Good evening!

Also Lila, it is a lot easier to clean up after just yourself!

Messi, I hope you got to enjoy your morning.

I spent a whole bunch of time in the studio today doing clean and prep work to get ready for camp next week (did I tell you I am GOING to camp?). I signed up for what is basically a four day pottery day camp for adults. I'm excited. They are going to pamper us - the staff does all the hard stuff, like loading wood into the soda kiln to keep it going all night, and we just have to bring our pots and glaze them and go to seminars and do the fun parts of the firing.

Anyway, I have at least nine pots I need to make and get dried and fired by next Thursday, and they need to be different kinds of clay. I mostly use low fire, which is a hazard (think peanut butter or gluten, and the pots made from high fire clay are allergic - they crack or melt if any gets on them) and I never really clean up. So i threw and trimmed my pots for my regular class this week, and then deep cleaned my wheel and my wedging table and my handbuilding table (well, a part of my handbuilding table) and I wedged up some clay to let it rest overnight so I can throw tomorrow. It took most of my day, but it looks so much better!

My house is also still slowly getting better. Some books I ordered did come today - 3, but I decided to throw away a tool that keep failing me in the studio, so I am calling that one out for a net in of 2.

I also called my mom and chatted with her for a bit. She had just been to a funeral for one of my favorite teachers. Which was sad but unfortunately not unexpected. She said at the end of the service they played "the wheels on the bus" and many people looked confused, but mom thought it was perfect. Me too.

and it hard to do all the things on your own.

Thank you messi, I appreciate that so much.

I agree we want to have more time to enjoy life, so maybe part of it IS to enjoy the journey somehow. I will try to be better about that myself.

I am working today and SO TIRED. I need time to work on my health too (meaning, taking time to prep healthier food and exercise).

Good evening!

Lila, I don't know about "normal people" but how often do you think you should do these things?

" dusting
mopping
cleaning the windows
cleaning out the filthy sliding door track
cleaning spatters off the walls from kids
cleaning light fixtures
cleaning 2 bathrooms
pulling weeds
sweeping the porch
cleaning out the car"

These are my goals for those jobs:
dusting - when it looks bad and company is coming - maybe once a month
mopping - in spring - as needed or biweekly if it went that long.
cleaning the windows - every year
cleaning out the filthy sliding door track - also every year (or if the door is sticking)
cleaning spatters off the walls from kids - as needed
cleaning light fixtures - when the bulb burns out and needs changed
cleaning 2 bathrooms - weekly but almost never succeed
pulling weeds - as needed
sweeping the porch - as needed
cleaning out the car - every week (and by "cleaning out" I mean completely unloading, not actual cleaning.)

Those are my GOALS, not my routine.

Talk about you all you want! I like to hear about you.

Messi, I'm glad my 20 minute idea is helping you.

It was helping me, but I have been on full on vacation the last 48 hours. I put my dishes in the dishwasher as soon as I eat and I have been wearing the same shorts and t-shirt for two days (I changed my unders. The closest I came to cooking was steaming some broccoli.

I've spent time in the garden, played with my Legos, read, and enjoyed the near silence and complete absence of people. Unfortunately I've also stayed up way too late because I can't seem to fall asleep when Dh is not there.

I was going to go to the downtown studio today so I could get some stuff fired, but i played with Legos instead of making it. I can do pottery tomorrow and fire it myself for about the same price as gas to go down and back.

Tomorrow I am going to try to be a little more productive, but I love being able to completely ignore the clock and not have to think about anyone else's schedule.

Good morning!

I am in a great mood. I'm feeling semi-productive today, but also, I made a mistake about a week ago that could have cost me $250. I've been waiting to see how it would resolve, and very good news today - $0!

So far today I did chores, exercised, made myself breakfast, remembered to take my vitamins, worked in the scullery, cut back the dead flower heads that were overtaking the front walk (as they fell over) and generally cleaned up after myself. I am going to do a bit more yard work, some pottery, and maybe walk up to the mailbox. I also want to spend a little bit of time planning the rest of the summer.

SubC - Fabulous! Enjoy the day!

It is a beautiful morning; I am trying not to lose it all before going to work. I did get the garbage out, the screen is in place. I will walk dogs and maybe get to something before work.

SubC, thank you for sharing your goals for those things! It helps me to see what other people who I like actually think is okay. Like you would not think I am a complete slob for not cleaning all those things daily or weekly. I think it is getting better for me, and will continue to improve over time. I had been thinking how awful it might be when everyone is moved out and I am alone - I have never lived alone, or even with just 1 other person, in my life. But lately, when TotsDad is at work and TotsFam is away for the day, I enjoy the quiet so much and I think, this would not be bad at all. And if I am lonely I can go where there are people or invite someone over. I think I will be just fine.

Good to see you too messi! I am glad we are here, and doing relatively well 🙂

Popping in. - did my 20 minutes. Part of the scullery counter is clear. Just a tiny part, but still something.

The twins are girls. First granddaughters for us! I'm rather glad they are twins and it is both of them. I don't know how long it will be until/if dd2 has children and there is a 50% chance of a boy each time. Everyone else says they are done. I think it might be lonely to be the only little girl with a bunch of older boy cousins.

hello. Twin girls!! very exciting!! twice the spice!!

Congrats on the 20 min in the scullery! I hope to do that later, plus 20 min in the bedroom of doom, where clothes go to lie. For now, 20 mins (!?) of trying to fix a screen for the window of the bedroom of doom. We have had rain so now we will have bugs.

My cold is not quite gone so still a few bouts of cough and fatigue. Not getting too much done. The other day my dog and I went to my brother's, an hour away, to get his help looking at my broken microwave. Before we could do that, my dog jumped his gate and got sprayed by a skunk she was chasing. The next hours were spent trying to bathe the dog. No microwave repair, but I do have a car and dog that still smell like skunk. The dog and car have had baths since, but to minimal effect. that took quite a bit of the energy.

Good morning!

Messi, how did your 20 minutes go?

Here the disruption continues.

I am leaving in an hour to pick up the boys because dsil has to go formalize his long term sub contract - which means he will start work August 10. Which means I will start picking up the boys at 7:30 45 minutes from my house on August 10. I will have Bean all week until he starts school on the 19th, and Buddy on Monday and Friday into November. (Buddy has been enrolled 3 days a week in a preschool/daycare program beginning August 11.)

My class went well last night. I have ten new pots to add to my tally from the last couple of weeks.

hi all,

I finally have another day off. I am enjoying getting things done around the house today.

SubC and messi, I did put in the tomatoes in 5 gallon buckets in the back yard, and took time to show the grandkids and explain not to touch them. I put tomato cages as well, but they are not going to keep them out as they only have 3 upright posts. So we will see.. the front ones are not showing much activity, but I am faithfully watering them twice a day. I wish ddil would think to have them fix it - and I was too frustrated to do a good job showing them myself that day. Hopefully it will not recur. They are still planning to move out by fall.

Did you guys see the post from the site owner saying they are about to release a new, rebuilt website here? I am kind of afraid all our history of messages here will be gone forever, and possibly even worse, what if we can't find each other again after it is changed? Thoughts on this?

Back later.

Hi All,
Don't worry about your messages being lost. This is why this rebuild and migration has taken so long because we DID NOT want to lose all these messages! The only messages that may be lost are ones posted in the past 12 hours. We are migrating all of these last few messages over now, so if you post anything today after this, it may be lost, but everything else we were able to save. We appreciate you all very much and love having this place for you, so saving the past was critical and non negotiable.

Thank you Cory. I am grateful every day for the gift of this place.

good morning.

Lila, I'm glad you had a day off. I hope your tomatoes perk up.

SubC, ten pots! Nice! and all that coming boys-time.

I did 20 min in the scullery last night. it was helpful.

Previously, I had done 20 min in the b.r. of doom, but it was hard to tell, lol. did some dishes, laundry. The screen needed more than 20 min so I hope to finish macgyvering it tonight.

the weather is being great. another week til solstice change, so i want to appreciate these long days.

Thank you Cory! That is reassuring. I especially love the Daily Tally thread, where I can look back thru and see all the progress we have made. It encourages me to keep going.

I have today off as well, so will continue on working on things.

My issue is that I am not keeping up with the basic housework, so am struggling to get to decluttering or deep cleaning projects. It seems to be a lot harder with no help, since Son moved out. At least he cared for the dogs and vacuumed, took trash out and mowed. Things like that.

Yesterday though, I worked all day intermittently.
I got most of the laundry done, small part of the vacuuming done, the stove cleaned off except for the part that I need to find a razor to scrape off. I watered the plants, took out the trash, picked up here and there, washed my sheets and re-made the bed.

And yet I did not even catch up on the basics. Today I will brush the dogs, finish vacuuming, try to find a razor to finish the stove top, do a load of "dog laundry", water plants.

Yet I have not even toughed the things that have not been done in weeks:
dusting
mopping
cleaning the windows
cleaning out the filthy sliding door track
cleaning spatters off the walls from kids
cleaning light fixtures
cleaning 2 bathrooms
pulling weeds
sweeping the porch
cleaning out the car (omg it is bad)

And then how do I fit in decluttering and organization? medical appointments and document management?

Is this just a time management issue? How do normal people even keep up? Am I going to spend my whole 3 weeks vacation just cleaning??

Cory if you read this, I would love to have a section on this website with time management tools, cleaning and decluttering ideas or suggested schedules, tips, encouragement...

Sorry I just talked about me, SubC and messi. I hope you are doing well.

Lila, the things you talked about are exactly what i need to hear and think about because those are my issues and worries also. Your sharing is very helpful.

You have been doing so much. More power to you. it is my not keeping up with things that has created and exacerbated my mess. So more power to you in working on things, basic or otherwise, and inspiring me. I see you making progress. Also, the point to all this is to get to a place to enjoy more, so we should be sure to enjoy along the way. part of the goal

Recently, SubC's resolves for 20 min of work has helped me get going/appreciate each piece/see progress "atomic" step by step. Cuz I feel overwhelmed and feel like I don't know how to manage time and space and things.

Good evening!

Pulled weeds in the garden, threw two pots and did finishing work on 4. Rewedged my scrap clay (what I used and a bit more, not the whole thousand or so pounds that is in my barn)

Did yoga, ate fairly healthy, worked on the scullery counter and in doing so, found the thing that lets me plug my phone into the car.

Washed and dried a load of laundry, unloaded, loaded and ran the dishwasher.

So, generally, kept up plus or minus.

I'm glad I have my phone thing back.

good evening!

Subc - congratulations on finishing the evalutions! and on all the other improvements you achieved! Good luck and travel safely tomorrow.

I had an evening event (outdoor) that went on too long and I am still toast with this cold - so I did not get anything done and somewhat shortchanged the dogs on walks. I am going to crash again and hope for better times in the morning.

Good morning.

Slow start today because I woke up with a migraine.

It was nice to have a clear room to come down to to make breakfast.

I was thinking about trying to add a thing a day in June, and then I realized that if each thing took ten minutes, at 30 days that would be 5 hours. So maybe not. I am going to try to do yoga this morning, so 20 minutes in the scullery and yoga every day is about 45 minutes and that will do for this week.

Still hoping to knock out some of my long list before class tonight.

I have my grandsons tomorrow and they are going to spend the night. We need to go sign up for the library summer reading program.

hi SubC and messi, and if anyone else stops by, hi and please share something about what you're up to!

I had a death in the family, a medical issue, and a family crisis all in the last 2 weeks, so have been a bit overwhelmed. All if it is managed and I am recovered for the most part. Now it is back to getting things done.

I realize I have decluttered very little recently, and my Daily Tally is pretty pathetic. I was way ahead of progress on my goals for the year, but now I think I am behind.

I am somewhat disappointed, because TotsMom was going to have a yard sale tomorrow to get rid of a LOT of their extra stuff in my garage. She had started taking totes of clothes and stuff outside and sorting it to put in the yard sale and was going to donate anything leftover. I cannot access hardly anything of mine in there, so I was super thrilled that today her sister was coming and they would be doing a major purge. I planned to join in as room became available and purge a lot of my stuff from the garage into the yard sale. Well, she got overwhelmed and cancelled the yard sale. And I went in there and she did not get much done. I can access part of one row that I could not access before, but I am deflated about the whole thing.

I also never got my tomato plants in the ground, so that is my goal for today. I had planned to put one in a big container on the deck and the rest in the yard, but my dog started eating the freaking plants so now I can't leave anything on the deck. I hope they survive my extreme neglect. I will try to do better.

I hope to pop in more frequently. I am taking 3 weeks vacation in July, and things at work will be generally slower now until fall.

post 2 today -

I cleaned the debris and dead plants from the planters and watered what is left. Took a break, and just now went out front and trimmed tree branches that are hanging too low. It filled up the green bin! Glad that is done...

I also have been putting in laundry and working on dishes etc but now I am tired and taking a break.

Lila, I am sorry you have had such a tough time. And for the loss of your family member.

Also I am sorry about the yard sale.

I a very tired. The boys and I played in the yard for two hours. Then we went to pick up a package for dh, sign up for the summer reading program at the library, get pepper plants and new Carhartts for Bean, and stop at the grocery store. Buddy fell asleep in the car the last ten minutes and so wouldn't take a nap. We had lunch (the boys ate almost nothing because the Carhartt store has free popcorn) played inside for two more hours, played outside while dh made dinner, melted down because the carrots were cooked, had baths, stories, and bedtime (Bean helped me do chores while dh gave Buddy his bath)

Then I switched over the laundry I washed earlier today and loaded and started the dishwasher. The coffee is set up and in a minute I am going to bed. I just need to sit here quietly by myself first for a few minutes!

Wow SubC, that sounds almost like my schedule when I had little ones! What a workout! But also a joy. I am glad you can just sit and chill a bit. We all need peace.

Yesterday I did go back outside, in the wind, and planted some wildflower seed embedded in little paper strips in a big pot, and basil in another pot, and put miracle grown on it all, added nice soil to the raspberries and other flowers and got it all watered and looking nice. This is the first time I have really worked on an area to make it nice. I told TotsFam to please not mess with it and told the kids as well.

I went to work this morning, came home, and it was all dug up. I am irrationally upset about it. I don't understand why the parents can just allow the kids to go dig in those pots and ruin my work. I got my hands right back in the dirt before even going inside and re-planted everything the best I could, but it is not the way I wanted it, and I am upset. I re-watered it all and went inside and told both parents NOT to allow the kids to ruin my plans. They are intentionally planted in the FRONT yard where kids cannot be unsupervised (street) but they had them out there while they cleaned their car or something. I feel like I can't have anything nice, or my own. Most of my house has become theirs, garage and back yard included, and I am just feeling like nothing is mine anymore. Anyway, hopefully it won't happen again.

I was going to get the tomato plants in the ground but now it seems pointless to pour care into them...

Oh Lila, that is so unfair! Were the parents sorry? I can't imagine that happening here. Dd would make the boys help her fix everything.

Are they still moving soon?

The boys went home early afternoon today and I have been resting, puttering around straightening up, and trying to get some pots made, but my hand hurts so much! I took a break and ate, but I am going back out. I am stubborn.

Hi there. I'm still suffering through the end of this cold - better but not gone. So I'm still not getting much done. Did a compost drop-off.

Lila, I'm sorry about the garden. How frustrating. I hope some of it is showing a little recovery. (and that you decided to put the tomatoes in?)

SubC, I hope your hand is feeling better. Were you able to work on pots?

Going to walk dogs. Have good evenings...

Hi Messi, I hope your cold is better by now!

I have done a little work on the pots off and on, but I'm not keeping up with my class. I'm trying to throw a little each day - but most of what I'm is getting reclaimed, and the pieces that work are small - I don't have the strength to work with larger amounts of clay. I'm trying to quit before I have to so hopefully I won't make things worse.

My summer vacation really started this week and I've been pretty lazy the last few days. Today I hope to do better.

I am trying to work on the sculler6 counter a little each day, and it is getting better.

Good morning!!

Just checking in.

Off to visit Birdy for the weekend.

it is late. water is the best drink on the planet, and i am so lucky to have some! lots! i just had some and can have some more.

i am so very lucky in so many ways. i would like to be a better steward of my good fortune. i would like to feel not as bad so as to be a better steward. tomorrow i hope to get the lawn mowed, put more plants in the ground, get the compost to collection, meet a friend, do dishes and laundry. i hope to get beyond those things.

I hope you are having a good visit with Birdy, SubC.
Lila, i hope you are having good days!

Good morning!

How did your day go Messi?

We have had a great visit with Birdy! Today we have to head home, I am up early to make coffee for my Ds before he leaves for work. We will stay with Birdy while his mom has an appointment, and then off we go.

It is so hard, leaving and leaving and leaving. I haven't seen my other boys for two weeks.

I am ready to get my summer in order when I get home. I sleep really well here.

Good morning!

Apparently I eat really well at Birdy's house too. And by "really well" I don't mean healthy. I mean, a lot. I got on the scale today. Ug!

I am having a restful start with my coffee. Dh will want breakfast in about half an hour and leave for work. Then I will spring into action - lol!

I have yet another too long list for today. It includes evaluations because I got a note from the guidance counselor reminding me that they were due on the 4th, not last Friday as originally stated. So I put a bunch of them off to focus on pottery for my class and getting ready to go to Birdy's house. I did some in the car while Dh was driving, but I still have 1/4 to go.

There is more space in my basement because of things that went to Birdy's house, but they are not outs, because they were baby things that rotate through.

Here is my thing. Ddil says I can talk about it now. Ddil is having twins. They are due in December, but Birdy was a month early and twins usually come early. They have asked me to be open to come for weeks, so I will need a long term sub and I will not get paid. Also I can't afford my farm sitter for weeks. I haven't figured out what to do about my animals. Also, it will be right before Christmas. Maybe including Christmas. I don't know what we are going to do about Christmas this year! And Dh can't stay for weeks. He will have to leave me and come back. He doesn't do animals.

I can't count on anything after October.

And my Tuesday/Thursday classes might get cancelled for low enrollment. And Dh is planning to go to part time (instead of retiring) in January.

The twins are a complete surprise and ddil cried. They don't own a car that will hold 3 car seats. The twins will arrive before Birdy turns 3. It's a lot.

We went to her areas annual yard sales on the weekend and bought a bookshelf, fall clothes, and a new dresser for Birdy. We also bought more sleep sacks for the twins and a small box of nice toys. Ddil had already found a cheap toddler bed and we cleared out their "office" and set up that room for Birdy to move into (he still wants to sleep in his crib though) Birdy's old room is larger and the changing table dresser will stay in there for the twins. They need a second crib.

We purged Birdy's toys and books a little bit. We also celebrated his 2.5 birthday (a month early) and I gave him his birthday presents. He is going to celebrate half birthdays because his bday is so close to Christmas. Maybe the twins will also.