Oh that is scary, SubC! Harrowing experience. Hope he'll still take it easy today. No need to rush on a Sunday.
I'm glad you are finding things that you need to keep things moving and organized at your house!
I had a good day yesterday. I had a pedicure in the AM, then was going to meet my friend and her daughter at the Frog Pond in the Boston Commons. It was so muggy and when I got out of my pedicure, I was closer to where we were going to meet than my house and so I went to a store to buy some cheap flip flops so I could go in the frog pond to cool off. I then sat in the shade by the frog pond and read my kindle. Lots of people around so no need to be on my guard. In fact, the shade bench had lots of stuff on it and the parents looked at me when I sat down and I said, I'm just sitting here and they said, move the stuff over if you want and I said no, I'm fine as is. Everyone at the frog pond was polite. People were sharing benches and keeping eyes on the kids, etc. there are life guards too. So it was fun. We got reasonably priced snacks from the snack bar (unheard of! All the carts were super expensive). I had a hot dog and the kids had onion rings. Then we went in the carousel which was a bit decrepit but the kids were fine with it. Oh the whole family came not just friend and her daughter. The husband and both kids came. Afterward they offered me a ride home but I decided to walk further downtown to the grocery store and then I took the very crowded subway home. When I got here, after showering, I then competed my mothers paperwork and I have it down to one small bin. All those bins into one. I do have a box to mail to my sister but since it has irreplaceable stuff like my grandmother's wedding invitation, she asked that I not mail it. Otherwise, Done.
The next project is my BFs filing since I have a bunch of his paperwork to get filed.
I had to finally clear out my car trunk. They've had my car since March. Isn't that a hoot? The mom needs to use the trunk so she can take her dad out in his wheelchair. I'm so glad to see them using and enjoying the car. I walked up to their house Friday night and then she drove me home with the stuff. I sorted in the trunk. She said she'd take anything I want to goodwill for me, which was terrific.
And I woke up yesterday AM deciding to down size my mother's wedding china. I don't need a service for 12. I'll down size to either 4 or 6 and sell the rest. It is absolutely beautiful, Minton, and is true porcelain china. Big decision.
That's the news for now. Have reserved a car and I'm taking BF's former neighbor for lunch. She lost her husband a month ago.
Subclinical
Posted: 04 August 2024 - 06:23 AM
Good morning. Hi CM!
He is actually fine. He felt better yesterday than I did. I ended up skipping most of my plans and taking a bit of a recovery day. I did the minimum to keep from falling behind.
I did putter about with some of my school supplies and found some older folders/binders/files to pass on or recycle. I don't count those in, so I won't count them out.
We'll see if I can do better today.
CriticalMass
Posted: 03 August 2024 - 08:21 PM
That sounds very scary with your husband. I hope he is doing much better now. I've not been in a hospital family/friend position since before Covid. And I didn't realize it was so strict about the Hippa stuff as long as there wasn't specific identifying information being spoken (although perhaps where you were there was). Again, best wishes for his recovery and hopefully the info they gave you will prevent such a thing from happening again.
Subclinical
Posted: 03 August 2024 - 09:16 AM
I went to the yard sales. I bought a glass globe with a tree in it - I love those but they are expensive, three textured rolling pins for my class, and a book for Bean that Dd will probably leave here.
Subclinical
Posted: 03 August 2024 - 06:06 AM
Good morning my quiet friends.
I did drop the recycling and some things at school, brought home other things from school that need to be washed and sorted out, plus an exciting collection of binders and folders to organize my school stuff that I pulled from "free, take what you want" boxes in the office - again not counting in my tally.
I also ordered a shoe sorter of the type that has doors that pull down and compartments to put the shoes in. I am hoping to be able to put my various active piles that constitute my filing system" in the shoe slots and close the doors. I will count that in when it comes.
Yesterday I did nothing but chores and run the dishwasher. The rest of the day was spent on what was supposed to be a five hour (including travel) routine medical procedure for Dh. He is fine, but did not respond to the anesthesia well and it ended up taking 8 hours and being very stressful. In part because they would not allow me in the room with him as he was being cared for in a large dorm style recovery room and they said I might overhear another patient's medical information.
Also, I think they did not want a witness because I did get a few minutes with him with his original post op nurse and he did not look good and she rushed me out of the room telling me she would get him up and dressed and bring him right out - pull up to the front. Half an hour later I stopped a different nurse who was bringing out a different patient to ask about the delay and she "reassured" me by telling me he was fine way too many times while also saying things like "fainted" and "nauseous" and "monitoring his pulse" and ending with a rushed "she'll explain everything when she brings him out" and disappearing. An hour after that the original nurse came out alone, "explained" nothing, but told me "he's awake now" and "he's fine, but he's a little dehydrated, so we're giving him another IV. It will be about 15 minutes." I asked her if I could come sit with him and she left and returned almost instantly to tell me no (I could wait in the car or the lobby- not even the waiting room!). 20 minutes later the nurse I stopped in the parking lot came out, told me he was the only one recovery right now, so I could come see him if I wanted, and took me to a fully dressed, freezing cold to the touch, semi-coherent Dh lying on a gurney with a fresh IV bag, four gauze pads taped to his arms, and a continuous bp and pulse monitor with alarms. He also had a different nurse (I never saw the first one again) who walked me through the whole post op crash and what medications he had been given and which of two commonly used anesthesias he had been given and that we should notify doctors in the future about what happened with this one and put all that information on paper for me and then told me he would be ready to go home when the bag was empty and he felt like getting up, let me sit with him for a bit but told me nicely that I had to leave when they brought someone else into recovery - and then just let me kiss him and walk out, did not give me the bums rush to the door the first nurse did.
I think the first nurse was just interested in assembly lining him out asap and most of the problem could have been avoided if she had actually looked at him half as closely as I did because his color was bad, he was incoherent, and I was actually going to be shocked if he actually came out promptly. I wasn't worried about it until the second nurse kept saying "he's fine, he's fine" every other sentence. I just figured they realized he wasn't awake yet and were keeping an eye on him and I wanted a guess at how long because I needed to pee. He says he remembers his first nurse "shoving" him into his clothes with no assistance from him "I have no idea how I got my pants on" and "I think falling?" "There were a lot of nurses."
So, yeah, got home exhausted last night. Lots planned for today.
Subclinical
Posted: 01 August 2024 - 10:44 AM
White Rabbits ?
Happy august.
I took the donation pile to the thrift store yesterday. And dropped some trash when I got gas.
The mixed drip recycling and stuff to go back to school are in my car because I'm hoping to do that on the way to class today. I don't have Bean because he has a doctor's appointment.
I did go in the thrift store. I bought a fabric bin that fits in my cube shelf - which I am not counting as in because I have been wanting one and I consider it part of the cube shelf, a springform pan because I found a cheesecake recipe I want to try(I'll count that in if the recipe works in the next two weeks and get rid of it if not), cookie cutters for school and pottery, but I did pull enough stuff out of my tool box to feel like the cookie cutters for here (4) are balanced, and a few consumables and gifts (found a great book for ds to read to Birdy - mint hardcover, only 50 cents)
This weekend will be a real test for me because it's yard sale weekend in my community.
Subclinical
Posted: 29 July 2024 - 06:16 PM
Oh Lila.
Thank you for sharing. That is hard.
You may think this is silly, but my kids all swam competitively and they had UV tinted swim goggles - In your place I would buy some with large lenses with a quality seal. At least to wear at home, but I would wear them out too.
I am sorry you are going through this and I hope it does get better!
Bean and I had a good day. He is feeling pretty clingy toward his parents right now. Mommy is working and at the doctor a lot, and daddy is about to leave on a trip for a few days, and of course the baby is coming. He's staying with me Sunday night through Tuesday night and I tried to make some fun plans with him, and he just told me he didn't want to spend two nights.
He wanted to do laundry and take the compost out and pick some blackberries, so those things got done.
Lila
Posted: 29 July 2024 - 11:55 AM
hello again. Thank you for the kind words. It has been a hard month, but also blessed, so I try to focus on that part. I have noticed, from reading about your Bean days SubC, that I am taking time with my grands for granted since they live with me now. They are always here and blend into the day to day, so I have not been taking special time with them as much - asking them what they'd like to do and giving them my full attention for a few hours. I do spend moments with them, sometimes playing a game or something, but I want to be more intentional. This time will not last forever.
I am slowly catching up on posts, and thankful for the unborn baby having a good prognosis SubC. Let me share a bit about what I lost from the surgery. It was on my eyes, so, I cannot easily drive at night or long distances. It took awhile for me to even be able to go back to work, which is about a 5 minute drive, but now I am comfortable with that. One eye is blurry and sensitive so driving is minimal. I lost the ability to read for more than a few moments a day. And same for looking at screens, but this last few days I can do about 30 min on screens and/or reading, so that is coming back, but still hard and gives me headaches, but I have to work. I also had to stop certain foods and caffeine and stop the medication that was supposed to help me with weight loss. And, I cannot do anything that would get particles in my eyes, so no trips to the beach, or going out on a windy day, or a smokey day like it is now. I mean, I can go out to the car but not really take walks or be outside much. I am light sensitive, so cannot have the living room lights on, or be in the sun without sunglasses, and wore sunglasses when I had to do public speaking. My work hours are cut short due to not reading/screen time much. I have to take several medications that can't be taken on an empty stomach so now I have to eat breakfast which I don't like - usually just toast though. I cannot do anything like dremel my dog's nails, or dust or use cleaners or hair spray or anything that would get in my eyes. I can't wear any eye makeup or face powders, can't use exfoliants on my face, can't shower daily because it is an infection risk. I have to sleep with a cover on my eyes so the natural light no longer wakes me up and it is harder to get awake and I wake later. I have to leave meetings or gatherings to put drops in my eyes every hour or so. I can't write as much, for work or pleasure - in fact I am at my limit so will have to end here. There are a few other things, but that gives you the gist. Hoping it will get better over time.
Subclinical
Posted: 29 July 2024 - 04:32 AM
Good morning!
Tatoulia, I'm glad you found the person and your beer was able to bring some enjoyment to someone.
Today is a Bean day. I'm looking forward to just relaxing and doing whatever he wants to do. I do have some dishes to clean up, and a bit of laundry to put away, but I'll only work on those if the opportunity arises. Otherwise I'll finish them this evening.
Wednesday is my big errand day for clearing the donate pile off my dining porch.
Tatoulia
Posted: 28 July 2024 - 12:49 PM
Okay the main person I was trying to find I found! She immediately cracked open an ice cold beer, took the others and the wine. I had some old beers in the fridge that I dumped out. Two. So problem solved.
Tatoulia
Posted: 28 July 2024 - 10:09 AM
I'll glad you found your tongs, SubC!
Okay I have at least one bottle of wine and four beers that I am never going to drink. How terrible is it to put them in a bag and put in a public trash and let some of the drunks in the city enjoy them. Serious question. I will take all answers seriously. My two options are dump down the sink or put in public garbage for others to partake. No risk of kids getting into it. Will put where the minimally housed people hang out. Obviously if there are people hanging out, I can just ask them if they want it. That would work too. Maybe I'll see if here's anyone around who would want. Maybe that's the answer.
Okay I will report back.
Subclinical
Posted: 28 July 2024 - 09:58 AM
Good morning.
Woke up with five big projects spinning in my head, thinking i could maybe do one. I picked cheese because the milk is the biggest time pressure, but I decided to just make enough cheese to get to 3 weeks of stored milk. So, I made four cheeses. I had to give two gallons of sour milk to the chickens, which made me a little sad, but I will give the chickens crackedcorn and garden weeds until the milk is gone and that will save a little on the feed budget. And now I am caught up to my color coding system, so I should do much better at keeping track and using the milk when it is fresh!
Also, I can start the laundry and do a second project because I put reasonable limits on the first one.
Subclinical
Posted: 27 July 2024 - 06:57 PM
Good evening!
the party went very well. Bean had fun. I gave him his gift of a small herd of zebras after his friends left and he was very pleased with it.
Lila, I'm glad to hear from you. I'm very sorry about your dog.
I'm also still worried about your surgery. I am wondering about what sort of things a person would lose from their life after surgery. Has it affected your mobility? Vision? Hearing? Diet? Immune system? I'm sorry you are struggling so much.
I am very proud of your for making progress on the storage room.
I left my blacksmith tongs at class on Thursday night by accident and I have been stressing about them - they were a gift from my father, custom made by friend of his as a favor, and they are unique, extremely useful, irreplaceable, and sentimental. But they were right where I left them and I brought them home. And I thought, I should probably just go through my house and get rid of everything that isn't at least half as important as these tongs. But I won't. I don't have the willpower, and many of the items would just be unimportant because they are generic and replaceable, but also I use them frequently and would just have to replace them.
One thing I did do today - I have lost a little weight, but not a lot. Basically, I resisted buying larger clothes even though everything was tight or worse, and now my largest sizes fit comfortably. But I only had three pairs of decent (like, I could go to Walmart in them) shorts. So, a brand that I really like, but they are ridiculously expensive was having a summer clearance sale. I have ONE pair of their shorts, and it is one of the ones that fits and I actually feel good about myself when I wear it. So I wear it a lot, and after 5 years, it is still in really good shape. So I bought two more pairs exactly the same - on sale with free shipping they were just nice store at the mall expensive.
They arrived today and I went to my drawer, pulled out three pairs of shorts that are more than one size too small, and stuck them in the donate pile. So I am net down a pair of shorts.
I have also ordered some tools (ribs and steampunk molds) for pottery. They will arrive next week and I am going to try to do a similar thing there.
Tatoulia
Posted: 27 July 2024 - 02:17 PM
Lila! So good to hear from you! I. Glad that your surgery went well and you are in the mend. I'm very sorry about losing your pet. Good on you for giving away the bed and some food. You are helping out another dog and you won't have the reminder. You are doing very well. Please keep going safe and slow pace. You've been through a lot.
Sending you my best wishes. Thank you so much for posting. Hearing from you and CM is wonderful!
I went to the post office and mailed back that hideous steam iron. I walked around a bit and stopped to pick up some fruit and milk at the grocery store. I did have a grocery delivery today but that was seltzer and juice. Heavy stuff. I still like to pick out my fruit, milk, food stuffs.
I'm reading now and enjoying my afternoon.
Lila
Posted: 27 July 2024 - 12:59 PM
Struggling, not caught up on posts, came here to ground myself in something that stays the same. Yes I have God and a great life, but lately, struggling. Still recovering from surgery, many things that brought me joy are gone because of it, and my dog died. I have one younger dog left. I am just sad. I gave away her bed and her bag of food to a friend. I am not counting the bed in the daily tally, because I want to forget about it, and I don't want something so sad on a thread that makes me happy.
I have done very little with the house and decluttering. Today I have begun on the small bedroom that is turned into a storage unit. You literally could not walk 2 feet inside the door or get to anything or open the closet or see what is past the high piles. It is the space where I literally throw things into when there is nowhere else to put them, ever since TotsFam moved in. It is a very daunting, 10 by 11 space. This morning I did what I always do - looked in and felt overwhelmed. I had no idea where to start. But I forced myself to start with what was in front of me, and try to work pathways into the room.
I scooted over bags of dog food, picked up some bag clips and a measuring cup and put them in the kitchen.
Looked through an emotional box of Teen's childhood things that Tot got into and mixed other junk in.
Emptied one small box into a small tote to consolidate small things that need to be sorted.
Took one small box of coffee pods into the kitchen and put pods into kitchen spaces.
Threw the two empty boxes over by the front door to get recycled.
This created enough space that with some creative stacking, I made a narrow path to the shelving unit. I put some children's games that I could reach onto the shelves and some other things onto shelves.
Put a couple of art items onto the art shelf in there. Took 2 boxes of dog treats that were for my dog who passed and put them on the bar/counter to decide who to give them to.
You still can't walk in there, but it is a little progress.
Tatoulia
Posted: 27 July 2024 - 11:11 AM
Good job passing along some of your stuff, CM. I know that for a significant number of us, a good home is very helpful in reaching the decision to let go.
Sending positive thoughts, as always SubC! Great use of the Justin items! Have a great party day!
Groceries have been delivered and now I'm off to the PO to return this god-awful expensive iron steamer combo I bought. Terrible. Heavy, awkward, cannot iron a shirt because of the design, hurt my hands, etc. I'll go back to my regular steamer.
Unfortunately I'd already recycle the outer box but I've found a solution.
Beautiful weather here windows open and the breeze is so nice.
Subclinical
Posted: 27 July 2024 - 06:06 AM
Good morning!
Tatoulia, I'd like to join you in the summoning.
Today is Bean's party.
His piñata and wall puzzle game are ready to go. Dd supplied the piñata treats and a big photo print out (made at her job after hours for cost) and I did the rest using supplies from Justin's stash. I also sent over some of Justin's markers already with the little ceramic animal tiles, a reel of his ribbon to hang them, and appropriately colored paper streamers from the party supplies box.
Saving money, saving resources, reducing the stuff in the basement. Win all around.
Off to do the things I need to do before I go!
Subclinical
Posted: 26 July 2024 - 02:20 PM
Yay for destashing!
I love steampunk. I'm starting to move that way with a few of the pottery pieces I've been doing. I want to get a couple of photos up on my Instagram, but not today - I've spent to9 much of the day (successfully!) completing online tasks that are difficult and tiring for me. (God bless the second tech helpline guy!)
Dd and the baby get monitored twice a week, so things change, but so far most of them have been changing for the better. He's at 7 months gestation and they are no longer concerned about early delivery. He's due mid Sept. the only thing that has been changing in the bad direction is moving so slowly that it should be fine. (Like if a bomb was going to explode in ten minutes but it only took 5 to disarm it - the countdown clock is stressful, but meaningless if you just do the thing.)
Ok, this was my reward break, back to work I go!
CriticalMass
Posted: 26 July 2024 - 12:40 PM
Continuing to hope and pray for all to go very well with baby. I don't remember if you said the anticipated due date; seems at first they might have been looking at early delivery but then it changed? Again, my sincerest best wishes for good outcome for him and mama and everybody.
It's going to be hot here next week so I'm trying to prepare for it. Might watch some of the Olympics - love the grace and skill of the gymnastics in particular.
This morning I had a little destashing win. There is that man a few blocks over who makes steampunk sculptures, and I like steampunk still but really don't have time or space to pursue the maker thing in that area. So I have been carrying around a grocery bag full of supplies to try and catch him and see if he wanted, but could never know when to run into him. This week at his house across the street from the house where he has the steampunk operation, they were having a garage sale so I stopped and asked, and his daughter said he was over there so I was able to give him the items and chat with him a bit. That was enjoyable and satisfying.
Subclinical
Posted: 26 July 2024 - 06:04 AM
CM, thank you for checking in!
Dh is home. I didn't get the house all the way cleaned up, but I had a good day with Bean and a good class last night. Lots of cool pottery came out of the firing. I got to bed very late and slept in some this morning.
The kids got mostly good news, although one of the surgeons really scared them by going over all of the very unlikely bad things that could happen. They have been told that the surgery will probably happen at 6-9 months - the confidence in waiting so long is a good sign -, but that if the baby starts to turn blue they must call an ambulance immediately because there will be very little time. But he probably won't... (it's going to be a very stressful six months.) they said they will not be traveling and I will only be able to watch the baby at their house, because mine is too far from the hospital.
Heart and brain are fine, and they expect to get clear margins on the surgery and be done. Bean is allowed to go to preschool and bring home all the colds.
I have many projects to work on today and don't know where I am going to focus, except I need to make the wall puzzle game for Bean's party tomorrow and put hanging strings on the piñata. Also I need to get my supply lists up for my classes by the end of the day.
Tatoulia
Posted: 25 July 2024 - 01:25 PM
Oops Good to hear from you, CM! You too, SubC.
Tatoulia
Posted: 25 July 2024 - 01:24 PM
Good to hear from you, SubC! Hoping to summon Lila and Alanna and anyone else!
CriticalMass
Posted: 25 July 2024 - 12:59 AM
Yeah, I'm here, I check in now and then to see what people are up to and whether the new baby has arrived. Sounds like things are lining up for him and hoping it continues to go well.
It's been a busy and sometimes disjointed summer but I guess we'll figure it out. Trying to tweak schedules because roommate needs to be an early bird to do garden stuff before it gets hot. And I'm a night owl. But some activities such as going to the gym we still need to synchronize together.
Summer is flying by way too fast.
Subclinical
Posted: 24 July 2024 - 09:43 PM
They meet with the doctors most of the day tomorrow and get most of the results then. But what they do know is good - his heart is fine, and one doctor meeting was cancelled because the team doesn't think that specialty is needed.
My Dh comes home tomorrow night.
Tatoulia
Posted: 24 July 2024 - 09:02 PM
SubC, thanks for the praise! I got the file out to recycling bin and took the papers to work I'll work on the coffee table tmr.
I understood what you meant about Bean, that it was inconvenient. I'm glad you have a few solutions so you can go to your class. And it sounds like son in law will help with something else.
How did your daughter's appointment go?
Missing CM, Lila, Alanna and everyone else! Stop by when you can!
Hoping to make more progress tmr. Need to keep moving forward. It's nearly eight months since mom passed. I need to pull it together.
Subclinical
Posted: 24 July 2024 - 04:58 AM
Good morning!
Excellent job Tatoulia! You will get through the coffee table.
I don't mind having Bean here for four days. I love having Bean here. But I scheduled one six week pottery class this summer as my only purely for fun thing. And I was not ok with my sil scheduling a last minute vacation in a way that meant I was going to have to give up the last week and just assuming it would be fine.
The new plan enlists heartdaughter to watch Bean for three hours and allows me to go to class. Dsil also agreed to take care of a time consuming errand for me, because I had an easier way to do it (without driving into the city, but it was a single date option) but I would have needed time to prepare and do it during the week before my class. Now I will do the preparation after my class is over, and he will drive into the city and take care of the rest. I will use that time to work on projects instead so I can watch bean and still be ready for my last class.
Bean wanted to wear his regular pajamas last night and try on the zebra pajamas today. He insists that he is still "three and a half" and will not be four until his friend party on Saturday.
I got a good start this morning and stuck raisin bread in the oven so it will be ready when he wakes up. I'm glad I have him hear to distract me from worrying about Dd and the little one and all the tests they have today.
Speaking of worrying, CM, I am starting to worry about you. I know sometimes you have so much going on it is overwhelming to get your thoughts together and post. But if you are ok and reading, maybe you could just post that?
Tatoulia
Posted: 23 July 2024 - 09:30 PM
Everyone, I did it. I applied myself. I sorted through a fairly large filing tote of my mother's. I've created another bag for shredding and I've separated out the stuff my sister would want. And I've put my sister's stuff in a priority mail box and I'll get that to the PO. I also filled out my passport renewal. I have stuff for me to go through as well but I've managed to separate things. My coffee table (usually empty) is covered but I'm good with it. I'll take mom's filing tote to recycling tmr. What a relief. Yes I have to deal with the coffee table but I am relieved.
I am now showered. Dishwasher is all set to run in an hour. I will water my plants and go watch reruns of the great British bake off.
Tatoulia
Posted: 23 July 2024 - 07:50 PM
Hi SubC. Happy birthday to Bean! I'm sorry about the added stress of possibly having him stay with you for four days.
I took my big bag of mom's papers and put in the shredding bin. They told me to being as much as I like and to not worry. So that's really nice.
Did three loads of laundry and immediately put them away except for the delicates, which air dry.
I'm going to take an hour now to identify more papers to get rid of. That will feel like an accomplishment.
My cleaners came today so clean sheets for me!
Subclinical
Posted: 23 July 2024 - 06:11 AM
Good morning!
Dh has had to go on a trip for work and I am "batching it" as my mom says - leaving things a mess everywhere and not eating proper meals (don't worry, I will clean the things up before he comes home and "not eating proper meals" means that yesterday I ate - one item at a time and spread through the day: toast, cherries, zucchini, cereal with milk, watermelon, eggs, popcorn, walnuts, and a bit of ice cream. My nutrition will be fine.)
Anyway, Dh is working only an hour from ds and is planning to pop up and visit Birdy. I am jealous. However, today is Bean's birthday, and because his mommy has medical tests very early tomorrow, he is coming to spend the night. I have bought him some zebra pajamas (he loves zebras) and I am hoping they fit. They look a bit skinny. We are going to put together his piñata for Saturday. The paper mache part is done.
Anyway - told about Dh also to say I sent the small basket of things I've been collecting for ds to ds with Dh. I had already counted them out, but now they are actually gone, basket and all.
Slept late again this morning and much I want to do before Bean comes, so I better get moving!
Subclinical
Posted: 21 July 2024 - 06:24 AM
Good morning!
Hi Tatoulia. It's good to see you. It's been lonely here.
I'm sorry you don't sleep well.
I slept well last night, although I did dream that I went out to the barn and the goats were loose and had destroyed all the hay and straw bales and scattered them everywhere. Then (in my dream) I realized there was a cougar in the barn and I caught it in my arms and wrestled it under control. I asked Dh to shoot it and he said "oh, it's so pretty. You don't want to kill it. I'll just sedate it and it will be fine." Then he did and I was petting it and I woke up.
I have no idea what that was about, but I wonder if it has anything to do with the frankly unreasonable requests for extra child care I am suddenly getting from sil - he wants me to keep Bean for four days (with less than two weeks notice) so that he can go on vacation. They are at a very inconvenient time. I can understand that he needs a vacation (DD's mental health issues are exhausting) but he doesn't have to have this one. He can plan something that I can support without me becoming exhausted and overwhelmed.
Anyway. Good job on the papers! Reading all of that must bring up a lot of different emotions.
I am still plugging away here. Not making any sustainable progress, but not falling too fa4 behind either.
Tatoulia
Posted: 20 July 2024 - 09:07 PM
SubC,I sleep miserably every night. It has been this way all of my life. Even as a little kid I had trouble sleeping. I know the toll that takes and I hope you will sleep better tonight. I can understand your resentment toward your husband; even more so after reading the letters my mother sent to her mother. Seeing my mother fight for us kids.
I stayed in today and went through some of my mother's papers. I read quite a few letters she wrote to her mother (as far back as the 1950s and as recently as the 1980s). Some of it was painful, esp the stuff in the 1980s. I did not read all of them, not by any means.
I have a large bag of stuff to take for shredding. I'll contact my facilities person first to make sure it's still okay for me to use the bins. I think I told you they brought me my own bin after mom died, which was very generous. We do have shredders we can use but so time-consuming so I will double-check in using the professional shredding bins.
I have a smaller batch of things to mail to my sister. She's fascinated by genealogy and there are some things she could mine for info. So I'll get those mailed this week. Still so much to go through but I did quite a bit today. Around 6 I started laundry and went to the grocery store, more for a walk than for any other reason.
So that's it for my news. I miss you all and am thinking of you all.
Oh! The humidity broke for Friday so that was good. My house is messy right now yet I know I can pull it together in half an hour. How do I know that? Because when my brother came by for cane on his birthday it took me half an hour. And I felt so proud of myself. Today's mess is going through papers. But I have one bin to go into the recycling bin out back. These are the medium sized bins, not those huge stackable ones.
Subclinical
Posted: 17 July 2024 - 05:31 AM
Good morning.
I did pick beans and weed a bit before it got hot yesterday. Lots more to do in the garden. It's supposed to rain most of the day though. Which is ok, I also have a lot of pottery to do.
I worked on books a bit yesterday. I am mostly just moving them around. I'm trying to find enough space to empty a shelf and carry it out to the barn to use for inventory for pottery. I did put one in my son's box, so I'll count that out, and set some aside for other destinations - I'll count those out when they go. The shelf is down by 1/3, but all the easy spaces are taken.
I spent too much time online yesterday and i did not sleep well.
Subclinical
Posted: 16 July 2024 - 08:05 AM
It was nice Tatoulia.
Now Dh is home and I am behind on dishes again. Plus all of his trip laundry.
I knew you you were just curious.
We had a good time at the fair yesterday. Dh stayed for three hours - which is longer than the total time he spent at the fair during the 14 years when my kids had projects and events there. I had mixed feelings about that. It was great that he and Bean were having so much fun together, but I found that I still have some bitterness that he couldn't be there for his own kids. It would have helped me as well. Maybe some day when Bean is big enough to participate he will look at me and say "I'm sorry I missed all of this with our kids." And then I will forgive him.
I am being tempted by prime day. So far I have ordered car seats for the new baby (at 35% off exactly what they wanted) one for my car and one for theirs. And more of the colored lids that are definitely helping me with the milk situation. (44% off with prime deal and buy two price.) I think I am now set for life for both of those things. I'm not sure if I am going to count either in my net tally.
Now I need to go pick beans instead of wandering around Amazon finding things that i just really like. If I think of anything else I am actually planning to buy, I will check on it then.
Tatoulia
Posted: 15 July 2024 - 09:11 PM
Thanks for the info on the milk! I asked purely out of curiosity and without an agenda. I did not know that there's a controversy about raw milk vs pasteurized but now that you've said it, I can see that pretty clearly.
Getting an A+ was pretty nice, SubC! You worked hard for it.
My cleaners come tmr but they were just here on Friday. Oh well. If they hadn't left part of their vacuum here I might've pushed back.
Good night, dear friends.
Subclinical
Posted: 15 July 2024 - 05:02 AM
Good morning!
Tatoulia, good job. living things are important. I confess to sometimes failing my plants however. It's lack of competence, not lack of effort.
How long the milk lasts depends - on what part of the fridge it is in, how much the fridge gets opened, if forget and I partly or fully freeze it by accident before moving it to the fridge (it gets "quick cooled" in the freezer for an hour before moving.) even the cleanliness of the jars and bucket (washed, but not sterilized) in general, a few weeks. Sometimes over a month.
The milk is raw - I do not pasteurize it in any way. It does get cooked when being turned into cheese or frozen custard. My kids drank raw milk as kids, but Bean is only allowed to have the cooked products by decision of his parents.
I would prefer not to get into a debate about raw milk here, but I will say, if I lived in a city, I wouldn't drink raw milk. Nor would I drink it at the home of a neighbor if I didn't know them and their operation well. (Or sometimes if I did)
Goat milk begins to taste "goaty" before it goes by. (Like store goat milk, which I also will not drink). My milk is sweet and creamy. And yes, home made jam is good.
My Dd walked into my entry area last night, looked around (you can see all of the main living areas from the entryway) and said "A+". That made me feel really good. She is very particular. Usually she would say "you might want to [xyz] before dad gets home."
Bean and I are going to the fair today. Dh says he will join us for at least part of the time. He is going to drive separately, because even though he took the day off in case he wanted to stay at his parents house longer, he has a meeting this afternoon. That way we are not worried about getting back and can be flexible. The plan is fair, feed store, library, bath, play if there is time left, return to mommy. The only deadline is leaving for that last step around 4:30, and I can always take him all the way home instead. It is supposed to get really hot today, so we will take lots of water and buy a frozen lemonade from the jr. Fairboard for our treat, and pack lunch, but probably end up eating it at home or in the car on the way home.
Got to go milk before my sidekick gets up!
Tatoulia
Posted: 14 July 2024 - 09:20 PM
Yes it took me hours to get around to it but cat boxes changed and window boxes watered and trimmed.
Goodnight, dear friends.
Tatoulia
Posted: 14 July 2024 - 07:37 PM
Need to hold myself accountable.
I hung up the delicates. Need to water window boxes and clean litter boxes. Keeping my two sets of living things alive (plants and cats).
Need to come here to force myself to do it.
Tatoulia
Posted: 14 July 2024 - 07:16 PM
Tell me about your milk, SubC. How long does it last in the fridge? Is it considered raw milk? Any knowledge you can impart to this city mouse is greatly appreciated!
I dropped off the donations. The bag was pitifully small but I did it. I enjoyed shopping at goodwill and bought three shirts. The last few months I've been shopping for tops. Especially where I am just so heavy right now.
I went to the grocery store for fruit and something else small. I like having seltzer, juice, cat litter delivered but I'll do my own grocery shopping. I didn't see any plants I liked for my window boxes so I'll do my best to revive the ones I have.
I just did up the dishes and I'm doing a load of delicate laundry, including the three new shirts. I'll hang everything to dry.
We are in a heat emergency here for the next three days. Definitely not in my favor. But I'll force myself to office tmr.
I'm going to change out the litter boxes tonight so when I get home from work tmr, all my garbage and recycling will be good to go.
Homemade jam sounds so nice.
Subclinical
Posted: 14 July 2024 - 02:35 PM
Tatoulia, I'm proud of you for not sleeping away your weekend!
Today I returned to making the rounds of all the farm things - eggs are all washed and put away, I picked blackberries for an hour or so, and I've been sorting out the milk and making cheese. I still have milk in my fridge that is older than my colored lid ordering plan, so I am still struggling to fin$ the oldest milk and use it first. I found a gallon that had soured and had to be fed to the chickens, which makes me sad, but I am a bit more caught up now.
It probably didn't help that I wasn't really in the mood for mak8ng cheese either (but I am in the mood for having cheese, so.)
Bean's parents are bringing him out around 6, which shortens my day and now I'm trying to get things done on a deadline again, but I enjoy spending the evening with him and being able to read his stories and tuck him in, and I also like not having to drive to get him in the morning. Life is a series of choices...
I'm going to freeze the blackberries and make jam with them another day.
Tatoulia
Posted: 14 July 2024 - 10:17 AM
You are doing GREAT SubC! Getting those things done annd sorted in amazing! And I applaud you for reducing the clutter in your brain and just being quiet. Great work! Thinking of your daughter and continuing to keep her in my prayers. I am also glad that you got some rest.
I had an okay day yesterday. I got a pedicure. After ignoring my feet for years, I am back on track for a once a month pedicure. I go to a spa instead of the corner mani/pedi place. I like the serene atmosphere and the quiet of the spa. Plus I get about a mile walk in each way. I was supposed to meet a friend at 2 for a late lunch after my pedicure I got to the place a little early, ordered a beverage and read my book, and at 2:20 I texted her and she thought we were meeting Sunday. She was horrified and I said we are friends, how about Tuesday night at 530. She had offered to take an immediate cab but I said no. So I had a tasty lunch and then came home. I ordered my seltzer and cat litter and that was delivered just before 9PM. I sat outside on the stoop from 7 to 9 just to read and people watch. So it was the first time in a long time that I didn't sleep my weekend away.
Of course, it's after 11 and I'm having my first cup of coffee. I have a rental car today so I have to make a bag for goodwill. I do have something to drop off at the animal shelter. And I want to get new plants for my window boxes, as mine are just baking in the sun this year. Wondering if I could replace them with petunias. Time will tell.what I have now aren't looking nice any longer.
Okay so that's the news from here. I am hoping to challenge myself into getting a bag of donations together. Anything, really, would make my life easier.
Subclinical
Posted: 14 July 2024 - 05:52 AM
Good morning!
Still no designated spot for craft things, but I've sorted out about 80% of what was on the table and moved the teaching related piles to the left half. The right half has much smaller piles and there is a clear space in the center where I can work. And this is AFTER I moved all my piles from the couches and the "landing bench" in my front entry to the dining porch!
Also, I found a good spot for Bean's library books. I have a bag of recycling and a box of things to file.
I think Dh will be pleased. He is driving home today. He hadn't decided when he left if he would come home today or tomorrow. He said "I'll see how it goes." So that's how it went..
Today I will clean up all the "hot spots" I left because Dh wasn't around to care, and do a little garden work and/or cooking and/or pottery.
How is everyone else's weekend going?
Subclinical
Posted: 13 July 2024 - 12:27 PM
Good afternoon!
By the updates, Dh "vacation" continues to go about as expected.
My vacation continues to involve sleeping long and late and ignoring all of the regular work (garden, laundry, dishes, barn, milk and egg processing, and even pottery making) except the daily food and water chores.
I'm trying to give my ears and brain a rest as well. I've been staying home, skipping radio and podcasts and YouTube and putting off phone calls. But ddil did FaceTime yesterday for an hour and leave the camera on Birdy while we chatted, and then dd1 called on her way home from work for about half an hour to process all the stress she is struggling with around her pregnancy, and then I FaceTimed with Dh for half an hour at bedtime, so I did talk to people.
Mostly I'm reading and puttering and rearranging things. I've sorted out about half the papers on the dining porch table. I even managed to recycle some of them - including cards! I'm only going to leave the materials related to planning for the school year on the table. I've cleared a spot out in the studio for personal/professional pottery related papers, and a place on a little table on the sleeping porch/bedroom (it's 4 season enclosed with a heater, but no closet) for personal papers, and the small table on the dining porch is for garden/farm stuff, and I need to find a spot for craft stuff (like knitting or sewing patterns and non pottery art project ideas and materials) separate from "personal".
Basically I'm just moving around the house picking away at one spot until I lose momentum and then moving to another. I've got things spread out everywhere, but I don't have to worry about it until tomorrow.
Lila
Posted: 12 July 2024 - 12:09 PM
oh UGH SubC, that sounds exceedingly stressful. I would not want to go either! I am too low key for that kind of environment. I hope you enjoy your quiet time at home.
Tatoulia, paper sorting IS hard, every piece is small but packs sometimes unpleasant memories that dredge back up. I hope some pleasant memories as well. When I went through my file, there was an obituary paper of someone who hurt me deeply as a teenager - a mother figure of sorts. I looked at it and prayed a prayer of forgiveness over her, and let it go, and wished her great happiness in heaven. Then I threw it away. That was a good thing.
I had to lay in my room a lot yesterday. I went back to work too soon and overdid it and regressed on my recovery. So I am taking it easy. I have to work Sunday, but will try and make it is short and easy as possible.
Today I got up and: -loaded and ran the dishwasher - put the rest in one side of the sink and cleaned out the other side - took out 3 bags of trash all consolidated into one bag - made a couple of important phone calls - fed dogs, sat outside with one for a bit watching squirrels - made and ate oatmeal with fresh apricots, seeds, and walnuts
I plan to go through the fridge, freeze some things, toss some things, do laundry, do an annoying work task at home. Also going to lunch with a couple friends, I think, which will be so nice.
May we all declutter something this week! I will make a goal to get a few things on the Daily Tally today.
Subclinical
Posted: 12 July 2024 - 06:46 AM
Good morning.
Dh has gone to visit his family. And I have stayed home. I will miss him, but I am grateful to not be there. I am feeling very peaceful and relaxed this morning after 8 hours of sleep (I got home late from class last night and did my chores. I set no alarm, and when my body woke me at first light, I went back to sleep until 7!) it is quiet. I have many things to do, but nothing on my schedule. If I were with Dh, people would be stressed out that I have been up for more than half an hour and I have not eaten breakfast. People would be yelling (Dh mother has only one volume and everyone rises to meet her) people would be wanting to know what I am going to do this morning and filling me in on the schedule for the day (which would basically be what time they plan to serve lunch and if anyone else is coming over) and announcing the tasks they want done. (Ie. I found this article you should read - followed by many inquiries as to wether or not you had read the article so that I can file the magazine - or throw it away. If the goal is throw it away and you offer to take the magazine with you and read it later, stress is created because the person wants to discuss - quiz you on - the article after you read it and repeat the things they want you to learn from it and be sure you agree with them about it.)
Actually, just thinking about this is raising my stress level, so enough!
I am going to stay home today, enjoy the quiet, spend time on the various areas of my life, eat whatever I want when I am hungry, and go to bed when I feel like it. - vacation.
Tatoulia, I hope you get some rest working at home today and that you find some easy papers to get started on.
Tatoulia
Posted: 11 July 2024 - 07:30 PM
Checking in. Has been a lot at work last couple of days. I asked for and was given permission to work from home tmr. I'm tired.
I started going through my mother's papers last night. I need to see what to keep and what to get rid of. Not an easy task.
Tatoulia
Posted: 09 July 2024 - 10:07 PM
Sending you all so much love. Hello Hope! Stop by anytime.
I love the thought of son's GF being a quiet helper. What a nice gift. SubC I'm sorry about the upheaval. How nice to have an understanding ear, couch, and dog to spend time with.
I liked what you said about helping people learn to manage their disappointment. And SubC, bless you, you found the recipe and made the cake!
We are all suffering from this heat so please let's remember to give ourselves grace.
Subclinical
Posted: 09 July 2024 - 08:49 PM
Lila, that was a hard decision and a big job!
Good for you!
Papers are always hard because they pack so much into such a small physical space.
While I was heating milk and draining cheese today I listened to podcasts and puttered around a lot. I came across an idea (we all know how I love NEW ideas) about organizing your papers and stuff by role.
Like, my role as a teacher, as a hobby farmer, as a potter..
Anyway, Ive been sorting stuff into piles and I cleared off the small table on the dining porch and piled all the farm and garden stuff I have run across so far on it.
Lila
Posted: 09 July 2024 - 06:36 PM
oh hi HOPE, thank you so much for the kind words. Virtual hugs back. Come and spill whatever you want to share when you are ready. We do care about each other here, our little group.
SubC, that is progress, shortening the journey of the produce! And with chickens, it's not wasted. So very good!
I enjoyed the dinner with everyone. It was LOUD and joyful and action-packed with the grands running around. Exdh seemed overwhelmed but he was pleasant to be around and brought such good food. I did not even have to retire to my room until everyone had gone. And Son2's dear girlfriend was so helpful without even being asked - helping clear the table, rinsing dishes, taking out the trash, even noticed all the towels on the deck and quietly went out and folded them all! She is a gem.
Today was quieter but I did a few things: - hand washed a few dishes from yesterday - wiped counters - talked with Son2 who came back over and did a few things around the house for me - played with Tot and Acorn
The big thing I did was, yesterday in my bedroom I found The File Box. For maybe 25+ years, it held all my needed papers, coupons, stuff to be filed in the metal filing cabinet, bills, all sorts of things. Totally full. Has no lid, so the dustiest thing you can imagine, with dust in every file. I thought, oh, I should sort this so I can use it. Then I thought, I don't need this anymore. Then I argued, yes I do. This would be better than that tub of papers next to you on the couch. Then I said, no, it is old, has no lid - it is time to let this go. I got a little emotional and wanted to hang onto it as it has been with me through marriages and kids and decades of life. Then I thought, look. If I decide I want to file things in this way again, I will get a box WITH A LID, that is clean and functional and will keep dust out of it. Then I thought, oh, I think the lid to this is in the garage! It has been there for 15+ years... then I put my foot down and told myself to stop it, and donate this AND its lid, and wait at least a month or two to see if I want to replace the tub with a new lidded file box. I probably will just stick with the tub.
So I sat down with a dust rag, pulled out each file and dusted it (about 8 or 10 files) and gently opened, dusted, and sorted each file page by page, with a trash bag next to me.
I ended up with an empty file box in the donate box, one file folder of papers to keep, one stack to shred - which I shredded. ALL DONE.
So I'll call that my win for today. A small thing, but my room is better without that dusty old file box next to my bed and all the crappy memories some of those pages held!
Subclinical
Posted: 09 July 2024 - 05:01 PM
Hi HOPE, glad to see you!
I'm sorry you've been dealing with rough times. If we can offer you some support or encouragement, please jump back in.
I made some progress today to the point where I finally feel like my house is more under control. Not so much the yard, garden, barn, and potter6 studio, but the house at least.
And I froze the ice cream, made cheese, and baked a loaf of bread. At this point, for the month of July, I have kept up with all physical items including food that have come into my house. Although I have not harvested everything i could in the garden and some things have become chicken food, I am calling it success because they did so without making a stop in my house. Overproduction that goes from garden to chickens instead of garden to fridge to chickens/compost or from garden to compost directly is success.
HOPE
Posted: 09 July 2024 - 11:25 AM
Hi i haven't posted in a while. not the best of times. Anyway i wanted to encourage you all to keep trying.
Lila, wanted to send you a virtual hug. You inspire us and hope you give yourself grace and let your body recover.
i don't have much else to offer right now. just wanted to say I care.