DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 May 23 - 09:59 PM

We're back to one paragraph posts this evening or you get 505. It's time to launder lap quilts and blankets because we have suddenly switched to warm muggy nights. It's too muggy to dry laundry on the line, but after this wet spell passes I'll go back to drying sheets at least on the line. There is an under-bed zipper plastic bag I use to store these blankets when they aren't in use.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 May 23 - 09:57 PM

The front lawn is mostly mowed, but I left one area where I sprayed a strong vinegar on some of the weeds - I'll mow it tomorrow after I look to see which plants were affected by this organic mixture. I can feel in my arms the exercise of mowing with the bag catching clippings to start a side-yard compost area(it gets really heavy when the grass is wet), plus I pulled a lot of the native sunflowers that were springing up all over. I left a few, but most are now tossed in with the compost clippings. This was a full-body workout.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: keberoxu
Date: 13 May 23 - 09:49 PM

What I'm decluttering now, are books. The CDs will have to wait.
Thankfully there are book drops for charitable organizations that sccept donations of second-hand books. I'm haunting those book drops . . .

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Charmion
Date: 13 May 23 - 01:02 PM

I imagine I will keep two shelves of CDs, or about 20 percent of the music recordings stashed in the basement. Brother-in-law No. 3 has already weeded out the ones he likes, filling several large shopping bags, and thus freed me of Edmund’s Dylan collection and the works of John Prine. (A little of those gentlemen goes a long way with me.) If only he liked Motown, and folk-rock played with thumping drums and little subtlety, much of my work would be done by now.

Brother No. 2 and wife are ensconced in the guest room. All going well …

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 May 23 - 01:20 AM

The Moderna booster I got a couple of weeks ago is apparently part two of the booster I got last September. The previous immunizations were all from Pfizer, but I thought the Moderna formula this time sounded more robust.

As I change my address from the post office to the house I'm to the updating stationary part of the project: business cards, personal checks, etc. After I retired I needed new business cards so in 2019 I got them through Office Depot, but their system has changed. Either upload a finished design of your own or they want you to design it on their site using Canva. I don't need anything fancy, but I still want it to be attractive. Their Canva offerings are limited with fewer interesting templates now. I prefer Photoshop and Bridge for opening and working on files, and I have a good scanner, so I created a 600dpi file of my current card to tweak, change the text, then I'll upload and reprint. The background art (separate from the text, making this easy) has art that reminds me of the Truffula Trees in the Lorax.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Donuel
Date: 12 May 23 - 10:05 PM

This week is a cut-off to get the Omicron variant booster vaccine to be able to get the newest vaccine coming in August. They should remain at least 6 months apart. This would apply to the elderly with another immunity risk factor. Everyone else could just get the new booster with their August flu shot.

The N15H Bird flu has jumped to mammals which raises the risks to people, but so far so good.

source: Dr. Fauci

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 May 23 - 07:15 PM

The "lost" wallet was sitting out in plain sight and discovered this afternoon—whew!

I've started on the front beds, pulling out some of the grass tangles then digging up small trees, one of them about 3' tall and a bit of a struggle. They should survive and will be offered to anyone who needs a tree. I could just lop them off, as I usually do, but every now and then one of these squirrel-planted trees will have interesting leaves (oaks, generally) and I'll pot them. More tomorrow morning.

Charmion, you might slip some of those CDs into your family members' luggage. I hope your visit is going well.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 12 May 23 - 05:58 PM

lost socks! gotta watch out for that Sock Bandit!!

Charmion - I had 600 CDs & was not playing them so sorted them ruthlessly & kept 2 shelves worth which I now play regularly. I gave 250 Oz CDs (including CDs from friends) to friend who has an Oz music show on community radio, Ozcatter GerryM got those of my Mudcatter CDs he didn't have for his community radio show + anything else he wanted, really not a great lot.

Some went to charity shops (6 per shop) & the rest (not too many) are with my folk club & used as lucky door prizes. The very theatrical draw by one of the performers is the highlight of the evening - drum rolls & air guitar etc - happy winners sit down with second hand CDs, someone once left early so the ticket holder who groaned they had the next number was told that was good enough ...

This was my largest downsizing - so much more needs rehoming ...

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 May 23 - 01:19 PM

I hit a goldmine in classical music CDs at a garage sale a dozen years ago or more, when I found a bin full and the woman came up and said "We'll never sell those, they're all classical. You can have it for $20.) I scrambled to get to the corner gas station, get cash from their ATM, and handed my $20 over just as someone else was heading to the bin. I sorted it, over 300, no duplicates (except I had a few of them myself already) - I think it was from someone who taught music appreciation or something, there were in several cases different versions of the same thing, to examine how conductors interpret works. Anyway, my CDs are mostly contained. It's the ones I inherited from Dad that are kind of all over.

After a couple of days of drizzle I'm headed into the yard today to do some weeding. I picked up several bags of mulch yesterday and any weeds from front yard beds will be going into their own compost pile not in the Geobin in the back (it would fill up too quickly). I'm thinking it's time for a side yard compost area again.

My favorite thrift store is moving, and will have a sale this weekend. I need to head over briefly today and see where they are moving to: I hope they plan to stay in the neighborhood. I'm thinking there is a larger vacant grocery store they might be moving to (fingers crossed - I've always wished someone would use that space.)

Oops. Plans may have just changed. My recently-departed house guest has lost her wallet. I must go scour the house in anyplace she sat or set down her purse and see if it turns up. I'm sure it isn't here because she bought a train ticket after leaving my house - but I'll look anyway. Yesterday I found a pair of socks she left behind.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Charmion
Date: 12 May 23 - 09:45 AM

Good for you, Sandra!

I just got started on our massive accumulation of CDs, and I have already ground to a halt.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 12 May 23 - 06:43 AM

code enforcement guy ???? does your grass know it's not allowed to grow too long?

Today I downsized almost all of one of my smaller collections, 27 of my 28 LPs went to the Record Shop & I got lotsa' money as one is very valuable. Bloke didn't know it, it was released in 1971 & I bought a used copy some years later & played it for years till I started buying CDs in the late 90s. Fortunately it came out as a CD in 2003 a few years after I gave away my record player & I've now worn it out - the last track is very wobbly (sob!) fortunately it's on youtube It's been discussed on mudcat in the past

28th LP needs copying as it has never been released on cassette or CD.

only a zillion books & other stuff to downsize ...

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 May 23 - 12:37 AM

I spent the evening decluttering my house guest's new bathrobe of 4 1/2" off the bottom. She's about 5' tall and the new robe was way too long, even after she cut off one of the two bottom ruffles. I tidied that raw line then made a big tuck and top stitched it so the remaining ruffle looks like it was originally attached at that point.

It rained all day so no yard work - the lawn is getting tall and the code enforcement guy put a note on my door yesterday. Thing is, the grass isn't too tall but the taller weeds in the garden never get mowed and I haven't pulled them yet. I called and left a message asking just what he takes issue with - haven't gotten an answer back yet. I have until the 19th so I suppose I could wait until the day before just to drive his little OCD self nuts. My yard never stays within in the lines or conforms to the yards around me. And that is on purpose.

This week I've started doing my two home exercise programs in the afternoon, something best done during daylight hours, not before bedtime. My back and knees feel better with the regular workouts.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 May 23 - 06:01 PM

I've baked a couple of types of muffins this week for guests and in the process standardized my recipes; the zucchini bread baked as muffins comes out to 22 muffins for what would otherwise be 2 loaves of bread. I can weigh the muffins and know how many calories per that weight and do the math if later I make loaves and cut a slice. I also made blueberry muffins, standard measures (1/4C of batter per muffin). Both entered in MyFitnessPal with salt substitute and I'll be making and freezing some of these for my healthy snacks in the future.

Tonight my guest wants to buy dinner and I haven't persuaded her to let me cook instead, so we'll order from a Szechuan place, and after researching sodium on their menu, I'll eat at the edge of the menu - a couple of egg rolls and some crab rangoon. It feels a little decadent, eating appetizers for dinner. I'll have salad and steamed vegetables here also. I'll miss the hot and sour soup, but one bowl has a day's worth of sodium and I've been unhappy about it for ages anyway, they haven't been putting in the vinegar for the "sour" part.

I've set up to do more eBay stuff this week since rain is in the forecast. Dorothy sent me a link to an estate sale - thank goodness it's too far from either of us to attend - very organized house and an amazing amount of art supplies and good furniture. But those views of ever horizontal surface filled with china, glassware, and tchotchkes makes me think (again) I must thin out what I have here.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Charmion
Date: 10 May 23 - 02:18 PM

Brother Andrew and his wife arrive tomorrow from Ottawa, and by then I have to get the house more or less clean and stock the pantry and fridge for feeding people who don't live on frozen fish. They are staying at least a week -- at least that's the plan.

During that week, I have two performances on Saturday, a dress rehearsal on Friday, and a choir board meeting on Monday that includes managing a crisis over the conductor's contract, which he decided to rewrite last night. (I could just wring his neck, for his terrible timing if nothing else.) I'm also supposed to go to the theatre and have fun with the relatives.

The garden is still a wreck, but Georgia mowed the lawn so it's not obvious to the casual passer-by.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 09 May 23 - 10:50 PM

Dupont:

MAnaged to throw a few pots - I think that was Friday. Sunday I was getting around to the trimming when R came home about 4 and suggested we go to the Mill to try to collect some pottery stuff that I needed and also get a handle on clearing stuff and taking a better look at what I had - and have to deal with getting out of there to here if I ever manage an area to put it.

Happily found some things I need and put all the fabric stuffs in a plastic bag to wash and decide what to do with - towels and potting clothes. Also some stuff to go to Beaver for the thrift shops and the homeless. Loaded the car- R brought a few boxes of his books - The are everywhere! And got home before dark!

Really sick on Monday - prob from the toxic air at the mill -and pots still not trimmed, no weeds whacked, nothing planted. I DID get the tires changed today!!!! Put the winter tires in the back yard for R to place somewhere. Loaded most of what needs to go Beaver. And have decided to stay one more day to tend to some garden stuffs since I won't be back until June and it will be too late to plant veggies! Nice selection of plants available - I went to pick up something for an outdoor planter and was amazed at what is availble - hence plan to go back tomorrow for whatever I fancy.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 May 23 - 11:19 AM

In February 2021 when we had that horrible long freeze and the neighbor ran their generator he refilled all of his gas cans, but didn't add stabilizer. This morning I heard his mower running rough and asked if it was tuneup time and he said he's trying to use the old gas, but it messed up the carburetor. I need to look around and see if there is someplace he can safely offload some of that. It might be the Fort Worth site will take it if my ex goes along with his water bill and driver's license. I have paint to take over there anyway, so we can check first.

Company arriving today, kind of a hit-and-run operation as she does stuff with her son (for his birthday today) much of the day. Gives me more time to pick up before she lands for real in the evening (early on they'll drop off her luggage). I was afraid I was going to have to go retrieve her at the airport - long story - but it seems that isn't the case. There is still the departure to consider.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Charmion
Date: 08 May 23 - 08:49 AM

This week will be a bit frantic for me, with a family visit, a choir concert with dress rehearsal, a children’s recital (I’m in the back-up band), and some serious grocery shopping and house-cleaning to prepare for it all.

And the garden is a mess: plants to prune, litter to rake, and downed branches to collect. It’s suddenly warm and sunny, so the starting gun has been fired.

Hark! It’s Georgia with the lawn mower!

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Donuel
Date: 07 May 23 - 07:58 PM

https://www.nebraskamed.com/COVID/what-covid-19-variants-are-going-around

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 May 23 - 06:38 PM

Dorothy, I knew I had a box of bungee cords I bought at Lowe's last fall, but couldn't find them anywhere, including several passes through the pantry. On several occasions. So I bought a new box of bungees from Lowe's and left them beside the back door. And guess what - this week I found the first box of bungees. In the pantry. Now both boxes are there, side by side. I climbed a ladder to replace a couple on the patio cover before storing them.

I pulled up a video for the peel and stick tiles and see there is a step I need to do first - paint on some latex sealer on the bare concrete. I picked that up today, but I was going to do the tiles piecemeal and I can't really do that if I have to paint something first (I have to finish scrubbing the floor and there is some old adhesive to scrape off.) Not sure when I'll finish this, but not in time for company this week.

I'll do some baking so I have plenty of breakfast and snack materials. I'll make zucchini bread into cupcakes (easier for portion control) and I picked up some cream to use to make rice pudding. I've been buying the little cups of the Mexican pudding and it's so good, but it's also expensive that way. Rice, custard, and cinnamon. Mmmmm.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 07 May 23 - 02:40 PM

Dupont:

WELL!!! The search for the battery for the weed whacker becoming more and more desperate... I found the misplaced US credit card/cash... in a small drawer - the battery drawer! But for small batteries. Glad to find the US stuff; I was not worried as I was sure it was with me - somewhere but I wanted to know where it was. Good! but no battery.

Sorted out a good chunk of the hall closet - a very good move but no battery. Redid a couple small K drawers; no battery. Searched areas already searched a couple times ... One last go at the pantry - THERE it is!!! In a truly reasonable place! Now charging so I can go at the whacking in manageable chunks before I leave for Beaver.

I can only be active for short spurts - maybe 30 min to a couple hours depending on the task. Pottery - 2 hours max. Whacking - not sure about this year until I give it a try. 4-6 sessions a day with rests for most things.

Grocery run this am, a quickie to pick up a special HAgen Daz on sale for R - put 3 in big freezer, one in frig/fr. Then searching/computering/searching til YAY! Now lunch.Then pottery first, whacking when able.

Two good finds sure do improve one's state of mind!Oh, and my new "party tent" arrived last eve and is sitting in Den waiting for a post potting energy spurt to set up on back deck as summer potting place.
Gorgeous day does wonders as well. Green leaves! Flowers! Birkies!!!

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 May 23 - 09:36 PM

Two rugs through the washer today, and only had to open it and rearrange twice after the out-of-balance buzzer. Getting the bathroom floor ready for the first row of vinyl tiles; I washed it this afternoon but the weather is so humid that I'll wait till morning to start putting down the floor. More stuff in the trash that is never going to get fixed and isn't fair donating for someone else to discover it doesn't work. Thunder is rolling in over the area right now, hopefully bringing rain.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 May 23 - 06:25 PM

The 'cat is still timing out, so here is paragraph 2: It turns out that emailing the sprinkler company a copy of the packaging and instructions is as good has having the receipt. They're sending me a replacement "equal or better" - so hopefully sturdy metal. Nice! Now I can have one going on each side of the driveway through the programmable watering system I set up every summer. I don't have a system in the whole yard, just a small device in the backyard on the faucet that is for the garden hoses. Also: the bead of caulk is now in place in the hall/guest bathroom. Vinyl tile goes down tomorrow.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 May 23 - 06:24 PM

This cartoon has made the rounds. I'm glad to say that I still have my LPs, though I don't play them often.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Charmion
Date: 05 May 23 - 05:54 PM

I have started sorting music CDs.

Not sure where this will end, but the smart money’s on “most of them gone”.

I will need more boxes.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 May 23 - 11:20 AM

An archaeologist could do a dig through the contents of my sunroom potting bench and the rolling two-level cart beside it to discover many of my past attempts at solving some or other gardening problem. It took several passes but I finally found the box of sticky insect traps for the garden, though the one I pulled out today is on a nail over the kitchen waste bin to catch gnats.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 May 23 - 04:04 PM

I don't remember what I went looking for, but I ended up clearing out a lot of stuff in the top compartment of the little secretary in the hall. More address stickers, airline point cards, oddball notes, and uncovered way more ballpoint pens than I remembered having stashed. I don't need to buy any of those for a few years. There were previous eyeglass frames I thought about having remade with new Rxs, but since I don't need those now, and the optometrist's office won't send them out any more to be remade, might as well donate them all.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 May 23 - 09:21 PM

The same shoe size from one company to another is so different that I rarely ever buy shoes online unless it is something I already have and and getting the exact same thing. Always pamper your feet.

Tomatoes and peppers planted, seeds in for chard and cucumber. I'll retrieve another batch of mulch before I plant more, the goal is to have really deep mulch around the plants to shade out weeds underneath.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Donuel
Date: 03 May 23 - 08:25 PM

Mowed, planted 16 blue Iris bulbs, hedged, solved an insulin snafu, and decorated the fence with more polyester tapestries. It was cold but pleasant. What I consider active is about 1/10th of what Stilly does. The Chinese forget-me-nots have germinated without any help.

I'm glad the world runs better than I do but new Walmart size 10 4E width shoes make jogging easy in the short run. Wearing the wrong size of anything makes life hard.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 May 23 - 02:47 PM

Clearing out the laundry room because I was looking for something and realized I'd never find it without moving and tossing stuff. I need to tackle the potting bench inside the side door next. Guests walk through that area so it should look interesting, not heaped with stuff. While working on this I've tossed a number of things that "might be used later or fixed." Nope. Gotta move on.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 May 23 - 12:06 PM

Don, you have put your finger on the reason for the volunteer work I space out through the week. The society at the museum and the botanic garden are therapeutic as well as personally satisfying from a contribution standpoint. Achieving a good balance of time spent at home puttering around while also getting out and doing social stuff is the goal.

This morning I got a photo of the line of pecan-shaped dog droppings left on the way out the door by the elderly Labrador retriever. He's 14, deaf, terribly arthritic in his hips, and incontinent poop-wise. If he hasn't been outside for a while and starts barking, chances are he's going to drop them right there, or if he's just getting up in the morning. I keep a dustpan and brush handy to scoop up a couple of times a day. We can sometimes go a week at a time without any. My goal is to keep him on a healthy diet to keep everything a good consistency for easily rolling onto the dustpan.

I loaned my "Weed Popper" to the neighbors next door, and while I stood in their backyard talking my dogs stood and stared at me through the chain link fence, clearly chuffed (in the displeased form) that I was visiting and hadn't taken them with me. I can walk the girls but Zeke needs a very careful tour around a very small area with his arthritis. He wants to go, but can't go far.

I remind myself of WYSIWYG's "Dog World" conversations. I wonder how Susan is doing?

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Donuel
Date: 02 May 23 - 07:50 AM

The Surgeon General says we are a lonely nation. People feel ashamed about their loneliness as if they are unlikable but the despondency from loneliness has health risks. Hyperconnectivity is surprisingly a symptom of loneliness. In children, it has become a suicide risk.
There is a kid's online safety act law being introduced. Maintaining relationships is the only work that works.
Sure the pandemic was a big impact but the loneliness factor has always been around. I think we are seeing the results of loneliness in the type of crazy shootings lately.
I don't think Steve Jobs foresaw the iPhone as a factor in loneliness.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 May 23 - 11:43 PM

That sounds dreadful, Sandra! Is this legislation written by the banks? (That's what happened here. Congress accepted it as written and now this mess is law.)

Finished mowing, and a load of laundry is folded from the clothesline. The smaller lumbar pack cleaned up nicely. Kitchen is cleaner than it was.

I started looking for a repair kit for a 20-year-old oscillating sprinkler, one with a lifetime warranty. There is a yellow plastic lever to control the span of the watering that broke off. I came across reference to how to get the sprinkler fixed or replaced - I don't have the receipt but I did keep the package in a file where I put that kind of stuff. (Reminds me - I just bought a spade fork with a 15-year warranty - I have to file that receipt. Up until I'm 83 I'll be able to replace it if it fails.) Apparently if I had the sprinkler receipt I could send an email with a photo of the sprinkler and a scan of the receipt. Otherwise, I need to ship the sprinkler to them to look at to repair or replace. Main thing is that this sturdy metal sprinkler stays put - I don't want them sending me a cheap plastic sprinkler replacement. (The company is Melnor.)

Today was satisfactory with a lot of small chores being completed. No scolding myself for frittering away the time.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 01 May 23 - 06:59 PM

Meanwhile in the Land of Oz - ‘It’s obscene’: ATO still chasing $2bn in student debt from controversial 1990s loan scheme The Australian government is still chasing $2bn of debt from more than 140,000 former low-income students who traded away their right to welfare under a loan scheme more than two decades ago.

The student financial supplement scheme, which operated for a decade from 1993, enticed tertiary students to take out “low-cost” loans by giving up benefits including youth allowance, Austudy or the pensioner education supplement.

Every dollar of welfare a student gave up entitled them to $2 in a SFSS loan, which could be used to help cover expenses while studying. Minors were also able to take out loans.

The Coalition dumped the scheme at the end of 2003, acknowledging it was saddling students with high levels of debt, was “administratively cumbersome and poorly targeted” and effectively hit people with hidden interest rate costs through forgone welfare.

It also conceded that many of the students would struggle to pay the money back. When the scheme was axed, the government actuary estimated about 50% of the loans would be recovered ... After two decades, a former student, Dennis, last year managed to pay off his Help loan, which was about $15,000, but he still has more than $36,000 owing on his SFSS loan.

When he initially took out the SFSS loan it was sitting just under $10,000. “It’s basically just accrued interest for years,” he said.

Dennis was from a low socioeconomic background and took out the debt at the start of his university studies to help pay for a move to Perth.

Th Coalition = right-wing parties, HELP (Higher Education Loan program) is the current scheme.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 May 23 - 03:26 PM

Props to Charmion. Graduating without student loan debt is the greatest gift you can offer those two. After graduation they will be able take jobs they want, not just something in order to pay the bills. They will be able to buy homes or start businesses without reference to tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt that somehow never shrinks (and here in the US, can never be discharged through death or bankruptcy). They can save to go to graduate school later without loans. If Biden had been able to do the program he wanted to discharge massive amounts of student debt, that would have been the single largest boost the the US economy in decades (and the states that opposed it are the perfect example of cutting off their noses to spite their faces - they would have benefitted hugely also). Both of my kids worked, and their father made up the difference, for which I am eternally grateful. I did the running part - driving them to school and work and such, for my share (and more modest income.) They're moving forward, my son bought a house at age 28, my daughter travels a great deal. Your sibling and niece or nephew are very lucky that you're doing this for the grandkids.

Getting set to use the clothesline for the first time this year, and it's nice after the hackberry removal, no tree hanging over the top dropping bugs and leaves onto the laundry. Another lumbar pack (smaller, used a lot, from LLBean) from the same extra-dusty dog equipment storage shelf is soaking and will also dry on the line. I haven't worn this in years, since when my weight and health then were basically what they are now, so this pack will work for more dog walking or in lieu of a pocketbook.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Charmion
Date: 01 May 23 - 03:23 PM

Speaking of dust ...

After a burst of activity about ten days ago, I have resumed procrastinating on floorwashing and dusting. I also have several pictures to rehang since the departure of six bookcases from the music room-cum-library, but whenever I think about hauling up the toolbox and spirit level, I just want to sit down until the idea goes away.

I might have had all the household change I can take for now.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Charmion
Date: 01 May 23 - 02:53 PM

An eight-litre Instant Pot and all its accoutrements may have found a new home with the family of Serena the Fiddle. I sure hope so; it takes up lots of space, and it's much too big for just me. They come in smaller sizes, and I may eventually buy the three-litre version.

Likewise, the middle-sized Romertopf clay-baker (about right for a three-kilo chicken) will eventually go to Mark the bass (singer, not fish) from the church choir. He was searching the rummage sale to replace a much-mourned Romertopf that suffered a terminal crack, but demurred on accepting mine because he couldn't quite believe that I'm genuinely ready to let it go. "But I haven't used it since Edmund died," I wailed. He looked at me sideways and said, "I've heard of that ..." I gather that the Anglican norm is to hang on to everything forever "just in case". I persuaded him to take it at Christmas if I still haven't used it by then.

On Saturday I heard from my great-nephew Logan and his sister Faith, who have both completed their first-year final exams. Logan already has his results: a GPA more or less equivalent to an average of 85 percent (I don't grok the GPA system; it wasn't used in Canada when I was last a student). Faith's results won't be in for another week or so, but her work to date indicates that she should score in the same neighbourhood as Logan. So that investment is paying off.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 May 23 - 01:58 PM

Filing papers, finishing small repairs, putting things away. Still filing address change (and realizing there are places that have my credit card that never mail me things but still need to know the card's new address or purchases may not go through).

In the yard, more planting, digging, mulching, mowing, and tree care.

There are a couple of deadlines this week. I really need to dust around here, and I'm considering rearranging the office again (so I can sit closer to the window to look out.)

I've got a little list (of chores, that is.)

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Apr 23 - 06:14 PM

Since it rained last week it was a good time to take the tiller into the yard to both break up an old compost pile and till some rows in the raised gardens. I moved two wheelbarrows-full of compost to the front beds, mixed in some amendments (greensand and lavasand) and tipped it into the beds. It was getting warm so those things were put away and later I'll go out and get some seeds started in pots and get the bedding plants put in. Maybe even make a run to the neighbor's yard for some of her free mulch.

I'm doing a low-till bed this year - I dug along the paths for the plants and used the weed eater to scalp the rest. I'll mulch deeply around crops to smother the weeds I cut off at ground level. By the time crops are big and can hold their own above the weeds it isn't such an issue if the weeds are there.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Apr 23 - 12:14 PM

JennieG, I almost passed them up, never having heard of the brand. Probably just as well I only bought two, and the rest will be gone next time I'm at that store. :)

On Sunday mornings I putter around the house while I listen to a gardening radio program, and this morning I spent that time updating more mailing addresses. When going into a place like eBay they have such a complex scaffolding of data for listings, shipping, membership, and other details that you have to go to a half-dozen places to make the update. I keep track and have made 21 changes so far and am only up to "E" in my account book. My goal is to avoid having the post office mess up my mail forwarding in the future by taking care of address changes now. That fool DeJoy is still the postmaster (I thought they'd have kicked him out by now, but whatever.)

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: JennieG
Date: 30 Apr 23 - 01:40 AM

Ah, Stilly......many of us Ozzies grew up eating Darrell Lea......I love their marzipan bars.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Apr 23 - 01:11 AM

Dorothy, your spanakopita breakfast sounds wonderful! I also love those Greek spinach pies. A savory breakfast is just fine with me.

I worked on replacing the soil in various pots beside the side door today, and what I couldn't use was tipped from the wheelbarrow into the garden that I'll start working tomorrow. Today I took the weedeater out to scalp the garden beds, and tomorrow I'll run the tiller through and do some planting with bedding plants I picked up a few days ago.

Calorie overload the last few days; I can't be trusted around chocolate or some kinds of cookies. I'll be at the gym working those off next week. I didn't buy many, at least I had the discipline to only buy a couple of each, but if you ever come across the chocolate bars from Western Australia called Darrell Lea with milk chocolate and peanut brittle - they are fabulous. (Why doesn't that word "calory" follow the spelling rules? Calory would be the singular, with calories the plural. Same with Cooky/cookies.)

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 29 Apr 23 - 04:42 PM

Dupont:

Still here. This time I was planning to leave on Weds...Then Thurs, but on Weds there was a post on FB from a musician friend/student of a special event at the U - some compositions of hers, and others, and a couple pieces in which she participated with voice and/or instrument. I went because I really like this young student; the one who was in the musical last March or April. We enjoyed it. I felt called to be supportive! She was highly involved in organizing the Yellow Door 50th a few years ago; very competent - and creative!

So pots that were thrown are not trimmed. Appt. to get tires changed is on 6 May - THEN I will go home to ON...

In the meantime: Cleared last year's Canna out of the hall where it had wintered over in front of a south-facing glass door. One piece actually bloomed in December! Nice yellow treat. The whole huge bunch is now in the ground or very large pots - lest they expand and break a good (plastic) pot. NOW, it is raining! Also cleared most of the grass out of the veg bed.

Tomorrow I will plant some seeds and the wonderful sweet potato plant that wintered in the second floor South window on the rad! It looks very healthy. Just hope the bunnies do not fancy it! Went to plant what were supposed to be colombine seeds but were empty, however, the area already has columbine seedlings so I guess I threw some on last year.

There are two rabbits that come and nibble in a certain area in the late aft. I try not to disturb them.

Nice to have the hall cleared and cleaned! Also nurturing some basil seedlings; those that survive to May will need to be potted. Geraniums are being moved outdoors. Need to find a good system so R can water easily, and rarely!

Drying pots are still in DR and need to be boxed for transport to Beaver; keep putting it off as I am not sure where I will stack boxes! And the man who was going to come and get bowls has not; I would have been at Beaver this two weeks. Lesson: Do what I need to do and do not wait for someone else...

Last night R brought home two large spanakopita from a Greek resto, just because he was there and knew I like them. I warmed them in the toaster oven this am for BF! YUM! It was a great BF with no trimmings. He can bring them home anytime! There are no goodies like this near here.

But I did go, on Thurs, to the good bakery an hour south, in the country, and picked up some good pastries for treats - nothing like that near here either. Then visited with Geri, and Sarah showed up! Then went to the good butcher for some unpolluted bacon and a large bag of sweet potato fries - which I do up in the toaster oven for a nice treat. Also unpolluted.

Did income tax and mailed it. Next year I will make sure I take it to volunteer helpers near Beaver. My brain quit. My eyes quit. I quit and gave them royal what for! Only a sadist would develop a form that convoluted.

R spent a few hours - until the rain started, trying to sort out myriad boxes (40--50!) of books that had been "under cover" in the back yard for a few weeks. Procrastination = a bunch of wet books. Some went in the trash and many are in the basement in hopes of resurrecting them. A little effort could have had them in a dry place. I try to be quiet about it.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Apr 23 - 12:28 PM

I retrieved three different tubes of silicone caulking compound from the laundry room cupboard, all fairly elderly but possibly still pliable, if I can get any out of the tubes. I'll run that bead of caulk today before moving ahead with the vinyl squares in the bathroom.

Years ago I bought a lumbar backpack that I seem to have last used when walking the dogs, because I finally found it under a basket of dog related stuff on the bookcase in the den. It was expensive and little used but very dusty so I've soaked it in the kitchen sink and before I could hang it outside to dry I had to put the clothesline back up. One post is very close to where the large hackberry was taken out last month so I had removed the crossmember so it wouldn't get hit by falling branches. Now it is back in place, the lines up, and the black pack is hanging out there and hopefully won't be a mottled dusty color once it's dry.

I used pliers to start tightening the nuts of fence hardware on the clothesline crossmember, but needed a ratchet to finish the job, so stepped nearby into the garage to retrieve the right pieces. And I will note here that I think this set came from my dad's estate (I have 3 sets, this one has the nicest metal case). And every so often even after all of these years (he died in 1997) his household/estate items continue to surprise me. While cleaning up the garage a couple of weeks ago I organized stuff in the shelves and apparently uncovered a plastic blister pack of several drill bits, though what was in the pack didn't register until I went looking for drill bits. They are exactly what I needed from a long-gone Pacific NW hardware store. Thanks again, Dad!

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Apr 23 - 10:11 PM

That sounds good. And the cats approve?

I made a tiny improvement in the kitchen this week; through a series of changes (most recently not using dish soap with bare hands because there is coconut in it) I'm going to be wearing vinyl or the long rubber dishwashing gloves, and they need a place to dry. I had a small rusty swing arm towel rack (three 11" vinyl-coated arms that pivot from the side of a cupboard over the sink). A new chrome one was about $8 on Amazon and delivered in one day, put up in a minute, and I now have three 12" arms to dry my gloves (and face masks using clothes pins). One of the least expensive pieces of hardware in the house but used several times a day.

To complete the deep cleaning of the hall bathroom I should finish scraping up the old glue off of the exposed concrete and put down the vinyl tiles I got for in the meantime (once the foundation is fixed I may put non-skid porcelain tiles in there. But who knows when that expensive job will happen.) I have started in the far corner and am working on straightening the edge along the tub (removing lumpy grout). I think before I put down these vinyl tiles I need to put a straight bead of silicone grout down at the tub/floor intersection to keep water from getting under the tub. No tile now because it could crack with the shifting house during the leveling process.

I started scrubbing the corner after doing some scraping, and this is the kind of job that once you get started and see the progress you're motivated to keep going. I sure hope so, anyway! Finishing by the time guests arrive is the objective.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Charmion
Date: 28 Apr 23 - 12:38 PM

The bathroom is finished — except for a non-functioning plug receptacle — and it looks wonderful: bright, clean and mould-proof, with more than enough towel bars where previously were none.

The bill has yet to land, but I’m braced.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Apr 23 - 11:11 PM

I got the COVID bi-valent booster yesterday and am achy and tired today, but with Motrin I'm still moving.

I'm cat-sitting for a friend, and the house next door to her is being heavily remodeled by the new owner (she seems to be living in a 30' travel trailer in her backyard for the duration). It's interesting to watch the improvements big and small; today I noticed a new steel locking mailbox on the porch. It looks good, and is one of the models I considered before I settled on the one I put up. Anyway, I'm interested in who is doing the work versus who is contracting it. I have to replace the side door in the garage and I've considered going over to ask the guy doing the work if he does one-off jobs.

Charmion, is the new bathroom completely finished? How does it look?

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 27 Apr 23 - 07:41 PM

Well I'm just about recovered from my latest bout of cellulitis (which I mentioned on the 21st). Because I was able to strike early with the antibiotics my doc had allowed me to keep at home, I've avoided the horrid swelling and blistering which I've endured in most of my other attacks, and I didn't have to go to hospital. We'd long had a trip planned to Bath, which Mrs Steve wanted to cancel, but I wasn't having that. I know I've not mentioned it on my new thread in which I mentioned Bath, but one of the main objects of the trip was to visit the graves of Mrs Steve's half-sister who died 12 years ago aged 41 in tragic circumstances and, in a completely different location, the grave of her mother and sister. There's no-one else left to do these visits. We could go to Bath, a city which means a lot to Mrs Steve and where our son went to university, and do both grave visits on the same day with a very roundabout drive (the weather was awful!), so we stuck to that and ended up having a couple of really nice days in Bath which included the gastronomy I mentioned in that other thread - and a visit to the William Herschel museum. What a place. It's the house he lived in in the late 1700s with his sister Caroline when he discovered the planet Uranus. It was the first discovery of a new planet since the dawn of mankind - all the others, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn, were well known as they are all easy naked-eye objects. There are models of the telescopes he invented as well as lots of exhibits to do with his music - he was a superb classical composer as well as a brilliant astronomer, and his sister Caroline was no shrinking violet either!

You can go into the little back garden and stand on the exact spot from which he discovered Uranus. That is such an unbelievably wonderful thing to be able to do. And the odd thing was that we were the only people there!

I didn't feel great for a few days but one has to battle through! The whole thing was so well worth it.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Apr 23 - 10:07 PM

The hall bathroom looks really good, I'll move on to clean my bathroom and dressing room tomorrow. I'll save the kitchen until closer to the visit because it is most likely to be messed up again quickly.

I'm considering what the next stove in the kitchen will be like; I've avoided the glass stovetops because I do the heavy pots for canning, but I may be able to buy a single burner to use for that separate from the stove. Induction stoves are apparently pretty good these days. This is what happens when you watch science programs on PBS.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Apr 23 - 12:03 PM

There's a MidCentury Atomic Age Vintage Retro Culture and Ads site (long name, easy to find) on Facebook, and I was reminded this morning of the set of Russel Wright melamine that I pulled together a few years ago. Some of it is a spinoff from the company that did the pressing (after they ran the Wright "Residential" or other patterns they had to use the rest of the plastic emulsion so put out their own basic pattern with the same plastic mix. I got some of those also.) I should probably do something with these. Some of it came from my family, we used it when I was a kid.

A friend will arrive to stay in about 10 days so I've started Martha Stewart's deep cleaning routine, but so far just in the hall/guest bathroom and I'll work outward from there. That was an hour of remarkably sweaty work, scrubbing and polishing. The box of everything that came out for the cleaning will be assessed and tossed, rehomed, or washed before going back to the bathroom.

I hear the rain so will dress accordingly for my next cat feeding/lunch with child trip, and plan to finish all of my running today by mid-afternoon when heavy weather is forecast to clobber the area. I want to be parked in the garage in case there is big hail.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Apr 23 - 10:35 PM

Several times a year organizations send me return address labels, and today I cut up most of the PO box labels. These live in a crowded little faux-Chippendale secretary and I was pleased to find mixed in a couple dozen for the house address, so those are stashed with the stamp assortment.

Following museum volunteering today I swung by the gym, but late in the afternoon the parking lot was crowded enough that I didn't want to go spend an hour exercising in a space packed full of unmasked people. I'm not an early riser, but on those occasions I get to the gym in the morning I meet more women who are my age and the place isn't packed. Getting to bed earlier is a goal I should set.

When I was going through the labels I found an enveloped tucked away with a note that it was receipts from a 2003 trip to New York City with my daughter. A mother-daughter trip we made when she turned 14. (I wish I'd managed a trip like that with my son, though our drives back and forth to the university 900 miles away were kind of the same as far as formative travel). Anyway, I've tucked that into my bag and when we go to lunch tomorrow we can take a look together. I'm curious to learn if she thinks she got out of that what I hoped she would - the desire to travel (she certainly has that) and to do interesting cultural things. We were poking around Chinatown and eating in Japanese restaurants right at the age when she started being interested in Anime and such. Lots of museums, some good shopping, and lots and lots of walking and eating. And now she works in an internationally respected art museum. I think I just answered my own question. The envelope has given me an opportunity to show my past self that it was a good idea.