FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Sep 22 - 09:41 PM

Charmion, I asked him how he cleans the rugs - it's an interesting process and he had lots of videos of stages of it on his phone. Pressure washing, a special soap meant for rugs, and a huge roller ringer (like on the old washing machines) followed by drying outside and nights in a warmed space, alternating until it's completely dry. And he had some very tempting rugs for sale there in the shop. (He discourages browsing - there are stacks of rugs that are large and very heavy. "I'm not moving rugs unless they know the size and color they're shopping for.") No kidding!

I have a couple of social events coming up at the end of the month, and my COVID booster will have had time to get up to full strength. One event will be outdoors, so no mask, and one is indoors (I'll still go masked). I'm curious to see if the vaccine is a good match for the circulating versions of this coronavirus but I'm not wanting to catch the thing to test the science.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: JennieG
Date: 16 Sep 22 - 12:56 AM

Indeed, Charmion - the best ever!

My optometrist has hinted that I can expect to need cataract surgery sometime in the next few years, my eyes aren't quite there yet. Two years ago I had eye surgery (although a woman in my sewing group called it 'cosmetic surgery', I soon put her right) as my heavy eyelids were impacting on my vision. Afterwards....I couldn't believe the world was so big and bright! The decrease in vision is a gradual thing so the difference was quite marked. It entailed an eyelid lift, and an eyebrow lift, and lots of stitches and suture lines which are still visible but slowly fading. Not something I would do for vanity.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Donuel
Date: 16 Sep 22 - 07:06 AM

Eyelid hoods are considered a vision problem at some point.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Charmion
Date: 16 Sep 22 - 11:25 AM

Hooded eyes run in one branch of my Dad’s family, and I demonstrate the trait very well. I sincerely hope to avoid surgery — I’ve had quite enough of that, thanks very much — and I think it helps that I had my cataracts removed years ago, which gives me some leeway.

It’s a pity that so many people feel free to criticize the decisions others make about their very own personal bodies. At a certain point, living with a physical anomaly can get so awkward that a procedure that some would call “purely cosmetic” is necessary to the patient’s mental health. The operation to correct drooping eyelids — blepharoplasty, if I recall correctly — is a tricky business that no one with sense would undertake without a very good reason, and an even better surgeon.

A lovely, sunny Friday in Stratford. Today I’m cooking, and trying to identify a good winter spot for the widely spreading Maranta. This house gets two kinds of sunlight: too much and hardly any.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Sep 22 - 12:39 PM

I fear that kind of surgery is in my future - my upper lids have a way of overlapping on themselves that allows milia to form on the upper lid. They are at times uncomfortable. I just did a search and see that Dr. Pimple Popper has an episode with those. Ugg. (I've watched a couple of episodes of that program one time. It's grotesquely fascinating but I think that one time was enough!)

I'm warming to the front yard gardening project, it should be something I can work on comfortably for the next couple of months. After the first freeze, work on warm days can continue. Plus, that kind of exercise is a good full-body workout and after having lost weight I now need to find activities that tone muscles. My fitness tracker doesn't necessarily pick up the full range of gardening activity but I can feel it at the end of the day. I'm within six pounds of my goal at this point.

This week I've added a number of things to the donation bin in my laundry room. I find that this "out of sight, out of mind" system works - the bin contents are taken to Goodwill about once a quarter and if there is something I realize I really did need there is time to retrieve it. In general it confirms that I don't need and won't miss this stuff.

I have more okra to pickle this weekend, and I need to take some soapy insecticide out and spray a few spots where pests have turned up. The summer heat seemed to singe everything that might prey on the plants but they're back for the fall.

This morning I heard from a friend whose grand children are bickering over their father's estate. He died a couple of years ago and there hasn't been an orderly process of handling probate. The older son worked on it for a while but the younger sister didn't respond to his requests they get what they wanted out of the house. So he stopped working on it, the house was cleared of things he wanted or thought were important. I think a lot went to the dump. Now the younger sister (with a greedy manipulative spouse) has gone to court to be named administrator and is insisting the brother bring back everything they emptied. Really? She wants to reclutter and have a do-over on a hoarders house? Her mother and grandmother and I have talked - we're watching from the cheap seats, and hoping they don't end up just making more money for a couple of attorneys. In some ways it's a good thing my kids don't seem to be interested in the stuff in my house; I suspect they'll do an estate sale after I'm gone and all of these family treasures will find new homes. :-(

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Charmion
Date: 16 Sep 22 - 02:52 PM

The "out of sight, out of mind" method has always worked well for me, but it's hard to do if you live in cramped quarters. I certainly never managed it until I had the use of a genuine basement.

When I finish this latest flurry of purging, I'm aiming for maybe two donation surges per year -- or whenever the six-foot folding table in the basement is full, whichever comes first. Sooner or later, I have to come to the end of clothing that I don't wear any more or never did!

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: keberoxu
Date: 16 Sep 22 - 03:09 PM

Whenever I hear of eyelid surgery, I think of, of all people,
the author Salman Rushdie
because he required just that surgery,
for the same reason -- that it was actually impacting his vision.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 16 Sep 22 - 08:37 PM

Well I survived our memory café this afternoon, and our last-minute replacement band were just fantastic. I'm still very chesty and my energy levels are zilch, but I now have a free weekend as Mrs Steve is having a weekend break with her bunch of dancing girls 20 miles down the road in Polzeath (with luck they won't bump into David Cameron, as Polzeath is his favourite watering hole...). The forecast is good so I might catch some vitamin D on our front porch and catch some Beethoven/listen to the birdsong/find someone to squabble with on Mudcat.... Only kidding! :-)

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Senoufou
Date: 17 Sep 22 - 01:42 AM

Steve, I'm a great believer in Vitamin D from the sunshine. Get as much of it as you can. And I hope your energy levels improve very soon. It's awful to be weak and what the Scots call 'peely-wally'.
If you like, I'll have a lovely argument with you on here. Get your fists up!
Seriously though, I do hope you'll feel better very soon.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: JennieG
Date: 17 Sep 22 - 02:03 AM

One side effect from the heavy eyelids that I hadn't thought about, was tiredness. As the nurse explained, your lids have teeny tiny muscles that make them blink and hold them open, which she said explained why my lids felt so tired in the evenings. Those little muscles were working overtime. They aren't now.

When the surgeon measured my eyes and lids prior to surgery he said he would make an incision (makes my toes curl even now when I think about) just above the eyebrows, cut out a wedge of skin and stuff, and sew it back together.....and he said he would need to take out 7-8 millimetres. That's over one quarter of an inch in old money, which will give you an idea of how much they had drooped.

I know surgery isn't fun, Maggie, but if you find you need to have it done - then do it. I for one can recommend it.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Sep 22 - 11:20 AM

JennieG, I guess if I can go in twice to have the doctor saw off bone ends and replace them with titanium pieces and plastic disks, I'm not averse to surgery. But having it right there on your face - I imagine it took a while for things to heal and look normal again?

I made a sale on eBay overnight. The label was on and the parcel closed when the postal carrier drove past this morning so handed it over and saved a trip to the post office. Nice! And another couple of items almost ready to list. It's nickel and dime commerce, I work on them when I have a few minutes to go through the steps, but it adds cash to the bank account every month so is welcome. And - each item leaving the house frees up a little space and lets me see what else I have stacked in there. Plus, I figure this is a niche market, some of these older electronics I sell (in particular). Funny that my last job at the library was in the translation of media, from VHS to digital, etc. And when my father was a librarian decades ago he was the first AV librarian at his institution. It's a family thing, being interested in these old devices. :)

I made a little more progress working under the juniper in the yard yesterday. I still have some more to pull away and while I'm at it I'll prune some of the spikey limbs (cars have pulled close to the shrub on the driveway side and gotten scratched paint). I can see the work as moving from one corner of the yard outward across the space so it's easier to plan the steps.

Now that summer is passing I am turning my attention back to the jigsaw puzzles. Last year I worked them year round; this year I skipped them during the days when that room was so very hot (after the heat pump on that side of the house died and the temperatures soared). Mornings and evenings are ok now for a few minutes of puzzling over the pieces. The heat also did a number on many of my house plants in the window, so I need to repot and trim some of them. We're getting close to the time when I can put in the new heat pump.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Sep 22 - 03:31 PM

The ex and I just returned from a trip over to my favorite discount gourmet store. The strawberries were on the edge of being gone but I snagged 8 pounds for about $9 and I've got half of them washed, trimmed, and in the freezer on a big baking sheet. In a couple of hours I'll bag those and process the next four pounds. And I found some lovely cucumbers so will make brine this afternoon and get set to make fresh Kosher dill pickles.

They had some high-end yogurt there so I've picked up a gallon of it total (it keeps) at $1 a quart (this stuff goes for $5-7 a quart at Whole Foods) and they had some lovely frozen mushroom pizzas that I can add peppers, olives, pepperoni, whatever, and make several meals each. I love this place, but you have to go when you have room to store all of the stuff you buy and be ready to process it right now. And this is why my freezer is pretty much full all of the time. Between this and processing stuff from the garden, I won't starve in a hurry if I stopped shopping tomorrow.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Donuel
Date: 17 Sep 22 - 08:02 PM

A lid job makes people look younger too.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Sep 22 - 10:24 AM

A friend with a chainsaw is probably coming over this afternoon to take out a couple of limbs on the tree I've been pruning. My saws aren't big enough to take these off at the base (it's a multi-stem tree with two of them that were mostly dead wood.)

I'm wondering if Dorothy ended up back in Ontario (I see that note on the Sept. 5 post that is directly above the form on this screen). Is this time to start winterizing, or do you have another month until that starts?

We have a hot week (mid-90s) ahead for the next seven days, after which I see a hint of a chance of rain. Just as well I didn't dismantle the watering setup yet. The huge floodwater mosquitoes seem to have laid their eggs in the soil and subsided for the time being, now it's just the regular variety that affect the timing of yard work.

The strawberries are bagged (a gift to my future self - they get used in smoothies). Changing direction, this morning I'll make some fresh pickles with some beautiful cucumbers found yesterday. They'll be ready in a few weeks, biding their time in the small dorm-size fridge I inherited from a friend a few years ago. I also found some beautiful big carrots yesterday so after I brought those home I proceeded to peel and cook all of the older carrots already here. Those are diced to go on top of the dry dog food.

I need to finish my current audio book and be prepared for some marathon listening - the next one is an unabridged version of a 1000-page mystery. The library has me in the waiting list and I pushed it back a few days so I can finish the current one. If any of you are fans of really reliable storytellers with detective series, Lawrence Block has always been a good one. I'm finishing one of his Matthew Scudder novels before I move on to the next Galbraith tome.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Sep 22 - 05:26 PM

The VHS player I listed last week on eBay has sold, and I have another one ready to list tomorrow. I'm still searching for an online owner's manual for that next one, then I'll dig around the front room and find a box the right size for it.

I have some yard work this afternoon, then some cooking this evening while a load of laundry runs and maybe the dishwasher later. A productive day. Tomorrow is the UK's big pageant as they prepare to bury the queen. I suspect there will be no escaping it here in the US, but that's why they made headphones and audiobooks. And NetFlix. Rather than the funeral, the thing that comes most to my mind is how so many important world leaders will all be in one place at the same time. Seems kind of risky, actually, with the state of the world today.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Sep 22 - 10:59 AM

Joe and Jill made it out of the royal scrum and back to Air Force One safely. Whew!

My house smelled so amazing overnight, after making seven jars of fresh pickles (now doing their brining thing in the fridge) and a batch of marinara sauce that used up all of the little batches of sauce I made over the last week from the funky ugly small tomatoes coming out of the yard. The sauce is for eggplant parmesan. I'll eat some and make the rest into a couple of small casseroles to freeze.

eBay box is ready to hand over to the postal carrier.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Charmion
Date: 19 Sep 22 - 11:06 AM

The Italian prune plums were in the market on Saturday, so today is chutney day in Stratford.

Edmund's No. 2 sister came to visit over the weekend. She's excellent company and an accomplished house guest, but I'm still pretty tired today from doing touristy things with Madeleine. We went to see "Hamlet" on Saturday night and got home very late because the performance was interrupted by a technical problem that trapped Hamlet's father's ghost on a lift under the stage. Fortunately, this production has ripened well since I first saw it early in the season, and Madeleine (ex-high school English teacher) loved it despite the break in the mood. But I finally hit the sack at nearly 2:00 am, then up at 6:30 on Sunday to feed the cats and get ready for church.

Madeleine's train was late, so I made it back to the house at about eight o'clock in the evening. I plunked down in front of the TV and sort of dozed off and on through several episodes of "Midsomer Murders" before finally waking up enough to realize that it was nearly 2:00 am and I still had to organize the garbage and clear the cats' litter-box. I finally got to bed at a quarter to three.

Midnight is the new three o'clock in the morning, folks, and these days I have no business being vertical in the small hours of the night.

However, I must now head out to the supermarket for brown sugar and cider vinegar, and then get that chutney made and bottled -- if I wait till tomorrow, the pears will be mush and the kitchen full of fruit flies. I'll take a nap before choir practice and turn in for the night as soon as I can after.

Why do all this when chutney is to be had at the supermarket? Because I make the best chutney. (False modesty is no modesty at all.)

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Charmion's brother Andrew
Date: 19 Sep 22 - 12:49 PM

I vouch for her chutney!

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Sep 22 - 02:54 PM

How do you use your chutney? Is it like a dip, or to add to cream cheese on crackers, or on meat sandwiches, etc? Is it eaten in copious amounts (like dipping chips in salsa) or small portions?

Limbs cut from vitex out front, thank you Antonio, and I've started pulling the soil and grass back from the first on a list of nine woody plants in the front yard (seven trees, two shrubs) that have too much soil up over their trunk flares. It comes from planting them from nursery containers that were already full of extra dirt over the roots, and who didn't plant trees a little deeper to help them stay upright back in the day? It seems that buried flares kind of smother the trees. I can see holes drilled across the front by woodpeckers going for beetles under the bark, this is a sign of stress in the tree. The guy I work for spearheaded this work in the organic landscaping industry about 10 years ago, and today you can find lots of landscape folks showing how to uncover root flares on YouTube. Unfortunately, most of my trees were planted about 20 years ago.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Charmion
Date: 19 Sep 22 - 03:44 PM

My chutney goes well with strong Cheddar cheese or cold cooked meats in a sandwich or on your fork, and with curries in the style of northern India and Pakistan. I eat it most often with cheese or cold roast chicken.

The first batch is simmering now, and the jars are ready in the canner. The second batch is prepped and ready to go tomorrow, when I’m on the other side of choir practice and I’ve had a good night’s sleep.

After standing all morning to peel and chop five kinds of fruit, my feet hurt and my back is tired.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Sep 22 - 11:03 AM

155 today. This is what I always considered my top weight when I was in my normal range. My target now is 150, though in summers when I was running around a lot as a fire fighter, etc., I probably got down to 145. Never having a scale around at the time, I don't know for sure. When I reach 152 I will have lost 40 pounds. ~ One-fifth of my body weight from last spring. A year ago in the spring I was in the 180s, so my weight even in the heavy times fluctuated; now, my goal is to keep better track of it.

I went for long periods of time not stepping on the scale as if the scale was the enemy, but the data points over the last six months show a steady loss - even during the recovery period after knee surgery, when I was trying to keep my eating to a higher protein content and stay at 1200/day for a few weeks. The programs that use psychology aren't helpful for me - I tried one through my work, paid for with our insurance, and dropped it after a couple of weeks. They went through a series of exercises to try to teach me that my brain would enjoy tiny bites just as much as regular-size bites, and if I took 20 minutes to eat a portion of a meal I'd be doing myself a favor. I'd be wasting a lot of time is what I'd be doing, and look like a fool if I tried it in public. It works for some. I just had to get into a zone where I could tolerate the smaller portions over the course of a day and get enough exercise to burn calories at the same time. And on my eating days of 1200 calories I regularly enjoy a pasta dish or slice of pizza, so I'm not feeling deprived of favorite foods. I read enough mysteries (Lawrence Block has a lot of alcoholic detectives who are in AA) that this takes a page from how he presents alcoholics anonymous - I won't eat a lot of calories today. (The difference is that tomorrow I can have that slice and look forward to it.)

What is Dorothy up to?

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Charmion
Date: 20 Sep 22 - 11:41 AM

The only psychological gimmick that ever helped me lose weight was a diet diary. That works because it prevents you from pretending that you’re not actually consuming an entire day’s worth of calories when you eat a bag of cashews. A good on-line diet tracker such as My Net Diary also keeps you aware of your balance of macronutrients.

Meanwhile, in another part of the forest, I need another pair of jeans and L.L. Bean, my favourite couturier, just opened a store in Waterloo. Hooray!

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Sep 22 - 11:54 AM

I have a pair of flannel-lined LL Bean jeans on a shelf in my closet that I bought years ago. The size was ridiculously small but they seemed to give extra space in the Women's sizes. If I wanted another pair I should order them now, not wait till Winter itself is upon us. Thanks for the reminder! I probably ought to put the first pair on eBay. I lost that weight before the divorce and I was scary skinny when I realized how much weight I'd lost.

I rely on MyFitnessPal to track my macronutrients (Calcium is the important one for me) and one enters food and quantities to track that. I've used it since 2017 for the calcium information, so that habit is well-established, and probably works much like the other app. I sometimes drop in foods to see if they're going to fit for the day and then go ahead and prepare them, so it is an active participant in my diet.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 20 Sep 22 - 09:05 PM

Beaver:

Got here last Weds and did not recover from trip until Sunday. Found Library Internet does not seem to be available; I will ask tomorrow. Trying not to use much, on my “stick”, in the meantime.

What colour is Puce?

So glad I did not have to deal with the Charmion/Fanshawe sort of thing!!

I lost wonderful wool coats to moths in PA; Forgot there were such creatures when I lived at the farm where a lack of heat in winter froze the critters. And, being a slow learner, lost a couple good wool jackets since moving to the house in Chateauguay, which also does not freeze in winter!

Steve: Sorry to hear about your malaise! Sounds pretty scary. But, pray tell, what are biological detergents?? And what on earth is wrong with "wearing sandals, shorts and going barefoot”?

It has been Autumn in this part of Ontario for a week now. Leaves are turning lovely colours and some are dropping. The temps are holding above freezing for now but I shall definitely move into winter mode before I leave - about 3rd of October - Heaters in studio and bathroom and take off screen doors before snow creates difficulty. Swimming pools full of rain have fallen!

The floor in the kiln/tool room has not yet been replaced but BJ came today and we went to the lumberyard for the materials. He hopes to do it on Sunday. I heard that a month ago! - and had hoped it would be ready when I got back! The counters were left in the rain and started warping but he and his friend moved them today. I really need this completed so I can fire the accumulation of greenware and glaze a couple loads before I leave. I need to plan a way to leave finished ware available for the shop's Christmas season as I do not know when I shall be back. My plan includes staying for the 7 to 11 Cafe on last Friday and getting back to QC for the Brysonville School Revisited on the first Friday.

There is so much greenware, the baker’s rack on which I store it is more than half filled but I hope to get more made in any case. I don’t know when I will be back. The trip is clearly becoming more difficult for the aging bod. Today, neighbour Larry came with his trailer and a friend to remove the larger wheel and some of the brownish clay that needs to be re-claimed. I just find it takes too much out of my shoulders to do the wedging. I am upping my intake of MSM/GS to offset increasing discomfort but will not aggravate it by wedging. The lack of this wheel leaves more space in the studio for glazing/mixing glazes. I will stick to using white clay for a while.

The house in Chateauguay reached a moderate level of clean before son and friend arrived. We had an excellent visit, stress-free! My son’s whole being is de-cluttered with the lack of the albatross and the addition of a more suitable partner in his life. He is relaxed and HAPPY! Both my sons are happy - what a gift!   I was not able to give them things - as they have been working to fit two households into one. Tenley did choose two nice pieces of fabric to take along. And a beautiful Sari given me by my mother about 40 years ago. I hope she gets more use of it than I did! At that time, I would have appreciated a bit of cash, not an expensive sari. Aside from my birth, it was the only thing she gave me that I valued; I am very glad that Tenley loves it. It was still in the plastic bag in which I received it!

I tried to give son a beautiful wooden box he made in high school and gave me; I wanted to be sure he got it back. He preferred to know that I still had it and treasured it. I do! I suppose I can put a note in it so that it will be returned to him eventually. At 85, I am deeply concerned about this sort of thing. I still treasure a few small pieces from my grandmother.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Sep 22 - 10:20 PM

This evening I made eggplant Parmesan that was amazing - it used just one one-pound fruit from the garden and I fried in the large square electric skillet to fit the slices more in easily. The marinara was homemade using a bunch of small homegrown tomatoes I turned to sauce. The Ex came over for dinner and we each assembled these on our plates and melted fresh mozzarella cheese on top of the eggplant rounds in the toaster oven. Sauce heated in microwave added, then Parmesan grated on top for one last little broil before moving it on a hot pad to the table. The dishwasher is now full and I closed the door else dogs decide to start licking plates in there. Leftover fried eggplant (and I did some breaded chicken as well) to make into more meals.

Dorothy, I hope they get your floor put back in place soon (and am glad it was discovered before catastrophe hit). It's nice to see all of the steps you go through to prepare for cold weather. We're in the last third of September but tomorrow is supposed to reach 100^o so outdoor work isn't very appealing and I have to water the garden every couple of days. Once it gets cold here, switch the thermostat on the heat pump from cool to heat. Preparations finished.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 21 Sep 22 - 04:43 AM

Dorothy, biological detergents, mainly used in washing machines, contain enzymes which attack stains caused by grease, protein, fruit juice and starchy stuff. You can wash at slightly lower temperatures. The enzymes can upset the vital bacteria in the septic tank (which break down the organic matter). Non-biological detergents are what our forebears always used! They are always labelled "non-bio" in the UK as far as I know. Arguably, bleach is even worse for septic tanks. We have never obsessed over our septic tank but over 35 years we have routinely avoided bio detergents and used only minimal amounts of bleach. We tend to clean excessive grease from pans and plates with kitchen paper towels before washing up and we never flush non-degradable stuff down the toilet (wet wipes, cotton buds, tampons, etc.), never a problem for us but we have to "educate" visitors, which be a tad awkward! It doesn't take much to cause problems. Lots of baths, showers, washing up, machine washes and other domestic water use close together can slightly and temporarily overwhelm the system, and we get a slight whiff from the outflow occasionally when we have a houseful of family, but on the whole the system is very resilient. And we don't pay sewerage charges, which has saved us tens of thousands over the years. The whiff doesn't bother us as we have large pig and chicken farms close by, and when the wind is in the wrong direction...

As for the shorts, sandals and bare feet, it's thought that cellulitis (which is caused by bacteria that normally live on our skin in harmony) gain access via little cuts, scratches and insect bites to deeper layers of skin. Well I garden in shorts and sandals most of the time and I should think I get about a thousand nicks every summer, most of which I'm never even aware of, and I get bitten by horseflies dozens of times a day between June and August. As they itch for ten minutes (I'm blessed in that regard) I ignore them ((mozzies are a bit different, and if they're around I use a repellent). Somehow, from now on I can see myself being a bit more careful but not exactly changing the habits of a lifetime...

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 21 Sep 22 - 04:45 AM

By the way, I'm well into recovery mode and am gardening again. The weather is lovely. Cheers for the good vibes!

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Charmion
Date: 21 Sep 22 - 08:37 AM

The cats are fighting. This is new.

They’re litter-mates, and never once crossed paws before this summer. But a few weeks ago, in the middle of the night, such a barney erupted that I thought a weasel must have invaded the house. No weasel — it was a family spat. I went to the Y in the morning with an unquiet mind, but relaxed when I came home to find them curled up together in the No 2 comfy chair.

Last night it happened again, this time apparently triggered by the appearance of a strange brown tabby outside the patio door that set Isobel swearing and swatting at the glass. Having seen off the intruder (who never intruded), Isobel then turned on her lounging brother, chased him upstairs with much spitting and yelling, and kept up the hostility all night. Close-quarter battle resumed this morning when Watson crept downstairs for breakfast, and I think I’ll have to let them settle it themselves. But I’m thinking it might be time to consult the vet.

Autumn is taking over in Stratford, too, although it’s still uncomfortably warm at the peak if the day. At night the temperature drops below 10°C, and everything is shrouded in ground mist at sunrise when the air is chillier than the soil. The geese and ducks have yet to start forming up for migration, however, so it’s not quite time to dig out the wool socks.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Sep 22 - 10:35 AM

Charmion, I had a Siamese mix cat when I moved to the apartment after divorce and it had nice long windows so he could sit and look out, along with sliding glass doors onto a small deck. Usually if other cats came by he hissed and complained, but there was one little cat he seemed charmed by. She turned out to be a stray, and we ended up adopting her because he approved. (It still took a little negotiating once she was in the house, with the cats separated in different rooms for a few days, and one morning I opened the room door and opened the kennel door. I realized they were okay when I heard him peeing in her box, then a little while later, she took a dump in his box.) One of your cats may have decided they want to make friends with the outside cat while the other has expressed reservations.

Odd dream right before waking this morning: that I'd forgotten to set the alarm or to do the usual Saturday night tasks I do for my part-time job (there is a radio show on Sunday mornings and I set up the online stuff ahead of that broadcast). I sat up out of the dream, struggled to get the phone and was 3/4 through a message while turning on the computer, saying I'd put everything up in a couple of minutes when I realized . . . it's Wednesday. Whew. Message not sent.

More clothes into the donation bin. Yoga pants aren't really sized in normal human sizes; when I was large I used XL, but now that I've gotten back down to what I consider a "medium" size I'm shopping for Capri-style yoga pants size L. I wore a new pair yesterday and those are plenty snug.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Sep 22 - 02:33 PM

Though I had something else in mind to do this afternoon, I seem to have waded into the piles of paper and am ruthlessly shredding, adding to the box for recycling, or filing. Mostly the first two. Also some virtual discarding of files set up while I was taking a docent training program. There's a lot of duplication, notes from past exhibits, and stuff I just never needed to keep. It makes going in to find the most current document I need (a list of tour stops and the highlights at each) harder to find. So getting rid of the rest or putting it in a "finished" folder out of the way (so if I do have to dig back through it is still there somewhere). Computers didn't do a thing to reduce the amount of paper at my house, quite the opposite.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Charmion
Date: 22 Sep 22 - 12:02 PM

The war between the cats continues. Isobel just leapt off my lap to chase Watson upstairs to the library where he has been hunkered down since Tuesday. There’s no food, water or litter box upstairs. I have no idea where this will end.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 22 Sep 22 - 12:40 PM

Beaver:

Dealing with lack of energy, some due to heavy weather,- lots of green tea has helped some. Enough energy today to consider how to get this place clean. May or may not follow through.

Steve: Can you tell me more explicitly what a bio or non-bio is! I mainly use Dr. Bronners Tea tree oil soap for everything but laundry. Very careful not to put anything in septic, paper bag to catch tissue. That eventually goes into fire. Wipe out grease and put it out for critters if there is much, or in fire. Tide Free and clear for laundry - the only one I have found so far that is safe for me. By the way, cuts are treated with a drop of pure tea tree oil first. But this week's - vitamin E oil had to suffice, and has.

Still hoping for new floor on Sunday- which I hope will energize me to do more. Need to go back to Dupont in first week of October. Pick up, and thaw, Turkey for CA thanksgiving on 10th - or whenever we decide to do it!

Cold starting today - not going to 70 and going down to a few degrees above freezing. Will start fire in stove this eve, when solar gain quits gaining! Lots more rain last couple days and sound and light shows.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 22 Sep 22 - 01:20 PM

From Persil's website (bearing in mind that they sell the stuff...)

Bio? Non-Bio? What’s the Difference?

Whether you’re tossing up the difference between bio and non-bio laundry liquid or choosing between bio or non-bio capsules and washing powders, you need to first know what defines each of them.

What is biological detergent? Biological clothes detergent contains enzymes that help break down the fatty, greasy, and starchy compounds that are found in some of the most common clothing stains such as pasta sauces, bike oil, and hamburger grease. These enzymes work to lift the stains out of fabrics, making them excellent stain removers and a very welcome addition to laundry detergents, turning stain removal into a quick and easy task.
What is non-biological laundry detergent? Non-biological detergents do not contain these enzymes and can be kinder next to sensitive skin which makes them popular with families who have sensitive skin. Good non-bio detergents, like Persil, still contain powerful cleaning agents that will ensure your clothing comes out of the washing machine clean and fresh, you just might need to use a slightly higher temperature when washing with non-bio detergents – especially when tackling particularly tough stains.
As you can see, the main difference between bio and non-bio washing powders, liquids, and capsules is their use of enzymes.

What are the Advantages of Bio Detergent?

The advantages of bio detergents are undoubtedly their powerful stain removal. Biological clothes detergent contains enzymes that enzymes work to lift even the toughest the stains out of your clothes, like grass or chocolate ice cream. They remove stains first time, even in a quick wash at 30 degrees. This can help you to save time and energy but also helps to powerfully clean your clothes and bedding without turning the temperature high, which can damage more delicate fabrics.

If your kids are active (and messy), you can toss their soiled laundry into the machine with any Persil Bio detergent for a quick clean!

What are the Advantages of Non-Bio Detergent?

While the enzymes found in biological detergents are great at stain removal, they could cause mild reactions in those with very sensitive skin. If enzymes remain on clothing after a wash and rubs against the skin, some people may notice a mild reaction – however, this is rare.

The enzymes used in biological detergents are not used in soaps and body cleansers, etc., only in laundry detergents.

Note that Persil forget to mention that biological detergents are bad for septic tanks!

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Donuel
Date: 22 Sep 22 - 08:34 PM

I got shot twice in the back of the Safeway grocery store for flu and Covid Omicron today.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Sep 22 - 08:53 PM

Dorothy, it's like using Biz instead of a non-Chlorine bleach. The enzymes are what make the cleaning happen instead of simply bleaching out stains.

Since this is a regular eating day I let myself have ice cream for dessert in a measured portion. I have to buy it in small containers because it is one of those irresistible foods if I'm not really careful. Part of my "have favorite things on regular eating days so I don't feel deprived on fasting days" plan. But count the calories.

Pickled okra making tomorrow after I bought more vinegar today. I have other pickles I'd like to make also, but okra is most urgent because the plants are really producing right now.

Last weekend I got some fresh ginger hands and am going to start making tea with them. I'll keep them in the fridge for a little while, though they need to go into the freezer soon. I'm thinking of slicing then freezing, and using a slice in with a bag of green tea. The gardening guru I listen to on weekend swears by slices of ginger in his tea. Figuring out how thick of a slice will be the goal before I slice then freeze.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 22 Sep 22 - 09:54 PM

Beaver:

No idea what Biz is! Sorry about Steve's treatise which did nothing to clarify; no idea what it is saying. I only want the basic fact of "this" or "that"! I have no idea what is or is not "bio" this or that! Never use bleach - maybe once in a few years if desperate situation. Chlorine makes me sick! Most household cleaners make me sick. Even ones allegedly "green". Ivory snow used to be my choice, with borax added for extra cleaning power. Doubt it exists anymore. Was it safe for the septic?

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Sep 22 - 11:00 PM

I looked up Borax - as long as it is for simple household cleaning it seems to be ok, but too much can harm the biological activity in the tank. If borax is sprinkled on soil it kills plants and not much will grow back until it eventually washes away. You can buy a big box of Boraxo borax for a couple of dollars. (Twenty Mule Team is still around!)

Biz. It was one of the very first enzyme products I remember being advertised in the US.

This afternoon I visited a couple of stores and wasn't able to find Ball's Pickle Crisp in stock. Maybe everyone in North Texas is making pickles right now and has cleared out the stores. I have an 11-year-old jar that is caked so hard I have to chip at it to get any to use. It's time for a new one and I had to order it on Amazon. It's granules of calcium chloride. I also had to try a couple of places to get a few ounces of dill seed, but did get some. Again for pickles.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Charmion
Date: 23 Sep 22 - 08:22 AM

Forecast high yesterday was 13°C; today it’s 15°C. Last night’s low was 2°C and first frost may hit us tonight. I arose this morning to 17°C in the house and started up the furnace.

Summer is definitely over.

When the neighbour kid who mows my lawn came by to get paid, we talked about the abrupt change in the weather. I mentioned that Thursday was the equinox (so it should be no surprise), and she asked what an equinox is. Likewise she had never heard of a solstice. I explained, in words of one and two syllables, and she went off shaking her head and saying Wow.

Holy cats! What other basic information about life on Earth are the schools ignoring these days? And what do they talk about instead?

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: keberoxu
Date: 23 Sep 22 - 10:38 AM

Dorothy,
you never saw the television commercial adverts for Biz?
I remember seeing them, and I was a child at the time.
Eddie Albert was on camera doing the advertising.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Sep 22 - 11:23 AM

Don, Good for you! I spaced them out over a couple of weeks (the time I got both shots on the same day, one in each arm, I realized my mistake at bedtime when I couldn't roll onto either arm comfortably to go to sleep.)

Highs of 97^o (36.1) forecast for the next 3 days, then a bit of cooling.

I've had one of those three-tier wire basket and chain things around forever that I always thought would be so handy in the kitchen but I don't actually have anyplace good to hang it. I came across it in a cupboard recently and for now I think I'll hang it in the greenhouse. Plenty of places to hang it out there. I remember being pleased when I found it, I think at an import store, and it's one of those items I can't use but am not ready to donate. (I wonder how it would hold up if I added three of those coconut fiber liners and put plants in it?)

I found a good sale online for a multi-pack of the best size of underwear after trying others in the last couple of months. I ordered it for in-store pickup because they gave me extra dollars off (versus walking into the store and buying at the register. Go figure.) I then found another bra in the right size and last night I did another deep dive into the dresser. Tossed all of the old Victoria's Secret undies that are too small (and have been at the back of the drawer for years—I'm never going to lose that much weight - that was an aberration at the time of depression and divorce). A nice but too small bra joined more too-big yoga pants in the donation bin. A couple of the shorts purchased at the time of this summer's surgery are also too big now. I'll split the difference, donate one and pack the other in the bin with a few pairs of that larger size. (I can wear the pants with a belt and they look ok with a shirt covering the waist.)

My Amazon order will arrive tomorrow so I've chipped enough of the pickle crisp loose in the jar to make some pickled okra this morning. It will be nice to simply dip the 1/8 teaspoon measure without having to juggle the little balls of calcium chloride and rounding them up on the counter. It doesn't take much but it improves the texture markedly. And here's a pickle pro-tip: if you use tap water in your pickle brine the chlorine will turn the garlic in the pickles "smurf blue." I have been using distilled water but it finally dawned on me that the purified water from Costco doesn't have any chlorine in it so I can tip a bottle of that in with the vinegar and save myself the trouble of finding a gallon bottle of distilled water. (Meanwhile for small amounts of distilled water I make my own for use in the steam iron to prevent lime buildup on the faceplate. I use the steam juicer with ice on the lid.)

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 23 Sep 22 - 03:59 PM

Beaver:

Took off screen doors and stored in back shed; managed to close the two difficult windows, for the winter. Sorted through stuff on back deck (from kiln room) to dry out kiln shelves in the sun! Found the heater for the bathroom. Moved shelves into studio, which is now heated! Today: solar heated! Went to make sure kiln was better covered before rain starts again; found vital piece has gotten seriously bent by someone's carelessness; ordered new piece. NOT happy. So far, this guy who was so gung ho to fix the kiln room floor has cost me two weeks of not being able to work, a warped counter and considerable stress. And the essential piece that I shall have to spend time replacing- after it arrives! Put a better cover over the kiln. Back deck is as good as I can get it without the floor...

Too depressed to work, I tried calling someone cheerful - anyone! One answer elicited both friends have Covid after a trip to Newfoundland. The other told me last month's problems and a very poorly handled attempt to help a friend with bedbugs - repeated 3 times at least....... Gary was more cheerful about the Covid! The bedbug thing has never been a big deal for R - no poison sprays, just DE.

Went to hospital yesterday seeking help to get booster; Very nice woman made the dreaded phone call - I loved seeing her expressions as she listened to the interminable message! But it worked! Today I got a call and an appointment for next Thursday! My call last week elicited naught.

Did laundry and drying it in house as the umbrella thingy is hopelessly tangled; need Robin! My brain quit in total overload.

Never heard of Bix, never saw that TV program - or most others. Will not use borax (ty!). Still have no idea what is the preferred substance. Enzymes are not mentioned on my detergent. I cannot go in the detergent section of the market without a protective mask and, even then, would not stay long enough to read anything. I just grab what I know I am not allergic to and get out! There have been times when I had to ask someone else to do it for me. Is the baking soda/vinegar idea - to clear drain - a bad idea also?

BJ said Sunday but it is going to rain- all week. I will just keep reading novels.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Sep 22 - 05:13 PM

I hope you get all of that sorted out, Dorothy.

Paperwork from summer knee surgery is rolling in - I didn't use the standard spinal block they usually administer, asked for general anesthesia. And like the first surgery, they apparently don't have time to administer a femoral block into that nerve above the affected knee prior to the end of anesthesia (it gives you a few days free of the knee pain before it is removed). However, I find several notations on the bill regarding that procedure. I saw an xray ages ago in relation to a check before doing it, but it went no farther. Part of the bill shows two "self-injectable" drugs Medicare won't pay for—I think those are part of that block. If I get a bill I'm going to give the anesthesiologist one chance to retract all of those charges and remove my participation from it or I'll report it to Medicare. I wonder if my doctors would ever work with me again.

Box delivered to post office, the last of the recyclables dropped at the city hall bins. I have another box I keep forgetting to send, but probably don't have time to finish it today.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Sep 22 - 10:15 PM

That tour that has bugged me forever is now behind me. I ended up being a stand-in for the fellow I work for in my other volunteer work at the museum and was able to answer some questions about that end of the museum. It went well. Truth be told, this is a huge weight lifted after dealing with the gaslighting of the staff member who used to be in charge of this program. I took my mask off for the tour, but we were in a big open space and I hope that worked in all of our favor.

I'm finding ways to get out that allow me to still maintain some distance and wear masks when needed. I went to a guitar concert on Friday (where I sat, masked, in the back away from people) and on Monday have tickets to a speaker's series on my old campus. Dinner with a friend and then well-spaced seats will work.

I pulled down another bin from the upper shelf in the closet this morning, wondering if I had a pair of black dress slacks. Nope. Not in size 12 (two in size 10 - I doubt I'll get there, but I'm not tossing them yet.) I wore black jeans for the tour. Slacks may be something I need to buy for general special occasion use; I'll start at the thrift store before heading to the department store outlet. I found some great stuff there earlier this month. Before I shop I need to poke around in the front room and see if I have any boxes of slacks in there—I remember setting some aside to sell but may not have listed. (They may have been taken to Goodwill.)

The next couple of days are for catching up in the kitchen, emptying the big compost bins into the pile in the back, and getting stuff put out at the curb for trash day. I have some extra limbs again this week but think they can go in the can and be picked up (as opposed to being in the stack last week to go in bulky waste.)

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Sep 22 - 04:02 PM

Since Charmion mentioned looking for jeans at LL Bean I thought I should see about ordering a pair of their flannel-lined jeans while they're still in stock. So many choices, straight leg, skinny leg, "true shape," and whatever the heck "boyfriend jeans" are. And then there are the lengths. So I headed to my closet with the tape measure. I've disaccessioned one pair that fit but was always short (turns out it wasn't just because I was plump and they'd get longer as I lost weight, they were a thrift store pair that were sized petite) and pulled out a couple more size 12 to measure the inseam. 30" is what I've been wearing. Then I poked into the end of the closet shelf and pulled out the folded pair of LL Bean flannel lined jeans. Women's size 8 tall. Probably my compromise to myself when I was shopping and wore size 10 because they were short on my actual size, I would roll up the cuffs (I probably shopped by measurements). But damned if I didn't manage to pull them on and fasten them. They're a little snug but not uncomfortable; possibly relaxed fit. So word to the wise - your "normal size" may be too big in the LLBean jeans.

I just saved myself $79. But they are really really nice jeans.

Dorothy, "puce" is a type of purple.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 25 Sep 22 - 05:12 PM

Beaver:

The sub-structure for floor is complete and looks solid. Plywood promised for tomorrow. Woke up feeling good today and did a number of small things that improved things. Things my brain fog could not manage are getting done. Cooked a frozen lasagna and a couple squash for the guys, then they decided to go home; we can eat it tomorrow after the floor is done and the counters back in place - hopefully. Then I can replenish the wood supply in house - just in time! The wood pile is blocked by the counters for the kiln room.

Rec'd pics of Son's new under construction home with great view of Puget Sound. They expect to move in for Christmas, 60 years after we moved into the house in PA for Christmas. They have planned it to suit their aging bodies so we can hope they will be there a long time.

Cleaned up the studio, ready to get potting. Cannot fire until I receive (in mail), and figure out how to install the bent rod. I will start with the less critical bisque firing - with lots of hope and stress.

Heavy frost on windshield yesterday am, but milder today and expected for a few days. Raining steadily all afternoon, expected for next few days. House is cosy.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: keberoxu
Date: 25 Sep 22 - 05:48 PM

Charmion, is Isobel still waging war on Watson,
or is there peace between the house panthers?

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Charmion
Date: 26 Sep 22 - 04:44 PM

We’re having a domestic Cold War, now, keb. I think Isobel wants to apologize, but Watson won’t let her; when she gets close, he growls and hisses. He spends most of his time on my bed, and I play Berlin Airlift a couple of times a day, carrying him down to the kitchen and feeding him on the counter.

The vet prescribed a tranquillizer for Watson, but the dose is two capsules twice a day. I can get one capsule into him, but not two — even Watson won’t tolerate two. The other option is a pheromone treatment called Feli-Way that had to be ordered from Toronto and has yet to arrive.

Détente can’t come fast enough for me.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Sep 22 - 12:43 AM

I realized there were no black slacks in the closet so again pulled down a bin from the shelf to try on pants. There were two pair of dressy slacks and one of them fits so I've saved myself a shopping trip. I also hung up a few more pair of jeans (good brands that I held onto even when they didn't fit). I didn't buy the LL Bean jeans but I have put a comparable Eddy Bauer pair into use.

Today was an eating day and a special event day - a friend and I went to dinner then to an evening lecture. I would swear this guy knows every wonderful little restaurant in town so it was pleased that I could introduce him to a New Jersey submarine sandwich shop (in business since 1980). It was a delight to see him read through the lists of all of the sandwiches they make (they have names and/or numbers) with the usual sandwich meats, but also peppered beef, salami, pastrami, sausage, pepperoni, and other named meats, mostly Italian, that I couldn't tell you what they are except they're found on antipasto trays. Cheeses, marinated red bell peppers, topped with "the works" - onions, tomatoes, spices, oil and vinegar. This is a gift that keeps on giving, because I know in the next few weeks he'll go back to try other sandwiches.

A delivery today of a phantom Amazon order - something I never thought I ordered (I was looking at the category to find the size bottle I've previously ordered), and not a quantity or price I would consider. It must have been a misplaced keystroke, and it seems it can't be returned, so it got a really scathing review. Really odd.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 27 Sep 22 - 05:34 AM

Speaking of Amazon, last week I received a box from them containing two backscratchers, each the size of an average tin whistle. The box was easily big enough to have held a large microwave oven and was padded out inside with huge amounts of scrunched-up brown paper.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Charmion
Date: 27 Sep 22 - 07:49 AM

A box that size could well come in handy, Steve, and Amazon boxes this end are usually sturdy. You might end up liking it better than the back-scratchers.