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De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life 2019 - 2020
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: Donuel Date: 07 May 19 - 09:02 AM Yesterday I put a new reflective roof on a gazebo I use to shelter the car. It took 7 hours. The guys we hired to remove and put up a new 400 ft.fence arrived ths morning. This I can not do. Well I suppose if I took 2 years to do it... I do plan on putting branches up against the new fence and spraying linseed oil. That way the untreated leaf themed pattern will turn into a shadow like grey while the rest of the fence will look realtively new. After several years a respray will fix the organic look into place. |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: Charmion Date: 07 May 19 - 09:54 AM Yesterday, I turned out and cleaned the tool shed. It took all afternoon, and all my energy. The trouble with a tool shed is that, when you move in, it’s a great spot to park stuff until you’re ready to find permanent lodging for it. But the typical tool shed is small, so this attitude has to change quickly or you won’t have a tool shed that does what a tool shed should do. Himself is impervious to such problems, and I let winter take over (as it does) without buckling down to deal with it. So there I was, about a year late, with work gloves and construction-grade garbage bags, finally making Lebensraum for the lawn mower and the garden shredder. I was almost finished when a frazzle-haired youth with an odd machine appeared in the driveway offering to “aerate” the lawn. Now, lawn care on that level is fairly theoretical to us; we’re still coming to grips with the whole gestalt of mowing and raking. Weakened by the sweat dripping into my eyes, I agreed to a price of $60, and he embarked on an energetic assault on the property. The odd machine looked like the bastard child of a lawn mower and a piece of de-mining equipment, with a large spiked roller driven by a stinking gasoline engine. It left the lawn covered, not only with holes, but also with clods of earth the exact size and colour of dog turds. It took me a while — maybe thirty seconds — to recognize the clods as such, making me something of a stand-out among the frazzle-haired youth’s first-time customers, according to him. I decided to take that as a compliment. |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: Donuel Date: 07 May 19 - 10:50 AM Hard clay soils really do benefit from aeration. You would still want to add something to help break down the clay. What is it? Um maybe its gypsum but organic soil/manure is a better choice than most, even better is crushed carbonized wood chips (never self lighting charcol). If you end up with earthworms you have done as good as possible. Those dog poop shaped cores are normal and good. |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 07 May 19 - 10:57 AM Lawn aeration is a topic of discussion on the organic site I referenced earlier in the week. Their expert lawn guy swears by the floculating effects of using a sprayer (backpack is fine, but even just a 2-gallon with a hose and wand is sufficient) with water and a bit of shampoo mixed in. And surprisingly little shampoo. I just looked up the moderator's advice in the forum: I'm going to suggest you do not go to the trouble of aerating. Instead, use shampoo to soften your soil. Healthy soil is like a sponge. When it is dry it is very hard. When the first drop of moisture hits, it does not soak right in. It takes a few seconds before it soaks in. Once it soaks in, the soil becomes very soft. Shampoo can help create this process. Scroll down on that forum page and he gives a scientific explanation of how that works, last post on the page. I have so many yard chores to do right now it's difficult to predict which one will strike my fancy when I walk out the door in a few minutes. I'll report back later. |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: wysiwyg Date: 07 May 19 - 01:26 PM Aquatic therapy resumed today. Ow! In a bit, it's Buy Annuals Day. Judy's picking me up after an appointment. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: wysiwyg Date: 07 May 19 - 05:33 PM So Judy's wise counsel was that hanging baskets replanted into my waiting pots would give me the look I showed her I was going for. Pictures soon. |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: wysiwyg Date: 07 May 19 - 05:56 PM (And cheaper). Pix: https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2239170596162224&id=100002079158985&set=p.2239170596162224&source=47 |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 07 May 19 - 10:28 PM Progress in the back yard, with one more fence post down, the cement footers knocked off of two of them, one older hole finished filling and a new hole completely filled. I push the pieces of concrete in and mix them down deep with soil, and soil on the top few inches so I hopefully won't encounter this concrete again. Four posts are down, six more to go. It's very muggy here today, and thunderstorms are predicted overnight. Again. |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 08 May 19 - 10:27 AM Dupont: What a difference a home makes! We are both more relaxed as we love our new home, mostly free of clutter and two of us determined it not get that way. This am, after BF an hour earlier than usual, R was cheerfully heading for the city; He paused to wonder over the tulips. I realized that he has not seen them open; will take pic. He is also delighting in the other upcoming perennials. We each look forward to what the blooms will be. A viewing for the other house tonight. The big project is still in process with big meetings almost daily; very challenging. But he still wants to get back to writing a "rebuttal" regarding the erroneous info being promulgated by someone regarding the proposed gravel pits near Beaver. Then there are trees to be planted and the yard still cluttered with the aftermath of the cellar cleaning which is not quite completed. These are the things that give R pleasure and relaxation and a sense of accomplishment; not struggling with realtors doing a poor job and looking for the big commission. This new home gives him a place to unwind his addled brain, enjoy the few hours he is here; instead of staying in bed as long as possible as he did before, he is getting up and enjoying the trees, yard, house. the chickens next door, and getting in his vehicle and driving along the beautiful river and through the Reserve before hitting the chaos of his work life in the city. Balm for the brain. This am we talked about divesting ourselves of the non-functional dish washer - which I would not use anyway - and making the space useful. The pantry and cupboards we have are not full and I am running a nicely functional K, as I learn the vagaries of the Jennair stove, and occasionally move something to a more efficient spot. I looked up from computer, still in LR, and realized we have no "coffee table". A work in progress! Yesterday, the nearby thrift shop yielded a "garden sheet"(for collected debris) for $1 and a set of heavy, light grey/white drapes for one of the spare rooms $8. I asked the nice young man at the produce store to give me a large quantity of fiddle heads in a bag rather than buy 8 styrofoam packages. He agreed nicely with my wish to reduce the use. R took about half to bro at the office. This is a great move. I still need to sort myself out re wanting to be with friends at Beaver and the life I have there and not wanting to make the 5 hour trip, leaving R to fend for self. It is important that we are doing this house together, enjoying making it into our home. The city house was too awful to ever feel like a home. I see a future with fewer trips... to a time when I can longer do that. Letting go... Drawing in... Building a new sort of life. I have made a stab at it in several places over the years but Beaver/the area has been most like home. I will go back next Tuesday after English class (tutoring one student) for a few days - tend the gardens, consult with Dan re a wood shed. |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 08 May 19 - 11:27 AM The new house may be a haven, but it sounds like you're still plenty busy! The storms burst on the scene at about 6am, and became more robust, so by 8am it was the full symphony of percussion and light. If they move out of the area this afternoon it is possible to get a walk in before dinner. All of this noted, there is plenty that needs doing in the house. |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: wysiwyg Date: 08 May 19 - 06:11 PM Tonight the patio weed-blocking nylon tarpage comes up, loses its accumulated doggie doo, and goes back down for its last season. It's two 8' x 20' pieces. The hanging baskets will be set as is, atop the pots awaiting them, to "call" me out for a planting a day over the next week. The declared-dead potted peony that is trying to bloom goes into the ground Friday, courtesy Brandon. Its pot, once empty, will be set in the row with the rest of the pots, to blend in the cherry tomato bush I got.,.. I'll line it with plastic to make it hold water around the existing pot which I was assured I can leave it in while it doubles in size. I'll put some bricks under it so it doesn't have to have wet feet all the time. |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 08 May 19 - 11:40 PM The yard is once again sodden; the creek rose over the bridge today so the village fire truck pulled up outside the house to prevent traffic from driving into it. They will have parked the ambulance on the other side of the bridge doing the same thing. It subsided quickly, but left a "high tide" mark of debris on the street and yard next door. Volunteering tomorrow again, and expecting the park where I'll be working to be a muggy mess. No need to urge people to stay on the paths! |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: wysiwyg Date: 09 May 19 - 04:37 PM She Who Will Be Obeyed (Mmario's name for me) got her patio back today. Despite disability issues, gender issues, past housemate issues, and a few thunderstorm lines passing through-- the patio's cooking area is in place, the tarps are off and aren't coming back, the worst parts of the jungle are whacked, and the several gallons of soil and loose wannabe mulch are all sorted and ready for use in planting jobs for Brandon tomorrow. He'll have a few woody items to junk that were too heavy for us, and then I'll post a link to pix despite having a lot of decorating yet to do. ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 10 May 19 - 01:29 AM Today had scheduled events that were satisfying, and it was too wet to try to do anything around the yard anyway so that was fine. Tomorrow and Saturday have a chance of rain (increasing on Saturday) but in general they look like a good opportunity to do some stuff outside. Cut up limbs for the trash, mow - again - after all of the rain the lawn will again be a slog for the mower. Susan's outdoor cooking space sounds nice. I should formalize an area where I can cook (without the interference of canine "helpers.") Meaning moving a table to the side of the house where there aren't dogs. I will consider this. |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: wysiwyg Date: 10 May 19 - 07:38 AM SRS, ours is in our Dog World, where she knows not to trip He Who Drops Food. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 10 May 19 - 12:35 PM Even as a retiree it's possible to have a backlog of paper stuff in the house to do, so that's what I'll tackle today. Especially since there is a chilly breeze passing over the yard today. |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 10 May 19 - 01:47 PM Dupont: A dear friend finally died on Tues after years of worsening Parkinson's. Intriguing how we can hope for a person to be out of misery, and feel really sad when they are gone. Fifty years... I feel bereft - of all the times I did not take the initiative to visit because I did not want to intrude. I realized too late that it would not have been intrusive for her. We are getting the RAIN and the river is rising again. The sump pumps working and R wondering about installing a generator, and me agreeing it would be a good idea. I can only hope he will get to it before it is necessary to majorly de-clutter water from the cellar! I was in the midst of that in PA when I phoned my brother for help; At 10 pm I was sucking water into the shop vac, lifting it into the laundry sink... Good brother came with sump pump picked up from friendly plumbers at that late hour... I was sold the house with sumps but no pumps and never realized... This house has 3! And we are on the top of the hill. Water has its own ways. Lasted about 20 minutes at Zumba this am. I was not tired this time; I was bored. It is NOT folk dancing! MY body is very gradually re-gaining strength and flexibility. Tripped to the Mill yesterday, picking up items along the way: a fine, comfie chair with foot stool at thrift shop ($65, it was newly upholstered with a business card attached!), a big chunk (3 kg) of Emmenthal - to save packaging, some groceries, coffee for the French press and a chat with Mary, sorting of stuff to bring from mill to here, careful that I have homes for what I bring! Forgot a few things - next time. Visit with Gerry, picked up 6 books at Little Green Library and returned - into traffic at 4:30 just at the edge of Chateauguay. New learning! It took an extra 15 minutes to get home! Did a small stint of yard work before the rain. After laundering, the new drapes will be better in the laundry room and the heavier, lined ones in rooms where we need to cut the light penetration. Light pollution is such a bother. |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: wysiwyg Date: 10 May 19 - 06:42 PM Patio coming along: https://m.facebook.com/sohinton/albums/2244077715671512/ |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 11 May 19 - 01:25 PM The weather was stormy all night and the yard is sodden, so all of my work today and probably tomorrow will be indoors. Carpets still need steam cleaning, but not in this humidity and with the dogs in and out with muddy feet. I have some editing to finish and then I think eBay listings and sewing are my options for the time being. I'm sorry to read about your friend, Dorothy. There is always unfinished business in friendships. |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 12 May 19 - 12:14 AM I was able to use the steel rake and pull a bunch of the weed cover out of one of the gardens this afternoon, and get some of the branches trimmed that need to go in Monday's trash, but mostly it's soggy and buggy out there right now. I've done some online updating accounts. The weather that passed through here overnight is headed east, doing some damage. Here's hoping there isn't too much clean-up required. |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: wysiwyg Date: 12 May 19 - 09:52 AM Having some trouble getting a link-- can you pls try this-- The rest of the gardening for this summer: https://m.facebook.com/sohinton/albums/2244077715671512/?refid=13&__tn__=%2Cg
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 12 May 19 - 09:37 PM A few years ago I mixed up a sack of Quickrete in a 5-gallon Home Depot orange bucket and sunk a Bib hose rack in it, and it was stationed at the corner of the house facing the driveway and gardens there. A hose from the front of the house ran to it, and the hoses on it were used to drag around the driveway to water gardens on both sides. Today I cut the bucket off, dug a hole, and sunk the base into the ground down several inches. The bucket used to be about 4 inches deeper than the concrete, so water accumulated after rain. That problem is gone, and mosquito dunks were broken up and put in various planter trays and such out there today. I checked around my planting table to be sure it doesn't have anything set for catching water. I have various landscaping things to do in the front yard that require digging, chopping, and transplanting, so this was just the start. It's sunny today (but so humid there isn't much point in trying to hang laundry to dry). I did prune more limbs for the trash Sweeping up dog hair and deciding how many of various things need to be out (we have lots of dog beds, for example, but I think half of them can be washed, dried, and bagged until next year.) It feels like weather for spring cleaning, when you want to throw open the windows and let fresh air in. |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 13 May 19 - 01:56 PM The new trashcan was picked up at the curb and the remaining limbs on the ground in the front yard can now be cut up and stashed for the Thursday pickup. There's a lot more sun now that a big chunk of the tree that had gotten too large has been removed. I need to take off a couple of large limbs that were too big in diameter for most of my hand saws (they will make for very long sessions with the bow saw). Neighbors all around are mowing, attempting to keep ahead of the fast-growing lawns in this particularly rainy spring. I'll do the same this afternoon, after some more work in the house. I know, waiting till it's warmer out counters the logical way to do yard work, but it seems to be the way that works best for me. I think mostly because by afternoon the grass is driest and easier to push a mower through. I've added a few items to the Goodwill bin in the laundry room, but it's not full yet. I should scout around the shelves in the garage—there is a lot of forgotten and never-to-be-used-again stuff out there. |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 13 May 19 - 03:18 PM Dupont: Busy Sunday as R dug three large holes first. Then we went, in two vehicles to the mill to extricate 3 cedars that were, in lieu of being able to plant them in the river rock laden ground, dug into a huge pile of wood chips, pots and all - a few years ago. The poor dears had made themselves at home and were challenging to extricate and also to replant. R had to cut the large pots off with a swede saw. They are now in their new homes along one side of the new property, well watered and with much of their "home" wood chips in the hole and as mulch. We have hope for their acclimation to their new venue, that they will now be able to live up to their full potential. The soil here is clay but I am told they like that. I gathered four bags of the wood chips for mulching perennials I removed from the garden at the mill and today managed to get them planted and mulched in front of the house. This had presented another difficult task for R as the former owner, a non-gardener had put an indestructible fabric down to prevent weeds and covered it with red mulch. R managed to extricate most of it with great difficulty. I managed a tich more to squeeze in a few more things along one edge. The bed on the other side of the front door awaits another day! The new bed looks quite nice! There are lots more plants at the mill, yet to be moved. Next trip to the mill, I shall collect more bags of mulch.It looks quite nice and is very well seasoned after many years outdoors. From when the mill was a hockey stick factory, there is probably enough to cover our entire yard about 2 feet deep! What a thought! I detest mowing grass! It is ever so useless. And it would make it so easy to plant all manner of veggies, herbs and perennials next spring!! When I lived in Edmonton, Alberta, many people planted potatoes on a new property, to break up the soil and prepare it for grass seeding. We also brought back a small pine cabinet that will be useful inside the back door for indoor gardening soil and tools and more. I bought the dear little thing about 30 years ago at "Monroe's Trading Post" ($10) which was around the corner from Beaver - which was built by Monroe earlier on. His widow closed the Post but still lives there (was delighted when I told her I still had the wee cabinet!) and son is our good next door neighbour! Now I am resting and waiting hopefully for the coming rain to finish watering in the new plantings. The river, however, is a few inches from coming over the road, from the last rains. It is fascinating to live in such proximity to this beautiful river - as long as we are high enough! |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: wysiwyg Date: 13 May 19 - 05:36 PM DP, Hope the "dears" make it. I have heard that the amount of top left in place should about equal the root mass extracted. Does that apply to your dears? ~Jealous in Ohio |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 13 May 19 - 10:46 PM I also worked on yard stuff today. The house next door has been undergoing remodeling for ages, and one thing was to add a window (through the brick!) out to that side from the master bedroom's dressing room. That side of my house has a bed of cannas that have been ignored almost since I dug it and put them there (relocated from the front of the house). The last year or two they were puny, but some years they've been glorious, and I figure that now someone can actually look at that bed (also in brief view of everyone driving down the street) I'll give them a boost. And I have some of that gardening fabric in place, but only in a couple of spots around the bed where I don't want weeds getting in between the bed and the air conditioner/heater outdoor unit. In the past I've weeded away from the house and put down mulch, and who knows, this may be the year to do it again. Too bad I don't live near Dorothy's mill! I walked down into my backyard creek today and looked around for fossils; lots of oysters and coral, and a big one that looks like fossilized bone. I brought them up in a bucket and they're on the wall beside the driveway. The creek itself is in constant need of cleanup, being an urban creek and it looks like every grocery store bag that ever escaped is strung up on roots and branches. I've threatened to get a kayak to patrol the beaches and pick that up. I mixed up a wheelbarrow full of compost (from my heap in the back yard), commercial landscaper mix (lots of woodchips in it) and some other soil, to fill a few pots to finally get them planted. And I filled a watering can with 2 gallons of water and a dose of Spinosad (an organic insecticide) and poured it over the potato patch and another area. I will get a garden planted, but this year it's really really late. More limbs are cut up from the front yard, with just one batch to be cut up after pickup on Thursday. I'll mow tomorrow (everyone else mowed yesterday or today, so mine really looks like it needs it.) |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: wysiwyg Date: 14 May 19 - 07:44 AM My scheduled AM workout at the Y was abrogated by late news from CA and the necessary emergency response, on top of a badly pulled calf muscle not safe for that workout today. I did wake up on time and will do the errands run part if what was scheduled, before the cleaner's 10:30 arrival, which is enough on my poor leg (plus garden tasks while she cleans) to meet the day's fitness requirement. The whole house is disarrayed as a result of Sunday's church abuse incident, which presents another opportunity to walk on the recovering leg today, meandering thru endless ordering of the disorder before and with Yano Becky. My grocery run may include a Lowe's stop to spend my Mothers Day gift card on garden items. |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 14 May 19 - 11:30 AM It's another Ozone Action Day here, so I must postpone my mowing until afternoon (the morning hours are when the worst air environmental damage is done running gasoline engines). I have another trash can I can fill with limbs (that's a human energy, no hydrocarbons involved) and I can keep working on my pots to plant, but the trip to the nursery will wait till after lunch. And I can dig in preparation for planting in the now-grassy bed (where the weeds are too tall for "no-till" - I need to work on that ground cover). I have a paper from the tax authority in the county that says my property value has a value change since 2014 (up 93%!!) and is going to go up a huge chunk this year. The tax protest is due tomorrow, so I need to do that this afternoon, pull up the comparable values and pull out the foundation work appraisal and send all of this in. |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 14 May 19 - 06:53 PM Protest filed with a whole day to spare. Now to catch up with other things I planned to do today. |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 15 May 19 - 02:32 PM When it rains, it pours. Lots of contract work coming my way in the next couple of weeks. But that's good, it gives me a better excuse for not mowing or getting things listed on eBay. (Actually, it's lovely this afternoon so after a quick look-in here, I am going to mow the lawn.) How is your unpacking going, Susan? Did your "Yano" helper arrive today? And Dorothy, what else have you discovered in the garden? Michelle is probably looking ahead to the summer break and planning for camp and other Jeremiah activities. As they get older it is a fascinating process of finding both fun and growth opportunities. Meanwhile, I'm finding that "Elderly Electrical Appliances" thread way too interesting. There is so much around here that fits that description! Summer is nearly upon us. Enjoy the spring and keep moving forward with your decluttering! |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: wysiwyg Date: 15 May 19 - 03:34 PM SRS, Yano helped dig us out yesterday, after a very bad weekend of church misdoings upon us and a CA family emergency. Gardening got me through these and here are some of the most recent pix: May 15, 2019 daily tour. Captions with most. Yano unpacked a cube-bench of its song/story circle books and maracas, into the better cabinet we'd brought from PA. We used an old heirloom wicker laundry basket from Greg's side of the family-- easy to gently haul out to the Celebration Circle which I just photographed. (The pic includes Greg.) Patio garden pix are in another public album linked upthread. Changes daily if you want to watch the vision of 4 years unfold. |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 16 May 19 - 10:37 AM You're making progress in the yard, Susan! I like the cleared spots on either side of the front path for the garden chairs. Very inviting. My elderly Nike "yard shoes" are about to fall apart on my feet, having worn through most of both soles. The typical shoe-route to the garden is by virtue of being an older pair that I've forgotten I was wearing when I went out into the yard enough times that they finally take on that scruffy look and should no longer be worn to work. With the declutter work I've been good about getting rid of shoes that I no longer wear so all of my current sneakers are in good shape and not ready for that end stage. DSW has the clearance section and I aim at shoes at least 40% off (rarely do you find anything 60% off that is wearable, but it has happened). I came home with a brand unknown to me but that has the qualities of the old pair—it's a mesh fabric so it breathes well, it has good support, and can be worn with socks. I stopped by a neighbor's garage sale this morning and saw nothing that appealed. She collects vintage and antique stuff and puts that out on her garage sales. I have more than enough of that stuff here already! |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: Charmion Date: 17 May 19 - 11:16 AM On Tuesday, we returned from a jaunt to Connecticut that featured torrential rain all the way there, all the way back, and through two of the three days of our stay. The minute we cleared the Canadian border, the clouds started to roll away and, by the time we crossed the county line, the sky was blue from horizon to horizon. Pathetic fallacy or what? Himself is now up to his neck in work, entirely of his own choosing. The local agent (lawyer acting for another lawyer) for the federal Department of Justice is retiring, and Himself has taken the gig. This decision brings him to the end of about 25 years of defence work, as he will now be responsible for prosecuting drug offences in Provincial Court. Perth County has a small but nasty meth problem, so it's no sinecure. The money will be nice, to be sure. But he also decided to enrol in a doctoral program at the Western University law school, so that makes two almost-full-time jobs he will be doing from Labour Day on. It's a good thing I have never expected -- or, indeed, wanted -- Himself to do anything like half the housework around here, as from henceforth he will hardly have time to sleep, let alone drive the vacuum cleaner. Last week, I turned out the tool shed and cleaned it thoroughly, and over the coming long weekend (Victoria Day this side of the border) I intend to clean out the garage. As a result, I expect to be making a trip to the dump (ta da dump, ta da dump dump dump -- Sing it with me, now!) on Tuesday next. The garage was the site of much sawing of drywall, plywood and chipboard during the kitchen renovation, so every cranny in there is choked with fine dust. I think I'll buy me a construction dust mask at Canadian Tire today. |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: wysiwyg Date: 17 May 19 - 09:05 PM Charmion, Greg adds his love... It's so strange that now we live in a house you and Edmund never visited and aren't likely to visit. Pls feel free to FB your way over. Hm... I sure hope Greg stays retired longer than Himself! I don't think I'd be as accepting of a return to battle as you seem to be! Love, ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 17 May 19 - 10:42 PM Tomorrow is my last day of cat feeding for a friend; the schedule that she prefers has me getting up earlier than I have been (though even that isn't particularly early compared to when I had to drive to work). It's good to be up earlier, it kind of resets the whole day. I mowed the back yard today, just in time for more rain overnight and this weekend. [sigh] The dogs got a good workout with their retriever bumpers and I need to keep it short because the oldest dog has allergies that probably include grass seed. Keeping it short prevents seed heads from forming. Lunch today with a friend, and a tour of her home, a 1960 house with several interesting modifications. And a room for her collection of Barbie dolls. "Are your children interested in them?" "No. They're my interest, and everyone needs a hobby." Fair enough. It's an impressive collection. She was unfairly dismissed from the same institution that I got out of by the skin of my teeth last fall. A lot of the memorabilia is in the garage to go in a garage sale or for donation. As we spoke about how to deal with this, I pulled my bound embossed cover book (an employee gift) and showed her my bullet journal. Some of these workplace perks are useful. "They gave me one of those at a retreat, it's out in the garage sale stuff, would you like it?" "Yes!" I am working on the last half of the current book, and find this an effective way to keep track of things. As I left she poked around and pulled out the plastic-wrapped book from her department—and it turns out to be much nicer than what the library gave out. It's a Moleskine notebook, and I looked at some at Barnes and Noble last week. $30 to $40. I passed on the purchase, but this is even better, it's a gift from an old friend. If it rains tomorrow that's just as well, it's time to deal with the usual stuff—laundry, dishwasher, vacuuming, etc. And I need to put more stuff in the Goodwill donation bin. |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: wysiwyg Date: 18 May 19 - 02:19 PM Wakies were unpleasantly early due to my fone's old clock app's going off when more sleep was on the cusp. The waking wisdom today was to notify my son that Greg and I had discussed memory issues I've been worrying about since the move. One example would be that I had planned to go to the Y this AM and told him that... But had never gotten my suit and specialized towel out of the washer, to dry. Never set up the pool bag. (Also had taken too much Benadryl last night to scooter to the Y or drive, safely.) Despite passing the washing machine multiple times daily since the last workout. Hm... Transient stress? Or organic change in memory status? I've been noticing these little "ooopsies" a lot. The AM was off to a slow and confusing start, due to our day's separate wakies time and my double Benadryl. Today it's only 1 caff serving, so the fog is likely to persist. My caff was in the patio in full sun, but not yet scorching-- delightful. It's going to be a hot one, so I opted for an indoor daytime. We planned supper from frozen resources, and decided on a joint grocery trip around supper time so as to snag a Wally scooter.... And buy van-type items too bulky for my own scooter. I folded clean laundry. I repotted a bounding Xmas cactus, and Greg came home midway, so he helped. We propagated two leaves from it, into the succulent dish. He's out biking, and I'm dozing over TV to get that hour I missed with the early alarm off my old app. He thrives in Sun (he's a coleus), and I in shade (impatiens). I emailed CA MCOT Patty via what I believe is her base clinic. The process is underway for opening and sorting leaf bags of clothing and linens with Yano Becky, Tuesday. Later it's groceries and a poss trip out to live music. Tomorrow, a new church. Bummer-- starts earlier. ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 18 May 19 - 07:23 PM The heavy rain this afternoon let up early enough that I was able to return items to the library (the last day of the last renewal was today). These heavy rains have delayed the return flight of the owner of the cats I've been feeding, so I may be going up again tomorrow morning. The tedious thing today was resetting all of the digital televisions (two are easiest to set back to factory settings and wipe the extra non-working channels). When the local broadcaster reset their system, some of the televisions move them to display on different numbers when you rescan. There are just about as many televisions around here as radios, making viewing between rooms while I work easy. I've never been fond of sitting in one place to watch a program, and televisions are incredibly inexpensive these days. My channels are under control—now if I could declutter all of the commercials. (Many things are available on streaming services, but it adds up to many dollars. You get what you pay for.) Tomorrow the last batch of limbs get cut up for the trash, and I need to poke around and see if there is anything else I can toss. I see papers waiting to be shredded, so that'll probably be part of the Monday pickup. I attended a volunteer reception this week and in their raffle won a local nursery gift certificate, so after this latest bout of heavy rain drains off of the landscape I'll go pick up something to plant. |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: Charmion Date: 18 May 19 - 09:22 PM The weather was beautiful today, but I spent the entire day running around the house with my toolbox, putting up framed things that should have been put up a year ago and fixing things from which I have averted my eyes for months. I also cleaned Himself’s office. Left to his own devices, that man would smother in dust and those little round bits of paper spewed out by a three-hole punch. Tomorrow — the garage. Our garden shredder has died, apparently of a broken on-off switch. We have had it repaired once, but I perceive zero appetite to try again when I discussed its future with Himself. On the whole, I think he would rather just burn the heaps of sticks and other non-compostable vegetable waste that comes out of our garden— and then cook something over the coals. |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 19 May 19 - 12:42 PM Sunshine and humidity following a day of heavy storms means it's tempting to head outside, but it's an all-day sauna if I actually try it. That said, I have some outdoor furniture to move around and I'm hoping a friend will come by and help me move them. I can do it by myself, but dragging this stuff is noisy and leaves marks on the pavement. There are two ~ 8" diameter limbs that I need to finish cutting off the vitex tree in the front yard, each is around 5' long (the remainder of much longer limbs). One is partially sawed through using the bow saw and I go out and work on it a few minutes at a time. Once I get through the first one it'll be easier to reach the second one. That will declutter the front yard of a troublesome bit of tree that I used to either duck in time or hit my head on when mowing and wearing a ballcap (blocking view of it). With the additional sun I can put some lambs ear out there, and it happens a bunch of it has escaped and is growing behind my nextdoor neighbor's back fence, so I'll rescue it from regular mowing and put in the exposed bed. I have other flowers to put out there also. Two lantanas there need to be chopped out (I trimmed down to the roots and they keep trying to come back now. Lantana is tempting, but it is usually a mistake.) I have more pots ready to move to the front porch patio, and who knows, maybe I'll decide to rearrange the stone wall at the side of the house (free of mortar, just stacked limestone slabs). I built it to provide some shade for the pots out there, but it could stand to be moved a few inches closer to the house. |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 19 May 19 - 04:02 PM Dupont: Waiting for R to return from picking up a cabinet at a friend's home in the city---- WE don't live in the city anymore!!! This wood cabinet: Friend Tom and I bought it, for $10, circa 1974 when some houses were being demolished; we could not get it into my 3rd floor flat due to the twist in the stairway (too tall) so after pondering the situation we said, "Maybe the Balks would like it" and drove across the river to the lovely suburb where our friends had a lovely home and asked if they would like it. Pat (who died two weeks ago) said it would make a nice mitten cupboard! On Friday, as I drove back from Beaver, phone call from Hannah: Would I like the cabinet back... ... OH? The mitten cabinet?... So forty years later... We Will find a spot for it! It is repaired and beautifully painted - I forget what colours. Wow! It has been used for many things in several homes, probably even mittens though I thought - "That's a LOT of mittens!" Now we get to use it for ??? Trip to Beaver: Left after English class on Tuesday, attended Driving Class (over 80 years old) on Weds, visited with various friends, helped Magda with pottery project, got Larry to come and try - and he threw 3 largish pots and WOW! Wants to do more. So studio is re-organized to accommodate two potters - at dif times- and I am SO happy that it is being used when I am not there much. Drove back on Friday and went folk dancing, after a nap. Great visit, great dancing. Car got fussy about 20 minutes from home, and I stopped at Toyota dealer. It was a bout 12:30 and the nice service manager politely informed me that they might not have time to look at it; closing at 2:30 (holiday weekend). A spark plug had broken off, or something like that, and a piece had fallen into a cylinder and they used a magnet to get it out, they hoped. Anyway, I was out of there before 2:00 and it is working fine!! A mere $140! (Four new spark plugs) Good rain here for the newly planted trees and perennials. Yard sales yesterday (no rain): nice bureau for BR - already washed and loaded! Fewer clothes on floor now! It had beautiful liner paper in drawers! Plant stand for a couple dollars is looking nice next to front door with a plant on lower shelf (front doors have large windows) and an ornamental plate on top of hand woven placemat on top - a place to put small things when coming in the door. Nice side table for LR and three good lamp shades, two have homes on previously acquired lamps. Need to find a harp for the 3rd - maybe at Beaver. Some plants are moving outside! Plastic bin on back deck for fancy pots not in use. Planted green and wax beans at Beaver, pulled some weeds and cleaned sand off front doorstep - about 3 large buckets full! Laundry and dishes caught up. House is taking shape - better and better. K is functioning effectively. Exciting news, Charmion: "Himself" is not ready to be retired and your are in a great area for university! He will be busy and not underfoot! Hope you used a good mask for that garage cleaning!! Still no R! |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: LilyFestre Date: 19 May 19 - 06:52 PM I'm sorry to read about so many four legged family members crossing that rainbow bridge earlier this month. We lost our beloved Murph on the Friday before Mother's Day. We knew it was coming and likely it was the best possible thing for him but there is still that empty space..... Work has me running at full tilt lately, my caseload is higher than it has ever been. While I appreciate the vote of confidence that those kinds of numbers bring....WOOF!!!! I took my Mom away for a 3 day weekend for Mother's Day. We went to Lancaster, Pennsylvania....did some shopping, stayed overnight, did some exploring and then made our way for a short visit with my aunt who we haven't seen since last fall. It was a whirlwind weekend but we sure did have a good time! Then yesterday Mom and I went on a bus trip to the Lilac Festival in Rochester...the weather was perfect and we had another great day! Today I haven't done anything except make lunch! I am needing some rest and as you know, Monday is coming up shortly! :) I continue to work on losing this weight but truthfully, trying to keep myself on track while travelling is somewhat difficult but not altogether impossible. I am now down 15. 6 pounds. It's a healthy start that I am pleased with. We are behind in gardening at the time, as is the rest of the area due to the RIDICULOUS amount of rain. Some of the garden is dry enough to work but much of it is not. The ground is beyond saturated at this point! We did get some new turkey chicks this week. I have a lovely window in my office that is perfect for growing things so I am getting my growing fix there...at least for now. We are starting to begin the new furniture adventure. We currently have a second hand couch and chair that are about as old as Jeremiah. We have been waiting as Murph had difficulty holding his bowels.....we have had the furniture covered, of course and the blankets were interchanged and washed daily but we didn't want to invest in new furniture until we no longer needed to keep it covered. We can't decide if we want another couch and two chairs or a sectional or what.....I'm sure we will be doing some looking over Memorial Day Weekend....great time for sales and all. I am enjoying reading about what everyone is doing in their retirement or what they have been enjoying. Pete is looking at retirement in less than 5 years now. I haven't thought much about when I will retire as far as a timeline goes....I don't anticipate it anytime soon. I hope everyone is well. Michelle |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: Charmion Date: 19 May 19 - 08:18 PM Hurrah, the garage is clean and tidy. On the other hand, I have seven large bags of garbage, a substantial stack of flattened cardboard boxes, and a miscellany of dead household items — four Venetian blinds, a broken patio umbrella, a suitcase with a busted zipper, and one of those plastic sheet things meant to protect a hardwood floor from the wheels of an office chair, which (the plastic thing) is irretrievably warped. So Tuesday will feature a trip to the dump. Everyone should visit the local dump at least once a year. A feature of the Stratford dump that I particularly enjoy is the colony of vultures that haunts the area. Very interesting creatures, vultures. I will return to the dump on Saturday, when the city is hosting Household Hazardous Waste Day. That’s my cue to lighten our load of dead batteries, paint cans, fluorescent light bulbs, and anything else that looks dangerous, such as empty camping fuel cans. LilyFestre says she likes reading about what some people are doing in retirement, and I realized that we are supposed to be retired but we’re not, really. Himself has just accepted a new job and enrolled in a doctoral program. I don’t have a paying gig at present, but I seem to be working as hard as I ever did, if not as much. |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 20 May 19 - 02:29 AM Aww, Michelle, the "lost a pet in May" club seems to be expanding. I'm sorry—when they're failing you end up making lots of accommodations for them. I did a lot of laundry there near the end also; enjoy the new sofa when it arrives. I have stuff here now that I was going to use to keep Poppy comfortable, but in her own area at night due to incontinence. There is a folding (8 panel - no top to it, just sides) kennel that will stay in it's box for the time being. Our garden soil is also really wet from weekly heavy rains. I know people have had their gardens in for a couple of months (raised beds, mostly), but mine is going to be late this year. Like Himself, I've also thought about going back to school. Once you reach the retirement age in this state you can go very inexpensively or free, though the classes have to make with enough paying students and if they're full you can't be added. The chore that needed doing, once I discovered it this afternoon, was pulling out some really old stuff out of the spice cupboard. Things in baggies that I no longer remember what they are, bulk items purchased but not used in ages, a couple of jars way past the sell-by date. To complement the cupboard clean-out, I cooked a couple of things for this week, to occupy the fridge. A batch of rice, some burritos, and overnight a crock pot of oatmeal with chopped dates is slow-cooking. The last of the batch of limbs are at the curb, though I did cut down one more small limb after I put the can out for trash. Shredding some of the paper I mentioned earlier, and dishwasher is running. The washer is set on the timer to run in the morning—since it's a mixed batch of light and dark I have it running at a time when I'll be getting up and can dry everything before any color from the darks inadvertently bleeds into the lights. It isn't likely, but why tempt fate by turning it on now right before heading to bed then leaving a batch of wet clothes in the washer overnight.) |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: wysiwyg Date: 20 May 19 - 10:41 AM (See the link upthread to find the Patio Garden pix) There is full shade between the garage and the row of handicap accessible tubs until about 9:30AM. A good time to plant, dead-head, etc. This AM I potted up two more tubs, and Greg set one to complete the screening off of the griddle's gas bottle for curb appeal. I also slid several rain-heavied tubs and a big bin of mulch around to accommodate the new garden feature-- the weathering iron armature of a faux wicker chair, the seat of which remains for a Newbie seat or her shade canopy. (That chair will be angled to balance the parrot cage, and get covered in pruned vines.) |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: mg Date: 20 May 19 - 03:01 PM what I do in retirement took a trip to france and spain. going to mystic in june. volunteering at a children's camp and would like to add more. i take pictures of flowers and post them on twitter. i go to macdonald's and read my email etc and watch a bit of their cooking videos they have up now. i sleep abnormal amounts in the day and am awake much of the night. i occasionally go across the river to swim. well..that about covers it. hopefully i will be up and at em soon. Oh. sometimes I stretch. |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: Charmion Date: 21 May 19 - 09:29 AM One of the nicest aspects of having formally departed the job market is being able to sleep when I want, and as long as I want -- that is, unless and until the cat wants me to get up. It's hard to argue with fifteen pounds of claws and determination when it's standing on your sternum. Himself is on his way to bail court, so I shall make a solo appearance at the dump today. Fortunately, the sun is shining mightily in Perth County, so I will get to see the vultures soaring against a bright blue sky. We went out for supper last night, on foot so we could have beer. (When your're a criminal lawyer, or married to one, you take the drunk-driving law *very* seriously.) On the way, I counted four magnolia trees in less than a mile, all of them in full bloom. I'm always surprised by magnolias in Ontario, but they grow even as far north as Ottawa if they are planted in a sunny, sheltered spot. In Stratford, they don't seem to need any help, and they sure add pizzazz to our lovely little town. |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: wysiwyg Date: 21 May 19 - 04:29 PM PATIO LASAGNA PATCH https://m.facebook.com/sohinton/albums/2244077715671512/ This started TODAY (thanks DH) when six (paper) leaf bags to immediately upcycle as the bottom layer.... were emptied in today's unpacking of most of the clothes and linens we'd brought from PA. The plan is to border the left side and the front with block-- maybe the back also to hold moisture away from the neighbor's fence. This will connect a small square concrete pad on the left to a raised pad on the right, which provides its own wall and thus needs no block. The parrot cage that lives there (currently off to the side) will go back there, but on risers to keep its feet dry, angled as before. Lasagna layers will continue to be added around the cage, making a propagation bed in the patio. Brandon will help add the layers of soil, mulch, and compost to fill the bed, over the summer. He'll also suggest ways to use what HAS been a square of weeds choking off a poor little euonymus. (Not veggies due to persistent Roundup use in previous years.) |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 22 May 19 - 01:42 AM I have concluded that several trips to pick up free mulch have to be part of my garden plan for this year. Weed whack the area I want to cover (scalp to soil) then put down cardboard and mulch on top. The local free mulch is actually robust wood chips. The garden will also have mulch, but less of it. And there won't be much garden, so perhaps I can control the stink bugs that wiped it out the last two years. We had another thunderstorm overnight, but not as much inch-wise as the previous storms. Tomorrow should be good for working on the yard. And tomorrow I should work on another batch of yard limb trimmings to put in the trash for Thursday. There are mugs and cups in the kitchen cupboard that I never use, and if I thought about it, there are other things in those cupboards that I never use. I think emptying the spice cabinet the other day has me thinking about what else is hidden in there that should be tossed or donated. |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 22 May 19 - 04:34 PM After rain yesterday morning the mulch at the free compost site was almost steaming and heavier than usual to lug back to the SUV, but I have 3 heavy-duty trash bags full, and one garden area where I've started pulling weeds along the edge to put down a lasagna layer of cardboard and mulch. I think a 3-bag batch of mulch a day for a week or two is what is needed; whether I'll manage to keep up with that schedule is something else. I poked through bathroom and dressing room drawers and cupboards this morning and pulled out a few things to discard or recycle; it's that time of year when occasional cool-down sessions are necessary, and I should save dresser drawers and closets to sort through when I need time in the A/C. And the pantry shelves, they're all a jumble again. |
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Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019 From: wysiwyg Date: 22 May 19 - 05:08 PM We started a fun project today to discourage the dog from straining herself right through a fence in order to eat cats, while out in stinking heat and humidity. I came back into the roaring AC and wrote about it here, including the plan to fix what is, until fixed, the obverse of curb appeal. It's also a declut. Let me know what you think: http://bit.ly/2HKwvOA |
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