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

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