How are you feeling today Tatoulia?

I almost got caught in my own frame of reference and said that the chickens would enjoy the cake - lol!

I have lost weight this week because it has been difficult to eat. Also the adrenaline.

I am taking today to focus on myself and getting a Christmas tree with dh. I have a mess to clean up in the guest room because I pulled everything off the plastic modular shelf in the guest room closet (the shelf that I removed some games from) and took it to use in d❤️Dd's laundry room.

I also took every empty hanger in the house and a bin that got emptied when we put the dolls on the shelf.

I had things my kid needed because I have gotten rid of things!

I love you SubC. You are amazing.

I love you too Tillie. No solid foods today.

I frosted my cake (just for practice). I broke my handheld mixer. Making the stiff butter cream for piping and roses was too strong for it. I'm good with it.

I cannot serve the cake to anyone due to terrible stomach issues. It was just for practice.

One load of trash.

Kitchen and both bathrooms are clean and sanitary, but there are six contractor bags of laundry in the shower enclosure (seperate from the tub which is ready for a nice bath with d❤️Gs robe and towel on a hook beside it.

They stopped by the grocery store on the way home from practice and bought three kinds of fresh vegetables, a box of cookies, and some flowers to go on the nice clean kitchen island.

We ran the washer and dryer all day and d❤️Dd helped our boy put his clean clothes away in his dresser. She put some of hers away too, and I made her clear off her bed and put on clean sheets. She sorted out three bags of clean laundry that I dropped at goodwill on the way home and four bags of not neccessarily clean clothes that actually belong to exgf. Exgf is coming by this evening to get some of her stuff.

The bedrooms are better, but not good. We did not touch the living room.

Tomorrow they are on their own. They will be gone at a swim meet most of the day. Her priorities are keep the washer and dryer running, clean out d❤️Gs closet - which has toys thrown all over the floor on top of spilled (clean) cat litter from when his cat was a baby and had to be protected from the other cat, so it lived in his room, and deal with a pile of dirty, possibly cat peed on shoes in the corner of the living room that we couldn't handle (whose shoes are these? Can we throw them away?)

Dd1 wandered through the house repairing everything, loose, broken, or otherwise potentially hazardous. She even touched up paint in a couple of places and installed a new hanging bar in the laundry room. And she called a friend who used to do home visits for cps. The friend told us:
1) food that is safe to eat and the ability to prepare it in a safe manner.
2) a clean, safe place to sleep
3) working toilets and the ability to bathe and brush teeth

We have all that plus smoke alarms, a clear stairway to the front door, toys, books, clean clothes, and flowers in the kitchen.

Hi Tatoulia

Just because you don't vomit or get struck down with the runs
doesn't mean that it wasn't something about the food.
Your bad mood was probably a symptom of this sickness.
Our bodies know a lot more than we give them credit for.
Please drink plenty of liquids to help flush out any badness and feel 100% better soon. (((HUG)))


As I write this the wind is blowing snow sideways.
It is coming down fast and furious!
In five minutes it has covered the ground with almost an inch!!!

This morning was pleasant, no wind, scattered clouds, not very cold.
So, I went out and lit the burn barrel.
After it was finished burning and just smoldering I covered the top with the grate then placed the lid loosely on top so it would stay dry in there.

It is always amazing how quickly the weather changes in the shadow of the Sierra Nevada mountain range.
That is how the Donner party got trapped and had to resort to cannibalism.

Hello CM!! Glad to hear from you!!

Wow SubC! Great work! And I echo Tillie's remarks. Excellent work. I'm also touched that the exGF is loving and understanding and is treating the situation regarding the child in a way that shows priority and care. We all need these examples in our lives.

Great work. We support you and are proud of you.

I was in a lousy mood yesterday and then was writhing in pain last night. I thought it was food poisoning but I never actually vomited or anything else. Just writhed in pain. I had to keep texting BF because I couldn't talk and he sent me a text saying, as long as you keep texting I won't call.

I bought my wreaths today at a church sale. Had a bit of a panic when one of the windows wouldn't open but eventually got it done. I haven't yet run out to see how they look.

It's warmer and sunny today so I have my windows open. It's 42F so a good chance to air out a bit.
Tillie I love your mending tasks and your mindset as you look at your clothes. So instructive and useful. Thank you.

Hi Subclinical

I am very impressed with how you all have come together and made a good plan on how to tackle the house clearing and cleaning.
You all deserve a great big
WAY TO GO!!!

That is exactly the way a clean up should go when fighting to keep a family together in their home.

There is not the luxury of taking the time to clean & salvage unneeded items or to properly sort out recyclables.

I am confident you all will get a handle on the clothing.
Even if you just bag it all up, take it to your homes to sort it all out.

Yes, a silver lining could come out of this.
You can help her learn to have a routine of keeping her home clean.
And you also have such wonderful skills now for keeping Justin Case under control. (((HUG)))

Hi all, i'm Reading and thinking about you, but I type slowly and I need to be all about me for a little while.

The situation with d❤️Gs is getting ugly. D❤️Dd was going to meet with a lawyer on Monday. Yesterday afternoon, she was served by ex's lawyer. When she got the boy back (sick and withdrawn - I was there) He told her that while he was with her on Monday, "daddy had people come clean his whole house. And I had to clean my room".

Both of them are full blown hoarders. Ex is the "never take out the trash, buy all the gazinguses" type (cleaning his room is probably why d❤️Gs was sick) and d❤️Dd is the ptsd "buy it because it's cheap, take it because it's free, never get rid of anything because Justin Case is banging on the door" type. Both have cats, so, cat hair....

We figure d❤️Dd can expect a visit from child protective services on Monday. Last night while they were at sports practice and then dinner out with his friends, dd1, dsil, and I cleaned the kitchen, upstairs hallway, and stairs. We took out 5 giant garbage bags of trash, plus dd1 threw all of the plastic food storage containers, water bottles, etc. into three large plastic bags and just took them home with her.

We boxed up about 5 boxes of stuff that belongs to d❤️Dd's Exgf, who moved out a few months ago but is couch surfing, and put them in the damp and therefore unused basement on boards. (They are still friends and she helped raise d❤️Gs for 5 years. I spoke to her, she cried and said "just throw it in the basement. Or throw it out. Do whatever you want. None of it matters.")

Dd1 is a contractor, so I am driving the truck back today and we will fill the back with trash bags and she will dump them at a job site. We are not even slowing down to sort out recycling and we are throwing away things just because there is too much cat hair and we don't have time to clean them, and it is not bothering me at all.

But I have to say somewhere, because I feel bad for seeing any good in this, but it will be a silver lining if we can help her recover and learn to maintain her environment. I am hoping that this little boy gets at least one clean, orderly environment out if this. He needs it so much.

Also, the "office" which we were going to use for a school room is already cleaned and only slightly overcrowded and messy, because they prepped it for us to use last week - so, if we do the living room and half bath today, that will be the whole downstairs, and the upstairs is two bedrooms the hallway, and a large full bath that includes laundry. The laundry is going to be a problem, because they have enough clothes for a church rummage sale.

Good Morning Everyone

Thoroughly enjoyed reading all your posts. :D

Since Winter weather is here to stay
today my plan is to go through all my dresses since I will not be wearing any again until next Spring.
Except I might wear my fancy one if I am invited to a wedding or some such affair, but I doubt I will be.
Anyways, I check for condition.
Some may be too worn out to bother keeping.
Some may need just a tiny mending to fix.
Some may need a touch of the iron to spruce up.
I enjoy fussing with my dresses and it's hard to let go of any of them.
But being honest with myself, some will just need to say goodbye.
It will be so nice when Springtime weather comes around and I will see I have only nice dresses to wear.

I'm here!

Longer post later, but for now hi to everyone

Motown, the letting go will come easier, and I may have a few pearls of wisdom to share in that area, LOL! For now, just do what you're doing a little at a time and the rhythm will pick up.

Just been doing things to wrap up November - I got a couple small sewing projects done yesterday - the heating pad cover and the Christmas stocking for my bunny.

The cats had been doing a little better; now they seem to be regressing. Our sunporch is still fate unknown. Hope our guy isn't sick. I think roommate is going to try to get in touch with him soon, or his wife, since we know the family.

I'm going to head to the library - the downtown one where I wondered if there was something paranormal going on (eeks!) - taking my Holy Water with me! I don't want to not be able to go to that library because they have some cool stuff there.

We have bad weather coming in for the next few days, bleah. I've got some interesting ideas I may do in my room along with some ideas I've already had for the storage unit (that will be in the spring). More on everything in a later post. Stay warm, all!

Tillie, I too would have trouble packing up a kitty's things. Take your time. It's okay.

Thank you for the ideas by the wall. Scooter cracks me me, letting the "toy" in and out. I'm going to think about this tonight and make a plan for Saturday.

SubC, I remember the first time my mom asked me if I had something that she wanted. I said, proudly, nope, I got rid of holding things for no reason. Mom asking for a type of planter (no lies planters here, kitty and plants don't get along). However, if she asked me for something specific that was unique to our family, I bet I wouldn't feel proud. I'd feel defensive. Anyway she's stopped asking me for stuff although when she needed pens last week I did bring a bunch. And I made sure to throw out the ones that no longer work.

I have to finish getting ready for work.

Keep up the good fight. We can do this.

Tillie, youare still grieving. Take your time.

Motown, I have a microwave, and a coffee maker, and a hand mixer. But I also have an oven and a funnel and a spoon. So if Justin Case turns up, I am ready for him.

I also have a big shelf filled with dolls.

I gave regretted getting rid of some things, mostly because (like Tatoulia) I was the person people could always ask for stuff and I felt so good about it. There were some times when I first started that one of my kids would ask me "hey mom, do you have..." And my heart would drop because I would have to say "I got rid of it." I got rid of something my kids needed! But the kids were like "ok, no big deal." And then they startled noticing a difference in the house, and they are so proud of me!

Some things I personally regretted, but they were usually easily replaced. And the slight added cost was worth the space to work in the mean time. Even if they couldn't be replaced - I have lost far more things to damage from having too much than to mistaken decisions.

Also, what Tillie said about me being able to find things is true. And if you can't find it - you basically don't have it. The reduction in stress and wasted time has been a big change in my life.

I keep looking at the kitty dishes here.
There is still service for five.
Makes me sad so I just close the cabinet door.
I did take apart her little bed and put it in the closet because it was just so sad looking at it sitting there empty.
My big orange boy has been sleeping in Marty's bed a lot so I won't remove that one.
I guess it's just too soon for me to let go of their things.

WOW!
So Miss Kitty had a fun new toy!

OK
So there is a gap/hole big enough to allow a mouse to enter.
A mouse only needs a hole the size of a dime to get in.
A full grown rat needs a hole the size of a quarter.

Expanding foam is a great gap filler but it is chewable.

My Grandfather used to cover mouse holes with unchewable tin.
What he would do is use the round metal top of a can, like a can of soup or some vegetable.
The bottom circle of metal works too, two mouse covers for the price of one can of food.

Anyway, what I suggest is that you fill the gap with expanding foam but also top it off with something less chewable like metal.
I use steel wool around the hole where the plumbing pipes enter under my sink.
Mice can't chew metal, it hurts their mouths.
Any grade steel wool works, I use a medium grade, about 00 or 000.

When Scooter was a baby he removed the steel wool to allow the mouse to come in and play.
But the mouse ran back in the hole when I noticed and I put the steel wool back in place.

The rat under the house was gnawing the wood to enter through the floor in the hallway.
I used expanding foam in the thin narrow gaps between the flooring at the bottom of the wall.
Since the rat could no longer smell or sense an opening there he quit gnawing.
I caught him in a big snap trap using peanut butter as bait.

Rodents supposedly do not like the smell of peppermint and some people have had good results using cotton balls with peppermint essential oil on them.
The best place to buy peppermint oil is in the baking section of a grocery store next to the vanilla and other food flavorings.

Mice supposedly hate the smell of moth balls but they will just roll the moth balls out of their way and enter any way.
Plus being exposed to moth balls can cause major organ illness/failure so I do not recommend them.

Anyways Tatoulia
I hope I have given you enough information to think up the best way for you to fix the corner.
:D

Busy day and busy night. I got 4.6 miles of walking in. Pretty nice. And after my seminar today (attended, not presented), I came home, did three loads of laundry including my new sheet set, changed my sheets, chose a pair of sheets to donate, baked a cake.

I'm tired but just read the posts. Thank you for the suggestion to help soften the butter! I looked at the kitchenaide mixers at Macy's tonight and I definitely do not want a stand mixer. I would like the handheld one but I came home, took a good long look at the one I have, and am satisfied with it. The label has fallen off so who knows what the brand is. But if we're talking 30 years old, I'm good with it. Right now I'm just practicing my frosting skills and there's no reason to move beyond that.

I'll try frosting my cake tmr. A woman I know through Twitter is helping me with the frosting. She's in England and an accomplished baker. I take pictures and she helps me troubleshoot. It's all the funnier since I tweet as a cat and she just goes along with my lamentations of not having thumbs.

Motown no one is criticizing you. We are very supportive here and very fond of each other. I just want to echo a few things the others have said. I can't remember who said what. I have a plastic Melita coffee funnel that I keep in my cabinet and I've used it probably on three different occasions in the past 35 years. It has saved me each time my coffee maker has died. I happened to look at it the other day, trying to decide what to do with it, and I thought, it takes up no room and can be a lifesaver. I just fold my basket style filter and I'm all set. I also only buy Mr Coffee coffee makers. I have had exactly three since I've been an adult. I have used each one til it died. The one my parents bought for me when I was 23 lasted for years and years and years.

I spent s lifetime trying to be the person who had exactly what everyone needed and wanted to always save the day by having just what people needed. I bought multiples of everything. I had whatever people needed. Source of pride. Then source of shame. I was here, on this site, when I realized that STORES have things people need. They STORE things. I don't need to do it.

That said, I keep a lot of TP and paper towels around, because I use a lot. I also know that I am incredibly fortunate to live in a city (debatable for sure) in that whatever I need is at my fingertips. And like it or not, the Amazon-ation of America gives us access to items at all times of day and night.

I say this as you start your journey so you can maybe look at things a bit differently. A small shift in your worry will go a long way. It's obviously a different situation for you since your house is jam-packed with people consuming food stuffs. But I'll ask you to rethink how many backup items you need of appliances. Maybe you don't need any. Maybe you just need a jar of instant coffee to take care of you for the two or three days til you can purchase a new one.

I've been there and I fight the urges constantly. I now choose between, say, the orange or the pink shampoo or the green fuzzy mittens and the white wool ones. I make myself choose. It's hard but I've learned to do so. I now only keep two sets of sheets for my bed plus one flat sheet for kitty (couch cover in summer). That's it. If I buy new towels I donate the old ones. The concept that I'll be washing my car is ludicrous. It's tough and painful and I'm happier.

Before I read the posts tonight I had gone through the kitty's dishes and I've chosen six plates (they are a delightful set of cheese plates) to donate. She has so many dear little dishes.

Hey I've been worried I may be getting a mouse and tonight kitty had an incident by a wobbly area in the corner. Good kitty. Now I can no longer ignore the need to close that up. Not sure how to do it although Tillie at one point you gave me some tips for using expanding foam. For tonight I'll just put a heavy book there.

If I kept butter on the counter rather than in the fridge
in Summertime it would become a rancid puddle within a day with temperatures 100+
In Winter it can be on the counter but it would still be hard to spread since it's cold in here.


Had a nice day.
Rain, sunshine, clouds, more sunshine then more clouds.
The house smelled wonderful while the gingerbread was baking.
Kitchen all cleaned up, carpet all vacuumed.
;)

Hello

I read your post earlier today Motown and it has weighed heavily on my mind all day.

None of us here are minimalists having only a few items in our homes.
But what we do here is work to get past having many multiples of items around our homes for
JUST IN CASE
who we refer to here as "Justin Case".

We have learned here that having fewer things in our homes gives us more time.
Time to spend 5 minutes softening butter or brewing a cup of coffee or tea without an automatic appliance or stirring up a batch of cookies with a spoon.

Together here we have learned that less truly is more.
More time.
We can find what we are looking for when there is less to search through and what we have can be neatly organized and stored.
More time to do fun activities like art, crafts and entertaining.
More time to do activities we want to do because cleaning becomes much faster and easier when there is not a lot of random stuff we would have to move around just to clean the spaces.

We aren't into fast decluttering since we are all doing this home reclaiming all by our selves.
Rather we go through areas/items evaluating whether or not we need something or maybe it is sentimental/treasured or just something that has served it's purpose and we are ready to let it go.

We are working through all our fears of "what if".
"What if" some day we are poor and destitute and owning something would save us from becoming bag ladies pushing shopping trollies filled with all our worldly goods and a cat.
"What if" some day owning something could save a life? Mine or a loved one's or a stranger on the street?
As a surgical assistant with paramedic training I really don't see any scenario where that would happen, better to call 911 than try using a knickknack.
"What if" the zombie apocalypse happens or aliens from space attack???
It's much easier to run away when you aren't weighed down by carrying too much.
The fear of regret...
I have never regretted getting rid of anything.
Tatoulia said she has had no regrets.
Subclinical has said she can now find what she is looking for now that she's getting all sorted out and organized.

Motown, how many coffee makers do you have?

I think maybe we should inspire you to stop buying things first.

Do you have a funnel? If your coffee maker breaks, you can put some coffee in a filter in a funnel and boil water and pour the water through the funnel full of coffee into your cup.

Oh my goodness, Tatoulia, no microwave? I cannot imagine. Mine went out a couple years ago and we drove 25 minutes to purchase one that very evening because that is a necessity. And I haven't ever been without a hand mixer either. Guess that's why I cannot downsize. I NEED all the convenience because I don't have TIME to do everything the hard way. I also have backup everythings and most things have a backup for the backup, you know, just in case....
For instance I buy a new coffeepot every black Friday when they are on sale whether I need it or not because what if I get up one morning and mine does not work? I have to have coffee and I can just grab the spare and wait impatiently until it brews me a pot of life's elixir.
I still have all of the dolls I had as a child. I used to have them all on a shelf above a window in the bedroom but now my cats have taken over said shelf and the dolls are in a box somewhere at my mom's house.
And about the softening of butter, I always have a stick of butter in the butter dish on the counter that stays soft. There is no need to refrigerate real butter. (of course the rest of the box stays in the fridge with several pounds -spare! - in the freezer). I can not imagine ever being without anything that I need or want at my fingertips. Craft supplies are my weakness.
Daughter got my tree put up and the lights and a few ornaments on it. I think it looks puny because at 7.5 ft it seems so small and because there are fewer lights on it (maybe only 1200 or so) it seems bare. And with only about a third of the ornaments it looks "NEKKID"! LOL! I know that all 8-900 ornaments will not fit on the smaller tree but still...I don't like to leave any out.
Lunchtime for me, gotta eat this salad that hubby made for me.
I'll keep reading hoping y'all will keep inspiring me to purge. (I did get rid of 3 or 4 cookbooks here while back but they are still riding around in my car).
TTYL!

Good Morning Everybody

Hi Subclinical
YEA! for putting the new spice jar to good use.
WTG! gifting that unwanted shirt to someone else.
Good for your ddil requesting something practical that will be of good service for many years, even if the electricity goes out. ;)


Woke up to the sound of rain, was raining good and solid for quite a while.
The falling down carport roof just keeps sliding slowly down lower.
It's so nice to see the sun shining through that area and lighting up all the jumbled heaps of hoard.
It is supposed to snow tomorrow.
Today my plan is to make gingerbread, clean the kitchen and vacuum the carpet as well as do the usual every single day cat related tasks.
I wish I could bake my favorite fancy Wintertime cookies like I used to always make.
But with no one to share them with any more I would just end up having way to many cookies and I don't need to be eating so many cookies.
Maybe in December I will make just one little batch of one of my recipes. ;)

My ddil put "a good wooden spoon" on her Christmas wish list. 🙂

I put my cinnamon into one of the new spice containers (I buy it in a plastic bag - I hate the plastic bag, but it is much cheaper.)

I am taking one of my older but still good work shirts to work today to give away - it is one I got because I needed it but never liked.

Hello

Hi Subclinical
What a shame the donor doll's leg was an incompatible match for the recipient doll.
Maybe next time...
I think it was prudent to buy the 3 work shirts since you can't always get ones you like.
Good luck with the silicone lids.

Hi Tatoulia
YEA!!! the AC is finally gone gone!
Just like my freezer LOL
When I was helping my neighbor friends downsize to move
She held up a hand mixer and asked me if I had one
I said I didn't and she asked me what I used ? and I said I have a spoon.
She insisted that I take the hand mixer.
This little sucker is POWERFUL!
Whips up an angel food cake to perfection.
It doesn't have dough hooks.
It's a "Magic Chef" by Sunbeam.
I'm happy that I accepted it and it is nice to not have to hand mix everything.
But if the electricity ever goes out I will still have my spoon as a back up, Justin Case.

To soften butter...
Place the butter in a bowl
Place the bowl of butter into a larger bowl filled with hot water
Wait
The butter will soon soften


Made biscuits from a refrigerator can, Pillsbury or something.
Opened a can of Swanson chicken ala king.
Put the saucy chicken stuff on a biscuit.
It was alright.
The biscuits are really good so I had another one with butter and honey for desert.
I still have 6 more biscuits for tomorrow.
While in town I bought a small hand made quilt for the cats for 1.25, half price.
They own a lot of these small handmade baby and doll quilts.
Some of them are even very old quilts, older than me.
When I see them in the thrift shop I think someone must have died and their relatives don't want the heirloom quilts.
Well, I do and I use and enjoy them.
The cats love to curl up on them and sleep and that makes me happy to see. :)

I think you made the right choice on the shirts, SubC And you are very good about not over buying your work clothes and if you find colors you like, then you can put one away for next year in case there are slim pickings then. It throw caution the wind and enjoy all three.

Oof. I know the feeling of buying something and regretting it. Good call on just te-donating the doll. I could fill the whole house with buyer's remorse and have done so. Right now with my baking I would really love a better grade of electric mixer. In truth, I want the kitchenaide smaller stand up. And of course they are on sale. But I digress. I would be very happy with one of the kitchenaide handheld mixers. What I have is old and very cheap but boy they do not make em like they used to. It is willing to soldier on and mix to its heart's content but it is weak. It has two beaters and they feel weak and have always felt weak. I remember buying them when I was still a student and I remember when I looked at them I thought they looked puny. And my friend said, what do you want, dough hooks? And it cracked me up for some reason and every time I use it I can hear her ask that.

Anyway don't think they'll cream two sticks of butter without putting up a giant fuss. ESP since my house is so cold and drafty and it's hard to get the butter to soften. It ruins it if you heat it in the microwave and plus I threw out the microwave in June. So I'm toying with buying a nice kitchenaide handheld. Yes with dough hooks.

Well I just veered off here. I need to go to bed. I have a seminar tmr and one of my coworkers is joining me and wants me to meet her ahead of time.

Goodnight my lovelies. Let's do this again tmr!!!

Ps AC is gone. City picked it up!

Very big stuff say for me today.

I once planned to buy two new work shirts every year. But then I discovered they didn't offer the same colors every year and some years they didn't have colors I like. So this year I liked the colors and I bought three. They came in today.

My 12 silicone lids also arrived. So far I like them.

And I went to the thrift store. I bought a badly worn doll that I thought was the same as a doll from my childhood, who has a broken leg, in the hope of doing a transplant, but the scale is off, so "new" doll goes back in one piece. It was a $3 gamble.

I also bought a big glass bowl full of dried plant things. I want the bowl for a slump mold, and I thought I could use the things for wreath making.

But I would have probably done better to skip the thrift shop and get home earlier.

The freezer sold!!???!!!???!! Well you could knock me over with a feather!!!

Now I'll read the rest of the posts.

Good Morning Everybody

Hi Subclinical
WTG! for swimming! (((hug)))
At this point in time your hands are tied. All you can do is make the time you have with him the best quality time possible.

I was sure tempted to see if that young man wanted to load anything else up on his large trailer for free. ;D


Cold dark rainy day today.
100% chance of rain. YEA!
Could stay home all day and be productive
but planning to go into town, fill 2 water bottles and visit a little at the thrift shop.
I really need to get out and socialize with humans today.

Yes Tillie, I think so too. Although another part of it is laziness. He currently has the boy school days from after school Monday to after school Friday. He had a nice routine going where he dropped him off at before care to eat breakfast, picked him up from aftercare around 5, bought him fast food and then played video games or legos with him or let him play video games alone until he remembered he was supposed to put him to bed. The child now handles his own bathing needs, but when he was younger, there were many weeks when he was picked up from school on Friday and clearly had not had a bath since his mom took him to school Monday morning.

I swam 2500m yesterday. I would have swum farther, but I was concerned about overtiring myself after such a long break. It helped with the anger.

Hurray for your knight in shining armor! Did you ask if he wanted anything else while he was there? 😉

Motown, I am also hoping your kidney stone resolves quickly. I'm sorry I forgot to say it because I got focused on trying to help with your house.

My name comes in part from being apparently on the edge of the autism spectrum - they don't diagnose adults, and wether or not I appear to fit often depends on the day, but my social skills are sometimes poor and it is not intentional.

Good Evening Everybody

Hi Subclinical
So very sorry (((HUG)))
Seems like the father is just using this opportunity to hurt her with absolutely no regard to the boy's best interests.
Worrying if he is neglecting the boy in other ways too.
Really hoping you are making the time for swimming and more creative time out in your studio.

Hi Motown
Usually when people first come here we ask them to promise to please spend the next month not shopping or bringing in anything other than the necessary food, TP, toothpaste, etc.
We really advocate "shopping at home" for whatever needs arise.
After that month it's amazing how we can better see what's coming in and also to make better decisions as to what we buy.
Needs verses wants.

Subclinical is remodeling her home and going through "empty nest" with her kids now going off to their own homes.
Tatoulia has been totally redecorating and rethinking her home.
They both have very different life styles and needs but have been doing the same thought processes to achieve their goals.

Your home is different as are all of our homes but this change you want and need falls on your efforts.

It's not fair that it all rests on your shoulders but you can make a change for the better.
I live with a resistant hoarder and squalorer but was able to get my home clear and clean by doing one little area at a time and then defending the clear clean areas.

So sorry about your kidney stone. OUCH!
Wishing you all the best getting this passed.

Are there any other charity thrift shops nearby that don't rely on just one lady to handle all the donations?

Hi Tatoulia
You posted while I was writing this post :D
Yes, 3 of my Great Granma's kerosene lamps, a large cut crystal vase, a crystal water decanter and assorted other items of hers plus a Fostoria plate with bowl that was a wedding present to my Grandparents.
A covered dish that Nate brought me from The Czech Republic bought at a shop of a friend of ours who lives in Prague/Praha.

If the AC has not been picked up it's not your problem because you scheduled it to be.
So do not feel bad or blame yourself (((hug)))




Been gently sprinkling all afternoon.
Remember I wanted to have the thrift shop come pick up the freezer but Steven has been posting it for sale?
Well, a nice young man came by today and bought it.
So it's no longer sitting in the driveway.
YEA!!! :D

Motown you sound so cheerful despite your physical suffering. I hope you feel better soon. That is discouraging about the bags of clothes but please don't worry about them. You did the right thing to donate them.

SubC I am so sorry about the situation with the schooling. So very upsetting. I'm glad you can reuse the clay!

Tilie every so often I think about your secretary with the enclosed shelf. I believe you have some of your grandmother's things there.

I am doing this. It is important to me to move forward. I forgot to check out back to determine if the AC was picked up.

I'm tired. Will write more tmr.

Hi mowtown!

I'm able to use the back button to check previous posts, then forward to mine.

I am very very anti-trash. The first step for me was to stop things coming in. This reduces waste, saves money, and stops the level where it is. I know this is a challenge for you because you have many people bringing things in.

Maybe just start by spending one day noticing how and where things come in.

Goodness! Where to begin. Just finished reading and trying to catch up. Still not familiar enough with all of you to remember who is whom and who is doing what and such. and once I start a message I can't refer to the previous posts so I have to go off of a very poor memory.
I will say a general YAY to all of you letting go of things. I wish I were to that point. I try to be frugal and hate to just throw things away. Lately I have given a lot of clothes to a church clothing pantry but now the lady that cleans and organizes the clothes has broken her arm so they are not accepting donations. In fact, the 13 trash bags we took out there a month ago are still sitting outside so that is quite disheartening. Most are probably ruined now. Oh well. I can't regret it because it won't help me let go in future.

So this is what has been happening with me. I have a rather large (9mm) kidney stone that is too large to pass. Not my first rodeo with kidney stones but the first in several years. I have been having issues for over two weeks but by Saturday night I was past miserable and made two trips to the ER. So this Friday I will have a procedure (lithotripsy) to break it up into smaller pieces that will pass.
Working this week trying to stay not-so-far-behind and knowing that I will miss work Friday and then I have already asked off for Monday because we were supposed to have luncheon with hubby's retirees from former employer. Oh well.

Guess I better make this short. may try to check in with y'all again tomorrow if I can squeeze in the time. I have missed my new friends!

Anyway, keep up the good work and maybe eventually some of it will rub off on me! LOL!

Motown

His dad simply took him to the elementary school this morning and enrolled him. He was 45 minutes late to meet me when d❤️D called them to find out. Dad never contacted either of us.

Now she goes to court.

And probably loses.

Good Morning Everyone

Hi CriticalMass
Hi Motown
Hi to everyone else we miss terribly ;)

Hi Subclinical
So very relieved things are working out well for his education (((hug)))
WAY TO GO! that the studio is cleaner and more organized than it ever was before.
All your hard work is beginning to show in every way.
Wishing you many more hours pottering happily away!

Hi Tatoulia
YIPPEE! the AC is out! :D
It sounds like your head is in the right place now to do this little tchotchke declutter.
When your display cabinet is less cluttered what you display will be enjoyable and fun to see there.
Too many items is too busy and our eyes never can rest on any one item long enough to thoroughly enjoy it.
My secretary desk has the narrow glass enclosed display case all along the left side.
There are 5 shelves in there and at times I did have them too cluttered.
It was impossible to relax and enjoy looking at.

Cold dark day with a chance of rain/snow.
Not going anywhere so
"let it snow, let it snow, let it snow."
Going to putter around doing a little of this & that today.

Tatoulia - the place I teach offers classes a la cart, like a college. Legally we are not a school. All of our students are registered as homeschooled and their parents are responsible for their educations. Some of them just take one class - chemistry is popular because of the equipment. Others are there the whole time we are open (classes 9:30-4:30 Tuesday through Thursday, 9:30-3:30 Fridays, supervised free time in the gym every morning from 8-9:30) Mondays we are closed.

So d❤️gs is now legally a homeschooler in his dad's state. He will work with his mom or a caregiver on Mondays and tu/Th afternoons, me on tu/Th mornings, and attend classes at our program all day wed and fri.

The bad pizza stone isn't wasted. I didn't fire it, so the clay will get dried, crumbled, remixed with water, wedged (kneaded), and used again.

You are doing a great job with your clearing out! (I had to look up "vitrine" - I bet that will be really pretty when you get it sorted out.)

Glad to hear about the good news with your ❤️gs! Keep us posted! I'm not entirely sure of his situation other than he'll be going to your school. Is that correct? You also mentioned home schooling so I'm a bit confused. In any event I am so pleased that happier and safer days are ahead

Very interesting to hear that you can make a pizza stone in addition to pots. You are amazing. I'm sorry you wasted the time and materials on that one stone.

Right now I have an antique vitrine in my kitchen where I have all my little things. There are just too many. I also keep my three good vases in there. But there's so many little things in there. All cute and most with faces! But it's crammed and I'm unhappy.

Tillie you are so clever. You immediately understand my problems and quandaries.

I have now wrapped up two really cute owl napkin holders. I don't use napkin rings and I only bought them because they were owls. I'm getting rid of the non-sentimental. It'll be easier to just do it and then once it's done, it's done. I have not yet regretted getting rid of anything in the past five or so years. I seem to remember looking for something in the past year or so and finally decided I must've gotten rid of it. And today I can't remember what is was. And when I stopped looking and decided it was long gone, I was fine.

So until I can't take it anymore, I'm doing this. I have a Christmas item I was thinking of getting rid of, then decided to keep, and now I know I can get rid of it. And that's fine with me.
The sugar and creamers are all out of the way and in cabinets. I'll cull the herd some day but not yet. I bet I have five or six. They are all safely away.

At first I feared I'd embarass the cleaning ladies by giving them things but they are hard-working and likely struggling. They are so cheerful and kind. I do not give them anything crummy and I don't really own casual clothes so I give them things for church or parties or weddings. The coat I gave them today doesn't have one stitch out of place and no signs of fraying or wear. If I wouldn't wear it, then I'm not going to give it to them. I'm picky about that. So my sweaters that get pulls and pills are washed and sent to goodwill. Same with my blouses. I wish I still had my tiny clothes but I gave them to a neighbor a few years back. She needed full-time work and so BF gave her PT work at his office and my company gave her the other hours. At my office I wanted her to dress better so I gave her my tiny clothes from a decade ago. They were expensive suits and she would wear the jackets over her other clothes and it elevated her look at the office. I still see her carrying a purse I gave her several years ago.
So good to get rid of things. Such a good feeling.

I have a busy day tmr. And the next few days. On the other hand, I haven't worked since 2 PM on Wednesday. Nice little stretch of time off.
Thank you for helping me labor through this all.

Big rains here tonight. BF and employee took my AC out.

Faces make everything harder.

Tatoulia, you do not gave to get rid of all of the non-sentimental stuff, and you do not have to do it all at once.

But if you aren't using it, and don't Gabe room for it, it is better to keep the space for the things that do matter.

I am sure your cleaners love working for you. I think most people don't shower them with presents every week! I know they are used presents, but as a kid who grew up in hand me downs, trust me, they are appreciated.

Tillie, It snowed all day here, but only really stuck on the grass.

I will need to be careful in the morning because it's going to drop to the teens.

D❤️gs's dad came through and I am heading over in the morning! Very happy and relieved!

I had a hard time getting out into the studio today. Puttered about too long in the house. I don't know why transitions are so hard for me.

But once I got out working I made a horrible pizza stone that I am going to scrap, and a nice one for dd1 and two garlic bakers (one for me and one for dd1) and I finished two bowls.

The first pizza stone came out so badly because I didn't have the right rib, and instead of looking for it, I tried to use a different rib, and I spent far too long trying to salvage the piece. But when I finally looked for the rib, I found it right away and it was clean!

The studio did get kind of bad during the run up to the show, but I left it cleaner than I started today. (The first hour I was out there was mostly cleaning so I could work)

Hi Tatoulia
WAY TO GO! for a great start on the tchotchke decluttering.

Hope a good night's sleep will fix your wrenched body (((hug)))

About the keepers...
Where are you planning on storing and displaying them?

This is something to keep in mind as you sort through them.

Display tchotchkes should be displayed whereas salt cellars, sugar bowls & creamers etc. need to be put away where they are easy to reach and use.

Subclinical and I truly understand just how hard this is for you.
We want you to go slowly sorting them out and to take your time to make your keep/give decisions.
We want you to feel good about every decision you make and to have no regrets.



Was a slow laid back day, did a few things, nothing much to talk about. LOL ;D
Supposed to rain & snow the rest of the week, we'll see ;P
Anyways, laundry is all caught up so not worried about it piling up too bad if it does rain & snow.
But I saw snow clouds building up before the sunset.

Hello everyone! Yay for the nice clean quilt! We had a very cloudy, overcast day yet it never really rained. Mom and I did a Christmas tradition today. I was supposed to get my bloodwork done in advance of my dr's appt next week but luckily I called the hospital and the requisition had not been posted. That saved me a lot of time going to and from the hospital. I would have walked since it is dark here by 4 and driving in congested hospital traffic is too nerve-wracking. Although the walk would have been nice.

I sort of wrenched myself taking mom out in her wheelchair today. This happens every year. Small price to pay to enjoy her company.

Tillie, before even reading your post I had set out four glass items. Two are little glass bears that I used as salt and pepper shakers. I also have a big one, which I will keep. . (They have faces!). And I put out a bird paperweight and a bird salt cellar. I'll find the other two and say goodbye to them as well. So funny I had remembered the bird salt cellars as being snowmen. I think I'll wrap them carefully and put them in zip lock bags and let goodwill decide their fates. If I package them together maybe they have a fighting chance.

I gave my cleaning lady a bag of belts today, a beautiful red winter coat and a bracelet. I then pulled a dress out of my closet that I know would be too large on me but I wasn't ready "just yet" and she instantly put it in and was so excited. I'm glad it turned out that I am ready. She was so happy. I pointed out that the coat wouldn't fit her (or her tiny co-fairy) but she said she would take it to the church if they don't have a friend to wear it. So that's good.

I'm going to just put the glass non-sentimental things into the goodwill. Taking your sage advice, SubC and Tillie. This shouldn't be so hard but it is. I will feel better once it is done!

I know since I dumped that chair I feel better. I'd lost the will to take it to the consignment shop. It was very cute, in remarkable condition and someone at goodwill will find it and be excited.

The little stuff is equally of no moment. None. And if it's not sentimental and just contributing to my clutter, then I have to let it go. If I'm that bothered, then time to go!! Thank you!

BF and an employee are coming over tonight to get my AC in the trash bin. I think I mentioned I called the city for a pick up. The cleaning ladies wanted it but it is no longer working and it leaks.

I think for now I'll stick with big stuff for them like clothes or dishes. This little stuff is so babyish. If I part with any creamer and sugar sets, I will revisit.

I love these ladies. They are so great. So kind.

Oh and I love you too. HELLO CM AND MOTOWN AND ANONY!!!

Good Morning Everybody

Hi Subclinical
YEA!!!! For pie! :D
WTG! for gaining a few more inches of shelf space.
Little by little things are getting to their new homes.
I love my big cedar right outside the dining area window because all the birds love it.
In Winter I put out bread, tortillas and suet and peanut butter treats and enjoy seeing the birds happily playing there, until the Falcon comes for a snack too. ;P

Hi Tatoulia
Yes, gather up all the non-sentimental items first.
Put them ALL into a box then figure out where they will be most appreciated.
You could also offer them to the cleaning fairies.

If you feel sentimental about somethings, put them aside until later and we will discuss what to do after the non-sentimental stuff has been taken care of.

Best to not break up sets even ones that are missing pieces.
If they are to be let go, let it all go together.

To help relieve the anxiety of this experience
Keep looking at what you ARE keeping.
The things that give you the most joy and warm fuzzy feelings.
(((HUG)))

Set things out on a table or counter where you will see them all day.
This will help you make keep/give decisions as to what they really mean to you.
Remember that just because it is "cute" or has a face does not mean you should keep it. ;)

P.S. WTG! for making a lovely storage place for Winter things by the door! :D


Looks like another nice cold day here.
Washed the quilt I keep on the couch, swapped it out for another one, the quilt will dry nicely on the line today.
Really need to cut & file my nails today. The cold dry air makes them break and chip easily.

Well, hopefully the amazon thing will help.

Ran out to get feed and pay my farm sitter. Her mom gave me 11 spice jars. I don't really need11, but I did need some - i'm going to wash them and set them aside for a cabinet organizing day.

Yay for getting things out!

SubC thank you so much. These are all good suggestions. I feel better already. I had no idea re amazon!!!

Plus I think I'm ready to get rid of the non-sentimental. Once those are gone, I can reasses. Probably getting rid of even a few little things will put me on the right track. I will feel better. Thank you so much!!

Cleaners are here. I'm less nerve-wracked with time. They are doing everything including inside of fridge. They are very good to me and for me. They snuck into bedroom while I was preparing for my class tomorrow and that is nice and clean!

So I'm studying for my class. I called the city and they will pick up my old AC tmr AM. one less thing. One less thing.

I also gave the cleaners a very nice coat just back from the dry cleaners and a dress. They are very kind and not insulted. I could easily take to good will but the nice stuff I give them first dibs.

Once they are finished, probably just another half hour, I'll be able to shower and get ready for my excellent adventure with mom.

Ok Tatoulia, breathe.

Definitely start with the non-sentimental.

When I was a kid, my great grandmother was in a nursing home and they always wanted little things for bingo prizes - is there any kind of program like that near you? Also, sometimes schools want donations for kids to shop for their families at Christmas time.

Not every goodwill is the same. If you don't have a charity shop near you that you think would appreciate the donations, there is an "Amazon give back box" program where you can put your donations in a box from amazon and print free shipping for a participating charity. You could check it out and see if there are options you like better.

My plan for today is to focus on the home studio and making some Christmas gifts.

SubC how nice that you've gotten rid of some things! Great work.

I laughed out loud regarding Tillie's new cat. I was thinking the same thing but not so succinctly!

Okay ladies I own too much stuff. Too much little stuff. Too many little things. They are in a cabinet and then squirreled away in other places. I don't know what to do. Goodwill just throws things around. The consignment shop has been a giant bust for me. I'm stuck. Need ideas. Some have sentimental value and some have no sentimental value. I suppose I could start with the non-sentimental things. Tell me what to do. I need to do something with them. Bear in mind I love little things but I can't have this many.

If I have multiples of things (like cute little salt cellars) do I keep one of each and get rid of the others? Some I only have three to the set. Do I get rid of two and keep one? I'm going to need to be told to get rid of these things. I have too many little things.

Thank you. Sorry to suddenly spin into despair. Luckily a little black cat is sleeping next to me. I'll calm down soon

:) Tatoulia.

Tillie, I think he's your cat.

Had a nice time with the girls. Got cleaned up a little and put a few decorations out after they arrived, and there was pie, so the rest didn't matter.

We went to the neighbor's tree farm for dd1's tree and dd2 dug a little cedar out of the yard and made a door wreath from our cedars too, so they went home ready for Christmas decorating. I'll slowly put away fall and do Christmas next weekend. Dh is going to be gone for work most of the week.

The girls took a couple of games from their childhood, called ds and set aside a puzzle for him, and left a few in my discard pile, so I have a little bit more shelf space.

Glad you had such a great day, Tillie!

I have cleaners coming in the AM. I don't clean before they come. Goes against my grain.

Well I did something today that was crafty (hi CM), good for the environment (well hello SubC) and clever/smart/tidy (hey Tillie). I took a packing box (small, about seven square inches) and I lined it with a previously used plastic
bag, then I wrapped it (top open) in pretty wrapping paper and it's now where I'll put my winter hats & gloves when I come in the door. It's in the bottom shelf of my entry way table.

Now please don't get upset?each one of you is crafty, caring about the environment and clever. But I honestly thought of each of you. I'm pretty pleased with myself.

I'm tired. I did mom's groceries today. I used the car and I filled it with gas so that we are all set for our excellent adventure tmr.

Good Afternoon Everybody

Hi Tatoulia
WTG! buying an experience/event on black Friday rather than any item. :D

Maybe the neighbor is into minimalism and made the decoration sparse because they like lots of empty space with a small amount of something?
Or maybe that's all he had to put out and hoped you would add to it?

Please do not be so hard on yourself as you learn cake decorating.
As long as it tastes good enjoy your experiments. (((HUG)))


Hi Subclinical
Fingers still crossed for a good outcome with your HGS X

Yeah, I heard that the Pyrex plastic lids are crap.

YEA! for some new pottery tools.
I know you will get lots of use out of them. :D


Came online this morning and before I could post all the cats, including Jack (you're not my cat) on the back porch demanded all my attention.
Forgot all about posting as I got busy doing all sorts of other things.
Fun things, relaxing things and even dried 2 loads of laundry on the line, folded and put it away.
It's been a lovely laid back easy going day. :D

SubC good to hear from you and thank you for keeping us posted on the school situation. I will cut up cake into individual pieces and take to mom's house!

Nice quiet AM. it's rainy and fairly dark. I love it. We have no lights on and the window is open and tiny cat is next to me. We are just hanging.

I will take care of mom's groceries today. I have tomorrow off to spend with mom. I can tell already that getting up for work on Tuesday is going to be a Bear. Plus I'm teaching on my lunch hour Tuesday and I have a meeting that I co-chair (volunteer work) that evening. And Thursday I'm taking another day off to attend a seminar for one of my other volunteer positions. Then Friday I'm taking half a day to do something with mom and BF. So I'm blasting through the vacation days this week. Not happy. I'm trying to have at least one week to cash in. Let's see how that goes. I used to try to carry over at least five but now my goal is to cash in at least five every year. I've always had time left to do so and I think I'll be good again this year. I think I still have two days for wiggle room to still meet my five day cash-in goal. Our vacation days/sick days/personal time are all lumped into one, which I really appreciate. No need to pretend to be sick. The guilt would kill me.

<<hugs>> for CM.

Yay for cake and friends!

I am mid-pie. House still messy and undecorated.

Cautiously optimistic on ❤️gs d❤️D says to come on Tuesday. If the ex does what he said, all will be fine, but she spent yesterday with her lawyer - hope for the best, expect the worst....

Bought myself half a dozen new pottery tools on small business Saturday, and got ddil a rock camel. (Buy art from living artists...) also ordered some silicone covers for my Pyrex because all the stupid plastic lids keep breaking.

Tatoulia, even ugly cakes taste good! Don't throw away food if someone wants it!

Oh CM what awful news. I'm so sorry. I'm glad you are getting a bit of time to yourself.

I decorated the cake tonight using buttercream. It wasn't stiff enough and I had trouble but I worked on the cake and I'm trying. It will take practice. I was going to just toss it but BF suggested I bring it to mom's and try. I serve to who ever drips by. I'll go wrap it and see how I feel tomorrow.

I've got to put my sheets on the bed. I missed the trash on Friday and someone has really filled our recycling bins. I still managed to fit some recycling in there.

We are cozy here, Tillie. I walked today and visited with BF. I've been cleaning up after myself. Which is good. I'll go put the sheets on the bed now.

The only thing I bought on Black Friday were Holiday Pops tickets for BF and me. They were 30% off on certain nights. I don't remember them doing this before. Generally we just stop by the box office to purchase.

So good to not be buying gifts this year. I haven't put out any of my Christmas things yet although neighbor put a very sparse thing out on the common area table that I have been decorating the past few years. He put out a placemat and a big bowl with three ornaments in it. That's it. So I hung a wreath from the mirror and I added candlesticks and two Christmas trees. It looks better. The two trees are the same size but one is green and the other is gold. I'm not sure if I should take the green one away since the rest of it is white, gold or silver. Maybe I'll find a way to balance some more green in. I hope he doesn't mind that I added to it. It was very sparse.