DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023

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

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

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

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

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

I have started sorting music CDs.

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

I will need more boxes.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dupont:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hark! It’s Georgia with the lawn mower!

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

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

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

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

Dupont:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Good for you, Sandra!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

source: Dr. Fauci

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Charmion
Date: 14 May 23 - 12:52 PM

Yesterday’s agenda — violin school recital in the morning, demanding choir concert in the evening — left me quite whacked, and today I’m dragging my tail. I’ll do an hour or so of raking and sweeping in the garden but not much else.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 15 May 23 - 08:21 AM

They have to be short paragraphs too.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 May 23 - 11:12 AM

The items taken at our recycling bin are pro forma - because they always took them they still take paper and plastic, but I think they only recycle metal, glass, and corrugated. So paper is being shredded here and going in my compost, plastic into the trash (an experiment to burn with trash reveals a melted plastic sludge & probably releases hydrocarbons). But - my organic pesticide test went well. Now to mow the area and see if the weeds are dead or just wounded.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 May 23 - 11:40 AM

Only #1 and #2 plastic are reliably recycled via the bin. Pop bottles and milk containers and many large jugs. The jugs my white 5% vinegar comes in are reused by me many times before they are so broken down they go in the trash. Other recycling this weekend: my favorite thrift store is closing to relocate, so on their last afternoon I found an unlined silk Talbot's Ike jacket and a Columbia Sports cotton flannel shirt (everything half price). That came out $7 each.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 15 May 23 - 04:57 PM

Beaver:
Things got planted. R put soaker hose in place. New tent will go up when I get back to Dupont. Now: Working on getting new order of pots ready - after my 3 days of recovery from drive. Two plates and two "larger" bowls - about 3 # of clay each - took about an hour and will require a rest period of ... Maybe 2 hours... Not sure yet. Went to chiro this am. Hope it helps!

That planting fit at Dupont certainly improved my belief in my ability to get the body working better. I even walked out to my little bridge through the area that is very rough - without any problem. And unearthed four tables - metal legs with plywood tops - that have been sitting out in the "back 40" for a few years wrapped in heavy plastic - Useable! Will get them up to deck as an alternate work area for glazing.

I did fire the greenware. Took two large plastic bags of flower pots to those who will use them to help community gardeners grow food. Visited at my fav org - it is working on food availability, drug problems, and low cost housing - with no cooperation from the town.

Still need to drop off stuff at thrift shop- Town is a MESS with the main street in process of... something??? I thought we went through this last year. All the businesses are suffering terribly - with plywood ramps from street to entrances! Traffic is backed up - my excuse for not going to thrift shop!

Narcissi(?) are in bloom in front garden and the mock orange starts to show green but looks like it had a rough winter. Have screen door on back
door but front one needs attention. Not to worry! It was just above freezing when I got up this morning! Small fire in wood stove last night.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 May 23 - 11:13 PM

The vinegar seems to have worked on the area I tested; I've now mowed and will watch to see if they grow back from the roots or if killing the foliage killed the whole weed.

I have rue in a pot and today I found swallowtail caterpillars munching away. I'll get some more at the neighborhood nursery, they always eat themselves out of food before they're ready to pupate. With the number of lizards living nearby on the rock wall, I think it might be a good idea to move the pot (though the yard is full of lizards and toads - who love eating insects.)

This evening I made a batch of granola; last time I made it the cereal was so sweet that this time I doubled the oats but kept the original amount of honey and oil. And I added a lot more nuts (whatever I could find in the freezer - almonds, walnuts, and some pecans). And raisins. There is a little flavor from the honey but it's a much better mix. I'll enter it in MyFitnessPal and see what kind of nutrition information is revealed. (270 calories before milk is added.)

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 May 23 - 11:38 AM

This new batch of granola is much better, with just a hint of the honey flavor and not too sweet. I've bagged and frozen some, and I used the FoodSaver vacuum seal canister to bottle some more. The trick is to put a jar with whatever dry thing you want to seal into the vacuum canister with a sealing lid held lightly in place on top of the jar. Set up to seal the canister, and when the machine turns off, open the canister and you'll find that the lidded jar inside is now also vacuum sealed. It means you can use all of those old spaghetti sauce jars to seal in dry stuff and reuse one canister to seal those jars, not spend $20 or more per canister just to store dry things like herbs and cereal and other grains. I've also stored dehydrated vegetables this way.

My neighbor gave me a bottle of avocado oil at xmas and I've been looking for ways to use it; for the granola this one is perfect, it's much healthier than corn or canola but not a strong flavor like olive. It looks like I'm going to have a good crop of basil this year and I think making my own pesto with this kind of oil is a great way to control salt and have as fresh as can be at the same time. I've added pine nuts to my shopping list.

Last week I switched the house heat pumps over to the summer settings, and I see this week that two of the dogs are now choosing to sleep on the tile floor instead of the filled dog beds. It's time to wash the covers and put them away and stack the orthopedic foam and fiberfill beds out of the way (so Cookie doesn't tear them up to get at the stuffing. That's why there are covers on them.) I'll leave a couple of the orthopedic mats out. There is so much dog stuff around here.

Charmion, I hope the yard looks fabulous after your raking. Dorothy, those sound like some rather heavy plates and bowls you're working on now. I have a few of the real heavy ones around here from my Dad's house, they get used for serving food on special occasions. Hopefully that is the destination of your fine pottery!

How is everyone else doing? Any lurkers want to lower their shields and share their spring plans or progress reports of home renovation or decluttering? Jon? Keb? JennieG? Patty? Don? Steve? Sandra? To name just a few.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 16 May 23 - 07:36 PM

Well I'm behind with my gardening, mainly to do with poor weather (until this week, which is lovely) and a bout of ill-health last month. Last year the farmer whose fields surround us signed up to some wacky scheme to grow wild flowers for their seed crop, which could then be packeted up and sold. He sowed the four-acre field next to us last year, and guess what: not a wild flower of even a remotely desirable type in sight. I could have told him. Plenty of ribwort plantain (ok for his horses, I suppose) and thousands of prickly sow-thistles, all of which seeded and which covered my garden with their feathery flying propagules. So I have a magnificent crop of sow thistles up to six feet tall in every flower bed, veg bed and plant pot. They're very easy to pull out and I suppose they'll make good compost. I've even heard that you can eat them (they're related to lettuce). They're so tall and thick and fast-growing that they seem to have suppressed the other weeds, so I'll take that as a positive. One thing's for sure: if he tries the wild flower thing again, the millions of sow thistle seeds he produced last year are just waiting in his soil to thwart him!

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Charmion
Date: 17 May 23 - 12:33 PM

I got paid for the fiddle school gig — a fuchsia plant, a chocolate bar and several fervent hugs. The fuchsia is out on the porch, easing into bloom and looking as if I always have the good taste to acquire porch flowers, which I of course don’t.

The flower beds still look awful, but I find that I just don’t care; when I do, conditions will improve.

The only flowers in my garden that the local rabbits don’t eat to the ground are daffodils, blue hyacinths, and hellebores. Maybe I should go out and buy a whole whack of hellebores and plant them everywhere that isn’t covered with periwinkle.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 17 May 23 - 06:23 PM

Beaver:

Had to phone R and beg frost protection on the new plants!! He sent me pics. Frost again tonight and, possibly, next week. Botheration!!!

Bowls and plates are getting made as energy permits; none yesterday, lots today. Feeling good about the progress. They will not, of course, be as heavy after the water leaves - in the firings!

Fire in stove last night again and all day as it did not warm. Brought in more wood.

Rain due on Saturday. Bummer as it is first Farm Market for this year. Also going an hour north for a gathering planned by friend of 45 years - since she was 6. Looking forward to seeing the folks up there. And check out the shop where my pottery sells. Hoping for good summer sales; it is en route to Algonquin Park, very touristy.

Have done some weeding in the raised beds here. Pulled some sorrel to add to sweet potatoes.

Long visit with friends at Timmy's; a long time since we did that.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 May 23 - 06:26 PM

Washing dog beds. The washer is fairly smart and works based upon weight and the assumption that it is normal laundry; it will suss the volume of laundry on its own for water level, but these beds are light and bulky and don't slide down into the bottom of the tub. I set it manually to use lot of water on the gentlest cycle to let these things soak and do an extra rinse. It's a nice day so the first one will go on the clothesline when finished. The second one might fit in the dryer. The den already looks so much better without these two humongous beds in the way.

I moved a stack of dusty beading supplies from the top of a bookcase in my bedroom to the sewing studio. In the process I found a pair of amber apple-shaped earrings (the diameter of quarters and with darkly tarnished silver settings and French hooks). They arrived in a box of jewelry my sister sent when sorting our mother's estate. It was mostly costume, but there were some good pieces, and I decided that my daughter (who was probably 12 when the box arrived) should have the whole thing, not just getting the picked over stuff. It included a quite valuable long string of chunky amber (I've seen that necklace in photos when she goes to costume events - it gets used). The amber earrings I thought I might wear, but they needed repair. They were forgotten for 20 years until I moved this stuff.

I took them apart, polished the silver, reglued the settings, and when I tried them on realized that as light as amber is they were heavier than I like. I tucked them into a little box and remembered to hand it over when my daughter and I had lunch yesterday. There's nothing like the surprise of a tiny box. I reminded her about Mom's jewelry, and asked if she could use them or make them into something else. It seems lately she has been wearing more clunky earrings so as we talked she swapped out the small silver dangles she wore to work with these amber ones. Excellent outcome! There was an exchange - she had a couple of hand-me-down long-sleeved shirts for me. Not elegant, but they'll get more use than the earrings ever would have.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 May 23 - 02:18 AM

Dorothy, we cross posted. It's nice you have shops that you can send your pottery to. Good luck keeping the frost off of the tender garden. I'm setting up sprinklers here as it starts to heat up.

Once the bookcase top in the bedroom was bare I realized I could reclaim my dresser by relocating the TV to that spot. My exercise stuff is also there, all in front of the carpet where I use my yoga mat. Disturbing dust was part of this operation.

The messiest job today was the continuation of dog bed cleaning. When the second fluffy bed went in the washer I added the case from a flat egg crate dog mat (it's "orthopedic" for the old Lab.) Once the case was clean it was clear a lot of dirt had migrated into the foam so that needed a wash also. With dog shampoo in the tub I did a lot of gentle swishing and wringing then draped it over a couple of plastic trash bins in the bathtub so air can reach it to dry overnight. The amount of dog hair around the house right now is astonishing. My next project is to gag my vacuum with as much as I can round up. I've started brushing the dogs and though you'd think that would reduce the amount of shedding, I think it makes it worse.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 May 23 - 10:42 PM

This afternoon I ran a small sprinkler in zones across the front of the house then was able to step into those moistened beds and pull out the Bermuda grass and spiderwort that was in amongst iris and lilies and taking over. Tomorrow I'll dig out a bed that is full of Carolina Snail Seed, a pretty yet horrible vine that strangles everything. I mowed last weekend but the grass is tall again - tomorrow is the day the code enforcement guy comes by to see if the lawn was mowed - it was, but can he tell? We've had a couple of days of rain to let it grow fast. I'm betting that without as much grass in the gardens, he won't complain.

I have some squash plants almost ready to plant and a tomato that was an extra straggler in a potted nursery bedding plant that I scooped out and put in its own pot to grow. I now have an extra plant to put in the garden. I know - silly - but if I can get a free tomato plant I will. The squash and okra are growing from seeds. I'm also trying to get some cucumbers, so far only one of about 8 seeds has sprouted in that mound (they are old seeds). I need to buy a couple of eggplant bedding plants to put in. Over in the butterfly host plant pot of rue one of the caterpillars has disappeared, probably due to predation by lizard.

Back in the house, every time I walk through my bedroom I'm pleased with how good it looks. As a follow-up tweak I've moved a few things off of the antique Mission Oak rocking chair and put two lap quilts away in an under bed zipper bag. (There is a meme about clothes worn once - you don't want to hang them up in the closet but they don't need to go into the laundry bin yet - so "hello, chair" - where they air until they're worn again. This is that chair.) My exercise area beside that rocker is inviting, and this is a good thing!

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 19 May 23 - 04:06 AM

My mum always used to advise that you could wear a new shirt for two days before it needed washing (unlike older shirts that should be changed every day). I never did see the logic of that. But always remember the old adage (*puts on best Hyacinth Bucket voice...*) that 'undies worn twice are not quite nice...'

If in doubt, twenty minutes on the clothes line outside solves the problem. This also works a treat if your clothes have picked up cooking smells. As long as it isn't raining, of course...

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: pattyClink
Date: 19 May 23 - 08:53 AM

SRS, that was a lovely outcome on the amber earrings, well done! That's the way to pass things on.   

Charmion, ridiculous that you find a perfect soul to take the Romertopf and he refuses! Sometimes people are too nice for their own good. As if you don't have better mementos to hang on to than a darn pot.

Steve, I don't know where that wear-shirts-twice thing came from out of the blue, but don't try it south of the 40th parallel, unless you have no sweat glands!

Doing fine out here on the road, had a nice stop at Reelfoot Lake TN, saw a lovely apple-blossom spring in Illinois, and bopped down to Georgia for a field trip. Househunting in Wisconsin was a big bust, so now I am taking a look at northwest Illinois towns. Today one will get the 'do they have a decent YMCA' test. A nearby town was promising, but had a hideously managed pool, so it fell off the short list.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 May 23 - 11:16 AM

I had one of those forehead slapping moments this morning; new plastic storage drawers have entered the sewing studio as I continue to find places to put things so they won't collect dust but I can still tell what's in the bins. I'm wrapping up work on masks (I make a few for people who still wear them, but not at the pace of 2020 or 2021). Looking around for a new project to work on, (I'm leaning towards quilted panels and corduroy tote bags) I put my hands on several projects I have materials and patterns for that have languished. I could start by making or finishing those projects. Duh.

When I was a kid one of the attractive and sturdy things my mother made were braided rugs. She shopped the Salvation Army for old wool pants and cut them into strips that were then fed through metal tips to shape the strands for braiding. They were then stitched together into oval rugs using heavy duty nylon thread. Mom kept everything and my sister sent me all of that stuff. I'd like to make some of those wool rugs, though the modern fabric that I've used for projects are old t-shirts; when you find the ones that don't have side seams or huge plastic printed art you can make a jersey fabric yarn that won't unravel. (It can be connected together for big projects.) I use it instead of elastic for masks. What else might I use it for? I have a lot of thrift store t-shirts I bought for the various colors to go with masks. I also have a lot of jeans denim to use for projects. Must start looking for patterns.

Out to the yard in a few minutes; yesterday was eaten up by a big web design project, so only a couple of hours in the yard. Today I should complete a lot more (since I watered yesterday to make weedy beds workable).

Good luck with the house search, Patty. My brother is doing the same thing to relocate to the New England states to be near his daughter's family, but about an hour away from Boston where prices are so high. He has a plan (staying at B&Bs in various areas to give himself time to look around) very similar to yours, but without a van or RV as his base of operation.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 May 23 - 11:42 PM

Clearing out some old technology. When I updated to a newer model, I kept a small Amazon Fire tablet to use to connect with an Instagram account I manage (not my own). It was the only device I could use to edit typos, but times change and it works on the computer now. It won't bring much, but it works and factory reset is now churning through the apps and settings. There are a couple of other devices that have been reset and all need to go on eBay.

I did more digging and weeding in a light drizzle, spreading another bag of mulch, but when the thunder started I retreated indoors. I don't know if it is really true that if you can hear the thunder you can get hit by the lightning, but I usually choose not to put it to the test. I finished the heavy lifting needed in a front bed by digging out several weed trees that keep coming back. I mixed another batch of 20% vinegar with a little orange oil to use for spraying on weeds. It is best used on sunny warm days so the vinegar works faster.

Except for that thunder today I could have washed the last of the dog beds, but it was in use by the blue heeler who hates storms and was hunkered down in the closet, where this other bed stays. Tomorrow.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 20 May 23 - 09:48 PM

Beaver:

Mostly social day today but I managed to throw two plates so they can be drying so I can use the bats for two more tomorrow. (only have two large enough!)

Went to farm market in the rain. Good visits and some helpful info. Managed to finish one of the most poorly concocted novels I have ever tried to complete. Getting to the end was... well... fund out who dun it but ARGHHH! Author goes on list of never again.

Then off to an event an hour north - great visits with old and new friends. A very new potter moving to the area! And a wonderful visit with a man telling me how much he enjoyed a program for which he worked - his first summer job as a HS student (circa 1985) - that our very new women's centre had initiated; apparently I was the supervisor (unpaid as chair of the board.) Good feeling to be remembered kindly all these years later! The Centre, founded by myself and a couple friends, is doing vital work almost 45 years later - feels to me like a kid who grew up wonderfully well!

10 good days here and two weeks more before I need to get back to QC.
Poured rain sporadically all day. Tomorrow to be nice and a bit warmer so back to potting work!

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 May 23 - 11:06 PM

Dorothy, it's good to see projects you started move forward under their own steam. In college a friend and I started an outdoors center on our community college campus, to make equipment available to borrow (or rent? I don't remember) and to teach outdoor skills. About 20 years later I was on campus and that organization had taken over the whole upper floor of the building and was a busy hub of activity.

Loaded up on fruit and dog food today and did a little trimming in the garden, but mostly it was a lazy day. I did some laundry and ran another load of dishes with that dry detergent I've been trying to use up - it does such a poor job I'm going to throw out the rest and go with the pods that clean dishes and remove tea stains from cups. Why wash dishes AFTER they come out of the dishwasher?

Volunteer work tomorrow, and then I'll head to the gym. I have a new audiobook to listen to and mostly I use them at the gym (where there are TVs all around the room but it's a nuisance to go get a channel changer and they have cable with a gazillion channels to scroll through - I'm better off with a book).

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Charmion
Date: 21 May 23 - 06:47 PM

A lovely Sunday in Perth County, after a cold, wet Saturday.

As I type, I’m sitting on the porch. With a beer. The truest Canadian way to mark the dear ol’ Queen’s birthday. (Victoria, that is.)

Tomorrow will be noisy, with firecrackers that sound like far-away small arms fire that is nevertheless closer than I like. But right now all I hear is the hooting of mourning doves and the grandchildren of Neil-across-the-street helling around on scooters.

The house is thick with cat hair (again) and the kitchen floor badly needs washing. The flower beds still need clearing of the winter’s debris. But I do not care. Right now, it is sufficient that the evening air is like velvet and the scent of lilac drifts on the breeze.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 May 23 - 01:19 PM

I see your cats and raise you two dogs (the third one has a short flat coat.) The dog hair here is incredible - sweep every other day and the dustpan looks like it has a bouffant wig being carried to the trash can.

Today I waded into the sewing studio's stack of rag and mending stuff and consigned a half-dozen knit tops to the donation bin, put a couple of t-shirts back into circulation (I couldn't wear them until I lost the weight.) Two have gone into the trash, because it's either I throw them away or the Goodwill would throw them away. I still have several to use for rags, no shortage there.

Mowing today, and when I put the fitness tracker into a band I wear around my ankle it adds up to a good number of steps, though it confuses the heck out of the Google Fit map as I walk back and forth in the same small area. (When I mow my hands are on the mower bar and the tracker isn't moving back and forth as when one walks with free hands, so the gyro or whatever is inside doesn't pick up steps.)

It was Susan's birthday a couple of days ago—if she reads these posts, I hope it was a good one, wherever she's living. And Dorothy and Charmion, have a great holiday today, not too noisy. Will there be some good food and music?

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 May 23 - 10:35 PM

Two small tablets have been decommissioned, both now have gone through "factory reset." It took hunting in several places to find the bits and pieces that came with them. At the minimum the power supply (a charger pod and removable cable) and quick start instructions if possible. Another couple of devices need a similar treatment. Then to eBay.

My museum volunteer gig comes with logon credentials because I'm working on their big server to store scanned images—it's my extensive previous library training that got me this work and after three years I have about 5,000 discrete images scanned for them. But as a docent (part two of that gig) I don't need that email, and when they send docent stuff to the archives account, I can't see it since I've never been able to open those from home. I recently asked them to stop sending docent stuff to the museum email and the IT folks removed both of my addresses from the docent listserv. [sigh] Now I need to find a streaming lecture from the training session they did today that I just now learned about. There are too many cooks in that networking process. A couple of times I year I have to ask them to restore some access or other that they randomly remove. Not a great way to run an IT dept.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER * Health/Home Ecologic-Innovation *2023
From: pattyClink
Date: 23 May 23 - 11:58 AM

House-hunting has not gone well. I thought if I was free to not have to choose an area for employment, I would have good pickings. But, it's just a bad market for buyers, as investors send their tentacles out anywhere the least bit desirable or affordable. Not good for sellers either; so many are clinging to what they have in fear they won't want to finance the new place at high interest rates and higher prices.

Often the only affordable listings in any given town are the 'problem' homes, or junky cosmetic flips not worth the money. I hope SRS' brother has better luck in New England and a big pot of money to work with. On the up side, if you're in a home, that's paid for, or has a low payment, you're a winner!

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

Good luck with that search, Patty. I wonder if building is any better opportunity-wise for affordable housing? I've read that there are big contingency funds added as the prices of materials goes up. No news on the brother's search, but I believe he has invested well over the years and probably won't have to worry about financing, making purchase a little more straightforward.

A neighbor of mine (she worked for a big bank and helped the last refinance on this house) is an "investor" - she has been buying up local houses and renting to the Section 8 community. I am not opposed to this, but I wish she did a little better background check. There is a lot more foot traffic because many of these folks don't have cars; again, not a problem - it's the number of times each week police are called to a couple of these houses that is troubling. The reason why I bought a house and got away from apartment living was to avoid this (after the divorce we spent two years in a complex that was generally pretty good, but still, weekends were a bit rowdy with fights in the parking lot and there was vandalism to vehicles pretty regularly.)

I got up early today to start mowing only to find it was raining. Hmmm. Shift in plans. I did go out with a squirt bottle to spritz some Spinosad on the herbs that seem to be munched by garden critters (after the Sluggo didn't slow them down.)