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

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: 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: 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 - 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: wysiwyg
Date: 24 Apr 19 - 01:21 PM

OH

Rug fun.

~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: 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: 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 - 05:52 PM

OH

The bedroom switcheroo is in progress....


~Susan

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: 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: 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: 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: 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 - 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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 - 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: 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 - 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: 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: 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 - 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: 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: 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 - 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: 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.