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).

89 degrees at 9pm :(

Hi Tatoulia
So who won?
Bet that lemonade was wonderful and cold.
Even though it was a painful walk home, I'm glad you drank it.


You are probably sound asleep by now.
That was one busy day you had.



I need to decide on a craft/hobby or some such pastime.
Something to get enthusiastic about to fill my time and improve my disposition.
Could work on beads, lacking inspiration though. Rag rug making was fun but I have plenty of rugs now.
Pencil puzzles and word games are fun but expensive. Found 4 unworked books of them at the thrift shop this last Spring (25cents)but went through them all so fast.
For now, the doll house is perfect, no rearranging/redecorating needed.
Only sewing I care to do any more is mending and alterations as needed.
Don't want a puppy or a dog.
I love to bake or make candy but then I would eat it.
All I ever seem to do any more is talk to animals, bugs and plants, watch the clouds in the sky, the sun, moon and stars.

What a lovely family you have, SubC! A very dear and fun and supportive family. What a fun time you all had together! Also, you are doing great work. I am just so proud of you.

Tillie I'm grateful the sausage didn't squirt on your skin! I didn't eat anything at the game. Too much salt. I did have two lemonades, which made for a painful walk home.

Mom did not want to go to the museum so I took her for a ride then groceries. I came home and napped a bit when BF called to ask if I have sunglasses and a red Sox shirt. Yes and yes.

Did not do much around here this weekend. But I've got to finish the dishes and get ready for new dishwasher.

Goodnight, everyone. That quote is helping me too, about how we were once desperate to be where we are now.

Oh! I did get a bag to goodwill today but didn't get my things here into the car yet. That was a prior bag. I'll take the ice cube trays up tmr.

Hi Tatoulia
HAVE A BALL! :D

103 at 5pm. :(

Tillie our friends at a cat rescue in England sent these to us. We know them thru twitter and Yes, Us refers to the kitty and myself.

Will read everyone's posts later. Someone just gave us tix to the Red Sox/Yankees game and we are off!!!

Well, got the kitchen all cleaned up.
Last night I decided to cook 6 Italian sausages to have for sandwich makings.
They were cooking fine in the pan and I was turning them.
I always pierce them with a fork to allow the grease to escape so they are less greasy.
Stabbed one and it squirted hot grease way out of the pan and all over the stove.
Got all over the burner rings.
Tried wiping up the grease with a paper napkin and it was just too much of a big mess.
So I had my sandwich, said "to heck with it" and left the kitchen as it was.

But now everything has all been properly washed up and the kitchen is squeaky clean.

Good Morning Everyone

Hi Subclinical
Wonderful to hear about your fun visit!

WTG! getting so much swapped out and clearing the people door!!!

Cherry wood is beautiful but too hard for my hands to whittle. ;)

Good luck with your laundry. Hope you can hang some out on the line.


Going to be hot, hot, hot today.
Had the hose on a very slow drip over night on the apricot tree.
Today I'll attach the other long hose and water the other trees.
Think I got the little leaks all patched up in that hose yesterday but I'll mark off any that I may have missed today while I'm watering.

When I water the trees I put the hose on slow and let it water a tree for an hour then go out and move the hose to the next tree.
This way I only have to venture out in the heat for two minutes, not long enough to get hot.

Cooked a little supper last night but did not clean up the kitchen so I'll do that this morning.

Wow Tatoulia!

People were really taking advantage of your generosity and good nature!

Please be careful with the walking and pay attention to your body. I want you to be healthy and get exercise, but I worry about the heat and your fainting/sleepy spell.

Had fun with the dd's And dsil yesterday. Played croquet, made dinner and cookies. Entertained the dog, who had so much fun she couldn't go home until she had had a bath. Dsil cut some sections of cherry log from the woods. He's taking them home to dry for some carving projects.

When he came out of the woods with a log on his shoulder and an axe in one hand, he looked absolutely amazing. Dd2 and I called his wife - come look! You're missing it! Later when he was washing a wiggling, truly disgusting dog in my yard, dd1 said "look guys! I didn't marry him for the log. I married him for this." He's a good one.

They took the crates.

Also, I still didn't do any clay work. I ended up sorting through a big pile of things from school and from dh uncle. I got it all sorted out and Dd and dsil took away a broken bin and some plaster bats that are no longer in good enough condition to use. Dd has access to a dumpster this week. They brought me a not broken bin and two more large containers of glaze.

The area around the people door to the studio barn is now clear, and dh told me he appreciates it.

Today I have to do a lot of laundry.

19 devices on your account!!!
So glad you discovered that and took care of it!

Only thing I pay for is Netflix.
But there is so much free stuff to watch I don't mind waiting to see the latest.

Have a beautifully refreshing shower after all that.

Make sure you are drinking enough and keeping yourself properly balanced with vitamins and minerals.
Sweating profusely takes a lot out of you.

Challenge accepted. I need nothing other than food, household items and kitty food and litter. Thank you. I need to stop buying clothes and I need to stop eating out.

Walking is a good thing for me. I need to walk it off. All urges to do stupid harmful stuff.

Thank you Tillie. I am out walking now and not to be gross, but I'm sweating up a storm. I did not take mom to museum today. After making my returns I just wanted to relax. And now I'm walking. Bf is working. I did see him for a minute but now I'm in the mall and I'm literally dripping with sweat. I'll do one more go round then home to the shower.

It was a beautiful summer day today. It's now a beautiful summer night.

I'm not sure if I mentioned this but I found out that 19 different devices were on my Hulu account. I've kicked them all off. They had signed me up for an expensive add on. Twice. So I've changed the password and kicked everyone off.

Hi Tatoulia
I am challenging you to not buy anything except necessities until the end of August.

YEA! for taking back returns!

You have all the clothes you need right now.
Maybe this Winter you will need a few warmer things and can buy them then.

We need to find you a different pastime.
A new positive, healthy and free type of addiction/obsession/hobby.

Maybe you could volunteer to spend time comforting homeless bunnies. ;D

The nice thing about a baggie of ice cubes is it takes up less room than a store bought bag and costs nothing.

The barn sounds lovely, SubC! Absolutely lovely! And I will recycle the ice bags. THANK YOU for the tip. I will follow it. M

I will also start making my own and putting in a ziploc. I like that idea a lot, Tillie.

Great to patch the hose! I have some areas on my screens that need patching.

Getting ready to shower and head out. Returns. I've been over buying and need to correct myself.

I have more clothes now than Ive ever had and every piece fits and I wear them. I have casual clothes and work clothes. Still not a lot by other people's standards but a lot by mine. Plenty. Need no more.

Will check in later. BF called to say it's beautiful today but he's not sure if it's going to get hot. So I'll shower and find out!

Good Morning Everyone

Hi CriticalMass
Have fun today working for the bunnies :)

Hi Tatoulia
I worry too about lowering the fridge temp when I put warm stuff in there.

Sure do hope your Mom gets to see that exhibit.
If so, you two take care not to over-do it.

Hi Subclinical
Your studio barn sounds so wonderful!
Does it have plenty of natural light?

WAY TO GO! Giving the barn another go this morning!

Have a wonderful day today.


Will start on the laundry in a minute.
Have two loads worth to do. Changed out my sheets & pillow cases the other night but didn't do laundry because it kinda sorta might rain.

The long hose I use to water the trees has sprung a few small leaks from dragging it all around from tree to tree.
I need to mark where the holes are and let it dry out then try to patch it.
That hose is over ten years old and I'm surprised it has lasted this long.

SubC shudders at the thought of buying ice, and not with cold. But if you must buy ice, please know that the plastic bag can be returned to the store where they take plastic grocery bags for recycling.

I am very happy that you have made your doctor proud!

CM, good luck to you and all the bunnies!

I gave my barn a last "best I can do" this morning. Dh said "wow! I had given up!" (He helped me move a heavy thing) He even resisted his usual "now let's finish it off" approach that tends to come out just when I have made so much progress that A - I am starting to feel happy, and B - I am too tired to do any more.

Dh and dd2 are working on her car in the studio barn. (Layout = big square, 2 stories. Left side 1/4 work shop. left side back corner built off into a one story bathroom with ladder accessible storage on top. Back wall after bathroom, space, then pottery studio under loft with stairs, right wall pottery shelves all the way to open area for kiln and then entry area with people sized door at front. Center shifted to right because of work shop = garage for car/truck/ tractor parking and auto repair)

As soon as I finish my cantaloupe i'm going out to do join them and do clay work.

Hello CM! Great that you and the other bunny club are doing something jointly!

Tillie I only use ice for iced tea. I have a few of those blue frozen things, which I keep in the freezer but move to the fridge when I'm adding a lot of room temperature things. So if I've cooked or bought things at the grocery store, I tend to move a cold pack to the fridge. In my mind, it keeps my milk at the right temperature. I actually like the bags of ice I buy but then I think about SubC and I wonder about it.

I have errands to run today. Just put in a laundry and I'll do a delicates load while the towels dry. I want to get some walking in and if energy permits, I know that my mother wants to see the Toulouse-Lautrec exhibit before it leaves. It will be crowded but I'm happy to do it. It is a very exciting exhibit.

Hi Everyone

Hi CriticalMass
Thank you (((HUG)))

Glad your roommate's busy week is over.

Fingers are crossed that your bunny club adoptions will join up with the other bunny club and there won't be so many needy bunnies any longer! :D


Hi Tatoulia
YEA! for cherries!

WAY TO GO! for a great doctor visit.
We are proud of you too.

There are a lot of stupid ice cube trays out there.
Too shallow, not deep enough to keep from spilling and worst of all are the ones that are impossible to get the ice cubes out of.
WTG! donating them so someone else can be frustrated by them. HaHaHa ;P

I finally found some trays that I like.
They are easy to get the cubes out of and don't spill all over.
Problem was is that they came in a set of three trays and I only need one.
So I donated the other two.
I make ice, put it in a baggie them make more ice until the baggie is full enough.
I don't use much ice in Summer and never in Winter.
But we always need some ice for compresses for wounds, bruises or fever.

I was told on another message board that a bag of frozen popcorn kernels works better than frozen peas as a cold compress.
They said it stays cold longer.

We had a sprinkling of rain this afternoon.
It was overcast all day.
Tomorrow the hot sunny weather is supposed to be back.
Will do laundry.

I'm here

Roommate's busy week is finally behind her. I prayed about it a lot and hopefully others did. It was taxing on her but could've been worse.

Tomorrow I go help the bunny club - another more established local rescue has a place in a mall, and they're having an adoption event and invited us to bring some bunnies. This hopefully will mark the beginning of a fruitful association and bring us some networking opportunities.

Tillie, I hope you are holding up okay. What a week for you and the family of that little guy and everyone close to them and the neighborhood. Glad you are doing the smart thing and conserving your energy as needed.

I love thinking about you and your boy, saving the borax tips, Tillie.

So proud of everyone's accomplishments! Yes I'll enjoy some cherries, too, Tillie.

Excellent work, SubC! Swapping out the scrapbook! Well done!

I have never liked the ice cube trays and bin that came with my groceries, and most of the time I buy ice. The trays are ridiculous. Too shallow, water spills everywhere, a lot of work for little ice. So I've washed them and put in donation bag.

I am doing pretty well, health-wise. Dr told me he's proud of me today!

Good Evening Everyone

Hi Subclinical
WOW! you accomplished a LOT!

WOOHOO! that Styrofoam cooler is GONE!

Sorry you are too tired to do more fun activities.
Rest up and relax & have fun with your Dds.


I've been very tired all day today.
Did nothing and been having lots of little cat naps off & on.
I know it's just depression and I'll just have to let time heal my grief.

So, now I am tired.

The barn is ok. I finished filling the grocery bag and I filled a large chip bag with trash. I heaped the box up tall and I already burned it.

I took a shower. And a milk customer came by and I managed to gift her my friend's abandoned styrofoam cooler.

Now I could start doing some of the things I actually planned to do today, but I am tired.

Hi Subclinical
WAY TO GO! for doing that clean up in the barn!

Keep chipping away at things and know that every little bit done will all add up and you will get to your goal (((HUG)))

That is a BIG step!
Removing that scrapbook and replacing it with the yearbooks.

Those plastic milk crates are wonderful for areas that may get flooding.
I use some in the pumphouse.
The bottom ones are empty and I put gardening supplies in a crate placed on top for Justin Case the floor gets wet.

Have a wonderful time with your Dd's ;D


Wanted to post that TUBI has put up some more episodes of HOARDERS today.

Tatoulia, thank you. I was just sitting here reflecting that I have a 4h kid coming out tomorrow, and I used to be proud of my barn, and now it is embarrassing. I spent an hour working in it instead of doing pottery (filled half a grocery bag with garbage and a small box to burn, flattened three cardboard boxes and laid them in the garden) and it is still embarrassing.

Then I read tillie's post and went to your pictures...

I won't quit.

Tillie, no, I haven't gotten to the playing yet. Just the unpacking. Maybe this evening.

When I went to put the yearbooks on the shelf there wasn't enough room. So I pulled out a fat newsprint "scrapbook" filled with random art and school assignments from when I was really small, and I looked through it one more time and put it in the recycling without hesitation.

That's a step!

My dd2 is coming to stay tonight and dd1 is coming over tomorrow. I found a plastic milk crate in the barn dd1 can take with her (her garage floods and they keep things up on milk crates.)

Good Morning Everyone

Hi Subclinical
Have you started playing with your drum carder yet?
Since you work with fiber that was a great investment.

WTG! for rehoming 13 of those molds!!!

Having a personal library of yearbooks seems very reasonable and highly sentimental.
YEA! for passing on the Tshirts!


Hi Tatoulia
Really love that latest photo you posted (((HUG)))


It's very cloudy, cool and dark this morning.
Slightly breezy but no rain, yet.
A tiny blessing for those attending the funeral this morning.

I have some laundry I could do but will hold off since we may get rain later today.
Poured a little bleach down the kitchen sink drain last night. Kitchen smells very sanitary this morning.
No real plans as to what I'll be doing today.
Bought some cherries at the store, will eat them today.

I was so tired last night I forgot some other things.

School was clearing out back copies of old year books. I took one from each year (10 years) plus extra copies for my two younger kids from years that they attended. That isn't as bad as it sounds, because the yearbooks are thin like magazines with heavy cardstock covers. I did not take any free t-shirts from old years, because there were none in my class size in my favorite colors.

I threw some things from my classroom into the trash can.

Tillie, i'm glad you saved the bunny. Sounds like you had a productive day.

Tatoulia, I hope you made it to work ok.

I had a good class this morning and gave away 13 of the 16 molds I took. I think I will throw out one of the remaining ones, but the other two will go back in my studio for a while.

The reuse store took my donations. I bought a fist full of "new" paintbrushes, letter molds, three rubber stamps, and a texture board for my class, and also got some free thinner than magazines cross stitch books. I brought the cross stitch books home to look through. I will be doing cross stitch with my fiber arts class, but I will probably keep the books as my own. They are almost all simple miniatures, which is good for a first project.

I didn't swim because I worked in my classroom for while and then dh called me and asked me to meet him for dinner.

I ordered myself a drum carder as a "reward" for all my hard work. It will make processing my fiber faster, easier, and more fun. It arrived today, but I am too tired to unpack it. Tomorrow.

Tomorrow is another day.

Well, I did a load of laundry, hung it out, brought it in and put it away.
Cleaned up the bathroom.
Washed dishes.
Have a small wash loads of rags soaking.

Hot and very muggy.

Ate lots of different stuff.

Good Morning Everybody

Hi CriticalMass

Hi & bye Tatoulia
Have a good day at work :)

Hi Subclinical
Good plan taking the molds to the workshop.

Have fun at the reuse store.

Hope you get to swim. Moving in the water is a good way to work out sore muscles from overworking.



Just a few minutes ago I was sitting here and heard a squeal from my garden.
Jumped up and saw Jack with a tiny baby cottontail bunny in his mouth.
I started saying "NO!!!" and he went around to the back porch where he set the bunny down.
He had been holding it by the ears.
I snatched it up, it was unharmed.
Was debating where to release it and Jack kept following me around.
Chased him away so he wouldn't see me release the baby bunny in the side yard where there are piles of branches to hide in.
Bunny happily bounced away.

Was so nice holding that soft warm cuddly bunny.


Only real plan today is to water some things this evening.
Should run the vacuum, wash a few dishes, etc.

Good morning! Already late for work. Ttyl!!!