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

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 27 Aug 19 - 03:17 PM

I'm decluttering a friend's porch of clothes that got caught in the rain when a tarp blew off.

This is a huge charity emergency project. Yesterday my friend loaded up my van, and Yano Becky, loaded it into my garage this AM. We separated it-- dry, wet, filthy, trash. We started a load in my dryer. We brought in three loads to wash. Greg loaded the wet items in the van to go to the laundromat's dryers-about 5 heavy contractor's bags.

Lawn dude Brandon and GF ate meeting us at the laundromat to unload and help fold. In the meantime, I'm washing and folding here, to package up in reasonable condition for a Saturday giveaway event in Dayton.

These donated clothes got caught in the rain where they were waiting for that giveaway. These are for tornado recipients and others who have nothing, so I offered to try to help salvage what I can.

There's another aftn planned for tmrw with Brandon's girlfriend, just folding what's in the garage. We'll rough fold, and bag, two categories-- adults and kids piles.

Left from our move is a whole roll of these heavy contractors' bags, which I'll use to keep my friend's porch organized as next month's donated clothing comes in. He'll never have this wet mess again. I'll volunteer a day a month getting the clothes ready for that month's giveaway, and once he sees my simple setup I'm sure he'll leave items in a way I can organize... I have a couple of old plastic trash bins to donate to his porch, also.

I'll just use the same process I used to transport our fabrics on the open cargo trailer-- double wrapping, with lightweight, small plastic bags inside larger, heavier contractor's bags.

I have some old crafting twill tape to tie up the the c-bags, and I'll make re-usable plastic label tags to hang on these ties, from old yogurt lids, to identify clothing categories.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 27 Aug 19 - 08:49 PM

Dupont:

Susan! Fab project! Those heavy bags are terrific!

SRS: Movie project canceled due to rain. I may never know the answers! R often has movie projects in one or another of his buildings - inside or out in the yard full of my idea of junk. Film-ers love this! But our street is fairly prosaic. Our home is the oldest (1902) and R did speak with someone but I only found out what I needed to know.
-
Recovered some energy today. Went to group lunch (local Anglophones) at a eatery right on the River/Lac St. Francoise. Great day for it and all those negative ions help me a lot. Stopped at Mill and picked up flower pots and some K stuff, a quilt for Beaver and a nice basket for the laundry room - for R's really dirty clothes so they are not sitting on the floor. Then a visit with Geri and drove home determined to stop some place I do not usually stop - just for fun. Ended up being a plant nursery with good clearance going on. I picked up two perennials but not room for anything else. May go back tomorrow for some shrubs - evergreen. Now that I have a pick!

Have not yet homed everything but know pretty well where it will go.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 27 Aug 19 - 10:14 PM

Laundromat work DONE and unloaded into pickup row in the garage. Kiana is THE BOMB, and is coming tmrw to rock out the garage pile. Another volunteer is coming tmrw aftn also.

On track for Friday pickup of what had seemed impossible for about a half hour this morning. To.orrow we make the tags for the bags.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Aug 19 - 10:57 PM

I've moved my accumulated eBay sales items from around the table in the sunroom (on the floor) to the dining table in the den. There's quite an array, and I'd forgotten about some of it. I'm still aiming at meeting the goal to restart my listings this month.

That sounds like a huge job, laundering and drying all of those collected clothes. And Dorothy, I really like that idea of stopping someplace you don't usually stop, just for the novelty of it. I'll give that a try myself!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 28 Aug 19 - 05:35 AM

SRS, I only washed three loads. Most of this we only DRIED.

Years ago, though, I triple washed a chain-smoking hoarder's clothing which was being donated. TBTG, for that project there was no deadline! No help on that one.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 28 Aug 19 - 09:43 AM

The new patio is finished and we are thrilled. It's both a technical win, achieving good drainage, and a major aesthetic improvement.

The last phase, adding a border of ledge rock at the point where the patio meets the new garden bed, added an extra thousand bucks to the project but was critical to correct an unexpected drainage issue. Unknown to us until the deck was removed and the patio laid, the bit of land that became the new garden bed has a distinct upward slope, caused by the roots of the very large silver maple growing on the property line and the still disintegrating wreckage of a tree that was probably removed to put in the deck. So the topsoil in the garden bed washed out with every rain, and the edge of the patio required daily sweeping. Thanks to money, we'll have no more of that.

It absolutely bucketed down yesterday, and I watched with a critical eye as the rainwater streamed gently away from the house and off the patio, leaving it high and, eventually, dry.

The new front path meets the driveway at the point where everybody used to cut across the grass. It is to be hoped that people will not, therefore, choose to veer off the driveway just a little farther out, out of natural cussedness.

Our savings being now completely drained, capital spending must cease for a while. Fortunately, I have a new book contract starting at the end of September -- army operations in Afghanistan again -- so we can replace our antique and ecologically hostile air-conditioner before the snow flies.

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

I thought the AC repositioning was going to involve replacement? You just moved it now and will replace it this fall? How is that basement window that was part of this operation?

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 28 Aug 19 - 03:14 PM

One hour of helper time vanquished the big laundry pile on the garage floor, but half was damp enough to be re-bagged for Kiana's 4pm arrival. There's one bag of stuff to check that I was told is all dry stuff, then she'll take the damp items to the laundromat and bring them back dried, to fold and pack.

That will just leave me a few more small loads in the house, which I'll finish in the morning.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 28 Aug 19 - 07:41 PM

Stilly, when the air-conditioner was moved to allow construction of a window well, we were warned that moving it could kill it. Much to everyone’s surprise, the damnable thing just kept ticking and ticking.

But it’s still 31 years old and way beyond the end of the normal service life of such a machine, and its coolant is now illegal in Canada. So its days are numbered, and I’d rather schedule its demise than be surprised.

The basement windows are now clearly visible and visibly decrepit — almost certainly original to the house. Yet another capital project!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 29 Aug 19 - 06:51 AM

As hoped, I do now have just the house loads to finish, today, which are one dried load to fold and one small wet load to dry and fold.

Then they'll be placed into the open contractor's bags awaiting them in the garage, which will be added to the other tagged bags to await Friday pickup.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Aug 19 - 09:43 AM

Charmion, you got lucky, being able to schedule that A/C replacement!

We've had a remarkable amount of rain in the last week and the lawn is heavy with dew in the mornings now, so I filled a "puffer" bottle with AgriLawn Crabgrass Killer (it's an organic mix of cinnamon and turmeric and I think baking soda) to distribute around the wet grass in a couple of areas of the front lawn. This is supposed to be an effective treatment for several of the weeds in the turf, but leaves the Bermuda alone (though I'd really love to nuke all of the Bermuda, front and back, and put in Buffalo grass). Decluttering weeds is a big deal; if this works I'll be out there a lot more with this stuff. I don't care what grows out there, I mow it and it looks like turf, but the neighbors always seem to be struggling with weeds the are seeded from what is in my yard. The bottle originally came with diatomaceous earth, and I'll have to find another one because I don't want to forget and spray this on the counter tops - AgriLawn has turmeric, meaning everything will turn bright yellow upon contact with moisture, so I don't want to accidentally spritz the kitchen next time ants come in.

I was going to mow this morning, but instead I'll let that powder work and I'll mow tomorrow.

I'm set with eBay stuff to start today.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 29 Aug 19 - 06:15 PM

Dupont:

Went back yesterday for 5 evergreen shrubs- four low growing for in front of the rocks that line the "flower beds" - One still has that heavy duty sort of a tarp to suppress weeds. R managed to extricate the other with GREAT difficulty and the perennials I put in there last spring are looking healthy! The other side.... Well, I am not putting him through that again so will look at the situation some more. A machete would help though this one might be lighter weight.

I pulled a bunch of weeds and that was all the body would do. I need to extricate a clump of orange day lilies planted amongst river rock in order to plant a very nice euonymous. R could barely lift it! So it will need a big hole!! I'll try again tomorrow. I am hoping the rain will help with the clay soil. I also want to extricate a 3 foot diameter clump of way too crowded hosta and put it elsewhere, leaving that space free for other perennials. The elsewhere may be long term project: a 3 foot wide swath, she hopes, across the middle front for herbs, bulbs, etc. Maybe some of it before the snow flies?

This am I noted a lovely purple clematis using the neighbours wonderful 10 foot or so high cedar hedge! Along the drive near the front. In the back yard, there were several light blue bell shaped clematis. Such a treat.

A trip to the produce store for apples and lettuce netted a huge box (banana size!) of fresh Quebec Macs for a reduced price. I begged. They are so good there! The mixed greens are terrific and keep well.

I took a basket to car and brought in 20, which are now applesauce. R may be able to bring the rest into the cellar. Need a safe cool place for them. If I can find enough containers, I will put 30 in each; 30 will fit in the large pot to make sauce.

I may be able to do a bit more tonight - before mosquitoes! Maybe.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 29 Aug 19 - 10:17 PM

Down 3.2 pounds this week.

Pete is having a biopsy in the morning.

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Aug 19 - 10:51 PM

Oh, dear. Michelle, that's one of those "good news, not-so-good news" posts. I hope the biopsy shows nothing serious.

Dorothy, you couldn't pay me to plant euonymous! I think they're stressed too much in this hotter climate, they're usually bothered by lots of insects.

Susan, all of those bags will be picked up Friday? Good!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Aug 19 - 01:16 PM

I'm going through recorded programs from the old computer and finding some interesting health lectures (from PBS pledge drives on the local channel). These will be added to the external hard drive connected to the television in the front room where I sometimes sit still and watch television.

I pulled out the Mylar covers for book dust jackets and now those books are back on the office shelves. (Grow up with a librarian and that's what you do for your hard-bound books.) There's a little more room on the kitchen table, and I'll continue that clearing between trips outside to do some can't-wait-any-longer yard work. Yard work must be done in short spells since the high today, while not as bad as recently, is still supposed to be about 97^o.

September has been a long time coming - inevitably the temperatures will cool, and our first hint of comfortable weather will come in a few weeks. I await the burst of energy that comes with that first crisp fall day.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 30 Aug 19 - 05:26 PM

Laundry GONE, system taught, supply kit given.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 30 Aug 19 - 05:39 PM

Dupont:

Euonymous is wonderful in Quebec! So is September! Gorgeous Day!

Yesterday, the new double mattress arrived; it is made up and the bed looks beautiful. New towels for two on bed as---- this morning a text from Magda indicates she and Stevie may arrive tonight!! What luck! The room is pretty good except for broken roll top which takes up TOO much room and is ugly. and no surface to put things so I put a chair in there. Maybe Steve and R can bring a bureau in that is not being used upstairs. Room in the closet. The guest rooms are on first floor in the addition, which also contains the only bath room - until we get the one on second floor - if I live that long.

I picked up two lovely Roxanne and a red tender Hibiscus this am - $10! Really marked down! Repotted the H in a nice 15 inch pot and will put it in a south window on second floor. One Roxanne planted, behind the BIG rocks and draped over, and one blue chip juniper, in front of rocks - ouchy! Soil is moderately malleable, using pick and spade, and the "weed barrier" is not so bad; I cleared a space for the euonymous; R offered to dig some holes!! This plant will take both of us to get it from pot to hole! Still have 3 blue chip. 3 day lily, a tiny mock orange and ? to plant. Might manage two more today. The hosta I want to move have started to bloom - Oh well! And I need to do something about the @#$%^trumpet vines. Will try to make a couple standards and murder the rest --- YEAH, I know it cannot be murdered, just re-cut back every year - forever!

Laundry done, our bed re-made. Moved A/c from BR to back closet -lovely to have closets!- and put low cabinet back in front of window, with a sheet of glass on top - for the hibiscus! R needs to carry it upstairs.

Picked up a heavy, lined drape at thrift shop for the north hall window - to keep the heat in!

And transporting these plants in my beautiful clean new car --- not so clean now! But the house is pretty good- not for a picky middle class home maker but for us.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Aug 19 - 05:47 PM

Dorothy, does this entire large multi-floored house have only ONE bathroom? Whoa. You're a brave woman to take on that challenge!

Michelle, I hope everything went well for Pete.

Turkey soup simmering on the stovetop; we had another thunderstorm blow through so I thought I'd treat it like a fall day, even though it's still about 90^o out there now. It's a dark day with the heavy overcast.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 30 Aug 19 - 06:47 PM

Pete did very well and now we wait.

We both have a 3 day weekend so we are looking forward to our time together. :)

Not sure what we are doing yet, it will depend on how he feels.

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 31 Aug 19 - 10:24 AM

The next challenge here is a planned trip to visit MIL. The stuff going on with my spine will pose difficulties, most of which we'll work out this week by decluttering the van of our summer concert-attending crap and recluttering it with trip crap I'll need, including a folding camping recliner. In the meantime, the garage floor now clear of laundry will hold Newbie's crate because she'll be left here, boarding, and I don't need her crate to ferry her to the kennel.

So the whole week will have trip prep crap to coordinate and execute in the most efficient order.

The driving issues are best solved by my taking the wheel for most of it, because there's actually less damage to my spine from there. Greg will take the middle section of driving because it involves stoplights, cutting across from one interstate to another, and anything I can't do in cruise control SUCKS for my knees.

My theory is that I did all those 10-12 hour PA drives, and this should be 6-8, so caffeine oughter do it.

Hopefully by next year she's in assisted living, here, and this is our last long, bad drive to her place.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 31 Aug 19 - 11:39 AM

Up early today. Laundry is done. Dishes are done. A nice breakfast was made. Animals tended to. Shopping done. Headed out to a BBQ and one of our favorite Mom & Pop shops as well as a stop at Robert Sides Music Center, a family favorite. I begin piano lessons next week with an instructor who will meet me where I am. YAY.

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 31 Aug 19 - 12:15 PM

Van pillowing and props for passenger time, version 1.0, DONE! We'll try this out on a long ride for an errand that usually kills my spine after the first 5 minutes. Bricks to raise my feet plus bolsters under my thighs put me in a pelvic tilt that lets me float on top of the vehicle's wave motion instead of constant micro-whiplashes. Yay! Spine physics, yay!

We had virtually stopped going for rides through the country, a major component of our married life. Now that long trip to the Amish store next week for a bulk buy looks doable, and just in time-- it's time for the next big tub of peanut buttet!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 31 Aug 19 - 08:48 PM

Dupont:

MAnaged to plant two more yesterday; none today! But I got the apples out of the car onto the back deck for now. About 120 more apples 4 batches of applesauce - about two qts each. I'll see how the apples keep and if they start to be unhappy, I shall have to make and freeze applesauce.

Really had no energy and made it worse by eating badly. Had a nice visit with Magda and Steve. They christened the French press! And pronounced the coffee "good!" Arrived after midnight last night so did not get up early. After consideration of the options, they went off to explore Montreal. Expect they will be late back as they have a couple music venue options.

Pulled some weeds. Raked up some. Took a nap when too tired to read. Would feel better if I had done more...

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 31 Aug 19 - 09:53 PM

I mowed the front yard that had gotten way too tall over the last few weeks. It was dormant for a while so it was tall and dry, but after several rains this week it was tall and lush. And then I went shopping and pulled my stomach muscles picking up the big bag of dogfood wrong. I didn't brace properly and was leaning; as a junior high school gymnast I initially pulled these muscles tumbling or on the trampoline, and it is something I've had to be careful about ever since. It was a good workout but requires Ibuprofen at the end of the day.

Dorothy, do you can (hot pack) your applesauce? It's one of nature's perfect foods when it comes to canning. You don't have to add anything, just seal it and hot bath for however long your jar size dictates.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Sep 19 - 11:14 AM

Turning the calendar page to September gives my brain a break after the really miserable and odd hot summer we've had here in Texas. I can visualize fall. The weather has been more humid than usual so the heat is more penetrating and harder to work in. But we're in September and that means this heat is now officially temporary. It might be another six weeks before we feel that first perfect crisp fall day down here, but it will slowly advance and one day appear. Yes, it's actually only one day later than August, but still, it makes a difference.

September is my bulky waste collection month in our quarterly calendar, and I have some limbs and trees to prepare for the curbside collection. One I can do by myself, one I'll have to pay my friend to remove. On the one I do myself I'll leave the stump for him to remove with the chainsaw, I don't have a hand-saw or reciprocating saw that can handle it. I'm going to start dragging stuff out front and leaving it where the code enforcement folks won't complain (you're not supposed to move stuff too soon). On the big tree my friend will take down I need to move some of the iris that are growing around the base. I like having a tree there, but it needs to be a better-adapted one; this was planted years ago when it was considered a good xeriscape tree, but it turns out that Elderica Pine (also called Afghan Pine) is a true desert species and it suffers with the amount of rainfall we get. I'm taking it down before it falls down. On the house.

P.S. Susan, my glasses and dishes are SO MUCH happier after repeated trips through the dishwasher with vinegar added. Successive washes have made them clearer each time and they're not back to their old crystal clear selves. The Limestone scale wasn't a problem until recently; I'm not sure what has changed as far as our water source or management. It tastes the same but is hard on glass in particular.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 01 Sep 19 - 04:59 PM

DUPONT:
It has probably been 45 years since I canned anything! Long since disposed of that equipment and that's that. Actually, with apple sauce, I could probably put it hot into canning jars and see if it seals itself. I have a few that tomato sauce came in.

Planted another shrub today but no more energy today. Well, maybe one more a little later. R planning to put futon together today- finally! Then I can get the room in order. And think about sewing projects that are lining up. Tomorrow we will try to go to the Ile with Magda and Steve, early while there is still parking. (Hope!) Fresh Quebec corn for supper tonight. Not organic. Oh, well.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Sep 19 - 11:59 PM

I did some digging and put in a portion of the fall garden - okra that has become quite root bound in small terracotta pots. They already have a few blooms. It won't be so big and robust as if it had been planted three months ago, but I have six plants and will end up with a tidy amount in the next 2 1/2 months till our first frost.

I wouldn't try sealing the jars without processing them, Dorothy. The Ball Blue Book says to pour the boiling hot applesauce into pint or quart jars, give them a 1/2" head space, and process for 20 minutes. If you can't do the safe processing, then go ahead and freeze it.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Sep 19 - 09:51 AM

During my Frugal August I did a pretty good job of drawing down the freezer contents, of eating most of the fresh produce before it was ready to compost, and not spending as much in general. I'll work on letting the frugal practices move into September. I used ingredients from the freezer and enjoyed the results - in particular the cranberry bars I made from the fruit pulp after I steam juiced cranberries to make some Cranapple juice. Yesterday overripe bananas went into two small loaves of banana bread yesterday; one is in the freezer and one is bagged and being used for breakfast for the next couple of days.

We've had several ozone action days so I'm limiting my time outside and not driving much and not mowing in the morning, etc. I could smell woodsmoke this morning as someone prepares a Labor Day barbecue; that smoke isn't helpful to our in this weather, but is probably offset by fewer people driving to and from work today.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Sep 19 - 10:16 PM

Oh my, it was one of those evenings. Computer stuff, in particular, syncing the Windows Edge browser between two computers, neither of which I ever intend to sign onto with Windows credentials. It has been an evening of back and forth between rooms where the computers are sitting (I could have moved the laptop in here, but there are already two computers in here and that seems plenty.)

Tomorrow I'll find out if it worked as I hoped.

On a related note, I *think* I've figured out why the new computer turns itself off randomly sometimes. It was set to turn off after installing updates, and wasn't telling me it was going to happen. I hope I've remedied that.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Sep 19 - 10:12 AM

This morning I'm down 10 pounds since I started actually trying to lose weight earlier this summer. Whoo hoo! Only 25 more pounds to go . . .

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Charmion
Date: 03 Sep 19 - 10:26 AM

I used to do lots of canning, and I made litres of jam every summer. I cut way back after both my brothers developed diabetes, and have almost stopped since we moved to Stratford. Last year I made marmalade and chutney, neither of which I can buy (to my satisfaction) in the shops; this year, I made no marmalade as we have yet to eat all of last year's, and the jury's out on the chutney.

This morning I was down in the Glory Hole surveying the collection of kitchen equipment that I either don't use any more or use so rarely that it does not deserve stowage space upstairs. If I were more realistic, almost all that stuff would go to the Goodwill, but doing so would bring howls of dismay from Himself. The huge clay-baker, big enough for a turkey, for example; Hell will freeze over before I ever again roast a whole turkey, but every three months or so we repeat our performance of "What about a turkey? No, I don't want to eat turkey for two weeks. Okay, if you say so." Likewise the collection of spring-form pans, suitable for making cheesecake. Neither of us should eat cheesecake ever again, but if I rehomed that stack of cake pans the emotional crisis would shake the house.

Alas, there it is. People are irrational.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Sep 19 - 09:59 PM

I have a small clay baker (Rombertopf) that is perfect for a chicken, and I use it several times a year in cold weather. When I remember it's there. I also have a graniteware pan with a lid that holds about the same volume and that's also good for chicken. And sometimes I put the chicken in the glass convection oven and roast it in there. Since I seem to eat more chicken than about anything else I can vary the cooking methods.

I sold a huge clay baker that was turkey-sized that I found for $9 at a Goodwill store and it appeared to have never been used. It sold on eBay for $40 plus shipping, and the woman who bought it sent a note to ask that I pack it very carefully because the first one she tried to buy broke in shipping. I assured her that I was set - I have a bunch of large boxes stacked in the garage from when my ex bought a dozen cases of bathroom tiles that had to be shipped from California. Each separate case of tile (somewhat larger than your standard shoe box) was cocooned in a box 15" x 15" x 20", filled with those cornstarch peanuts. The turkey roaster got there just fine and she paid less than buying it new from a store.

I've adopted a fix or replace policy as far as household cooking utensils and in that way have replaced parts of things that I used but were now broken or not working. I have a little high-speed chopper but the switch inside the case was broken and I had a twist tie rigged to it to use it. I found the same little chopper with the blade missing, and was able to put my perfectly good cup, blade, and lid on the new base that has a good switch. The old base was recycled via e-waste. The repair cost about $5, with the goal of not paying full price for things I use infrequently. This grinder is particularly good for things like grinding cardamom seeds and making special spice mixes, a seasonal activity.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Sep 19 - 10:55 AM

Hanging around this morning hoping the friend who will take out the Elderica pine in the front yard comes by before I have to leave for an appointment. We're still in the hot 100^o degree weather through the weekend, then back into the mid-90s. Summer is struggling to keep a hold on the season. It'll be hot work to take out that tree before it's time to put the pieces at the curb.

He arrived as I was typing. We've worked out the plan and will do it over Friday afternoon and Saturday morning when his wife will help (it's a two-person job). The work over the weekend means the city code enforcement folks won't bitch about stuff being put at the curb before Sunday night (because they're strictly Monday - Friday kinds of guys).

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Sep 19 - 12:15 AM

My office is a bit tidier; papers organized and small gadgets rounded up. Dishes loaded in the dishwasher, dog water refilled outside (Pepper will splash it all out in the morning.

The task I've worked on this week is teaching Pepper to catch food when I toss it. She's getting better, and is an enthusiastic student. I'm using roasted unsalted peanuts and toss one to Zeke who usually catches it, then I make Pepper stay put so I can back up a little (because her instinct is to launch herself and catch the food millimeters from my fingers.) I do it periodically during the day, one or two peanuts per dog, giving her brain time to process the task. She won't learn it in one session.

I'm a year out from retirement now and am keeping busy and continuing the forward momentum, while acknowledging that having the contract work basically pays for my various misadventures and work on the house.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 05 Sep 19 - 09:36 AM

I canned one year but it was too much for my spine. Soon the boys we'd blended were using them to make home brew with my yeast, but that's another story.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Sep 19 - 04:56 PM

Pepper is now heartworm negative! The vet does two tests, a rapid one and a serum one looking through the microscope, and both show that she has no more heartworms. Lucky little dog! (Not so little, actually, she's 44 pounds, but it took four people to hold her still to give her her shots and she had to wear the office muzzle to keep her from snapping at them.)

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 05 Sep 19 - 08:53 PM

Dupont:

Turned on Lights so R could come home to a cheery house, and started cooking chicken breast - PHONE rang - another hour and he is going to the Legion to pick up a steak which he will bring home. Oh well. could have told me sooner... Never going to happen.

Re canning, etc: One year I made a quantity of apple/grape with no sugar, cooked it down like apple butter. It was great in place of sugary jams. I "canned" it without processing. It is generally OK to do that with high acid foods. Green beans were 3 hours in the canner! I did them over an outdoor camp fire! Our instructions were from a book given us by a country woman who owned a general store in eastern Quebec. I probably still have it - somewhere!

Bathroom: We have a very nice full bathroom on first floor and a nice powder room on second floor. There is a "plan" to turn the room next to the powder room into a BATH room. I am hoping to live that long. I need to get more pushy - that fine line between getting something done and creating a crisis of ...

Big thing this week was deciding to make muffins. That may not seem big to others but I have not baked anything in over 10 years. 1. No baking stuff has made it here yet. 2. found a recipe in a cook book - a new edition of the one I got for a wedding present in 1959! OK. 3. Need muffin tin. Thrift shop- beautiful heavy duty super one for $3! 4.Back to grocery for those paper cups and frozen berries. 5. Successful batch of muffins!!!!

Now I am considering scones. 1. Found recipe on line. 2. have ingredients. 3.No baking sheet. ... Thrift shop tomorrow... (These are the things we love from fav bakery. The muffins pass muster!)

Trip to thrift shop also netted a smaller cabinet for sewing/TV room; it matches the preferred one and will de-clutter the room nicely after the extra is removed - with some difficulty - to the basement. The new one is pine but well built and also weighs a ton! Hopefully, this will happen and the love seat will also go elsewhere and I will be able to access the nicer cover for the futon and the sheets for the laundry ... which R put in the closet with chair in front of door...

De-cluttered considerable weed stuffs -vines, etc- from two areas of yard!!! Still much to do but ran out of steam. Found a baby clematis and marked it for removal to a better spot, also a tiny oak tree. WOW! those areas look so much better!

Otherwise laundry, dishes are up to snuff and work has been done on house plants on back deck. Read that the orchid would profit from 3 weeks of 50 degree nights so thinking of how to put it outside for 3 weeks - protected! Have not yet found the right "equipment". We are due for that 3 weeks of night temps. NOW.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 05 Sep 19 - 09:55 PM

Well. We found out today that Pete has follicular thyroid cancer.

Surgical consults and oncology appointments will be happening soon and then surgery to remove the thyroid. There are 4 nodules and it is believed to be contained, all lymph nodes are looking in good shape. The largest of the nodules is 3cm x 4cm x5cm. Radiation may be in the future.

We had a family conversation about this tonight over dinner. We did our best to keep it real but kid friendly at the same time....tough discussion. Jeremiah did well.

I am in cleaning mode.....I suppose it's because that's all I can do to disperse the anxiety I am feeling.

Pete is calm about it all....can't ask for much more.

Me? Considering I have no hormones in my body anymore....I've cried buckets, slept some and am okay too (at least for the moment)...I think I just need to get it OUT of my system so I can move forward and be as much help as I possibly can.

I was not able to contain myself at his doctor's appointment....so much so that the doctor looked at me and gave me a hug. I apologized saying that the crying is embarrassing. He said, "It's not embarrassing. You love him."

Exactly.

He walked away and while we were waiting at the reception desk for a consult appointment to be made, he came back out and cracked a smart ass joke...which was exactly what we both needed. :)

I am preparing for the days ahead as best as I can.

Much love to you all.

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Sep 19 - 12:15 AM

I've been watching this space for your news, Michelle. You and Pete are strong together, and all things considered, you had the worst of it cancer-wise, I think, and came out like a champ. Thyroid cancer is one of the most treatable ones. Beyond that you know the drill: if you want any documents from the university medical databases send me keywords and I can send you what I find. In this day and age, though, NIH and Mayo are probably equally good and are in lay-person terms. Later you and Pete may be going in together to get your tumor marker readings.

Dorothy, congratulations on taking up baking again. I wonder why you stopped baking 10 years ago? I agree about the great baking pans you can find in thrift stores; over the last few years I've accumulated a number of sizes of baking pans. Sometimes I'll make a big loaf (full size bread) if I know a lot of people will be eating it; more often now I make the smaller loaves depending on if there are only a couple of people in the household, so it is eaten soon while it's still good and they don't end up with old leftovers (or feel guilty for eating all of it.) Some of these pans are so small that I can make five or six miniature loaves with the same amount of batter that would go into the one large loaf.

The big pine in the front yard is coming out this weekend. My foundation is pitching and shifting and that's bad enough, and I can't afford to fix that right now, but I figure I can afford to remove the pine before it falls on the house.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 06 Sep 19 - 01:17 PM

My week--

Monday-- AM laundry, Scootered for groceries, baked pork steaks for this busy week's suppers.
Evening, cleared out van and look for middibh jackets, stowed camper items.
Late eve, folded laundry.

Tuesday-- AM PT and Yano Becky, put away laundry, clean washer/dryer area, degoof kitchen and LR,.
Aftn, shopped for jeans for trip w Judy.
Eve pack trip meds and went to Hank's for a blues set.

Weds AM, aerobic pool workout plus pool dancing, and retrieved items needed for trip.
Aftn, refined the van's leg blocks to be able to ride in spine/recline mode, then test blocks by long trip to JR bulk foods for PB.
Eve, kitchen chores.

Thursday, stowed groceries, started to pack clothes, wash new jeans and found jackets. Aftn, two consults re local BLM/SURJ kerfuffle.

Friday pack clothes, etc., medicate and board dog, poss music later at Hank's to test leg blocks during long ride there.

Sat AM depart.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 06 Sep 19 - 10:00 PM

Dupont:
1. read my last post- went to turn on lights for R!

2. What a kicker, Michelle. I'll be thinking of you.

3. More clearing of invaders/unwelcome plants. Piles of stuff on lawn! Was planning to go to Beaver tomorrow but exhausted! And more yet to do. Still 5 things to be planted plus daffy bulbs. Much digging required!

Made scones today. Very nice but not like the ones from the bakery - just not as high. Maybe I need to make them thicker to start out. However, they are quite acceptably fluffy.

Bread is not worth bothering with. We don't even eat one slice a day! Keep it in the freezer.

10 pm and R still not home. He phoned at 8 - to let me know he would be late! I will leave a bowl of food on table for him to nuke, and scones and peaches.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Sep 19 - 12:18 AM

I dug the iris out from around the Afghan pine in the front yard, in preparation for a friend who will take the tree down tomorrow. EXCEPT that we have an ozone action day and though he said they'll be find, I told him I reserve the right to tell everyone to go home and come back when the air is nicer. I only saw the notice on my way home this evening (on a highway bulletin sign.)

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 07 Sep 19 - 06:21 AM

Somehow, amazingly, I'm packed. (The van isn't, but I am.) Even a few pesky kitchen chores FINALLY got done.

This will be my last driving trip back to Chicagoland. It's just too disruptive.

Last month, we joined MIL and two of Greg's three brothers to tour a likely assisted living facility-- about 90 minutes from us, and ten minutes from her middle-school-aged grandchildren, with whom she's had a close relationship since they were born.

The 4th son, an active alcobolic, lives with her (on her money), and in the last year she has often acknowledged that he can no longer be considered even a potential caregiver.

She's a sharp but fragile 84. The atmosphere there will be tense as I support her in breaking free or making other, safety-oriented choices. He already hates me and has lashed out at me in less stressful times. Fortunately my PT requires us to stay at a nearby motel (for their pool). I will call 911 if necessary.

The drive there should be interesting!

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Sep 19 - 10:22 AM

Stay safe, Susan. The dependent son sees you ripping apart his life. Until now he has had no reason to clean up his act.

Two hours of hard work this morning dispatched the large pine in the front yard and the poorly-placed vitex in the back. The front tree was liable to fall on the house, given a hefty wind storm; the vitex was encroaching on the power and cable lines to the house and nearly reaching the right of way where the neighborhood power line runs. Untrimmed, it would have grown into all of them. Who knew that tree would get that large? So today's work is distributed around the lot; one of them is piled at the curb for bulky waste next week and the other one is piled beside the driveway and I'll do my weekly bundles to the curb to slowly send it away. They both looked good where they were, but had too many issues. Now I'll figure out how to use the space for lawn or garden.

The next door neighbors have been away for a month on an extended European cruise; they are in Quebec this weekend instead of Boston because the prudent cruise ship captain wanted nothing to do with Hurricane Dorian. So even here thousands of miles away we are aware of the reach of that storm.

It is an Ozone Red day today so I need to spend the rest of the day indoors. There's plenty to do.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 07 Sep 19 - 08:32 PM

SRS, yes. The last bully who tried to get over on me had a domestic assault record that made him instantly responsive when I said, "One.more.word, and I dial 911." I suspect this one's well known to local police,too. I know a bit of his history.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Sep 19 - 11:15 AM

Yesterday's Ozone day seems to have put me out of sorts. That or the chocolate birthday cake I ate for breakfast and the sugar messed me up. :-/

Another 100^o day today, then into the 90s the rest of the week are in the forecast. Air quality is good today and I don't see a problem in tomorrow's forecast, so I'll mow in the morning. One of these days I'd love to move back to a climate that isn't as extreme in it's seasons.

Rearranging furniture in the sun room, primarily moving the bench beside to door to be perpendicular to the wall, and clear the stuff off of that seat. It's time to take back the function of that bench (seating, not storage) and make more donations to Goodwill and the big contractor bag of plastic, glass, cardboard, and paper over to the village recycling bins.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: wysiwyg
Date: 08 Sep 19 - 11:42 AM

We arrived at the motel last night despite many road challenges, and the footrest Greg had cobbled up was nearly perfect-- we're discussing its next round of design. My back had zero pain and my knees were... Stressed.

I walked off the drive after we checked in, setting up camp in our room, and with sleep aids I got eight full hours of deep rest. My ankle, usually basketball size till the third day, are almost normal already-- that footrest for brief breaks from driving.

This AM, he's off to church with Mom while I continue room setup-- swapping some pillows around, adding a chair from the handy, included patio, stowing a few items better, hanging up re-wearables, and rinsing out lingerie.

Later, while she has her afternoon nap, he'll come back and we'll check out the pool. It's pretty far from the room and I can't take sitting breaks on the way because the seat will carry my step block, leg weights, and gear bag. So for this first pool visit I need a second pair of hands, and we can plan how subsequent scheduling will need to work.

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Sep 19 - 02:47 PM

Beginning the ceiling reinforcement in a couple of places where I can see the foundation shift is pulling tape off drywall; the screws I picked up turn out to be flat black and I was looking for a more subtle gray like the contractors used, so it's a trip to the big box store. While I'm out I have a few groceries to pick up. I've put this off, but I need to start now while everything is in place, not when sagging happens like before. My old house is really pitching around on the foundation this summer.

The moving-the-bench operation revealed a box of books for the used book store and an item for sale on eBay that should be stored elsewhere. There is now room to sit and change shoes, the intended use of this bench. It was purchased at a local hardware store that sold lots of solidly attractive Mexican furniture; that store is gone so this is probably my last piece of Mexican pine furniture (I have several others that have worked perfectly for the task I bought them for).

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: LilyFestre
Date: 08 Sep 19 - 06:50 PM

We took 18 garbage bags full of clothes and shoes to a local thrift shop. Buh bye. :)

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-clutter & Fitness: House, job, life - 2019
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 08 Sep 19 - 07:24 PM

Dupont:

Managed a "yard sale weekend" without spending too much and without acquiring anything useless. A "new" fender for fireplace is terrific and the one that was there is gone to somewhere - out of this house! The treasure hunt is fun and most of the people were rather fun. There is a dozen small, wood once-were-drawers that need to find homes - they are so nicely made!... Some year we will have a yard sale.

Towels racks in powder room! Need two more, for potential guests, but at least we two have our spots. And R moved a chair to give me access to stuff in closet - of course the chair is now in the upstairs hall on its way to ? And the too large cabinet is still in the TV/sewing room and the better one is still in downstairs hall. We need a handy helper...

I had hopes of more progress: part of the hole for large shrub was dug by R, and more weeds cleared by both of us, AND, our neighbour who offered the other day to mow the front yard (and we said not to bother), did it while we were in the house today! I went back out and... It looked different! OK! I guess he felt it was past due! Happily, I had put a tomato cage over the tiny oak tree so it did not get mowed! Keep this in mind for next year! We prefer not to offend our neighbours.

It was chilly and gloomy today and I could not get energy for much; just pecked away at yard work. My hopes that the moldy walls in the basement would be cleaned, by R---- R had a 2 pm appointment to show a rental space; at 4 he phoned that they had not yet appeared but had sent 3 texts. No word since. How incredibly rude people are. This means we cannot turn off the fan which is pulling moldy air out of the house. It is getting chilly. Instead of closing drapes to keep the sun out, I am opening them to obtain solar gain!

I had hoped to go to Beaver yesterday but R took time off to be at home, a rarity these last months, And I realize I have much to do here so I shall put it off for another week. There, I only need to stack firewood before snow which I hope does not come before October! Prefer November!!