern computerized machines but with cams it can do a few fancy stitches and it does the basics of straight and zigzag. I sent information about sewing videos on YouTube and recommended a source I like for some of the patterns I use, and tucked in a little care package of an extra needle and a couple of spare bobbins and some scraps of fabric for testing stitches. I hope they enjoy the new hobby!

One box of a mix of gifts and everyday stuff also went out today, and another needs to be mailed tomorrow, when I'll also hand deliver some of the smoked salmon to my daughter (we'll "meet in the middle" somewhere). I met my ex at the UPS store salmon dropped of today for her father. This is one of our holiday traditions - smoking and sharing salmon.

I also ran a couple of other errands. The clerk at Joann's fabrics today had a very poor-fitting mask (I asked her to pull it over her nose please, but it kept slipping). I pulled a bagged petite-sized mask out of my pack, where I carry a couple of sizes these days, and gave her the mask with washing and wearing instructions - she was quite pleased! A mask that doesn't need continual adjustment will work the way it's supposed to.

Now to see if I can observe the great conjunction of the gaseous planets at sunset. Heading to the top of the hill.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Dec 20 - 11:23 AM

We had wispy clouds around the horizon and a few extending into the upper sky, so I wasn't able to find the stars. Plus, I think I'm getting to the point where the cataracts are affecting that. I'm overdue an eye exam - damn COVID-19! - and may get news that it is time to act soon to do the replacement surgery.

As I continue my dusting expedition through each room of the house I now have to bite the bullet and dust the office. Take Sudafed first, wear a dust mask because it does stir up stuff, and dive in. In this instance I'll move out some of the things that are sitting on the floor (dog beds, under-chair plastic mat, boxes, etc.) The rows of books and many things sitting on shelves pose a challenge.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 22 Dec 20 - 12:59 PM

The Christmas boxes are bound away to the opposite corners of the province by UPS. Fingers crossed that nothing breaks.

I'm fed up with the Pension Bureau and have written them a stern letter that will probably do no good. While it's unlikely they will fail to cough up all I'm entitled to *eventually*, I am sick and damnably tired of not knowing what in blazes they're doing. In particular, not one peep has been uttered on the subject of Edmund's Supplementary Death Benefit, which is a very large chunk of change to be floating around in limbo. The telephone is no help, since the staff are working remotely and apparently connected to their offices by string and tin cans.

Back in the day, no one expected to telephone the Pension Bureau; everything was done in writing by postal mail. Methinks it's time to return to that standard. Life's too short to spend any more of it on hold.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Rapparee
Date: 22 Dec 20 - 08:17 PM

Still here, still recovering far more slowly than I like. Almost all the snow melted today, with more coming tonight of course.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 22 Dec 20 - 10:26 PM

Dupont:

With strong hope of leaving for Beaver in the morning. Everything ready but the food - which is most everything in the frig!

No more wood has come up to deck due to snowing, and snow and low energy. Watched a couple very good Oprah interviews yesterday, a nice break from checking posts on FB, for which I have about reached my limit. Too many friends with nothing to say so scrolling for naught. I may take some - a bunch!- off my lists so I only see them if they happen to pop up.   Email problem is cleared up, thanks to Apple and Whidbey Telecom. Still cannot get phone to talk to computer. Did a screen shot today and messaged it to son asking for help! None yet.

Sour cream sounds a good idea. I shall put it on the list. Did not make it to produce store so we will have to live with what we have. Not taking any chili with me. Fav bakery along the way is not offering any of our favs so we may only stop and say hello! They close for Jan but I think we may survive on what is in freezer. The apricot cake was good and could work with other fruits.

Broke diet badly today - cookies for first time in many months. Hope trip to the country will help my state of mind and, hence, diet.

Pottery is selling at Carriage House so I am encouraged to make more when energy arises. Also phone rang at 9 am today - my phone never rings! The woman who bought a bunch early in the fall called to wish me happy holiday; she will email me about what she might like in the future!

Hoping tomorrow's predicted "snow flurries" are negligible!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Dec 20 - 04:58 PM

Charmion, I would think having written and certified communications with the pension people would be of value if you have to press them harder through legal channels.

Mike, I hope your recuperation is just the restoration of energy, not a painful one. It takes a long time to get over major surgery. I think that much anesthesia (very deep, for bone surgery, and because I refused the spinal block) and antibiotics and such take a while to clear the system.

Dorothy, good luck with the pottery sales and the drive tomorrow. Our low overnight is supposed to be 55^o. I'm driving, but only 24 miles a day, two round-trips to feed a friend's cats. One of them is ill and has a complex prescription routine. I'm afraid these are end-times for a sweet kitty, but I'll keep him comfortable while she makes a short trip to visit elderly parents. She spends a lot of time isolating so they can have these visit.

I have a dish to make in the next couple of days as a holiday gift, but one ingredient, sliced pimentos, is sometimes difficult to find (not just to find a store that sells them, but to find where they shelve them in the store. Near the olives seems a no-brainer, but they don't always.) I've ordered a copious supply on Amazon and now I don't have to go into a couple of grocery stores and prowl the aisles. I will try one trip late tonight and see if I can get in when it's sparsely occupied to find larger more commonplace ingredients.

It's about time to start a new thread - or I can change the title on this and let it run. It used to be we started new threads because it took so long for devices to download the whole thread. Using the small d helps, and (knock wood) the connection seems to be pretty good these days. Are there preferences? Same one with a new name, or a brand new thread?

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: mg
Date: 24 Dec 20 - 01:30 AM

brand new

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 24 Dec 20 - 10:11 AM

I agree — time for a new thread.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 24 Dec 20 - 11:33 AM

I've managed to sort out enough of my room to move back in. I enjoyed sleeping in my own bed last night.

--
I'll give another vote for a new thread. I use the "d" link and don't have usability problems with the long thread but my mind prefers this topic split by year.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Dec 20 - 11:05 AM

That's nice to finish out the year in your own bed, Jon!

We haven't heard any more from Susan, I fear her contributions are finished unless Greg shares for her. #SomethingWeLostIn2020

Last night I made the holiday Puerto Rican dish I've made over the years for my ex, who is terribly difficult to shop for. Instead I give him consumables, and this batch came out perfect. Just the right amount of cilantro zing at the in when taste testing. He doesn't want it put in dough and fried (the empanadillas are meat pies) because of all of the carbs and oil in that dough. He'll instead warm it and serve it over rice.

There is still stuff to ship and the house is a holiday shambles. I did clear out the sink and am preparing to make a batch of cinnamon rolls to distribute to a couple of neighbors, so it will be messy again before the end of the afternoon.

This getting through the holidays without family around is difficult so one must look for endorphins as they present themselves; it helps that lately we've had sunny clear days and I'm getting out to walk in the afternoon. Next week I'm hoping I can do more work on the fence and bask in that chore's completion. There are some complicated gate-building parts to keep me busy.

I would like to go out of this year with the house at least picked up, but I may not manage to have the holiday lights down yet. I get the impression that people are leaving up lights longer just because they look so cheerful and I'll follow the lead of my neighbors. I may leave the string up over the top of the porch just because they cheer me so much and I can play with the pattern, color, and settings.

Into the kitchen to load the bread machine ingredients. I have it set on "turbo" so it finishes in an hour and "manual" so once the dough is kneaded and ready to go I can take it out and make my rolls. I never bake bread in the machine, I don't like those barrel-shaped loaves.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 27 Dec 20 - 12:39 PM

I spent Boxing Day morning cleaning up after Christmas dinner, and the afternoon at the BIL's house for another rich dinner, this one featuring ham. Consequently, the house is pleasantly neat and all I want to eat today is toast and tea. Maybe an orange, but that's it.

Ontario has returned to lockdown, so recreational shopping and socializing outside the immediate household are off the agenda until sometime in late January. The churches have closed again, and restaurants that are actually open are doing take-out meals again. People who live alone are allowed to "bubble up" with one other household (for me, the BIL and his family). We're back to where we were in March, except now I'm mostly on my own.

Also, winter is back, with a major dump of snow that the town crews are still struggling to remove from the main streets, let alone suburban areas like this neighbourhood. So the world is very, very quiet.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Dec 20 - 01:56 PM

The only restaurant I've been in all year is a sandwich franchise - I place the order using my phone and walk in to pick it up and walk back out again. I may go to curbside pickup and have them bring it out after this. The new more spreadable COVID-19 is certainly here, even if they haven't tested for it specifically yet. It's the barn door closed . . .

Charmion, do you have any more editing projects coming up? What is your next Big Thing as far as your freelance work? I need to do a lot of work on my Dad's collection - you said you had some of CET's papers to work on? But that's a sort of inward project that lets you mull more than might be comfortable, so I hope you find something outside your household soon.

In the US we knew it was going to get worse before getting better with the inauguration - but now it looks like Trump is going to punish everyone with a government shutdown. I participate in a community fridge project four miles north of my home, and as cliche as it is, things like boxes of macaroni and cheese keep families fed in a pinch, so boxes will be added along with produce. I'm sure I've discussed this before, it's just that now it becomes so much more important. The local food bank also participates in these fridges by dropping off copious amounts of lentils and split peas - they usually leave a few dozen pound bags in the pantry section of the site. It appears that the time of Spam has arrived - salty enough to complement the peas in soup. I hope to contribute enough food there to keep one small family fed adequately if not elegantly.

Here at the house I'm thinking a project to finish before the end of the year should be the fence beside the garage. Progress reports to follow.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Charmion
Date: 27 Dec 20 - 07:55 PM

Yes, Stilly, I have another volume of the Afghanistan book coming, but I don’t know when. I also have to dig through Edmund’s computer for client files. In January, however, my first priority will be Edmund’s final taxes and getting the will through probate.

So. Much. Fun.

Stuff I actually *want* to do? Not so much.

I hope the bathroom project can start this winter, and it would be really nice if the pension people would cough up the Supplementary Death Benefit soon so I can pay for it without cashing out of any tax-sheltered investments.

Wow. I’m such a bourgeoise.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Dec 20 - 06:46 PM

This afternoon I started a New 2021 declutter thread. Add it to your tracer!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
From: wysiwyg
Date: 22 Nov 21 - 01:11 PM

I can't post here often, dear Charmion, but let me offer my deepest condolences. I will never forget Edmund and getting licked delicately on the nose! (I still have that picture somewhere)...

-S-