Nice thing about cats is that as soon as the "spooky" thing goes away or stops being so spooky, they tend to go back to normal rather quickly.
Dogs tend to stay suspicious.

YEA! for the cleaning lady!!!
Have a good walk. ;)

Hi Subclinical
You have been doing FANTASTIC!
Those are very good questions you have been asking yourself.
Excellent way to get functionally organized.


Nathan is the adult child of a hoarder.
He learned housekeeping from me.
His ideal is to be as minimal as possible and yet still live the life he wants.

At Thanksgiving when he was here he was looking through all my cupboards and commenting on how minimal they were.
Then he lamented that he has way too much stuff!

After I finished laughing at him I said...
You live in that house you just bought and need all that stuff to take care of that house.
You have an acre of land and you need things to take care of that.
You have 3 dogs and need things to care for them.
You have chickens and ducks and need things to take care of them.
You have fruit trees and a vegetable garden and need things to tend to them.
You have taken up blacksmithing as a hobby and need things to do that.
You are starting up your own business of repairing small engines and need all those things to do that.
Not to mention all the things you need for camping and hunting that you need and use.
Plus all the other things you do, etc. etc. etc...

He said "oh yeah, you're right"
And he laughed too. ;D

SubC you are an inspiration! Great work! Great decision making!

Tillie that's a very good point re medication. I'll be curious to see where my blood levels are. I may pop up for blood work before I go to dr appt. I'm really happy he's working so hard toward my health what a luxury.

My main cleaning lady didn't come. I ended up with just one woman and she did a great job. It was actually less nerve-wracking to have just one person here. We had a massive downpour with giant lightning abs thunder so kitty was really getting whacked. But she's out and melted into a chair.

I just ate because there was no lunch accompanying my cleaning. I generally don't eat on the days they come here, so I can enjoy their food.

I need to walk. I'll put on sneakers and head to the mall.

My minimalism involves a kiln! 😁

Tatoulia, good job on finding space! I do not think ugly is beside the point.

I found another bowl - large plastic - to donate, and I dumped a banker's box of saved gourds in the field. I'm sure the birds and mousies will enjoy them.

I'm afraid the bottles will be going in the basement for "now" because I am not ready to address them.

It is helping me to have one very specific question - "Is this something I am going to use in the pottery studio?" Then the next question is either "where am I going to use it" - to help me locate it -or "is it basement space worthy?"

Some of the pottery things have been put in their permanent homes and others have been stacked closest to point of use until I get better organized. I have two more empty cabinets, but I already have a stack that will be going into one because it is the best location for that particular equipment.

Good Afternoon

HELLO CRITICALMASS ;)

Hi Subclinical
WAY TO GO! for all your straightening and better organizing the studio!!!

Hope you find a more inspiring location to display those old bottles.
Keepers like that should be displayed where you can see and appreciate them.

YEA! for a bowl to donation.
You have been doing great with donations and being extra picky about what you bring home.

Hi Tatoulia
Such HAPPY posts!!! :D
Feels so good when things go so well when working toward your goals.

Yeah, that sweater needed to be tossed, yucky.
Hope you start using that purse you have been storing.
That's great to shop at home, start using items we have but haven't utilized yet.

Glad you will see the Dr. sooner.
One thing I thought about...
Sometimes when we lose weight or otherwise improve our health, medication dosages we were on before may not be the correct dosages for our new improved lifestyle.
Sometimes they need to be readjusted.

Enjoy all your newly reclaimed space.


Because of the media hype around minimalism people have the wrong impression of what it consists of.
Minimalism is when we curate our possessions down to only things we need/use and want (precious/sentimental).
Nothing extra, like for Justin Case or other disaster scenarios.

Some people are very extreme, that's their choice.
Some people have lifestyles and interests where having more is good.
Like hobbies, crafts, a home business, entertaining, etc. where having the items you need is necessary but it is still a degree of minimalism.

Minimalism is having only the things that bring value to your life.

A young single man can easily carry all his worldly possessions in a backpack.
Most people don't live such a nomadic life.
Most people would feel deprived with having only one satchel of stuff.

Minimalism has varying degrees of things owned depending on the person and the lifestyle.

I made space today! I'm getting a lot done an I'm just so happy. I cannot believe it. I also faced a box containing a purse I got in Japan. I don't know why I've been avoiding it. Purse is lovely. I will see if I use it. I threw out the box. If I don't use it then I'll pass it along.

I made great space for myself today.

The sweater I threw out was crammed in the back of one of my shelves. It was of some weird synthetic fabric (I can't wear wool) and it had yellowed and otherwise was in an unacceptable state. Beyond redemption. Plus it was ugly but that's beside the point.

I made space today. I feel energized and happy. I'm not done but I'm happy.

I know that minimalism is trending these days. I'm not going for minimalism. I'm going for livable and beautiful and breathable.

The humidity today is Super Yuck. I can't tell if it's thundering outside because AC is loud. Kitty is not going to be happy if it's thundering and the ladies are here. That's extra stress for my babycat.

Ok she's running late but is still coming today. YAY because now I have a big bag for her PLUS I need my sheets changed (selfish girl).

I was looking for a pair of sandals I haven't worn in two years, figuring I'd give them to cleaners. I haven't found them but I found a giant Reiss bag that someone gave me (I though I'd gotten rid of it) and a sweater I didn't even remember owning. The sweater was put in the trash and the big Reiss bag to the cleaners. I also made a decision on a beaded bag, from Hong Kong, very nice but again, the cleaners will use it and I have another one I've been using lately. A vintage one I got several years ago.

Feels good.

Oh! And dr got in touch with me today and wants to see me in August instead of September. So I need to keep my act together. I'm doing great but I have less than a month to do even better. And I'm psyched.

I have never been to a fair so this is all fascinating to me! Tillie when I first got my kitty, my eyes were swollen shut from the allergies. I used to say, I'm allergic to cat. Singular.

I have taken a bag to car for donations and at the last minute I slipped in a gift salt and pepper shaker. I have culled through the jewelry and have a few things for cleaners. I have been shredding papers and putting my shoes away. All good stuff. Continuing to declutter or how I like to think about it, de-sh!t my house. (Apologies). I also decided to get rid of a plate I use for soap dish. I like it but I can't put in dishwasher so off it goes. Travel well, little buddy.

So stuff like that. As soon as cleaners get here I'm running to post office to mail a birthday gift overseas.

Hi all!

Poor scooter - lol! My dd's Dog really is allergic to cats. They have 2, and she likes to lick them, so she has to take medicine.

Tillie, it annoys me when it happens to other people, but I am quite capable of being market focused. There is money with the ribbons (it's how I pay for my ticket every year). If I only entered things that I would feel excited about simply winning, I would enter far fewer items. I would have to have some control over the product, and there would have to be a bunch of good quality competition - so for example, green beans and eggs would definitely stay, but antiques (no control) and soap (no competition) would likely go. The money is small, so you have to enter a lot of items to win enough to pay for your ticket.

I decided to stay home today. I thought I would be doing clay work in the studio, but I have been doing clean up the studio work in the studio. I have a load of studio towels in the dryer and I took the antique glass liquor bottles (inherited from my great grandmother's hoard when I was ten) off the top of the cupboard and washed the cupboard and put them in the dishwasher.

I had them out there because I thought the shaves and patterns would be inspiring, but I couldn't see them well on top of the cabinet.

I also cleared off a shelf, labelled it for items waiting to be fired, and collected a group of said items. And I found a large wooden bowl I can donate.

Good Morning

Hi Subclinical
At the fair here I get upset because the judges go for brightly colored tackily thrown together quilt/clothing entries over the well made expertly executed pieces.
It's disgraceful.

Whatever you decide to do today have a great time :)

Hi Tatoulia
Massive decluttering?
What cupboards, closets, drawers, etc. are you working on?
Curious minds want to know. ;)

Didn't get much sleep last night, my left ear decided to have an earache.
Think my allergies are messing with it.
The past few weeks I've been having an awful lot of allergic asthma attacks.
Scooter has been having a lot of daily sneezing fits and rubbing his eyes a lot too.
He'll sneeze about 20 times in a row.
I think he's allergic to cats.

Good morning!

Tillie I'm glad your garden is perfectly manageable and that you are happy with your hard work and decision making. Good for cleaning your drawers and figuring out the nightie!

SubC, congratulations on your ribbons, and on your decision on letting the doll go!

Okay I'm going to work and do a few things around the house. Still some massive decluttering to do.

Good morning!

Tillie, i'm glad you fixed your nightgown.

Tatoulia, enjoy your cleaners!

I had a good day at fair yesterday. Most of my entries in the sections that have been judged won some kind of ribbon. (they judge antiques tomorrow)

I finally got a chance to talk with the judge for ceramics (judges are sometimes available after judging is completed, but I always miss her) and now understand better what she is looking for. For the last few years (since they switched judges) I have been baffled by the placing of my pieces. Now I know that the disconnect is because I am focused on technical workmanship and difficulty level and she is focused on visual complexity and appeal (to her). So, I will stop entering things that are glazed all one color and things that are done in earth tones.

The little Japanese doll took second place, so she will be passed on. I can get second with a different doll.

I was planning to go to the fair today, but it is raining hard and supposed to continue, so I will see. There are no goat events or work I committed to today, but it is a big day for rabbits - and they are inside.

Otoh, it is a good day to hide in the studio and do clay work.

All I brought home from fair yesterday was an advertising card that has a website I want to look at and that I am using as a bookmark.

Hello Anybody

Have a very nice flannel nightgown that for some reason I didn't choose to wear last Winter.

Tried to reason out why I was reluctant to wear it.
Put it on, fits great, feels so soft & cuddly.

Then figured out that it was too narrow at the bottom.
Couldn't take a big step in it.

That's the problem!

Did a bit of alteration.
Slit the sides about a foot up from the hem.
Now it's perfect.
I don't feel "trapped" in it.

Good Afternoon Everybody

Taking a little lunch break.

Got bored inside with nothing to do so I have been sorting out, wiping out and organizing my clothes drawers.

Going through my clothes and making sure they don't need any attention, like a little mending or maybe even they might be too old and worn out to continue keeping.
I tend to keep favorites long past their expiration date.

Overcast cloudy day today making it a little cooler and a tiny bit humid.
Watching Cujo on Roku. LOL ;p

Good Morning Everyone

Hi Subclinical
Very relieved !

Hope you were able to get some sleep.
Make sure to tell him he is never to worry everybody again, no more accidents. ;)


Hi Tatoulia
OK, watch for any dizziness and report it to the doctor along with any other spooky symptoms.

YEA! for bedroom looking good!

So happy that I minimized my garden stuff!
Not getting overwhelmed, over heated, over worked, over stressed, all worn out this Summer.

Been killing wasp nests that I can easily get at.
Not bothering to try killing them in all his hoarded mess out there.
That was were I was ending up getting hurt and/or tearing my clothes.
Plus trying to make my way through it is very scary because of snakes and poisonous spiders & scorpions, etc.

Thank you for the update!! Thank goodness OTC painkillers. The others bring about devastation.

I am late for work. Dr thinks my nighttime meds gave me the dizziness and I'm to watch for it.

Bedroom looking good but no time for pictures.

Cleaners come tmr.

"Some" compression damage, "no instability" 2 weeks bed rest. OTC painkillers. We are feeling very relieved!

Hi Subclinical
You and your Nephew will be in my thoughts and prayers ((((HUG))))

Very relieved that they are transporting him to a better equipped hospital.
With all the different tests and doctors all consulting with each other, you probably won't get an answer for hours.
Rest best as you can ((((HUGS))))


Glad you had a successful day at the fair today.
Red is a great color.
In with the red, out with the peach, YEA!

Praying for your nephew. I'm very worried. Please post when you can

Tatoulia, I am glad you told your dr. I was very worried when I read that.

Had a pretty successful day today. Tired.

Bought a souvenir shirt at the fair, they change the color every year and I get one every year and I have a lot, so I decided before I went to only get one if it was red or purple. It was red, so I did. I have a peach colored one I will retire.

My nephew was in an accident. He is being transported to a more equipped hospital because he is conscious and can stand, but they suspect spine injuries. I am going to try to sleep because we are unlikely to hear more before morning.

Hi Tatoulia

Hope by now your doctor knows all about it (((HUGS)))

WAY TO GO!!! for all you are getting done on the bedroom!

YEA! for a bag of donations.
Oh Well, best to pass along mistakes, you have already learned any lessons from it and do not need the constant reminder.

Make sure to stay well hydrated and don't over do in the heat.
I get up early and do a bunch of chores while it's still cool out.
When it starts to warm up I lay low waiting for evening before I do any more.
The heat is too physically stressful.

You know Tillie after I wrote that out, I thought about how the hospital asked me if I'd fallen recently. I will text my dr as soon as I'm done here.

I had no idea it is so nice here today. I'm walking with BF. He's running an errand. My errands are done.

The replacement pedometer and clip were relatively cheap and I've earned 10 already this quarter, which I cashed in and used. So including shipping it's under 25 out of my pocket. It's not like the expensive fit bits.

Tillie tell the kitties I say hello. I am working on bedroom today. I've washed two loads of laundry (towels and I like to keep up with delicates and pjs). Bedroom almost done.

I have a bag for goodwill and one dress for cleaners. Still has tags on it. ??Twas a mistake.

Hi Tatoulia
Such a sweet cupcake memory, thank you for sharing.
I have a gallon size baggie in the freezer filled with unfrosted cupcakes.
Plan to ice them as I "need" them.

If I drank alcohol or took drugs, that's what I would be doing.
But cupcakes are my feel good drug of choice.

I want you to call your physician's office and explain all about what happened to you.
Tell the nurse or the P.A., not just the receptionist.

Having a total "brain fart" like that could possibly be a warning signal of something that could become a major health issue.

I am hoping it is simply over exertion/heat exhaustion.
But either way this should not go unreported.
Please (((HUGS)))


Glad you & Mom had a lovely time together ;)

OK, no more shoes!
Badger, badger, badger!!!
And Badger will be looking extra ferocious with sno-cone colored snout & jowls.

Oh well, you have to buy a replacement pedometer.
But that's how you get the physical fitness bonus.
Well worth it.

Cupcakes!! Tillie when I was little, my parents went to Europe for six weeks. My paternal father joined them (mom and grandpa travelled around while my father was on business) and my paternal grandmother took care of us. My mother baked 12 dz cupcakes for us two girls. (No brother born yet) she packaged them in groups of two and they were in our big freezer. In the Midwest, we came home for lunch. We could never wait for the cupcakes to defrost. To this day, when I bake cupcakes, I freeze them before eating.

I know I've told this a hundred times. Can't stop now.

I fell asleep on the couch last night and I may have been sitting up. I had a hard time brushing my teeth and I was very dizzy. I fell once I got in the bedroom. I actually stumbled, then fell. I was on the floor thinking, I need to get into bed now or I'll be on the floor all night. Once in bed I could hear the water running and I got up no hadn't turned the sink off while brushing my teeth I didn't have the strength to turn off the lights so they were on all night. Extremely odd. I was so dizzy. I'm find today.

I walked, walked, walked last night and got home about 10:30. I had it in me to walk another hour but it was just too late.

I don't know what happened last night. I rarely fall asleep on the couch, which makes me wonder if I was sitting up. It was all very disorienting.

Oh well. It was hot and humid yesterday and I was doing the best I could.

I took mom shopping to the Talbots Outlet yesterday and we had a blast! I have several gift cards and I spent them on mom. Usually I go into the dressing room with her and I help her try on clothes, then I try on stuff separately. Yesterday we just changed at the same time in her room and we had such a good time. She got two dresses (one a classic navy with white trim, one a pink seersucker), an open cardigan for her dresses, a skirt and a blouse. I was so happy. And she was so happy. Last night BF and I stopped by her house to bring her fruit and she was so excited to show him her clothes. So that was tons of fun with her!

I have to return a pair of shoes today. I got a little caught up in the Allbirds situation and I don't need another pair. I wear them to work every day and they are great for my walks but I've gone too far. No new shoes til I need them. Pledge.

I lost my pedometer that I wear as part of the contest at work. I had to order a new one. I suspect I lost it Friday night. Before the chaos of the dinner, I'd been sitting in the recliner and I bet it came off my skirt. That one was free, but the replacement one is not. It's one of those digital ones that syncs with an app. I wear it on a clip because I don't like the look of it on my arm. So I clip to bra or skirt.

I need to finish my bedroom. So I can feel some peace.

Good Morning Everybody

Hi Subclinical
Have a great and busy day today ;D


Nice cool quiet morning here.
Need to run the vacuum around.
The porches need some sweeping.

Spiders are out in full force so last evening I sprayed bug barrier around the outside to try to keep them from coming in.
Also cleaned the sediment from the kitchen faucet aerator so it would flow straight.

The wasps are terrible, nesting in everything.

Steven does nothing.
He has not lifted a finger to do anything needing done around here.
Spends all his time sitting out in the hoarded stinky garage.

Tillie, cupcakes are not bad! Cupcakes are yummy!

You can come teach my pioneers how to weave rugs,

Tatoulia, how are you?

CM, good luck on the appointments.

I have a very full day today. I already fed dh, packed his lunch, got him off to work, did chores, moved some goats and gave routine meds, loaded my swim bag in the car, and unloaded the dishwasher.

Next is to finish getting all my bits and bobs together, take care of some pre-class work, and go drop off farm product entries for fair. I have class this afternoon, need to stop at a specialty grocery store for some healthy "treats" and then plan to swim and stop at the library on my way home - I have books due tomorrow.

I have too much plastic (for covering work in progress) in my studio, so I am taking some to class to share. It is always needed there.

This evening I made 24 chocolate cupcakes with butter cream icing.

Yes, I'm being bad :P

Good late Afternoon/Early Evening

Hi CriticalMass
Glad you decided against eBay selling.
It is very time consuming.

Looking forward to hearing about your success scheduling medical tests in person.
The dentist office here has gotten used to me coming in to schedule rather than calling on the phone.

My Cocker Spaniel baby preferred Icees over sno-cones.
Then her mouth & jowls would be all stained bright red.

Hi Subclinical
I want to participate in that modern pioneer class.

WTG! for all you did today! :D


I have run out of possessions to get rid of.
What I have left is precious or useful & used.
A few things I just plain want, like my tiny blue Dalek and windchimes & sun catchers.
Maybe someday I will declutter them too but not now.

I was thinking that too! I was thinking "yay! Badger gets a snow-cone! He will want to stay with CM forever!

CM, I am glad you are posting more often too. I hope you hit a good nap. So many tines I am tired and I just let the day drift by and get nothing done while trying to find my get up and go, when I should probably just take a nap and salvage the time after I wake up!

I made a tiny bit of progress in the studio. I put some clay in the cabinet I cleared out to put clay in, and I found a box of metal lids to recycle and a box of bottle caps to take to the reuse store. I also started moving candle making stuff to the house. (I will make candles with my modern pioneers classes this year, so some will go away.)

I dropped my entries at the fair (beans and eggs and blackberries go tomorrow) and I bought some groceries and put them away! And made dinner. I also washed a load of laundry and a load of dishes, but I may not get either put away tonight.

The badger will be super psyched about the sno-cone.

Happy Sunday

I'm getting ready to take a nap. I think that's what I've needed to cure my fog brain. Tillie, the summer theory may or may not fit - I had such a strange spring with going up to the hospital to see my friend. Spring was this thing I caught out of the corner of my eye as I drove back and forth. So I'm simply disoriented that it's mid-July already.

I did do a few things here and there this weekend, as I said. I think I realized that there just wasn't the time to get too many big time-consuming things going. That might've created stress.

I'd moved my laptop to a small pop-up worktable my roommate has and put it by her rocker where she always sits. Last night it occurred to me to try putting it by the sofa where I sit. Who knows, maybe I'll be able to get more spontaneous computer work done. If it doesn't work, it's no difficulty to take the table down.

SubC, I think that's a fantastic plan for the studio/basement dilemma. I'm doing something vaguely similar here - attempting to get extra stuff out of both the shared sewing/craft area and my own bedroom. And it is slow going. But the storage unit will also be gradually coming together, things getting gone from it and the keepers organized.

I'm going through dolls some - the Barbies that don't make the cut to keep, near-duplicates, and so on, will possibly go to Dolls for Appalachia. I will need to sew them basic sets of clothes. But they can live in my storage or somewhere. It's not that many dolls, just like a shoebox or two's worth.

I had said last year I would try fixing up dolls to sell on Ebay and then this year realized that's more hassle than it'd be worth for someone in my life situation with limited space, and Ebay sales are sporadic on the type of dolls I could afford to buy to "flip." And the hassle of taking them to ship and so on. Clothing is easier because it's so lightweight and can go in an envelope. I can probably do that with a postal scale and chart and stamps at home, or at least do several at once on a trip to the post office.

Tatoulia, thanks for the sweet comments on my sewing! It makes me happy! A fabric or a trim will often tell me what quilt or doll dress or other project it wants to be a part of. And usually I feel so productive at the sewing machine. I've even developed tricks for sewing tiny doll garments that I want to compile into a book.

I'm glad I'm posting in here frequently even if what I post about is just bits and pieces.

Next week I'm going to go physically to the place where I've had trouble connecting by phone to schedule those medical things (mammo & bone density). They are at the same place. I'm just going to plant myself there until someone assists me! I prefer in-person to telephone anyway, but I was going to give it a go, and I did last week, and got nowhere. Badger can come along for the ride and I'll buy him a sno-cone.

Hi Subclinical
I think that is a very good idea.
You spend time working and creating in the studio.
The basement is a place you normally just pass through now & then.
Getting all non-studio stuff out of the studio will make it so much easier to get the studio all organized and a more pleasant space to spend time in.

The basement storage overflow will be just a temporary situation that you will continue to chip away at.

Just as long as the path through stays clear and things are stored in a way that they will be safe, not getting ruined it's a good plan.

You have made such a FANTASTIC start with the basement project that now you have some space to house the other stuff from the studio.

GOOD LUCK! getting the studio all sorted out and organized and a wonderful easy place to create in. :)

Tillie, we are your friends. My 30+ year friends both live in other states far away.

Glad you got to wake up in a fresh, clean space! Good work!

Tatoulia, good luck on your bedroom.

CM, thank you for th book titles. I read a lot of teen/young adult fiction, and those sound like books iight also want to suggest to some of my kids. I forgot that you were into steampunk. Then when I saw your pictures, I got e cited about it. I'm working on sketches for some steampunk inspired pottery right now.

Did you find a place to start?

I have been tagging my fair entries and getting them ready to drop off this morning. Entering dolls in the fair helps me really look at my collection at least once a year. This year my eye was caught by a little modern Japanese doll. She is pretty, but stiff, and I have no sentimental attachment. I am going to enter her in dolls of the world. If she wins, I may take her back every year until someone beats her. If not, I will pass her on.

I am also rethinking my goal to finish my basement this summer. When I was working in the studio, I realized there are still things stored in the studio that are not studio things. The only place to move them is the basement. I cannot move them to the basement now and have the basement be neat and orderly and done, and I have finished all the fast clean out. The rest will be slower, harder decisions and slowly passing things on to kids and using them up and not replacing them.

But, I can move them to the basement and have a part of the basement look like a packed storage unit while the rest is more functional. That would let me finish the studio and work on the basement over time. Having a working studio is more important than having a nice basement. So I think my new goal is to reduce the stuff in the studio to only studio stuff by the end of August. It will still need organizing and paring down, but I will be able to use and enjoy the space more easily and really see what I am working with.

Good Morning Everybody

Hi CriticalMass
Hope you slept well last night.

Sounds to me like you are suffering what a lot of kids used to experience during Summer vacation from school.
They had plans and dreams of all the things they were going to do all summer but for some reason never actually did those plans.
Just sorta kinda hung out, sleeping late then just reading books in the shade.

Just dig in to a project like it's a required project.
Doesn't matter what. Could be doll fashion or writing or working on decluttering and organizing a small area or box.
That may help you feel less adrift. (((hug)))


Hi Subclinical
YEA!! for dry ground finally!!!

Nice that you can move the Buck's shelter to new areas, like a chicken run.

Those cushioning floor mats will make a big difference to your feet and legs.
WAY TO GO! for all you did to make your space an easier place to work in.

Hi Tatoulia
I have to vacuum a lot right now since Twinkle's long white and orange fur seems to be getting left all over the floor.
Scooter's very short orange fur seems to not shed very much.

Nice that your massage gift cards still have more sessions.
Yes, tell Santa and all his helpers that you will need more.


I used to have friends.
Some of them I unfriended because they changed into the kind of people I would not be friends with.
Many of them just up & died.
Then neighbor friends and Nate & Mrs. Nate moved far away.
There are many people in town I am friendly with but I don't socialize with.
Mainly because I am tired of having friends and then losing them.

Spent all yesterday getting all caught up.
Caught up on dishes & laundry & watering.
Then showered & shampooed my hair and slept on fresh clean sheets.
So nice waking up all caught up with nothing needing done today.

Ps on the massage-used up one gift card and part of another for yesterday's session. Have enough for probably 2-1/2 more massages. Then Christmas will come and Santa may remember.

Good morning! I've been up since 730 thanks to going to bed so early yesterday. And I feel great!

Most of my friends live other places, not here. I am a good person to be friends with people I only see once a year or once every other year. I count my friends on one hand, but in truth there are many more. I have been very lucky that way. Friday was a disaster but doesn't need to be the end of it. I'm just done, however. Not angry, just trying to find peace.

CM I don't know if I mentioned how impressed I am by your sewing skills. Your doll clothes are cute and stylish and inspired. You put the fabrics and trims together so thoughtfully and so wonderfully. And your quilt!!!! So beautiful and something I would love to have in my home. Lovely piece.

Tillie my indoor cat is a little melty today. I just put the AC on for her. I have to wash her white cloth (protecting the couch) at least once a week. There are clumps of black fur everywhere.

Tillie the sandwich spot is this little coffee shop that is very funky and very comfy on the inside. I'll see if owner minds if I take pictures next time. It's not my esthetic but it's comfy and relaxing. There's a table with super comfy chairs that is BF's preferred spot. We didn't have it at first yesterday but were able to move over to it.

I will have a bagel with my second cup of coffee then I truly need to do something here. I've made bed, etc, but need to clear clutter. My bedroom would be easy enough.

SubC, the series is Finishing School by Gail Carriger. Volumes as follows:

1 Etiquette & Espionage
2 Curtsies & Conspiracies
3 Waistcoats & Weaponry
4 Manners & Mutiny

I want to make one of those sandwiches! Next time I think we need a picture.

Tatoulia, I am very sorry about your friend. I hope you have lots of friends, because in the whole world, there are only two people I have been friends with for 30 years, and the thought of falling out with either of them is awful.

Tillie, I hope your cats firm up soon.

CM, I would like to know what series you are reading.

Maybe you should let the badger out tomorrow - see if he can get you to do just one thing. Getting started is often the hardest part.

It is finally dry here! So nice not to have to walk through mud everywhere! Dh mowed today and we moved the bucks' shelter to higher ground. They had dug a mud pit in front of it. (It is built on skids, so we attach a tractor to the cable and pull it)

I worked in the studio, mostly straightening up and washing things because it was a good drying day. I don't know if you remember the blue mats I brought home from school a long time ago, but I had the floor in front of my slab roller/counter/little drawers all clear and I swept it and washed 8 of the mats and hung them on the fence to dry. Now I have a nice cushioned area to stand on while I work! I also washed a couple of buckets and emptied out a cupboard. The cupboard will be for mid and high fire clay storage.

I threw some stuff away, filled a big box of recycling, and found one item to donate. A good day's work.

Sorry for the rough days, SubC and Tatoulia, and Tillie for the hot day.

Not really much doing here - I waited for my "bachelorette time" to begin yesterday, but by the time it did, my mind, having been in neutral gear overlong, was drifty and unfocused. Today it's pretty much the same.

If I see a tiny thing I can do - and I mean tiny - I do it. But there has been no laundry, novel writing, bunny club event planning, projects for the reorganizing of an area in my room or the pantry or with my quilting things (some ideas have come to me and the book cube or lazy Susans or whatever are readily accessible).

My brain is like it's got air drifting through it rather than thoughts and actions. Some thoughts about fun stuff - those are always there - the fun stuff I want to put everything else aside and irresponsibly run off and do. But even if I let myself, the lack of space here wouldn't permit it at this time.

This probably isn't making a whole lot of sense. I have been taking my vitamins, though, so those may kick in again. I haven't had much caffeine at all. I usually avoid it at home so I won't get jitters, but the iced tea in restaurants now and then, diluted with ice, gives me just enough.

Sleep - as in an afternoon nap - is another thing that with this schedule I need but since I wanted to go to Saturday 5:30 Mass again I didn't want to lie down at, say, 2:00 and have to get up and scramble.

Well, maybe I'll get going on pet care earlier and try to get to bed at a better time. I'm reading the first book of a fun 4-book teenage Steampunk series at bedtime. Light and easy going and I can tell when I get drowsy. Nothing super creepy to give nightmares, just adventure, like Harry Potter with a Victorian spirited heroine and gears and steam etc.

And I might just take that nap tomorrow afternoon. Need something to reset my rhythms, I suspect.

If there is anything easier in the universe than procrastination, I don't know what it would be.

Regarding friendships - mine are shifting - some people have moved away, some I've lost touch with, one is sick with a contagious thing, others have tricky schedules to coordinate with. And then there are the ones I'm inclined to avoid for awhile, what with an election year approaching if they and I disagree on politics/religion/etc. and I know they're going to want to try to push my buttons. I refuse to play.

Add to that the fact that I'm a creative introvert and trying to deal with this clutter crisis, and I admit that complicates things greatly because it always seems to happen that when one of the friends has free time and wants to get together, I'm either on a major energetic push to finally get going on some project, or I've been "peopled out" somehow (a trip to the grocery store can do that some days) and I just want to cocoon.

Languid, slow iced tea clink...

Good Afternoon Everybody

Outside cats are doing fine but inside cats are puddles. (?)

Hi Tatoulia
So glad you had that massage today especially after all that drama.

I want to try one of those sandwiches but this town is too small to have anything fancy like that.

Hey SubC my day ended pretty poorly yesterday too. Not as much going on but I went for dinner to see my friend of 30 years at her brother's house and it was a big disaster and I ended up getting up and walking out. Brother's wife came out crying and said she'd drive me to the train but I told her I'd rather walk. The only thing I can say is I didn't yell and I didn't swear, I just got up and left. So 30 years of friendship down the drain. But I'm good with it. I couldn't take what was going on.

My massage today was lovely. So lovely. Then I walked to work and did an hours worth of work. I picked up computer and walked home. Stopped at grocery store for mom (she needed coffee) put a quick load of delicates in the washer then met BF for a sandwich. I got the sweet potato spinach goat cheese green pepper sandwich SO DELICIOUS. I ordered BF his sandwich and mine before he got there so I got to pay! This never happens! I also got a blueberry muffin for mom and ran it up to her together with the can of coffee she needed.

I am now laying down with AC on.

How are your melty cats, Tillie?

Good Morning Everyone
"Clink!"

Hi Subclinical
That was a very rough day you had.
Even just one of those situations was upsetting enough. (((HUG)))

Tillie, I am picturing your home as a Dali landscape now.

I had a rough afternoon yesterday. I did not do pottery.

I got an email from my boss about possibly cancelling some of my classes due to low enrollment. I went ahead and okayed one, but I am struggling with my options on the other two.

I got an email from my one friend at work (I define friend pretty tightly. There are four other people at work who I enjoy working with and talking to, but if they left and were replaced by new people I enjoyed working with and talking to - never seeing them again would bother me not at all.) her dh has been transferred out of state. He is going to move in two weeks and she and her high school aged but not driving Dd will stay here for the year and then go. So she will have no time for me and then be gone. I do not have many friends.

Dh came home from work tired and very grumpy, so I couldn't really talk to him about anything, and then right at bedtime Dd called needing to talk because she is feeling very stressed out and overwhelmed about her dh and his hoarding in their house. I want to help him, and I really feel like I could, but I can't get in the middle of their marriage. HE has to want me to help.

So I couldn't sleep.

Good Evening Everyone

Watered the trees today, then the lilacs.

High temperature today was 100 degrees.
Late afternoon the sky filled with dark gray clouds and the wind was raging.
Lots of blowing dust and tumbleweeds.

I felt three tiny rain drops then the winds blew the clouds all over to the mountains.

Lots of apricots dropped from the tree.

Twinkles and Scooter looked like melted candles most of the day.

Summertime...

Cm you are a cutie pie!!!!

Welp. I have not been an instant Instagram whiz. Some of my pictures I will need to resize to their ratio so that heads don't get cut off and so on. I'll do that. Glad y'all liked what you could see of my posts so far!

Good Afternoon Everybody!!!

Hi CriticalMass
YEA!!! I loved all your photos!!!
Thank you, thank you, thank you.

OK, now you will be able to make noise any time and arrange your schedule around all your activities and only "have-To" tasks are critter care.
Have a BLAST! ;D


Hi Tatoulia
Your flowers are beautiful and thriving! :D
So happy you have those living growing blooming plants to add a little joy to your space.

Thoroughly enjoy that massage tomorrow, you need it.

WTG! getting trash & recycling & the AC box out!


Hi Subclinical
My 1st Mountain Lion encounter was a lot like your Dd's except mine had just killed a Doe and was happy to stay there as I slowly climbed back down the mountain.
Shivers...

Wonderful! So happy your workshop was such a relaxing & creative experience!

YEA! for swimming!

Your Dd has wonderful sweet memories of growing up in her family home (((HUG)))

Good luck with your chart.
As long as it doesn't make you think you should be doing too much in a day when you are busy with all the important things you have to do.
Like animal care, self care and then school.



Been keeping real busy, doing lots of piddly little things all day from morning till bedtime.
Just busy work to keep me from thinking.

I got to see CriticalMass!
😍

That quilt is gorgeous!

I want you to move next door to me. And Tillie, and Tatoulia. We will have an artists colony and you can quilt and write and I will make pots and Tillie will make rugs and do beadwork and Tatoulia will be our muse!

I made myself a chart. I am going to show dh when he gets home, because I put the stuff in my head on the chart, and I am afraid it is too much, but i also think it is the bare minimum.

I put ten things that are important on the chart so I can check every day if I did nothing, something, the minimum, or extra. The only exception is exercise, which I am just marking "structured" (swim or exercise bike) "active" (yoga, stuff like a lot of walking or significant outside work) or "none". Defining the minimum is going to be the sticking point.

Also there are no extra things on there - like errands or working on the basement. I clearly do not have time for ten things every day, but some days nothing will be fine or even qualify as the minimum - like laundry - if there is not enough laundry to bother with, i'll just check minimum - keeping up.

I want a visual of what I am accomplishing and neglecting.

I did a good job getting my outside stuff done today, but then I crashed. I have snacked a lot and am having a really hard time shifting to pottery - I kind of want to just let the rest of the afternoon go.

Hi

Happy Friday - I'm a bachelorette for a couple of days again...

Roommate just departed for her family visit. Kind of sad, they are going to pre-plan her mother's funeral. It's one of those situations where an exact time isn't known but they were advised by the hospice people to go ahead and get that done so they wouldn't have to worry later.

Tough times. Losing my parents in my 40s and having friends who get to keep theirs much longer is an incongruous experience. I'm happy for them though.

I haven't done much yet today, but I'll fix some lunch now and figure out what I will do. Just hopped by mainly to say that while I was waiting for her to get ready, since I didn't want to be gone, yet it's too distracting a time to do much, I spent the time figuring out how to upload pictures from my laptop to Instagram. My tablet is so full I can't put the app on it. And most of my pictures are on the computer or a flash drive that goes into it.

bunnyplanetqueen