DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Oct 23 - 11:10 PM

A friend and I made the shopping rounds this afternoon, in particular loading up on frozen fish at Costco. We're finally into cooking season and fish is on the menu. I have my eyes open for stuff leading up to Thanksgiving, and am keeping in mind that last year's fresh turkey was so large that the oven air didn't circulate well and it took forever. I'll do turkey again, but it will be smaller. Much of the rest of the stuff can be accumulated in the next few weeks - root vegetables, pumpkin, etc.

I have no idea who will be in town over the holidays so I will proceed as if there will be guests so I don't have so much last minute stuff to do.

Dorothy, today at Costco as I walked through the lobby to rejoin my friend (after a trip to the loo) a woman pushing another in a wheelchair sneezed - she didn't sneeze into the crook of her elbow, she just let it fly into the open air beside her. I was so glad to be wearing my 3-layer mask. If I'd given it a thought I'd have told her to cover her sneezes in the future.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Oct 23 - 12:26 AM

A tour of some of my usual shopping stops after my bi-monthly haircut today had me at Goodwill looking at a variety of antique sewing machines. A woman asked a question about some of those being appropriate for a child learning to sew - I think they need work before they're going to be usable. I wasn't moving through like I usually do and I was *that* close to snagging a high end Janome sewing machine with lots of fancy computer stitches, but that woman got there first. I hope she bought it - for $26 it was a great buy. Like I need more sewing machines . . . but that one - what a huge step up from my old rotary and cam machines. That one needed a lot of cleaning up, but I think it was possible. Moving on.

I cleaned the kitchen this evening, with a lot of stuff run through the dishwasher. Sink mats, plates that hold sponges and soap pump bottles, the small dish drainer, etc. It'll be nice to enter the kitchen tomorrow morning and have it all looking shiny and neat as I fix my morning cuppa tea.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Oct 23 - 10:51 AM

That sounds like a good way to hand off stuff you can't use, Senoufou. On the few occasions I've held garage sales I realized that success depends on who passes by in the street and pulls over to walk up your driveway; that would be a much smaller number than at your community boot sale. It's why eBay ends up a better place for smaller obscure stuff than garage sales. A wider audience and they pay for shipping.

I had several very large boxes and several merely big boxes flattened in the SUV yesterday, and my daughter claimed the largest of the batch. The rest will go into the garage until possibly needed for shipping. In exchange, she handed over an ancient ink jet printer that I handed to her father last night, and he in turn will drop it at the city recycle center. We're an efficient small family.

After the dry heat of the summer the fall is cooler and things are coming back to life, but there is a feeling of churn in the air as the seasons change. It's time to start setting up for cold weather, move things in advance of whenever the first frost may come (it has been as early as Halloween and as late as early December.) I've secured one door in the greenhouse that had hung open much of the summer and need to clear shelves for anything I attempt to overwinter. There is still a lot of growth so it's too soon for harvests unless it is things like eggplant, peppers, or tomatoes that are picked as they grow large or ripen. Sweet potatoes stay put until after the frost.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Oct 23 - 11:25 PM

I found the Resealer Beer Bottle Opener a couple of years ago that is helpful when opening bottles of sparkling cider or wine that you may want to consume over a couple of days. The rubber underside and graduated rim let you slide it over a bottle top and keep the sparkle in place.

You're welcome!

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Oct 23 - 10:39 AM

I've always figured that if I ever took a cruise I'd pack enough emergency granola bars and other durable snacks to get me through avoiding people at the point when visiting the dining room means coming down with some norovirus or other.

The other kid has a claim on the flattened very large empty boxes I've kept tucked away in the sunroom; they're preparing to move house (again). That's the kind of job when you're usually glad to see free boxes come your way.

Lows at night in the high 40s this week which is fairly normal, but the afternoon highs are expected in the high 80s. It isn't a typical October. Even though it isn't as dreadful as July, August, or September, it is bound to be another record-breaking month in the scheme of Climate Change.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Oct 23 - 11:29 AM

I'm with you on that, Charmion, though it means not seeing family for extended periods and they're doing the traveling. The recent cold was just a cold, something I haven't had in ages, but it was tough week (and still treating the aftereffects). Like you, I always seemed to come down with something after a flight. The cloth masks I still wear can hang around my neck when not on my face, so it's easy to keep track of if I'm out running errands, no losing it in the parking lot.

The large box was dropped off at the UPS store this morning and the spot where it sat all summer looks empty now. Outside I finished clearing an area in the side bed and planting the cucumbers and zucchinis I started from seed last month. They're mulched well and I need to finish clearing the rest of the bed, which if I do this every 6 to 12 months is pretty easy, but if I wait several years like the last time everything is a lot harder to clear. It felt good doing the work and I wish I hadn't lost a week of good weather. But whatever, it is taken care of now.

Next, filing the growing stack of usual mail announcements that I hold onto, then tackling mortar repairs and the side fence.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Oct 23 - 10:58 AM

Whew! "The Box" - a large corrugated box I've had sitting out to gather things that are going to my son was finally packed and closed for shipping next week. That'll free some table space in the den. 24 pounds of food, things from his room, and useful stuff we've talked about. Two more of the same size boxes should be arriving today or tomorrow from the company where I buy dog food. Lately the brick and mortar store itself has been out of the variety best for the girls so I had to subscribe and mail order two bags at a time to get free shipping. We'll be set for a couple of months and the boxes go to recycling.

Doing laundry today after the head cold has cleared, and this is a good occasion to open new toothbrushes. Trash day tomorrow will see some more stuff evicted from the sewing studio and I need to go through the den and clear out the forest floor the dogs have again created.

In the sewing studio I've created a place for oddball fabric and ribbons, small amounts of stuff that sometimes come in handy but where to put it? Small things too good to throw away, but only useful if you can find them again. I emptied my childhood sewing basket where a lot of this stuff used to live, and now it's in boxes in a drawer.

Talking to a friend I described the upcoming process of backing up the computer then upgrading to Windows 11, and we concluded that the amount of fuss to get everything back the way you like it in the new OS is the virtual equivalent of rearranging all of the furniture in the house. Big job ahead. I guess that would be a recluttering job.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Oct 23 - 01:07 AM

The law recently changed in the US; you don't need a doctor's prescription to get hearing aids now. People can shop around. My brother told me about going to an audiologist because people kept telling him he was missing too much and making noises he couldn't hear but they could - when the audiologist learned that he didn't plan to buy hearing aids from them they pretty much threw up their hands (he shops for just about everything at Costco).

My sewing studio got more work today, with things grouped, logically (I hope) in drawers and labels added. Now I'm hunting for the extra label tape. It's somewhere around here (I thought it was in the drawer in the kitchen, but no, so I'm trying to figure what other logical places it might be.)

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Oct 23 - 12:05 PM

Here I am thinking about my garden still and Dorothy is getting her firewood for the winter and all of you in those northern tiers are getting out the flannel and the comfy slippers.

I've decided to plant all of the cucumbers and zucchini in fairly close proximity in a bed next to the house, so when cold weather passes through (sometimes just an hour or two before dawn is cold enough to do damage) I can cover the plants with a tarp to keep them alive. When they're spread out around the yard it's a lot more work. Our first hard frost is probably more than a month away.

I'll use the tiller to turn over those planting areas today. The plants are more than ready to be transplanted, they're already putting out blooms.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Oct 23 - 06:54 PM

Two stops for errands this afternoon, and while I found the mortar mix I need to block holes into the attic near a soffit in back (and a hole between stones on the front of the house), I didn't find the cedar plank I need. I'll let my fingers do the walking on Google to hunt around for one. Chances are I'll have to find something larger and rip it to the right size, 1"x10"x36" to replace a spot of siding that came off (there are three panels on that area and I'll replace all so they're uniform).

Health-wise I turned a corner today; I woke up coughing and took the Rx but realized by mid-afternoon I didn't need more, though a dose at bedtime might prevent a tickle from creeping up on me if I remove the extra pillows. A good night's sleep would be most welcome after this horrible week. It's years since I've had a cold or flu. Nothing much since I retired. I'll keep wearing the masks.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Oct 23 - 12:17 PM

Agreed - bronchitis is horrible. Wednesday's appointment with the PA got the strong decongestant and so far there is mostly clear in the cough and sneeze; if by this afternoon things have gone pear-shaped she'll prescribe the antibiotic before the weekend. I've had bronchitis a time or two, it's terrible, but taking a course of antibiotics invariably results in a yeast infection, so I wait until it is really necessary to take them, they're not my early go-to treatment. The knee surgeries resulted in my system being awash with antibiotics and for the second one I had several doses of Fluconazole at the ready. Meanwhile, the neti pot has helped soothe and clear sinuses.

Errands have piled up this week; I have to go out today because the dog food is running low and I have to do laundry because I'm down to the last pair of underwear. The weather has been gorgeous and I really resent this cold for taking me out of commission for work I could have been doing outside. I know how I caught it, and I won't make that mistake again.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Oct 23 - 06:46 PM

Dorothy, it sounds like time to let some professionals start the hearing exams, and if you can schedule a specialist, get their input. Guessing and diagnosing it yourself can only go so far. And you can scare yourself.

Explosive coughs today, the kind that jolt you out of sleep. Drinking lots of fluids. A friend stopped by today and left me with a fresh box of Puff's super soft super strong tissues. They'll get put to use!

Still finding and removing interesting stuff in the sewing studio, and today I added one thing - a small electric bobbin winder. The winder on my oldest machine stops winding thread at about half-full on the bobbin so I have to change them more often than I like. I haven't been able to trick it into filling more without messing up the tension. This one should give me more thread while at the same time not overfilling because then they can jam. (For any lurkers who sew, the device is called a Sidewinder by Simplicity. There is a DeLuxe version that has a more involved setup, but the basic original does the job for me.)

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Oct 23 - 11:52 PM

Like Charmion's bruises have bloomed since she fell - this cold has continued to grow since I caught it. I may have to sleep in the recliner tonight to stay upright enough to breathe.

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

I'm to the point when this cold could manifest a sinus infection or bronchitis, so will see my GP's nurse practitioner today. Call from your car when you arrive, they send someone out to swab for COVID and flu tests and when they're sure it isn't one of those you can go in. Efficiencies like this might have seemed rude before COVID. In addition to possible antibiotics, I'll ask for a cough syrup Rx. Last night when I dug around the pantry looking for a bottle I decluttered two - one was 9 years old, the other, 11. I don't catch colds often.

Meanwhile I finished the first sort of a bin of scrap fabric, but there are more containers and bags with scraps so I'll round them up to see what's inside. To offload what I don't need I looked at the scraps offered on eBay—I bypassed the ones selling individual fat quarters or by X number of pieces, I'll mimic the sellers who list by the pound. Keywords in the title will be something along the lines of "Quilt fabric lot scraps, squares, strips, string, crumb." It's time for another eBay adventure.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Oct 23 - 02:39 PM

I'm sorry you fell - though I'd have paid money to see that roll, Charmion! It sounds impressive. I'm glad someone saw the bruise just to be sure it isn't anything more.

My haircut tomorrow has been postponed so my quiet week at home continues. I missed a docent training today, but I can get caught up next week. The neti pot is deployed a couple of times a day to sooth the sinuses. It sometimes used to smart to use table salt in the water; I switched to using pickling salt and it feels great (Pickling salt doesn't have additives to keep it from clumping and no iodine, etc.)

This afternoon I'll poke around in the garden to work the soil for planting my zucchini and cucumbers started from seed. It won't be too vigorous because this soil was worked once in the spring and will be pliable after the big rain last week. I hate to miss taking advantage of good weather, but the fence will wait another week.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Oct 23 - 12:00 PM

Since Saturday I have had symptoms of a head cold; COVID tests on successive days are negative, and in hindsight I caught it from the friend I met last Thursday. I assumed the cough was because he quit smoking recently, and I don't think he'd had many other symptoms himself at that point.

I pulled a box of herbal tea bags out of the tea cart; it's a "throat coat" variety with slippery elm and it does feel good. Celestial Seasonings used to make one, but this is from Traditional Medicinals. Years ago I gave some of this to a friend whose husband was a music producer and they loved it enough to keep it in stock in the house for when performers came through the studio. I can claim responsibility for Dionne Warwick falling for this stuff. (He worked with Burt Bacharach and his ilk for years.) Turning this into a musical thread.

The sewing room clear out has progressed well. To test the storage system for starting this quilting project I spent 30 minutes last night sorting the big bin of scraps from the last couple of years of mask making. They were three layer masks, a colorful front, a light color liner and a flannel inside, so a bin for each. I also cut up a lot of t-shirts to make the stretchy non-raveling yarn for the ties, and I dropped all of the seam edges and such in the bin. They're beautiful colors but I think I'll see if there are fiber artists who can use them.

Handling the scraps from masks has been like visiting old friends because I chose a lot of patterns to reflect interests and ideas. In the early days of COVID before we could go out I dug into my stash and even took apart some garments I never wore to make into masks. Small patterns so a number of them would be recognizable on the face of each mask will also be effective in crumb quilts.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Oct 23 - 10:32 AM

While clearing in the sewing studio I found Mom's favorite tablecloth used for special meals during my childhood. It has a white field with a red rose print and spent several days soaking in non-chlorine bleach but a few stains had set over the years. My next move is to carefully treat the spots.

The pulled muscle is still tender but much improved. I must resist the impulse to overdo for the time being so I don't aggravate it before it heals completely.

The forest floor is on full display in my den. The proliferation of tree limbs knocked down through the yard contributed a lot of chew material for the dogs and I've evicted several branches dragged in through the dog door. Tomorrow is trash day so I'll sweep and vacuum to send a lot of it out (for the time being.)

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Oct 23 - 11:06 AM

Craft donations dropped, and calf muscle pulled in the process. Hoping it isn't a tear. My heel was wedged against the parking bumper behind my SUV when I leaned into the compartment and Zing! went something in my calf. Now I'm limping and hoping it will heal. I still need to exercise, but will be very cautious about what moves I do.

59^o this morning when I walked into the back with the dogs before their breakfast (I find this short trip before meals saves me some of the droppings cleanup behind the old Labrador retriever.) Highs in the low-70s today, low-80's tomorrow, before next week heats up to mid-80s. It still doesn't feel very fall-like.

Before heading to the donation appointment yesterday I did one more dive into my mother's craft stuff in a couple of drawers and pulled out a handful of items I will never use (or didn't know what they are for). In a couple of instances I split the difference, keeping one or two items I might use and sending the rest to their next jobs. I had a specialized sewing measurement curved ruler that I hadn't used in 50 years, I'm not likely to now. If I need help adjusting a pattern, I can ask my daughter to do it. :)

Today I need to spend time in the garden.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Oct 23 - 11:12 AM

After several of us picked up pieces of the next door exploded box elder, it seems that just a (long) block away there was much more drama. We can count ourselves lucky that messed up tree crown was the worst of it. A line of tree service trucks were lined up on the other side of the creek to shred downed trees as they were removed, and in the block beyond that the sagging power lines were fortunately intact at the intersection where they were boring to install a new wooden telephone pole after the previous one snapped.

The UPSP's Informed Delivery tells me that the long-awaited letter regarding the retirement pension has finally landed at the post office. Once I have that in hand I'll file the official change of address and declutter myself of that $250 a year expense. They misspelled my name on the address, so I'm hoping I don't have to jump through hoops to fix that.

In a less pleasant decluttering, my gastroenterologist's office sent a text saying five years is up. Enough about that (but if you're of an age, do it. It can save your life - my cousin's husband put it off way too long and ended up with an involved surgery that did save his life.)

Now to load the SUV with craft donations then into the sewing studio to see if there is anything more to evict before this afternoon's appointment.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Oct 23 - 12:00 AM

It is eight or nine years since I made a long drive anywhere, and when I roadtrip I am a user of paper maps. Google maps is in my phone and I consult it for traffic in town, but I'm not a fan of bossy navigation devices. That said, it's good that you made the trip however you chose to navigate; the synergy of trips to events like the Getaway end up being greater than the sum of their parts. Cliche, yes, but there is a lot to think about after a trip, and that is the value of it.

This evening a friend and I went to hear a talk by LeVar Burton, actor/writer/host/podcaster/activist who fortuitously happens to be here during Banned Books Week. That led to some interesting parts of his remarks. Dinner before the lecture was at a New Jersey style deli and probably two days worth of sodium, but so good! My friend took the most beautiful photo of his half of the sandwich (we shared the full-size hoagy) and the light was perfect when he took photographed his sandwich. I'll put it on Instagram later. :)

Late tomorrow afternoon is my appointment to drop off craft stuff at the donation place, so before I head out I have time to add to the boxes. As it is I'm offloading the filing cabinet, clearing several cubic feet of space in my hall. This was a busy week with a few unexpected twists, but in general very productive.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Oct 23 - 11:25 AM

The huge box elder next door is smaller by several good sized upper limbs after last night's heavy rain, hail, and wind gusts. The one hitting the clothesline also put a deep bend in a top rail of the dog kennel. They feel bad about the mess, but my old hackberry nearly took out their garden shed one year, so these things happen. I've stuffed the trash can at the curb full of a few of the big old sunflowers that all toppled last night. The wood will probably wait until December to go to bulky waste, though Abby ZurSchmiede on Facebook (Harpgirl on Mudcat) has been experimenting with hugulkulture beds and now would be a good time to try it with all of this extra around. The premise is to construct a raised bed over a bottom layer of cut up limbs and rotting wood. She has a galvanized frame around hers, but you could also simply bevel the sides. Keep it to a size so you can reach into it without having to step in it.

Temperatures are cooler, humidity is close to 100%. After 3-4" of rain the yard is gumbo. My plans for the day have changed somewhat.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Oct 23 - 11:39 PM

The next door neighbor's tree dropped branches tonight in a huge thunderstorm. So much rain that when looking out the front door I couldn't see past the curb about 25' away. The limbs took down my clothesline and on one end pulled the newly installed galvanized fence post crooked. Fixable, no insurance needed, but it was a lot of wood that blew over the fence. It's a big box elder that has lived much longer than they normally do around here.

It's a busy day tomorrow and it looks like I'll be starting early - the neighbors will be here to collect the branches.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Oct 23 - 11:53 AM

The former setup in the sewing studio allowed me to reach a small table equidistant from both machines. The new setup still needs a small table between them to hold tools. I have books filling one of the cubbies that I can move into a little antique side table where the weight would stabilize it some. Until this week it stood under the window with a radio and potted plant (and it looks like the "before" version). On top a black rectangular heavy duty disposable tray will corral presser feet, seam ripper, bodkin, bobbins, etc.

I'll note here that every time there were receptions in the university library the caterers dumped all of the heavy duty black plastic trays into a large trash can in our little service kitchen. We'd rescue those platters to use some to use for our own in-house department events and the rest were taken home. I have several under potted plants on the sunroom plant stands. A couple are stored for use during larger family meals and at least this one is in use in the sewing studio. It has always bothered me that the way to keep university events more affordable was to throw away so much plastic instead of using durable materials they would wash and reuse.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Oct 23 - 11:21 PM

I have resisted Apple products for years. At work there were some Apple workstations but it was always a matter of learning where to click to make things work. They were contrary to the Windows setup. It didn't seem to be worth the trouble.

As far as tablets go, stepping up from the Amazon Fire tablet to the Samsung tablet has been a huge improvement in my ability to load the kind of content I want to see. And now that I have Samsung equipment in place with the accompanying Samsung accounts, any future new equipment should be easier to deploy.

In the sewing studio furniture has been moved enough to create a space to move easily from either sewing machine to the ironing board. Endorphins have been generated. :-) The shelves in the 5x6 cubby are reachable, as are the drawers in the two dressers in the room. It may not get much better.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Oct 23 - 03:17 PM

Diving into the sewing studio this afternoon has resulted in a growing stack of school project stuff that was tucked away between the bed and the wall. This includes lots of sheets of heavy duty poster board, some pieces of matte board brought home from the university library (rescued from the recycle bin following the end of exhibits when it was all tossed). Also, my shelves are now clear of some yardage purchased years ago for projects that were never made and that will never be made. I can't imagine using that fabric for anything else now.

My ex came by and picked up an old computer tower and monitor to take to the recycle center (a friend brought them when he was here Sunday). Already in the trunk of the car was an old Packard Bell tower—so old that he didn't bother to remove the hard drive. I asked why - turns out it was a DOS machine, didn't even use Windows. Really really old and really heavy. (Probably should have asked if a computer museum wanted it.) Will we make enough progress with this decluttering that our children will thank us? It's certainly more than either of my parents ever did in their retirement years.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Oct 23 - 10:49 AM

Last night I reversed myself and gave the dog just 1 Tramadol for his second dose of the day, and he was much happier, up and around, not in a sleepy stupor. So reduce the hard stuff and keep him on the same amount of the non-loopy stuff.

I have an appointment this week to take donated items over to the project that collects them for teachers, so I need to tidy the containers and boxes and resend the email asking what they want and don't want. I've already deaccessioned the glitter, but there is still a matter of small beads that they may or may not want. And a file cabinet that counts as furniture so I should probably file the form they have for furniture. Getting that file out of the hall will make walking that space easier. I don't always turn on the light in the evenings and it's hard enough avoiding tripping on a dark dog, let alone a dark dog lying next to the bulk of a file cabinet.

I've been reading more books on my 10.1" Samsung tablet and note that it is using more power than before the whole syncing photos to OneDrive process started, so have tried to figure out what setting in causing the power drain. These things check in with the mothership way more often than they need to. I hope Jon has figured out the device he mentioned recently.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Oct 23 - 07:21 PM

I've let my fingers do the walking through the Lowe's website to track down the manufactured cedar siding that I need to replace a rotten piece (after I remove the rain barrel that has created a splash zone causing the damage.) They also have a box of mortar mix to use to fill the gaps in the brickwork under the soffit. I'll pick up materials tomorrow and get going on this work before critters decide to move indoors.

As the old Lab continues to slow down, after breakfast I started him on the combination of pain pills recommended by the vet to help with his hip discomfort. So far he's slept even more of the day than usual. I think the recommended dose of Tramadol is too much, so I'll try halving it tomorrow (and won't give him the second dose tonight.) The non-steroidal osteoarthritis one he gets just in the morning. This decline adds a somber note to the season.

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

Looking at the calendar, we're a month out from Daylight Savings Time to switch over to Standard Time. We're four weeks from Halloween, and US Thanksgiving is on November 24th, pretty early (on the fourth Thursday each year the date can range from the 22nd to 28th). Those who make holiday fruit cake, or who sew or otherwise manufacture gifts will be getting started. (The craft supplies stores have xmas stuff in stock at least by July for the very organized customers.) eBay listings of gift-type items need to be put up from now on.

It's too soon (at least it is this far south) to move pots for the winter, and those I do move will be things I can live with in the house, since winters in the greenhouse haven't been successful lately. That hard long freeze in 2021 killed off several favorite plants; had they been in the house they'd have been cold, but not dead. In the garden it is time to start tidying for next year, mulching some beds for winter crops, strewing seeds for wildflowers.

This is the calendar telling me these things; the 94^o day says nothing of this.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Oct 23 - 10:26 PM

and to the misguided woman who told me repeatedly that I needed a hearing aid and that hearing loss is a precursor of Alzheimers - she's nuts, she's out of line, and she's practicing medicine without a license. You are fully entitled to ignore her bullshit.

Lunch with friends today with an eclectic menu. My autumnal pumpkin bread was baked this morning for dessert. With it we had lentil soup (Egyptian - very simple with water, onion, lentils, and a couple of spices) and the main course was macaroni and cheese. Comfort food. Acting like it's autumn even if it was in the 90s today. Good conversation - our lunch usually lasts for about three hours. I cleaned the kitchen, swept a couple of rooms, cleaned in the bathroom, so when everyone leaves the house looks good.

With the arrival of October I need to set aside my lazy September ways and get back to the gym and to more consistent volunteering. It simply has to cool off now, and let normal activities resume.

One of the channels that plays lots of older detective mystery shows has restarted Law and Order: Criminal Intent. I turned it on today, and it dawns on me that I never realized what a depressed thread runs through that particular program. I suspect my viewing of police procedurals won't include this one as much this autumn.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Oct 23 - 10:44 AM

Progress yesterday: the front was mowed and part of it was trimmed. I'm not good at taking out a broom to sweep grass off of the driveway at the same time (I hate blowers and it's a waste of water to hose it off). If it sits there for a day it dries and is much easier to sweep away. I'll go out this afternoon and take care of that. The glitter left the porch in the evening and I'm next looking at antique table cloths, runners, pillow covers, etc. The double damask tablecloths can sell on eBay but the rest is small linen and cotton pieces are fussy and there is a nominal return for the work to list them.

The kitchen is clean and the table is set for lunch. I'm working on cooking/baking several things this morning to be ready by noon. One of the friends coming over is involved in a slow-motion declutter of his old electronic equipment. So far I've helped him move out towers, a CRT monitor, large TV, printers, hard drives, and other gadgets. Today he is bringing another batch that my ex (who resides in FW) will take over to the Fort Worth recycle station (it is on FW property adjacent to our village and named for our village, but we can't use it - go figure!). I cleaned the ancient stainless steel dutch oven that sits on the patio with dog water and will send them into the yard once company arrives (they love company but they could knock over one disabled friend). That pot washed up in the creek one day and while I haven't used it for cooking it works for the dogs.

This reminds me I haven't gone down to walk the creek for a long time; I usually go to find fossils.

This weekend I moved furniture in the sewing studio and am trying a new arrangement of the small table that has served to hold some of the regularly used small tools between the two sewing machines. Being able to find what I need when I need it is the key to this working.

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

We have an ozone action day today so they want less driving, no gas powered mowers, etc. I'll get out the electric weed whacker and get started, wearing a cloth mask while I work.

Another eBay parcel has sold, picked up this morning on the porch by the mail carrier. This one served as a cautionary listing - buying something on deep discount to sell on eBay doesn't always work. I will break even after fees are collected, so I didn't lose money. Meanwhile, the rest of the glitter will be collected via "porch pickup" by someone in the Buy Nothing group. Heaven help her with that much glitter in her house.

A note about my homemade granola: I decided this morning that I'm tired of having to floss sesame seeds out from between my teeth, but I like a robust mix of seeds and nuts, so I did some searching of other recipes and I'll switch to unsalted pepitas (small pumpkin seeds). They're small but still, 10x larger than sesame seed.

Cleaning day along with yard day. I'll pace myself since it's still high 90s out there. When I come in to cool off I'll pickup around here, sweep, etc.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Sep 23 - 08:56 PM

I picked up the patterns, some really nice styles in there, all filed neatly in two boxes. She had blouses, skirts, pants, dresses, jackets, coats, and outfit sets; there must have been 50 patterns in there. When we met my daughter we transferred them to a bag for her to carry with her back into her museum after we all had lunch. I'll use the boxes to organize the craft donations I'll hand over next week. Nothing going to waste.

We discussed the scraps my daughter generates in her sewing; she has been tossing them but will now box them and give them to me. I know - sounds like more clutter - but I intend to pick out what I want and make the rest available to quilters. I'm a go-between on that.

This weekend I have to do yard work to get ahead of the tall grass and weeds in gardens. I have guests coming for lunch on Sunday so I'll spend the next couple of evenings cleaning and dusting.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Sep 23 - 11:49 PM

That was interesting. I listed the two vials of glitter and they sold within hours. I asked $12 for the two, because another sale of Woolworth glitter (last summer) had four containers for $20. eBay changed some forms and the post office changed some pricing, so I had to go in and double check my shipping form (eBay had added an extra zero to a measurement, making a 4" dimension 40", and a different price bracket). Fixed that. I asked her what she does with them - that won't change the sale, but I'm interested if there is a Woolworth ephemera collecting thing out there. I loved Woolworth when I was a kid, and I walked past one on my way to and from high school. (Kress was very similar - both of them had interesting basements and they always smelled like fresh popped popcorn.)

In the meantime, on the Buy Nothing page someone offered two large boxes of sewing patterns. Sizes are way too big for me, but not for my daughter and all of the costumes she makes (and she can adjust patterns up or down with tailoring skills, so a size 20 skirt can be adjusted to size 12 if you know what you're doing.) I got my dibs in and will pick up the hoard of commercial patterns (many apparently never used) that I'll hand off to her. Two office file drawer sized boxes. In this world of oddball sales and donation, it has been a good day. A plus - her dad will go with me because the pattern lady lives near our favorite discount grocery. So we'll pick up the boxes, go shop for produce, then see our daughter when the boxes are dropped off. For these these two retirees, that describes a pretty good day! (And maybe I should put all of the glitter together in one offer because someone else like me will have a use for all of it.)

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Sep 23 - 08:08 PM

Yes and yes. I took a photo of the pincushion and glitter gets everywhere. That's why I confined it to a few projects and worked over a rimmed baking sheet and haven't done anything with it for years.

Two of the glitter vials were so old they don't even have zip codes on the addresses, they're pre-1963 and my mom must have picked them up for 29 cents each at Woolworth, "America's Christmas Store." Those kinds of things sell on eBay, so those were set aside. The others will be offered soon on the buy nothing page.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Sep 23 - 11:41 AM

This morning I took apart a clunky pin cushion, the Mother's Day gift I remember making in 1st or 2nd grade. Mom sent the can (standard tuna-sized) from home, and I don't remember if she had to supply anything else. It was filled with sand topped with some kind of spongy padding fiber (to catch pins) topped with red acetate and "MOM" written in black marker. A can-height band of wide masking tape anchored the red edges, itself carefully hidden by fat yarn wrapped around the can over a layer of paste. (Elementary school paste was delicious and not like the Elmer's milk glue). A blue protective felt base went last (my teacher really did think of everything!) The can has a permanent painted label for Pacific Pearl Fancy Dungeness crab, packed by a company belonging to Ivar Haglund. How appropriate. I thought it would be a tuna can, but this is even better. All other materials tossed, the can is a postcard from my mother in 1960. It is possible to waste a lot of time looking into how that label is painted on the can, but I think they printed the flat steel then assembled the cans.

With this small token from the Eisenhower or Kennedy-era stowed on view beside other kitchen antiques, I have moved on to deaccessioned craft items and assembled three sets of glitter to list on the Buy Nothing page. A little glitter goes a long way and with duplicates of several colors it's my prerogative to parcel it into smaller sets.

It's muggy today and there is ragweed in the air. With no rain in sight I'm struggling with the allergies and the heat. Bleh. Will we get a fall, or go straight to cold? Fall here is usually only about a week at the most; in my youth I was spoiled in the Pacific Northwest with autumn lasting most of September and October. And fancy crab in a can that cost 33 cents.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Sep 23 - 08:13 PM

Good luck with the ficus, Dorothy. In their native environment they grow quite large.

This afternoon I sat down at the sewing machine to cobble together more kitchen scrub rags (a sandwich of one part old terry cloth washcloth and two layers of old t-shirt). It is stitched around the outer edge, turned right-side out, then zigzagged around the outside edge and stitched across to turn it into a more solid absorbent rag for cleaning. I also mended the armpit of a favorite t-shirt and did some machine darning on holes in dish towels that Cookie tore up in her puppy days. All is now in the laundry waiting to be put back into service.

Finally getting to bake my autumnal loaves of pumpkin bread. I've rounded up the ingredients and will have it ready for lunch for friends here this weekend. It's still pretty warm for baking, but I'm tired of not doing much for so long.

I haven't been to the gym in ages, not feeling motivated. I have several things to do tomorrow that take me in that direction so I will make a point to stop in. I have started looking around for other smaller gyms that are close to the house, and I'll save the distant one for when I want to swim.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Sep 23 - 12:03 PM

I did some shopping for friends yesterday and brought home relatively little for myself (fresh veggies). Yesterday when I went through the sewing studio to for yardage I found a blouse tossed in there when I couldn't fit into it. Now it fits, so it's in the laundry awaiting freshening up.

Going through shelves in the bathroom I pulled a bottle of Tyrolean pine oil that smells wonderful but makes a deadly slippery bath if used that way so I haven't finished the very old bottle. The smell is still strong so I looked up uses. It seems setting it in a room (how?) works as an air freshener. I take the lids off of jar candles and use them that way (they don't need to burn to smell good), but an oil? I suppose there are small bottles I can use to mix it with some water? Any ideas? I also have some really concentrated mint my neighbor gave me that might be used that way. She puts it on her neck to help with headaches, but I'm not sure I'd enjoy that.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Sep 23 - 04:21 PM

The yard is overgrown where the lawn isn't dead, and I was going to start some work this morning—that is, I was until I found the code enforcement tag on my door saying I needed to mow the lawn. These guys try my patience. He gave me until Oct. 6 to mow, so I'm not going to mow for a while, I'm going to let him stew. And when I do work out there, it will be evenings and weekends so he doesn't get the satisfaction of seeing me do the work. #FirstWorldAggravation

I've pulled two large vintage fabric items out of the sewing studio that will never be used. A futon cover and something that might have been used as a tree skirt around a xmas tree are headed to Goodwill. Pieces usable by me are being organized by type, and some need attention first (one in the laundry now).

Finally getting a few eBay listings up.

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

It's finally cool enough to start walking the dogs in the mornings (I am not an early riser, so we're talking about mid-morning). Walking is considered a weight-bearing exercise and my poor fitness tracker is feeling neglected this summer; these walks will help with bone density and tracker steps.

I started raking pine needles at the curb today and need to keep it up—I want to leave an area around the base of at least one tree that is bare except for needles. And elsewhere I'll mow the tallest weeds to tidy the front. The weeds in the garden will come out via hand tools and newly-cleared areas covered with some of the bagged mulch I picked up a while back. In the house it is still a broom and vacuum operation to control the dog hair.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Sep 23 - 03:14 PM

Allergies are kicking my backside today, and it has me thinking of trying the pill splitter to take a small dose of Sudafed (I'm avoiding it in general because of the BP rise from it).

Another item, this time a phone from the ex's house, offered in the buy-nothing group. Someone is picking it up soon.

I took a quick survey of the front yard this afternoon; there's a lot of yard work to be done out there, and several modest repairs. Another week in the mid-90s then I should be able to get out there and do the jobs without heat stroke.

My mom had hearing aids, and when she was in the hospital near the end didn't wear them because she was afraid they'd both be broken. One fell on the floor and was crushed under a nurse's shoe and after that she never used the other one. They can be a nuisance because they are so small and so expensive.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Sep 23 - 07:52 PM

Dorothy, down here in the states now you can buy hearing aids without going through a doctor or getting a prescription. They cost a lot less than the ones the doctors push as well. My mom had certain frequencies she couldn't hear (she is convinced it was due to some flying during WWII in very noisy troop transport airplanes). It wasn't the volume of what she was hearing, it was the ability to distinguish what it means.

The noise of a nearby thunderstorm has upset one of the dogs, but no rain so far and it has moved east into the next county. I did a little yard work, trimming small limbs into the trash can and lopping the Mexican plum branch that was tangled with the Internet line from the pole behind the house. When this house was built the only line back there was the phone, but that is long gone. Same wooden pole though.

More sorting in the sewing studio, and I can see that some of the fabric in there was grabbed at work during an office purge but I'll never use it. I think one rayon piece might have served as a tree skirt one year. I have a half-dozen large lidded bins empty right now, but they'll be given a task soon enough. The dresser in there is also empty.

I washed all of the bedding today, down to the stretchy sided mattress pad, the light blanket, and the pillows. The dog hair is accumulating in the den so I'll sweep and vacuum this evening before sending it out in tomorrow's trash. And tomorrow I must take the mower to the front yard before the code enforcement guy comes by complaining about a few tall weeds (most of the lawn is still brown.)

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Sep 23 - 03:35 PM

Yesterday I got the COVID vaccination and am feeling a bit achy and moody today. But the mood could be because the calendar says Autumn and the thermostat says 98^o. The high is supposed to be 103. The next 10 days will be back in the low to mid 90s.

Some of our members are headed to the Getaway this week (it happens next weekend) - have a good time, all who attend! I hope there are a few fall colors along the way to add to the enjoyment of the trip.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Sep 23 - 03:12 PM

I'm debating about moving an antique dresser from the sewing studio; it's part of a matching set with a bed and side table. When I look on eBay for Victorian wooden dressers there are a lot of them listed, but when looking at the completed sales the only thing moving out there are the doll furniture dressers and the salesman samples of big pieces. On the FB Marketplace there are quite a few local listings and the prices are modest. I emptied the upper drawers but the largest bottom drawer is a cache of stuff that the previous room user may want to look through. I'll box it up later. The closet in that room is packed with stuff in storage for that same tenant and also needs to go away.

Coming from one of those drawers is a clunky silver dresser set (mirror, brush, comb) given us by our pediatrician when the first child was born. It was never used and I see they sell on eBay, but do I want to bother? Possibly. One photo and it's listed. There is no emotional tie to this like there are to some other relics of babyhood.

Last evening and this morning I made two runs up to my friend's house to feed her cats during a quick trip out of town, and more of her butterfly chrysalises decided it was time to become butterflies. I released one at sunset yesterday and this morning the two in the enclosure were still drying and firming the wings, so she let them out at noon when she got home. The entertainment value of this is right up there with picking your first tomato of the season or the first big squash in the spring.

Going through my sewing supplies I've decided to discard the small rotary cutter inherited from my Mom's craft stuff. This one is a little scary to use, too easy to get fingers close to the blade when the guard retracts but doesn't completely keep you from contact. I'm replacing with a $10 Dritz cutter that reviewers say has a great pressure sensitive guard.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Sep 23 - 10:59 AM

An environmentalist artist friend makes a point of picking up discarded canvases and useful-sized pieces of discarded plywood and MDF (usually out at the curb on trash day in his neighborhood) to use for his paintings. Your old canvases, used or not, can be put to use.

Lunch at a favorite Szechuan restaurant yesterday revealed that I can get lower-salt dishes if I ask. The flavor isn't as pronounced, but now that I'm used to not so much salt, it still tastes good. I suppose I could carry some of the Nu Salt with me if I want a bit more. I'm sure there is still plenty in the food just because of how ingredients are prepared, but it takes it out of the stratosphere. And this doubles the number of places we have on our very short list. I still have to skip the iced tea with the meal because caffeine picks up where salt leaves off on BP.

Some sewing kits (cross stitch) were picked up by a member of the local Buy Nothing FB group. For her nieces. I could have sold them on eBay but it wasn't worth the work to list them. It is depressing to see the gobs of notions, old thread spools, zippers, hooks and eyes, small devices, bric-a-brac, all from estates that are offered in lots on eBay. (They should throw out the thread and elastic, they're too brittle to use, and there can only be a small number prop departments looking for ancient sewing stuff for films and TV shows.) People are buying them so they aren't going to waste but I think I can discard a lot of that now and not have it featured in photos of an estate sale here. (People do estate sales now when they're downsizing to move to smaller houses or apartments, so it isn't just because people are deceased that these sales happen.)

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Sep 23 - 07:37 PM

Scored a nice set of portable pet stairs at Goodwill today, and I'll see about setting up the recliner so Zeke can get into it again. I'll cover it with something waterproof and place it so the casters don't roll the chair while he moves in and out (I may have to remove them for the time being).

Several years ago I planted a Mexican plum tree in the backyard and this year it has decided to produce a crop. I've wondered about how to collect them without spending a lot of time picking them up individually, and today I chanced upon an ad for a device that rolls and the objects (nuts, acorns, balls, whatever, depending on the size you buy) are scooped up through the wires of the ball-shaped roller. I've ordered a Garden Weasel Nut Gatherer that arrives tomorrow. If I don't collect these they will sprout - I've had a few sprout in years past, but this year it's a big crop (relative to the small tree). I need to figure out what to do with the fruit. I was thinking this was one of those fruitless fruit trees, but it isn't.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Sep 23 - 11:42 AM

Good work, Sandra!

The donation program for teachers art materials has a calendar that is booked out several weeks. As I was setting up an appointment and checking my own calendar the time I wanted closed, so I had to grab the next half-hour slot in early October. I sent an email listing some of the things that I have to be sure they accept them. The file cabinet may be one of those items, so I can package my donation materials and store them in the drawers. I just noticed the welded steel file cabinet rolling base a friend gave me - I'll add that to the donation stack. The program is looking for volunteers, so depending on how the drop-off goes, it might be a place to spend time. They're located next door (perilously close) to one of the best European bakeries in town, so I would have to be careful about the calorie intake in that neighborhood.

My short list for today has one item crossed off immediately - I don't need to water the garden. Last night around midnight storms rolled through and it looks like about 1.5" of rain. Nice!

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Sep 23 - 06:07 PM

The Scottish wool lengths have left my SUV, but the old notions stayed (they're probably brittle). A bag of yarn was claimed along with the Bedazzler, scissors, needles (straight and sewing machine), paint brushes, and probably a few other gadgets. Back at home I realized I still had a part that is supposed to go in the Bedazzler box, so sent a note and will deliver it later in the week.

I have several garments like you describe, probably made in shops by seamstresses in the 1940s for mom, no labels. Probably from Japan or Hong Kong when she was over there as a WAC. Silk is hard to sew with (I think it unravels?) but I'll look into what can be done with it. I won't toss them (it is exactly as Charmion's Corollary describes).

This afternoon I took another dive - this time into felt. Why did I have so much? What was I doing with it? There are no artifacts here to remind me. I think there was a bunch given away at the university library when departments were having to clear out for life-safety construction projects (asbestos removal, fire sprinklers installed, etc. Everything was emptied out). Surplus items without barcodes could be discarded so were put out for anyone to claim, and I would have grabbed the fabric.

The last bin I touched had a length of velvet from Mom's house - I'll never use it. That might be one to sell, it's enough to make something nice for a small to medium-sized person (when the nap is directional it doesn't go as far). In our family that would be me, but I won't make anything for me like that. I think it also came from Hong Kong. Mom had some department store catalogs that she used for orders when she came back to the states.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Sep 23 - 12:42 PM

Yarn! I never use it, why do I have a bin of it? I kept a few partial skeins for those times I need it for a knot or two on something, I don't knit or crochet (though I know how to do both - at this point they don't interest me.) Paper - ancient - someone else can use it so it's all going into the daughter-shopping/donate box in the SUV. On the keep side, I found the rest of the braided yarn kit along with instructions. Low tech, high rewards with those.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Sep 23 - 06:41 PM

I started photographing an eBay listing and intended to plug the camera into the older computer with the newer Adobe software, but the file cabinet from the closet was sitting in the chair spot at that desk. So I wrestled cabinets for a while (without emptying the contents of the plywood plank desktop), transferred the files, and replugged equipment. Now I'll turn to the eBay stuff and I have a file cabinet ready to list on Freecycle.

Rugs are thudding around in the dryer after a slow ultra-handwash trip through the washer. This includes a braided rug I pulled from the craft room shelves. Mom made it decades ago and it may need to be re-stitched to reinforce it, but it's in good shape.

The high is 93^o today, so the summer heat hasn't completely drained from our atmosphere and the next few nights won't go below the mid-70s. That said, morning work in the yard in the 70s isn't bad.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Sep 23 - 11:32 AM

The scar from my smallpox vaccination is no longer visible, but I remember getting it. We were all lined up in the hall at my elementary school in Seattle and it was administered to each of us in that efficient and public setting. The school also ran occasional TB tests; possibly to do with it still being in the population in the 1960s and someone in the school testing positive. The world has changed since then. There is a small bruise from my flu shot where he hit a capillary with the tiny needle.

This morning was the last of the cat sitting runs, and the drive was marked by passing a couple of odd vehicular incidents. One car stalled perpendicular across the right lane and up on the sidewalk on a viaduct; it looked like a broken axle. The other was people standing in the turn lane arguing with one crumpled vehicle behind another that appeared unmarked. This is often the case when small unibody plastic cars rear-end heavy metal pickup trucks.

It is time to start decluttering the yard. Long pants and work shoes and safety glasses and a hat are ready to go. Trimming, mowing, sweeping. Putting away the wading pool that graced the front yard during the heat (for birds and bugs). I have a lot of pine needles to rake and use as mulch, but raking them takes finesse since they're long and pokey and get into my shoes and socks.

A box was just taped together and will go into the SUV to hold all of the ejected craft stuff. This week I'll let my daughter shop it first, then take it to the teacher-use donation site. I think she's getting ready to move house, so may not be wanting to add more to her stash (though I can offer her some big boxes that might be very welcome.)

Autumn starts Saturday after a long difficult summer. My mood is better just looking at that date on the calendar.