Yes that was a lot of cat dishes, Tillie. I have gotten rid of a lot of them but still have many. This week I did put one of her bunnykin bowls in the donate pile. I don't need five. We use two at a time and I have four. I should probably think about further reducing to three.

CM I am grateful you are getting your health together. It can be tough making drs appointments and going. It's worth it. I see my dr again in a week or ten days. I'm looking forward to it.

SubC how nice to get time with your son-in-law! Congratulations on getting so much done.

Tillie my house is a mess: I have the vitrine half emptied with stuff strewn about the kitchen. Everything from under the sink is pulled out. I haven't put my rug back in the kitchen and the wastebasket/recycling combo are still in the study area. The hallway table is in my bedroom. I didn't change my sheets today. It's all a giant mess. But oddly I'm not discouraged.

I fell sound asleep after the soup kitchen today. I showered and fell asleep I had a very hard time waking up but then BF needed me to go help his employee and so I had to run out. Then I went to mom's and I'm just back from seeing her. I changed her cat's box while I was there.

I did get my garbage out today so I had one tiny victory.

Now I'm tired and ready for bed. I feel like taking a third shower of the day.

I stopped by mom's tonight, late, because I wanted to bring her some stuff and I want to leave tmr for me to work on my humble home. I don't want any demands on my time.

Nice looking new dishwasher. :D

You sure filled it up fast!
Miss Kitty uses too many different dishes for every meal. ;)

WAY TO GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You really did such a FANTASTIC amount today!!!!!

Have a very nice time tomorrow.
Enjoy the time together. :D

Dh says I can go!

4 FOOT tall bookshelf, not 4". I really should proofread more.

Yes, my favorite part would be spending time with my new son. I don't see him very often and never without Dd!

She is going away for the weekend and he wants to go to a big yard sale event near them that will also have craft booths. Dd suggested that he invite me so we could go together and "help each other make good choices". He is looking for antique/quality woodworking tools that are in usable/refurbishable condition, and a 4" tall deep bookshelf.

I am looking for - an immersible blender, a White belt, (black dress pants but not with dsil), and casters. I think if I buy a 2x4 dh might thump me with it. (Not really, but that might be jumping the gun. Also, there may be one in the lumber pile, or my construction girl might be able to score me a free 2x4 later.)

I spent another hour and 20 minutes. I did not wash the wooden shelf, but I took the first plastic shelf back and cleared off the next two shelves (also plastic) and carried them to the backyard where they are waiting to be washed.

The corner from which all progress will radiate is now empty and has been swept. It needs to be shop vac'd and mopped. About 4 cubic shelf feet of stuff went into the trash or the pile to go to school. That was about 12% of what I moved today.

Hi Subclinical

Spending quality time with Dsil could be good.
You could just look for casters and maybe a length of 2X4.
You could help him make good decisions.
The both of you could have a relaxing pleasant picnic lunch.


WAY TO GO! for all that shelf shuffling and cleaning!!!
Uninviting word spaces really do make us resistant to working.
Good luck making a glazing area that is a welcoming and inspiring place to be.

Yes, waiting to ask Dh after you have cleared and cleaned the space is a good plan.
He will do a better job making you those things. ;)

After a slow and lazy morning, I made another pot of coffee. Then I drank the coffee, went out in the studio, and spent two hours cleaning off a shelf. The shelf was covered with many small pueces of bisque wear that are waiting to be glazed and mist if them got wrapped and boxed. I clearly should spend more time glazing. I can even bring the glazing inside to work in the new space near dh in the evening.

Currently the corner I have set up for glazing is very uninviting, which I think is part of the problem.

Right now the empty shelf (plastic, modular) is in the back yard waiting to be washed. There is also a large wooden shelf which needs to be washed (by hand instead of with a hose, because it is wooden). While those are drying, I need to clean off and move two more shelves. Then I will be able to put the two clean, dry shelves in place and reload them in a neat and organized fashion.

While I was working, I thought of two more changes I would like to make. I want a large worktable and a rack for my drywall boards. Both of them can be built almost entirely with materials already in the shop. I do want them on casters, so I would have to buy the casters. And possibly a 2x4 if there isn't one in the lumber pile long enough to stabilize the long side of the table.

I am going to ask dh if I can have one of those AFTER I finish cleaning off and moving the shelves and set up the long bucket and board shelves we have planned for the side wall. (Because I will want him to do most of the building in the interest of good construction.)

And then I will ask him what I need to do to get the other one.

Dsil just invited me to go yardsaling with him tomorrow. Is it bad that I am considering it?

Good Morning Everybody

Hi CriticalMass
YEA! for getting the medical tests done!
Now we are all waiting for all good results. :)

Wishing roommate a fast recovery.

WAY TO GO! playing like a little kid at the pool!
Want you to have many more days of just floating in the water.

Have FUN sewing outfits for the dolls. You do such a lovely job of it.

Doing bunny pedicures. As long as the bunnies don't fuss too much should be enjoyable.

Hi Subclinical
Thank you.

YEA! for such a delicious cupcake reward!!!

Fantastic that the class was FANTASTIC!
The fancy free sponge sounds like something you can and will get a lot of use out of.

I am so happy for you that your family has been showing you appreciation and giving you support.

Good luck/fingers crossed that the new swimsuits are everything you expect them to be.

Of course when finances are tight the car decides to break down, Murphy's law.
I know you will find lovely creative presents for the upcoming events.

Be strong when those "Justin Case" feelings arise.
We are here for you if you need a sounding board about some decisions.

Enjoy your slower paced coffee day (((HUG)))


Hi Tatoulia
That new dishwasher sure has been needing a lot of your attention and making you do things out of order.
But now it's in, things should settle down and get back to normal.

Hope the soup kitchen is cool.
Have FUN. Even wearing a hair net things like that are fun. ;)


Other day when I was looking at tea on Amazon I saw some "Stash Tea" that I love that the stupid store doesn't carry any longer.
So I ordered a box of 100 and it will arrive today by USPS.
Had laundry drying over night on the line. It's all folded and put away.
My plan for today is to watch for the mail. ;p

Tatoulia, that is nice about the soup kitchen.

I told dh I have a "hoarder hangover" and I am not planning to do anything today but drink coffee, and he said "that's ok. You have been doing a lot of really hard emotional work the last couple of months."

I did order swim suits. One of mine is completely worn out, and the remaining one is close - it is thin in the rear, but not embarrassing (haha) unless you look very closely. I can wear it a few more times since I just swim in a nearly empty lap pool - in, out, nobody hanging around out of the water...

I cannot find a decent swim suit locally. When I look online, several of the local retailers have suits that are actually for swimming, but they do not have them in the stores where you can try them on. I tried ordering the suit I have when it was on sale, and the (National, established) retailer waited two weeks, then sent me a notice cancelling my order as "no longer available" then a few days ago, they were advertising the same suit, on sale at a higher price. Am done ordering from them!

Anyway, I found an online only retailer that looks reputable and has the brand of suit I like. I ordered one similar to my current suit, one in a different design with "chlorine resistance" and one from a cheaper brand in a similar cut that also advertises "chlorine resistant". They say "free exchanges and returns" so cross your fingers for me.

The suits were pretty expensive for me (about what I was paying for practice suits when my kids were on swim team) but I sort of need them.

I'm a little worried about my finances, because I have been spendy this summer, and I have less than 1 month of salary in my checking account. I don't get paid again until sept 27. Although, after sept 10, I can use my cc and won't have to pay it until oct. still, that is 41 days and I will need feed again next week. I have dd2's Birthday, ds's anniversary, and our anniversary before the 10th. I will have to get creative about presents.

(Dh salary covers the regular bills and some extras, but he has a car repair now and we don't know how much it will be yet.)

Mostly though, I need to avoid feeling strapped, because that always triggers the "I should keep/accept/rescue this because I might need it" impulse.

Coffee clinks, SubC! Be kind to yourself. You are doing a lot. As a lifelong insomniac, don't let the lack of sleep undermine your self-worth. Lack of sleep can ruin my confidence, convince me I'm worthless, and other mean stuff. Be kind to yourself and remember, there was a time when it seemed impossible to get to where you are today. You are wonderful and strong and brave.

CM!!! The pool sounds like so much fun!!! Kudos to you for capturing that carefree feeling! You do so much and I'm so impressed!

Tillie, sometimes when I'm antiquing, I'll see a jar of plate of the Wade figurines and they'll have a sign telling kids (and kids only) to feel free to choose one figure. I find that so dear.

I haven't put my house back together yet. Last night after work I ran errands with BF and we didn't get home til well after 10.

Today, a group of us from work are going to a soup kitchen to prepare lunch. The company underwrites the cost of the meal and then gives us a charity day to go prep the meal. Pretty sweet.

So I'm going to change my sheets before I leave. I didn't do on my new day, Wednesday, because of the dishwasher. I also didn't have cleaning ladies this week because if dishwasher.

Okay I'll change my sheets, shower, and leave for the soup kitchen.

I feel wiped out this morning.

Last night I was amped up about all the things I wanted to do today - work on my studio shelves, write lesson plans, practice my new pottery skill, clean stalls, make projects for my class, pick blackberries... I couldn't get to sleep.

And then I finally did get to sleep, and once I stopped moving everything settled on me like an avalanche.

Getting out of bed was a struggle thus morning.

My current plan is to drink coffee.

No sno-cones. Badger had to settle for cupcakes with me.

CM, I am glad to see you here again!

My cupcake was salted caramel with sugar icing and chocolate drizzle. Very yummy. Dd had red velvet cheesecake with cream cheese frosting. Badger had some of each ;)

When we were tossing things in the dumpster, Dd told me I had to get the light stuff into the middle. She said "you have poor dumpster loading skills." I said "i'm Sorry. Most of my experience with dumpsters is UNloading."

She said she was very proud of me because I didn't even look inside.

I didn't have time to stop at the reuse store, but Dd took my things because it is close to her house.

My class was fantastic this morning. They did give me a free fancy throwing sponge - which I accepted gladly.

Tillie, you know I am sorry about Steven and wish things were better, but all I can do is say it again.

I'm at the library for just a bit this evening. Had my medical tests today. Bummed around town on that side. Bought a few items but not much.

SubC, you are kicking some serious clutter butt and I need to be doing the same. The Badger must be doing his job! Be sure and provide a sno cone; any flavor is fine.

August for me is full of bunny and other events on the weekends, and medical/eye appointments on Thursdays (didn't plan it to be 3 consecutive Thursdays in August, it just coincided that way).

Well, this past week was so stressful my roommate was off sick this week through yesterday. But the rest has done her good and she has medicine so she is on the mend.

Yesterday I went to the YMCA, to one of the three that have outdoor water parks. Floated on a clear blowup tube in the wave pool feeling like a carefree 9-year-old! And got some exercise in the process, steering the tube away from the rope and dodging other tubes.

There's another, almost new Y on the opposite side of town (actually more "my" side but I wanted to go to the one I was familiar with). Maybe I'll get a chance in August to go check it out. Or maybe I'll just do my "ordinary" workouts and swimming indoors.

Still getting ideas for scenes for my novels, and I want to get a few Barbie & Ken clothing items made for my cousin's little girl and take them to her along with the clothes for her baby brother who turned 1 - before he grows too much!

And bunny club stuff is gearing up; I'll need to edit/write and layout the newsletter, and get together with those who are bringing food to see what I'd like to bring. This Sunday we are having "Bunny Mani-Pedi Day." Somehow I got to be the toenail trimmer lady for lots of people's bunnies in the club.

My own bunnies are being very sweet - except when they have attitude, but I'd wonder if something was wrong with them if they didn't!

So everybody take care, TTYL!

Good Afternoon Everyone
Just now 12 noon here.

Hi Subclinical
YEA! go Mr. Kitty sharpening your mousie skills on that twine. ;D

True, those figurines could become a problem.
My solution was to keep one of each in the jar and some in the plants then release the other duplicates to other people and places.

You MUST come back here and let us know all about that cupcake.
Seriously.

What a busy day you have today.
Hope it is filled with good fun times.

We here are all so very proud of you (((HUG)))
You have come such a far distance on this journey.

When we get "into" an area, other areas seem to get neglected.
But that's just for a while.
All this straightening, rearranging, cleaning and decluttering is like one of those slide puzzles.
We move the "tiles" around until they finally fall into place and finish the puzzle.


Been busy since I got up this morning.
Tried to get the tree watering all set up but Jack was literally hanging onto my dress and the only way to get him to let me alone was to drop everything and feed him canned food.
Then the two monsters inside insisted they get canned food RIGHT NOW too.

So anyways...
trees are getting watered, I need to eat something.
Steven has finally gone to the dump with all the garbage.
Only thing he has done in over a month now.
Won't even mow the grass any more.
Doesn't shower or brush his teeth any more.
It's just getting so much worse and worse.

Happy August!

I am glad all the kitties have their toys back. Mr. kitty keeps his under the piano. We do not buy him fake mousies because he has real ones outside. His favorite toy right now is a short piece of package twine. He also enjoys murdering cardboard tp tubes. The fuzzy rattle that used to belong to one of my kids is saved for special occasions when it has been raining too much.

I buy different kinds of tea, including Lipton. My other grandmother drank it. "Just plain Lipton." Take the paper off the string, boil the water in a kettle, not the microwave, no milk, but sometimes when she was older "I'll have a little sugar."

There was a time when I would have had to stop buying the tea because I would have been unable to cope with the figurines.

Today is dumpster and cupcake day!

Also I have a teacher class, work in my classroom, swim, and maybe take some things to the reuse store. I will be gone all day, but we are meeting in town for dinner and dh cleaned the new room to company ready last night while I was doing my chores, so as long as I clean up after breakfast, I will get two days of clean room! Also, I am proud of myself for managing so that he can do that in only the time it takes me to do chores and without me worrying about my "stuff". I am not completely reformed though, the scullery is still a dreadful mess, the dining porch is a mess, I have things all over the guest bed again, the other two bedrooms are still doubling as storage areas, I have never cleaned off my dresser, and the basement is getting worse as the studio gets better - but not at the same rate.

Still, it has definitely been a summer of "out".

Tillie, i'm Glad you are staying cooler this summer!

Yep, those are WADE pottery figurines. :D

They always look so nice in with plants.

Once before, Red Rose quit putting them in the tea boxes but then changed their minds and started adding them again.
They think they will sell the figurines and make a lot of money but then too many people quit buying the tea and they lose money by not selling much tea.
Whenever I can't find Red Rose tea I will settle for buying a box of Tetley or Constant Comment but I never buy Lipton cause it tastes all wrong.

Out of curiosity today I checked Amazon to see if I could buy it there should the stupid store out here quit carrying it and they do have it there.
The stupid store here carries things I buy but then they stop carrying it and never have it again.
Very frustrating.

Been wondering if Miss Kitty likes having her Mousies back.

Watered the grass & garden this evening and have the hose on very slow drip for the apricot tree for over night watering.
Tomorrow I will water the other trees and lilac bushes.
Tomorrow is shampoo day so that also makes it sheet & pillow case washing day too.
Need to wash the blanket, it's probably cat grubby from Scooter but dark green so the grubbiness doesn't show.

Thank you Tillie! The lion's share of the work was done by SubC. My kitchen is a mess from what they pulled out from underneath the sink. I am running the dishwasher and it is so quiet.

Kitty is stretched out. Like an angel. I love her so.

Good work finding cat toys!

SubC you handled the changes well! You did a solid amount of work with measurable results and you were able to help two family members with their problems!

Thundershowers brought vastly cooler temps here and I walked all the way home. Wasn't feeling great so I showered and have just been sitting here. Going to wash face and lay down.

Tillie I did register that you weren't having extreme weather this summer. Somewhere in my brain I kept thinking, she doesn't have it as badly as other years. And despite hot temperatures here, I also haven't found it too terrible here this year. That said, we had the hottest July in Boston on record

I'm going to spend a little time with my kitty then head to bed. She is a good girl. A lot like your three cats and the bunny, Tillie.

Hi Tatoulia
LOLOL.....
Yeah, right. The shopping cart misses you ;P

So nice to know you appreciate the WADE figurines in plant pots too.

Hi Subclinical
WAY TO GO!!!!
You did fantastic today!!!
Even with Mom counseling and fetching Dh.
Hope the car trouble is minor.

I just love the fact that your Grandmother put the figurines in her plants too!!!

Maybe there was an ad or something about how to display the figurines???


Didn't want to say anything in case I jinx things,
but the temperatures this Summer have been cooler than the past two decades.
Most days the highs never reached 100 degrees, just high 90s, and the nights have gotten down into the 60s.
If you remember, I suffered with temps 108+ day after day the other Summers.

The evaporative cooler has been working so well that I keep having to turn it off to keep from being too cold in here.

Scooter and Twinkles keep napping on the hot window sills and melt anyways.

Got my long dowel rod out and dug under the stove.
No finger puppet Mousie but I managed to pull out over a dozen other cat toys.
Wasn't easy with Scooter's head looking under there as I was trying to look through his head to see the toys.

You both did so much today.
I am really proud of both of you (((HUGS)))

I like all the little animals! I had to look up which ones were red rose tea. My grandmother had elephants and hippos and also put them in her plants! I wonder if red rose tea ran ads with the animals in plants?

My day got derailed a bit because first dd2 called the mom counseling center, and then dh had car trouble and I had to go get him.

I put in a total of 4.5 hours, and the back of the suv (behind the back seat) is packed full. I have two shelves empty and ready to move, but not the shelves in the space where one will go. Also, I didn't do any clay work.

Tillie the cactus sports a manatee and a lamb from Red Rose Tea. I've also included pics of Uncle Sam and the Easter Bunny. the cactus garden has other little creatures, too. My coworker received the planter many years ago. Some of the cacti have died. The first thing I snuck in there was the manatee. I swap things out sometimes. Today I added a penguin, who is very hard to see. It allows me to get rid of my things in a way that is least harmful to my feelings.

Speaking of which, today Talbots sent me an email saying my shopping cart misses me. Right, and my hoards of stuff love me back.

Hi Tatoulia
Relieved that you will take the subway during this heat.
If you push yourself past the limit, you will suffer terribly.

Wishing you and the new dishwasher many enjoyable years working together.

YEA! for rehoming some little things!
I would love to visit a sandwich glass museum.

Since long before I was born my Grandfather always drank Red Rose tea.
The tea always came with a tiny WADE ceramic animal figurine in the box.
Granpa also had some house plants and he put the figurines in with the plants.
He told me that the animals make the plants happy.

I have always bought Red Rose tea, it's my favorite.
I always put the figurines in with any house plants I have/had.
Unfortunately the tea company has stopped putting the figurines in the tea boxes but I will still keep drinking the tea anyways.
I have a tall jar filled with one of each of the figurines I've collected over the past 30 years.
My cactus is in a large pot and it's full of figurines. ;D

I hadn't realized the end of the month! Yay SubC! I ran the dishwasher, empty, on the express load (45 min) and I showered and came to work. Much like yesterday, I walked to the further T stop and took the subway 2 stops and walked the rest. The heat humidity sun combo is more than I can bear!

I loaded dishwasher before leaving. I'll run the fulll cycle 2-1/4 hrs tonight.

Okay back to work. You are doing great, SubC. and Tillie-I feel a freedom from spending. I am also feeling a big relief re: vitrine decision. I brought five little things into office and just emailed a co-worker to see if she wants my glass elephant. She does. I bought it many years ago at the Sandwich Glass museum.

Two of the little things are going in our Christmas decorations for our tiny Christmas scene we make each year and two of the others are going in my friend's plants. I always put in crazy things like a manatee or other little ceramic thing in her plants.

WAY TO GO!!! Subclinical!!!

WAY TO GO!!! Tatoulia!!!

You both are doing FANTASTIC!

The promise of cake can get me to do almost anything.

YEA! for a new installed dishwasher that works as it should!

OK, that explains that latest photo.
My kitties used to have a mousie finger puppet.
Scooter kept burying it in the litter box and I would scoop it out and wash it.
But I think I must have scooped & tossed it since I haven't seen it in ages.
But, I haven't laid down on the floor and used a long stick to pull toys out from under the stove lately.

You both are doing so GREAT today.
Wonderful way to end the month. :D

I am now up to 3.5 hours. As expected, the rate of dumpster labeling has decreased significantly. But, I have one shelf nearly neat and organized, with everything that is on it labelled, and one shelf that is nearly empty.

There are 8 shelves that will need to be addressed before I can start the reorganization I discussed with dh. (Including the almost finished one). The 7 remaining ones all have to be emptied and moved or donated.

I am only counting time that I am actually in the studio working on the project, which is why I only have 3.5 hours and it is nearly 1:00. Besides the dumpster, I am making piles for donate, recycle, burn, take to school, and move to the basement. I have made a little dish and laundry progress too, and just finished lunch.

I think I will make this a long rest, but no videos! Videos are too dangerous to sidetrack me!

Tatoulia, I am glad your dishwasher is in!

I got over the tipping thing. Only had two $20 and no 10 and couldn't see 40 for the tips. Plus there was a problem getting it to fill with water and I made him stay and do it right and I stayed calm but wanted him to stay til it worked and he did but still, I got over the tipping thing.

WTG SUBC!! WTG DH FOR SUGGESTING A CUP CAKE

It is all going well. They are here. Two men, uniforms, soft spoken. They are very kind and quiet. There were 11 mousies (10 white, 1 brown) under the dishwasher. I used to buy them for my little friend when I first got her. I'll wash them up, see if she'd enjoy one or two, and if so, I'll keep a couple. I used to buy these at the hospital gift shop back when I volunteered. They were little finger puppets.

I started on my stuff relocation. Thanks for understanding that I'll need to keep some and box it up. I'm making a lot of other decisions and I feel strong.

Looked up the vitrine. It's a barber's vitrine. Hope it sells. Just for some pocket change. I can put it in my savings acct, even if it's $5.

I wasn't going to tip these guys since they are employed but I'm changing my mind. They are kind and quiet and not making a fuss. Very gentle souls. I will do this and make my lunches if I have to., so I'm not overspending.

Tatoulia, good luck in your project! We can do this!

I have done two hours!

My dumpster pile is bigger than my keep pile - but of course I started with the easiest decisions.

I told dh how well I am doing, and he said that after Dd and I throw the stuff in the dumpster, I should take her around the corner and buy us both fancy expensive yummy cupcakes at the cupcake place. (He knows I really like them and would never splurge on myself just because I wanted one - I drive past that place every time I go to work and have only had the cupcakes for my birthday or once as a teacher gift.)

So when it gets hard I should just think about cupcakes.

I am taking a break and doing a round of laundry and dishes, plus eating breakfast.

I usually only drink ice tea or lemonade (or soda) at parties and restaurants. Rarely I will make a pitcher of iced tea and then I will drink it, but at home it is usually coffee/milk/water/wine and sometimes a beer or mixed drink if dh is serving. But I have lovely treats like 3 kinds of berries and fresh tomatoes for my healthy snack and water breaks, which I am taking even if I am not stuck - the change the job breaks are just to keep those things moving and keep me moving by shifting gears. so don't think I am suffering Tatoulia.

Tillie, I thought we were settled about Jack. You can tell him he isn't your cat, but he will be your cat anyway. Peter though, maybe he is Jack's rabbit. I am glad he scared Steven. Also, better bunnies than rats!

Back to work for me!

Good Morning You Two!!!

Big ambitious plans for you both today.

Hi Subclinical
You will be making room for all the unbroken not boring projects in your future.
You are stronger than you realize and can make these hard decisions.
Keep that dream image in front of you of your beautiful useable fresh and new space to create your artwork in.
(((HUG)))


Hi Tatoulia
More useable counter space in your tiny kitchen will be fantastic.
You CAN do this!
Put the things in boxes for now.
Get use to the clear counter space.
Little by little the boxed objects will find new homes in your home or in someone else's.


I completely understand both of your anxiety about your projects.
That trunk I recently decided to let go was a very hard one for me.
It was actually my Hope Chest.
I had owned it since 1972. Used it all the time everywhere I have lived.
It held my quilts and photos and all sentimental things.
Now I am so happy I let it go. There is a sense of freedom in no longer carrying the past into the future with me.

Great plan, SubC. I do like your idea of breaks but would like you to add an option: enjoying an iced tea or lemonade. A few minutes of actual downtime while sipping something pleasant and hopeful, like lemonade.

We are here! Right by your side!

I have big news here too, that I think will dovetail with your project, SubC. I had to move my antique medical vitrine in order to get ready for dishwasher. Now, I want the counter space. So I need to empty it, try try TRY to get rid of 1/2 the things in it, then consign the cabinet and consign the things I'm getting rid of. This is huge and something i had never considered. And now I'm pumped. It will stink in so many ways. It will hurt my feelings. And still, I feel relief. So what do I need? A box for the consignment things and a box (for now) of the keepers. Tillie you know I don't pack and stow, but this time I need to. And I'm good with it. I have room for whatever small box I need. And I'm feeling strong and good. YET WEAK AND NERVOUS.

Say hello to your three cats and one bunny for me. (Sorry, my nerves are giving me an edge)

Ok. I am not feeling strong, so I need you with me.

This is going to be hard, but then it is going to be over. I am going to begin at my starting point, with the plaster molds. I have far too many of them and rarely use them. I have a designated space for them. If they are cracked or damaged, they go. If they are large and boring, they go. Yes, the ones with a wide, smooth, outer surface can be used to dry clay. Hardy board can also be used to dry clay. It is slower, but I have hardy board. It takes up less space.

I will put music on.

If I get stuck and find myself staring into space, I will wedge clay or take a short break to do some dishes or laundry.

I will not watch any videos today.

If I complete a shelf, I can take a short break to work on a project that is underway.

Water. Healthy snacks.

Dh will be home in 12 hours.

Unleash the badger!

Good Evening Everybody

Hi Subclinical
WAY TO GO! getting your lists together!

Please take good advantage of the dumpster.
Things you don't need and don't have any use for and are not good enough to donate
are just unnecessary clutter in your life.
Let the things go, free yourself from being the caretaker of the crap.
You will be so much farther along in your quest to have a more peaceful home life. (((HUG)))



Hi Tatoulia
Clinique was my choice too!!!
I would still use their 7th day scrub if I didn't need to travel all the way to Reno to buy it.
Este Lauder Youth Dew was my scent.

Great move! taking away their credit cards!
Hope you keep playing keep away with your cards too.

The dishwasher installers know you have furniture and rugs and they know these things need to be addressed to get the old unit out and the new one in.
Plus dishwashers are rather light, unlike washers/dryers, and not difficult to maneuver.
Whenever I have bought a new couch the delivery men always want to get in and move the old couch out before bringing in the new couch.
They are always very surprised when I tell them I bought the couch because I had no couch, problem solved.

For crying out loud! Get a litter scoop!
LOL ;D


That baby bunny is acting weird.
OK, I saved him from Jack one day.
Next day he's laying out by the front porch, all stretched out with his back legs stretched out behind him.
Didn't move when I was standing there talking to him.
The garage door has/had a cat door cut out at the bottom.
Steven nailed a board over it but only half covering the hole.
Last night baby bunny ran into the garage, scaring Steven.
Steven is afraid of most animals anyways...
I think the bunny got scared, Jack maybe, and is using the garage as his sanctuary.

Jack is NOT my cat.
Peter is not my bunny!!!

Yay for less smelly cat litter!

I got my lists together - tomorrow I mail them out (I like to sleep on stuff before I nail parents). There are still lots of things I haven't finalized pans for, but I have enough to begin with.

I talked to my Dd tonight and she still has a dumpster I can use until Saturday. I will be nearby on Thursday, so my pan for tomorrow is to try to do some significant work in the studio.


guiding questions:
how will I get rid of this eventually?
if the answer is "trash collection" then the next question is "do I really still want to hold on to it given the limited space I have available? Or would it be better to send it to it's destiny now, for free, and have more space to work and fewer items to sort through in my studio?

it is going to be hard, because there are a lot of items that are "still ok" and can be used even if they are not great. But that does not mean I have to use them. And yes, perhaps there is someone, somewhere, who "could" use the item. But if the item can't go to the thrift or reuse store, then the energy I would have to expend getting it to them would be better used elsewhere.

Tillie! I am an Oil of Olay girl! And do you know what! When the makeup counters try to sell me expensive face creams, I say, I'm an Oil of Olay girl and they stop trying to sell to me. I have very pale, unwrinkled skin. I do add a 30 or 50 ( I forget) SPF in the summer when I am not wearing makeup. My makeup also has an SPF in it (Clinique).

SubC I am not creative so it is hard for me to relate to unfinished creations. Note I said creations, as my whole life is an unfinished project. My mother is creative so. I matter what we do, she wants to knit or sew something to go with it. I don't understand it. I do, so I don't do anything more than encourage her, but I don't understand the need to still add more fabrics and more yarns and more stuff like that. Now that she doesn't have a credit card, and she can no longer use a computer, she's not able to buy scads and scores of yarns and fabrics. I took away her credit card and brother's credit card about 10 years ago. I stopped earning a lot of money and the easiest place to cut back was there.

So I worked til 8 tonight and had a very slow, humid walk home. I'm out of the shower. I have to do a lot to get ready for the dishwasher tmr but I'm not sure that now is the time. I'm so tired.

SubC I hear you but I do think learning new things is important, even if you won't use the learning. I think with all the energy you put into teaching, it must be refreshing and restorative to be an "Audience Member."

Tillie I love you lots and hope we are secretly sisters. I am proud and awed and amazed at your resilience.

I for one am loving the scoopable stuff. I need a scoop. The odor is minimal. Amazing.

Good Morning Everybody

Hi Subclinical
There were only a few bats last night.
I think mosquito abatement must have treated the nearby alfalfa fields because I don't have many mosquito bites.

Good luck getting your book and material lists completed and turned in.
Do you just need to commit it to paper or are there things you haven't finalized plans for?

WTG! for buying cherries and dropping off recycling!

Just pick one project to bring to conclusion.
It doesn't have to be perfect, you are just learning these new techniques.
Having finished up one should give you a good feeling and motivate you to make the next one even better. ;)


Hi Tatoulia
WAY TO GO! Miss Kitty!
I switched to clumping litter ages ago.
It works so much better at odor control and even though it costs more to buy, it is actually less expensive than dumping and refilling the box all the time.

Good luck and be strong on this non acquisition challenge.
It is for the best and will help to make you stronger to resist impulse buying.

My sister once sent me a letter saying she loved and missed me.
I thought of all the years where she physically hurt me, blamed me for things she had done and all the hurtful things she said to me and about me.
I tossed that letter into the burn barrel and never responded to it.
My brother tried to contact me and I simply ignored him. He too was extremely abusive to me all my life.
I do not need mean people in my life.

My muther hated me from birth.
She taught her other children to hate me too.
They were all allowed to beat me and steal or destroy anything that I owned.
They could do anything and just blame it on me and happily watch as she would beat me for their misbehavior.
Yes, I am quite damaged.

Keep this in mind if I should give you any advice concerning your sibling relationships. :)



At the store I bought 2 large bags of cherries.
Every day I have been eating a bowlful, so good.
Today I have my last bowlful to eat.
Then I will start on the watermelon I bought.
Scooter loves to eat watermelon with me.

Years ago I used to wear some makeup but only when I wanted to.
Don't even own any makeup any more.
It feels terrible on, so does sunscreen.
But I can tolerate Oil Of Olay's sunscreen lotion for a few hours. Neutrogena's sensitive skin hypoallergenic sunscreen made my face break out.

Ah. Clumping litter. Yes, I much prefer clumping, you don't have to change the whole box as often.

I felt like my teacher is absolutely right. My life is so full of things I have started. I need to either finish them or get rid of them. With the pottery, it is lovely to tell myself that the important thing is that I am learning new skills and ideas in class, but what good are they if all I do is experiment with the techniques and never use them to produce anything? Why am I learning them? It would be cheaper to read a book, and better use of my time to use skills I already have to do things I need to do.

Ps SubC thank you for the advice re brother. He is definitely trying to get back into my life. I'm happy to do his paperwork, meaning keeping his benefits in place, but he's definitely trying to get me to do other stuff too. I am. It happy about that.

On Friday, my sister wrote to say she loves me. Then brother wrote and signed it love. I told BF that I smell a rat. If they ever unionize or otherwise join forces, I'm in trouble.

Love the experiment, Tillie! I need to be reminded to wash my eyeshadow brushes. Instead, I threw them out. I just wanted to get rid of the old. I am not wearing a lot of makeup these days due to the heat. It melts off.

Would love a forensic story sometime!

You are getting a lot done, SubC! I too bought cherries. I'll bring some to work today. How did you feel when the instructor suggested you finish a project? The question helps me look at my life and see the various answers I would've had over the years. t this point in my life, I feel like I'm the one going around and saying, just let me finish something. Of course, I still struggle with finishing things but I do enjoy just finding the time to complete something. Especially at work, where picking something up and putting it back down is a big time waster.

Well I need to shower. I can see that someone used the litter box!

Tillie I feel a sense of freedom knowing that I can only buy the necessities.

SubC I'm trying to change to a clumped litter from the non-clumping. I need to contain the kitty odor better.

Good morning everyone!

Tillie, how were the bats?

Tatoulia, you got a lot done! I'm glad you enjoyed the ballgame, and I hope you won't let your brother's stress creep back into your life. It is nice that you are shredding for him, but stick to your limits!

Why are you changing miss kitty's box and litter?

Ugh about all that stuff on first class travel! I'm glad you got to use and enjoy some of it.

Now is one of those times when I am reminded that I am glad I don't wear make up. Both my dd's do. The younger one likes it and the older one feels like she has to for work. But I have just never had any interest. I hate the feeling of stuff on my face. It took me years to find sunscreen I could tolerate.

CM, I too am displeased with your library. I hope you get your bunny event planned, and that both you and your roommate get feeling more "together".

Today I have to work on planning for my classes. My brain is already planning all the things it wants to do to procrastinate, but I must keep it focused. My books and materials lists are due tomorrow! I did keep to my plan yesterday. I did all the things and the only extra was stopping to buy cherries.

There was a lot of recycling to drop off. It feels good to have it gone.

My pottery teacher told me yesterday to stop starting things and finish some of them.

Good Evening Everybody
Got stuff watered this evening.
Took my shower and am here sitting in my bed enjoying the cooler and fan.


Hi CriticalMass

Your library's new policy is not at all reader friendly charging to get in books especially since they have so few on the shelves now.

Hope you & your roommate get all rested up from all your tiring activities.

If we don't see you before then, wishing you all the best with the medical things. (((hug)))


Hi Subclinical ;)

Hi Tatoulia
You sure were busy today!

Fingers crossed Miss Kitty accepts the new box and new litter.
What kind of new litter?
Scooter was super suspicious when I filled his box with the light weight litter but eventually got in the box.

Please don't over stress the dishwasher adventure.
I know you will fret about everything till it's all installed. (((HUG)))

WTG! for garbage & recycling out and especially for the makeup refresh and purge!!!

I had an acquaintance who was chronically getting a bacterial eye infection.
Her doctor had to keep giving her stronger and stronger antibiotics to combat it as the bacteria grew stronger and resistant to the antibiotics.

When I learned about her condition I immediately knew it was her makeup.
To prove this a doctor (DDS) friend of mine who was also her boss, got petri dishes and growth medium and incubated test samples of her makeup.
I also told her how to decontaminate her entire house and why this had to be done.
She had the habit of constantly touching her face throughout the day too, she had to be conditioned not to do that.

My decontamination plan worked. Her eyes healed and she was allowed to keep her job as a receptionist.

My DDS friend and I were always doing experiments.
We even did some forensic work.

Finished brother's paperwork. Took garbage out and recycling. Changed into new box and new litter. Fingers crossed. Just Use It, kitty.

For my mental health, I needed to get thru the paperwork.

I cleared out my makeup bag today and I threw it out. I got rid of a bunch of samples I never tried. All my new makeup is now in a new (gift) bag. My friend traveled business class and for each trip she got PJs, a leather toiletry bag (no kidding) abs other goodies. I had already put my new makeup in the bag. It I hadn't dealt with the dregs and other stuff in the old bag. Felt good to purge.

A few more kitty cat lovings then off to shower.

Okay I have one garbage bag out and I just got back from running errands with BF. It is humid out and his repair to his car's AC didn't last. Must be a leak. I now have a new box for kitty and I'm going to try a new litter for her. Keeping my fingers crossed.
I'm 1/2 way through shredding brother's mail. I'm glad to be able to go through it. Gives me a chance to see where he is medically and also with respect to his bills. I pay his electric but I never know where I am on it. So now I have a sense of what I need to pay and when. I'll send a check on Friday. His internet comes straight to me via email and I pay that monthly.

My cat's a little puddle right now.

So I will work on the papers, finish that up, and change kitty's box to the new one with the new litter. I will shower and go to bed.

I will have a lot to do to get the house dishwasher ready. I need to move the hallway table and rug and the kitchen rug, etc. but it can be done, with minimal effort. I'm just tired from the heat tonight. I'm also a bit nervous because I'm supposed to go to work on Wednesday but instead I'll have the dishwasher coming. I hope that my "window" allows me to make an appearance at the office. I hope it's not smack in the middle of the day.

Ok I'll finish brother's papers now, then kitty litter then shower. Solid plan.

CM! Not Tillie. Sorry. My mind is too warm today.

I bet that was tiring, Tillie, doing all those bunny runs. I would have had a hard time being around the cats. Wanting each one but knowing I have someone at home.

Tillie that does sound like fun, making the fairy houses. I of course had no idea but there are people around here who do little cute stuff around their trees. There was one person, 20 years ago, who would put out animals and duckies and dinosaurs and they all hung together pretty well, through storms and snow. What I most appreciated was that they weren't on the same scale, so you could easily see a dog much bigger than a dinosaur. I was walking recently and saw that someone else had done that-a lot of ducks so I'll keep my eyes open for it to taje a picture for you. Not exactly a fairy house but still pretty awesome.

Going to run errands with BF soon. I just finished cooking, and eating, dinner. And I'm full.

Sort of a wave in passing...

The bunny deal on Saturday was tiring. I don't know if any adoptions came out of it, but it caught a lot of people's attention. I didn't get time to stroll down to wherever the dogs and cats were.

In fact, hardly got time to do much except help go back and forth to the bunny house on the other side of town bringing back half-dozens of bunnies that had done their "shift" and loading up the next shift.

There is so much I want to do for the bunny club but my brain is all scattered about it. Partly ADHD and partly perfectionism. Sometimes fatigue is helping me let go of some of the latter. For example, if someone else steps up and does a thing, like make a sign or something that I had been going to do, it may not be all slickly designed like my grandiose-thinking brain had envisioned - but it's DONE.

My roommate got a stress-related illness from her crazy week last week and is home recuperating. I napped yesterday afternoon and then stayed up till a ridiculous hour finishing the second book of a two-part story. It was something that intersects with some of the theme of the novel I've been hacking away at.

The themes in question that compelled me to read these are perception and memory. The books are Me & Emma and What Happened To My Sister by Elizabeth Flock. And I had to acquire used copies thanks to that stupid new policy my library has of charging for Interlibrary Loan after having gotten rid of a huge number of physical books in the move to the new facility (and me not totally disliking ebooks, but I can read physical ones more easily being way more used to them so I still prefer them much of the time).

They are about a little girl, Carrie, in North Carolina, and her horribly dysfunctional, violent parents and stepfather. Very grim, and perhaps not for those with triggers regarding child abuse topics, yet there's a hopeful ending to the 2nd book. Just thought I'd share in case anyone is looking for a book to read and might be interested.

Now that I've read them, I need to take them to storage (for now keeping since I may want to refer to them again). Also have other things in van to cart over there. We finally got some rain in the night, so it's going to be muggy as all get-out.

This week I have quilting in the morning and a double Holy Hour tomorrow afternoon. On Thursday I have those medical things, and Friday is payday and bills. Inbetween all that I must get cracking on plans for the big bunny club event August 18th. My brain... I've known about this for months but been so scattered... long story. Hopefully it will come together okay; I just get antsy if I do things so piecemeal.

I'll be back to do read & respond to posts. In the meantime: Iced tea clinks!

Damn Yankees. LOL!

Hello! Yankees won. I'm not competitive so it generally doesn't matter who wins. I tend to root for the underdog, which prompted BF to point out that the Yankees aren't underdogs. I wore my Red Sox shirt, which is pretty funny because I bought it for a game we were supposed to go to earlier in the year and it is tight fitting despite being a large (I'd normally get a medium but this was tiny). So sexist to make the women's sizes so form fitting.

I have no plans for today but I am steadily working through the laundry. On my fourth load. Decided to do the thin comforter at the end of my bed. No one seems to be here so I can use the laundry freely. Plus I do tiny loads. One load had two Jean skirts and a jean dress.

I need to chip away at dishes. I'm not anxious about the new washer installation only because the company uses their own people.

Need to get trash and recycling out. I also need to shred a big pile of papers that's brother dropped off at mom's last week. He needs help with his health insurance and it's a mere fax cover sheet for me.

Good Morning Everybody
"Clink!"

Hi Subclinical
Thanks for the suggestions.
Had to look up fairy houses. Nice that they are made of natural materials like sticks, rocks and seashells.

"that sounds like something I was perfectly happy without and would never get rid of if I took it, so no."
You could rephrase it to make it fit on a bracelet.

It's nice you two have future plans to rearrange the studio together to make it an even nicer space. :)

Your plans for today are great!


My only plan for today is to do some watering this evening at dusk, when my bats come visiting.

Tillie, you could make fairy houses - or maybe one fairy house. I'm not sure if you would want them in your garden or home.

There are free word games online too.

I am very blessed with my family. And lucky to get to see my girls so often. Heart daughter invited me over for Thursday. My boy and his wife live in Wisconsin, which is far away and makes me a little sad because I don't see them much. We talk and email though. I asked him about the yearbooks and he said "that sounds like something I was perfectly happy without and would never get rid of if I took it, so no." I wonder if that would fit on a bracelet?

Tatoulia, i'm Glad you had fun at the game.

Good luck with your new dishwasher!

Dh and I had a conversation yesterday about the studio. We made a plan for some major rearranging. The major rearranging will require more purging, and it will not be done before school starts, but it will make the studio more functional and use materials we already have. I have a step one to start on. - but tomorrow. Today i run the dishwasher, do clay work, attend my class, drop off the recycling, and swim. My challenge is to just do those things (and animal care of course).