Good Morning Everybody/Anybody :)

That brisk breeze yesterday has knocked lots of leaves off of trees and now everything is covered with leaves.
It's pretty chilly this morning, 40s and not expected to get much warmer today.
I'm doing some laundry this morning and it will dry out on the line since there is no humidity.
Need to wash up a few dishes sometime today but other than that, not much else going on around here.
This is a hard anniversary for me so I will probably just take it easy and be kind to myself.

Wishing you all a FABULOUS week! :D

Good Morning Everybody :)

Hi CriticalMass :)
Happy surgery anniversary. I am so glad that you healed so well!
YEA! for needing a smaller pant size.
Did you know that Cory Chalmers, owner of this wonderful web site & message board, was a former fire fighter?
A Captain & paramedic in Orange County.
His first business venture was crime scene clean up but he saw a huge need for hoarding clean ups after going into so many hoarded homes.
WTG! for fixing up your shelves!
Go ahead and put Kilz on them and then paint them to your hearts desire.
Good luck finding a working Tardis and when you do don't forget to come visit us all in person. :D

Hi Subclinical :)
WAY TO GO! to your DH for being "Mr. Safety"!
An ottoman coffee table is very versatile.
Steven did not get rid of anything, just slowly moved most of the stuff to new locations.
He does "Shop & Drops" where he brings stuff home and just drops it or plops it and the volume builds up until nobody can get through the areas.

Hi Tatoulia :)
REMINDER
Go get a new coffee maker today...
Hang in there best you can with your brother's explosive mood swings. (((HUGS)))
Keep reminding yourself not to take anything he says to heart.
Steven was prescribed one very popular mood altering drug and I could see a huge difference, he was actually kind and polite. Other people noticed he was calmer and nicer too.
But he knows better than the Dr. and stopped taking it, said it wasn't working.
You are not crazy because you question if you are the crazy person.
Crazy people never question if they are crazy because they never believe they are.

Was awake & unable to fall back asleep around 4:00am.
Finally got back to sleep about 6am & slept well till 9am.
It is windy today and a little chilly, classic Autumn weather.

Tatoulia, it is great that you are handling your laundry situation so well.

You are very patient with your brother. You are not crazy.

Dh is in charge of fire hazards at our house, the kids call him "mr. safety" so I don't have to worry about them.

Speaking of which, he is home now! He made me a wonderful dinner last night and we both slept really late this morning. My anxiety level is so much better.

Tillie, did Steven actually get rid of stuff or just move it? Either way, i'm glad you have a better path.

Today would be a good day to wash windows here because it is overcast and rainy, but I don't know if I will. I am going to change the sheets.

CM, I hope you keep feeling better. I think the thing to do with the shelf is whatever allows you to use it and enjoy it. That seems like the best way to honor your father's work.

I didn't get much of a start on Christmas shopping yesterday. I bought one present for my dad, and I bought a really pretty cedar tray. Dh moved an ottoman into the new space and we have been using it like a coffee table, but the top is upholstered. This morning we used the tray to have coffee. I told him it was a birthday present (his is two weeks after mine).

Tatoulia, it is great that you are handling your laundry situation so well.

You are very patient with your brother.

Dh is in charge of fire hazards at our house, the kids call him "mr. safety" so I don't have to worry about them.

Speak8ng of which, he is home now! He made me a wonderful dinner last night and we both slept really late this morning. My anxiety level is so much better.

Tillie, did Steven actually get rid of stuff or just move it? Either way, i'm glad you have a better path.

Today would be a good day to wash windows here because it is overcast and rainy, but I don't know if I will. I am going to change the sheets.

CM, I hope you keep feeling better. I think the thing to do with the shelf is whatever allows you to use it and enjoy it. That seems like the best way to honor your father's work.

I didn't get much of a start on Christmas shopping yesterday. I bought one present for my dad, and I bought a really pretty cedar tray. Dh moved an ottoman into the new space and we have been using it like a coffee table, but the top is upholstered. This morning we used the tray to have coffee. I told him it was a birthday present (his is two weeks after mine).

CM!!! So glad to hear from you--I'm sorry you've been in a funk and I hope the good feelings from working outside and making your shelf less wobbly continue! One year since your surgery--and some weight loss--good to have that behind you! Thank you for the encouragement on my weight loss. I'm a third of the way there and feel terrific. A big confidence booster to fit into smaller sizes!

Tillie I'm so pleased that Steven buckled down and worked on his hoard yesterday! Thank you for understanding the dr thing. It is a terrible balance trying to help and yet saying, not my problem. I just try to endure when the screaming starts. I try to remind myself how terrible he is feeling. It takes its toll, to be sure, esp coming off the trip to VT where my sister behaved so poorly and so terribly (not sure how much I said about that, since I'm trying to focus on the fact that mom was still happy to be back "home,"). They make me wonder if I'm the crazy one. Isn't that terrible?

Going to make coffee in my sad broken coffee maker and hoping I remember to buy a new one today!!

Finally I will attempt to catch up. I'd gotten into a bit of a funk. The tag end of this sinus thing plus "jet lag" from staying up too late and being unable to wake up before 10:00 or so - especially the mornings it was cloudy and raining. Yesterday and today I struggled to have any motivation at all.

Today, not knowing what to do but figuring I'd better do something, I went to the hardware store for wood screws and worked on a small set of bookshelves my dad made for me when I was really young. They'd gotten loose and wobbly in my various moves. I worked on them outdoors - it was sunny in the 70s, beautiful; figured that'd help my depression. I think it did.

Had to stop midway through when I got blisters on my hand, but I'll finish it soon. I may paint it white, because it'd work with my minimalism goal, and it could use a coat of Kilz because it had some light mildew. My sentimental side says don't alter it from how Dad made it, but then I think if he were alive and I said I'd like it painted white, he'd probably paint it for me!

Today is the 1-year anniversary of that big surgery I had last year. So that was a happy thing - that it's done and over with and has had good results. The weight loss has put me down a size in jeans and I need to get to the thrift store and find some. Tatoulia, congrats on your "downsizing"!

Tillie, so cool you found a Dalek for 50 cents! My roommate and I are planning to go to the Doctor Who convention here this month. Sylvester McCoy, Katy Manning, and others are guests. Last year we had Peter Davison - I was just out of the hospital gimping around but it cheered me up so much to go!

Holiday decorations - I loved them for so many years. I have kept a few for when I get my own place, but been very selective. Gave some more away when moving the storage unit, to my mechanic who enjoys decorating his entire yard and house.

SubC, happy birthday! Wish I could give you the gift of an ideal trash can. ;) My new preference is the stainless steel with the step-on thing to open the lid. My former roommate gave me a kitchen-sized one that was like new. It resides in my storage for my use there for now. I recently bought a small stainless one for my bedroom. I like their streamlined look. I'm sure you'll find something to your taste one of these days. You'll know it when you see it.

Tess, great job you've been doing - glad you didn't have the pressure situation after all but you still get the pleasure of accomplishment! Yay!

Tillie, glad Steven moved that stuff and cleaned the fan, and hope he'll deal with the cooler. Any progress is progress. Interesting you bring up about fire hazard issues. I was looking up some reference from that Year Of No Clutter book and got to looking at professional firefighters' websites. There was an article discussing fighting fires in hoarder homes. I so respect our first responders and I would feel horrible if one died after saving me and then getting stuck in my stuff. So that is motivating for me to keep pressing on in my goal to have a liveable space.

I'm coasting just a bit as I wait for more energy and focus to come back. They will. October calendar is filling up more and faster that I would like - bunny club activities, church events, and friends wanting to get together. All good stuff, but so much at once! I need a Tardis so I can do it all and still have some time to decompress and relax and work on my projects. Wonder if I could find a used Tardis on Craigslist. Haha!

Hi Tatoulia :)
WAY TO GO! For a clean kitchen and fresh clean sheets!
So very sorry your brother was so difficult.
Please remember to put your wellbeing first.
You can't help anyone else when your own needs are not being met. (((HUGS)))
Good that you didn't mention that his Dr. called you.
Steven gets very "defensive" whenever I question him about his decisions not to take certain meds or make certain appointments.
It's like they are taking control of their own lives and know better than any medical professionals.
YEA! for searching your home for any lurking fire hazards! :D
Hope the AC makes your bedroom more tolerable.

Well, got the outside of the windows & screens washed but my back hurt too much to do the inside today.
So, my plan is to wash the insides tomorrow.
Will do laundry tomorrow too.
I did shower and wash my hair this afternoon.
I always wash the inside windows about every two weeks or so because the cats always get kitty boogers on them.
In the shower I noticed the tub was draining slow, again. So I cleaned it out real good and then used baking soda & vinegar down it.
Drains great now. :D
Steven did clean the ceiling fan but the cooler still has not been taken care of.
I didn't say anything about the cooler because he was moving a very long standing massive blockage of hoard and clearing more of a foot path from the back porch to the back yard. YEA!

Hi Tillie!

Doing laundry tonight while BF works. Very harrowing with brother today. Very difficult all the yelling and screaming and insults and we were stuck in traffic. Horrible. His mental illness has certainly changed over the years and right now it's new and different and difficult but in an easier way. He's not depressed and crying but he has delusions that are very, very odd. He has stopped going to his weekly psych appt and has stopped all psych meds. I just endure. His dr even called me this week, which I believe is the first time he's ever called me. I did not tell brother that he called me. I don't need that batch of violence/screaming, etc.

I have clean sheets and will shower soon and climb into bed and read.

I've done dishes and cleaned up stove top and one of the counters. I forgot to get a new coffee maker today. Maybe tomorrow with mom.

Very humid here. I may treat myself to AC tonight because I see no reason to suffer.

Goodnight everyone. I hear you on the fire hazard Tillie and am thinking about it/looking around!

Good Morning Everybody :)

Hi Tess :)
WAY TO GO!!!
That's how it gets done!
One small short amount of effort here & there daily really does add up over time.
Your plan to sort one bin at a time, when you have the time will pay off quickly too. :D

Hi Subclinical :)
Just keep brain storming and I know you will find exactly what you want for your trash can. (((HUGS)))
P.S. HAPPY BIRTHDAY! :D

Hi Anonymoniker :)
Where are you?
What have you been up to??

Hi CriticalMass :)
How have you been doing?

Hi Joan :)

Hi Tatoulia :)
I also have been surprised that you have been O.K. without your washer being fixed.
You have been so lucky to have that "emergency back up" washer to use.
Wishing you a good day out with your brother. (((HUGS)))

Well, today I am going to wash the windows & screens one last time today.
Soon it will be too cold & snowy to bother until next Spring.
Put out my Halloween decorations yesterday.
Last October I was too depressed to decorate or even get a pumpkin.
Happy that this year I am happier. ;D
My Ash trees are a glorious gold foliage today.
The Chrysanthemums are loaded with flower buds almost ready to burst open.
The Honeysuckle has one last little bloom on it.
I told Steven he needs to clean out the bathroom ceiling fan today.
He is the only one who ever uses it (I just open the window) and the fan/motor is full of thick dust.
This maintenance is to help prevent house fires.
Hint, Hint... is there something in your homes that needs to be maintained to help prevent house fires???

Happy Birthday, SubC! Sounds like you had a great day with your daughter!!!

Hellooo Tess! Great work! So proud of you and I bet you feel really good about yourself! Great accomplishments!

Am taking brother out today. Am running a quick load of delicate items which I can hang dry. I don't mean to keep bringing this up but I'm amazed that I'm not all cuckoo over my washer still bring broken. The guy hasn't come back and infection I get s littke money together, I'll hire someone else.

Have a great day, everyone. Coffee clinks, Tillie!

Hit Tess, that sounds like an amazing job on your home!

I empathize with the Bins. When I started dehoarding, I had a huge number of "random boxes" - boxes in which I had simply swept up everthing on some surface and then hidden. I can't remember, but well over 100. I was constantly churning them looking for important things. The last box became my "in box" I still toss random stuff into it, but it is not allowed to get full.

I can't order a trash can. My problem is that I don't want a trash can. And if I must have a trash can, it must be made from a material that can be burned, recycled, or composted when I am done with it. It must also be washable and hold one plastic grocery bag. I was in the container store because I found one online that was available there - from the description it was stainless steel and made to hold a plastic grocery bag. In person, it was a thin stainless steel shell over plastic with a removable plastic liner and a heavy plastic lid partly clad in stainless steel that held the bag in place.

Maybe I will keep an eye out at the thrift store for a tall pot with handles and a lid. I don't know if dh will be ok with that. Maybe I will just keep using the clothes pin bucket, but it is probably too small.

Tatoulia, enjoy the museum!

I am going to the renfest with Dd and her best friend and bestfriend's Baby today. I love renfest and I love babies! I am hopefully going to start my Christmas shopping.

Tillie, i'm Glad about Scooter but sorry about the shopping.

Dd and I went shopping at goodwill yesterday evening. I get half off for my birthday. She got a new skirt and a thanksgiving decoration that is just like one I have put out every year since she was a baby. I got the jeans I need and a cookie mold (I collect them and am planning to work a changing display into the new kitchen when we have the space more finished) and a bunch of items for molds and textures in my studio and classroom. Total was about $20, but at least 5 of that will come back from my classroom budget, and I have one, maybe two weeks of new lesson plans out of it.

Hello friends! TGIF!

Subclinical, have you checked out Amazon for a garbage can? I bought mine on Amazon for really cheap. I've been using it for 2 years now without issue.

Well, today I kept on cleaning. I've been doing at least 10 minutes of cleaning in the morning and working on decluttering one area/box/shelf/bag/drawer in the evening. This is a plan I know I can stick with even when I'm not feeling well or just feeling down. I worked from home, so I did a little extra. Today I emptied the garbage can and picked up the few dishes I left laying around yesterday. I also cleared and cleaned the kitchen counter. My cat vomited on my reading chair, so I cleaned that up too. Lastly, I gave the bathtub another scrub. I think it's as clean as I can get it. I also started scrubbing the tile with a little brush. That is hard work! As for decluttering, I have storage bins that are a mix of a little of everything. Tonight I'm working on sorting through one of the bins and putting everything where it belongs even if it's in the trash. I even went to yoga today and ran a few errands. I'm going to call today a win!

Great work on making the enchiladas, Tillie! Sounds so nice, on a bed of lettuce!

Glad Scooter's eyes are better! Same thing with Miss Kitty--hell to pay to get her in the carrier and at the vet's office she can't wait to climb back in. We even have to put it out of her sight just to get her examined! And yet at home, if I have it out, she'll sleep in it.

Good day at work and I'm glad to be home. Long weekend! Nothing big planned. I'll do the usual family stuff and then BF and I will probably go to the museum. We are members so we tend to go frequently.

I'll write more later. Want to make dinner now!

Hello everybody :)

Hi Tatoulia :)
Hoping you had a good day at work and have something fun planned for the weekend.

Well, made my enchiladas.
I eat them on a bed of tossed salad greens so it's a complete meal.
Got the kitchen all cleaned up.
Scooter went to the Veterinarian for a follow up check up on his eyes.
He REALLY hates being put into the cat carrier at home but can't wait to get back into it when he's at the Vet's.
His check up went well, his eyes are greatly improved.
Steven left home early this morning and spent the entire day going to yard sales and thrift shops.
>:P
Since I woke up so early I expected to be tired by afternoon but I'm not. YEA! :D

Good morning! I'm super late for work but such is life. I ended up having to help mom last night and didn't get home til nearly 11.

Hope today goes well, Tillie. SubC, I hope you can find time to make your blood work appt. at my dr we don't need an appt, you just show up and they put you in the queue.

I'll write more later. Need to dry hair and get going!

Good Morning Everybody :)
Tea toast "CINK!"

Hi Subclinical :)
My kitchen trash can is a small 27lb yellow plastic Tidy Cats litter bucket.
Bought it years ago when the store had it reduced to 2.00, used the litter and am still using the plastic bucket.
I line it with a plastic grocery store bag and put paper junk mail in the bottom of the bag in case of any wet trash.
It really irks me to spend any money on my garbage.
Those buckets are not recyclable but they are very sturdy and durable "forever" type things.
Please, next time you get another order for blood work you actually have it done.
It's a great way to find and fix problems while they are still small. (((HUGS)))

Been awake since before 4:00am due to that big beautiful stupid moon.
Tried to get back to sleep for an hour but finally gave up.
Steven took today off, another use it or lose it day off work.
The evaporative cooler has the side off it and half the water drained since last week.
Wondering if he will finish this task this weekend???
I have 5 Halloween decorations, they are the only seasonal decorations I own.
Have the bin with them in the house and will decorate sometime today.
Still need to get a pumpkin.
Would like to go to the pumpkin patch and walk through the corn maze and buy some local honey too. ;D

I was really tired last night and my post got lost, so I just put that last part back up.

I know what a dalek is. i'm gladyou found it Tillie. :)

And i'm Proud of both of you for making your appointments. I still have a paper for routine blood work from spring.

I totally failed to buy a trash can yesterday. I spent an hour in a store. Dh called while I was there and when I answered my phone he asked "are you driving?" (He always does that, and he hangs up if I say yes). I said "no, I'm in the container store completely failing to buy a trash can." He said "forget it. Go home." So I did.

The whole experience made me feel a little bit sick. Also, all I can ever think of when I look at trash cans is the George Carlin routine about putting the can in the bag, taking it home, and putting the bag in the can.

My mom recently gave me the cloth bag that my grandmother kept the clothes pins in. I dumped my clothes pins into it and put the little plastic bucket under the kitchen sink with a bag in it. Dh will have to be happy with that for now.

Tillie, you are right about it making my life harder, but you are also right about the "compulsion" part. I have gotten better about not looking, and I wish I hadn't seen the drawers (I actually swore out loud when I did) but I can take them to goodwill if I don't use them, and this has been a very hard week. My anxiety level had just gotten manageable after dh leaving, and I simply couldn't drive by.

Heart- daughter and grandson got me a t-shirt for my birthday. He picked it out. I don't really need a new shirt, but I love it. It says "Librarian party - make America read again"

I'm going to wear it to work tomorrow.

YEA!!!! Tatoulia! :DWAY TO GO!
You are scheduled the same day as I am for my eye exam.

Went to town
got water
Looked around in the thrift shop for something that I liked/wanted/needed and didn't see anything to buy,
Until... I spotted a tiny blue Dalek sitting on a shelf!
It's a Dr. Who thing.
Paid 50 cents for it and was prepared to pay even more if I had to. LOL
Happy Dance! :D
Then went to the grocery store and bought some of the items on my list.
Got what I needed to make cheese enchiladas, really been craving them and will make them tomorrow. YUM!

Mammogram set for Saturday the 14th. Thanks Tillie! I have to find the paper re ultrasound so I know where to call.

At work--walking home. Might stop at grocery store.

Good Morning Everybody :)

Hi Subclinical :)
Your compulsion to rescue things really makes your already busy life so much more difficult.
Most of this hoard here is also from dumpsters.
Wish there was an easier solution to this other than just saying "just don't look". (((HUGS)))
WAY TO GO! with keeping up with the household trash and feed bags!

Hi Tatoulia :)
Do it! Just call and schedule an appointment.
WTG! for breaking your compulsion to stock pile items or buy things just to buy things and keeping things around for Justin Case. (((HUGS)))

Going into town today.
Don't really have to go but just want to get out for a while.
Think it will be good for me.
Still chilly, highs in the 60s but it's supposed to get a little warmer after today, more back to normal Autumn weather here.

It is raining, so I took the towers apart and tossed the pieces out in my yard (yard not visible from street or neighbors) they will be rinsed when I get home.

I also sorted through my "inbox" and recycled some papers. I am contemplating getting a smaller inbox.

Now I need to shower and go to work.

I feel your pain, SubC. And I'm standing right by your side. We will do this. It is mentally and physically exhausting but we can do this.

I've decided to head in to office so I need to get ready. I'll get a nice walk home tonight.

Good morning.

Tatoulia, I don't know if I will use the drawers. I have plenty of stuff I could put in them, I just don't know where I can actually put them. When I cancelled the trash service I swore off buying plastic furniture and containers because eventually they break, and then they are too big to throw in my classroom wastebasket and they don't recycle. But things that are about to go in the landfill, I have a hard time resisting.

If I don't use them, I can take them to goodwill, but they need to be washed (actually, I have seen stuff almost as dirty at goodwill, so they probably just need to be rinsed with a hose, but if I keep them, they need to be washed). And I already have a very long list that does not include washing drawers. Also, they are currently sitting in the spot where dh parks his car, so they have to be dealt with by tomorrow night.

I keep trying to put my time in places that make the house better and don't spend money or even earn money, and most days I do ok, but it is hard. And I am tired a lot of the time - I have more classes this year than ever, and while I love teaching and I love my kids, several of them are really challenging and it is exhausting. This is the first year I am finding myself wanting to sit during independent work times instead of walking around the room. Maybe it is age, but I dislike that explanation. My oldest daughter was born when my grandmother was 80 and I remember Gram crawling on the floor playing peek-a-boo under the coffee table with her, so I think it's the sitting that ages you, not the other way around.

Anyway, one day at a time and I will try to do better today. I have to go to a store and buy a new trash can for the new kitchen though. I promised dh I would do that before he came home.

Hello!

Tillie I'm glad you made the eye dr appt! I have to get my mammogram and ultrasound. I should just call up and make the appointments.

SubC Are you able to use the towers you found? I know it's hard for you to resist things and I admire your dedication to the planet. Just be sure to take care of yourself, too, and that could include not taking something. I'm not judging. My first apartment was, with the exception of my mattresses, completely furnished with stuff I took off the street. I just don't want you to be taking stuff that then becomes a detriment to a peaceful home life.

I have broken my urge to buy multiples of stuff and to buy too many things because they are on sale. For the past couple of years I've had a pretty good handle on that. Sometimes I still have to stop and return some items to the shelves but it is largely automatic for me. I've also stopped buying stuff to come up with a use or someone to give it to. Now I just leave it in the store. I really had to learn to stop buying things just to buy them.

Well I'm thinking of going in to office tomorrow. I'm finding that too many days at home isn't good for me.

Hello!

Tillie I'm glad you made the eye dr appt! I have to get my mammogram and ultrasound. I should just call up and make the appointments.

SubC Are you able to use the towers you found? I know it's hard for you to resist things and I admire your dedication to the planet. Just be sure to take care of yourself, too, and that could include not taking something. I'm not judging. My first apartment was, with the exception of my mattresses, completely furnished with stuff I took off the street. I just don't want you to be taking stuff that then becomes a detriment to a peaceful home life.

I have broken my urge to buy multiples of stuff and to buy too many things because they are on sale. For the past couple of years I've had a pretty good handle on that. Sometimes I still have to stop and return some items to the shelves but it is largely automatic for me. I've also stopped buying stuff to come up with a use or someone to give it to. Now I just leave it in the store. I really had to learn to stop buying things just to buy them.

Well I'm thinking of going in to office tomorrow. I'm finding that too many days at home isn't good for me.

Hi all!

Tatoulia, you sound like you are getting into the swing of things again.

Tess, I'm sorry you were so stressed out, but what a lot you got done! And you didn't have to have plumbers.

I have lost a little weight with dh gone - I snack less and eat fewer carbs. For example - when he is home, I will cook pasta and top it with sautéed vegetables, but when he is gone I just eat the vegetables raw.

I am still not managing well though. Today I rescued two plastic drawer towers from curbside trash pick up. One of them is missing a couple of drawers and they need to be washed. And I haven't addressed the candles.

I am keeping up with the trash and still slowly getting rid of feed bags. I planned a lesson for one of my classes on Friday that will use some of my hoarded art supplies. I found paper in the basement and started lining my new drawers - by which I mean I did one out of three. I recycled an old phone book. Nothing big.

Dh has been pretty good about calling me and sending me notes on the computer so I don't start to panic too much, but it is not as much help with the focus as when he is here.

Hello :)

Hi Tess :)
WAY TO GO!!! That was a LOT! :D
At the grocery stores where they have the carpet shampooers to rent they also have the rug shampoo and carpet stain removers.
I'm happy that you don't have maintenance this time but keep going like you are and there should not be any more stress when it's your turn. :D

Hi Subclinical :)
WAY TO GO! for resisting stock piling crackers and mostly sticking to your list! :D

Hi Tatoulia :)
WTG! FANTASTIC! on the weight loss!
Wonderful that you can "Shop At Home" and now wear those other skirts.
Go get that new button down blouse and make sure to donate a too big one.
That's the "One In- One Out" rule that I always follow to keep things in balance.

Hi CM :)
Hi Joan :)
Hi Porter :)

Laundry is all done & put away.
Almost finished with the watering outside.
Dishes refuse to wash themselves, darn them. >:(
Well, I did it...
Actually called and scheduled an appointment for an eye exam.
It will be October 14th so I have plenty of time to gather my nerves. ;P

Great work, Tess! I can't believe how much you got out today! I'm sorry you had all that stress for nothing but as you said, it forced you to make some changes st home.

Honestly re carpeting, I used to use resolve & my vacuum but nothing compares to my Bissell carpet cleaner. It was expensive/maybe 250 but I love it. You can generally rent machines at grocery stores. I'm glad I bought mine. Really does a good job. Thecwayer coming out us black. Disgusting!

I fast two days a week--a way of eating that is big in the U.K. I'm over 15 down at this point., so I'm about a third of the way there, I think. It's great to be down a size!

I do hope everyone is doing ok. I had some stress recently which kept me off-kilter so I'm not exactly up-to-date but I'm thinking of everyone!

Hey everybody!

Remember all the stress and panic I put myself through last week? Turns out the maintenance isn't even in my apartment. Oh well. At least it's clean now, right? I still have work to do, but I'm no longer paralyzed by fear or completely buried. Therefore, I have no regrets. Onward and upward!

Today is garbage day. I was able to take out 8 bags and a chair. It felt good. I also swept my kitchen and living room floors and went grocery shopping during my lunch break. After work, I'm going to finish putting groceries away and kick back with a movie. I so need a break. Question: does anyone know of a really good carpet stain lifter? My carpet is a disaster.

Tatoulia!!!! Congrats on the weight loss. That's awesome!

Subclinical - good for you for not going back for a basket. That's hard for me to do. I either end up at the register looking comical or I just go back. Lol!

CM- how's the bunny?

Hello! I shampooed my bedroom rug today. Should be dry in a few hours. I put ceiling fan in to help it along. Kitty throws up a lot so I do get good use out of my bissel rug cleaner!

I feeling very warm after that! Hoping it'll be dry in a few hours. Some spots may still be wet. I wanted to do this AM then was going to forget it because I let the day get away from me. Ultimately I'm glad I did it and didn't look for an excuse.

Hi Tillie!

In going through my closet I have reclaimed three skirts that I haven't been able to wear due to weight gain! I'm so excited! So I have a few things I can wear this fall in addition to my skirts that are too big--I can keep wearing the too big ones for a few more weeks before either taking them in or donating. I need a few more blouses as the old ones (not actually old, as I bought them recently) are finally too big and not doing me any favors. I may go in to office tomorrow just so I can do a little shopping in my way home. Just one new button down blouse would make me feel so good--and in a smaller size!

I may keep my too big ones for a short while;, I can wear them not tucked in over jeans for the weekend. Even though I hate jeans, I do have to wear them sometimes.

So, what are you doing today? I'm up and happy and will work hard to hero this feeling!

Good Morning Everybody :)

Still chilly here but no clouds today.
Nice to see what all you are up to.
WTG! for keeping on keeping on.
I'm doing some laundry right now and soon will go water some stuff in the yard.
Even though it's Autumn some stuff still needs to be watered before it goes completely to sleep.
I should wash some dishes sometime today too.

Good morning everyone!

My coffee maker has started to leak. I'll get a new one on Saturday. I'm home today and will work on papers. They drive me nuts. Have a bunch of my mail and a bag of brother's mail.

Hoping everyone has a good day! Am taking mom for a haircut after work tonight. It's a beautiful fall day here although it might be a bit warmer than I'd like. At least I'll get out of house, with mom's haircut. Some of these days at home I never leave here.

I went to the grocery store yesterday for a few things (dish soap, raisins, cocoa powder) so I did not get a basket. They had a big stack of some fancy crackers I like for half price. I picked up two boxes because that was all the more I could carry, but I didn't go back for a basket. I reminded my inner squirrel that crackers are a treat, not a food group.

I am doing a little better on time management. I managed to watch one video when I had my dinner last night and then stop. I did it by sitting near the window where I could see the goats and starting it so that it would end near their dinner time.

I stopped at goodwill on the way home yesterday too and bought one little dish for a press mold. I need new jeans soon, so I will be stopping there more.

Good Afternoon Everybody :)

Tossed and turned all last night but fell sound asleep from 6am until 11am.
YEA!
Cool, cloudy overcast day here today but should be nicer tomorrow.
Desperately need to grocery shop soon but really do not want to be around people right now.
Got all my "have-To" tasks done, mostly all cat related.
Now I'm watching movies on Netflix and eating lunch. :D

And hi Joan!

I started my post and wandered off and you posted before I came back and finished.

I'm not sure what to do with your quote in light of my obvious inability to manage my own life, except try to do better.

CM, I hope your bunny keeps improving. You are a good bunny mom.

It sounds like you have a good plan for your bedroom too. Just keep chipping at it and you will get there.

I have been doing badly on my plan for "all my free time" while dh is gone. I pretty much made bad choices two afternoon/evenings in a row.

I did sleep better last night, so that is something. And I have been doing some laundry and putting clean sheets on the extra beds. I had stripped them after the wedding and not remade them, and I like to have them made up in case any of the kids or friends want to crash here. (We live way out, so evening visits sometimes become overnights, and it's good to be able to say " it's no trouble, the beds are already made up.") also dd2 is coming home to sleep in hers this weekend.

My operating system updated automatically while I was sleeping, and I now have a keyboard that I hate. Due to my typing style it results in random numbers and symbols being inserted into my words. I'm trying to catch them, but i'm Sorry, some may slip through.

Anyway, back to my terrible time management - I have managed to put things off until I no longer have any slack in my schedule, so I will probably do better today, but not finish a lot of the optional stuff. I also came up with this great idea for rearranging the furniture that I am trying to resist. Meanwhile, I have to leave for work around 10. And I have to take a shower this morning.

I will try to come back tonight and report on any progress.

CM, you put your finger on it. In 1995 I saw my first reader, who gave me a traditiona Americanl Indian reading. He had inheirited the gift of being a seer. I think often of how he told me, "Everybody's just been passing the buck. The buck stops with you."

There are those on this board who pay the price every day for not passing the buck.

May God bless Nevada and bring healing and consolation to the victims of the horrific violence. <3 <3 <3 What an example of the harm not being able to reach out for help can do.

I'm proud of us, not in a braggy way, but a gratitude-filled way, that we are taking our biggest challenges, those things that we've been shamefully judged for, and the difficult life events that took us down strange and tormenting paths - and saying the buck stops here. We WILL dig out. No uncaring family, abusive people, poverty, none of that will stop us. Not because those things don't hurt, but because we make a CHOICE not to let them continue to control our lives and rob us of our peace of mind and make us bitter, stunted people.

My life's been in catching up mode still, after the busy September and the illness at the end of it. My roommate has the same sickness only worse, so I've been helping her with things like going along on dog walks so she doesn't have to try and control 60+ pounds of young, hyper dog. I've not minded the exercise myself; it helps keep my weight off.

The needs of the pets have been a continuing concern and I've done more with that today. Gave granddaughter bunny a bathing because she had peepeed on herself and with the bad leg can't clean up like healthy rabbits can. One must be careful not to stress a rabbit with a bath - so I only washed the back end, using plain slightly warm water with a wee bit of mild doggie shampoo. Bunny was actually pretty calm so I'm hoping that meant it felt good to her. I dabbed the wet fur with washcloths and put Bag Balm where her skin was irritated and cornstarch to soak up moisture. There's something about knowing you've helped an innocent creature feel better.

As for decluttering, I can see it's going to take a number of sessions of straightening in my bedroom, as well as setting time for certain specific projects (hopefully most of these being things that do have a beginnning, middle, and definite end and don't drag out forever - and that result in disposal of x amount of paper or other stuff at the finish). And I need to go work in the new storage unit, but my bedroom really has reached "CriticalMass" LOL so I need to tackle that now.

Tatoulia
Thank you for using your grief and sadness to do things that will make your home life nicer for you.
(((HUGS)))

I need to use my despair and dismay and sadness for good. I don't want anyone to have to deal with my dirty house if I'm gone in a blink of an eye.

I cleaned toilet and vanity today. Found my way to the laundry--all done and put away. Took out recycling and now taking out garbage.

I need to be awake for my life.

~♡~♡~♡~Love to all!~♡~♡~♡~

~♡~♡~♡~Love to all!~♡~♡~♡~

I am sickened and saddened and distressed. Praying for Nevada.

Please say a prayer for Nevada

I am behind in posts so please forgive me.

Tess I see you made it through the weekend! I'm surprised the maintenance person didn't show but I'm glad to see you took advantage by doing more cleaning, napping, and seeing friends! Good work!

I'm home today. Someone is using laundry so I'll wait til later and/or til Wednesday. Need to get garbage out today and recycling. I don't want to jinx myself but I am coping well with laundry situation. Hope I can keep up the correct attitude.

BF will call his body shop guy and take my car for me. I'm glad about that. I can't jet this go. I need it fixed asap as if really looks terrible.

Have a good day everybody! Keep up the good work!

Hi Tess, your post wasn't up yet. Glad you had a good weekend! It sounds like you are making great progress on your kitchen!