~ice coffee clinks!~
Tatoulia, your place must be getting gorgeous by now! It sounds like youre doing such great things & having fun, too! I laughed at your 'load of cat laundry', partly cuz i know ill be washing my new fabric covers in cat laundry loads, too!
I just put the kayak cover on & it is soooo beautiful, but it kinda sorta looks like a coffin for royalty or something now....ha ha :D
The more i think about it, the more that money may have been a very wise investment! I decided a while back that there is no making my place nice, the only direction it can go is funky, artsy, almost in a parady sort of way, and these fabric covers are perfect for that! If nothing else, they will be funny & happy looking!
~♡~Love to all my dear internet loved ones!~♡~
~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~
~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~
~♡~♡~♡~
~♡~

Afternoon check in. Tillie I don't believe I've had homemade baked beans! They sound wonderful!

Good work Anony! I agree with Tillie, sprucing up with fabric will enhance your mood immediately.

I have gotten an errand run for my designer friend. I see her tmr then I take her to airport. I went to mom's and she let me take a plate from her grandmother's china set so I could use it for display. I got two bags of donations out of mom's house and I dropped off some nice paper bags for her to fill up. I then went to goodwill where I had eight bags of donations. I also took a bag for consignment up to car. I did a little grocery shopping and now I'm home. I'm running a load of cat laundry.

I am also making a late lunch.

I have to make progress. For myself. And for my friend who has devoted so much time and love to fix my living situation.

~ice coffee clinks!~
Tillie, baked beans sounds soooo good! It is tricky not heating up the house more with the oven. I have a solar oven that i want to start using more & baked beans would be perfect to try in it!
I do use my kayak & wanted to take it a few weeks ago, but my truck isnt set up for it like my car with the rack on top.I messed with getting it safely in my truck, but changed my mind at the last minute cuz it was not secure enough. I want to get a rack for it. When i bought it, 30 years ago, they told me the only thing that will hurt it is sunlight, so under the awning in the winter, the sun is on it in the afternoon. Thats why ive made sure to keep it covered & it has stayed in tact amazingly! I like Roper Lake the best cuz its warm water, no wind & never many people or motor boats!
I just sewed my wallet, which was literally on its last thread. Had that thread broken, i couldve lost my license, registration & a bunch of important stuff! Next, the kayak cover.... :D

Good Morning Everybody :)
"Clink!"

Hi Anonymoniker :)
I believe that you seeing fresh pretty fabric on the kayak and couches will make your spirit feel happy.
When you feel happy you will feel more optimistic and empowered to continue to work on your home.
Question...
Do you use your kayak?
Sometimes we would go inner tubing on the Gila river when I was a teenager.

Hope those spiders don't pester you too much this year. (((hug)))


Hi Tatoulia :)
Wonderful that you had a lovely evening with friends!
That Mrs. D is a treasure, believe in her wisdom that "you have a moral obligation to take care of yourself".
Good Luck with all your plans for today! ;D

Hi Subclinical :)
Hi CriticalMass :)
Hi Porter :)
Hi Mar :)

Going to be cooler the next few days but windy.
With the extremely low humidity and winds they have issued a "Red Flag" wildfire warning.
Aren't supposed to BBQ, do yardwork or anything that may cause a spark.
I sure hope all those idiots comply.

Since it was nice and cool last evening I used the oven to make baked beans.
Will freeze most of them and enjoy them again & again later.
Planning on roasting a beef roast this evening and doing the same with it.
Nice to not heat up the house on hot days but still have the cooked food. ;D

~♡~Good morning to all & coffee clinks!~♡~
Whew?!! I tried several times to get to this thread & it seemed to be gone?! I thought id lost y'all & i got a little panicked?!?
Tatoulia, i plan to start the couches tomorrow after i vacuum them really good! I think id be more upset if i hadnt saved so much on food this past month. Last night i started to go out to get the super heavy(and expensive!) bag of fabric out of the truck & just as i opened the door a big spider dropped to the floor just in front of me! Id been afraid of that the past few nights & the spiders are one reason i go to bed early in the summer! Im going to put the kayak fabric on it today! While i was getting that piece cut, it being gorgeous paisley upholstery, an older woman walked by & stopped to compliment it & i thought, if she knew i was gonna cover a kayak with it, shed be very confused, but i cant stand seeing that filthy white plastic drop sheet any longer! I think when i look at the money i spend on things, this may end up being a great investment in pleasure, seeing it over & over, instead of cringing every time i see the filthy, decrepit couches & kayak cover that ive been looking at all these years?! :D Im soooo glad you are realizing how right your new freedom is!
Tillie, i laughed so hard at me enjoying them while my stomach is growling....ha ha ;D
~☆♡☆~☆♡☆~☆♡☆~☆♡☆~☆♡☆~☆♡☆~☆♡☆~

Tillie I love a cool night. I've been known this put ceiling fan on to enhance the cool! Ah Twinkles. I'd try to tell you he was trying to save the baby robin but I'm sure you've heard that excuse more than once!

Anony, I read your post before bed last night and then I had a dream that the price leaped to over a thousand dollars. I would have been mortified. I'm sorry about the price but somehow you managed to pay for it?! I would have been in that awkward situation where no credit card would go through and all funds in bank account would've been already spent. twice.

Anony as your older sister who loves you madly might I suggest that you put the fabric to use immediately? I have had so many things in my life that turn into aggravated assaults on my daily living.

Anony and Tillie, your continued insights into my lightened burden are much needed and greatly appreciated. I had a fun, loud evening of dinner at a friend's house last night. This friend comes in from Florida once or twice a year and we frequently would have dinner at her parents' house with her brother and his wife in attendance. Well with her father gone and her mother very frail, her brother and his wife hosted instead. And so the tradition of out of control laughter continues. The point, however, is that I got some alone time with Mrs. D and we were talking about our lives and i caught her up to date on sibling. And she cried a little and gave me some examples from her own life and she said, you have a moral obligation to take care of yourself.

I am drawing strength from us all.

Well there is a lot to do today and God willing, I will get it done!

Love you all so much

WOW! Anonymoniker
The hard lesson you have learned is to do ALL the math before you make your final decision.
(((HUG)))
Just think how nice your couches are looking every time your stomach growls. ;)

Been having fun watching the baby birds and their Mamas in the yard.
The tops of the tall trees are all buzzing loudly with bees enjoying the pollen.

Correction: lightened burden of all that rage...

~Hello, to all!~
Tatoulia, i think the lightened burden of a that rage, etc. that you no longer host, has made a big difference in your mood & energy levels! Im so proud of you! :D
Tillie, im so sorry about the baby bird. I know how upsetting those things can be, but it is not your fault! It is just nature~♡~
Mar, i hope things are going better with your project & that youre feeling better?
I went to a discount store for the fabric to cover my screened porch couches & my kayak, and i found some for both that seemed right for each, i was pretty excited as the clerk measured & cut them. Then he added(or so i thought) the fabric pieces up, i looked at what i tbought was the total, being the last amount listed, which was $79. I was so proud of myself for getting these improvements for such a good price, then at the register, she says $421. ...?!?!? I thought it was a mistake?!? No, it was the total?!! Id already picked them out, had them cut from the bolt of fabric, there was a long line, i had no idea it could be that much, so i payed it & tried to tell myself that it was ok, that ive needed this for many years, itll make a big difference in the appearance of my place, all day every day,and that ive spent that much on food, which does not even last but a week...i wasnt really that upset, just unexpected shock...i just hope it is an improvement....i need to do another fast anyway...thatll help the money part....i know there must be a lesson in this somewhere...ha ha ~☆~

Good Morning Everybody :)
11:00am right now.

Hi Tatoulia :)
WAY TO GO! for a fantastic presentation!
Great luck BF was there just in time for you to be able to buy heavy stuff.
Happy you had good sleep since you were so exhausted.
WTG! Miss Kitty for accepting the new box!
So WONDERFUL! that you are ready to finalize the clutter issues in your home.
Having beautiful plans in place to spruce it up is so motivating!!! (((HUGS)))
Even if you can only afford to have the cleaning lady come once a month to do the floors would still be very helpful for you. ;D

Got up early, early this morning and got outside to water the trees, laurels and lilacs while it was still cool out.
Managed to do lots of other stuff too while I was out there.
Resting now and need to find something to eat before I start doing something else.
The cats are not allowed to come outside with me right now because the baby birds are starting to fledge.
Last week Twinkles harmed a baby Robin and I was unable to save it. :(
My fault, thought it was safe to let him out. :(

This weekend the temps are supposed to be cooler, around 75 for the highs.

The nights have been refreshingly cool.

That's one thing I have always appreciated about this area, the nights cool down so I can sleep. ;)

Coffee clinks!

I was back at office yesterday and it was exhausting. My presentation was at 9 and it was a big hit. I got a lot of compliments! I'm not nervous before I present so I think that helps. Plus I don't rehearse any jokes or any garbage like that. But I ended up being quite funny, I guess, because even the new VP (who has very high standards) mentioned that I was very funny and natural and that she doesn't say that to a lot of people. I was professional but hey, people enjoyed me.

Two bags of garbage out and one recycling yesterday. I came home from work positively exhausted. I was almost home, at grocery store, when BF called me. So I was able to buy some heavy stuff and get a ride home. Later on he took me to Home Depot and other places so I could pick up a few things I need. I also got to show him what will be my kitchen and he loved it.

I did a load of laundry at nine and so didn't get to bed til after 11, which is still pretty good for me So I managed to do a lot despite the exhaustion. I slept very well?cool night so I had one window open and the fan on. So cold. Absolutely lovely.

So kitty used her new box set up last night. I had to get a smaller box. And she used it!

Tonight dinner with friends then tmr I need to get cracking here because friend will be coming by before we take her to the airport so I'm going to have to show progress. And I want it to be done. I want to finalize the clutter.

Mar, we are here for support. If you can, tell us how you are feeling. No shame. Don't feel ashamed in front of us. You are safe with us.

Anony, Tillie and SubC thank you for your support I need to push through to the end. My friend has the strength and endurance of an Olympian and I need to show that. I can do it. I worked for so many nights at my mother's place when i was getting it ready to bring her home from hospital. I can do that for myself. It's going to be great.

Oh! Almost all set with cleaning lady. Everyone here uses her. She does our common areas every two weeks, one neighbor every week, another neighbor once a month, etc. so I'll just get added to the every two week rotation. I do not have the $$ for every week. I barely have it for every two weeks. But it's my sanity at play.

Good Morning Everyone :)
Still morning here, not even 11:00am yet.

Hi Mar :)
So sorry to hear you are struggling with this. (((hugs)))
Let us know whatever we can collectively do here to help you.

Hi Tatoulia :)
WTG! for working on mindless but satisfying shredding! :D

Hi Anonymoniker :)
Cats are fussy and suspicious.
I figured she'd find some place in there that meets her criteria. ;D
WTG! for good solid logic as to wanting new wood instead of accepting the offer of the old tired wood. (((HUGS)))

This morning is so lovely!!!
Cool and a bit breezy so I got out early and did a lot of stuff needing doing in the yard.
Didn't pull any weeds but got some stuff sorted out, organized and put away better.
But most of all I spread around the last 5 bags of composted steer manure I have on the lilacs, honeysuckle, roses, rhubarb, grass and everything else that is growing out there.

~now iced coffee clinks; update...
~To my very smart kitty's credit, she is now preferring to lay on the freshly cleaned carpeted engine cover in the RV, which us much nicer than the clean garbage bag covered area...ha ha...i just had to clarify that, to her credit~♡~ =^-^=

~Good morning & coffee clinks!~
Mar, i hope you can get started, even a little bit at a time? It is hard for me too, but it feels so good once i do get going. You can do it! Pick one small area & see how you feel? :D
Both places that my kitty liked to lay in the RV, are now nice & clean, and she has not sat in either spot! How could she have preferred that disgusting floor on that putrid garbage bag, over how nice it is now? Im only cleaning it for her. There is no point if she doesnt like it?! Cats are such a mystery~ =^-^=
Tatoulia, umbrella fabric would be great for outdoor stuff! Ill keep that in mind, cuz the sun is so brutal here! The kayak & screen porch couches are both in mostly shade, tho? Im gonna see what they have.
The skunk has been pushing insulation & skunk turds through the hole in the hall ceiling onto the floor every day. That part isnt even as bad as the constant chewing & scratching noises. I thought i mightve heard babies up there yesterday. I just try to remember how grateful i am to have a place in the forest~
~☆♡☆~I hope everyone has a great day & gets some satisfying things done!~☆♡☆~

Mar you are here!!! What can we do to help?

Hi everyone!

Right now I have no chance to read your posts (sorry), I'm here only to say "hello".
I've only about 10 days to leave this place (3rd self imposed deadline) but I've done almost nothing, so I begin to feel somewhat overwhelmed.

Anony, might I suggest sunbrella fabric? It doesn't fade, it washes easily and is very sturdy. I highly recommend it for your outdoor furniture.

~Good morning & coffee clinks!~
The panels for my trailer are gonna take a few weeks longer, which may run into our monsoon season, but it also wont be so intensely hot. We can do the prep work, of which my friend offered his old, been-in-the-desert-weather-for-many-years wooden trim, thatd need to be modified, and i said, 'No, thank you! Ill just buy new wood to hold the panels up'....that logic just astounds me....
The RV is starting to improve! I dont know how kitty feels about it, but i hope she likes it?!
Im amazed how much more complicated composting is than id thought, but its fun to learn. I feel like it is the essence of the cycle of life~
Im not as upset over the skunk now. I guess worrying about my cat with the bite shifted my perspective.
Next i plan to buy fabric to cover the hideous sofas on the screen porch & a new cover for the kayak, which should make a HUGE difference in the back side of the place!
SubC & Tatoulia, all the best in creating healthy, slimmer bodies!!!~☆♡☆~
Tillie, im so glad youre cool & cozy!
~☆♡☆~Love to all!~☆♡☆~

I'm on my third load of laundry and I'm running dishwasher. I need to work on papers or putting things away or floors or something.

I can't us the excuse of having "earned a day off". That could be the death of me. I need to put in effort here because I have done very little and it wouldnt take that much to get rid of more stuff.

Shredding is peaceful. I'll work on that. Mindless and yet I'll feel like I'm doing my part.

Thank you.

HI Tatoulia :)

YEA! a whole free day just for you! :D
With gifts remember that is truly the thought that counts, not the item, (((hug)))
Have a wonderful time at the theatre tonight.
Fat camp and a nutritionist.
By end of Summer you will be looking like Wonder Woman! ;D

Good Morning Everybody :)

Hi Subclinical :)
Hope you have a place for the donate pile that is not in the way of anywhere you ever need to do something.
I understand your logic concerning the taxes but I think that maybe you are allowed to keep the receipts from one year and use them for the next year's taxes.
Not sure so maybe you can ask a tax preparer to find out about that. :)
WTG! for finding a nice iron pan and a flattering dress.

Woke up about 4:00am and couldn't fall back to sleep, so I'm up.
Drinking tea "Clink!"
Thinking I'll go into town this morning,
There are some things I need from Dollar Tree.
Their one dollar windshield wiper fluid works as good as Wally World's more expensive stuff.
Anyways, it would be nice to get away from the house for a little while.
That always helps with my perspective on matters here.
And I have already tidied up the floor again by the back door! ;D

Coffee clinks! The final day off of my vacation. My friend is off for her reunion weekend and I have theatre tickets tonight. I also start what I lovingly call Fat Camp today. I'm pretty excited.

SubC Great Work on deciding that the spice rack doesn't work and immediately putting into donate pile! Great work! I'm glad you found a lovely linen dress. It is very important to feel attractive.

Oh! Nutritionist just called and needs to reschedule so we will start next week. I JUST WON A FREE DAY TO MYSELF!!!!

Tillie! I'll continue to work toward not feeling guilty. I need to move forward to my life. I can't have people's gifts holding me back.

Anony you are doing a great job with the kitty! I cannot wait til you have your panels for your home.

I got a huge bag to car yesterday to go to goodwill. Household items. I'll go run errands today for a bit but largely I want to just be home. I have a few things to do for my friend like picking up a few things she cannot get overseas.

I am going to Just Be for a moment. free day!!!

Yesterday I had to run errands (bank, food) I also dropped the recycling, and decided to take myself to the thrift store to check for jeans and shoes. No luck, but I did buy a nice cast iron pan, a spinning spice rack that I thought would help with my spice cabinet problem, and a nice quality linen dress. The prices at my thrift aren't as good as Tillie's, so it was $18. The spice rack didn't fit, so it went straight to the "redonate" pile.

Dh was pleased with the pan and the dress fits well and makes me feel attractive. I've been gaining weight again, which is depressing, so that is kind of important.

I am accumulating a "donate" pile because historically our itemized deductions have been close to the new standard deduction. So for 2018 we are going to take the standard deduction. Then the cash donations we normally make in December will go in January of 2019 and December of 2019, and I will also take the entire 2018 donate pile in January.

2018 I have been focusing more on trash and recycling and organization. Hopefully in 2019 dd2 will have her own place, and it will be a good year for a top to bottom house clear out.

~♡~YEA, TILLIE!!!~♡~ Getting lots done in the nice cool house sounds fabulous!!!~♡~Im so glad you are cozy & cool & having a good day!~♡~

~Ice water clinks!~
Tillie, i kinda figured youd know about that already, but just in case, i thought id say it. This heat is so scary! Im a little shocked my friend out here didnt know what to do?!
Well, my kitty liked the black tuna...ha ha...and didnt mind my putting some wet charcoal on those spots, which i will continue. I feel confident in doing that, instead of a traumatic visit to a vet that would likely not help as directly & naturally~Itll be obvious if it is helping or not, so ill go from there~
I hear people throw around the term, 'Let go of' a lot, but never really understood it. Im still sorta struggling to grasp the difference, but i can feel that it is important for me to know. The things in my house need a rewritten story behind them, too....not a fabricated story, just a new perspective~

Hello Everybody :)

Hi Tatoulia :)
You have the guilt only because you have been conditioned by society to have the guilt.
Stand up straight, head held high and remind yourself that you are a grown woman who is in control of her own life.
YOU will make all the decisions as to how you are going to live your life.
Letting the washer/dryer go is a very good idea since it's broken anyway.
If someday you find you really want another one you know what to do about getting it.
A twice weekly cleaning woman would be heavenly! ;D

Hi Subclinical :)
Thank you.
WAY TO GO!!! for all you do in a day! :D
A large sack of potting soil actually belongs on the floor.
You need it right there to do this important project and soon as you're finished with it, it can be put back away in the garage.
Sometimes the floor is the only place to do things.
I pot plants on a plastic table cloth on the dining area floor. ;)

Hi Anonymoniker :)
Remember that I grew up in the Sonoran desert.
Should I be without my swamp cooler or electricity for more than one day I will definitely hang a burlap sack in an open window and allow a bladder of water to slowly drip down on it. ;D
Sorry the kitty has a tail issue. (((hugs kitty)))
Letting go vs giving up...
The two may be connected, the family and the stuff.
You may be substituting the stuff for the family relationships you crave but do not have.
WTG! for continuing to work on the kitty RV! :D

Been busy, busy, busy all day today.
Making up for not doing things yesterday due to the heat and doing the stuff I had planned to do today.
Got LOTS done! YEA me ;D
Now that I'm all caught up I can relax, eat and do something enjoyable. :)

~♡~Good morning to all!~♡~
Tillie, im glad your cooler is working now! We're having scary heat here too & id suggested to a friend with no cooler & an old cat, that she close off an area in the kitchen & just open the fridge &/or freezer,also hanging a wet cloth in front of, but without water reaching, a fan, acts as a cooler. Theyre ok now from doing that, just in case your cooler breaks again?
Tatoulia, your kitchen sounds so charming! Everything you are doing sounds so wonderful!!! It is all really exciting to hear about!!!
SubC, congrats on the evaluations & clearing your floors, more than before! An exterminator wouldnt be able to get the skunk out.
My cat has had this mysterious thing on his tail that i now realize may be a bite that happened last month when he had a mysterious limp?!? I think it may be from the neighbor cat?! I woke up worrying what to do, then had dreams i was at the vets & talking to different people, then woke up completely confused?!? Im going to serve him a special treat of tuna in an activated charcoal sauce, today....YUMM!!!
Also, ive been reading up on 'Letting go vs. Giving up or not caring, etc. It is regarding my blood family dynamics, but it also may help me with all my 'stuff' in this house, too...?!?
I vacuumed the RV & covered the heavily sprinkled baking soda with a fresh clean garbage bag for kitty to lay on...ha ha...knowing cat logic, she wont go near it, now...
Im loving trying to figure out composting!
~☆♡☆~Love & Light To All!!!~☆♡☆~

SubC you are so industrious! I am so proud of you.

I will find an acceptable place to put pictures, such as a flikr account and then will add a link. This way, I can take the pictures down and they won't be here for an eternity.

I've decided to get a cleaning lady. One of the women next door mentioned she just got one and I think she comes every two weeks. I'll see if we can coordinate days. I used to have a cleaning lady come once a week but every two weeks will work.

Keep up the good work, SubC. You are doing so well!

Anony, the skunk situation sounds horrible. I wonder if an exterminator is an option?

Tillie, sorry about the frustration with the pump. I'm glad it is working now though.

Tatoulia - your progress sounds amazing! (You are a little like the musician who practices for years and then suddenly becomes an "overnight" success) I wish that we could have pictures here. I would love to see!

such a big decision to get rid of your washer and dryer! I think that like my trash service, it had become more of an annoyance than a resource. - and that will open up a big space!

I know getting rid of that microwave was a huge weight gone too!

I did pretty well yesterday. I wrote 8 evaluations (I have 14 to go) picked the rhubarb, chopped it up and froze enough for 3 pies, plus put "one pie" in the fridge to fix today, picked the first cherries, pitted them and froze them on a cookie sheet (not enough for a pie yet), ran the dishwasher twice, did three loads of laundry - including my sheets, and removed one paper grocery bag from my floor.

However, there was a bag of potting soil that was on the garage floor and is now on the floor of my dining porch. I brought it in to pot up two little plants. All the rest of the plants I need to pot up are on the dining table, so I just left it there. I could lift it onto the table, but in this case, the floor (painted concrete) seems like a better choice.

Little melted candles! The other day it was very humid and the cat was flat on the bedroom floor. Glad that is all under control now. Sorry it's always a two-step or even three-step process.

We are up at 4:15. We will go to bed soon.

Tillie you are right, I am ready. We've done a lot of work here and I am ready. A few things I asked "permission" to get rid of. Like what I do here sometimes. I need someone to tell me it's okay.

I need to finish sorting through the piles here (I did a bit of churning yesterday) and then I need to reasses in the closet area and see what won't make the cut.

I have to say, I loved it enough OR I never loved it. I have to be able to say one of those two things in order to let go. What's better is when I have no emotional attachment, and I can just put in donation. Why is there guilt? Why?

Although I took out garbage bags and a recycling bag, there was actually very little by way of true garbage as I have been keeping up.

She has id'd A good place for litter box. Finally.

We have decided to get rid of washer and dryer. It's just a big broken appliance and there's perfectly good and free laundry in the basement and there is a laundromat two blocks down that has big machines and fluff & fold service. So at some point I can switch to fluff&fold if laundry becomes something I don't enjoy.

Ok back to bed. I'm meeting her for coffee and then we are going hither and yon. She has a lot of errands to run today.

Hi Tatoulia :)
YES! the cooler is now working great again. :D
It is nice and cool in here and I took a shower.
I'm happy again. :)
The cats were all sprawled out on the carpet looking like melted candles and now they are happy again too.

So great to hear about everything going on in your home.
To some it may seem that you are moving too fast but I know you are ready.
You have worked so hard to finally get to where you are.
You have a vision and are now seeing it become a reality.
I knew you could do it! (((((HUGS)))))

How nice you have refreshing rain tonight,
sleep softly. ;)

Tillie is the evaporative cooler fixed? I'm worried about you in that heat! It poured most of the day here. I like that kind of weather. And when I started to take garbage out at five, the rain felt so good in my skin.

We are doing it. Thanks for the encouragement. I've been shredding papers and now I'm ready for bed.

Tmr we are running errands and then coming back here for a bit. Hopefully I'll be up early enough to work on papers a bit more. I haven't done any laundry all day. Quell horreur.

She's arranged the books on my shelves so nicely. New table looks really good too.

Thank you everyone. I need to see the rest of the clutter up and out. I just have to power through. After tmr, I won't see her again til Sunday. And she goes back home on Sunday.

Hi Tatoulia :)
HOW WONDERFUL!!! :D
Yes, when anybody starts pulling out furniture those dust bunnies are very scary huge.
YEA!!! that she will take some items and BF too.
Always so nice when things go to new homes this way.
Your kitchen sounds adorable, so happy that microwave is no longer there bugging you.
Have a great night's sleep (((HUGS)))

Hi Anonymoniker.
So sorry there is that tricky and clever intelligent skunk haunting your home.
Please don't allow it to rule your emotions (((((HUGS)))))

The weather here has been very nice up till now.
The other week I told Steven that the water pump in the evaporative cooler was not working.
It is common for them to wear out after a few years and cost 16 to 18 dollars at the hardware store.
He rummaged around in the massive hoard and pulled out someone's old nasty water pump he found dumpster diving and installed it.
All smugly & nastily saying "that is why I keep all this stuff around here."
His way of justifying to himself that hoarding and squalor are good and justifiable.
At about 1:00pm today that old worn out used up water pump stopped working.
Today the temperature in the shade on the back porch is 100 degrees.
Inside right now it is 90 degrees.
I am not happy.
I hate calling him but I did and he knows that on his way home today he must stop by the hardware store and buy a new water pump.

Anony! I am so, so sorry about the skunk. I am just so sorry. Tillie I loved reading books all summer long. Such a treat.

OK this was a big day today. Just how dirty my house was is mortifying. The furniture has all been switched and more changes with the artwork. We have come up with a solution for the study area that will allow me to just add an electric fireplace and a nice antique mirror and it's done. We finished picking out the paint color for the living room and study area.

She cleaned my filthy scary kitchen. Oh! At last microwave is gone! BF carried it out for us. I have a huge bag to go to donation and a bag to go to consignment. My kitchen is so cute now. She's moved stuff around and decorated it and put a lamp in there. It is very sweet.

We got the piece of furniture out, the one that gathers stuff and clutter. We put it in the hallway. I will measure it and photograph it and put on Craig's list. Bf came and got chair.

I picked up lobster rolls for us and mom for lunch. (I just had a BLT as I am still full from our beautiful Sunday dinner with BF last night).

Oh! And she wanted two of my pieces for her house. That made me extremely happy. One I was getting ready to consign and she was trying to get me to keep it and I said, would you like it? And another piece that belonged to my mother, she asked, what are your plans for this because I have an idea. It really means a lot to me that she'll have a piece of my mom's.

I have to do at least an hour's worth of work tonight. Just to show I care.

I have piles of stuff to go through tonight. Paperwork. Still I own too much and I have to reckon with that.
Solid day.

~ice coffee clinks to all.....except the #@&*@#! skunk!~
I am so frustrated with this thing. It has turned my home upside down. It wont go in the trap. Every area of my house is modified cuz of this thing! It scares me how much hate & anger i feel towards it....

~☆~Good morning to all!~☆~
SubC, i cant even think about wearing wool underwear?!!? I love your list of what is better about thrift store clothes! A pond would certainly be my preference, too! Thats how i feel about my forest instead of a fancy house!
Tatoulia, you are so brave! Everything youve taken on lately has been amazingly bold & wonderful!
Tillie, your view on avoiding that industry is really clear & so true! When i moved here off my boat & had several years as The Serial Shopper, i over accumulated all kinds of cheap junk from stupid stores & now they have become my forefront sentimental things, too...its been a weird dynamic~Ive read on re-writing a past experience perspective & its something ive tried to do for a while. That whole period of time was so bizarre...like a foggy dream & nightmare, both~
Hi Porter!
Hi CM!
~The skunk is awake & its vehicle awaits~

Good Morning Everybody :)

Hi Subclinical :)
I love those nice wool socks, they feel so cozy on my feet and don't itch.
I really like your "Snooty Fox" dollar rack. ;)
Yes, living out in the country you exchange things for a better way of living.
By giving up store bought clothes for second hand quality items you get to enjoy a pond. ;D

Hi Tatoulia :)
All new kitchen cabinets & counters too!
You are making such wonderful plans.
Good luck and best wishes as you work toward your goals today and into the week.
This is all such a big step but you are ready to do this. ((((HUGS))))

Not moving fast today and have no motivation to do anything.
But after my tea I will decide on a task and tackle it.
I want to do what I loved doing as a kid soon as school let out for Summer.
Sit outside in the shade of a tree and read books.
But first I need to do some chores...

Coffee clinks! I enjoyed reading the conversation about clothing. When I was in grad school, my very dear friend gave me all of her daughter's clothes. I would have them tailored to fit me. The clothes were so beautiful and since I worked full-time in offices, I looked professional and well-dressed and felt good about myself. It was a lot of fun for me. They also gave me duplicates of their quality household goods. My friend and her husband would give me $5 so I could take a cab home with all my things. I still use the pots and pans they gave me as well as the flatware. They bought quality things. And I am thrilled that they have stood the test of time.

Today's the big cleanout day. I told her last night that my biggest fear isn't that I'll refuse to give something up, it's that I'll say stuff like, I'll do that some other day. So we've agreed if I get squirrelly she'll send me to work on a project like sorting papers.

We bought a table at a consignment store yesterday that will work between my two couches. In the corner. We also picked out my kitchen cabinets and counters and she will measure today. We previously picked out my bookshelves. We haven't figured out my fireplace just yet.

Things are coming together. I don't have any money just yet but I will get there. Knowing what I'm working toward will help.

Oh! I took my jewelry to the consignment shop and it's priced at just over a thousand dollars. If it sells, I get half. Every piece was a gift. Some pieces I never wore and others I wore quite a bit but won't wear again. They mark down after 30 days. If I clear 300 I will have won. Not that it's a contest.

I'm waiting to hear about that awful man purse. They haven't priced it yet. I have spoken with the high end shop where I sent it and told them I didn't realize it was a man's bag. They told me not to worry, they will classify it depending on who they think will buy it.

Anony, you had told us and I forgot. I'm sorry. I hope you win the war against the skunks soon! Hopefully at least your earth home will be skunkproof.

My dh has wool underwear and he likes it. It is merino and washable, like SmartWool socks.

Tillie, I also prefer second hand stores - no need to make a new thing when a perfectly good one already exists. Also, little or no packaging, and the item has already proven itself reasonably durable - especially with clothes, the shrinking and fading should be pretty much over. Also - the flame retardant is washed out. Cost savings are a bonus.

Obviously, the most expensive thing I own is my farm. I remember when my kids were young, one of them invited a traditional suburban friend to come out and swim in the pond. Her friend said "you have a pond?!" And Dd said "yeah." And her friend said "but isn't that expensive?" Dd was confused and said "I guess?" And her friend said "but your clothes come from goodwill!" Dd gave up and asked me to explain the exchange later.

One of my favorite things is the dollar rack outside snooty fox. Snooty fox is a high end resale store here. Items that don't sell in a 3 month window have to be picked up. Many of the consignors choose to just donate their unsold clothing, which is put on the dollar rack and sold for an actual dollar. All the dollars go to children's hospital. Sometimes you have to replace a button.

Hello :)

Hi Anonymoniker :)
Good luck with your peanut butter bait.
Moist sand or moist hard packed dirt in the shade, both are cool.

Hi Subclinical :)
Good luck finding your jeans.
I wondered if they included the children's clothes in the 1950s tally.
Children grow and constantly need new stuff.
Plus back then more people (mostly women) than not still made their own clothes and their families clothing.
And they were very big on always having "Hand Me Downs".
If my clothes/shoes weren't home made they were from a cousin or neighbor girl.
And Granma would find me nice things from neighborhood tag sales and alter them to fit.
I was the only girl in my 4th grade class in 1964 with an authentic, almost vintage "Poodle Skirt".

Most all my life I have been wearing almost all secondhand clothes.
Sometimes though I have needed to buy some things new.
Very few times I have found underwear in thrift shops that is the right size & style & cotton with the labels still on them.
But when we need them we have to do what ever we can to get them, even buying retail.

Almost everything I own is second hand.
Clothes, shoes, linens, dishes, furniture, craft supplies, cat things, etc...
The smaller charity thrift shops located in more rural areas with a connection to a church or community outreach program tend to have the better quality items and at better prices.

The best thing I love about only buying previously owned things is because the slave owners who own the companies that make our clothes and mistreat the workers never get a single cent of my money.
The charity thrift shop gets my money.

But it does take time and patience to get what you like.

~ice water clinks!~
SubC, i can not imagine wearing wool underwear?!? Is there such a thing?!? That sounds horrid! If there were, im sure my Mom would have a whole closet full! She loves wool & tortured me in it my entire infanthood & childhood till i was able to buy my own clothes. Even still i get wool gifts every holiday & b-day & my telling her i was alergic to it made no difference. In recent years ive realized it was likely a lot of the mysterious reason behind my crying as a baby that they couldnt figure out....ok, end of rant. :D
The reason i cant use my oak bureau is cuz skunks climb in the back into the drawers & chew up my clothes, sleep there & poop all over them, plus it wakes me up, so ive had those plastic drawers for years cuz they cant get in them.
The skunk left the kitchen & i rearranged things so it cant get on the counters. My whole house is upside down cuz of these #@*&#@#! disgusting critters! And it walking upside down looks like it is decapitated, which i would like to do to it! ...sorry, but its true....grrrrr!!!!!

*oak, not ink

Oh, and can I ask why you can't use your ink bureau? If you told us, I forgot.

Anony, the goats scratch down to bare earth to lie on it in the heat.

There were some good ideas in there, and I guess the thrift store clothing is better than new no matter what it's made of, since it already exists. But I am not sure where I am supposed to get the clothes I need and can't find at the thrift shop. Also, underwear - I usually buy all cotton underwear. I am allergic to wool. Silk underwear? Linen?

I'm sorry, this is one of my crazies.

Dh and I cleaned off the front porch and set up the glider - that counts as a floor, right? It is outside, but above ground and roofed, and there were things on the part you walk on.

~Ice coffee clinks!~
That video was really interesting! I have absolutely noticed that my clothes, towels & sheets from decades ago, purchased at high quality stores, have lasted & stayed in nice shape far better than the newer, cheaper things! I dont wash them after each use, unless necessary, so i know that makes a difference, and now with my dryer possibly being a fire hazard, ive been hanging them to dry more. I dont buy many clothes any more, partly financial, but also cuz i have no room, especially with the skunk situation & my oak bureau that i now cant use! I did buy a few things i love at a thrift shop last week, including a bathing suit that i love for $1.50! :D I now feel more inspired to create new combos with my current closet of things after seeing that video! :D
I was just wondering about the mulch vs hard dirt ground in watering under my vehicles. There isnt any sand under anything except the far end of the trailer. Does sand stay cooler when wet, than regular dirt or mulch?
The skunk is now inside behind the stove. Im hoping it likes peanut butter....

~Ice coffee clinks!~
That video was really interesting! I have absolutely noticed that my clothes, towels & sheets from decades ago, purchased at high quality stores, have lasted & stayed in nice shape far better than the newer, cheaper things! I dont wash them after each use, unless necessary, so i know that makes a difference, and now with my dryer possibly being a fire hazard, ive been hanging them to dry more. I dont buy many clothes any more, partly financial, but also cuz i have no room, especially with the skunk situation & my oak bureau that i now cant use! I did buy a few things i love at a thrift shop last week, including a bathing suit that i love for $1.50! :D I now feel more inspired to create new combos with my current closet of things after seeing that video! :D
I was just wondering about the mulch vs hard dirt ground in watering under my vehicles. There isnt any sand under anything except the far end of the trailer. Does sand stay cooler when wet, than regular dirt or mulch?
The skunk is now inside behind the stove. Im hoping it likes peanut butter....

Well. That was discouraging.

Also very fast and dense. I think I will have to watch it again.

The thing that really stuck in my head was the part about the average person buying 25 pieces of clothing a year in 1950 - which was supposed to be low.

In the past year I bought (new) a dress, two t-shirts, and 7 pairs of socks. I received two pairs of socks, a cape, and a pair of slippers as gifts. I'm fuzzy on my thrift store finds, but I think it was a skirt, two pairs of jeans, two sweaters, and two shirts. That's 21 items (counting socks pairs as an item) I feel like that was a huge amount of clothing. Mostly because I had bought very few socks for years. I was just thinking this morning that I need to keep an eye on yard sales, because I am probably going to need a pair of jeans (two if I don't lose some weight) and a new pair of shoes before school starts back up in the fall.

Interesting video about clothing

Youtube video

Hi Anonymoniker :)
Since it's now hot outside, you need to take advantage of the night and very early morning.
Stay safe and well hydrated. (((HUG)))
That sand underneath things that never gets warmed by direct sunshine feels cool to animals so kitty will be happy there.
But that was very nice of you to try with the ice jugs. ;D
As long as all the creatures have shade and plenty of fresh water they should all survive Summertime.

~Iced coffee clinks to all!~
Tillie, the rattlesnake was delicious, in spite of all the bones! I sure got laughed at for not knowing about the bones, tho! Maybe next time ill try it again? And ive heard about how tasty javalina is. Theyd have to be a threat for me to eat one, tho...and theres some kind of gland to avoid or it releases something that ruins the meat? Sorry SubC!
SubC,i actually do have a fence, but due to a tragedy with a deer that didnt jump high enough years ago, i have been leaving the gates open, which causes cows to wander in & not find there way back out. I havent figured out a solution yet. Years ago when i was desperate poor, a herd was in my yard & i was out there with a flashlight looking for brands or ear tags cuz i needed money & food but i could not do it... And i have laundry baskets all over my house filled with important things that were on my bed at the time i changed the sheets. Maybe i should go through them all?
Tatoulia, i hope your Mom can come to the same conclusion that you have regarding your brother & his abuse. It is possible, depending on his mental capacity, that this will give him the chance to change, as well. And in the south, we made our macaroni salad with mayo & sweet relish!
We are having a serious heat wave here! I always worry about animals in weather extremes. My kitty in the RV was annoyed at me cleaning, so i stopped. I also tried to make a cool place for her by putting frozen jugs under the sink, so she could lay in the sink, but kitty wisdom prevailed, in that, it stayed way cooler under the vehicles & trailers, etc., especially from me watering them. I dont know what im gonna do today...just try to stay cool & keep water outside for animals....tho that loud skunk has a Skunk Heaven Vehicle set....hopefully to deliver it soon...