Hi all,

I've just been getting in new rhythms with accomplishing more, but then my other rhythms get disrupted which is why I'm slow in posting.

This week I have made the neat, fresh, larger mockup drawing for the quilt. Still a few areas to decide on fabric for, but the main layout is there. It was fun getting out my colored pencils including some that have multiple colors in one and make cool effects. They look like fabric prints. I mention this because it makes me focus on the idea of "See, CM, this is the goal - using the wonderful supplies already acquired to do fun things instead of going out shopping for more... and let's keep up the organizing and discarding of anything that's just getting in the way of efficiency and true creativity, and it'll be so worth it" etc. etc.

I was finding projects and supplies that have been (I'm embarrassed to admit to this) stashed in my van for months. That happened around the time last summer when I was going to that other sewing studio place and the home repairs had been going along apace, and we were anticipating the commencement of sewer line excavation. Then came the glitches and delays and uncertainty. 😑

But I had been getting somewhat lax even before that, truth be told. When I first got the nice white van in 2018 (Tatoulia and SubC may recall my nightmare time with the big red money pit van, its predecessor), I'd resolved never to let the newer one fill up with clutter. Welp, I've not kept my resolve very well, and one goal for this year is to do a whole lot better with that.

So yesterday I did take a few things to storage, and I have some donations that have been riding around; those are going to get gone asap. Van is by no means empty but I've made a start.

We have another round of snow coming to Kansas, though may not get accumulation and that's fine with me! My roommate was going to travel to Kansas City but changed her mind. Point is, it'll be not as nice to be outdoors but there's always plenty to work on in here.

It remains to be seen whether the wintry weather will be more the pattern for the next 2-3 months, or whether we'll still have some of those warmer days we have been having. If so, I'd like to take one here and there and use it to make an early start on the storage unit. I think in past years one reason I don't get as much done has been that I've waited too long to get started, and then springtime activities crowd my schedule, leading to a temptation to procrastinate (I don't need much temptation to procrastinate, since I'm an expert at it 😜).

Breaking out of old ruts is my strategy for 2022.

It's been... interesting to observe how rusty I've gotten and how doing just a little bit more, like the quilt designs, feels like this huge expenditure of energy, and how the days just fly by disconcertingly fast. But if I keep at it, I will get used to the pace and energy should increase. Pandemic time warp effect plays into it too, I'm sure.

So, this is where I've been at. Overall, things picking up steam. 🚂 Choo choo!

Lila, I'm sorry you are sick. :(

I had the chicken pox three times. My Dd had it twice. I wonder if my body functions like my brain "darn it, I know I had those antibodies here somewhere. oh heck, the disease is here, I'll just let it in and make new ones later."

Yesterday I lost my cell phone. I think it fell out of my pocket at school (again - it always gets turned in when that happens, so hopefully.)

Road, good luck on your donating! You are making progress. I'm sorry about the puppy.

Why do people put dishes in the oven? That seems odd to me. I would definitely forget them and probably start a fire.

Yesterday was another "maybe small progress/maybe holding action" day.

Schools are closing here due to lack of staffing. The national guard is staffing our local hospital and the Air Force is staffing others in our state.

I am hopeful that things will peak locally next week. Meanwhile I took twice as many worms to school as usual because they can't work with partners, but may not need them because some classes have been missing half the students.

Today's goal - make it through the school day. Then regroup.

Just reporting in on my clearing update...

Swept and picked up first floor. Cleared off half thediningroom table, rinsed and loaded, ran a load of dishes and put them away.another load awaits me in the oven. And then I worked on washing out the microwave after ds burnt popcorn in there. I think it's 4 days and the odor is still very strong. Microwave defn. Needed a cleaning. The fridge is crammed (again) but I've been chucking a lot of stuff also. Struggling with the puppy. She will go pee on command outside but still has frequent accidents in the kitchen when she is still trapped for most of the day... and tonight I caught her peeing in her bed?! She has a crate and a bed. She sleeps in both. And she peed in it. Ready to take an obedience course with her if Covid will allow. Visited my parents outside today, they came out on their balcony and we stood in the snow talking up to them. (This is still me trying to be careful because my husband was exposed to my nephew over the weekend. We all feel fine). A much less comfortable version than last year's winter visits On their patio when they were still in their house. Kept son home today. We had a good time and he wasn't upset. Prob going to send him tomorrow though. Next week there are only three days so not sure what I will do. My sons special recreation stuff is starting to get cancelled. They're doing the right thing but it does make me feel like we are sliding into the pit again. I did hear on the news though that some countries had a sudden plummet in rates this week and we are just a little behind. Hopeful.

Alright, I could just blather on forever. You know I could! Subc, thanks for the perspective on the H. I am going to try to focus on the donation of clothes suggestion. There's stuff on the porch too ski so I will see if I can make a drop tomorrow and I will report back my cubic inches. Could be Exciting!

Oh no, Lila! I am so sorry. Do you feel ill? Or mainly mad that you're having to deal with it again? I wonder how many people have gotten it multiple times and just didn't know they had it the first time. Sending hugs.

I have covid, again. My aunt also has covid again and another friend. And we are all vaccinated. How can you be vaccinated, get covid, and then get it again?? I don't know. But my brain hurts, I am very tired and it is hard to think. I have so much to catch up on. Back later after I drink coffee and try to wake my brain up.

Good morning!

Hi CM!

Hi Lila!

Tatoulia, that is a big price hike on your jam! Any progress on your table is progress. I did not make my house better yesterday, but I did not make it worse either. I think I pretty much fought a holding action.

Road, I'm glad you didn't lose your post again! That is such a relief about your son!

I know the dumping from your Dh was annoying, but it actually doesn't sound too bad.. limited categories anyway. Can you get those donate clothes donated?

We had more teachers out yesterday. I got to meet a new sub who will be teaching in our music program next year. I don't know why, but somehow the addition of a young person with rainbow dyed ringlet curls who has not been dealing with this (school struggles) for two years was cheering.

I stopped to speak to my boss at lunch and she asked me if I thought we should go full remote. Apparently she is getting pushback from some of the teachers for staying in person. I hope the panic in my eyes was clear when I said no. I don't want people to have to come in if they feel unsafe, but really, I think our building is the safest place I go. (I mean, I go there, the grocery store for a few minutes - last trip was six minutes car to car, Bean's house, and my pottery class.) If you really feel like you can go nowhere, take a couple of weeks off. I told her I would try to help find subs. Then I jokingly asked if they had to be qualified, or just not murderers. She said "not murderers is fine." (I think she was also joking)

My Dd said she would take a day off to watch Bean so dsil could sub (he is qualified and subbed for us before Bean) if I needed her to.

Anyway Road - you have to do what feels right for your ds.

Lots to do this morning before school and my class. Maybe today I will also make the house better.

Hi all, I lost a very long post the other day addressed to each person. I was so upset I couldn't even come back to the board. That's so silly but it's true. When will I learn to write else where and cut and paste. Never! Because I'm doing it again now! Lol

I just checked the Covid dashboard and all year the school has had 4, 5, 3, 2, etc positive tests a week. Last week it was 75. Okey dokey. My nephew tested pos Tuesday and the H had gone and slept over at their house sat night which I asked him not to do and so he would have been exposed. However, so far everyone is testing negative via home tests. My bil, sil, niece, H, my son and me. I was already ticked at the H so I may have made him check into a hotel the last two nights. I was all high and mighty about not going to school and then I broke down this am because my son wanted to go so badly. Obviously, no one should even be breathing this week and especially not inside a building. Lol. My sister has a coworker who had Covid, had two vax plus booster, just got it AGAIN and was sick in bed for 10 days mainly with a migraine she said she was praying for death it was so bad. Obviously that must be highly unusual but gee whiz. Also, they keep saying vast majority of people in hospital have NOT been vaxxed. (Except for the 25% !!!! Who have.) this had better get better fast. I'm definitely losing it at this point.

Ok, now that I spun out on that and took you all along for the ride, I will try to rein it in,

The additional mess in my room was some more volume of clothing I'm just getting to the bottom of. This is going to keep happening as there are still about 5 loads of odds and ends in the basement laundry cue. It was also 3 bags of Christmas stuff. Some gifts, some decor, some shopping,.. and yes, the H dumps stuff in here, as does my son. It's pretty infuriating. Although this time I had kind of dumped some of the donate clothes on a chair in his room so he was basically just dumping it back. Oh well. I was emotionally overtaxed from my sons medical stuff so I took it harder than I might have normally. Seemed mean spirited to me. Things are pretty bad right now but we do miss each other when we are apart so hopefully we will be nice to each other tomorrow when he comes home.

Hey subc that's the way to do lesson plans. I was a sub for 6 years while I was freelancing at ad agencies and stuff. There was quite a range of lesson plans. I was always a firm believer in there being a way to write a plan that could be self contained and work for any class and at any time of the year. Some people did that but usually they wanted you to try to keep the class on track with the curriculum which you can do if you know the content. I could probably come up with an art lesson for any age level while roller skating backwards but math? No. History? Eh? Science? Also no. Music, probably... the behavior disorder classes were the toughest as some of the kids would come so unglued without the routine of the teacher being there they would really act up. One time I had a kid threaten to murder me. That wasn't too much fun. Overall, very good experiences though. Hard to imagine doing that now. Talk about the pandemic messing with you. I feel like my social skills are so altered, tatoulia...

Well guys, I feel like I'm through the really anxiety producing stuff with my sons medical stuff. Will still find out if they neurologist surgeon will clear him for special olympics with his neck, and will talk to the neurologist about the side effects of the meds etc. and need to schedule an eeg. But anyway, no threat of a brain tumor which was the thing freaking me out the most.

Our faucet is leaking in the kitchen and had to have a plumber come out. I guess the H cant fit inthecabinet . It's a 30" with two doors and our sink has a very low basin and there's a garbage disposal so really we need a 98 lb female to do the job like my niece.she should go into plumbing. Aggravating because we didn't notice the issue for a long time and then when it started getting worse theH didntwwnttodewlwithitwndnowthecabinet is ruined. Whoa that was we8rd. I hate typing on this iPad. I suck at it. Anyway, I cleaned the first floor of the house for the plumber and somehow one day later the house seems completely trashed again.

I need to figure out a way to do dishes in the bathroom sink tomorrow so the H doesn't have a heart attack When he comes home. I really shouldn't send son to school tomorrow but I probably will. Oh, I did clean out a big shelf of my sons school stuff. That was a 3 hour project over the weekend. When I say cleaned I mean I just reorganized it. Didn't get rid of anything.

CM are you out there?

Sorry for the grousing! Better hit post before I self destruct again.

Thank you, SubC, for doing your best as a teacher. This is such a terrible time.

My place was cleaned today and I'm pretty happy about that. They are very nice ladies. I did some grocery shopping and I felt the sticker shock. A jam that usually costs $4.99 was $6.99. I was shocked. I hope that outside the city the prices are better. Bf and I might do some stock up shopping this weekend. There were a lot of things out of stock at the grocery store but c'est la vie. We will not starve. He owns a small grocery and understands the supply chain problems. And we will not starve. It's now our job to make sure that others won't starve, either.

I've tackled a third of the stuff on my table. Not very good at all.

I've showered and am ready for bed. I had a 9 AM meeting today that isn't my style at all but I managed to put on makeup and look semi-presentable.

I bought groceries for mom and the person at the desk let me run upstairs with her things. I couldn't believe it! I only saw her for a second and I did not venture in to see the kitty. But I saw her. And that made us both happy.

I've learned a lot from being angry recently. I learned I don't want to waste a minute having an issue with her.

Goodnight, dear friends.

Tatoulua, of course you have the right to complain. Bad things happening to other people do not invalidate the bad things happening to you.

I did not clean up the dishes from dinner last night. But I did run a small load of laundry, dry it, and put it away, and I took my box to school, and I took a half filled plastic grocery bag of trash to the dumpster, and I ran the dishwasher even though I didn't empty it, so I think I can call the house better yesterday?

Yesterday I got a lot of conflicting feedback from my administration. I think the upshot is "close my door and do what I want" (except, don't really close my door, because - ventilation.)

One of my pottery students (17 y.o. Senior) started to ask me a question that began "if we go to full remote." and I cut her off. I said "if we go to full remote the answer to your question won't be my problem. Either this class will be on break, or you can ask the new teacher." Then I told her yes she could take home her project and her clay and yes I would come back and fire it.

I actually had fewer kids out yesterday than last Tuesday.

Oh SubC, I am so sorry. About all of it, and especially about your parents.

I did not tackle the table but I had a 20 minute task in the bedroom which was very satisfying to take care of.

I went to sleep after work. It's just too cold in Boston and my drafty house. I have a 9 AM Meeting so I will blow dry my hair tonight. I'm out of the shower. I will have to be dressed and some semblance of makeup on.

The pandemic is ruining me. Forgive me for complaining. It is ruining so many people in so many ways. I don't have the right to complain.

Did it take 20 minutes?

I am so tired. I can't process my day into words. But I am probably not going to clean up the dishes. And I am tired.

It's only Tuesday. It's only January. Last week I made it to Wednesday.

They closed the rehabilitation program at my parents hospital because all the staff have been diverted to emergency care. My dad put on his respirator and bought six weeks worth of food. He has his next (minor) heart procedure in six weeks. My mom is going stir crazy already.

My house is a mess, I just realized. I have to do so something with the dining table. I'm pretty sure it will take 20 minutes, max.

Good morning.

Lol on the sub Road.

Half of my classes actually have excellent sub plans. Because I teach pottery, I created a sub plan that can be stretched over three days, stands alone, and can be "taught" by someone who knows nothing about pottery. It also says "if any students want to finish something they are already doing and can do so independently - let them." it has been the same plan for 11 years. As long as I'm not absent in September it works. (It uses the first skills I teach them and assumes the kids can find stuff in the room.)

Two of my classes are evolving and semi-student directed, so the sub plan can't be written until the end of the class before, and the other seven - yikes. For the animal studies class my plan is "find a teacher who knows about horses and have them talk about horses." (Because horse people are common here and I am not one) there is some science-y horse info for them to throw in. And for Dungeons and Dragons my plan is pretty much "teach from hospital bed remotely." Alternately - "find an adult who plays and have them run a one shot. If they can't run a one shot, they don't actually play." In a real emergency, get an art friendly sub and have them draw their characters or invent a monster or magic item.

Road, is the stuff in your room stuff that had no home, or does your Dh just throw everything in your room because he doesn't want to put it away or doesn't know where it goes? And is the rest of your house actually clean now?

Tatoulia did not spend money! Yay Tatoulia!

Lesson plans, finishing extra work, and teaching today. Also trying to make house one step better. I have a small box of things to take in to school, so actually, if I clean up after myself today, that will do it.

Hi everyone. It certainly is understandable to feel blah right now.

I fell asleep after work. Like you, SubC, a bunch of things just landed on my work lap when I was already overtaxed. I fell asleep after work.

Accomplishments, small as they may be
1. I got a donation bag to my car (over the weekend accomplishment)
2 I took the wreaths off of my windows and I have them out back with the trash
3. Trash out/clean kitty box


That sums it up. I'm going to work on my dishes now.

The bitter cold arrives tonight.

Subc, you will appreciate this - the H took off Friday to come to the mri appt. was hesitant to take a day since staffing is tight right now due to Covid. Turned out one of the teachers on his team is out with Covid and guess who was subbing for her - the district superintendent. This is a Covid only phenomenon, we are a very large unit school district with 20 schools, pre-K-12. I said, does she keep up with her lesson plans and he said she was meticulous. I said, good thing he wasn't subbing for you! But it's good for these administrators - who inevitably have very limited classroom experience - to get in the trenches so to speak...

Tatoulia, the dining room at my parents place shut down last week I think. So they bring all the meals to each residents door now as they did for awhile last year. Are you concerned at not being able to physically visit your mom? I hope that doesn't need to last for too long.

I use Almost all white sheets, towels, comforters, (and dishes too)... it's just easier I think and you can use bleach if you need to. But I do use gray washcloths in the car and downstairs bathroom because my son is murder on towels.

Lila, my Facebook feed has been full of friends and acquaintances testing positive also. Way more than any other week since it started.

When I was in a better place quite a few years ago now, jeesh - I developed these fairly elaborate worksheets to use every day to plan, track activity, money spent, creative endeavors, diet and health goal tracking... the works. I used someone else's form as a jumping off point and then customized it completely. I wish I had an operational computer set up right now to update the forms but for now I'm just using old ones. If/when I update them I'd add a clearing category to track garbage and donations out and specific projects and progress.

Had a bit of a set back over the weekend as the H went on a frenzied cleaning spree right after he blew up at me for what. The condition of the house I assume. I've blocked it out now. The problem with this well ingrained pattern - well, there are so many things wrong with it. But I end up shutting down and just want to crawl in a hole. But anyway, so a bunch of stuff ended up coming back in my room and now it's as full as it was a few weeks ago. I'm telling myself eventually there will be less out of place to get dumped in my room, and there will be less in my room so if he does that it won't overwhelm the space (and me).

I think I will hit send and try to come back again.

So how did it go?

Lila, decluttering vegetables helps. And thank you for delivering people groceries!

I did very well on the playing with Bean part. Also did well on the taking care of animals and my house is a little better than it was this morning.

I spent three hours doing the NEW stuff the administration threw at me today and responding to parent emails. I also have lesson plans for 2 out of 3 classes.

I discovered I can't setup virtual classrooms at home, so I will need to do that at school tomorrow - probably stealing time from my kids who are actually in class so that the tech guy will be around to help me in case I run into trouble. Robbing Peter to pay Paul..

I have done nothing for evaluations except experience stress.

My house is a little better..

Hi all, I'm reading through the posts. I always come back here think I missed a day and it's always 3,5, 7! Lol oh well.

Still waiting to hear from doc. But the results of the MRI seem to be ok, lab work is mostly normal, still not sure on the neck.pretty low mood last few days and. Hoping for a better day tomorrow. I will try to pop back on later...

Good morning all. Thank you for thinking of me. I read all your updates. It sounds like there is a lot of good going on! Little bits of decluttering here and there really add up.

Yesterday was long. A whole bunch of people I know have covid. I am delivering groceries and such to some families today (porch drop) and I cancelled a work meeting because both people I was supposed to meet with have covid.

I am not sleeping well at all, and I am tired. My dog barked several times last night. He doesn't usually. Plus I tossed and turned a lot.

I feel very unmotivated today and surely would waaste my day sitting here watching tv if I did not have my volunteer obligations, so I am thankful for that, even though I don't feel like doing them. I will feel better when I get out.

My last 2 days were totally plant based and I feel good about that. This morning I have a very storng craving for scrambled eggs but I dunno. I am trying to just hold out. I should get busy. I am waiting for people to text me their grocery lists.

Yesterday I decluttered some vegetables (that counts, right?) I had a huge bag of carrots from a garden that needed to be sorted, washed and put away.

I feel so blah. I hope I feel better soon. I have a coffee date this afternoon as well.

I can do this! Thank you!

Good morning.

Our semester ends a week from Friday. Evaluations are due the following Tuesday. I have just realized that with the number of students I have this year, it is going to take me about 40 hours to write all the evaluations (mostly unpaid) since I cannot do 40 hours of work between Friday evening and Tuesday morning (Monday being a Bean day) and I can only do so many in a row before I start to burn out, I need to start writing these ASAP (before the semester actually ends.) I hate evaluations.

AND this week they want me to set up virtual access for kids who are sick or in quarantine. Which will also involve alternative lesson plans, packing materials kits, and a bunch of other stuff I swore I wasn't going to do (but not for entire classes.)

Ok.

I have a plan.

Today Tatoulia and Lila are going to spend no money (and Lila is going to do her goal things including decluttering something), Road is going to remember her laundry, CM is going to find a little peace and order in her day. And Subclinical is going to make peace with her circumstances and dig in to some of the administrative €>@? that goes along with her job (after she plays with Bean and while taking care of her animals and making her house just a little better.)

Go!

Great work, SubC, and thanks for the support.

I saw BF, stopped by mom's to drop off some stuff, but due to active covid in the building, they wouldn't let me up. I had suspected that as they were shutting down the dining room last night as I arrived. . I was still willing to go in with my two masks just to see her. But they've closed the building and I had to respect that. Good thing I had her place cleaned on Wednesday. It is so much nicer not having crumbs and other stuff collect on the floor. I'm sure she feels better, too.

I worked tonight and right now I'm waiting for fleece items, including a blanket, to dry. I showered and put on pjs.

I have my place very warm right now (too warm for me) but it is going to be bitterly cold on Tuesday so I feel like I have to keep it as warm as possible now. It is very drafty and very cold in my apt. The 12' ceilings don't help. But it's very warm for kitty.

Ok.

The dining table is clear. (The chair is not)

*All the clean laundry is put away.

The dishwasher is running and the kitchen is clean, but there are some dishes waiting in the scullery sink.

My house is DEFINITELY better than it was this morning.

And I did *yoga and my *daily reflection/planning.

*'d items are on my new habits list.

I did not do lesson plans (as usual for weekends. I just can't seem to get it together.) - I actually got out my little folding desk and put some stuff on it, but now I will just have a short time in the morning before I need to put it all away when Bean comes.

For now - chores and bed!

Tatoulia, thank you for posting. I came back for a break and it really helped to have a response.

You can make it on the no spend! We will help and support you!

Instead of working on my lesson plans (which are the one thing I assigned myself today) I have been working on clearing the dining porch table for dd to work tomorrow.

Some of it has been extremely hard as it included records and notes and class plans and various ephemera from the horrible year of hybrid teaching and not getting to see my kids. I have set some of that aside to file for use in planning future classes, but most has been recycled. I have four more class folders to work through.

Some things I have managed to put away in their actual home, and some (a good chunk!) have been tossed in the recycle bag. But, I have to confess that I have been making a pile in a chair. The pile is entitled "things with no obvious or easily accessible destination that I do not need this week". I know that I am supposed to have stopped piling things on chairs. I will put the pile back on the dining table after Dd goes home tomorrow? Maybe in two or three sections so that it doesn't fall over, but there were five piles half as tall as my chair pile when I started, plus other stuff. So I feel like this is ok?

I have been trying to move as fast as possible while I feel like I have the strength for this.

Me again. I'm going to have to extend my no spend to February 13. This will coincide with my credit card closing period. My credit card is paid in full each month but I need to have some months where it is below $2000 or even better, below $1500.

SubC I'm still in my pjs. Okay about the getting rid of two broken things but still the same box. You got rid of two things. You are lighter. It's volume and weight. Plus, your ability to get rid of the two broken ones shows how far you've done and shines a light on your future. Congratulations!

Good afternoon.

So far I have been pretty lazy. I did bake biscuits and Irish tea bread, but I have not cleaned up the baking things.

Dh took down the outside lights and I removed extraneous objects from the little front porch and swept the leaves off of it.

When I was cleaning out that closet I found a box marked "fragile" it was part of a very fancy child's tea set. 4 plates, 4 saucers, a sugar bowl and teapot - both with lids, 3 cups, and a chipped creamer. It belonged to my mom's mom. I called Mom today and we agreed that I should get rid of the chipped creamer and one of the plates - which was cracked and stained in the crack. I'm not sure how much that helps since for now I'm just going to wrap the rest back up and put it back in the same box. But it's something?

I also realized I forgot all about the new aprons ds and ddil gave me for Christmas for pottery - they were tucked out of the way on a bench - so I've tossed those in the wash and will take them to school Tuesday.

This morning I had huge ambitions of getting all my lesson plans ready for the week - which is still what I should be doing, but all I want to do is sit by the fire and read or do puzzles.

Dd is bringing Bean here tomorrow and working from our porch again because her office is closed due to covid. I really need to clean the table off for her.

Good morning, SubC. I'm sorry about your vivid dreams. Never good. Try to give yourself some breathing room and don't be hard on yourself. This pandemic makes it very hard to keep things together. You also had a very hard week. Embrace the quiet and know that you are not alone.

Good morning - I suppose.

Today was one of the few days I can sleep in, but I woke at 5:30 from horrible dreams. Mr. kitty is quite glad because he was outside all night and was eager to come in. The temperature is up to 41, but he would like me to turn off the rain.

I am not rushing out to the barn because nobody will want to go outside, and their water won't be frozen. I forgot I had to go to the feed store yesterday, and it is closed today. So the chickens will have to eat goat feed for dinner. They will be terribly sad (actually they will be delighted - but goat feed is more expensive.)

I cannot keep all the balls in the air at once.

Actually, my brain is very quiet this morning now that I have escaped from my dreams. It's a strange feeling. I'm not sure what I will get into today, but I will report back.

What a good feeling to have your house in better shape than it was on NY day and this AM! Great work! SubC I love the look of solid and patterned towels together! I do live out my ideas of pretty colors and patterns in my purchases for mom's towels and bedding. Brings me great happiness. When I veer off from a white bed at home, my happiness wanes. Before I started de hoarding, I would change my bedding into various colors and patterns (although always white sheets) and it turned out I was housing six or seven duvets, comforters, bedspreads, etc. insanity.

Lila, I buy cheap white washcloths for my face. Not super cheap but not the usual LaCoste brand I purchase for the towels. And I swap them out fairly frequently. I cannot get my makeup off of them. Before anyone comes over, I change all the towels in the bathroom and I squirrel away the washcloth in the tub. When my friend was living here, she had a very specific face care regimen that didn't require my face cloths. When i had one of my mother's friends visiting, I bought her a set of different colored towels, which I ultimately donated. So if I thought my sister was coming for a visit, I'd buy towels that I think she'd like, and then I'd probably send them home with her.

At Christmas Eve, I had three different white hand towels out and I told BF and friend to decide which one they were using. BF shouted, I'm using the one with the alligator, which is pretty funny since each of them have the LaCoste alligator on them.

Oh dear Lila,

I have no idea how to get make up off of anything - I don't use it.

I think highlighting the main goals and leaving the rest to check off as bonus is a great idea!

You did well today!

I was not plant based today because I had an apple muffin made with butter and eggs.

I like a mix of solids and patterns for towels. Most of my walls are white. Not designer white - the actual white paint before they put any colors in it to tint it - so, basically primer. I like to change up the colors in the room by changing the things that are out. Especially now that more of them are out on purpose..

My pajamas and some unmentionables are drying and everything else that was washed is dry and put away.

The dirty dishes are all in the dishwasher.

I cleaned up everything that was new today except the mail. The house is better than it was when I got up this morning. And also better than New Year's Day.

Tatoulia, I tried to switch to all white towels a few years ago. As we needed more, we bought only white, and then donated the torn/threadbare colored ones. But what has happened is my daughter and her friends who come sleep over used a whole stack of washcloths and hand towels in her bathroom to wash off makeup. They did this with a while stack before I noticed and they threw them in the wash with all this black makeup on them. I assume eye liner and mascara, probably waterproof. Now I have all of these white towels with black stains. I tried hot water with bleach added, and stain spray, but no luck. Ideas?

SubC, thank you for the suggestions. I think you're right and it's a bit much. As I already have them written into my planner for all of January, I think I will just highlight the ones I am prioritizing this week. Vitamin, dog training, smoothie. Then if I do others I can mark them, even though they are not the priority yet. I did all 3 of those today.

I also ate no meat products today so was totally plant based. My cardiologist wanted me to do this although he said fish is fine.

Today I managed to put all the dogs' water and food bowls through the dishwasher so those are clean.

I am sitting here working on the banking/budget stuff right now.

I have to work tomorrow and wish I did not, but I will keep it minimal.

SubC I am excited for your new comforters, towels and pjs. My favorite things! And naturally I adore the use of your great-grandmother's quilts

All of my bedding and towels are white. I do have some sheets that are white with blue stripes, i make a few exceptions for some blue in my sheets. I love the look of other people's beds with color and quilts. So pretty. I'm glad you have new towels!

I woke up late today after being up twice in the night. Once around 3:30 AM so I unloaded the dishwasher, and again at 5:30 so I fed the kitty and had some water.

I had a good long phone call with a friend today. Then I got outside to get some groceries for mom. The supermarket was crowded with lines going down the aisles. I didn't get everything she asked for because I just wanted to get out of there. When I got to her place, they were shutting down the dining room due to covid. I gave her groceries to an aide and came home and showered. I just made dinner (which I will give only a C+ to) and now I'm reading. We have the fireplace on and kitty has gone back to bed.

Lila good for you on the water! I drink an insane amount of water. Really astounding. I have been thirsty my entire life. My parents used to make a big thermos of koolaid to keep in the car for me. I was just so thirsty. People tend to be shocked at my intake. One meal could easily require two liters of water. I also drink juice and coffee and tea but it's water that I need the most

I might go to bed early again tonight. I'm tired.

Ok, here are my suggestions - I see six health based. I have four days I try to do yoga, but my goal is three days a week. I try to give myself some slack.

I think you should choose train dog and vitamin and do one other health thing and I think you should concentrate on accomplishing that every day.

That doesn't mean you can't try to do all the health things, it means you focus on the one, and if you do it, you have succeeded. You do it EVERY day so it becomes a habit.

I am also trying not to forget my vitamins, but it is not on my list. It was not the most important to me. I forgot once last week - and also tonight, brb..ok. but the other things are more important right now because they make a bigger difference. I don't have "set up coffee maker" on my list, even though it makes a difference to my morning, because it is a habit. I almost never forget.

Hey Road, check your laundry! 😁

Once those three things become habits integrated into your life, go back to the list and choose whatever is most important and add it. Even if you only add one a month, you will be doing them all by the end of the year.

My new pajamas arrived - gonna go switch over the laundry and start a fresh load to wash them.

SubC, I didn't share, but they are on my habits list. Getting healthier is subdivided though. Here are my habits

drink a veggie smoothie
use the stepper
take a walk
dog training
declutter something
take vitamins
floss
plant based diet
memorize Bible verses
learn Spanish
yard work
online classes

That's my dozen, plus I am just making an effort to drink more water. Some of these I aim to do every day while others I want to do regularly. Like the yard work is nearly impossible right now so I don't feel bad for not marking it daily, although one day I did go out in the snow and trim back some plants. Online classes is kind of a work in progress.

I have been pretty slow today, mostly sitting. One of my main issues is motivation and if I could just make myself get up and do something I would feel better but I don't wanna.

Lila, I think health and dog training are good things. They will both pay dividends. If your health improves you will have more energy to apply to other things. And if your dog gets trained, he will need less energy and also cause fewer problems, which will use less time and energy (and possibly money)

Are those two of your 12? I went back to Christmas and couldn't find your list. Maybe I missed it, or maybe you didn't share it. Do you want to share it?

My house is better than it was when I got up this morning.

The dishwasher is running with only one bowl that didn't fit (there will be dinner dishes later).

There are zero loads of laundry waiting to be put away, one load in the dryer, one in the wash, and zero (not zero laundry, just zero loads) in the dirty basket. The new towels are washed and hung up, and all 3 new comforters are washed and on the beds.

I chose one antique quilt for the double bed, and it looks really nice. I put a knitted afghan and matching pillows on one queen, and I am waiting to do the other queen bed another day. It will be a treat for me to get the quilts out of the chest and choose one. I might even lay out a couple and zoom my mom to help me choose - her grandmother made them and she is lonely and bored because of covid.

Dh and I were supposed to go to a concert tonight, but his stomach is bothering him. He hasn't been anywhere since the kids left last week except to visit his friend who hasn't been anywhere except our DD's house.

Today I am working on dog training and my health. I need to find something to declutter, also. And take a shower.

Everyone is coming down with covid around here. I don't really want to go out. I am working tomorrow unless things get cancelled. There are so many covid cases that it could happen.

Today I drank just coffee with a little soy creamer in the morning. Lunch was a kale smoothie which tasted about as good as it sounds, but I'd rather drink it than chew it. So I got that into me. Next up is my vitamin and more water and maybe a carrot or an orange. Not sure what's for dinner. I have some "cauliflower rice" in the freezer but not sure what to make with it. Anyone have a good/easy rice dish?

What are you all doing today?

Lila, I think 12 habits is too many.

I am the queen of biting off more than I can chew. Over and over I set out ambitious goals and lists and then I slowly fail. Almost everyday I make a "to do" list that I fail to "do".

That is why I am trying something new this year. Starting 50 new habits is a lot more than I have ever attempted, but I am simply trying to START them by the end of the year. I actually started with two, and I think the daily reflection has been the most important one - as I am working on my reflections, I am being honest with myself. And as a result, there have been several days when I have only put the things I actually NEED to do on my to do list. (I made another list we shall call the "maybe get around to" list) I do check the mgatl every day in case something needs to move to the other list.

I also have a list of "habits I might want to add" but I am adding no more than two a week, with zero being a possibility if I feel like I need more time to consolidate the other habits. This way I can focus on a few things at a time until they actually BECOME habits and don't need much focus.

SubC, you are doing great with your habits. And I love your solution with the fragile quilts going over the comforter. Good thinking. My habits are not doing so well, but I am trying. I did one habit 100% and that is taking my vitamins. I guess actually I did declutter something every day, too. I started out with 12 habits so maybe that was too much. I am drinking more water (not something I am tracking, but I am doing it). Exercise has been avoiding me (haha) with the excuse it is too icy out, but it isn't today, and I have a stepper I could be using daily.

This should go on the declutter your waistline thread, but I am weighing every week and tomorrow is my weigh in. As of today I am down MAYBE a half pound (non digital scale) so I am trying to make today a good day, eating veggies and fruit and no junk, drinking water, and exercising. My doctor prescribed phentermine and I have hesitated to take it. He said the risk of me staying this heavy is a larger risk to my heart than taking it for a few months and getting weight off. I am going to take a half dose this morning and see how it goes. Maybe it will give me energy to get more done, too.

Lila, that is a really productive day!

Sleeping in a clean, comfortable bed is a huge zone one challenge! Hopefully it will make you well rested and make today easier.

And so nice that you cleaned up the doggy's as well!

Plus, you won't lose your notes!

Tatoulia, good job on laundry!

I did better on laundry last week, but I still have baskets.

I made my first two habits for the year yoga 3x a week and "daily reflection" I did yoga 4 days, and wrote in my journal and looked over my day every day - in the early mornings on school days. Some days I added a reading. I think I am going to add one habit this week (I'm going for an average of just under 1 a week) but it will be a big one - put away the dry laundry every day.

I did not make my house better every day, but I did make it better the first four days, and I think on the sixth. The other two days were about average for me, and I think I am net better for the week. Not a lot, but some.

I am not doing no spend January (I support those of you who are doing it, but I don't feel like the spending is a challenge for me, and I tend to keep an eye for sales on things I have thought about.) so, I have to report that this week I added three comforters and two towels to my inventory. Our towels were getting worn, and I had been thinking about new towels for a while - I liked these and they were 75% off. Dh says they are too girly, so maybe I have two new towels and he has old towels that color coordinate anyway. (We have three sets of two matching bath towels that rotate.) I am going to get rid of the set that doesn't really match the bathroom. - Well, actually, I am going to move it to the dog towel closet - which also needs sorting out, but I did donate some dog towels back in Dec.

The comforters are for the guest beds. I have some beautiful old quilts from my great grandmother that I visualized putting on my guest beds, but two of my kids bring dogs when they visit, and the dogs sleep with them. I have high quality waterproof mattress pads on all of the beds, so I feel fine washing the bedding and having non dog people (like my parents) sleep there later, but the old quilts are a little fragile and can't be machine washed, so I don't want them out when the dogs are here. I have been using a hodgepodge of old blankets on the beds, some of them are the wrong sizes for the beds, and there really aren't enough blankets when it is cold and all three kids are visiting.

So, I saw nice, solid color down alternative (poly fill) machine washable comforters on sale for $25 any size. I bought two king sized ones for the queen beds and a double for the twin, and I am going to use them as bedspreads and lay my pretty quilts over them. Then I can enjoy my quilts, and when the dogs come, I can just fold them up and put them away, and the bed is still made, warm, and attractive. The not-right size blankets are going in a closet where there is space in case visitors need an extra blanket.

(Why do I have space in a closet you ask?) once upon a time, long long ago, I took everything out of that closet and said "this closet is for extra blankets and towels nice enough for guests." And I did not put anything else in it - and I don't have enough of those things to fill the closet. Which I really should, since sometimes I have as many as 8 guests! (But since most of them are my kids, they get the crappy stuff they are used to.)

Anyway, today I am washing blankets and making beds. And trying to clean up messes that date from Christmas break or Wednesday to give myself a good start to the week.

It's so fun catching up on all your posts. I feel like I am really getting to know you guys! Road, so happy you are home with your son now! Whew... glad that is done! Did your son have anything to say about the experience? Also, laughing about the shirt that made you mad! And the pants than made me mad! We all need to ditch the clothes that tick us off! There is some underwear whose ears are burning right now.

I had a really good day.

- my bed is made with freshly washed sheets and blanket. I can't wait to get in bed early tonight and read in the fresh sheets!

- I got about 6 pages of random notes re-written into my work planner where they belong. I took all those notes on occasions when I had meetings but forgot to bring my planner. Now it's all written in there and I threw out all the scraps of paper.

- I made a couple of phone calls and enjoyed talking to nice people.

- I washed my puppy. omg that was exhausting, it is a huge puppy. But he is clean and fresh. My son helped me and we took him outside and blow dried him too so some loose fur would fly off for the birds.

- Then I thought, I don't want my clean puppy laying on a dirty bed! So I took the covers off the 3 dog bed and washed them, dried them and my son put them back on for me.

That is a really productive day, right??

Oh thank goodness you and your son are home, Road. Thought about you a lot today. Very emotionally nerve-wracking. I'm sure now you worry about the results. We are here.

Everyone thank you for the kind words. I appreciate it.

I have laundry load three in the dryer and four in the wash.

I did jeans and sweatpants, which was a small load as I only have one pair of sweats and two pair of jeans. I did the sheets that the cleaners stripped off the bed earlier this week. I did my towels (in dryer) which includes my kitchen towels. I have a load of delicates going now. I still have a load of pjs to do but will do later. Once the towels are dry I'll get the delicates and hang them to dry.

I love the small loads. I cannot bring myself to combine them.

I'm glad you have a new sweet student, SubC.

Hey Lila and Road! Great job in detaching from clothes! We may have discussed this earlier but here's a weird lesson I had to learn. Sometimes when I'm getting something from a cupboard, I have to move something to reach it first. Tillie, who is a strong and most beloved member of this group, taught me that if I have to keep moving something to get at what I actually use, I either need the objects to switch places or better yet, get rid of the thing that I don't use other than to move it. It was enlightening.

I saw that quote in Instagram about how we lose money when we buy the thing, not when we get rid of it.

I'm enjoying my no spend January. It's easy to look around Etsy, pretend to buy something, then wake up in the AM and realize that I haven't purchased a thing. I still get the rush because I look at things and really hone in on what I want, then I don't buy. No temptation.

Hi all,

Ok, I am decompressing... the kid has eaten, the H is grilling, and I just finished making a large batch of salads for the week (and for dinner).

I tried to stitch a little while burning hours in the car waiting today but I wasn't able to get much done. Now all I want to do is climb into a hole for 12 hours but I have a few more hours to go tonight,

I love that quote too - the money was already wasted when you bought it - that is very freeing. In the "buried in treasures" book they address the "Over-value" of thrift and avoidance of waste and "seeing the potential in everything" all as contributing factors to having issues with holding on to too much. I tick all those boxes.

I was going through a load of laundry that hasn't seen the. Light of day for awhile and I found some stuff in there that probably needs to go. I don't have any big hang ups with clothes the way I do with other things but... anyway, I found this one purple shirt and I know I avoid wearing it because it's too short waisted so I put it in the "move along" pile. The shirt truly would make me mad when I wore it. Lol. Good riddance.

Sub c, sorry about the issue with your student. I know how nerve wracking that is when it happens to the H. I'm so glad your administrator backed you up on it though.

Hey Tatoulia, how do you handle your paperwork? Do you follow the typical formula for keeping or are you more strict with it? Just curious. I wouldn't worry about your friend. I'd be very happy to help anyone (Else!) put their stuff away.

We will probably be doing some house cleaning and returns tomorrow, i am not looking forward to it but it should be ok.

I've been shocked a couple times seeing the table peeking out in the back 40. It's so different than it has been for so long.

Everyone have a good night!

CM. I hope you had fun sewing tonight. And that you get some rest.

Also hoping all is peace and at least some relief at the road household by now. Just waiting on the all clear.

Lila, I am so proud of you for sending those donations off! Bravo! I think you are making very good spending decisions as well. Amazing progress lady. And so nice that the gift card turned up to reward you.

Tatoulia,
It is lovely that your friend helps out when she visits. Don't be so hard on yourself.

The screaming goat socks are lime green. I just thought you needed to know that.

I sent two students home for not feeling well today. One of them is a friend of ❤️Gs - who was absent but I did not get a note why and ❤️Dd is not answering her phone - a bit concerned there.

My student who left my class was replaced from the waiting list by a very sweet new child today.

I pulled off some last minute lesson plans that involved a lot of independent seatwork so I could have some downtime today. The kids seemed to enjoy it. I didn't even get any complaints in the two classes where some of them had to take the projects tbc as homework.

I don't know if I will make much progress on my house tonight, but Dh did some dishes, and I have been gone, so it won't take much to at least be better than it was when I woke up. Tomorrow I will try to dig in again and clear the backlog from Wednesday.

That's good Road! Let us know when you're home and can decompress.

Tatoullia, I learned that here too. Even though they were newish and I need pants, I don't need pants that aggravate me. There was nothing I could do to the pants to make them tolerable so out they go. Someone here also said, the money is not wasted when you donate or throw it out. The money was already wasted/spent when you bought the item. That helps me a lot.

I ran a few errands and took that box with the pants etc and donated it. I have been second guessing a few items in that box and I wanted to get it gone before I started pulling things back out.

I washed my sheets and they are in the dryer. Blanket is in the wash. Unloaded the dishwasher and re-loaded it and am running it a second time.

I am trying really hard not to waste my day.

SubC, I'd feel sad too but you didn't fail the child, or the school, or yourself. Just remember that.

Road I am thinking about you.

Lila I love the way you are thinking. You decided these pants make me unhappy. Isn't that an amazing lesson? I learned that here. If something aggravates me every time I interact with it, then time to go.

CM I am so sorry about your roommate getting sick. I wasn't clear why you slept in the back (I don't think you share a room) and then I thought, stomach bug, plumbing problems, and it all came into focus.

I am shredding papers today. I had stashed some at Christmas and now they are spread out in my dining table, which drives me nuts. I like walking into my hime and seeing a nice clean table. So these will be taken care of very soon.

It's not lost in me that i had my friend put my Christmas stuff away, which is pretty arrogant. But I thought about it ahead of time and I knew I'd hate it and I figured she'd not mind and would probably love it. But again it seems like I've gotten a little too good at outsourcing my tasks. BUT I did the dishes while she was here and cleaned the kitchen and swept the floor, which is something that she usually does. Okay I'm doing a terrible job trying to justify my laziness. SCREAMING NEON GIAT SOCKS

Giant hugs to all!

Just a quick update. they're done a the MRIs and he's waking up now. there were some absurd issues with the orders and insurance but not until he was already in a gown with an IV drip. Eventually they got it sorted and went ahead. Very glad I was not the one to go in. glad that part is over. Thanks for your support, group.

post 2 -

CM I know what you mean about little things. They count!! I felt so great when I got my prescriptions gathered and dealt with.

Road I am praying for your son's MRI to go simply and easily and for good news for you! Prace to you!

I am in a pretty good mood today but things just need to get done today. That record player is still sitting in its box in the living room. It would take like 10 minutes to get it out and have my son help me set it up. I will try and do that today. Again with the emotional avoiding of the whole records/music issue!

My kitchen is a wreck but I loaded the dishwasher and it is running. I will need to run it again today.

I want to wash my sheets today.

I need to work on financial stuff today, just going over all the accounts and tying up loose ends and planning for the next couple months.

I need to do some voluteer work and call a few people as well.

I found a restaurant gift card in my drawer for $50 so I can offer to take my son out to dinner for his birthday this week. Maybe we will go tonight.

Back later with updates. Keep going ladies. Even doing a small task is good. (Oh - I DID declutter something yesterday. After I washed my laundry and was putting clothes away, I folded up a pair of black pants that I really hate, but are fairly new, and put them in the donate box, because they annoy me whenever I wear them!)

I did very little yesterday, but I made some homemade sweet rolls and watched tv with my teen. Made some phone calls and wrote work emails. Stayed in and rested.

haha on the tampon chat! I too have all the relevant parts gone so you know these supplies are old! Funny the things we find.

Today the ice is melting so I need to run errands and go pick up that shirt I ordered. Also, I had a big payment come in... the balance of that medical device I sold to make space! I am so happy. I was so broke I almost did not have enough for my house payment. There are some outstanding bills I can pay now, and there is enough money that in the past I would be buying a ton of little things on amazon and ordering food etc, but because of my commitment of no spend, I am only going to spend on the items I have been waiting for and need. My dog needs a kennel (this is a need, my dogs are big and I have a business trip in a few weeks (expenses paid) and the puppy will need a heavy duty kennel when I go on trips. The other thing I am considering, is couches. I have mentioned how ashamed I am of my literally broken, fake leather peeling in huge areas, couches. I have enough to buy cheaper new, but instead I am going to be watching online for used. If I find good couches for a couple hundred bucks I will buy them. It will literally change the whole mood of my life, since I spend a lot of time in the living room and am too embarrassed to have anyone over. But no little, wasting, or junk food purchases with this money. I am putting aside enough for next month's bills as well.

SubC, thank you for teaching 'our' children. I have so much respect for teachers and all the various people they have to deal with and pacify, while trying to connect with kids and shape young lives. I still remember small, kind acts of my teachers when I was a child. They were big acts to me. So thank you.

Awww, SubC, I'm sorry about the drama, but perhaps it's for the best in the long run. I want to use the phrase "Great Screaming Goat Socks" so maybe it could mean those times when people give us frustration over things that we don't even know why they are upset? Plus other occasions as well because it just is so much fun to say. 😉

GREAT SCREAMING GOAT SOCKS!!!

😂🤣😂

I needed that. Humor is one of my essential coping mechanisms.

We spent a delightful night Thursday with roommate coming down with stomach flu right when another of those arctic storms was hitting. This development led to me sleeping in the back room of the house on the hard floor on a pallet by the bunnies' cages. My iliotibial band on my right hip, which has been hinky since my college days, was not happy with the arrangement, and in all the surreality and sleep deprivation it didn't occur to me for some time to go fetch an extra pillow for my hips. I managed about three hours of good sleep thereafter, and whatever fragmented sleep prior. Roommate was feeling better by morning, so yesterday afternoon I went to bed in my actual bed and had a marvelous long nap. And I so far, knock on wood, have not caught the stomach bug.

So we're just sort of scratching and clawing our way towards what passes for normal functioning. I had brought my quilt project indoors Thursday but need to look at it and gather things for the sewing studio tonight.

I've been doing tiny tiny decluttering things. But they make me feel good nonetheless. Like this morning I located and gathered up all my prescriptions from last year - they had gotten scattered because some of them like Xanax I skip if I am feeling calm, so I had leftovers. Got all the pill bottles together and the pharmacy tickets, went through them keeping the current ones and recycling or shredding the old ones.

Just a small thing but a feeling of reducing some chaos in one little area. And I am on the lookout for more such quick and simple successes, thinking of it as links in a chain, one after another. It will lead to bigger things.

I need to go to Walmart and get a couple of my vitamin supplements. It'll feel good to get out after being cooped up.

Have a great day ladies! 😀

Good luck today Road, I hope it all goes well.

Tatoulia, I'm glad you got your dinner.

The angry woman pulled her child out of my classes. My boss is not upset with me. I am a little sad.

I think I will like my new class, but I am super tired and super not ready for today.

I did do some stuff on the house yesterday. I think it was better when I went to bed than when I got up, but not better than when I got up on Wednesday.

It is horribly cold here.