FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 14 Aug 22 - 05:25 PM

Dupont:

Just got R off to a birthday dinner with his cousin's SO. After a phone call finding that a friend passed away last week! (That's why his motorcycle is listed on FB!)

R went off with brown eyed Susan's and Q Anne's lace for the hostess. We spent most of the day working on the house - weed wacking and tidying up places long in need; R put a shelf/hanging rack in guest room closet and removed the treasures from the desk I want out of there! (I threatened to cut it up with a chain saw to get it out) I sorted out some pictures for the walls. Determined it will be more hospitable than it was the last time Taun was here. My sons keep meticulous homes! And we read during rest periods!

The Jennair range burned the ribs in a few minutes last night! But they were still edible and the fresh corn made up for it! NOW R is convinced it needs attention. I want to arrange for a Jennair tech -but FIRST Dan... I may have to warn son that there will be no baking in this house in Sept.

The woman who was buying a pottery wheel messaged that she needs the room for her abused niece, so she is bringing it to the Mill on Weds aft, when I planned to be in that area for a group walk in a wildlife preserve - on Lac St. Francois, then a visit with Geri. Maybe I can find the fancy microwave my SIL gave me Many years ago! And, maybe I can get it in the car! And maybe it still functions...

A beautiful day - just right temp and sunny. May get rain on Weds in 2-5 mm range. Watered today. Now another weed wack stint.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Aug 22 - 01:11 PM

Don, you remind me that I started on the grass growing beside and in cracks in the driveway last night - I worked the first segment (maybe 10 feet) then stopped and swept and put the trimmer back in the garage (still plugged in - I'll just drag it out and do another section today). It's still pretty hot but I can stand 20 minutes at a time doing this incrementally.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Donuel
Date: 14 Aug 22 - 12:18 PM

The aroma of fresh baked bread should be a perfume.
I did the hedging and carved out paths for auto light sensors to see the sunlight again. I'll have a bit more to do Monday.
Mornings in the 60's makes the process a pleasure.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Aug 22 - 12:05 PM

We're right around 100^o as the highs these days though there is a few-degree spike early in the week before what looks like the promise of actual rain by next weekend. Yes, please!

I have my asparagus steamer out for processing pickled okra, one pint jar at a time. I have enough for a couple of jars today and I'll be using some of the rest of it to make some fried okra for lunch. It's also time to use yesterday's roasted eggplant to make babaghanouj. I use a lemon press when I make things like guacamole or hummus, babaghanouj, etc.; I saw a short video from Jacques Pepin making a lovely "posset" and he cuts his lemon in different slab shapes to squeeze more efficiently. I don't know that I'll make the posset (it's 1 cup of cream, 1/4 cup of sugar, mixed and heated about 1 minute in the microwave, then add 1 1/2 tsp of lemon zest and 3 Tablespoons of lemon juice. Chill, garnish and this serves 3) but I'll try the different shapes of lemon through the press or just in my hand.

My kitchen feels so warm and friendly when I have jars of canned goods sitting out and cooling. I like to make bread, muffins, and more, but when I'm trying to lose weight the white flour baked goods work against me. I could make some soup, that would also serve as a nice warm smell. After such a long hot summer this hankering over soup and bread means I'm wanting to move into cooler weather activities.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Aug 22 - 02:29 PM

Good job on clearing out the old computer stuff. I used to carry that into an eWaste bin at the library where I worked but I haven't been back in a while. There's a large bag full of stuff awaiting my next visit over there.

My patch of okra is a little oasis in the hot yard and I'm seeing lots of interesting butterflies and dragonflies hover nearby. I meant to photograph some but the camera battery needed changing and figure out where I put the charger (with other chargers in the office - it wasn't too deep a mystery). So I'll make another safari to the garden in a few minutes (using this camera means I can get better and more close-up shots with the long lens than trying to use a phone camera). The okra is really tightly packed this year - last year it was tall and gangly. The large leaves layered the way they are is a wonderful environment for lizards and more.

Preserves: I always write about my mustang grape harvest and jelly but this year's grape season coincided with knee surgery; I spoke to the neighbor next door who also picks and makes jelly and told him I'd show him how to use the steam juicer this year instead of the old fashioned steaming grapes in a pan of water, mashing then filtering through cheese cloth a whole bunch of times. I asked about grapes recently and he told me they vanished - one time he looked and they were green, the next time he looked and they were gone. With this heat they must have rapidly ripened and equally quickly turned to raisins. Usually we have a 2 to 3 week window for several pickings.

It's looking like it'll be a productive day: I baked two small eggplants for more babaghanouj and cleaned out the fridge. It's laundry day and I think this evening I'll take out the weed whacker and cut the tall grass around my driveway. I can now carry it around without straining the knee and walking feels closer to normal every day, with the gym workouts being part of that. Before the gym my leg muscles were feeling a bit under-utilized and my stride wasn't it's usual length. I still kind of wobble down the sidewalk, but I'm back parking in the museum's staff garage, not in the close-in visitor parking lot. The signs of recovery are the returning to normal activities.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Charmion
Date: 13 Aug 22 - 12:40 PM

I forgot — Yesterday, I emptied the last plastic bin of mixed clag from the study closet and found its contents to be obsolete computer-related gear. Habitat for Humanity is the local salvager of e-waste, so off I went with the car boot stuffed, and came home half an hour later to more clear space in the basement and four empty file boxes that will find a new home with the choir library.

Hauling music for issue to the singers has always been a problem for the choir librarians, but my predecessors in the job used large, heavy plastic crates, probably because they couldn’t face more than one trip up the stairs. I intend to forestall the whining through the use of smaller, lighter containers (e.g., stackable cardboard file boxes) and a hand truck to shift it all from the car into the rehearsal space. I’ll do the stairs myself. Stairs are good for the wind and the legs.

The clag that used to be in those file boxes is in the plastic bin from the study closet. I expect that most of it will end up in the trash.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Charmion
Date: 13 Aug 22 - 12:17 PM

Last year, I did no preserving, being too preoccupied and, frankly, bummed out by the need to bury Edmund’s ashes. Consequently, I ran out of proper chutney in March and Seville orange marmalade in April.

Zero Seville oranges made it to Perth County in 2022 (there weren’t any in 2021, either), but all the ingredients of proper chutney are simultaneously available here in abundance for about two weeks in September. This year, by George, I’m staying home until I have at least two batches boiled, bottled, and stashed in the basement.

Then — and only then — I can pack up and head for Ottawa and the 50th anniversary of my graduation from high school, coincidentally also the school’s centennial. I dimly remember dropping in on the 20th, where I saw all the cool kids who never acknowledged my existence when we were all in our teens but nevertheless seemed glad to see me. I expect another 25 years of aging will have mellowed us all into even nicer people.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Aug 22 - 01:24 PM

Tuition payments will leave a lot of air in any account they were withdrawn from!

eBay will be nickel and diming me with payments to my checking account as items I list sell. So far shoes, handbags, undergarments. Over the years I had good coupons from VS and bought extras that now can come out of the bag in the dresser and go on eBay. They still have the tags. It's low-hanging fruit as far as Internet sales when you price undergarments just a little under the competition. I may or may not have paid this much, but it was a long time ago and getting cash now instead of donating to the Goodwill works for me. The same with the DSW coupons for shoes and leather handbags bought at clearance prices. There were some I bought that had second thoughts about, and they do well on eBay.

I had a lovely dinner with a friend last night before I assembled and installed her new portable air conditioner. She is also having household AC system problems so during the day this will boost the cooling capacity in the house and when the new one is installed in a couple of weeks she'll have this set to cool the cats in one room closed off from the workers. And after that she'll use it in her finished garage's studio workspace.

Fridays, even when you're retired, are still about my favorite day of the week, looking forward to nothing scheduled on the weekend. This weekend I'm going to get out a few of my canning supplies and pickle a couple of jars of okra, just so I can say I had something I could process from the garden in this year of drought and high heat. And I need to make another batch of babaghanouj. I've decided it makes just about the perfect lunch on my fasting days - a couple of ounces of that with a half of a small pita bread and you get the complex carbohydrate of the dip (made with sesame seeds, lemon juice, garlic, and eggplant) and bread that are a snack-sized lunch under 100 calories.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Charmion
Date: 12 Aug 22 - 08:51 AM

Cooler this week after a stonking heat wave followed by rain, and my lawn is almost all green again.

I decluttered my bank account of a year’s worth of tuition fees on Wednesday and learned that the new student needs a mattress cover and a blanket, and would like a rug. Hurrah, I have all these things to spare, and sheets too! The linen closet and blanket box will supply another jaunt down the highway in September, and I look forward to rehoming a nice little hand-knotted Indian wool carpet that doesn’t fit any room in this house.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 11 Aug 22 - 06:43 PM

Once it gets to August, and once some crops are gathered and some flowers are knackered due to heat or drought, and the weeds seem to be the only things doing well, I always feel that it's time to prioritise just keeping things tidy. Hit those weeds (I don't use weedkiller so I either pull them out or burn them off with my weed wand), deadhead the flowers and don't endure stalky stuff on the dead lawn. Just stuff like that makes my garden look much better, even when most stuff is suffering from the heat and drought. We're having the worst year ever for that.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Aug 22 - 05:54 PM

Some diacritical and special characters come directly from the font your computer or browser uses, but here at Mudcat there are times you get question marks.

I'm up to 45 minutes on the recumbent bike today; I might have tried for the full hour but have decided that pacing myself and building up to it means I'm less likely to hit that wall of tiredness later in the day.

Back to hot and miserable again today. Yesterday was too good to last. It says 97^o but with humidity it feels hotter. It was a delightful break from the monotony of hot days. The yard is so crispy it has a kind of general scent like that of dried oregano (there is oregano growing in the front, but its off to one side. Everything smells dry.)

I have dinner with a friend tonight to help her with a project, then several days of no appointments. I don't have anything planned, but expect I'll manage to complete some tasks. It is time, after 8 weeks, to get out the weed whacker and trim around the garden. Last time that got done was a day or two before the knee surgery, so it really needs it. The garden is the only place where the weeds are growing happily since it has a scheduled watering set up.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 11 Aug 22 - 12:40 PM

Producing the special characters and being sure they will display correctly once posted at Mudcat are different things and whether or not they work will not be clear on preview. My guess is that anything within "Latin1 supplement (which your degree sign is) will be OK but it's easy to get caught out.

The method SRS mentions should be "Mudcat safe" but does involve more work.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 11 Aug 22 - 12:18 PM

On the iPad you just hold the number zero down then rub your finger upward!

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Aug 22 - 09:34 AM

It's simple html code with ^o being the look of it. (This particular entry isn't the actual string because it wouldn't show up when I hit "submit message." I typed the string into the https://mothereff.in/html-entities site we've been using to drop our Wordle scores into and below pick up the code so the colored boxes appear correctly.)

Slowly warming through the high 90s for the rest of the week and 100s by early next week, but in general it's staying in the high 90s for most of the 10-day forecast. We'll take what we can get.

Fussing with eBay that wants to pre-fill in boxes in it's opaque sales form. You have to force it to open every option and see what is selected or you're screwed. The old selling form worked well but is hard to get to appear very often. All of the settings benefit eBay, not the sellers. Still, it's the main way to sell online, I won't go near Craig's List and some of the other phone app ones are not to be trusted. I have sold on Amazon but mainly books, not household stuff or clothes.

I'm getting closer to being ready to put in a new heat pump, but it does take lining up some pretty important ducks (and building in a buffer for unexpected expenses like new ducts in the attic).

I helped my ex set up the Libby app (libraries use it for streaming content, etc.) in his phone yesterday. He's slowly entering the twenty-first century after giving up his slider phone earlier this year. Next we'll try pairing it to Bluetooth headphones. This morning in my email I was surprised to have an email from OPAC that WorldCat is soon offering a site redesign. I've used it for years but I don't remember setting up an account. This is a surprise. (In my experience, "improvements" generally aren't really improvements, they're changes to a system we know how to use to a new system that is more annoying to use. Like eBay.) As with the ex-spouse with the new-to-him device, there is a learning curve that you're just stuck with.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 11 Aug 22 - 06:08 AM

Very much an aside, but I noticed that you used the degree symbol in your temperature there. I didn't think it was possible on an iPad, but after a period of intensive research which took me 20 seconds I found out how to do it. So the current temperature here is 29°C.

Weee! Every day's a school day!

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Aug 22 - 06:09 PM

Today is surreal. Overcast, about 95^o, and it rained this morning. So quietly that I didn't hear it, after I'd been out to scrub and refill the bird baths. When I saw puddles on the patio I wondered if I'd accidentally left a hose or the sprinkler on, it has been so long since rain has accumulated out there. The air smells amazing when all of the dried tree branches get the moisture on them, it's like its own incense out in the yard.

Company today, when I handed over a box of fruit to my ex after a trip to Costco and we had a plate of babaghanouj from the batch I made yesterday. So far I'm getting a few stray tomatoes but the okra is in and I'm getting eggplant. I'll take some eggplant next door because she also makes babaghanouj.

Sweeping dog hair, vacuuming, laundry, dishes, it's a day for cleaning and picking up. And I'll go sit on the porch for a while to enjoy the cloudy afternoon.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Charmion
Date: 09 Aug 22 - 09:18 PM

The price of post-secondary education has gone stratospheric in Canada, Stilly, but it’s still within reach of middle-class families that plan ahead. Unfortunately for Faith, her parents don’t fit that description either way, which is where I come in.

That said, it’s hard to look past the fact that tuition alone has increased from Cdn$800 per year in September 1979, when I entered first year at Queen’s University at Kingston, Ontario, to Cdn$8,000 today, at King’s College, University of Western Ontario, in London. The cost of living has likewise accelerated beyond mortal ken, and Faith will have to spend her first weeks on the ground in London securing a part-time job. I gather that’s normal these days.

Faith has a younger brother, Logan, who is entering Fanshawe College (a polytechnic, also in London) in a program that will prepare him for a career in law enforcement. Fanshawe is less pricey than Western, but still way beyond the family’s means. Gotta talk to Logan, but he’s working for a roofer and harder to get hold of than his sister.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Aug 22 - 05:49 PM

Dorothy, we have a similar library card dance we do down here. If I lived one block north, I could just walk in and get one. My ex is in the same house so I borrow his water bill, the same one I've used for decades to renew my card.

It rained a little! Not hard, it's mostly thunder and lightning and some drizzle. The buildup of clouds has been wonderfully dark gray and dramatic.

Museum scanning done, and after at the gym I'm building back up with each visit. Yesterday 30 minutes, today almost 40. I usually go for 60 (pre-surgery) so that is again my goal. So far no one has been murdered in my book, but the characters are entering the inn.

An eBay listing sold overnight and the parcel went out today. I don't have to go anywhere tomorrow so will have more time to list others ready to go. Seven a week or one per day is my goal.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 09 Aug 22 - 01:20 PM

Dupont:

More wonderful rain last night and cooled enough for a light quilt. A friend in Ottawa complained about the amount of rain! So I walked down to the river and reported back that it could use a great deal more - basically, stop complaining and think Vancouver! The whole world needs more rain - well, most of it does!

So, I went out to the back garden, built on bags of soil bought last year. Only the top couple inches are wet!

Trip to the Library yesterday resulted in finding some books and then not finding my card - GONE from my wallet. The nice staff put the books aside for me; as the card is in R's name, I could not just present ID.

This am R went with me and we found the card had expired so we had to come home and get residential proof and go back and get the precious card! He went to work and I retrieved the five carefully chosen books and came home. It only about 8 minutes each way.

My gut is,finally, about normal - after two difficult years. And R seems to have eaten something in the city that created a maladjustment for a couple days. But it is cool in the house!! And outside too!

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Aug 22 - 10:31 AM

Your grand niece is lucky - help with school in this day and age of soaring student loan is a Big Deal. Along with our help (mostly their dad's cash and my transport) we made it clear to both of our kids that they needed to work when they were on campus (work study or non-work study are options down here in the US) because the school will make sure they don't have conflicting hours with their classes. And while some of those jobs keep the student busy actually doing the job, others work out part of the time as paid study hall if they're just monitoring things going on in a lab, etc. Down here in the US the banks wrote the laws regarding student loans, making them bullet-proof—no bankruptcy and few other legal maneuvers will dismiss it. (When Trump's Betsy DeVos was in the Ed Dept she shot down the programs that forgave debt if graduates taught in underserved communities, etc.) When you die it comes out of your estate. It really does need fixing. I hope the Canadian system is rational.

Treating my sore spot beside my surgery knee like tendonitis is working. Last time I had a case of it was in my elbow area and I was told to keep a steady dose of Ibuprofen going for a couple of weeks. Even doing it for just 3-4 days has already helped.

I have the goal of a no-spend August, meaning that if I decide there is something I could use around here at most it goes on the wish list on Amazon, it doesn't automatically get purchased. Groceries are my main expense (I hope) this month though other things will be higher than usual (water, electric). Adding anything to the bank via eBay sales will stay in the bank.

Keeping my head down during the heat, following a small routine of volunteering and going to the gym, watching the yard turn as crisp as I've ever seen it and just watering the foundation (not helping the cracking, but to keep it from getting worse).

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Charmion
Date: 09 Aug 22 - 08:53 AM

Back to the Y yesterday for pool class, and the supermarket for much-needed groceries, but otherwise yesterday was about resting. I slept poorly all week when I was away — strange bed syndrome — and drove a lot on Sunday, so I was whacked. Also, the cats were in dire need of extended lap time, so the comfy chair got a workout.

As well as my own bed, I was glad to return to my own kitchen and normal diet. A week of restaurant food did not wreak the havoc on my entrails that it used to, thanks to probiotics, but it was a relief to dine on a piece of chicken and rather a lot of green beans.

Today, however, I must get back to work — choir admin, mostly. A new contract for our accompanist, by close of play, and a draft of the first Choir News email … At least, I don’t have to run the show any more.

Tomorrow’s errand is a trot down the highway to London to meet Faith, my great-niece, at the bursar’s office to pay the tuition fees for her first year of study. She won a scholarship of $2,500, which the university cannily applied to her tuition account, so I’ll hang onto that sum (which I had originally intended to fork over now) for the financial crisis that always seems to surface in February or March.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Donuel
Date: 09 Aug 22 - 06:21 AM

Polio has rudely emerged in a NYC suberb. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-62395325

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Aug 22 - 10:24 PM

Good to hear about your trip, Charmion! It sounds therapeutic to get out of town for a few days for musical pursuits.

I was out of much of the produce I've kept in good supply this summer. A trip to Costco loaded up on white nectarines and mangoes. (Nectarines for dinner!)

Today was my first trip back to the gym for time on the recumbent bicycle; I spent only 30 minutes, giving myself time to build up to my usual hour. It was a nice half-hour introduction to my next murder mystery. The new library app is working out well.

I'm tickled pink that it is Archivists that have had a search warrant served at Trump's home in order to retrieve the documents they know are there. I'm not a trained archivist but I've volunteered in an archive for the last three years and I did a lot of special work for one at the university over the last 20+ years. They know their documents and they know the preservation rules (and laws).

Tomorrow's high is supposed to be only 92^o - I know that sounds high to everyone in the north country, but it's a wonderful break of 10 to 15 degrees to those of us living on Hells Front Porch these days.

Dog baths this week. A messy but necessary process. And brushing - lots of it. And more eBay. Moving forward one chore at a time.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Charmion
Date: 08 Aug 22 - 01:42 PM

I’ve been up the highway in Goderich for a week of diddly music. Now that I’m back, the cats both need as much lap time as they can get, and I’m kinda tired myself.

But I must buy groceries — there’s not much to eat in the house, and all of it is frozen. Then I have to pay the kid who mows my lawn.

When I have met those obligations, I shall return to the comfy chair and the cats’ agenda.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 08 Aug 22 - 10:53 AM

(This is the AP I'm using. It does also offer mesh but I don't see that as a solution for our long thin L bungalow layout, router etc. my end, fixed wiring in place, etc. I've not tried that but think "fast roaming" is more suitable.)

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 08 Aug 22 - 10:34 AM

It’s copper wire via phone line here, SRS. They do have fibre in Cromer which is about 2 ½ miles from me but I don’t see it reaching us in the foreseeable future.

My network is a hard wired GB (doubled, mostly for reliability, up via LAG for the main trunk) one with an AP plugged in at either end for wi-fi. This gives excellent Wi-Fi in the LR and my room where it is most wanted but with things poorer (although now much improved with the relocation of LR AP) elsewhere.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Aug 22 - 10:08 AM

Jon, the fuss of you tweaking your computer setup sounds equivalent to me fooling with eBay settings. They keep giving me different forms to use for listings and I have to poke around to get the one I want then delete the drafts I didn't use. The company is definitely too big for it's britches. (For Internet I have copper wire coming to the house (coaxial cable) but AT&T is moving fiber optic into the region—the Spectrum guy says it's crap, because he used to work for them, but it's what I would expect the competitor to say. I use a wired signal booster in the den, is that what your "AP" is?)

Senoufu, I always enjoy those larger sales like you describe. It's a chance to visit with a lot of people, and it seems the donations offered for sale are pretty substantial. They save the "good stuff" for there.

Dorothy, what a treat, to find it's so cool outside. We're into the high-90s this week, with a chance of thundershowers sprinkled around the region on Wednesday.

Since I lost weight I listed some name-brand undergarments that still have tags (bought with their good coupon at the semi-annual sale) and that are too big now that I've lost weight. There is a large eBay market for these. A lot of the too-large in-use garments will get tossed. One doesn't sell or donate some sorts of undergarments.

But speaking of losing weight - when I was doing alternate day fasting before the surgery I was at the gym at least a couple of days a week, working long enough to burn substantial calories (and knock off several chapters of a good murder mystery). I'm just on hold right now, maintaining one weight, but this week with trips out I'll include a visit to the gym and resume the recumbent bike routine. It involves some steps suggested by the physical therapist of moving the seat closer to the pedals so my knees bend more - to give the surgery knee some of the special moves that will help loosen scar tissue.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 08 Aug 22 - 09:41 AM

It’s been computer network here for the past couple of days. A couple of problems: smart switch broke down. ADSL has gone as low as 1Mbps at times and, while I haven’t contacted them, if they wanted to be awkward my minimum guaranteed line speed here is 0.4Mbps. Those plus some long standing Wi-Fi niggles. It’s been quite a bit of a (combined) outlay but I’ve had new switch, AP and router to set up.

The router does both ADSL and, via a SIM card slot, 4G. I (hoping I can find another deal like this when this expires) got an EE data card with 120GB that is supposed to last for 12 months before expiring for £50. EE 4G signal is good here and the router is quite flexible. At the moment I have it set so the guest LAN and some commonly used low bandwidth sites (eg. Mudcat) use ADSL and anything else on 4G but I can tweak that as needed – main one is to keep some of the 120GB allowance for the 4GB software downloads I sometimes want. Both WANs will fall back to the other if it goes down.

The switch triggered some reorganisation in the living room and I’ve now been able to locate the room’s AP, near the door rather than the far corner of the room by the tv. This has greatly improved the signal for eg. the camera in the bed room (the only one not hard wired).

The AP is the same model as the newer one of the 2 I had been using. Now having a matched pair (and both with some roaming settings the older one didn't have) has improved roaming (I’ve one a AP in LR, one in my room, mostly using same IDs and security and mobile devices should change over as they are moved) a lot. Whereas before, there could be long pauses before the changeover and worse, I could sometimes have to disconnect and reconnect my phone and tablet to make the connection to the best/closest AP, things seem pretty seamless now.

I was cursing the set up this morning though after I updated the firmware on both APs. I was ready to congratulate myself on a job well done when I found my phone would no longer connect. Turns out it doesn’t like WPA3 with the new firmware so I had to change all the security settings for the SSIDs on both bands and on 2 AP from “Mixed WPA3/WPA2” to “WPA2 only” to feel sure everything would work. I could have done without that but computers seem to have ways of creating something else to frustrate you...

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 08 Aug 22 - 08:46 AM

Dupont:

Waking up in the night and realizing it is cooler outside than the A/C is making it inside, I turned it off and opened the window! Oh bliss! Now a lovely cool -wet!- morning with front door wide open to let in max breeze!

More rain predicted but I can work on back porch between rains. What a difference some rain and cooler weather makes! I wish it for everyone!

Maybe a trip to the library is in my near future. Yesterday's trip to Home Depot was only feasible by reminding my self that my car is air conditioned!

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Senoufou
Date: 08 Aug 22 - 02:51 AM

Our village Facebook has numerous posts about arranging another Village Garage Sale one weekend in September. Last time (a few years ago) it was excellent. Unlike a car-boot sale, one merely had to arrange goods for sale in ones garage and/or on the drive. Villagers wandered around on foot, and we all had nice little chats while the selling proceeded.
I have lots of things I'd like to sell, including clothes which no longer fit me after losing weight, so I'm hoping this will take place. I do so love a nice decluttering session!

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 07 Aug 22 - 07:04 PM

Dupont:

IT'S RAINING! Well - it rained hard for a few minutes and now it is dripping. Better than none!

After hours of seeking on the Web, I finally went off to Home Depot - with directions that I failed to understand or follow so it too me about 15 minutes longer than the 24 stipulated. Never found the roads mentioned but did find HD - rather obscurely situated. Hmmm, staff was not bi-lingual, nor am I! Finally found someone who spoke English and was helpful! They did not know why garden stakes were not in the Garden area but on the other side of the store in the wood dept. On the way, I found the outdoor rugs and, eventually, someone who could, and did, help me with prices; this bunch was clearly the remains! I chose two black/whitish, 5x7s. The only thing there were 2 of but just what I need! The trip back, well known, was quick and easy. Now I know! The directions on line were...!!

Now for a couple moderately cooler days to clean up the porch and, when dry enough, whack some weeds before the heat returns. R is still trying to repair a lawn mower he may have found in someone's trash. Nothing has been cut since I left at beg June.

The rain is at drip stage but more is predicted and a thunder storm.

The river is totally cluttered with boats, and various docks. As it is all summer. I am glad when it de-clutters even though it means winter is near. The river is so much more beautiful un-cluttered.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Aug 22 - 03:06 PM

Dorothy, you remind me that there are some pots out front that are kind of a mess; the soil is compacted so it's difficult to pull grass that has established around the plants. Time to repot. It's so unpleasant out that I haven't weeded between the flagstones (gravel) where the pots sit, so it's a bit of a jungle out there. Meanwhile shrubs out there need trimming as the dry branches show the lack of watering all season.

I've shifted my library borrowing of e-audiobooks from Overdrive to its spinoff Libbey. Apparently my library is discontinuing Overdrive at the end of the year. I suppose this is virtual decluttering, or swapping. Gone are the days of running to the library every week or two (though I still enjoy browsing when I get a chance.)

I have located both items that get returned to Amazon via the drop-off desk at Kohls. Do I have enough other errands to do while I'm out there to make the trip today? I think not. Tomorrow is lunch with my daughter and the rest of the errands can come after that. (My priorities are clear! And Dorothy, I fully understand your planning for the guest room.)

I talked myself out of a trip to Costco that could include a slice of pizza for lunch and then finished leftovers of the latest iteration of crustless quiche Lorraine (half-size). It was a little odd in that the cheese cubes didn't all melt. What I've learned from making this size is that I need a better way to mix up the ingredients in the pan (and maybe set the small bundt pan in a shallow pan of hot water in the oven?) I've also proved to myself that there is such a thing as too much bacon.

It's an eBay afternoon.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 07 Aug 22 - 12:39 PM

Dupont:

HOT! but only 39C! And there is a bit of a breeze. Rain is predicted... I watered the back garden with the hose this morning, then R turned off the water and fixed the outlet (outside) so I can use it and it does not leak - just outside the cellar wall! No outlet in the front so I took "gallon" jugs of water out and soaked a few specific plants: pear tree, hibiscus, and canna and pulled as many weeds as I could before coming back inside where it is not sunny! The first floor is tolerable - if I don't move too much! The second floor... But about 11pm last night, R finally got around to fixing a portable AC and sleeping became tolerable. WE had two of these things but one had started complaining vociferously; the other needed cleaning but he hooked it up anyway! It did not cool off much out doors during the night.

I do not like needing to be a squeaky wheel in order to get things done! But now I can water the gardens and have one cool room for escape. I made a serious point of the fact that the garden would be producing considerably better had it been watered.

Squeaky does not approach my threat to cut up the desk in the guest room with a chain saw if it is not removed in the next two weeks. (We do have an electric chain saw.) IT takes up 1/4 of the room and offers no place for guests to put things!

And I am looking to clear the back deck of dirt flower pots et al to make room for chairs and a table. May even spring for a carpet. Just for my son and Tenley! I even have a frame for a "craft show tent" and a cover for it to provide shade. Just need it a bit cooler for a day.

Hoping for the chimney sweep to come soon, so that is done before it suddenly turns cool! And will take the Quaker books into the city this week in hopes of not bring them back! After I give R a look/see.

Sort of "counting down" to arrival and Taun and Tenley, in case you did not notice!

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Aug 22 - 12:21 AM

Thanks for the reports of precipitation! It's feeling like we're the epicenter of heat that is spreading and making everyone miserable, though this evening cooled off faster than usual (nice! only 94 at 8pm) and there may be a couple of days under 100 this week.

My stitches are starting to dissolve, meaning the remaining bits poke out through the scar. It doesn't hurt but it is a distraction.

I've selected several more items to list on eBay. I'll keep plugging along, one a day, and this stuff will eventually start selling. Unless it's something scarce and underpriced it usually takes a little while to be discovered.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 06 Aug 22 - 03:26 PM

Dupont:

We had a bit of rain a couple nights ago and some is predicted for M,T, W - in mm's! as in 3-5mm! Just a tease. The river is down noticeably with lots of algae. We watered the back garden - veggies- as long as R was able to stay this am. Previous waterings were shorter but have definitely made a difference. Then I carried water out to the poor tiny pear tree - soaked its little concave area and then soaked it again. I am sure it will say TY!

It is "only" 32C here - about 90F. Far too hot for me and I keep trying to lower the interior, or keep it as cool as possible - opening windows as the night cools and closing them and drawing drapes in the am. R is totally un-motivated to deal with the air conditioner that has quit - He only comes home to sleep! But tonight the temp is NOT going down much. I will be finding every possible fan to bring in a little "cooler" air tonight. There is another air conditioner at the mill - an hour away! 2 hours there and back. And more energy than I am willing to expend - and too heavy for me to get it in the car! Cooler on Monday. Survival is probable!

Did a major grocery run last eve - both stores were almost empty - and cooked a new stew. Made the chick peas into hummous. Changed next dentist appointment to a bit later; 12:30 means I can leave here at 8 and be on time. Seven was too early for me!

Currently enduring. Hoping it cools enough soon for me to weed wack some of the yard. R has not been motivated - in 2 months- to repair the lawn mower he found somewhere! It is time to start making the place look a bit civilized for my son and Tenley! Only a month to go!

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 06 Aug 22 - 02:09 PM

We had rain last Sunday or there abouts Mum said it had been tipping it down when she woke up at 6am. It was easing off when I got up at 7:30 and the rest of the day just had bits of drizzle. It seemed like the first rain we'd had in ages and we could do with some more.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: keberoxu
Date: 06 Aug 22 - 01:58 PM

What we have here in western Massachusetts, Stilly, are teasers.
The heat took time to get as close to Vermont as this, but now it's here.
Suffice to say that it has been almost as green as Vermont here.
That could change, because with the higher heat, for some reason,
we get thunderclouds in the sky,
gusty winds, lightning, and thunder --
and no rain, as it blows rapidly overhead and past us.

Thursday evening a household barbecue grilling was planned outside,
and we went ahead and grilled and ate, with no rain.
We had black thunderclouds, we had lightning, we had gusty winds . . .
but not a drop of rain. So we didn't get rained out.

So at last, in August,
we are discovering how the rest of you all feel every day. (Limp.)

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Aug 22 - 01:49 PM

Please, someone, write to tell us you've had rain lately. Down Texas-way is the summer-from-hell version of Groundhog Day.

Keeping an eye out for Charmion - last we heard she was handing-off Edmund's office supplies and caring for a friend (with a very cluttered house) who just had surgery. There are a lot of possibilities to consider if the clutter is stacked precipitously. I know of people down here who have had the fire department tell them they had to clear it out (if she ends up with anyone calling in a welfare check for her from a city agency, be prepared to start moving stuff.)

Yesterday I took two-days worth of harvested okra to my neighbor next door. I'll save a few of the next ones for me to make some fried, and as the season progresses if there is enough I'll make more pickles. I also picked eggplant and will be making a batch of babaghanouj later today.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Aug 22 - 02:36 PM

I disturbed a mourning dove on the rock in the kiddie pool when I went out to fill the birdbaths just now. It will be back. There are lots of little flurries of feathers around the area so they're making a habit of visiting. In the bird baths I find bits of things left over from food they brought along to eat there; grackles in particular do that. They seem to be eating a lot of caterpillars.

Yesterday I meant to add a note to my already published post and think I dropped in on Don's next message instead (so have trimmed it.) By starting eBay now I'm entering my stuff just before a prime holiday shopping season. I need to choose what I list so it fits this season best. One item a day will add up.

Dorothy, those shorts arrived quickly! I'm glad they're working! I had noted that I might need to hem the Kohl's pants when I first got them, but instead I shortened the waist elastic and had the same effect. I do have another pair that I bought at Costco last year that are shorter but also have good pockets. They have a waist tie (I had to reattach it a while back) that helps against sag as I lose weight. I have a couple of mid-calf-length skirts I'll be able to get into one of these days.

Right now with this high heat I'm not getting a lot of exercise, and that hastens weight loss. I'll get back into the gym somehow - an hour at a time on the recumbent bike really helps. I wear yoga pants and a baggy t-shirt to the gym and I'll try on all of my yoga pants to see how they fit; I had some that were at one time too small that might be perfect now. I have some that might be so loose I shouldn't wear them in public. :)

The dog hair this summer is unbelievable. The dogs with thicker coats (Zeke and Pepper) are still losing it in hunks, way past the normal time for spring shedding.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 05 Aug 22 - 01:46 PM

Dupont:

My shorts arrived and one pair is being very comfortably worn. Each of the three is different: one dark blue and almost dressy and comfie; one light denim looking soft cotton very comfie; the ones I am wearing are nicely on the longish side (as are the blue) but the same colour as my skin! I am pleased with my expensive @ at least half price shorts. This should do me for the next 20 years. And each has two good pockets!

Watered garden for a while this am, after BF, did some sorting out, some phone calls, and organizing. Feeling much better but may yet need a nap. Another phone call is next.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Donuel
Date: 05 Aug 22 - 09:58 AM

The famous august humidity is here as well as the peak hurricane season. There is a dewpoint in the area of 79 degrees! I plan to hedge awhile and carve out walkways from the jungle.
Even a small start will encouraging. My morning glory vines are almost 20 feet long.
I got a music/keyboard blanket that adorns the back of the sofa that matches a wavey keyboard piece of small furniture and hanging stained glass music picture in front of the window. The rest of the front room is a moon theme. I also got vinyl tile for the half bath makeover project. It was best rated and half priced compared to others on Amazon. The upstairs bathroom door I tried to hang myself isn't closing. so much for DIY. I better call Saul the contractor or call
'up Chuck' and he'll 'throw it up'.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Aug 22 - 10:23 PM

I did the same recently. A lot of these garments have the information printed inside on the back now; much better than scratchy tags.

Another item listed on eBay. I do all of the preparation ahead of listing so they're packed (but not sealed - sometimes someone wants another photo) and ready to ship.

I should have mentioned earlier that these quiet tasks, sewing and eBay, are my way of accomplishing something today because I took an easy day after overdoing it yesterday. Dorothy sets a good example! Instead of driving to the museum and the gym (my original plan) I just stayed home in the cool house. It's still well over 100 every day this week.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: keberoxu
Date: 04 Aug 22 - 09:58 PM

Some much-needed undergarments, an order of new ones, were delivered in the mail to me this month.
Now I must de-clutter the undergarments of ... the brand tags.
Why, o! why attach, to a perfectly good full slip,
a tag on the back collar that is harsh, stiff, jagged, and scratches up your neck and your upper back?
Off it comes!

(No such dilemma with the care-instruction tag,
made of a different material and located on an inside seam.
A mystery.)

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 04 Aug 22 - 08:55 PM

Dupont:

This is the first time I have bought clothing other than at a thrift shop, for several years, but I also could not deal with the heat, even in Ontario where there would have been few customers. I am hoping for something suitable to wear to the grocery! I have "pedal pushers" from thrift shops which are just fine but wanted something even cooler. I can return them not too far away. Maybe also go to the friend who wants to peruse the box of Quaker books I want to pass along. When it is cooler!

Started to recover today; found a spot for the distiller where I can use a small fan to send the heat out the window. Cooked chick peas when could not find black beans. Wonder if I still have some in the car but it is dark now. Or left them all at Beaver. I stock up on those things at the bulk food store there; loyalty to the wonderful woman who finally was able to buy the store she had been managing for years!

Tomorrow groceries.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Aug 22 - 12:08 PM

Dorothy, if you're buying from a known place like The Bay hopefully their pants will fit as described. I usually head over to the thrift store to shop, but it's so hot I haven't wanted to go out much, and at a thrift store it is a difficult place to find specific things unless they're terribly generic (black t-shirts, blue jeans, etc.)—everything is a moving target depending on what is donated.

I took the back waistband on the Kohl's pants apart this afternoon and cut out 2" of the wide elastic then overlapped 1/2" pieces. The hard part was reshaping the back of the pants, it ended up with a long dart right down the back middle next to the seam (not noticeable) and an odd tuck at an angle between the dart and the waist stitching. Won't be noticeable because I always wear a shirt out over the top of my pants. They fit much better now, up around my waist instead of hanging on my hips.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 04 Aug 22 - 11:56 AM

Dupont:

Yep, I made it! the dentist cancelled while I was in the library working with Shirley to print out my Primary ballot - last day! We won; it's sent! Then went home and put the food in the car and left with a planned stop over to visit a fav musician. We had never really talked before but we have friends in common and met at the 50th Yellow Door party. We spent about an hour chatting on his home hill surrounded by TALL grass, lovely breeze, interesting house. Interesting person. By the time I got home, there was a sweet email thanking me and "visit any time". I shall. I see lots of good conversation in our future. He also suggested the phone; I may try it to see if I can understand him on the phone. When I am feeling more recovered. There is another resting aft in my future!

Upon arrival at Dupont, I phoned R and asked him, "Where are you taking me to dinner?" He came home and we went to a middle of the road place five minutes away. Shocked the waitress by asking her to keep a distance due to perfume - a toxic substance for me. The meal was as good as expected. We had eaten there a couple times pre--covid at a dif locale. The new one is very nice, and closer! Without covid, we would only eat out a few times a year. Love the Greek potatoes but gave R most of mine. Still holding at 165... Just!

Back home, we proceeded to get used to sharing a house for the first time in two months. Only a few plants died of neglect. The back garden - tomatoes and veggies - was dry!!! I told him he would have had more tomatoes if he had watered. We watered some in the am, trying to get the system to function correctly. I cannot turn it on or off so could only water when until he went to work. Rain in the night has prob helped some. R is NOT a gardener. He likes to pick the tomatoes...?

So with encouragement from those of you who have ordered clothes on line recently, I spent most of last eve looking at shorts at The Bay, on sale at 4x what I would have paid the last time - 20 years ago! I ordered 3 dif pairs to fill the need for cool and comfie, with hope they will be comfie. Hope I do better than SRS!

Spent yesterday aft in bed, resting but not really sleeping; too tired to do anything - even read! Then did two loads of laundry including sheets and re-made bed. Also have washed the entire collection of cutlery; it was ALL in the sink but unwashed. I explained to R that it is easier to wash right away before things adhere! And I found the source of "smells like a mouse died in here" when I opened the toaster oven and there were 3 extremely moldy, fuzzy pork chops that he had "forgotten" to cook - I would guess at least a week ago. I was so exhausted I just put them out on the back porch and now have to deal with FLIES when I go out to move them to..Where? The garbage I guess. Maybe I shall ask R to do it tonight! "Not my monkies..."!!!! It is too hot to go outside.

SIL phoned a few days ago; her daughter/best friend has Breast cancer. As a top notch nurse she will be getting top notch care. I talked to her yesterday and and testing shows it less horrible than first thought. I gave her permission to phone anytime of the day or night if she needs to talk - after commenting to her recently my annoyance with a friend who phoned after midnight.

The oven seems to be malfunctioning and 3 of the four range top "burners". So I need to take that into consideration when shopping and thinking about what we will eat. Too hot for the oven anyway! But We have to consider a repair - It's a Jennair and has very nice features but I expect a repair will be $$$$$$! But taking it out will not be easy as is has an exhaust fan that has a tube to the outside - under the porch! R believes Dan can look at it and figure it out; maybe he can...WHEN! I have been spoiled by 3 years of this magic stove!

I have not watched TV in two months and have no wish to do so now that one is available again. I did message the chimney sweep for here and did message Steve re the pink flowers - just do the part he did before and some of the tall stuff. I really did not like having the back unmowed all summer;I could not walk out there, could not see my beautiful bridge or any of the wee stream! Next year it all needs to be cut in May!

My dear 90 year old friend for whom I pushed the family to put her into a proper long term care home - a good one - last fall, has not phoned. I connected with her ex-DIL and find: she has good days and bad days - Thankful she is is a good place! - and her dear house is for sale. I suggested the whole family could get together and buy it and rent the cottage and the house and designate one member - the accountant grandson? It is just under $500,000. The son is upset about it but his alcohol problem has seriously affected his quality of life - that leaves the three competent kids. K thought it was a good idea; I hope I did not open a can of worms!

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Aug 22 - 10:40 AM

The pants from Amazon were strange and not at all like the photo. They are in the bag to be returned later today (dropped off at Kohls where they maintain a drop-off desk, and how ironic is that?) The pants seem to have been designed for a giant - the crotch hangs down around the knees. No self-belt as promised, and alas, they reach to the floor, so the Capri pant photo cannot be presumed to be part of the description. The fabric is nice, but at this point I think I should probably buy my own fabric and make myself a pair. After I snug up the elastic waist on the Kohl's pair of pants (that are the correct length but a little too big at the waist.)

I kind of overdid it yesterday. I could tell about 2/3 of the way through the shopping expedition that the rest was going to be a struggle. It was a combination of knee stiffness and the heat; without the heat advisory it would have been easier. Other than that we had a good trip, and I think my ex had my knee in mind when I offered a couple of other stops and he said no, he'd had enough, knowing in fact that I had. (I was to the point where I'd wait in the car with the AC on full blast.)

Now isn't really a good time to be buying or making many new clothes, because if/when I manage to lose the last 15 of this goal I'll be in yet again a smaller size. Time, I think, to dive into the closet and look for something pants-wise that is too large that can be modified (cut and hemmed to accommodate the knee). I got rid of a lot a while back, but still have some to work with, dressier loose pants in particular. I can re-do the waist to make them fit correctly then do the length part. And this project should give me enough time to listen to the audio book that is due in four days. (I do some calculations while I'm sewing and miss passages, so I'll be repeating some sections, but that's ok. It's easy now with the phone app.)

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Aug 22 - 09:18 AM

Field trip today, with shopping list.

This morning I went out to the fence (where the neighbor gives the dogs their morning treats) to find the dogs because they weren't in the house waiting for me to feed them. (I could see that Cecil was out in the yard, so they were watching in case he decided to give them something extra.) Once I caught Zeke's eye (because he's deaf) he perked up and all of them started moving around the greenhouse and to the back door of the house. Cookie started playing with Zeke - she gives a chew on the leg, a chew on the collar, she nudges him, she gets him stirred up and the old Lab lumbers along happily with the little dog keeping to his pace and skill set. It is wonderful to see; I'm sure that a younger dog engaging in this kind of play is just what he needs. (When Cookie and Pepper go at it they're really rough and will at times draw blood. I have a wound care kit I use on those two.)

Pepper doesn't play with Zeke so much as she keeps an eye on him. She has this loud growl bark she does right in his face to get his attention. And she offers him lots of kisses.

I ran out of corn oil over the weekend and at Aldi I picked it up and OMG it was like $1.50 more than the last time I bought it (I had a spare bottle or two, so it has been a while.) These little reminders that manufacturers and all are seeing scarcity but also some are gouging. I read a Jean Chatzky economics column about changing brands to see if sticking with the original way-more-expensive one is really worthwhile (she compared her old brand of coffee with a less expensive brand and found the new one to be quite good). An expensive bottle of oil does not a recession make (and gas has come down at least that much a gallon between the last time I bought it and what I paid a month earlier.) I stuck with the Aldi corn oil; I'm not interested in rape seed (Canola). It isn't good for you. I buy olive oil that gets used for most things at a Halal grocery in 3-litre bottles. There may be sticker shock the next time, but I do switch brands there (I can't help it, they rarely have the same brands from one trip to the next.) As long as it is from one source and is green EV olive oil I'm set.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Aug 22 - 10:58 PM

I nearly missed a day of dragging the hose and several plants were in a desperate wilted state. I got out there just in time.

The Kohl's pants arrived this afternoon; they're not the best fabric but they will do. They're longer than I hoped so I'll probably have to hem them.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Aug 22 - 11:14 AM

To save myself the bother of going to various stores and looking for loose fitting Capri pants to try on I have ordered another pair, this time from Amazon. Amazon politely hints to me that I should choose the next size up based upon my order history, but I've lost 25 pounds now. Those should arrive tomorrow; the Kohl's pair of pants are still in the wind somewhere. They only charged my credit card over the weekend (I ordered them last week on Monday.)

I dressed this morning in a pair of cotton twill Capri pants hoping they would work to go do volunteer work at the museum, but being seated for two hours in pants that put pressure on the scar isn't going to work. I can pull the hem up over the knee but then it's too snug to be comfortable. I think I'll have to wait till Thursday to do that work, once at lest one of the baggy legged pants arrived. (I wore a pair of lined slacks last week on Monday to a museum training session - they fit ok but were a linen/wool shell over an acetate lining and every time I put much pressure against the lining of the pants I could feel pricks come through from the wool.)

This morning I took a nostalgic tour through three covered plastic bins from the closet top shelf. No short pants in there, and some I saved were from back when I was working so they're more office attire - those will go to Goodwill soon. There are some good blue jeans to put back into service. I wondered why I'm struggling so to find shorts - I had knee surgery two years ago, didn't I solve the loose short pants issue then? But wait - COVID. I didn't go anywhere two years ago so the question never arose. Who knows what I wore, but it didn't matter.

Tomorrow is my first long day out running around since surgery; every other month it starts with my haircut in a town on the north end of the county (following a hair dresser over the years has you sometimes discovering new places) then back down into the town where I used to work for several usual stops. I've asked my ex if he'd like to go on a field trip tomorrow. This tour stops at several stores I usually buy stuff for him, so he can do his own. It also means if I overdo he can drive home. I do need to caution him that an SUV doesn't drive like a Toyota Corolla, and if he takes turns in it the way he does in his car he'll roll the SUV. I also frankly want to keep him engaged; now that he's retired he really doesn't have many outside activities. We're best friends when we're not married to each other. :)