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DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: keberoxu Date: 02 Mar 23 - 05:33 PM Hang in there, Pepper. And Stilly, and Cookie. And Zeke who is deaf ... but I suppose Zeke can feel vibrations or something when it's stormy. |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 02 Mar 23 - 04:18 PM Good for you, Patty! Once I started looking for them, those food trucks are all around here. The neighborhood has enough vacant parking lots that they stagger themselves up and down this part of town - so the pecking order is to go to full-service sit-down restaurants with a wide menu ($$), to go to a taqueria with a limited but very good small menu ($), or to stop by one of the food trucks that has a really tiny menu ($). I noticed one with camarón (shrimp) that I'm tempted to try if I can find it again. They're set up most often in the evenings and have little neon signs on them and strings of lights to catch your eye. My day's activities were cut short due to weather - not the ice and snow of the nothernmost members, but the springtime churn of moisture on warm days that can lead to tornadoes and hail and all manner of damage. I left my volunteering early (the museum is also closing early) and didn't follow-up with my usual session at the gym. I have plenty of picking up to do around here. This morning I got up on a ladder and reattached my patio cover tarp or I'd be bound to lose it in this storm. Time to put the thundershirt on Pepper and get out ahead of this to see if it helps her. |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: pattyClink Date: 02 Mar 23 - 10:55 AM I passed a small stainless steel food truck as I drove thru Tularosa, New Mexico on Tuesday. Something told me to turn around and try it. It was "Tularosa Tacos", where the food offered was in an aluminum cake tin with lid, a set of 3 tacos. Of course I tried the variety combo. These were small, steamed, corn tortillas, doubled, I guess for strength. One soft taco was stuffed with freshly grilled carne asada, another sauteed chicken chunks, another was pork with a hint of pineapple. Fresh salsa, pico de gallo including fresh Hatch chilis, and a bit of sort of creamy sauce apparently involving farm cheese. Oh my goodness, made you want to slap your mama! You take a chance on stopping for random food trucks, but, seems like 3 out of 4 times it's worth it. |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 01 Mar 23 - 10:39 PM Dorothy, it sounds like you've got that mischief managed as far as transporting your pots to the kiln. Have a good drive back to Dupont! Patty, I do envy you the mobility you have right now, to explore the places you pass through if you wish. The parts of towns that speak to me are those places where I can see that people have made a space their own and have a garden or workplace that suits them. They aren't usually in the neighborhoods on the beautiful homes tours, but they're interesting. I remember Chunky as being small and utilitarian, and we didn't have much time to drive through, but spending more time would have been welcome. Back here in North Texas, after the thunderstorms passed the ex and I made a trip to the discount gourmet warehouse store for the Wednesday Market and we were not disappointed: I came away with lots of fruits and veggies (and to make the purchases worthwhile I need to manage to eat all of it!). Pineapple, mango, apples, cucumbers, and four bags of Romaine hearts. One of those Romaine hearts is gone with dinner tonight. Cauliflower for me or (more likely) for the dogs. I buy a lot of produce to add to their dried dog food so they get moisture and fiber every day. I cook veggies for the dogs (you often get more nutrition from cooked stuff) and they really love it because when it's cooked it tells them "people food." I watch when they eat - they always scarf down the veggies before the dry food. Today I picked up two of a fruit I have never tried before - Dragonfruit - and I have a page of results on YouTube telling me how to cut and eat it. Trying new fruit is akin to the trying of new taco stands and restaurants - getting a bit out of my comfort zone to find new and interesting foods. Out of curiosity I asked a Mexican friend yesterday about these taquerias that are near our neighborhood - turns out the one I liked best is owned by the in-laws of the guy who works with him (who will be here to cut down a large tree in the yard on Friday). It's a small world. |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 01 Mar 23 - 08:08 PM Beaver: Pottery firing -another lot today. Leaving tomorrow after the kiln is cool enough to unload. I will open it a bit as early as I feel like trekking outside. And, yes, I was very careful on the frozen snow with those trays of precious pots! Only three or four to a tray, so not very heavy. Oh, the first firing was just fine, happily! Car is partly loaded so morning will be packing pots when they are cool enough, changing the bed, batten down the hatches, and get the remainder into car; trip to library (5 min away) and back down route 62 to the 401. Others hate it but I do not find it odious, except near Toronto. Love my cruise control. 5 hours to other home, stocked up with stuffs from Local store. Never been to Tamworth, that I noticed. I will keep an eye out. Sometimes we explore. Took note, just now, of a music event in Belleville at noon on 18 March! A friend is involved. I could manage that on a trip either direction with some planning - in my calendar. |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 01 Mar 23 - 11:03 AM When I worked at the Statue of Liberty and Ellis, tourists in New York City were all very cautious about their cameras being stolen. But on an island when there is an official in uniform right there - I was frequently asked to take photos so got to use a lot of cameras taking photos for those groups. And I still do it in places like museums, parks, etc. It will sometimes be the only shot in the whole trip that they are all in. Heavy rain early this morning has postponed the yard work I was hoping to start today. I have a bit of running to do but will wait until the puddles have drained from the roads before leaving. Until then, the house looks like the inside of a goat's stomach, so I can start picking up. |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: pattyClink Date: 01 Mar 23 - 11:00 AM Been to Chunky! Lived nearby. Back then the highlight of the summer was a trip down to Dunn's Falls for a float on the Chunky River below the falls. Maybe the original Choctaw name was Bogue Chun-qui or something. Other great M'sippi towns are Hot Coffee and D'Lo. And I am always tempted to get off the Louisiana exit for Tickfaw. Managed to snap a photo in Utah of the exit sign for Pumpernickel Valley. |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: pattyClink Date: 01 Mar 23 - 10:54 AM Point well taken about taking selfies. It's hard for a normal, discreet sort of person to force themselves to take group or pair photos at a reunion or meet-up. Seems the sort of thing one's obnoxious Aunt Griselda would insist on doing. But, after my first year of traveling, I discovered I had way too many lovely landscape and sunset shots, not enough of the people who had made the journey so memorable. So now I'm that obnoxious Aunt Griselda, although I do forget sometimes, when swept up in the experience. But I try, even if they are ragged candid shots of the campfire, or one of a friend alone if necessary. Often in tourist spots, a desperate glance will result in a fellow traveler volunteering to take the shot. |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: Sandra in Sydney Date: 01 Mar 23 - 12:44 AM not here! summer is winding down, tho we still have very hot days coming next week. My fuchsia is also winding down, with one almost-open flower, 5 dead blooms & 5 teeny-tiny buds. There have been times since I bought it in October from the supermarket when I had 12 buds & 7 flowers. |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 28 Feb 23 - 09:34 PM Those memorable town names can make a drive interesting. I have driven across the US a number of times, and when the trip takes me the length of Tennessee, I stop at Bucksnort, just because. At the bottom of a valley in the middle of nowhere. There is a little gas station, and I don't remember if there is a post office, but I've been known to mail postcards from interesting little towns during my travels. Chunky, Mississippi, didn't have a post office (and the name was derived from a Choctaw word, it wasn't a physical description of an individual, apparently.) Utopia, Texas, etc. This week I will be exchanging plant material between friends. I was at a home today where the cannas were being thinned and I brought home those that were dug up (purple stalks and orange flowers). I'll trade some of those to a different friend who is going to give me some schoolhouse lilies (they don't bloom long, but they're wonderful right at the beginning of September when school is starting, hence the name.) And I have some crinum lilies to contribute to the collections of two other friends. Bright pink when they bloom. I am sorry that my discussion of blooming plants and gardening lands right when some of you are snow-bound! |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: JennieG Date: 28 Feb 23 - 05:32 PM It was a fun adventure, Dorothy! We live in Tamworth, Oz, so when visiting our Canaussian son in 2015 we included Tamworth, Ontario, in our itinerary. It's much smaller than our town but was interesting, just the same; our population is mid 50,000 while Ontario Tamworth is about 500. We both have Peel Street but ours is the busy main drag, while the Canadian one is a quiet lane near the river. Both towns were in areas first settled in the 1820s. Madoc was a pit stop on the way back to Toronto. After driving on it once on a previous trip, we avoided the 401 like the plague on subsequent trips. |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: Charmion's brother Andrew Date: 28 Feb 23 - 03:04 PM And even more often with a dust pan and broom to put you off your food. |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: Charmion Date: 28 Feb 23 - 12:29 PM Tim Horton’s is a fast-food joint with over-worked staff who come near the tables only occasionally, to wipe crumbs off them. |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 28 Feb 23 - 11:01 AM *Note for those who don't take selfies: ask the well-tipped wait person if they will take a photo and hand them your phone. Chances are they'll do a great job! A friend is coming over in a few minutes with 8 ounces of Market Spice Tea - this is the excellent variety available from the Specialty Spice Shop in Pike Place Market in Seattle - he placed an order for both of us to save on the high shipping cost they charge. I drink their decaff, which is the ONLY decaff tea I'll drink, it actually does taste as good as the original full-octane variety (I have some of that also, but only for morning consumption). A day of running ahead, starting with a tree-planting event at a friend's house. Spring is just around the corner when the gangly delicate-but-large crane flies are bopping all over the place (in the Puget Sound area I grew up calling them "gallinippers," though a search on that generic term shows it applies to several types of insects.) It sounds like the potting/glazing energy will come with longer days and snow melt, Dorothy. Be patient walking around on ice loaded down with heavy trays! |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 28 Feb 23 - 10:13 AM Beaver: I, too, am not fond of selfies; never occurred to me. Glad to hear C is safely home. No surprises there; she, too, was who I was expecting. I now avoid "Canadian driving experiences" like the plague. Enough have been survived. However, the last hour of our trip to PA was a fair equivalent - dark and rainy night on a two lane road full of Thurs night shoppers in myriad small towns, headlights magnified by rain... One of the most stressful hours of my life. Bisque firing unloaded and bottoms waxed, all on shelves in studio waiting for me to feel like glazing and re-loading kiln. Snowy morning so no hurry as I cannot carry pots from a-Z without snow landing on them - not a good idea. Maybe that is a good excuse? I'll get there soon. Studio is warm, glazes are stirred... Motivation still catching up! JennieG: Madoc is a long way from Oz! I hope the adventure was a good one! Well, it was nice watching the snow fall, now to gather myself to forge ahead! |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: Charmion Date: 28 Feb 23 - 08:45 AM I’m no good at selfies, Stilly, so I don’t do them. Dorothy’s phone has limitations. Besides, we were too busy talking. |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 28 Feb 23 - 02:01 AM Patty, that's nice to know about the Laurel connection! I never paid much attention to the earlier Fixer Upper series done by couple Joanna and Chip Gaines out of Waco, Texas, but it seems to be along the same lines. I never thought of Waco as charming when I lived nearby in Temple, but it is a tourist destination now. And agreed, I love it when Ben and his friends head into an old family barn and come back with some beautiful piece of wood with local history to turn into furniture or other features in the houses they work on. (I've also watched a dozen episodes or so of a Mother and Daughter team out of the Indianapolis area do these kinds of things, but they are house flippers and sometimes their schtick is more like an architectural high-wire act. At times it mades me wince to watch them and their crew.) When I moved in here I found various things around that had been left behind in the attic or laundry room or forgotten in a cupboard that were incorporated into projects because it felt like a nice homage to past tenants of the house. The original couple lived here for several years but rented it out for many more years. At this point, I've lived in it longest of anyone and have made changes, though it is still a work in progress. |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 27 Feb 23 - 11:38 PM Drives like you describe can be quite memorable - I must have been about 21 when I made a snowy night drive down the freeway in Washington State - low visibility and I was at the front of a line of cars - any of them could have passed me on the left, that lane was open - but they all chose to stay in the line following along. I would have appreciated being able to follow someone but no one moved forward. That was a long ~ 10 miles for me in my VW Beetle. I pulled up the Google map of the route you described - I'm glad you didn't find yourself up to your axles in a ploughed field along the way. I don't suppose either you or Dorothy thought to take a selfie to share of your meeting? I'm glad you were able to meet! The new string of lights is now hanging from robust cup hooks in the attic. The string comes with a sturdy cord, lightweight bright plastic LED lights, and at each light there is a little carabiner to use for hanging. The old fluorescent in a reflective work light shield is still clamped to a 2x4 near the opening, plugged into the porcelain socket on the ceiling above the steps. I've added a socket extension (like this) into the old socket. That's where the new string of lights is plugged into a grounded switch. I wish I'd done this ages ago. |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: pattyClink Date: 27 Feb 23 - 11:03 PM "Home Town", what an unlikely story that has been! I have kinfolk in Laurel, and you would hardly believe the rebirth and transformation that downtown, and the whole town, has undergone. All because a talented couple pursued their quirky little plans, and one of them did a good blog about it, a sharp producer took a chance, and over a period of several years, thousands of lives have been transformed. It is now a delightful place to visit, where once it was a depressed town, only a sad fading shadow of past timber and oil prosperity. The power of a few people doing good work, and others believing in them. I haven't seen a ton of episodes since I am mostly catching broadcast, but, always amazed at her design ideas, and his reworking of old wood into innovative furniture. |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: Charmion Date: 27 Feb 23 - 05:24 PM I am back at home after a successfully simple drive from Ottawa. Dorothy is just as I imagined her, complete with the remnants of an American accent. The weather was perfect — for February — until about three in the afternoon, when I stopped for coffee at the Cambridge service centre. All was grey but okay when I went in, but fifteen minutes later, on opening the door to leave, I found myself in a maelstrom of snow. From Cambridge to Stratford, highway 401 to 8 to 7, I drove slowly and very prudently, with four-way flashers on and every nerve-end firing. Visibility was terrible, ranging from about 30 metres to white-out, and the road was quickly covered. The snow fell so thickly that the SATNAV stopped receiving signals and the car’s collision-warning system kept beeping. I would have been happier in my old 1986 Golf with automatic nothing. However, here I am in my comfy chair with the cat, so it was just another Canadian travel experience. |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 27 Feb 23 - 10:55 AM The wind last night nearly took my tarp cover off of the frame over the patio, so I must take myself over to Lowe's and purchase another package of bungee cords and replace a few that wore out over the last year. Two tarps overlap, one has screws holding it in place, the other is the cords. My goal for this spring will be to screw down parts of the longer top tarp at the grommets so it is more stable. I've decided to have only one tree cut down in the back, not two. I can do the second one myself and it should keep the price a bit lower. It wouldn't have taken my friend long to do it and it won't take me that long either, but it's for another day. That way I can go forward on the main job sooner. This week I'll take down the nearby clothes line so the cross member doesn't get hit and broken during the dropping of branches. Last year on HGTV I started watching a program in its sixth season so have plenty of episodes to catch up on. It's called Home Town and in addition to talented builders/designers, it has the town of Laurel, Mississippi, going for it. Lots of historic houses on various types of lots to work with. A couple of weeks ago an episode addressed my question "what if something really big happens when they start the work?" A house with an awful concrete basement that needed chiselling out and re-pouring. They confided then that they require each applicant to the show to have a contingency fund that is pretty big. It gives everyone a buffer that lets them go forward. One day I may redo my kitchen, but having a plan and the cash plus the contingency - that's the thing that keeps me puttering around the edges and working on fences and trees, not interior redesign. |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: Charmion's brother Andrew Date: 27 Feb 23 - 10:05 AM Dorothy, if you do meet up for lunch, please wish Charmion "bonne route" from me. I did not rise early enough to give her a call before her departure. |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: Steve Shaw Date: 27 Feb 23 - 05:58 AM I've found that, in the absence of chicken broth (which we tend to call "stock"), a home-made veg stock works with almost everything. A couple of chopped-up carrots, celery sticks and shallots, boiled up for an hour with a bay leaf, a few peppercorns and a handful of fresh herbs... I have organic cubes but they are a last resort and often lead to a noticeably inferior dish. |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 27 Feb 23 - 01:24 AM The stew was amazing, with a lot of broth to give it a thick soup-like quality. I had mushrooms and chicken broth in the freezer to add to it and I poured in a lot of red wine, so it was almost like a stroganoff but without the sour cream. (You can add chicken or turkey broth to a beef dish and it still tastes like beef, but don't try to add beef broth to poultry dishes.) I've found information about resetting the laptop power management for the screen, I'll do that in the morning. I spent time sewing this evening but stopped to clean lint out of the machine and since it has been a while it took me longer than usual to remember how to reassemble the bobbin housing. It's good to go now. |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: JennieG Date: 26 Feb 23 - 05:18 PM This Ozzie has been to Tim Horton's at Madoc! How 'bout that! Have a dark roast for me. |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: Donuel Date: 26 Feb 23 - 05:16 PM Our seasonal snowfall this winter has been 6 millimeters. One day Canada will grow warmer too. |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 26 Feb 23 - 04:45 PM I found that spot on Google Earth - I hope you are able to cross paths for lunch! The laptop battery is replaced, but I haven't figured out how to get the screen to power up when the computer doesn't have a power cord plugged in when the machine is on. What's the point of the battery otherwise? I know it's on because the keyboard lights are on, but that's not much use by itself. Stew is slowly coming together this afternoon after I browned meat and set it to simmer in the crock pot. I'll add ingredients as the afternoon progresses. The house smells great. |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 26 Feb 23 - 11:07 AM Beaver: Feeling uplifted by friends of all sorts and by my successful trip to PA, accomplishing something I seriously doubted I was capable has renewed me amazingly. And then to be able to do the 5 hour trip here, where I have continued the R&R until today when the snow took a break, and the cold also, while I carried pots from house and studio to the kiln room, having warmed the kiln. Bisque firing under way. Have a bunch of bisqued ware I can glaze during my next burst of energy so they can be fired tomorrow. May need a couple more glaze firings then take stuff back to Dupont to fill two requests for bowls. Of course, little by little, I first made paths through the 15 inches of frozen snow - to the wood shed, then to the studio, then the kiln room. For most of it, I just took off the top layer of loose snow and had a firm base of 10-12 inches of frozen snow. Around the door to kiln room, I had to use the iron wedge to break a couple inches of ice so I could even open the door. leeneia: I know you are correct about the heavy drapes and I have tons of very heavy fabric on hand and rods. Maybe your suggestion will motivate me to do the job. I am careful to catch as much solar gain as possible. SRS: My weight never went below 160, not adequate to fit this elegant size 16 dress. However, I would have been terrible overdressed at the Amish Mennonite church in Lancaster Co! And since I could only find one pair of slacks - no skirts fit- and one really decent blouse which could have been viewed as "hippy" AND no other woman had on slacks! Other than the family (baptists) every woman wore a tidy white blouse, black skirt and a white cappa. Oh well, I was that woman from Ontario! A moment ago the sun was out big time, now more flurries! BUT only one degree below freezing!!! |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: Charmion Date: 26 Feb 23 - 10:23 AM It’s snowing heavily in Ottawa today, and the temperature is rising steadily to -4°C. Sunny in eastern Ontario tomorrow, but sleety west of Toronto. So it goes. If the stars align correctly and the traffic and weather cooperate, Dorothy and I will hook up for an early lunch at Tim Horton’s in Madoc, where Highway 7 crosses the 62 to Bancroft. |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 25 Feb 23 - 10:30 PM Interesting small objects are still arriving here. There is a lovely wooden bowl with a lid that was turned by Mudcatter Bill D; I sent him a chunk of the vitex wood from my yard and some months later this delicate bowl arrived in the mail. It was made from a portion of that block, and sits in a place of honor on one of the bookshelves behind me in my office. Along with interesting small frames with photos of the kids and any number of objects I was given by them over the years. Having children does add to the stuff you keep. Today I set out small-ended screwdrivers and a bowl and carefully opened the laptop and replaced the dead battery with a new one with a two year warranty (300-500 recharges). The process involved only one trip to YouTube to see how to open the Sony computer, and opening it was easier than closing it, but it is now finished and fully charged. I'll have to use it enough this week to draw down then recharge the battery several times to get it conditioned properly. An Amazon box was deposited on the porch with the new lights for the attic - but too late in the day to head up to do that job. It was dark by the time I got home from the gym and shopping, so this is for Sunday. I've started a project for the NY friend who sleeps on his sofa - sewing specialized masks. A visit to Joann Crafts/Fabric today has me good to go on that for an extra layer of fabric in addition to some the friend had delivered here. (Joann's always get me with the "buy 3 get 2 free" thread offerings). While there I noticed an expensive plastic multi-tier storage "system" that they charge It's always something. |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: Charmion Date: 25 Feb 23 - 12:24 PM Stilly, I am not letting myself accumulate either books or small interesting objects any more. Those days and those habits are over for me. Disposing of the excess bookcases makes it official. It also makes more room for a person playing the digital piano to push back her chair, and for the instrument cases currently stacked under the window to stand out of the way, but handy. |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 25 Feb 23 - 11:27 AM Sandra, a friend of mine in NY City used the bed surface when he started sorting the contents of his large bedroom closet, and I think he has slept on the sofa in the living room for a quite a while since he hasn't finished that job. Charmion, I would have a difficult time letting bookshelves leave the house. There are so many things (that clutter we speak of daily) that can live on shelves when books aren't present. (Of course at my house, both happens - books at the back of the shelf and small interesting objects positioned on the front edge - a great way to insure that you will rarely dust for having to move all of the small objects.) I did manage to donate a DVD/book case recently, but no small objects could rest on that and it wasn't terribly stable for larger things. I haven't made pancakes in ages but last week I found buttermilk on sale so this morning made a full-sized batch (enough to feed me and both kids when they were big). The cakes I ate were probably half of the day's calorie allowance, but they were good! I'll wrap the rest in plastic two at a time and freeze them for future meals. These are very thin and flexible, Scandinavian style like I grew up with, much like crepes, so sometimes a smear of jelly or sprinkle of cinnamon sugar and rolled they make a great lunch or dessert. (I am not fond of restaurant pancakes because they're stiff and thick and dry.) Another cold overcast day here. I hear the postal carrier on the porch (confirmed by the barking blue heeler, who has him on her radar six days a week) so I may make a trip to the attic with the new lights even though it'll be cold up there. Gotta love how fast Amazon is - you can have an impulse and act on it soon enough with their next day delivery that there is follow-through on some of these ideas. |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: Sandra in Sydney Date: 25 Feb 23 - 09:13 AM it's a good start I've started an email to someone who might like some of my craft stuff - 3 large boxes which were taken from the top of my wardrobes, all that's left is a shoebox with birthday cards in it! The empty boxes are on a chair & the contents are all over my bed - bummer cos it's time to go to bed ... Next email to go will hopefully find a home for 2 shelves of more craft stuff. Both collections are things I no longer make, & I have lots more crafty stuff I'm working on. sandra - shutting down & heading for the mess |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: Charmion Date: 25 Feb 23 - 08:13 AM Awww, gee thanks, Sandra! But this was only the library project’s first tactical bound, as they say at HQ. I have emptied three bookcases, but still have three more to clear and their contents to dispose of, and then the six bookcases themselves to re-home. I will have to hire a couple of large guys to move the six bookcases downstairs and out to the garage, where they can be more easily loaded up and hauled away. But that will be a job for the summer. |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: Sandra in Sydney Date: 24 Feb 23 - 07:59 PM Charmion, some people use emojis (not me!) I like drawings, so picture a GOLD STAR + A PAT ON THE BACK (hand patting smiling person) + HAPPY DANCING (Snoopy & Woodstock) well done, & the only costs were your time (not your back), a bit of air & some extra fuel! sandra |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 24 Feb 23 - 06:34 PM leenia, I spent a few years cutting down trees as a summer seasonal forester and fire fighter. I have that well under control. I'm looking forward to the lights - I bought a string of 5 approx. 75watt (1000LM) bulbs on a 50' string. And the line itself works like an extension cord so I could plug something else into the end of it if needed. They will serve to light the central corridor/highest point through the unfinished attic. Sunday will warm up for better attic work again. I have a string of sparkling LED lights on my front porch that are festive but not very bright; this attic set is a construction-type of light string. When I moved in here we were still using incandescent and portable fluorescent were a thing. Halogen would be too risky, they get too hot. The lights up there haven't been updated in a really long time, and they're all plugged into portable sockets. Good work on redistributing the books! You're lucky the tires were just low and none went flat! And I agree about the interesting objects that sit around a room - to have all of them gone would be unnatural in my world. I just hope to have a few clear surfaces to work on at the end of the day, and not have to turn sideways to enter a room. Dorothy, I'm sorry to read about your friend. I lost one like that about 20 years ago, and it took a lot of processing to sort my reaction to his suicide. But he made a huge impact on the directions I have traveled. Still does today. |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: Charmion Date: 24 Feb 23 - 03:58 PM Speaking of books, the Friends of the Canadian War Museum are now the proud owners of 18 cubic feet of books that no longer belong to me. My poor little car needed its tires reinflated — no lie! And, with the load aboard, its fuel efficiency was awful: 7 litres per 100 kilometres, when usually it manages about 4. |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: Charmion Date: 24 Feb 23 - 02:29 PM I like a bit of clutter — but only a bit. What’s a coffee table for, if not holding the stacks of books that one is half-finished reading? |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: leeneia Date: 24 Feb 23 - 02:20 PM My condolences, Dorothy. It's so hard to lose a good friend. ====== Back on Feb 4th, you wrote "This 1902 house seriously needs new windows... The breezes!!!" Years ago, my father went to a government seminar on the maintenance of church buildings, and he learned that you should caulk windows, but most of the cold comes right through the glass. The best thing to do about that is to put up heavy drapes. This doesn't have to be a major project. Get the spring-loaded rods that pop into the window frame (no screws or nails.) Do you have fabric stores? Look for heavy fabric on sale. Or go to the thrift store and buy drapes or bedspreads. Sew a header at the top and fold the bottom edge so it rests on the windowsill and makes a pocket for cold air to flow into and stop. Think of the cold air as cold water, flowing down the glass and onto the floor. When the bitter cold is over, take them down and store for next time. ====== Stilly, I learned something about cutting down a tree from a man who did it for a living. When a tree is being cut down, it will fall on its heaviest side, so matter where you cut the wedge. Examine your tree and see if it has bigger branches on one side. That's where it will go. Makes sense to me. Fortunately 8 inches isn't very big. I like your idea about LED lights. I have them in my kitchen now, and I'm so glad. ====== Donuel, I like your comment about some clutter. I've seen anti-clutter videos where the house ends up looking as sterile and pragmatic as an operating room. I would find that hard to take. |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 24 Feb 23 - 01:14 PM Beaver: SIGH! checked emails; a very dear friend died this am. I am bereft allover again. In 1968, this sweet 18 year old took this newcomer to Montreal under his wing and helped me find a place to live and took me to the Yellow Door to interview for "office assistant". He set my whole life on a special track. I knew this was coming and am glad he is out of pain. I wanted more chances to talk with this beautiful person whom I saw through 3 marriages and many changes until he reached his goal of becoming a rabbi. His retirement was short. DARN! |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 24 Feb 23 - 01:02 PM Beaver: Darn! Missed out on suggesting I meet Charmion in Madoc for lunch! Made it here on Weds. Have not done much. Still recovering from too much driving! Did go through a cabinet and took all the warm clothes I could part with over to the warming centre, along with some cash. Stayed home yesterday expecting freezing rain which happened as I thought about going the the horticulture meeting; stayed home. Back deck is daunting- frozen snow again! A foot to two feet. I cleared a path on top so I can bring in stove wood without injury. To get to the studio will take more effort. Waiting for a bit warmer weather - tomorrow? And may go to warming centre to see if anyone wants to make a few dollars! |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 24 Feb 23 - 11:05 AM Clutter that is hoarded and collapses to crush the homeowner is onerous. A couple of aha! moments this morning: when I work in the attic I have a few lights up there but it's not easy. These days they make strings of bright LED lights that can be put along the length of the house and turned on with a single switch yet use very little power. I've measured the distances down the middle of the house to set that in motion. I've also concluded that the way to remove the smaller tree in the back yard is by dragging the extension cord and using the electric reciprocating saw with one if its long wood-cutting blades. The DBH (except it's DAH - diameter ankle high, not breast high) is only about 8 inches. Doable by taking out a wedge in 1/3 of the tree then cutting through from the back. It's cold and overcast today, so after placing a couple of online orders I'll head into the sewing studio and consider how to assemble a project for a friend. |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: Donuel Date: 24 Feb 23 - 07:29 AM Architecture that automatically eliminates clutter is Frank Loyd Wright's homes that I have seen. I kinda like some Victorian clutter. There are no Wrights or wrongs when it comes to some clutter. Roman clutter was quite grand. |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 23 Feb 23 - 09:49 PM I've had to switch a medication I've taken for years. A compounded bioidentical HRT that was taken by mouth will via a lotion. This is so it doesn't mess up a bone-building medication taken for a while. After a trial use I've figured out that the lotion base has a coconut ingredient (the pharmacist abbreviates a group of coconut ingredients to "SLS") resulting in scalp & hands breaking out. It sounds like it won't be possible to completely eliminate that coconut, so I'm removing it everywhere else to lessen the impact. My kitchen handsoap is a mix of Tincture of Greensoap and Dawn dish soap, where greensoap has vegetable glycerin from coconut. Instead, I'll be using a Middle Eastern bar soap from Laurel (a relative of bay laurel) grated into boiling water to dissolve it. I've grated half a bar into about 4 ounces of water to test, dispensing from a squirt bottle. Today my handyman friend was here and we talked about the tree removal. Expen$ive, but it does need to be done before the tree falls and breaks something. That will happen soon. I might be able to tackle one of the trees and a couple of limbs before all of this happens to reduce the quote; I'll look at that over the weekend. |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 23 Feb 23 - 12:30 PM I had a short pallet of porcelain floor tile in the back of my pickup and was entering a green light intersection when a city vehicle ran the light from my left. I simultaneously leaned on the horn and stood on the brake - I couldn't stop but I at least slowed enough that I missed hitting the pickup. Both driver and passenger looked startled but they probably didn't know how close they came to being killed. Don't overlook the start and stop times when you're transporting a heavy load, books included. Finally, after years of not finding a satisfactory battery, I have ordered a replacement for my 10-year-old Vaio. It's the backup computer here, it lives in the kitchen, and is always plugged in because of the old dead battery. With a new one it will either be more useful here or will be eligible to be sold (though removing the content from a hard drive in a laptop is a big fuss - maybe keep the drive and tell the buyer they must install their own HD and OS?) We're back to cool weather - and the temperature wouldn't be a problem except it's the wind that makes it not good for continuing the outdoor work I started this week. This isn't your snow and ice, this is just inconvenience to a fair-weather gardener, who has daffodils in the garden and henbit in the lawn. |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: Charmion Date: 23 Feb 23 - 09:02 AM If the car waddles like a duck, then the other motorists will laugh and the Ontario Provincial Police highway patrol will be like tsk, tsk, tsk. I'm good with that. A chat with the cops could be a nice break in the day. It gets lonely out there on the Seven. |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: keberoxu Date: 22 Feb 23 - 03:12 PM If your car waddles like a duck, then . . . ? |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: Charmion Date: 22 Feb 23 - 02:47 PM Twelve boxes packed and ready at the door from the kitchen into the garage. Neil-across-the-street is coming at five o'clock to help me load the car. My back is fine, if a bit tired. It's snowing today in Stratford, and there will be more tomorrow in the Ottawa Valley. Traction won't be an issue with 18 cubic feet of books in the car, but I wonder: can a VW Golf GTI waddle? If so, that's how I'll make my progress across the province. |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 22 Feb 23 - 01:37 PM There was a heavy thunderstorm at dawn today so the garden I've started digging will be muddy, and the mulch I've started picking up at a neighbor's house is heavier for now. I'm putting down a deep layer of wood chips around the raised beds and when that's finished then I'll dig the beds themselves. It's better to do now while it's cooler and the soil has moisture. Once it's hot the soil outside the garden is like digging concrete but the weeds continue to grow if they're there. I spoke with the handyman friend who does lots work in my neighborhood; I think soon he'll be taking down a large hackberry in the backyard. My aim is to remove it before it falls and breaks things. This morning Antonio was actually next door talking with them about work they need doing and I walked over to say hello. Since he'll be taking out two trees there I should do this other one at the same time. It can keep the cost down if he's already set up for the job. This week I finally turned my attention to eBay again. I was sorry to see that they now have to report even fairly modest earnings to the IRS - it used to be you could make as much as $40,000 before that happened, now it's down to $600. Sales don't take into account what things cost, just what you sell them for, so it looks like more paperwork will be needed to keep that all in order. I turned on one of the Hoarder programs this morning - oy. Those serve as confirmation that it isn't what is going on here (as I continue to thin out stuff from family estates) but there is one room that on its own wafts of over-collecting—my eBay room. Better get moving. |
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Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 21 Feb 23 - 11:55 PM People who want to collect parts of this shattered Koons sculpture probably have a clutter problem. I was interested to see that the managing of clutter was in a question on an Executive Function survey I took earlier this week. |
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