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01 Oct 09 - 12:39 AM (#2735555) Subject: BS: October 2009/De-clutter and Progress Rpt From: Stilly River Sage We seem to have thinned out on both the exercise progress report and the de-clutter progress threads, and it has been suggested we should run one together. Let's see if this is it. Here's the last Declutter thread. SRS |
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01 Oct 09 - 10:29 AM (#2735826) Subject: RE: BS: October 2009/De-clutter and Progress Rpt From: Stilly River Sage This is actually a good combination of threads for me this month. This week I started on a diet to drop a few pounds quickly as I adjust to some healthier eating as recommended by Dr. Weil in his book 8 Weeks to Optimum Health. I'm reading it now, and there is yet another Harvard report out this week that suggests that for every 2 pounds a woman is overweight, it considerably impacts her future health. 20 pounds overweight can lead to a significant health risk, and I have to loose more than that. So I'm getting more exercise and my next door neighbor is also working on the same thing, so we hope to influence each other in a positive way. And in the house, I'm considering the domino effect. Work on one room, get it in shape, and then move on. And a lot of that shape-up involves decluttering and selling on eBay. So I do have concurrent tasks running this month that can both be reported here. It's raining (a drizzle) today so I will watch for an opportunity to get out and walk. The mowing will have to wait till it dries again, though that is probably my best exercise here with a very large yard. I can break it into two tasks, the front one day, the back a couple of days later. Do any of you remember Covert Bailey, who used to be on PBS with lectures about "Fit or Fat" and various exercise programs? I pulled out a book of his and I remember his lectures talking about exercise every other day because you don't want to end up with sore muscles, that is counter productive. And he suggests, in a chapter about overweight people doing wind sprints that he doesn't mean all of us should go out and race down the street in all of our chubby glory. He said wind sprints are simply the act of pushing yourself a little harder in your exercise to make yourself a little breathless. So if you're walking, push yourself a little harder for part of that walk so you're breathing hard, then cut back down to your slower pace. You won't burn fat with your exercise unless you hit that breathless point for at least a little while. I can do that! And since I've been thinking about getting a new leash for the dogs for a while, I went over to PetSmart yesterday and bought a tandem Y-shaped leash (one handle that has a junction half-way down and it splits to a separate leash for each dog.) This is a very sturdy leash (there are some little things on a steel loop that I'm afraid my dogs would demolish) and I have one dog that always wants to be a little in front, and I can adjust for that also, if I need to. I live next to a creek so everything is up from here, and I have just the hill to puff up. The dogs won't be working any harder, but I will. Let's see if we can't knock off a few extra pounds before the holiday season comes around, and let's see if we can't list our seasonal things on eBay and continue the de-clutter of the house. Onward! SRS |
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01 Oct 09 - 10:37 AM (#2735834) Subject: RE: BS: October 2009/De-clutter and Progress Rpt From: katlaughing Sounds good, SRS! Thanks for starting a combo thread.(I kinda miss having "accountability" in the title, but it's really no big deal.:-) I'll post later. |
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01 Oct 09 - 10:43 AM (#2735844) Subject: RE: BS: October 2009/De-clutter and Progress Rpt From: Stilly River Sage I couldn't squash it all in and still have the month and year. If you can make this fit, try: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Rpt SRS |
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01 Oct 09 - 11:31 AM (#2735877) Subject: RE: BS: October 2009/De-clutter and Progress Rpt From: wysiwyg Wonderful what an impending (annual) MIL visit does each year to spark and assess decluts. Caps ahead for emphasis-- too busy to HTML! :~) THIS year really shows the progress in ways I might not have discerned till today. The ONLY stuff getting packed up to "hide" is the last batch of upstairs-office WORKING materials. It goes to the room where it can WORK, that is well setup to receive it. Heck, the whole upstairs is clean and neat, and usually stays that way. AND-- this is REALLY astounding-- the knick-knacks going upstairs to grace an area of Hardi's (a few others already went up to MudDorm for same purpose).... will pave the way.... to...... [happyshouting] PAINT OUT THE BIRD WALLPAPER in the living room. YEP! (Past visitors will understand THAT one!) How?!?!?!?! A young man looking for work and a little help learning HOW to work for pay is gonna paint me up right! The other GREAT news---!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!-- is that THIS year, SUSAN is doing the cleaning, not Hardi. GIRL-cleaning. And it reminds me of a goal I recommend you other declutterers think about-- do you want it all to "look better," or do you want it to be [insert vision of choice]? I'm well enough-- I want it to be CLEAN. And pretty. And it is amazing how much cleaning can be done from a chair!!! (I did pretty, but I couldn't dso "clean.") === Another old goal reaching completion. The first of two chainlink dog pens will be done by Saturday. It already looks like a fence, and will be ready for doggies by Sat. It adjoins an old brick smokehouse (4' x 9') that holds an easy chair for me and will hold pallets I've been saving for the doggies to lie upon on cold days. Under the pallets is the turkey-litter and shavings from the turkeys we raised 10 years ago. The dirt from digging the post-holes and a trench to sink the fence underground-- that will fill my container-gardening pots in the spring!!! It turns out this property has topsoil we never dreamed of, and my helper is a quick digging musclemanling. That pen will be their summer vacay pen so housesitters will no longer be required and access to house will no longer be necessary for the annual dogsitter. YAY! A spare pen away from the house, and I am well enough to put them OUT there. === The young-man-learning will do the larger pen adjoining the kitchen after that, and the dust-reducing gravel is on order. That pen is already opened up for me to able to work in there with him, and get in on a regular basis to de-poop it. === Keep your eye on the ball, and you can hit it instead of it hitting YOU. As NHL goalies know-- you just have to let it come to you. ~Susan |
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01 Oct 09 - 12:59 PM (#2735945) Subject: RE: BS: October 2009/De-clutter and Progress Rpt From: maire-aine Wow! You guys are setting a quick pace. There is something, though, about the nip in the air that gets us moving a bit faster. I cleaned the science experiments out of the back of the refrigerator this morning. (Tomorrow is trash day.) Packed some dishes away that I seldom use, but don't want to get rid of. But I still need to clear off more counter-top space. I miss my flour & sugar canisters that I boxed up due to lack of space. No damage to the garden from the cold temp last night. The grass-seed I planted is filling in the bare spots nicely. I have some daffodil bulbs to plant before the weekend. |
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01 Oct 09 - 01:39 PM (#2735976) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountabilty Report From: wysiwyg 15 years is not a quick pace! It's a matter of baby steps till you can jump high, that's all. Must keep Ultimate Vision before you. Head in that direction, whether in long strides or small steps. ~S~ |
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01 Oct 09 - 02:27 PM (#2736014) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountabilty Report From: mouldy Well this phase of the work is nearly completed, and the first lot of carpet and the kitchen flooring goes down on Wednesday, with the living room being done on the following Monday. I started to get stuff back into the "broom cupboard" in the kitchen today, and have got rid of/reorganised quite a bit of it. I also chucked out a lot of old herb and spice jars and contents. Some were best by 2001! I've also got a nice sofa bed on order, which should be delivered in about 6 weeks. I'm having to keep an eye on my dog at the moment - she's developed heart failure, and has fluid in her abdomen. The vet says she could last a week, or a year or more. She's on medication to support her circulation. She seems to have gone downhill in the last few weeks - since the work started properly. I wonder if the stress of having everything upside down so much might have got to her. She's thirteen and a half. At the moment she isn't appearing to be in distress, but I'm taking it one day at a time. I made a WW tuna and pasta bake today, and she still managed to sit hopefully while I was cutting up tomatoes and cheese! I want to lose 6lb by Christmas. Andrea |
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01 Oct 09 - 05:54 PM (#2736174) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountabilty Report From: Stilly River Sage Andrea, last year I saw an ad in Martha Stewart Living that showed labels from the last couple of decades, and suggested if you had the old tins they were too old. I had a few. I have an hour before I leave to pick up my son, so I'm going to take a pizza crust out of the freezer for his dinner (I made several extras a couple of weeks ago) and then take the dogs for a vigorous walk around a few blocks. We'll puff our way up the hill and see if we can't make a dent in the ripples of waistline. I have my frugal hamburger patty and a generous salad for dinner tonight. The lunch each day isn't aways my favorite but Tarnower had a substitute lunch of cottage cheese with a teaspoon sour cream. Back then they probably didn't have little cartons of low fat yogurt, so I'm going to be using that and fruit for some of the lunches I don't care for. I need a little protein to keep me going. All fruit for lunch just doesn't let me make it through the afternoon. My first diet goal--to fit comfortably (not crammed into) several pairs of pants for the cooler weather. I haven't stepped on a scale--that sometimes sets me back more than it helps. SRS |
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01 Oct 09 - 05:56 PM (#2736176) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountabilty Report From: Stilly River Sage P.S. Congratulations, Susan, on being able to see that the system is working! That must feel great! And I'm glad you're feeling better. I haven't followed any other threads where you might have elaborated, but have a general idea of what you were up to. I hope you continue to improve. SRS |
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01 Oct 09 - 06:14 PM (#2736194) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountabilty Report From: katlaughing SRS, try equal parts low fat cottage cheese and plain yoghurt with a few frozen, unsweetened blueberries. Lots of protein and tasty! |
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01 Oct 09 - 07:14 PM (#2736228) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountabilty Report From: Penny S. I was teaching today, but managed to collect a useful empty box for the last few books(I hope). And I've been sorting through old files on my computer and deleting or rehoming in appropriate folders. One amusing one was a letter to my nephew on how to keep his hard drive working well - he now has a computer degree and is working in the field - knows much more than me! Still trying to think what to do on Saturday, when bad neighbour will be working by my front door. Either go out where I can't do anything useful, or accept being trapped. Wish I had access to my new place. I could measure and work out which light bulbs to replace, or something. Penny |
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02 Oct 09 - 02:00 AM (#2736401) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountabilty Report From: mouldy SRS - I have a packet (unopened) of 1960s wash powder. I found it under an old guy's sink a few years ago, while I was doing care work. he gave it to me! If I remember it's something like late 65/early 66 because there's an offer of roses to buy on the back, and I think it finishes in the April. I love old packages, women's magazines etc. I have just got hold of a weekly one which is dated week ending 27th December 1969 - the day I met Ian. Going to do some clearing in the study today - MEGA clutter in there. My sister in law is coming to visit tomorrow and stop overnight (but that's not the reason!) and I need to make room for Peter to run a new phone cable through the wall on Monday. Andrea |
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02 Oct 09 - 12:20 PM (#2736715) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountabilty Report From: Stilly River Sage Andrea, I love those old magazines and ads and containers also. The point of the ad wasn't to get rid of them as collectible items, but that the contents were past their prime. :) Do you ever look at your house and realize there are rooms you don't use much? That you could revisit them and enjoy looking at things you have forgotten are there? My front room is kind of like that. It's time to make it more user friendly (there are things on the floor since I moved some shelves, so I need to rearrange all of that stuff.) I've kept a barrier across the doorway because it is the one room in the house with carpet so of course, the cat has peed in there on occasion. And if I go in for a few minutes and leave that gate open for the duration, it never fails that after a while I hear a loud complaint and the little shit is trapped in that room. One more opportunity to trash my carpet. We have a love/hate relationship going regarding where he is allowed to visit around the house. Anywhere except that room, so of course, it's like a magnet for him. SRS |
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02 Oct 09 - 12:59 PM (#2736738) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountabilty Report From: mouldy Apart from the study, which is across the stairway, my living room and dining room are linked by an archway, and the kitchen is straight off there. I moved some of the temporary kitchenalia back out of the study this morning, and then just vegged this afternoon. It's been a bit of a snuggle by the fire day, really. I went for a massage later on, and I'm off shortly to visit a friend for the evening, and perhaps get some reiki. Andrea |
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02 Oct 09 - 01:43 PM (#2736774) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountabilty Report From: katlaughing realize there are rooms you don't use much...I WISH!*bg* Yesterday, I added instead of decluttering. I have had a hard time finding anyone to be 3D friends with since moving here seven years ago, partly because I was not very well and partly because if you are not a church-goer or really into going to the gym or winery, this is a difficult place to make friends. It's not just me, I've heard this from many folks, plus I've never had a problem before. Anyway, I saw my osteo-woman doc who does manipulative therapy on me yesterday and we've agreed to get together once a week or so as girlfriends and think of who else we might invite into our Wimmin's Sowing Circle. (I've already left a message for a hypnotherapist I know.) I felt like doing a Snoopy Happy Dance when I left. She and I have so much in common! Now, I may get some decluttering done today.:-) This is NOT to say I don't appreciate/love my Girlfriends at Mudcat. It's just you all are THERE and I am HERE.**BG** luvyakat |
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02 Oct 09 - 03:11 PM (#2736816) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountabilty Report From: maire-aine I kind of know what you mean, Kat. I'm not part of the "Mommy" scene. They're sweet gals, but I sometimes feel they think I'm "old" and need to be looked out for. And my other friends are still working, so there's nobody for me to "play with" during the day. It's been cold & rainy all morning, altho it's clearing up a bit now. I've been working in my bedroom. Summer clothes are all put in the spare-room closet, and the warmer clothes are all organized by color. I still need to re-arrange the furniture, because I have the tv/converter/antenna on the cedar chest, so I can't open it to get to my wool sweaters. Down to the last 2 piles of bills/receipts to shred, so I'm almost done. I'll take the shreds to the recycling center next week. |
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02 Oct 09 - 05:04 PM (#2736901) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountabilty Report From: katlaughing maire-aine, you might want to check out Girlfriends Cafe, I have seen about 37 women listed in my area and do intend to see if they ever meet up for cofee, tea, etc. From what I read, there are many who are in the same boat. It seems like a neat site, regardless. Good for you on the shredding! |
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02 Oct 09 - 08:41 PM (#2737043) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountabilty Report From: MAG I'm with you too, Kat. The whole social life is arranged around church and couples. And I also feel the fact that I am "here" and you all are "there." and onereason I've been so bad about gettingto the Y is the way people will not respect your boundaries (common in small towns) -- bugging me about library stuff, etc. That happens everywhere. I seem to be losing more weight, though -- pants still getting looser; one nice jacket I couldn't close last spring now a bit loose. I don't know how the weight is really bewcause I haven't weighed. Waling a lot. On the de-clutter front, I bagged up all my old feature film videos for a friend who wants them. Also the video player, which has been hooked up to nothing for 10 years. Still have a bunch of tapes I recorded stuff on; don't know what to do with them -- if someone wants to record over them, or I should just toss them. |
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03 Oct 09 - 12:36 AM (#2737107) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountabilty Report From: katlaughing Good for you, MAG, that must feel SO good. You keep inspiring me...I ma averaging a pound a week, which I know is good, but I'd love to see a bit more and I know I could if I were more strict with myself, but I have settled into a pretty tasty regimen, so...we'll see.:-) Every time I try to think of an area where a lot of us could pool our resources and make a Mudcat Retirement Community real, it just seems there isn't a place where we could all agree on..either coasts, nor in between. |
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03 Oct 09 - 12:45 AM (#2737109) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountabilty Report From: Stilly River Sage For exercise I've been out to walk the dogs today, and tomorrow will mow the front lawn. As the weather cools and is lovely I predict the dog walks will increase. I stopped at a neighbor's garage sale and bought a metal outdoor chair that I'll sand and paint. I have two old plastic strapped patio chairs that are on their last legs. This metal one is in great shape but is probably 20 - 30 years old. I also picked up a few big old screwdrivers ($1 each) because you can't have too many screwdrivers if you have sets in several places. I wired three phones this week. I put the wires in place during earlier construction, so I simply had to terminate them at the new phone panel. My plan has been to wire phones to every main room in the house so I have two rooms to go. I think this weekend I'll get to the data port in the living room and then I can start moving stuff. This evening I've been working my way through dishes and a grungy sink. Sometimes you have to clear a little space then clean that spot and work outwards. I visited that girlfriends site without joining. It tells me there are 74 members within 30 miles. I fit the category of several of my good friends moved away over the years. I don't have a best friend here where I'm living now, they're scattered around the U.S. Thank goodness for our Mudcat community! SRS |
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03 Oct 09 - 12:47 AM (#2737111) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountabilty Report From: Stilly River Sage I meant to also say "congratulations!" to those of you who are losing weight. The good thing about it is that you have more energy the more you lose. That's something I'm really looking forward to. SRS |
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03 Oct 09 - 08:58 AM (#2737238) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountabilty Report From: wysiwyg Energy also comes from exercise. Girlfriends: Every couple of years I meet a woman I just HAVE to have in my life. I am learning how to create friendships with them; it's a skill-in-development. I count the discipline of making time for it as part of my activity-level time. The women with whom I wish to be friends turn out to be a pretty awesome group of pistols. One of them has a gift of being able to gather groups. She hosts "campfire" evenings..... at various state parks. She is one of the women I would have picked if I had met her under different circumstances-- instead, she picked me. Each new friendship sends ripples of health on all levels, around the circle, whether the people in it get together or ever meet each other. (I'm care-full about who I add to that circle.) Seeing a vision emerge: I've writ about this before, but sometimes what we think is procrastination is actually patience while waiting for conditions or people-presences to be right. That is only usually visible in hindsight. To see it in foresight is work that can be done, intentionally. ~S~ |
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03 Oct 09 - 12:30 PM (#2737348) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage I set the silicon mats that sit in each sink to soak in bleach over night, and though they're not light again, they look better. I took all of the extra things off of my counters and put it all away or found good storage places, and swept up so it looks great. The yard has dried enough so I can mow. The dew was heavy this morning. It's supposed to rain tonight, so I'd better get some of this done now. I'm spending the evening with Moonglow; she worked behind the scenes on Le Misanthrope; I read that play in probably 1972. I looked up a summary online and I'll review it before this evening. This is the performance where they do the "talk back," she said. I asked if she was to be there to answer audience questions, and she said no. "Darn!" was my reply. She informed me that I may sit and ask her all of the questions I want about her role in the play production, but a meal must be included. :) SRS P.S. Accountability in the thread title is misspelled. Is there space for one more "i"? |
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03 Oct 09 - 12:49 PM (#2737364) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage Forgot to mention--I finally put up the next blog entry. Here it is. It took too long and wasn't as succinct as I could wish. But I have a great followup for the next day or two and I'll keep that brief, but I have a great photo. SRS |
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03 Oct 09 - 03:05 PM (#2737453) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: maire-aine I moved the furniture in my bedroom, and it makes the room seem larger. There is more space on the far side of the bed, so I won't bang my shins if I get up in the middle of the night. Collected all the shoes up off of the floor, washed the floor & put them back. All sandals have gone into the spare-room closet. I also checked out the "girlfriends" site (found 143 in the area), but haven't signed up yet. Probably will. I talked with a friend this morning, who told me she retired 2 weeks ago, so we'll be seeing each other more often. Went to the farmers market this morning, so I have a lot to cook up. Some of the vegetables will go into the freezer. Maryanne |
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03 Oct 09 - 03:52 PM (#2737488) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage I have a pot of green beans cooking for lunch. This batch came off of the bush bean plant I left in the garden from last spring. It wasn't producing this summer, but it seemed healthy. I looked the other day and it was loaded with about a pound of beans. Nice! The rain just started so I have pushed the mower into the garage to finish cooling. The front was mowed but not trimmed, but I spent 45 minutes out there pushing that mower around, so I got my exercise for the day. This morning I finally stepped on the scale. Not a pretty sight. I have to lose 30 pounds to get back to my typical weight, and forty to get down to my ideal weight. Covert Bailey recommends the heavy exercise every other day to get the optimum effect of the workout or exercise for your muscles, so maybe on Monday I can mow the back yard. Maryanne, isn't it interesting how moving the furniture can make the room seem larger? I'm thinking about rearranging my daughter's room and putting the bed in the corner and using the rest of the space for my sewing. Right now the sewing stuff is on three sides of the bed. There is room to work, but it might be better a different way. It means if there is more than one person sleeping in that bed getting out might be a bit of a climb. Anyway, I'm also hoping to make the living room look larger if I can finally accomplish some zones with my arrangement. Must clean up and get some shopping and laundry ready before my dinner and theater date with my daughter. Aside from driving for an hour in a thunderstorm, it should be fun. I have a recorded book I started listening to for the drive. This'll be great mood weather for it, it's about a hurricane in Florida. ;-) SRS |
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03 Oct 09 - 05:03 PM (#2737541) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: MAG I'm home on a work day due to a sound-too-awful-to-work-with-the-public cold and sore throat. Fortunately I don't feel that bad, so have actually got some stuff cleared away. Friend was delighted with video player et.al, so that feels like a good deed for us both. Cleaned while listening to a radio show I usually don't get to hear; I'm to the point where if I find more peed on stuff I don't immediately need, I will pitch it instead of doing the whole wash-with-odormute routine. A bunch of that. (got further into the spare room than I have been for awhile.) One more bag of stuff for charity place. CDs the cat knocked over put back where they belong. (They were behind a bag of stuff I hadn't moved in god-knows-when. |
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03 Oct 09 - 05:10 PM (#2737551) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Penny S. I went into the new house to measure - and found my measuring device battery had gone flat, so I had to do it with feet like a primary child! All the light bulbs, except the halogens, have been replaced with little candle incandescent bulbs, so there's that to see to. I don't think my new fridge is going to fit in the space for it. And I'm sure the freezer won't go where I'd planned. Not without removing a cupboard. It needs new carpeting in two bedrooms - but I can do that with tiles and moving the furniture around when I'm ready to. I'll need an electrician to sort out the spotlights and put in eco-lighting. There's a dog smell that wasn't obvious when I viewed. The neighbour didn't show up today anyway. Went to see a friend after that, but felt a bit odd so only saw him a short time - it's my nose blocking up, I think, not enough oxygen or something. Slept a bit, and then popped out to the local shop for some food. Or intended to. For some reason the local shops, Bluewater, had a gridlock. If I'd known, I would have walked, but having taken my car, I was stuck there for three hours. Penny |
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03 Oct 09 - 06:02 PM (#2737585) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: katlaughing My Rog is working this weekend as they are moving the entire station. He didn't get home until 9p last night and was back at it this morning. So, I haven't had any help for what I wanted to do..our son was going to help finish the driveway. I did go to the store last night, all by myself. I got too tired, but it felt good that Rog didn't have to and I was okay once I got home and sat down. I have Morgan here this afternoon while his mom and dad go for an out-of-town drive as part of their anniversary, so I went to Goodwill, found a couple of blouses, and came home. Not much else happening on decluttering. I hope Rog will be home tomorrow, but it's not looking likely. |
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03 Oct 09 - 11:16 PM (#2737714) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: wysiwyg Well I about died getting it done-- all the work today was work requiring a second pair of hands so I worked HARD for a good long shift in the fresh air and sunshine-- I got all pinked up! Pen #1 holds doggies, and I must say that for all-scrounged materials, it's pretty good-looking and bigger than it looks; when it gets its gravel it will seem much bigger and clean up well. A few finishing details to pretty it up remain, but they were in there for a bit this afternoon. They'll spend all day in there tomorrow (MIL allergic to dogs AND the dogpoop-dust that came in thru their door out to the old pen). Demo on the old pen has begun. A design for the new pen is emerging that will, before very long, also give us a privacy fence between our "back" yard and the busy road. In the spring the privacy section of that fence will be a wonderful trellis of climbing veggies and tomatoes in pots-- that'll be the privacy factor. I had gotten a couple-dozen huge nursery pots awhile back via Freecycle, and only lacked the trellis and topsoil. I will be able to do all the planting up at a comfy sitting height, potting one huge pot at a time while the dogs play around me. A BIG asset arrived today. When our friend's wife died, it freed up a wheelchair she had not been using for some time, and the family has been sortiong all her things and giving away most of it so that when EEd is ready to sell up he will have already sorted out the trailer they shared. He's taking his time to enjoy the memories attached to each item they sort through, but this chair had become a bulky item they wanted out of the way, and it came here today. I'll use it to sit in as I clean my house, and think often of her, especially her gardening and love of working outdoors. The just-completed cleaning was done from my rolling office chair and it WORKED. This wheelchair has bigger wheels to get over some rough flooring changes so I will not kill the good desk chair trying to scoot it across those. (Our church's thrift shop does wheelchair pass-alongs with other area churches for people in need-- there is a huge surplus right now so I am not worried about hoarding a needed chair someone in greater disability could use.) And when I no longer need it, I'll find a good home for it. ~S~ |
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04 Oct 09 - 10:53 AM (#2737954) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage Went to dinner and a play last night with Moonglow and her boyfriend. Amongst many parts of an interesting conversation, for the first time she acknowledged that she realizes she needs to get her weight under control. Turns out we both weigh the same, and I told her that despite living in a communal house there is a way to make good food choices and make a point of building in more exercise to take the weight back off. We have our annual physical on the same day, same doctor week after next, so it'll probably come up at that time also. We're both looking at losing in the range of 25-30 pounds. I've tried to suggest that she save money by eating at home versus the various fast food stops all week (true) but behind that was also the wish that she have a healthier diet. As someone who also needed a healthier diet and who is adjusting meds, I wasn't in a position to tell her she needed to lose weight. We'll do this together, even though we'll be comparing notes at a distance. More listed on eBay. If I finish things very late in the evening I pay ten cents to schedule the start during waking hours. That helps foster a last minute flurry of bidding. It's raining again today so unless it clears and the sunshine comes out soon I won't be finishing my yard work today, I'll stick to house stuff. Laundry, cleaning, and wiring. I'm just about to the point to move the living room all over the place. (It involves relocating television, all of the various media players, the converter box, the turn table and receiver and re-routing the speaker wires.) Not something to start when you can't finish it, or you have people tripping over all sorts of wires. Onward! SRS |
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04 Oct 09 - 11:19 AM (#2737972) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: wysiwyg oNCE AGAIN THE INSTINCTIVE emerging DESIGN FOR THE NEXT FENCE WILL USE JUST ABOUT EVERY LAST BIT OF MATERIAL ON HAND, sorry about the capslock-- .... which will clear up the yard of some nasty debris, supplemented by the day's FreeCycle offerings and my need for daily exercise. The doggies are lounging in Faulkner's new Palace, happily enjoying the sunshine. As long as I remember to handle all the details as ifg they were ponies, it all goes just fine. I did find one funny booboo my helper made that I could have caught before we wired a whole bunch of stuff onto it-- oh well.... no pit bulls will break IN there. :~) ~S~ |
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04 Oct 09 - 02:28 PM (#2738086) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: mouldy I joined a forum from a women's magazine here in the UK. They have supper clubs where women arrange to meet up and get together over a meal. I found one meeting in York on 16th, and I'm going to go. I suddenly realised I wasn't meeting many new people but just pottering around places on my own! I haven't done much this weekend, de cluttering-wise, as I've had my sister in law staying over. However, I don't have to look after my baby granddaughter tomorrow, so I might get something done. (It's also weigh-in night and I went out for meals yesterday...) Andrea |
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04 Oct 09 - 05:08 PM (#2738246) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Penny S. Does anyone know a good way of getting rid of doggy smells? Penny |
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04 Oct 09 - 06:33 PM (#2738353) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: katlaughing From bodily fluids or just from their coat? I don't know why my good dog did this, but he pooed in my office. I can only think it was middle of the night and he couldn't wake us. I knew I smelled something , but a glance over each room didn't show anything. I do not turn my lights on in the office; there's a bit of light from the window and I sit down, then turn on a desk lamp. I may never do that again. I sat down, pulled my chair up to the desk, felt something and realised I'd put my feet in it and pulled my chair up through it. UUUGGHHHH! So, yesterday I cleaned that up as best I could. Used clorox on the area, but my chair is waiting on a plastic bag for Rog to take it out and hose down the castors. This morning I asked my dau. to come help me mop the rest of the house, but her allergies were so bad she sent my grandson, instead. He is REALLY good with a mop, so I swept the whole house, then supervised his mopping. His parents made him a deal...do a good job as "Mama" instructs and earn six bucks. He did a great job, often exclaiming at seeing his reflection where he mopped. I think it's the cleanest my floors have been since I was sick! Not much else done. I don't do well when my Rog has to be gone during what are usually non-working hours. |
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04 Oct 09 - 06:44 PM (#2738364) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage I went shopping. You know, that involved shopping list the means plan your stops according to meat or frozen foods in the truck so they won't get warm. I didn't find everything I needed, and now I have to do the putting away. I looked everywhere for those white cotton gloves and there were none to be found. I'll have to look online. The drug stores didn't even have them. SRS |
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04 Oct 09 - 08:01 PM (#2738409) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: MAG I have found odormute to be the very best for animal smells. It was formulated for skunks and really breaks down the enzymes. I have invested in a large box since my cats continue to pee on stuff whenever one is mad at me, which seems to be most of the time right now. It is a very concentrated powder. Good luck. |
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04 Oct 09 - 08:14 PM (#2738419) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Alice Indoor citrus tree pruned and clear inside plastic put on the bay window. Outside stuff taken in for the winter. |
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05 Oct 09 - 12:27 AM (#2738550) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: maire-aine Went to a benefit dinner tonight. Food was good, but the speeches got a little boring. But, I was able to wear my college class ring the whole night. It's been a dozen years, at least, since I've been able to wear it. And, I could see well enough to put on eye makeup without glasses. Woo-hoo! Maryanne |
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05 Oct 09 - 03:44 AM (#2738593) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Penny S. It's a diffuse sort of doggy smell, not from fluids I think - there was also an African Grey Parrot in the living room, but I don't think that's it. I suspect there's a general hanging around in the carpet (not old enough to demand instant replacement) of it. As I went in, there was an electric air freshener plugged in in the hall, but upstairs in the living room the smell hung around. Further upstairs there was a disinfectant smell. I'm getting some old fashioned wick type fresheners for the moment, but I suspect I'll need a professional carpet cleaning. Penny |
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05 Oct 09 - 03:45 AM (#2738594) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Penny S. She must have been using airfresheners pretty heavily when I went round - I knew there was a dog, so I was alert for a smell. Penny |
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05 Oct 09 - 10:25 AM (#2738822) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: MAG Air fresheners don't tend to get at the source of the problem; rug cleaningwill only help if the cleaners use something for animal smells. Got rid of another bagful of video tapes, and will drop off the bag of clothes at helplind today. I've got a boxful of personal care items; I've been trying to be better about using them up and not being tempted by anything, a sucker for marketing. I can actually reach the window in my spare room. It's been years. |
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05 Oct 09 - 11:58 AM (#2738887) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage I would take the plunge and pull up the carpet now and replace it rather than live with a smell on a suspect carpet and pad until I had time to get around to it--that day is a long way off and meanwhile who knows what is in the carpet? Rainy day, supposed to be a rainy week, making it more difficult to get out for exercise or mowing. I'll have to see what I can work in. Still sticking with the diet. Doggedly. SRS |
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05 Oct 09 - 12:44 PM (#2738936) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: wysiwyg If it is wall-to-wall, even enzymes will not remove enough of a significant smell to make a huge difference, cleaned in place-- it won't get down and into the pad. You wouldn't want it to-- it will rot the pad if left in too long, as well as damage and good flooring under it. BUT if you have a local carpet-cleaner who does roomsize rugs at their place, you CAN pull up the rug (de-install it), send that out for enzyme-cleaning front and back (double cost), and have an installer re-lay and re-stretch it back where it came from, over new padding. They may even throw in the re-install if you buy the padding from them and set it up this way in the initial estimate negotiations. That enzyme stuff WORKS, if it has time to work and enough water, and a good person using it who knows what they are doing. A question to ask the cleaner is, will they be hanging the rug to dry, because if not the water for the enzymes will sit in the rug longer. That's good for smell removal, but it may also encourage rug rot and mold growth unless they really know their business. === Another alternative renters often use (or the landlord does) is a hardwood or faux hardwood border (bamboo for green) around the perimeter of the area. You put a bound, padded, roomsized rug over it to let the wood peek out and appear to be whole-floor. THese can be gotten cheap at used-carpet shops (they carpet conventions and then take the carpet back out afterward). They usually have a binder (or know who does binding locally). You can get really good quality rugs that way for about a third of the going rate at a dept. store, AND you get an always-easily-cleaned rug that you can take with you, going forward. ~S~ |
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05 Oct 09 - 02:07 PM (#2738998) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: wysiwyg Here's a hot tip-- don't buy any nighties without pockets. ~S~ |
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05 Oct 09 - 02:42 PM (#2739022) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Penny S. Hmm. There are no stains, nothing visual at all. And no sign of stains having been cleaned. Having been around it a while today - it is now MINE - it is rather cloying, a bit like damp dogfood of the cereal type. And I seem to have brought it home with me. It is fighting with the leakage from the place that manufactures "perfume" for air fresheners across the river. Yukk. I really can't afford to recarpet until I've sold the old place. And that means loads of furniture removing. My nose is strongly suggesting white vinegar. I'll try the carpet people and tell them about the animal smell. I tried running the summer airflow setting on the hot air system, but then read the instruction book and had the horrors. I don't want to put the power on until I've had it demonstrated by the fitter. I can't make out how the pilot light comes back on, or where it is to check. It was raining, so I couldn't have the windows open. I don't want to put the water on as I haven't taken the dishwasher and the washing machine over, so there are pipe ends which the presence of a washing up bowl under one suggests may leak. I bought some stop ends, but they are the wrong size, so I'm trying again tomorrow. Measurement reveals that the fridge will fit where I want it. There is a regimental museum badge stuck to the poutside of an upstairs window. In the same room, a poster was left on a cupboard door. When I removed it, underneath was the remains of a child's graffitti - Dad is the Man. And loads of drawing pin holes. The painting of the walls had gone over the edge of the wooden doors and no attempt had been made to clean it off. Same with all the plug sockets. I was offered the rotary clothes line at one stage, but then that was rescinded - I did not realise the hole was being taken as well. Somehow, I was prevented from seeing next doors' garden aka a motor bike graveyard. I was told the garage door was a two person job to open - not true - it would need a platoon of the Engineers. On the other hand, I was told that the lock worked on the inside, but it doesn't, and gives access to the house. There have been reports of garage doors being pulled off by SUVs with winches. I plan to block entry with the bookstacks -but I'll have to be ready to move them when the fitter comes so I can access tghe main switches. All in all, a good thing I wasn't actually moving in today. Penny |
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05 Oct 09 - 03:13 PM (#2739039) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: mouldy Penny, I'm sure I read recently that if you work bicarbonate of soda into the carpet, leave it, and then vac it out it can help. I know leaving an open packet in a stinky fridge for a few days can work (years ago, when living in Africa, a power cut lost us the contents of our fridge-freezer while we were on holiday). Been to WW tonight, and somehow, I don't know how. I have lost 3lb this week! Mind you the meal I had with my sister in law on Sat night will probably make its presence known next week! However, that's my first stone - only taken a year! Andrea |
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05 Oct 09 - 06:15 PM (#2739182) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage Penny, it sounds like you have your work cut out for you. Are you anywhere near Andrea, to see if Peter (her man who "does") can come help you, also? New used houses. Such a set of surprises await. Mine hadn't been updated in 25 years, yet it was priced as if all of the updating and new flooring had already been done. I had to do my research; it had been on the market about 18 months and there had been two other low-ball bids (because of the work needed) so I kept mine down in that range, and ended up getting cash back for a new heat pump and an allowance for carpets (I put in tile instead). Lots of work! They thumped and bumped all day out here and finished laying the road bed, so now it is completed, but they have a block's worth of lower driveways and front sidewalks to pour. Maybe I'll get something done around here tonight. It has been low energy since I'm on the last stage of my step-down from the old HRT--I've switched to 1/4 pill every other day. Each transition isn't as noticeable as the last, but it doesn't go undetected either. Bummer. SRS |
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05 Oct 09 - 06:31 PM (#2739195) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Penny S. Forgot the mildew in the bathroom! And it isn't as bad as my sisters' purchases. One had had a Halloween party in it and had ghoulies and ghosties painted over the walls, which took about six coats of paint to cover. And a collapsing garden. And an unusable kitchen - this one's lovely. (Except I want to change the cooker.) The other still has the builders in after six months - the prime thing, I think, is that a chimney had been cut through, leaving the upper part in the loft, supported by a thin rod, over a passage to a bedroom. As she said, there is nothing that wasn't in the survey, but everything is worse than the surveyor saw. It's having to deal with it all by myself that makes it a bit daunting. Penny |
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05 Oct 09 - 07:12 PM (#2739206) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: LilyFestre October has gotten off to a busy start for me. I'm walking (just about daily now) on the treadmill and have ramped up the yoga classes too. I signed up for the next series of classes, one being Power & Grace and the other is a Meditative Flow class where we do sun salutations, holding each pose longer and then cascading down into Child's Pose for an extended time to feel more of the echo of each pose. There are a couple drop in classes each week as well that I am looking forward to. One really exciting then, for me anyway, is that my yoga instructor has been to some trainings and HER teacher has a CD out that is tough. She has thought of offering it as a class but she isn't familiar enough with it just yet....so she is having some afternoon meetings (not classes, no charge) where she and her marathon running trainer and marathon running wife will be doing this CD. Last week, my teacher asked me to join them in this....I surely won't be able to do all the poses or hold them as long (can you say serious strength training) but I am thrilled to have been included and that she knows how good it is for me to TRY and find my own edge!! SO YAY!!!! Also, my husband and I went apple picking last weekend...it was windy and kinda cold, I was having second thoughts about it...but you know what? We had THE BEST time!!!!! I was even climbing the trees (and not with a ladder)!!! It was SO MUCH FUN!!! On the de-cluttering front, I spent all day working in my office. I have 2 six foot bookcases that have been in storage since I stopped teaching...one was brought to my office today and the other will come tomorrow. So I've been rearranging, setting stuff aside for the annual yard sale and making some room. There's a possibility that there will be an older child coming to live with us for a few months so I wanted to make lots of room in my office for her bed and things. :) It's been a busy start to the month!!! |
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05 Oct 09 - 09:48 PM (#2739280) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage Michelle, you're always on the move! This evening I ate my modest diet dinner and then took the dogs for a walk. In about 20 minutes I climb one hill briskly, move laterally across a couple of blocks and then down to the bottom of another steepish (for Texas) block that we hurry up. Then it's level before a nice walk down hill. This is two occasions of Bailey's "wind sprints." I'll work on some eBay stuff this evening. I mistakenly left my old email address in my selling information and a PayPal payment went awry. I had to contact the buyer and ask him to "reclaim" his payment and then I'd send an invoice directly through PayPal. More bills to list this evening. SRS |
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06 Oct 09 - 12:15 AM (#2739336) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: katlaughing I managed to do my more strenuous qi gong this morning. Nothing much else to report except the usual daily stuff. Rog didn't come home until 930p last night, but was able to finally come home at 7p tonight, so maybe his schedule will let up. I have a hard time staying motivated with a change in our routine. Silly, really. Sounds as though you are all doing really well! Exciting and motivating. Penny, when I saw our house the first time I cried my eyes out on my sister's shoulder. I had not seen it, except an internet picture, so I was trusting my Rog as he was here actually doing the buying. It was not at all what I'd expected. I was very disappointed, but it was OURS and I didn't want to hurt his feelings. I've grown fond of it, now, but there's still lots to do. I, too, would say better to pull up the carpets now than think you'll get them done later. Even if you have to live with just sub-flooring for awhile, imo, it's worth it. (Paint it and put a layer of sealer over it That's what we did in our bedroom.) Regardless, CONGRATULATIONS! It's been a long time coming. |
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06 Oct 09 - 11:03 AM (#2739598) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage I bought several roasts on sale the other day and this morning I cut them into 1 pound chunks and put them in the freezer. These are meant to be ground into my own hamburger with my Kitchenaid stand mixer and the food grinder attachment. (Did you read that thread I started about the E. coli problem in the ground meat some producers were turning out? As bad as the E. coli sounded, what was actually being called "meat" was enough to push me to grind my own until I find a place that grinds its own). Looks like thunderstorms today. It was one of those mornings that was much warmer than when we went to bed last night. When it warms and gets really muggy and foggy overnight you know you're in for a storm down here. I haven't been able to use my clotheslines for a while, though it is usually something I can do this time of year. SRS |
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06 Oct 09 - 11:11 AM (#2739605) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: wysiwyg Meat sale this week-- many goodies coming our bulk-cooking way! Bless the butcher! :~) ~S~ |
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06 Oct 09 - 12:43 PM (#2739683) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: wysiwyg PS and that means Fall Cleaning the kitchen to process the food, now that the dogdust is on its way OUT. All in good time.... I like this "crone" age! ~s~ |
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06 Oct 09 - 01:07 PM (#2739699) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: katlaughing Well, my last posting was actually for the 5th. This morning I was able to do the 15 minutes of standing qi gong on Lee Holden's Qi Gong for Weight Loss, for the first time. I am not ready for the lying down ones, unless I can rig a player in our bedroom and can do them on our bed, which I may do, but just those 15 minutes were really strenuous and felt great. It feels so good to be able to do these. They were not even on my radar when I bought the DVD earlier this year. It's good to know I've progressed in strength and ability. DO you all realise we've been doing these for about 1.5 years, now!?! |
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06 Oct 09 - 01:33 PM (#2739730) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage These posts? I'm reading more on Dr. Weil today, and now that he's past some of the testimonials and giving some of the why and wherefore I can see why (for example) it seems to be taking me a couple of months to get off of the medication I was on. It's the same kind of process that he's introducing with diet and exercise, and with the introduction of new habits. It takes a while to do them before they actually become habit. The street out front is getting closer to finished, and I've been watching them work the concrete, especially the curb and gutter area, where they're doing it by hand. When they're finished and I don't have them as my audience I'm going to mimick their work and put in the footer for a stone wall in one section of my front yard. Between seeing the work a neighbor did to build his wall (I asked a lot of questions) and watching them do the concrete work, I think I'm set. Susan, I enjoy reading about these big kitchen food productions you do every so often. I feel that since I moved my big freezer into the kitchen that I have a better relationship with the food in it, I don't forget that it's there for choices for meals or for food preservation. Using this reasoning I should move my pantry shelves into the kitchen from the hall. Hmmmmm. I wonder. . . SRS |
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06 Oct 09 - 04:34 PM (#2739898) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Penny S. Into the house again, rang a local carpet cleaner and he had a free slot, so I have clean carpets and a new friend. Took photos of the garden until the batteries ran out, and found a very odd thing. I knew what it was, after a moment, but had not expected to find it in a house with children. The rest of the garden did not suggest a plantsman had lived there. Datura stramonium, jimsonweed. What am I going to do with it? I've heard of places it grows wild, and used to look for it. And now I've got one. Penny |
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06 Oct 09 - 07:53 PM (#2740037) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: LilyFestre I'll be hitting that same meat sale either tomorrow or Wednesday too! Our freezers are getting nice and full!!!!! So...activity for today was the last class of the Core Yoga. I still hate up-boat but I do my best...and the resting period feels SO GOOD when I can finally put my legs down!!!!!! No work was completed around the house today BUT we met with our adoption worker and went over the final dossier!!!! That means now all we have to do is wait for the referral!!! It's going to be awhile yet but knowing that all the paperwork is complete, I'm a happy girl!!! |
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06 Oct 09 - 10:17 PM (#2740122) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: wysiwyg Squeam alert-- hunting details ahead SRS, we had quite the surprise today at pickup time-- the kindly butcher had rounded our order up to the nearest whole-piece-before-cutting sizes, knowing we appreciate good meat. I was $80 short (temp-covered by Bank of Mom), since he'd also combined my Thursday order with the order sched for pickup today.... I had split the order into two pickups so I THOUGHT I wouldn't kill myself breaking it all down for the freezer, but no.... Some of it went in not-broken-down, oh well. I do like to precook that BBQ. Not this time. Good thing Hardi was drooling in the driveway to unload, waiting for us, because I was about dead just from loading it all INTO the van. Filet mignon at %4.99/lb., thankyouverymuch..... I'll have an average price-per-pound shortly, which will include the venison hamburger a friend's going to get for us. Screw the beef industry's contaminated ground beef-- friend is gonna grind up a whole deer for us. Venison chipotle chili oh my! Also Hard has a new grill/smoker, we were just talking tonight (over charred sirloin steaks) about how we'll set things to smoke or rotisse as we head out to snow-blow, bring it in and eat it when we're done. ~S~ |
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07 Oct 09 - 04:51 AM (#2740243) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: mouldy I'm not a big meat eater, but I'm drooling at the thought of all that venison! I'm waiting for the first lot of carpet and the new kitchen floor covering to come. it's today, but I have no scheduled time for arrival. Once it's down I can start and put stuff back out of the pile in the living room, and also hopefully de-clutter some of it as I do it. However, I have another problem to occupy my mind, as the inquiry into the mine accident that killed Ian has ended, which nobody thought fit to tell us, and I had a phone call from Russia yesterday telling me that as I had not put in a civil claim for damages, I had 3 days to do it. We had already talked to lawyers over here, who were starting to look into it, and they are now trying to see what gives. The Russians are offering to do it all for us with no court costs etc incurred, but the amount of money that is being paid out would only cover 4 months max of Ian's salary! So I will spend today writing (yet again) how I have been affected "emotionally, materially and morally". My diet will probably go out of the window if I start stress-eating, or I'll starve myself! I just want some closure! Andrea |
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07 Oct 09 - 05:33 AM (#2740252) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: wysiwyg I'm not a big meat eater, but I'm drooling at the thought of all that venison! We're not, either. It's the tiniest portion of our chosen, enjoyable nutrition program, actually. One reason we want only the best, even on a beer pocket. ~S~ |
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07 Oct 09 - 11:29 AM (#2740443) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: katlaughing {{{{{ANDREA}}}}} If there's anything I can do to help, please let me know. Deep breaths and don't beat yourself up if you don't stick to points today. love you, kat |
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07 Oct 09 - 12:06 PM (#2740476) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: wysiwyg Gosh, me too, Andrea. I was rushing around and actually didn't read your whole post. I'm sorry! ~S~ |
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07 Oct 09 - 01:00 PM (#2740515) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: mouldy Thanks folks. I'm still waiting for final advice from the law firm as to what to do, but I have done a good first draft of the sob story! We have a theory that they are trying to get us all paid off and out of the way asap. Anyway, I now have a carpeted dining room and a nice tile-effect floor covering in the kitchen, which actually looks better than I had hoped. I managed to drag the fridge back this afternoon out of my hallway, and Peter is going to put the plinths back on the units and the other appliances back sometime tomorrow. Before that, however, he has to take the back door off and plane a bit off the bottom, as it is catching a bit on the brass bit the fitters put to finish off the edge of the little step into the kitchen. The door will only open about two thirds, and the washer etc have to come in through it. Andrea |
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07 Oct 09 - 02:14 PM (#2740569) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: MAG Penny and all,the jimsonweed (as you apparently know) a serious problem. I work for the city here, and the EMTs tell me jimsonweed is a close second to meth as a drug emergency situation. Nobody seems to want to advertise this, as they "think" more kids will want to go out and give themselves hallucinations. Pot, once a widespread weed, the government spent years eradication at great cost, and not this one?? |
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07 Oct 09 - 03:47 PM (#2740647) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Penny S. And it's deadly, and has been thought of as being used in the "white slave trade" once upon a time to induce a languorous state in which no action could be taken against rape. It seems to have spread around the world a lot for no apparent reason. I gather it was first met at Jamestown? So what it was doing in the Warren at Folkestone, a wild area, where it was rumoured to be in my youth is a bit hard to understand. Some grew in an area once used by a London park for garden waste a few years back. Right next to the play area. I looked it up on the Royal Horticultural Society's site, and nobody does cultivate it. However, it does pop up regularly having been spread in birdseed. ? Got any stoned birds around? And I've heard the same yarn about hemp. Rather more believably, but still... They advise using gloves, and that normal composting will deal with the plant, decomposing the alkaloids, while the council's garden waste system will deal with unripe seed heads. Ripe ones should be burned, and under no account should the seeds be allowed to spread. As soon as my friend's photographed it, it's off. Penny |
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07 Oct 09 - 08:17 PM (#2740857) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: LilyFestre Treadmill Mileage: 2 miles Pedometer Reading for the day (treadmill and daily walking around to do whatever...today included a trip to take my mom to a medium sized hospital campus): 7.77 miles, 10,372 steps :) Michelle |
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08 Oct 09 - 12:03 AM (#2740939) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: katlaughing 15 minutes of vigorous qi gong |
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08 Oct 09 - 12:11 AM (#2740944) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage I have big gobs of jimson weed growing all over my yard. It's native in the Southwest. I put it here on purpose, and know that it is dangerous. A lot of people grow it down here, so it isn't like I have a scarce plant. I don't have oleander because it is a poisonous introduced plant, but I do have the native one. No small children to worry about, and the seed pods on those things are so goddammed sharp that that is a major deterent in itself. We're due 4" of rain in the next 48 hours. Looks like I won't be able to finish yard work this weekend. And the phone is out. They were working on the phones in the area, and while neighbors on each side have phones, I don't. But we do have two cell phones in the house, and the Internet on cable, so we're plenty connected. I've been up in the attic again moving wires, but until I can check to see if my wiring changes work on a live phone I won't bother doing them. I'm taking Friday off (my son is off and we have some running around to do) and maybe I'll get more done then. I had a note from yesterday but it wouldn't post; so I saved it: My next door neighbor gave me some venison sausage her son gave her, but she doesn't care for it. It's hot, and considering it is sausage, it is really lean (too lean to just eat). I fry some up and add it to beans and it's the best meat for beans you ever tasted! I'd love to get some more venison but I'd have to work out a non-cash transaction. You can't sell game down here (I don't know if that's federal or state). The kitchen is clean, and I sprayed a little DE to discourage some ants. There are some around the house outside I need to treat. Note to self: don't buy any more ripe bananas for a while. There are now six containers of bananas for a loaf of bread each in the freezer. SRS |
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08 Oct 09 - 10:53 AM (#2741132) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: LilyFestre I have decided to change my routine up a little bit. It has become common practice for me to get up in the morning, make breakfast, pack Pete's lunch and then do my daily chores. This has worked fine but I am finding that when I am done, I either have other things to do or I just want to take a break. Meanwhile, my treadmill sits there looking at me longingly. I have been ignoring that look. So...after I have taken care of my husband and he's on his way for the day, I get on the treadmill. Today I did 1.5 miles and when I was finished, guess what? The morning dishes were still in the sink, the laundry remained in the hamper and the dust bunnies didn't run away. They all waited for me. And the thing is....now I feel ramped up, alive...my prana is coursing through my veins and I don't need a break...I'm ready to take care of our home and the other things that this day holds in store. It's only my first week of trying this change in routine but I'm digging on it!!! In the de-cluttering arena, today I am cleaning the fridge and getting rid of any leftover produce that didn't make it into the last batch of canning. I'll freeze the beans and peppers but the rest of it will go to the chickens...which means it will come back to us in the form of a beautiful fresh egg! :) Nothing wasted. I never did get to the meat sale but after looking at the sales ad again yesterday, there wasn't much on sale that we really use very often. Our beef is raised right here in the back yard (where I know what it was fed and how he was treated) so the beef sales didn't interest me. The chicken sale wasn't too bad but we have lots of that in the freezer (we eat mostly chicken and fish so I've been stocking up for some time). And pork? I have quite a bit of that in the freezer too. It seems that I have gotten into really finding good deals and have filled the freezers fairly well. Now I need to get in the habit of looking at the sales and realizing I really don't need (whatever) right now or within the next 3 months. We are well stocked. :) My office is just about done...waiting on help to carry that last bookcase up the stairs. :) It's in MUCH better shape...even found a way to get a comfy chair, side table and reading lamp in there so I can have a quiet space to read or sew if something is going on downstairs and I need some quiet. There's room to do yoga in there now as well (although I prefer to do that at the studio)....at least until K needs to stay with us...then her bed will happily take up that space! Michelle |
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08 Oct 09 - 12:30 PM (#2741231) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: LilyFestre Hey.....I have a question that maybe you can help me with. I have a white gas stove that is less than a year old. It's beautiful except for underneath the iron grates that sit on top of the stove. I've cleaned there...wipe up after something spills etc. but there is still some really stuck on filmy stuff that is brownish black that I have NO idea how to get off. Any suggestions? And how do I keep it from happening? Stuff doesn't boil over often but every once in awhile I'll forget about some tomato soup and over it goes...but I turn off the heat immediately and clean it up...so I'm not sure what the issue is! Thanks! Michelle |
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08 Oct 09 - 05:46 PM (#2741511) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage Try a paste of baking soda. Let it sit on it for a while and then scrub with it. It won't scratch that surface. Otherwise, you might want to go the all-out approach and use an oven cleaning application on it. I never clean the oven, so I don't know what to recommend, but those are meant to remove that kind of stuff. Obviously if heat is involved you'll have to figure that one out. Cook some thing and let it radiate heat to the burner? Find one that doesn't have toxic fumes. Phone is working again, so I can go back to my rewiring. They were working on them up the street yesterday and left mine disconnected at the big gray box. SRS |
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08 Oct 09 - 06:35 PM (#2741543) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Liz the Squeak Haven't decluttered much but I need to as I have to find the rest of the fabric for my gown so I can do the sleeves - having finally (after 3 years) got the lining for it... of course now that I've officially lost a whole 10% of me, there's going to have to be some major reconstruction of said gown so that it doesn't fall off! Yes, in the last 12 months or so, I've lost 10% of my bodyweight, and it's still going, albeit slowly... which is the best way. I am a happy bunny but would be even happier if a) I knew where that shiny black fabric was and b) could get some decent sleep! LTS |
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08 Oct 09 - 07:25 PM (#2741579) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: LilyFestre Walked this morning (which I already posted about) and just did another mile on the treadmill. :) Michelle |
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08 Oct 09 - 07:29 PM (#2741581) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: maeve Liz, that's a wonderful change for you. Congratulations- you've worked at it steadily. The rest of the fabric is underneath that purple calico with the tiny reindeer and gold bells printed on it. No, not there; over behind that tall stack. Go sleep. maeve |
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08 Oct 09 - 11:18 PM (#2741702) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage ;-) I thought the fabric was in a corner in Limpit's room . . . I walked again this evening, but taking the dogs was rather an impediment. They love walks this time of year because they graze. I have this hill I climb and they kept pausing for acorns, so I crossed the street to avoid that red oak--my mistake! There is a pecan on the other side, and while they like acorns, they ADORE pecans! I could hardly drag them out of there. So much for walking at all, let alone walk fast. This time of year I supplement their grazing with a little dog food. I've been looking at programs and sites, to see if I can find a place to combine the feed from several sites. So far it is an incomplete process with the couple I've tried. I simply have more places to logon to. I'll head over to tucows tomorrow and look for email compilers. That would be a good start. My spellcheck is acting a little wacko this evening, changing around letters without consent. I hope this still makes sense. SRS |
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08 Oct 09 - 11:28 PM (#2741711) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: wysiwyg I turned the fabric into hankies. Ooops! Meant to save it for new curtans.... I'm doing a ThreeCycle next week. A lady coming from a distance to pick up a vry nice double bed set from us is stopping along the way to grab a distant item headed FOR us; the lady she's picking up from for us is getting some info from me via email she had needed. And the lady coming to pick up here is getting some sheets another FreeCycler gave us last year that are no longer needed. (I guess it's actually a 4-stroke.) The dude that gacve us the sheets needs a mountain bike-- if I had one to give it would all be full circle. WheeCycle! ~S~ |
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09 Oct 09 - 02:40 AM (#2741770) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: mouldy My house has a split personality at the moment! To my left is nice new flooring, and a cosy looking dining room with a view of a much fresher looking kitchen through the door. To my right is a much clearer but rather chaotic looking room which still has furniture and some carpet to be evicted before Monday. Not quite sure where the large sideboard will go, but my daughter's going to give me a hand tomorrow morning. I thought my poor old dog was on her way out last night, and was up this morning at 530 to check, because I had not heard her coughing during the night - and her breathing and coughing were rather unnerving around midnight. I came down to a deathly quiet house (apart from the cat), and then I heard a movement at the end of the room, and there she was! She seems tired today, but otherwise comfortable, and I suspect she may have had a heart "episode" last night. I am going to take her to the vet, hopefully on Monday or Tuesday when her first batch of tablets is used up, so we will see what they say, if she's still here. She has coughed this morning, but not as much as lately. Andrea |
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09 Oct 09 - 08:38 AM (#2741928) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: LilyFestre (((((((((((((Good wishes for your pup)))))))))))))))))) Michelle |
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09 Oct 09 - 11:18 AM (#2742044) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: katlaughing Love and hugs for your old gyrrrrll and you, Andrea. |
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09 Oct 09 - 02:54 PM (#2742246) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: MAG Ditto on the dog, Andrea. Pets are such a comfort and we do the best we can for them. I've been off sick with bronchitis all week and thought I'd get a lot done, but ended up doing very little; reading and watching old TV shows I never caught (when I had no TV). Didn't even get the recycling taken out yesterday. At the clinic this morning I used their scale and lost whatever I put on over a stressful two weeks I spent (with my original family) involving my mothers death and memorial service, and have lost five pounds since I last weighed, months ago. Now it's getting cold and all the kitties want to stay inside most of the time; at least they seem to be getting along better, though my first cat still gives me that look of betrayal. |
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09 Oct 09 - 03:47 PM (#2742298) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage Time to change out the closets for jackets. Typical Texas, little time of year with just nice temperatures, it just goes from hot to cold. Got distracted this afternoon by YouTube videos of Tom Lehrer performing his songs. :) SRS |
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09 Oct 09 - 06:18 PM (#2742426) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: maire-aine It has been raining all day. If it were summer, it would be great to have a nice, quiet, all-day rain, but in October, it's just cold and dreary. I felt stuck inside, so I did laundry, washed the kitchen floor and cleaned the stove-top. Sure, there's a lot of work to be done, but I just can't muster up any enthusiasm to start. Tuned up my "old" guitar and practiced with it for tomorrow. We are supposed to be playing at the farmers market (cold, drafty shed) so I don't want to bring my "good" guitar. They're saying the high will be around 50F (10C) tomorrow. Maryanne |
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09 Oct 09 - 06:32 PM (#2742431) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: katlaughing Well...I hesitate to say it, but we have had a beautiful, sunshiny, coolish day in the high 50s/low60s...warm in the sun, too cool in the shade, almost, and it is supposed to be this way all weekend. I found a site which said it is a good idea to deadhead yarrow and to prune them, so Morgan just pruned my 6 foot yarrow plants and I have a stack of them on the picnic table. I thought I would cut the stems down and put them in a vase for a dried arrangement, but they've all gone to seed and the seeds are very tiny so they will have to stay outside. I may twist them into an early Autumn wreath. They smell SO good! 30 minutes this morning of qi gong flow for beginners. It's stating to feel automatic! |
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09 Oct 09 - 07:06 PM (#2742454) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage I'm reading more of the Weil book and making moves into the next week of the plan. I kind of stalled while I did some of the Scarsdale diet just to get moving on a diet. I have lost a few pounds; not enough to really tell in my clothing yet, but the scale tells me it is so. Cold rainy weather, several things to do around the house and with my son this weekend. I hope I get some of my stuff done for me also. I'm going to get out some of my old exercise tapes for these rainy days and use one of them until I've gotten at least as much exercise as the dog walk. SRS |
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09 Oct 09 - 08:07 PM (#2742495) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage Weekend plans out the window. I logged onto my bank account this evening and find that check I wrote for $24,000 bounced. I called the bank, they put a fraud claim on and closed my account for paper and I'll set up a new account. Grrrrrrr. SRS |
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10 Oct 09 - 12:21 AM (#2742603) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: katlaughing Oh no! I hope they catch whoever did that! Good luck. We had to set up a new acct. a year ago when some employee of our mortgage co. stole thousands of bank accts numbers with all pertinent info, no doubt to sell them. Thankfully they didn't get into our acct., but Iwe closed that one and opened a new one, plus I keep a separate acct. now to use for online buying and I pay bills through our bank's BillPay so that our main acct.'s number is never available unless I write an actual paper check which is rare. Take care, kat |
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10 Oct 09 - 12:29 AM (#2742606) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage The bank suggested setting up two accounts--one for everyday transactions and one for setting aside cash for the programmed payments like loans and retirement and such. I'll have to ask some questions about the fees and such, if I do that. I'm going to contact the credit reporting companies to flag my accounts so no one sets up new accounts using my info, and I'll check my credit report to be sure something hasn't been brewing for a while. SRS |
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10 Oct 09 - 01:48 PM (#2742897) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage Within 12 hours of my discovering this I had my account frozen for paper transactions (checks), checked my credit report (okay), set a 90-day fraud alert on all of the credit reporting agencies, and set up a new bank account (two actually, one for daily stuff, one dedicated to scheduled payments that are withdrawn automatically). I'm going to have a boatload of paperwork to do. All of my incoming money (including PayPal and Amazon. . . ) and online bill pay accounts, etc. Oy. SRS |
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10 Oct 09 - 02:17 PM (#2742912) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: maire-aine "Oy" is right. I went thru that a few years ago, but it was my credit card, not the bank account. Right now, I still write paper checks for everything, but I've been thinking about online bill-pay. For the time being, I use one credit card only for online payments, including paypal. What a difference a day makes! The rain stopped overnight, and it has been a beautiful, sunny autumn day. They don't get much better than this in Michigan. Trees are about one-third turned. Our session musicians group was busking at the big farmers market this morning. We were collecting for the local soup kitchen, so I'm anxious to find out how much we got. A friend of somebody in the group has offered to match what we collected, and the pot was pretty full when I left. I wanted to buy some wine, so I walked over to Trader Joe's & brought back 4 bottles. I figured that, if I was gonna buy (and eventually drink) that much, I oughta at least work for it. Maryanne |
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10 Oct 09 - 02:25 PM (#2742919) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage I like those four packs for cooking; if I'm not drinking wine (because of this diet, for example) I don't want to open a bottle to use a little in cooking and then let the rest of the bottle sit there and get old. And if I'm on a diet I don't want the temptation of not wasting the wine by letting it get old. ;-D Those little bottles end up being just enough (like if I buy a fresh salmon today to make smoked salmon and use wine in the brine, one of those bottles is just right). I keep thinking of more places I'll have the change the accounts. I'm making a list. SRS |
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10 Oct 09 - 03:33 PM (#2742985) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: katlaughing Rog had to go in to work this morning, so I started the laundry, then got a phone call, "Hi, Mama." "Hi, MOrgan, whatcha doin'?" "Nuttin'. Can I come over to your house?" "I don't know. Papa's at work and I have some work to do." "please, just for TWO hours, just TWO hours? I'm bored!" etc., so, of course, I said "yes." We went out for biscuits, he wanted to go for a drive, so we did. When we got home, he didn't really want to help. He just wanted to play in the yard, so I cleaned up out there with his kind of unwilling help. Got the front stoop cleaned and swept. Took some rocks that were anchoring the now broken plastic birdbath and put them around a small hibiscus which needs some protection. Watered all of the outdoor plants. Morgan threw away the birdbath for me and used the hose to wash off the casters on my office chair. I took all of the long stocks he'd pruned off the yarrow for me, gathered them together and bound them up, then hung them off a bell thing which hangs by the front door, stems up, the way you would dry them from the rafters in "olden" days. They look quite pretty, imo. |
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10 Oct 09 - 05:34 PM (#2743104) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage Sounds like you got some help from the little guy in spite of himself! Dogs have been walked (we took a different route so by the time we reached the pecans it didn't matter if we stopped for a while). Some shopping finished, mailed an eBay parcel that was delayed by the PayPal snafu. I hope it doesn't lower my perfect rating. PayPal and eBay were singularly unhelpful in getting my email corrected. Banking changes will begin this evening, changing where my paycheck goes, etc. For now I'm going to work around the house--I'll wash some towels with a vinyl shower curtain to deal with some mildew, vacuum, etc. SRS |
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10 Oct 09 - 05:45 PM (#2743109) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: wysiwyg Bed OUT. X-long (and x-heavy) shelf IN. Ready to clean and stock with professional library/workshops-to-go. Videos already there to sort and FC. Crap uncovered, set to sort. Many FC items identified and set where handy to deal with. === Attic steps cleared (stuff UP). Ready to fetch FC bedding items set to GO. === Dog kennel de-clayed and topsoil set in shed. Cinder blocks IN. === Fresh PB made to fill re-used PB jars. New recipe-- sugar free but delish. ~S~ |
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10 Oct 09 - 09:04 PM (#2743208) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage I finished my latest blog entry and now I need to move on to other stuff. Ate dinner early, and I'm still losing weight (slowly, but it is coming off). I'm going to set up an area where I can exercise in the living room. I have a pad to use and some tapes I'll stash in a cupboard in there. Tomorrow is a Mudcat free day, thanks to Max's "backend" work, so maybe I'll get a little more accomplished. I've been listening to some of the YouTube links Amos posted from the Getaway. Time flies! SRS |
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11 Oct 09 - 02:29 AM (#2743308) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage I terminated several wires in my house wiring project, but I'm out of jacks so I'll pick up more tomorrow. This is a modular system, those Leviton plugs and plates and a little punch to push the wires into the slots. I'm doing data ports and phone jacks in some of the rooms; a few of the phone jacks weren't great connections so they're being replaced and I'm adding data ports at the same time since I can pull the wires together and terminate them in the same face plate, and where there is an existing old wire I can use it to pull the new ones. I have a couple of coaxial cables to replace also. The old cables installed with the house aren't shielded the way the new ones are. We have cold weather here now and I have only a few pair of long pants that fit, so I'm banking on this diet getting me into more of my "normal" sized jeans. This climbing up and down to the attic isn't terribly strenuous, so hopefully our weather will clear up enough that I can mow the lawn (great workout) or walk the dogs longer. SRS |
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11 Oct 09 - 09:28 AM (#2743431) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: wysiwyg Dog kennel decluttered of topsoil left in the rain after post-holes were dug, plus a lot more Sadie was kind enough to dig up for me. Said bonus topsoil (for spring container gardening) is now all in their shed, where it will lie till spring underneath some re-used shipping pallets. A forgotten surplus camping pad found in the attic (where I had gone to swap a pair of sheets fort the upcoming FC) will go over top of the pallets, which will first get a layer of leftover, unusable fencing to keep doggies from falling thru the slats of the pallet. It's the lightweight, cheap woven-wire fencing that used to hold the one dog we had-- small Ruby. Now we're doing HEAVY, tall fencing. Sadie is, for all practical purposes, a small pony. :~) After the camping pad is stapled over the stapled-fencing layer, an old chenille bedspread-- ancient and oft-bleached with only shreds and tatters left-- will sit on the pallets next to the discarded chair which the dogs let me use when I go out there to sit and play with them. As it gets cold, if they have not chewed it up the cushion-seat from it will go onto a pallet, and the chair (minus seat-cushion) will make a nice, snug, off-floor dogbed above the draft line of the door. I hope Faulkner will nab it. He's gotten a tad creaky and Big Sadie oozes out from over the chair. Work begins on the next phase-- rebuilding and expanding the existing dogyard-- tomorrow. Gotta hurry- snow may only be a few weeks off in these mountainy environs. Gravel is due Tuesday or Wednesday, but we will start digging post-holes and setting posts tomorrow ahead of the impending freeze-up of the ground. The dog yard will include a gravel-free digging pit for Big Sadie's entertainment (we can bury pooper-scooper results in each pit she converts to gardening soil for me.) The whole dogyard design (Dog World or doggie heaven) has been made roll-up-and-go "portable"-- we rent, and the gas exploration/drilling along our road is starting to remind me of some of Kytrad's recent memories. :~) (I'm understating. It's rape.) All this is causing a LOT of very enjoyable and sunny fresh air and exercise-- a Secret Garden without walls. ~Susan |
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11 Oct 09 - 12:27 PM (#2743519) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage I can't leave anything fabric or upholstered for my dogs--they see it as a playful challenge and shred it. That's why I buy coastal hay and fill their dog houses with it. They love the stuff but don't tear it up. :) I had one of my rare very late nights last night, I drank a glass of pop that had caffeine too late in the day and it kept me wide-eye. I also think I was still wound up about all of the banking stuff, so I was tweaking some online accounts. The transfers don't show up on the bank's web site, just new empty accounts, so I can't pay bills yet, and a couple of them are pending. Looming, in fact. How late? Well, the newspaper was here when I finally went to bed. I picked it up so the neighbors wouldn't see me wander out to the driveway at noon today to pick it up, though I didn't sleep that late, all things considered. ;-) Home Depot, here I come! I'll use the credit card for a couple of days, I don't think this temporary debit card will be taken in many places because it doesn't have the VISA symbol on it. SRS |
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11 Oct 09 - 12:57 PM (#2743540) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: wysiwyg If they shred this further, that's OK..... BTW the crying dog next door kicks out all bedding he's given. I may have a doghouse he can have, that is raised up off the ground. === The pass-alongs are in full swing. If it can net good bucks it goes to our parish thrift shop. If not it goes to FreeCycle. Many (most) of these items were originally purchased at our thrift shop or at Salvation Army, so they have already passed along several times AND raised funds for good causes. === A second sheet set (this one mismatched) was discovered to add to the double-bed FC planned for Tuesday. === From the shelf-ful of VHS tapes just sorted, about half are going to the parish thrift shop (twice what I anticipated), and the other half stay for my workshop library-- "Oh THAT's where they were!" :~) A big bagful of clothes/shoes and a box of hangers is headed there also. Someone is going to get a very nice, ladies, fur-trimmed winter coat. Three "memento" items for our adult kids turned up, to send them. === A non-working TV will go to FC. Too bad-- it was a very, very good, very small color TV. Its problem has been to repair-man once and still is a problem, so tough as it is-- buhBYEee. We do not need THREE TVs! === A set of poles turned up BTW in the dog kennel project that I am sure will fit (or be made to fit) a very nice nylon, poles-missing tent we FCed in over the summer. This packs tiny for: <> a portable storage facility for RV-camping, <> visitors who wish to sleep out. <> short non-RV stays when I travel on bidness === ~S~ |
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11 Oct 09 - 01:48 PM (#2743572) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage My pants are getting a little looser this morning. That's nice! It's cold and wet but after I go shopping I'll take the dogs for another walk up the hill. They like walking any time, but they love it when the acorns and pecans are out. The pecans are not quite dry enough for humans to enjoy, but the dogs like them just fine. I'll take my short shopping list with me when I go. I'm going to add a few bags of inexpensive topsoil and humus to the list and start building up the side of my garden where I want to have a raised bed. I'll have it ready for spring planting if I bring in a few bags and mix them together with my compost every couple of weeks. Slow and steady (and spread out the cost). SRS |
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11 Oct 09 - 02:16 PM (#2743586) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: katlaughing qi gong for weight loss - 15 minute stand up routine qi gong flow - 30 minute routine |
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11 Oct 09 - 02:54 PM (#2743612) Subject: Fence From: wysiwyg Also planned for Dog World: a covered spot to stash our folding camp chairs, and a pallet-platform for sitting on them. I may not be able to fence my whole yard right now for fun with dogs (mine and theirs), but by God I can make them a dogyard big enough to go to THEIR yard. One sweet spot will not only allow mower access and regular pooperscooper upkeep, but a nice, shady lawn spot for jes' settin' an' keepin' company. With a heckuva lot more privacy than this yard has permitted the 15 years we've had it. It's like taking a lively fishbowl, wrapping it up in colorful, opaque saran giftwrap-- and giving it to ourselves for a present. Just a bit overdue!!! Poor Hardi's wondered for years why "all this crap is piling up," but faithfully helped haul it all home.... "Surprise!" And I am LOVING working with fencing. The last time I fenced-- well enough and resources available-- it was a 100-foot run of barbed wire I put up alone and stretched by hand to corral some escaping nonprofit cows. It's like shooting out a spider line you can then go explore upon. Or spinning saran wrap. :~) ~S~ |
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11 Oct 09 - 02:55 PM (#2743614) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: wysiwyg PS re: Faithful Hardi-- He believed me when I said I wanted a fence, not a new RECLINER!!! ~S~ |
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11 Oct 09 - 04:17 PM (#2743655) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Repo From: VirginiaTam I got loads done in the spare room (read Bermuda Triangle) today. Sorted lots of clutter. Staying on top of the laundry and ironing. Found some crochet jobs I had buried in spare room and working on them again. Still having tummy troubles since Wednesday, so not eating much. Managed a whole tuna sandwich with cucumber, lettuce and tomato today. Hopefully will start losing some weight. I have put on so much since Andie passed away. How do I ignore the never ending cakes and sweets in the staff room? |
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11 Oct 09 - 04:25 PM (#2743661) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: katlaughing Did a week's worth of dishes this morning. Had some decluttering going on in my head. Rog is on his way home, so we may get some more stuff done. |
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11 Oct 09 - 07:05 PM (#2743762) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage I filled a couple of shelves with VCR tapes from the floor. I need to sort them, and there are quite a few I plan to convert to DVD. They're not quite commingled, but at least they're off the floor. Up to the attic I go. SRS |
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11 Oct 09 - 07:33 PM (#2743782) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: wysiwyg Convert how pls? ~S~ |
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11 Oct 09 - 09:01 PM (#2743825) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: katlaughing Rog helped me clean the wheels on my office chair outside, better than the almost six year old did...that kid really tries! Also he moved a big lawn chair and hauled some trash out of the yard. I finished sweeping the sidewalk and steps. |
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11 Oct 09 - 10:34 PM (#2743871) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: LilyFestre Spent the day learning how to use the new scanner/printer/fax/copier purchased for ease of making copies of all adoption paperwork. I went through a few boxes of photos, looking for specific ones of my best friend who passed away in 1999. His sister has requested these and it's high time that I get them to her (she started asking last month). While I've really enjoyed looking back at all the memories that are coming up, I found myself laughing and crying at the same time. I'll never NOT miss him. NEVER. Anyway....that was half of my day, the other half was spent taking senior photos of my niece. She's drop dead gorgeous and I couldn't take a bad photo of her if I tried. When the photos were done, she wanted to come spend the afternoon and evening at our house. It was nice to have some one on one time with her...we talked for hours about everything under the sun. She helped cut beans and my husband made dinner (including apple pie) while we chatted away upstairs. Funny how this day turned out...looking back at some wonderful memories and looking ahead to new ones as well. It's been a lovely day!!! Michelle |
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11 Oct 09 - 11:04 PM (#2743879) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage Sounds nice, Michelle! Susan, I have a little converter box. Put the tape into the VCR, plug the VCR into this box, this box converts it and it is plugged into the computer and saves it as the right kind of file to burn to a DVD. I haven't used it but I picked it up a while back because I want to do this. I cleaned up more of the front room, packed up most of the tapes, and set a piles aside that can be recorded over. I don't have a DVR right now (not one that is attached to a signal, at any rate) so I have to record the old fashioned way. I also finished a data jack in that room. Laundry next. |
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12 Oct 09 - 04:09 AM (#2743966) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: mouldy I've been promising myself one of those converters. I haven't got many tapes to convert, though, so I may just pay to get them done. The converters are around £100 at the last time of looking. I also saw advertised recently a record player that converts vinyl directly onto cd, and has the option to download onto a computer as an mp3 (I think) file. trouble is, that one's about £250! However, I have more than enough vinyl to maybe justify that one day! I do have a turntable I can use with my stereo, but this would minimise the risk of damage to the records. The living room carpet has been delayed, as it never arrived in the warehouse. I should hear today when it is actually coming. However, the plumber's going to come at some point today to measure up for new radiators, and tonight is my deadline for getting the paperwork off to Russia, so I have got to finalise that, and I am expecting to get phone calls and emails from my lawyers during the day as we sort out options. I also have Freya. As soon as I have all this out of the way, I am (I promise!) going to set to on the remaining two rooms. I think the study will have to be next, as I am going to have to shift a whole "gemors" of stuff so that the radiator can be removed! Andrea Next |
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12 Oct 09 - 10:00 AM (#2744113) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: MAG I have bags of old video tapes I still need to give away. Someone on Freecycle wanted videos, but I guess they just wanted movies. Two (more) bags for Helpline. I found yet another box of stuff that had been peed on; the clothes go though the washer with odormute; the rest goes straight intothe trash. |
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12 Oct 09 - 10:27 AM (#2744126) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: wysiwyg SRS, are you confusing "DVR" with "DVD recorder" again? :~) ~S~ |
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12 Oct 09 - 12:59 PM (#2744233) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Repo From: VirginiaTam We had one of those converter things. Copied home vids of my girls singing in HS choir to PC. But only came out in tiny little screen. We could not change the size. Now we have them copied to Harddrive / DVR. but because the original tapes were NTSC, the vids on the Harddrive are NTSC too. DVR will not copy to DVDs because it is only PAL format. Arrrggghhh! Anyway. Still eating very little. 1/4 cup of porridge this morning, container of raw veg and fresh fruit for lunch and a little bit of English mature cheddar for protein, and 4 oz spaghetti for dinner (no meat of cheese in it). Exercise today - lots of running up and down stairs and end to end of the building. |
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12 Oct 09 - 02:45 PM (#2744317) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: mouldy I've just got back from my weigh in, and another 2.5lb has gone somewhere. It must be off my face or backside, because my waist is still as big as ever! Mind you, having had Freya all day again, I haven't had time to eat much! Just grabbing a microwave meal while waiting for the lawyer to ring (we got an extension on the original 3 days, but we are considering writing and saying that we will decide what we are doing in the next 14 days, which is well within the time-scale within Russian law - they just wanted it early to get translation done). The rest of my carpet is coming on Weds afternoon, and the new radiators are still on course for nest Monday. Andrea |
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12 Oct 09 - 06:04 PM (#2744460) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage No, and I don't think I confused DVDs and DVRs before, either. The Digital Video Recorder I have is from DishNetwork, that I subscribed to for a couple of years, but now that I don't pay for their signal I can't use the device to record anything else, though I can watch anything that is already recorded on it. That one doesn't burn DVDs, it just saves digital video files on a hard drive to play back. I can record off of it by patching to the computer or VCR, but the quality isn't great for a DVD. There are Digital Video Recorders that also burn DVDs like a VCR will record to a video cassette tape. I think some have TIVO, but I don't know if it is necessary or if you can simply set it up to record over the air broadcasts by programming it like the old VCR. I'm not sure if they initially record to a hard drive and then you tell it to burn to the disk after editing--that's part of what I want to check out (get rid of commercials from some programs, etc.) The morning and early afternoon were tied up with checkups and driving. I've been kind of slow around here this afternoon, but I'll take the dogs for a walk and get moving for the evening. SRS |
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12 Oct 09 - 06:30 PM (#2744484) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: wysiwyg I must be recalling someone else who bandied some of those terms around interchangeably. Sorry. The DVR we have has a hard disk but the USB-out to send a file to puder for burning is disabled, and I understand that's the norm. My Radio Shack dude made it clear he would not address copying, from it, if that's disabled, tho he was quite willing to discuss CABLING needs to do it into the VCR. Another firend does a lot of hockey copying and sez he has to do it by running the propgram in realtime from DVR thru DVD-recorder, editing out commercials by hand" as he goes. Id' think if there was a q ~S~ |
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13 Oct 09 - 10:05 AM (#2744916) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage Bank stuff still isn't showing up in real time after the bank holiday. Maybe tonight or tomorrow morning. My bills await the bank's pleasure. Sink full of dishes this morning and my freezer has started draining into the bottom of the freezer compartment, not draining out. Time to defrost again. SRS |
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13 Oct 09 - 10:26 AM (#2744936) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: wysiwyg SRS-- try this. After you clear it, put a large, folded towel down there to catch the next time's buildup. Remove as necessary to wash and replace. ~S~ |
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13 Oct 09 - 01:25 PM (#2745071) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: katlaughing Since this seems to be a time of changes, I wanted to let you all know I will not be posting as often for a while. I am doing some major work on the old thinking processes and find myself writing a lot on a blog I am calling alterKATE. I'll still be here, just most of my typing energy will be elsewhere. This is also in preparation for, I think, NaNoWriMo, which starts at the stroke of midnight, Nov. 1st! |
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13 Oct 09 - 01:41 PM (#2745088) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: wysiwyg Gogogogogogo!!!!! (I don't mean "please leave") ~S~ |
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13 Oct 09 - 01:59 PM (#2745107) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Repo From: VirginiaTam Awwww... Will miss Kat. I only just gotted here. Well today, loads more trips up and down stair and end to end of the building. My knees hurt so bad I have heating pad on them now. Prolly should use ice, but the heat feels so good. All shopping done. No desserts or biscuits (cookies) purchased. Dinner in oven. Several rows on poncho/wrap thingie crocheted today. |
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13 Oct 09 - 02:01 PM (#2745111) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: maeve Happy writing, Kat, and enjoy the time. maeve |
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13 Oct 09 - 02:43 PM (#2745152) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage We'll miss having you drop in here, Kat, but good luck with the magical thinking. I've been looking into some of this myself; starting with diet, moving into meditation. Several times now I've heard Tim Page interviewed about his book Parallel Play: Life as an Outsider. Terry Gross interviewed him for today's program. He was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome at age 45, at the same time his son was diagnosed. Every time he describes the things that set him on edge and made things difficult (or easy) I keep thinking "I know what he means." I wonder if it's worth pursuing. He likened parts of it to being an absentminded professor. Susan, I think for my freezer that wouldn't work, I'd just have a towel frozen to the bottom of it. This has to do with something that isn't defrosting the drain properly. Towels do figure in the next defrost, though. Rather than empty the fridge I'll block the two cooling vents (the fridge is cool because of the vents from the freezer) stick all of the ice cube trays in there to keep it cool and use the hair dryer to defrost the area inside the back where something has been freezing up. The last time I defrosted it cleared up the problem for a couple of months. SRS |
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13 Oct 09 - 07:01 PM (#2745368) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: maire-aine Got my (seasonal) flu shot today. Caught up on most of the laundry. Did up some more vegetables for the freezer. Saturday's collection for the soup kitchen turned out to be $289-- not bad for a bunch of chilly amateurs. I replaced all the lightbulbs in the low-voltage outdoor light system. I've been using the solar-powered ones in the summer, but now that the days are getting shorter, the solar ones go dim too quickly. So it's back to the electric ones for fall/winter. Also disconnected all the hoses and stored them away. And I've started bringing in more firewood. Maryanne |
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13 Oct 09 - 07:43 PM (#2745381) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: LilyFestre I started a new yoga class tonight called Meditative Flow and I thought it would be a series of Suns, each pose held longer and then time to allow the body to feel the echo, to catch the prana wave if you will. Nope. We did poses alright but they were poses designed to make you churn after only a few breaths..strength poses...we held them for long periods of time and then collapsed into child's pose or savasana, depending on the initial pose and what needed to be released. Ahhhhhhhhhh. This class was SO much better than what I thought it would be.....tension just melts and I feel all warm and bendy. Just in case you haven't figured it out by now, I LOVE YOGA!!!!!!!!!! Michelle |
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13 Oct 09 - 07:49 PM (#2745383) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage I squashed more snails on the driveway and sprayed BT in the garden. I have transplanted several hornworms to the datura out front, but they appear to be pretty widespread and I can't find them all. Picked a dozen cherry tomatoes this evening; one thing about the diet, I've had plenty of tomatoes for my salads! SRS |
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13 Oct 09 - 11:14 PM (#2745458) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: katlaughing Well, I am not actually leaving, just not posting as much, thanks though for your well-wishes, etc. SRS, I wouldn't call it "magical" thinking, but that's just semantics, I guess.:-) I shredded papers in the office this morning; spent from noon-5p with Morgan and played catch with him for the first time since last Spring. Didn't even need a nap today. G'night darlin's...:-) kat |
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14 Oct 09 - 09:50 AM (#2745499) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: maeve More clearing out here. Not much sleep. |
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14 Oct 09 - 10:37 AM (#2745561) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: katlaughing Finally quit see-sawing around and broke a kind of plateau I was on. Lost 2.6 pounds this last week and I went over on my points a little bit. Not that I will make a habit of that, but it is good to finally drop some and know I have eaten well. |
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14 Oct 09 - 11:36 AM (#2745613) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: LilyFestre Hey Kat, make sure you are eating all your points...sometimes people think if they decrease their food they will lose faster....not true. Do you use your 35 extra flex points? Michelle |
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14 Oct 09 - 11:55 AM (#2745632) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage Just the usual household stuff. After today the week should get a little easier. I did finish a blog entry last night, and I went ahead and posted links between the gardening blog and the commentary blog. As I learn my way around that software I've been able to clean up some of the categories and sharpen the tags. SRS |
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14 Oct 09 - 12:46 PM (#2745668) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: mouldy Well done Kat! That's what happened to me. Took me a year to lose a stone, and then drop 5+ pounds in 2 weeks! And the good new is...I am carpeted! Andrea |
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14 Oct 09 - 01:27 PM (#2745714) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage Andrea, I had this vision of you with a kidney stone or a gallstone, but you mean the weight measure, correct? Something like 17 pounds? I lost about 5 last week and now I'm on the less strenuous part of the Scarsdale plan, and making a shift over to some of the recommendations from Weil. Looking up supplements. He seems to end up with a lot of pills in the end. SRS |
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14 Oct 09 - 03:00 PM (#2745810) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: katlaughing Thanks, Michelle, yes I use all of my bonus pts and then some which is why I was surprised to have lost at all. qi gong flow - 25 minutes Andrea, enjoy the new carpeting. I'll bet the pets are happy, too! |
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14 Oct 09 - 10:25 PM (#2746167) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage Power was out for several hours, setting me back in the work I needed to do this evening. Joan Baez - American Masters is on, the power came back just in time. :) SRS |
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15 Oct 09 - 10:57 AM (#2746569) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: MAG Finally bit the bullet and put 2 shelves of old magazines in recycling. They have a lot to pick up today: can full (crammed full) of yard trash, 2 boxes of recycling, bags of papers and magazines. Been off for 2 weeks with bronchitis; I really don't recommend losing weight this way. |
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15 Oct 09 - 04:24 PM (#2746876) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: maire-aine It only got up to 45F (7.2C) today, but it's supposed to warm up a little over the weekend. The basil got frosted a bit, but I think I rescued it in time. It'll stay inside now. I'm back to oatmeal for breakfast, now that fall is here. Made a pot of yellow split pea soup, and put half in the freezer. Swedish Yellow Split Pea Soup (Ärter med Fläsk) 1 lb (2 C) yellow split peas 8 C cold water 2 finely chopped medium onions 1 whole onion, peeled & studded with 2 whole cloves 1 lb lean salt pork in one piece (I use 5-oz. Hormel canned ham, shredded with liquid) 1 teaspoon leaf marjoram ½ teaspoon thyme salt to taste Throw everything in the pot & bring it to a boil. Turn the heat down so it simmers for about 2 hours. Serve with rye bread. Maryanne |
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18 Oct 09 - 01:41 PM (#2747284) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage Making progress on the wiring. I've taken the face plate off of the old phone jack in the front room and the current wallpaper is overlapped over a lot of the cavity. Fold it back and I found a piece of apparently older wallpaper, a shiny metalic gold with some kind of flocked jaguar print. That would be gawdy. Thank you, whoever put in the current woven stuff. It is very attractive. I've set all of my plugs in the closet, cleared off the lower shelf, and I'm going to put the router and modem in there and run it out to all computers from that point. Easier for wireless reception than from my office, and if in the future someone wants to designate rooms differently, this office as a bedroom, for example, it won't be encumbered with all of the electronics in the corner. I mowed and trimmed the entire yard yesterday, and my neck and shoulders can really feel it. It's a great workout, so I need to give myself a lot of points for a couple of hours of steady pushing the mower. SRS |
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18 Oct 09 - 01:57 PM (#2747293) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: mouldy The new carpet is lovely, a warm beige berber. The dog is enjoying it, and given her poor state of health, it's nice for her. Tomorrow the plumber is fitting some new more modern radiators. I also got a log delivery yesterday, and now all racks are full. I was supposed to be moving desks, safe, and file cabinet out of the way in the study today, but I've had Freya, and the one spare bit of time I had when she actually condescended to have a nap was spent stacking and bagging logs off the yard. I'll get up early tomorrow and do it, and the plumber can start at the other end of the house. Of course, I have Freya again tomorrow... Andrea |
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18 Oct 09 - 02:58 PM (#2747361) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage A friend is stopping by on his way back from a week out of town. He's my canning guru and a great source of cooking inspiration. I have a bowl of wonderful cherry tomatoes I picked yesterday and a fresh cuke from the grocery to make a salad to go along with some quesadillas for a quick bite when they stop for a few minutes. The tomatoes seem to have slowly recovered from the weeks of drenching rain and they're not splitting now. Hang up laundry, then back to wiring. SRS |
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18 Oct 09 - 05:11 PM (#2747467) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Penny S. I dug up the datura and put it in the incinerator bin at the dump. Now I find a friend who would have liked it for a historical apothecary garden. He would quite like the digitalis, and some of the what we think may be comfrey, which is forming a thuggish heap over the path. I have dug up two shrubs and some hostas and transplanted to my present garden as swaps for the blackberries I intend to take to my new home. I have a frog! I also found a problem with the immersion heater at the new house - it overheated overnight, so the water in the cold tank was warm enough for a bath. And the next midday, after being off, the hot water was still too hot for a bath. It has cost me £600 for a new cylinder, element, and piping. And now, the garden tap has started to leak... I've bought a set of eco light bulbs, curtains for the bathroom and curtain fittings. Penny |
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18 Oct 09 - 06:55 PM (#2747542) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: wysiwyg Gone, a rotting doghouse. Gravel for Dog World has arrived and fencing layout is in full swing. ~S~ |
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19 Oct 09 - 12:06 AM (#2747704) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage You're all making great progress! I do enjoy reading about the work everyone is doing. My wiring that I hoped would, in one fell swoop, supply two rooms with outlets was stepped back to two stages when this evening I realized that the existing phone in the front room is opposite the hall outside my son's room, so I need to put in a second set of wires and after I put a hole in the wall for a junction box, fish them over to the hole. I have a long piece of wire with a hook for that, and I will tape the ends together with a big piece of twine dangling down, something that is liable to be easier to locate with my hook. That's for another day. I did finish my wiring after replacing the old junction box. It was anchored in place by a bit that dropped down into the hole. I could have fished it out, but I preferred to use a newer box anyway. I just wish the phones sounded like anything we'd want to listen to. There is a loud roar on the line that I have to report--again. I took the dogs for a 20 minutes walk. I've been reading week two in Dr. Weil's book and am making the little tweaks in my habits that he suggests. Walks every day all of them suggest, but I'll go with his plan and see where it takes me. He does a lot of things I like already, such as I like green tea, but I didn't drink it as often as he suggests. Fruit, veggies, I already ate a lot, but I'm changing some of the oils and sweeteners (cold pressed canola is apparently a lot healthier than regular, because chemicals are used to extract the oil from the regular sort). I'm getting enough cherry tomatoes to eat and give away; if I save some I might be able to can a few half pints more. This garden nearly drowned a few weeks back, but it seems to be getting its second wind. SRS |
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19 Oct 09 - 08:37 AM (#2747838) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: freda underhill It's good to drop in and be inspired by people's decluttering. I've had to do a bit of spring cleaning happening here (yes, it's spring in Sydney) after a huge red dust storm blew through a couple of weeks ago. Dust is now gone and so has a lot of...... clutter! and in the emptier, more peaceful space, I'm doing some artwork again. Kat, you are doing a different de-clutter - peeling away the old static energy and renewing yourself! that's wonderful! best wishes to all freda |
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19 Oct 09 - 08:54 AM (#2747851) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: freda underhill .. it looked just like that top red photo in my previous post, when I looked out my bedroom window at 5.30 that morning. I thought it was a remarkable red sunrise until i got a phone call from a neighbour, explaining the storm and telling me to close the windows! I've decluttered recently by getting rid of my old computer monitor (I now have a new skinny one) and my huge old television (which died)- I also have a newer skinner one of those too. and in decluttering shoes, I'm keeping the comfy ones and passing on the stylish but useless ones. Shoes with soft, bouncy cushioning are my current indulegence. And like Kat, I'm shrinking, having no carbs after 3pm and a lot of tofu salads and vegetable soups in the evening. me again |
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19 Oct 09 - 05:20 PM (#2748234) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: mouldy A pound and a half back on, but I did go somewhat over-pointed in the last couple of days. 4 out of the 5 new radiators are on, and the study carpet is partially removed after I cut some of it away so the plumber could get at the floorboards. I really have a lot of serious sorting out to do in there, though! Andrea |
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19 Oct 09 - 05:52 PM (#2748263) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: wysiwyg Rubble-fill for concreting posts in, FC'd in. Yucca plants to demarcate new fencelines, FCd in (same donor). Heading out: repairable small color TV, some clothes, maybe a chair. ~S~ |
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19 Oct 09 - 07:31 PM (#2748353) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: LilyFestre I did some sewing this weekend which helped in getting rid of a pile of fabric and it forced me to organize my sewing stuff. And tonight, I did a yoga class called Power and Grace, a class I chickened out of last week because I didn't think I could do it. I went tonight with this in my mind, "I'll do what I can and that is enough." And guess what? I did just that. I did 98% of the class and modified the other 2% during deep forward seated bends/extended pigeon because my belly gets in the way )&^&^$*^%&^%$#$@@%$@%%)(*&....but hey...it's all good!!! Michelle who made Pumpkin Squash soup on Thursday that was DELICIOUS and CORE! YAY! |
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19 Oct 09 - 08:09 PM (#2748398) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage It's that time of year when indoors and outdoors are about equally delightful, and I'm feeling that nesting urge to clean and sort and make the house more comfortable for the coming cold months. I'll throw in a load of laundry tonight and see about moving some of these magazines out of the way. They need to go on a shelf, if I can find one for them. Lots of meetings at work this week, so I won't get much of this done until the weekend. SRS |
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20 Oct 09 - 11:15 AM (#2748711) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: MAG I just offered up my baby Weber grill on freecycle; I haven't used it in about 4 years. Outdoor grilling just isn't my thing anymore. The last 3 items people wanted are still sitting outside my front door; I'll report them and say they are going in the garbage if not picked up, strictly first come, first served. |
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20 Oct 09 - 11:50 AM (#2748741) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: mouldy It's taken the plumber 2 days to get the new radiators on and things running. My 4 year old pump had corroded so badly that only the outer casting was left, and the inner metal had disintegrated into the vents in the impeller. all due to corrosion in the system. So there's a new pump on, and all radiators are firing away with a gunk-dissolver circulating. He is going to come back in a week or so and flush out all the crap again, and then refill the system. Sounds like I'm going to get another big bill soon... It's a horrid damp grey day, so I have stayed in and made soup. Andrea |
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20 Oct 09 - 01:32 PM (#2748813) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: LilyFestre Today I am cleaning out my digital world...specifically my camera. I took senior photos for my niece a little over a week ago and she is very anxious to see them....so today, I am doing that for her! :) Yoga later today for a meditative posture flow class.....slow, long holds with long down time to feel the echo of each pose. YUMMY. Michelle |
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20 Oct 09 - 06:04 PM (#2749005) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: wysiwyg The first line of fence for the new, Large Dog World was up awaiting my reaction when I got home. The hardest 6' part is fine-- I'd have been thrilled just to see THAT part done-- but the rest needs a bit of a re-do, which my helper wisely left standing mutely for my decision: close, but no cigar. On this job close ain't good enough-- I want the whole ceegar. BUT to do it right means extending the line I wanted ANYway, so it's back to the fencing store tomorrow for another panel. Bwahahahaaaaa... By this time tomorrow Bob will be my uncle. And then it's on to the next line, which (I happen to know) is ALSO also going to be a tad longer than first planned, cuz when you measure chainlink? You know, it's gonna stretch when you put it up. :~) He's young, He'll learn. :~) It should still all be up by Nov. 1. ~Susan |
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20 Oct 09 - 07:27 PM (#2749043) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: maire-aine Today was a little warmer, so I got some outdoor work done. I harvested more of my herbs, altho I left some parsley & chives un-cut. They're sheltered, so they'll grow for a while yet. Also trimmed some rhody branches that hung over the front porch steps and deadheaded more plants along the driveway. Threw in a couple loads of laundry in between. Not enough leaves have fallen to bother raking yet, altho the first city pickup is scheduled for next week. |
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20 Oct 09 - 11:53 PM (#2749156) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage An "a ha!" moment yesterday and I think I figured out why this dermatitis is so resilient. I must be reacting to the brewers yeast I sprinkle on the dog food after I measure out the dry kibble. I pick up a few pieces from each bowl when I put them down, and then give the dogs the word to eat (they love demonstrating every day how good they are at waiting, and then eating). I get some of the yeast on my hands. I have noticed the dogs both look like they have a chapped upper lip, and I think we're all experiencing some kind of sightly caustic effect from it. It happened earlier in the summer for a while also. I wonder if it goes bad or if there is something in it? Anyway, I've tossed the rest and we'll see if we don't have our hands and noses clear up. Week from hell as far as events and meetings at work. It's the Bermuda Triangle of special events. I think I'll take a couple of days off next week and just putter. More stuff on eBay, and a couple of watchers. I'm going to shift gear and put more variety up now, in anticipation of holiday shopping. SRS |
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21 Oct 09 - 07:55 PM (#2749852) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: LilyFestre Yoga, big start, soft finish. Michelle |
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21 Oct 09 - 10:18 PM (#2749942) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage Pouring rain today, but I parked and walked across campus at a good clip, so I got my "wind sprints" and about 20 minutes of walking. (And soggy shoes and clothes). I DID eat the chocolate cake at the lunch, but I skipped the potatoes. I think an occasional dessert is okay, and leads to less feeling of being deprived. But I'm out of the sugar habit, which is great! Tonight I'm working on processing photos from the event I photographed, but I'm also listing more eBay stuff. SRS |
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22 Oct 09 - 06:48 PM (#2750626) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: MAG 3 more bags of stuff to elpline. Of course now I am finding the size 16 and 18's that I couldn' find when I needed them, and are now too loose. Bagging the "professional" shoes I haven't worn for years; boss doesn't like it, but I care about my feet. I'm taking some time off work; got a doctor's note so my boss from hell can't say no. |
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22 Oct 09 - 08:09 PM (#2750681) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: LilyFestre Well, things on the weight loss front here are slipping so tonight at my WI, I asked to start with a fresh book...they were happy to oblige. Sometimes I think I just need that fresh start...so hooray for fresh starts! Then I went out to dinner with a dear friend, one of my student teaching co-ops....had a great salad and even better conversation! Here's to a fresh start!!! Michelle |
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22 Oct 09 - 11:34 PM (#2750778) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage Kind of sedentary today, but I've been building up to a big weekend after a late night at work tomorrow. I am far enough along in the wiring that I can move my modem and router and move my son's work area across the large living room and set up a viewing area for the television that I'll be able to see and hear also from the kitchen. I'm looking forward to the furniture moving--you know how hefting furniture and looking at the results generates endorphins. (Some of my happiest friends are the ones who rearrange their furniture regularly. And manage to do it in a way so the whole family isn't stubbing toes on it in the dark.) SRS |
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22 Oct 09 - 11:39 PM (#2750781) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: maire-aine The last few times I used my electric frying pan, it smelled like burning rubber, so I decided to replace the cord. There's a little shop nearby that has replacement parts for just about every kind of electrical appliance, so I went there this afternoon. The fella said to clean the terminals in the pan, too, because they were probably burnt also. We'll see if it works. It was simply a beautiful fall day, so I had the front door open most of the day. It just started to rain, and it's supposed to rain all day tomorrow, which should bring down more leaves. Maryanne |
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23 Oct 09 - 08:30 AM (#2750983) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Catherine Jayne Not been posting much due to being rather busy lately. I have changed my exercise classes round which seems to have boosted the weightloss. I have now lost 5 stone in a year. Just another stone to go and I'm so nearly at my dress size target. I now do body combat, body pump and rpm (spinning class) after each class I have a 2 mile jog home. The healthy eating is going well but I don't beat myself up if I have a treat. I had my flu jab the other day and the twins had their mmr and pneumonia jabs. We have decided and marked out where the new stair case is going so we can use the attic which has been converted into a really nice room so we will have 4 bedrooms. Having said that the stair case probably won't be fitted until December. I've backed up all the photos and files on the computer onto discs and sorted through the pile if wedding magazines and got rid of a large chunk. My wardrobe has been sorted through again and clothes bagged up and put in the attic wardrobe until I can get them to the charity shop. My next task is to sort through the kids toys. Yule is coming up and they will get so many new toys from people we will be over run with them. I'm going to donate some of the toys to the hosptial childrens ward and some to the charity shop. Today I've done 2 loads of washing and I'm hoping to get it dry. The fruit is soaking for the xmas cake and I'm about to make some chocolate muffins. |
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23 Oct 09 - 12:53 PM (#2751132) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: MAG Posted my old canvas tent I heven't used in 20 years on freecycle; immediately got 3 hits on it! Ditto with a box of christmas ornaments I hsven't had out for at least 6 years. And already have most of another box to go to helpline. amazing waht a little time off (and not being sick - had bronchitis for over 2 weeks) can do. Stil haven't got back to the Y ona regular basis; next week maybe. |
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24 Oct 09 - 12:15 PM (#2751712) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage You're all adjusting to autumn nicely. I'm glad you're over your bronchitis, MAG. My son was perilously close to it, but seemed to pull back in the nick of time. Some bug going around in addition to H1N1. I've been gargling a couple of times a day with warm salt water to try to avoid it. I had a stuffy nose last night but it seems to have cleared so I'll also use the neti pot once a day. The salt kills off the virus before it can grow to a point to make you sick, according to the anti-flu folks. Might as well use it to try to avoid the other viruses as well. I've been picking up around here this morning. You all probably know how that goes. Clean off your dresser top, put the undies and socks and t-shirts and towels away and then move into the next room and make a bed and then fold laundry in another room and get ready to sweep and vacuum. I'm pausing at the "drink morning cup of tea for my morning dose of caffiene" stage as I write here. It's lovely and cold outside and I think it might have dried enough after the rain so I can work in the garden some. SRS |
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24 Oct 09 - 01:51 PM (#2751780) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: wysiwyg SRS-- I read too fast-- thought you said you were picking your nose around here. :~) I am NOT adj to fall- I am working like a mad dog to get ready for winter that thank God it's holding off for a blessed week of Indian Summer (damn PC-- Native AMerfican summer???? whatever.) And my helper picked this past week to blow me off, so I decluttered him!!! Because I watched what he was doing and now I could actually finish this damn Dog World MYSELF. With girl-power. Decrepitated, pissed-off, GIRL POWER. :~) AND i GOT BACK TO MY HOME OFFICE, THE ONE i HAD NOT BEEN IN FOR A month WHILE OTHER STUFF WAS IN EMGERCENCI-FICATION. Ooopps, sorry casplock-- time real short. We buried two people Thursday and Friday (NOT decluttering them), and Hardi's marrying two others today and weaving two very-different families into one, and the day started with the heretofore-missing helper walking in on us not-yet-dressed (I was tres deshabille), wanting "instructions," while another guy was on the phone to report his mom had just died! (LF, pls alert Bonnie to watch for news on humane arrangements being made that she will like, behind the scenes. And keep next Sat. open.) My home office was FULL of deaD, CRUNCHY CLUSTER FLIES, sorry caps again-- but the puder turned on anyway so I stepped over them to clean out the office fridge-- eeeew!!!! And got a short project DONE. Plus sewing that the sewing lady did wrong is back in the bag to go to her and be done right. I paid from much-needed grocery bucks!!! I want it right!!! So this declutted several things that had languished in the overfull Perfect Closet-- unwearable stuff I need to wear to all these funerals! ~S~ |
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24 Oct 09 - 05:27 PM (#2751966) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: LilyFestre Spent this day at home with my honey. We shelled beans together, replaced a drape pulling type of curtain rod with a pretty one and new winter curtains designed to keep heat in and cold out. NICE! Laundry is in full swing....I'm going away for a few days and like to leave everything in tip top shape for my husband so he doesn't have to do anything or as the case may be, things will be in great shape when we get home. I hate coming home to a cluttered house or dishes in the sink. BLAH!!! Anyway, things are looking good!!! Michelle PS. I'm really excited to be trying out new yoga studios while I'm away....something new and different! Plus the iPod is charged and ready for lots of walking. YAY! |
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24 Oct 09 - 07:30 PM (#2752025) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: maire-aine Not quite ready for autumn yet. It rained all day yesterday and overnight, cloudy & drizzly today. Too wet to rake leaves. Made waffles for breakfast. I re-arranged some of my kitchen cabinets, putting the least used appliances (toaster, 10-cup coffeemaker & popcorn popper) into the upper cabinets. Had to move the shelves around for that. Plan for tomorrow: clean out the car. I'm planning to make a trip or 2 over to Windsor next week, so I don't want to be embarrassed at the border. Maryanne |
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25 Oct 09 - 10:09 AM (#2752321) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: LilyFestre Speaking of fenced in dog areas.....on this beautiful fall morning with crisp temperatures, blue skies filled with honking geese headed south, rustling leaves in the yard, our sweet Bellie (yellow lab) passed away. She was 12 years old and one of the sweetest dogs ever. Bellie was our guard dog. She had cool digs along our very long driveway....chain link fence, lots of straw, a giant dog house built by my husband's grandfather, always lots of straw...she was a happy girl and loved to welcome (or warn as the case may be) everybody that happened by. Her position will be filled by one of our male dogs, one of which the local butcher (think popeye arms) said (they met when the butcher came to get our pigs) he wouldn't touch a $100.00 bill if it was within 10 yards of the dog. *GRIN* He's a bit touched and therefore has always needed to be away from the other animals. He will LOVE this job and the cool new dog house!!! Rest easy Sweet, Sweet Bellie. You're a good girl and we will miss you...It will be hard to go down the driveway and not wave and yell out the window, "Bye Bellie!!!" I love you. Michelle |
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25 Oct 09 - 01:29 PM (#2752451) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: GUEST That's so sad, Michelle, and I'm sure you will find yourself calling her from time to time. I did with my last dog. You can console yourself with is the knowledge that you gave her as good a life as you could. It sounds like you already have your hands full with your crazy boy! I have an ailing dog at the moment, and I feel I am going to have to make a hard decision before too long. She is 13 and a half, has heart failure, and fluid in her abdomen and left-side legs. Despite that, however, she isn't coughing as much as she was, and doesn't seem to be in any pain - just very tired and dispirited. She spends a lot of the day lying down. The vet says I will know when the time is right, but I'm not so sure... she's still up for a bit of food scrounging, even though her appetite has lessened due to, I suppose, the pressure of the fluid on her stomach. Andrea |
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25 Oct 09 - 02:48 PM (#2752505) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: wysiwyg Here's a hilarious quote from the young man who blew off our fencing project: P.S.- If you wanted a 100% perfect job ment to last and look good, Dont get junk to build it... I had such a lovely chat yesterday with the fella who does chainlink fulltime around these parts. We talked about the whole project-- he loved the idea of girl power and just wanted to help if he could-- rare these days! He thought I was right on target, and this AM I spent the pretty, warm part of the day picking through the used (FreeCycled) toprail sections my helper found so "junky" and impossible to assemble and measure-- putting them together in less than an hour, where they await our next steps. I had called this man on a local contractor supply shop's recommendation to see if he might have any supplies we need-- they don't carry them. The nice man not only did not want to cause us to need his services-- he's on a huge factory job right now-- but thought he might stop by on his own time just to offer a word of encouragement and to help me see what-all I actually have. (The first thing the helper had been supposed to do was inventory what I had-- and that never happened.) "I bet you have more good stuff there than you think you do," he said, "and if you just do a little every day, you will have more fun working with it-- why, you'll be able to start your own business if you want to." Ah well. The continuum of life. I'm trying my first "decent" fence and this nice man's done so many that now it's all just fun. At the other end of the continuum, my young ex-helper who knows it ALL (but can't get a job). It's always kinda sad to see young folks who know how to spend your money, when they can't earn their own. He'll learn! :~) We wish him well on his next opportunity. But I'm glad I "cut bait" when I did. ~Susan |
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25 Oct 09 - 07:13 PM (#2752636) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: katlaughing Michelle, sorry to hear about your Bellie. Andrea, you, too, your old girl...you will know...she will help you to know. Sorry I have been not keeping up with this. Finally have something to post besides anxiety-ridden stuff. Even though my Rog has been exhausted, he did get some major stuff done, today. We started out thinking a narrow table was going to be okay for my computer station in the dining room, across from where he is in the kitchen, but when we tried it, it was obviously not going to work. So, I emptied it, emptied the smaller library table we use for a dining table in the kitchen and put it over in the dining room for my PC. Then I emptied the jewellery table which had stuff piled on it from my desk clean-up a few weeks ago. That is the larger library table and we would move it out to the kitchen for our dining table. Covered, of course, to be careful with it. It has been used that way before. Anyway, it is big and hard to get out of the office. I knew Rog didn't want to do it and he was being very grumbly. BY this point I would normally get mad and frustrated, throw up my hands and say forget it! But, this time I knew we had to get it done, so I stayed calm and called my daughter. She and her husband, with Morgan, came over and moved the big table out to the kitchen and the smaller, narrow table back to the office for a jewellery table. After a few more bumps with Rog in determining what needed to be done network-wise, etc. he finally moved my main PC, printer, scanner, and cassette dubber to the dining room. We have it all set up and are listening, now, to Celtic Sojourn on WGBH. It feels really good to be sitting out here with Rog, talking with you all, with my houseplants looking over my shoulder.:-) There is still a lot to be done. Tons of stuff to put away or get rid of. I hope having this major shift done will help with the anxiety as I know some of it was coming from looking at all of the stuff I wanted to do on the PC out here and couldn't do until it was moved. Thanks for listening. Oh, I did 20 min. of qi gong. My muscles have been so weak they shake...getting back to the qi gong helps that, too. kat |
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26 Oct 09 - 01:27 AM (#2752756) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage Kat, never mind my last post in your recuperation thread. I see you did just what I was recommending! |
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26 Oct 09 - 04:46 AM (#2752789) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Penny S. Things are slowed down again. I have a second bout of mild flu, at the same time as several children at school have actually diagnosed swine flu, so all move related things are off. Still, as I can't do the big move until the garage door is fixed, there's no hurry as yet. It turned out to be a good thing I had flu on Friday. I was supposed to be going tutoring, but was at home, watching Murder She Wrote, when I spotted a couple lurking oddly. I notified the police, and stirred outside to challenge one and then try and see what they did after leaving. It turned out they'd tried to get in next door before I saw them, through the cat flap, and a window, and had left their jemmy and an iron bar on the premises. I'm expecting to have to do some identifying at some stage. It was quite a planned thing, as they seemed to be directed by a guy in a sports car, and picked up by someone in a white van. I am referring to them mentally as Nancy and Dodger - though not very Artful, as he didn't know when to slither out of his lie about looking for someone with puppies for sale, and definitely at our address. Very apologetic... odd in several ways. Both of them edgy and nervous. Penny |
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26 Oct 09 - 12:17 PM (#2752960) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage Good thing you spotted them. Good thing also that they didn't harm you when you confronted them. I'm tired today, probably from a combination of things. It's another overcast drizzly day, after a huge storm last night. I'm tired of all of this rain, and fear my garden is once again getting too much of a good thing. I haven't had to fill my bird bath in weeks. I did get a lot done yesterday, though the job isn't complete. My son wasn't thrilled to see things moved, but got with the swing of things when I started trying to find a lamp for him. Actually, I know the answer, it's a torchiere lamp with an adjustible lower lamp in my bedroom, but I like it in there so I may have to get another one for the front room for him. And replace the DVD player that died. It's always something. . . SRS |
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26 Oct 09 - 05:24 PM (#2753180) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: katlaughing Thank goodness for Morgan. He helped me carve a path in the office, gets ome things off hte floor and bring some semblance of order. Now, it's up to me to figure out where to put all of the stuff which is piled up on my desk. The mini-laptop is sitting there, hooked up to a larger monitor and keyboard, just waiting for me. I won't write until I get the desk cleared. Since NaNoWriMo starts one minute after the stroke of midnight Oct. 30th, I need to have the decks cleared and ready IF I decide to do it. Not sure if I am up to the pressure or not. I would cheat a little and start out with an already written outline and two chapters which need to be fleshed out. Not going to push myself. Sure do like having this computer out in the dining room, though! |
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26 Oct 09 - 05:27 PM (#2753185) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: wysiwyg The local chainlink pro is now "mentoring" the Dog World job, and a new highly-motivated helper will be here tomorrow to start the muscle-work. Hardi and I just got the tools set up for him to use tomorrow. His supervisor is thrilled to know that a letter of reference (for his job application file) will result if it goes well. His main supervisor lives right up the road, and will bring him and take him back home afterwards. Another young man who drives will join him later in the week. I now believe that there will actually BE an end in sight, and Hardi and I just re-eyeballed the mistakenly-assembled parts to see how to best proceed. We decided that "how best to proceed" will net us an even huger fenced-yard area for hoomins and doggies and their dog-owning COMPANY. If we stay here much longer, that new fenceline will connect to another area of the yard with easily-installed ag panels (that I can buy one at a time from grocery bucks). And I dreamed Enid again last night. This time she was Corgi-like with a collie head, alternately a puppy and an adult. Now that I have been mentored and DONE the inventory I had requested weeks ago, I can see that there are PLENTY of good chainlink parts just like Walt predicted, not only to finish Dog World, but to shore up Kennel-Pen #1 in the spring to look pretty. I get to look forward to landscaping the results to cover any unsightly joins of fencing, etc., and to enjoying the result before winter makes it dormant till spring. And winter here is very, very long.... but I'll get to see and enjoy this at least once before the snow chases me indoors to dream about it. And the dogs will love using it even in the snow and cold. They've been very patient with the small kennel space, really. We had a good laugh here at ourselves trying to undo a lag-bolted fencing spike off the wood post-- WHAM! WHACK! Oh, we took out the lag-bolt. But it was awhile till we remembered that there are lock-channel parts on the spike assembly that knock off the spiuke's cup with one good tap, and of course the post came right out of the cup with no problem. Been so long since we first bought them that we'd forgotten how they are made! :~) ~Susan |
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26 Oct 09 - 09:20 PM (#2753352) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: wysiwyg ... and Hardi tells me that found a second local guy that does chain and has supplies-- both of the places we thought might have stuff (and our ex-helper insisted one did have stuff) had referrals, instead, that they were perfectly happy to pass along. Gee. I wonder if e.h. was thinking I should not talk to Real Chainlink Installers who might beat his time? (Or I might learn to do it myself?) Nah-- couldn't be THAT. ;~) But I suspect I am NOT going to have to drive up to Home Depot myself (or pay someone to go get stuff). I bet the good people here are happy to help. ~S~ |
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26 Oct 09 - 11:40 PM (#2753403) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Repo From: Stilly River Sage I like the layout, as it is shaping up in the living room. There's a lot more space. I still have to find homes for a couple of things, though, and I have several piles of paper to attack. SRS |
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27 Oct 09 - 01:17 PM (#2753721) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: maire-aine Not doing much today. Had oral surgery this morning, so I'm just sitting around with an icepack on my jaw. Not in too much pain, but some swelling-- just enough to make the wrinkles disappear (ha-ha). I've had this gum infection for a while, so I hope this makes it go away for good. The periodontist said it was caught early, so it should be okay. M |
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27 Oct 09 - 01:59 PM (#2753751) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: mouldy Not a good day. Had Tessa put to sleep this morning, so the house is a bit empty. Just after I got back from the vet's I was greeted by the cat in the final stages of tormenting a shrew to death outside my back door. Nice. My daughter and a friend of mine came round at lunch time to make sure I was ok, which was nice of them. Later my daughter, Freya and I went to Ikea to get some baskets to fit into my new coffee table - the ones I picked are too damn big, so I've got to make a 50 mile round trip some time to take them back! Andrea |
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27 Oct 09 - 06:41 PM (#2753963) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: wysiwyg (((Andrea))) (((Maryanne))) === Major progress on Dog World today. HIGHly motivated workers make a difference, and it was a gorgeous day for it too. I can hardly walk now and I'm freezing, but there's a nice, neat, HUGE Dog World taking shape. We're almost tripling their space. There are suburban whole back yards smaller than this patch. ~S~ |
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28 Oct 09 - 11:33 AM (#2754138) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage Aw, Maryanne and Andrea, it's been a tough week, hasn't it? The tooth will feel better before the broken heart heals, though. The loss of a pet whose entire body wags when they're happy to see you is difficult. Take care of yourselves. Beautiful fall day again today, not as cool as yesterday. Yesterday I took the dogs for a noon walk and picked up a lot of pecans, and I'll probably do the same thing again today. I need to spend more time than I like indoors working, and I must finish up the banking stuff in time for the next payday and round of bills. Alas, the child support check that showed up on the county radar last week on Wednesday still hasn't made it's way to a bank account or my mail box. We're on serious fumes here until the weekend. The house is in that "big mess before all of the moving around and culling of stuff is finished" stage, but I hope to have it looking much better by next week. That way I'll be in great shape for planning the holidays and our Thanksgiving meal. SRS |
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28 Oct 09 - 12:49 PM (#2754195) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: wysiwyg MAJOR HAPPINESS. Last night was unusually warm and we were unusually tired. And sore????! So I finally let Faulkner and Sadie do what they had been trying to do for the last few weeks they've been in the temp pen while we reconstruct their Dog World-- sleep outside. In the snug brick shed with the upholstered king-of-the-mountain chair and cushy nest. (And the several days' worth of uneaten kibble.) Because I had seen Sadie actually nose that shed door open yesterday, to let herself into it. It's a new skill for her-- til now F has had to manage all doors they use, and he isn't always happy to let her into a space he is claiming. But every night we have come home late this week, they have put themselves to bed in there and been sleepily reluctant to be brought inside for the night. Those nights, it was way too cold to leave them, but last night was oddly warm. I had sleeping drugs to take (to catch up from the really insane October it's been), plus early-AM home office tasks to do on deadline, in the upstairs office. SO! I woke up at 10AM to fresh-brewed coffee, tasks laid out and ready to do, and a working BRAIN. I got in TWO HOURS of quality time with my home work, and came down ready to resume my part of the fencing job and clergy-spouse jobs piling up. One of the now-two, local chainlink mentors is stopping by later today with some VERY nicely-priced, quality parts to finish up (better quality/price saving me a long drive to Home Depot). One or two good volunteers will be here tomorrow (rain today, sun tomorrow) to set posts in concrete. I have a few local hardware parts to fetch, at a nearby store I LOVE, and then housecleaning I am actually looking forward to doing because tomorrow night we are hosting our best friends' birthday dinner, who will also be the first guests to enjoy Dog World with us (with their dog). It's actually turning into a agility/dog park for semi-disabled pet owners. I always wanted to find one, but there is no such thing in these parts. (I just figured out what the king-of-the-mountain platform and the agility ladder will be made out of. We probably have other agility-training equipt I have not even spotted yet.) The BEST-- and now I will know if people actually READ these posts-- is that I discovered an old stone slab that used to be a stepstone for the house's addition where MudDorm had been. The addition's old front door was permanently closed off at least 15 years ago and it's been hiding behind an overgrown lilac. It's portable, too! It will become an accessible step to the back porch, replacing cinder blocks that wobble (and that can now be used elsewhere). Whenever we move, we can TAKE MY STEPSTONE as a solid reminder of this place, these people, and this time in our lives. (Musicians will understand that reference.) ~Susan |
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28 Oct 09 - 01:29 PM (#2754222) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: mouldy That is a lovely idea about the stepstone, Susan. It gives a sense of continuity. I think the plumber has sorted my cold shower out, and the heating system APPEARS to be ok now (I'll probably need to remortgage to pay the bill!) My new sofa bed came this afternoon, and so I can sit - and curl up - in comfort at last! On the down side, I have spotted some damp again! Right on a bit I thought we had sorted out. Must have been a tiny gap in the waterproof stuff on the wall. So far it is only a tiny bit... in addition to the bit of wall next to the fireplace which wasn't damp when we removed the wallpaper to look, and now is! I feel like giving up sometimes! Another upside is that I lost a pound of the one and a half that I put back on last week. Managed to sort some old files out this morning, which need to be passed on to someone else. Andrea |
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28 Oct 09 - 02:38 PM (#2754273) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage When I moved in here we built a garage and turned the old in the house garage into a couple of rooms. The contractor poured a concrete step for the door into the old garage and poured a path from the new garage to the back door, but we forgot to put a step out of the regular door opposite the garage door in the new one. I had a new heat pump put in to replace the old one, and they put in new platforms to raise the equipment. I recycled the old concrete slab around to the back to use as a stepping stone at the garage door. :) SRS |
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28 Oct 09 - 02:42 PM (#2754277) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: katlaughing Even going way over my points this past week,today's weigh-in showed I lost another pound! Maybe anxiety uses up calories.:-) |
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28 Oct 09 - 04:39 PM (#2754338) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Liz the Squeak I discovered the same thing Kat, I have eaten chocolate, cheese twists, shortbread and pizza, drunk more wine in a week than I usually do in a quarter and managed to lose a couple more pounds... The Decluttering has come to a standstill, although there is a pile of crap in the dining room waiting to be swept up and disposed of. I wish I could declutter the computer of the glitch that's made it nigh on impossible to check my PMs, which is why the Secret Santa is taking a while... LTS |
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28 Oct 09 - 06:19 PM (#2754385) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: wysiwyg New parts delivered, at a GREAT deal-price. That means more little jobs I can do (spring) with the crap parts the mentor/donor replaced. ~S~ |
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28 Oct 09 - 07:16 PM (#2754423) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: katlaughing LtS, I am sure the Santas will be patient.:-) I have almost finished decluttering my desk from the big move this past weekend and I am posting this from the mini-laptop from which I will be writing my books from now on. I quite like it and I love having a mostly cleared off desk with all the household billing stuff, ebay, and bookstore stuff now away in drawers and only to come out when I work on them out in the dining room at the main PC. I had an aversion to this office; I'd felt so caged up spending my days and evenings in it. I pushed through that, this afternoon, and it is definitely much better and doable! No anxiety today, either! |
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28 Oct 09 - 07:18 PM (#2754425) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage Liz, have you tried a different browser? I'm about ready to trash IE, it hangs and crashes all of the time. Chrome and FireFox are swift. SRS |
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29 Oct 09 - 03:37 PM (#2755083) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: katlaughing 25 minutes of qi gong |
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29 Oct 09 - 05:41 PM (#2755184) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage Today I had to drop everything and do some running for my son. Yesterday I got a call ("sorry it's so last minute," she said) about his being recognized at a school board meeting tonight as a Hispanic National Merit Scholar. I knew he was in this category via the College Board folks, and I've been holding onto the mail from schools that now address him this way. It means they have money for him. A classmate with the same designation is going to Auburn fully funded. He's late getting started, but we finally got a fire lit under the kid. A form had to be turned in by the end of the day today. I did what I could to fill it out and had to get signatures. It's a mess, but it is filled out. We'll be going over to that meeting in a couple of hours. What a day. SRS |
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29 Oct 09 - 05:48 PM (#2755188) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: wysiwyg Oh MAN am I tired-- end posts done, some line posts, more tomorrow, dogs in there Sunday, latest. And company any mo for dinner-- 5 hours' super-cleaning in one mad dash of an hour. ~S~ |
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29 Oct 09 - 11:47 PM (#2755423) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage Paper in, but I later realized I missed a couple of good ones. No time to go back and add them. Darn. He should have given the paper to me a week ago, not late the night before it was due. I had a delightful visit to a local community college campus, where his music teacher teaches one day a week, and I had to go to get his signature. He was all dressed up to be part of a music faculty concert that was just about to start. I was able to stay for most of it. You can just feel the peace of the beautiful live music washing over you. Very therapeutic (even if there isn't anything in particular wrong, it still feels good!) SRS |
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30 Oct 09 - 09:32 AM (#2755610) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: MAG Must feel good to be launching from the nest SRS, especially with secur(er) finances. |
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30 Oct 09 - 01:34 PM (#2755823) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: wysiwyg Hardi and are suddenly swiniferous, but the work continues-- I can supervise from inside a handy window, via cell phone. Amazing how much help has been sent our way. And the timing-- really amazing. ~S~ |
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30 Oct 09 - 02:01 PM (#2755862) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Repo From: Stilly River Sage Okay. I've calmed down a little after letting time pass. Talking to that teacher was pretty depressing. But the form did get turned in, and there are a couple of good things from outside school and a couple of school extracurricular things on it. At least he's in the running, even if he shot himself in the foot in getting there. Moving forward, I decided to tackle a couple of other malingering problems. Finally got the electric company to recognize their second service penalty that wasn't fair and to waive it. Finally. This started in May. Now I'm going to beard the credit union and get a couple of accounts straighted out and moved. SRS |
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30 Oct 09 - 05:16 PM (#2756060) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Repo From: Stilly River Sage Let's see. Today I tackled the electric company, got the information I needed from the credit union and had a card activated that wouldn't take at the ATM. I tackled that angry inner Mom also (see my PM, Kat, please!) I've filed and shredded and I've got some work done for work as well. I'll be working for work this weekend some, unless it looks like great weather, in which case I'll take the leave and have a good weekend catching up in the yard. The tomatoes are looking wonderful and I need to plant my garlic and chard. SRS |
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30 Oct 09 - 06:01 PM (#2756110) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: LilyFestre I'm happy to report that I am home after several days away. I did nothing on the de-cluttering front other than keeping my travel gear organized and that I cleaned out the car BEFORE I left. It needs to be cleaned out AGAIN. I did some baby shopping, got new drinking glasses (what can I say, we have our favorites and are down to ONE....so I bought a bunch at one of my favorite out of town stores) and some much wanted (for YEARS now) OUTSIDE Christmas decorations (think oversized ornaments) to hang on the front porch as my husband doesn't like the lights.....so yeah...my car is full of gear that needs to be put away. I'll wait until tomorrow to do it...it was a long drive home. The time out of town ended early so I would be able to attend the funeral of a dear friend tomorrow. As far as taking care of myself, I went to 2 totally new yoga studios, tried 2 new kinds of yoga...the first was Sivananda yoga (very similar to Kripalu) and it was just the yoga instructor and myself. Generally this class is described as very gentle but the instructor saw that I knew the general principles and since it was just the 2 of us, we rocked it. Twelve sun salutations (part B), dolphins, kalabati (spelling is REALLY WRONG) breathing until my ribs hurt, shoulder stands, headstands....so yeah..gentle my ass...but it was FUN and a good workout!! The second class was ok...the instructor was REALLY focused in on alignment....almost to the point of being anal...your toes absolutely even kind of alignment. I understand alignment issues with major stuff but when it's that minor, I think it distracts from the practice....at least it does for me. I don't mind being realigned, don't misunderstand but um...it was a bit overkill. Also, her Sanskrit was goofy. And she was shoving stuff under my knees during sivasana...no no no. That just isn't my idea of a good yoga class. There was too much trying to be in perfect alignment to focus on breathing, sweating and inside focus was totally lost. It just isn't for me but I'm glad I tried it. It's good to know I can go out of town and hold my own in a yoga class. :) Michelle |
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30 Oct 09 - 09:27 PM (#2756286) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Repo From: Stilly River Sage Bank account set up for my son, quite a substantial deposit from his wages this summer. He just kept it in his childhood allowance can (it one time held British toffees, but was made to be used to drop coins into). The house is still a disaster area, but I think I can make a dent in it this evening. For exercise, the dogs and I went for a nice walk, and it was early enough so I could see more of the pecans. I still didn't get as many of them as the dogs did, but my 6 pound tomato can (the one I used last weekend when I made that tomato and eggplant sauce) is about 2/3 full of pecans I've picked up during the week. There are people down here who treat pecan picking as a part-time job and collect then take them down to area feed stores to sell by the pound. I'm not one of those, but I do like to get some for using here, though I've bought most of the ones I'll use for cooking. (No point in trying to bake and have to stop and shell the nuts!) How are you feeling Kat? And Maryanne and Andrea, it's getting to that time of year when the dogs get so frisky and are such great personalities. Take care of yourselves as you encounter all of the reminders of your absent pals. SRS |
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31 Oct 09 - 12:40 AM (#2756361) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: maire-aine Hi, folks. Thanks for all the good wishes. I'm feeling okay so far. The dentist put this stuff that looks like Silly Putty over the area that he worked on, and I haven't removed it yet. He said it can stay there until it falls off naturally if I want. I see him again in 10 days. Andrea, so sorry to hear about your dog. Losing a pet is one of the hardest things a person can go through. It rained most of the day, but brought down a bunch of leaves. If it doesn't rain tomorrow, I'll start raking. Went out with some friends to a euchre "tournament" this evening. It was a fund-raiser from my former boss' son's hockey league. Not serious, just a lot of fun. Good to see those folks again. M |
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31 Oct 09 - 12:03 PM (#2756656) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage There was a song Richard Dyer-Bennet recorded about a card game and cheating at Euchre as a source of gambling. That's all I know about the game (and that when the other cheater was caught his sleeves dropped cards that "looked like the leaves on the strand" (and the state of his own sleeves was pretty bad). Funny. I'm still trying to figure out this dermatitis. I thought it was from the brewer's yeast on the dog food, but I stopped that and it didn't go away. The yeast made my fingers sting, so I thought there might be a connection. I still have a pattern that suggest that there is something I do or handle that creates a pattern of exposure. My next move might be to wash the dog leashes, and wear gloves most of the day, when I can. Will any or all of you be home for Halloween this year? I usually am, but I think this year the lights will be off and the dogs will be in. I finally had cash deposited into my new bank account overnight, but I've been on a diet and being out of cash I didn't buy any candy, so I think I'll keep the temptation away. I can settle myself in the back of the house and the windows won't show any light out the front. I'll mow today, and I think there are no tripping hazards out there this year (in the past I've had projects going that I had to block for the day). SRS |
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31 Oct 09 - 12:38 PM (#2756694) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: wysiwyg For Halloween, we'll be "home" but swiney-taminacious with lights off at the door. But no one T/T's on our ruiral road anyhow. I just went and visited the poor, penned-up doggies. F had been peeing on/in his water dish, so we changed and elevated that yesterday. Sadie is trying to dig thru the 2-layer brick wall in their snug sleeping shed. Just one more night to go, out there.... Poor things read the weather runes and fret. They cannot fathom that tomorrow night they will be in Dog World, back to easy access to the indoor, snugly heated, warm sleeping corner. I'll take them in there myself tomorrow, after all the workers leave, and I'm calling in all favors to get enough helpers to get it done before the VERY cold night advertised for Sunday night. I was just out there making sure all the pieces are in place and ready for final assembly-- which they are. If all the helpers were to crap out on us tomorrow-- Hardi and I could still get it done by bedtime (GO GIRL POWER!!!), tho it would not be the best thing as we are sick. There is a clipboard all prepped with enlarged detail-sketches of some of the trickier bits.... and the whole job they'll do tomorrow will all be UN-doable (and thus re-doable next week), once we are no longer contagious. Any re-do's can all be done while the doggies play around WITH us as we adjust Dog World, add playtoys and furniture, etc. The daytimes next week promise to be warm enough for some time to enjoy/upgrade all this, tho the warm nights end tomorrow night. So today, I have prepped what I can and will spend the rest of today's flu-confinement up in my office getting our Green Songbook "dummied" for printing. Hardi will be home by supper to help sort thru the last of the videos that are leaving to clear space for new, workshop-oriented video. Then we will actually get to watch a hockey game LIVE, together, on a Saturday Night-- he was smart to let someone else take the regularly-scheduled weekend services. About the second time in 30 years he has not just "gutted it out" when sick. (We now have many elderly, frail parishioners who do not need to be bear the germs, even tho we have very light cases ourselves.) We also have lots of hilarious-scary movies in the DVR to pass the time. The cats are already sleeping, nested, in winter mode. But we have twice as many full-spectrum lamps in the house as we had last year-- just about one in every room-- and two, in some. NOW I'm ready for winter. ~Susan |
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31 Oct 09 - 01:05 PM (#2756720) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage It's the pits trying to do almost anything when you have the flu, and some of your sensory information may be out of whack, so take it easy if you're out laboring on this enclosure. An acquaintance on Facebook has posted information about a co-worker of ours who found a dog that needs a good home. But they've taken him to the vet and bathed him and he's spent time in a kennel and they're clearly bonding. I think it's time to build a fence, this guy is very happy with them and they clearly are smitten. I've poured on the dog stories and posted a couple of links to photos and blogs about my dogs (I also have a pit bull who was a big pup when she limped up my driveway--an old story now to Mudcatters, but one that might just convince this friend that the best new home for this wonderful pup is with him.) SRS |
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31 Oct 09 - 01:50 PM (#2756763) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: maire-aine I have some candy to give out. If it's warm enough, I usually walk across the street & hang out with my neighbor (while her husband takes their 4 kids out begging), and have a couple beers. I ran the lawnmower over the leaves in the backyard, with the bag in place to pick them up. Also ran it in part of the front. I especially wanted to pick up the magnolia leaves, because they're so heavy. Besides, I wanted to run the gas out of the mower before winter. Still kind of achy from that-- arthritis in my ribs, I think. I hate the pull-cord on my mower because my arms are too short to get it out all the way, and you have to keep the 2 handles clamped together to keep the motor running. Susan, I hope you & Hardi are both better soon. Sounds like a prudent move, staying home. M |
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31 Oct 09 - 02:29 PM (#2756806) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: wysiwyg I appreciate the warning-- I do hope some nice strong young men will be doing the work tomorrow while I supervise via phone. Left to do: two posts-worth of concrete to mix and pour, with the holes already dug. One hole to dig and fill. Four metal posts to drive with a post-setter. One short ag panel to extend taller with a piece already sitting right next to it. Then just ag panels to hang and one straight run of chainlink fabric to stretch and clamp. All the level/plumb work is done, thank goodness, finally. The design is: Facing the road, ag panels on 4x4 wood posts. Parallel to that, 50' away, is the back end-- more ag panel on wood posts. Between them the house forms one side and the old smaller dog run is a graveled "plaza" that leads to their go-inside porch. That teensy porch is walled against the wind and scrap-carpeted for a snug doggie condo and water bucket. Inside that, another door leads into the kitchen, heat, us, and FOOD. The last side of the Dog World enclosure is a straight run of chainlink trenched to bury the bottom 8' in clay soil that will backfill tight and strong (anti-dig.). The ag panels are surprisingly wonderful for dog fencing-- they last forever, they provide much of their own structure, and they can be almost 5' high (un-modified). On the wooden posts, they actually look surprisingly nice, and they are $28 apiece in 16' sections that travel well on top of a vehicle. They do not require stretching (too heavy). The make good trellises/tomato cages. The dogs and helpers have dug up enough topsoil for container-gardening all along that front fence-line in the spring, with the fence as good support behind peas and beans. That line is set well back from the road, too, making an unusually-deep parkway-like strip of grass where cars can park of we do "MudGathers" or the like. The line of chainlink will be the separator between the Dog World and an eventually-fenced HUGE entire yard. One third for Dog World. One third for kids to play in, or MUSIC, without any doo-doo. All areas have shade areas in them as well. It will look like it has been here all along. The section that will eventually extend along the road will always be matching ag panel on wood posts, tho they will not need to be deep, concreted-in posts-- just cosmetic/visual barrier. It will nip between two small existing trees, making it look like we fenced first and then landscaped. And all the costlier parts will be take-alongs whenever we move. ~S~ |
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31 Oct 09 - 02:31 PM (#2756808) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: wysiwyg Oh and I just spent an hour in the home office listing a rackful of clothes and shoes to FC OUT. ~S~ |
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01 Nov 09 - 04:24 PM (#2757456) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: wysiwyg The aforementioned nice strong young men WOULD have finished the job today but they blew off the day-- and another young man gave me HIS 3 hours instead. My goodness, these young men are so strong.... but they do NOT know how to WORK or how to DO much of anything-- I don't mind showing them what a post-hole-digger is, and how to mix the concrete. But I'm supposed to be the decrep!!! :~) I used to do ALL this myself, BY myself. So I know how. I guess that makes me a teacher. :~( But there was progress made, and I saved enough strength to get the dogs inside later for tonight's freeze, and the young men of the day PROMISE to come tomorrow. And my supervisor's recliner is now IN the Dog-World-almost-done, not OUTSIDE it. And now, drugs. Lots and lots of lovely, geezerette-drugs. I did a lot myself today! ~Susan |
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01 Nov 09 - 04:57 PM (#2757484) Subject: RE: BS: Oct. 2009/De-clutter & Accountability Report From: Stilly River Sage Here is a new thread. Some good work was accomplished last month, especially in the building trades. Keep moving forward, but also, good luck with getting the house ready for the family to visit, those of you who celebrate Thanksgiving this year. It's relatively late, on the 26th, so you have a good run at it still. SRS |