Good morning!

Tatoulia, my parents and three of my kids got Pfizer. None of them has had any bad reactions (the kids haven't had their second shot yet) and two weeks after the first shot it is just as good as J&J, but then it gets better.

I got an email from a former student and she is coming to see me on my planning period today. I kind of need my planning period for planning, but I want to see her, so I will enjoy that and figure out the rest later.

I put a little more laundry away last night. Trying to get this place decent before my parents come.

You got a lot accomplished! Great job!

I hope your long day goes okay for you n

Took about two minutes to get my vaccine appt! Friday after work and within walking distance! I'm nervous. Hope it's the one-dose but someone told me it's the Pfizer two-dose.

We shall see.

Good day at work then ran errands with BF. Mom called me up, depressed and angry. I was kind and understanding. I did have to ask her to stop yelling at me.

I haven't told her about my promotion or my vaccine. I just let her talk.

I did chores and got one piece of black plastic laid out in the garden. I think I need to turn it, but it will do for now.

P.s. Tillie - my peach tree is blooming.

Good evening!

Tatoulia, I hope you got your appointment!

I am so tired, I want to go plant things, but I cannot find the energy. Got home from work almost two hours ago and all I have done is eat, read, and clean up the dishes.

I pulled off my lesson plans today and launched something that will give me a boost for the next few weeks. I vaccinated two goats and trimmed their hooves - two left to go for spring. I put away one load of laundry. I took the compost out.

Wednesday is my long school day, I don't have my stuff together for tomorrow, and tomorrow I start milking - looking forward to milk!

Ok, there is some daylight left - chores and whatever I can squeeze in.

We cross posted! Yay for the wonderful day and you did a lot! Great getting the trash out! You do so much I don't know how you do it! You are amazing!

I purposely didn't do laundry tonight because I didn't want to fold it. Pretty funny, right?

I got a notice from the state that I will receive a link tmr for my vaccine! Hope I can get an appt. have 24 hours to schedule. Fingers crossed!

Going to bed now. Kitty is sweet but definitely getting older. I have the fireplace on for her tonight.

Garbage out recycling out and clean kitty box. Swept up too.

Tatoulia,

You are doing a great job keeping up with your home!

Right now these are the things I am trying to do:
Keep goats, rabbits, and chickens
Plant a big family feeding garden
Keep up with my house, dishes, and laundry
Be a hands on grandmother
Get ready for my parents to visit
Teach
Clean out and catch up from quarantine

I mean, wifing and pottery and doing something about this body didn't even make the list and I can't keep up!

The bunnies desperately need brushing and a spring trim, the barn is a mess, the flower beds are getting weedy, I'm behind on planting, the bed my parents will be sleeping in is covered with clean laundry, the bed my Dd will be sleeping in is covered in random stuff that has nowhere to go, the scullery is full of dirty dishes and moop, there are piles along the hallway, and I am behind on lesson plans again.

I didn't even keep up with today (fell behind on dishes and laundry and didn't completely clean up after Bean.)

Although - I had a great day with Bean. I took some containers for dsil and a bag of trash when I dropped Bean off (did I tell you all the Mondays are officially back on!?) (they let me use their trash now and then) I made Irish tea bread, I repotted a dozen tomatoes, I ran a load of wash, I picked up supplies for school at the studio shop, and I ran the dishwasher.

Yesterday I finished planting the strawberries and had a lovely afternoon with Bean.

I am good at babies.

Also - dsil gave me some black plastic to solarium part of my garden when I dropped Bean, so net about even.

I will get a good night sleep and try again tomorrow.

Hello everyone! Hope you had a beautiful Easter!

It's nice having a clean home. Our dinner was moved up to a few hours earlier than I planned and it merely required me to set the table and put out clean towels in the bathroom.

One thing I've been actively working on is my mindset. When I pick something up, I take it all the way to where it is going. I know I've mentioned this before and I am now at the point where my brain says, put it in the cabinet not on the counter. Don't just put in bedroom put in drawer. It has helped me quite a bit to change the narrative in my head.

Ok off the work!

Good morning!

Happy Easter!

Bean is coming over this afternoon and I will be working in the yard this morning. It is a beautiful day!

Tatoulia,

The coffee cakes are very sweet if you. I think if your ladies are available every week and you want and can afford them, you should have them.

Good luck sorting out your people.

Today I planned to do way too many things. But I did some of them- cleaned out the woodstove because we are done with fires for the year (I hope) vaccinated and disbudded the two little bucklings, planted and mulched one bed of strawberries (I had all 4 on my list) cleared some briars away from one side of the greenhouse (thought I was going to do all 3).

I also thought I was going to work on cleaning up the house, groom the bunnies, repot the tomatoes, and move them and the peppers to the greenhouse.

Maybe I'll do some of the other stuff tomorrow.

Checking in. I did some errands and now have to do a few more. I bought coffee cakes for the staff at mom's tomorrow to enjoy for Easter.

We are picking up dinner in the afternoon then coming here. House is perfect after my ladies were here yesterday. I wish I could have them every ten days. Every week seems piggy.

I have to find a way to get rid of more stuff. I don't know where I should be working although I know my friend is going to tackle the dining room closet with me some more. I have to find a way to reduce. I want shelf space.

Hi SubC

I can relate. I don't think this was my worst year. I feel that some things have been positive or maybe I've made them positive. I can't think on a worst year in my life. I remember hard times and difficult times but I've been fairly good in not looping them into a calendar. Yes I hear you on high school. It was miserable. I don't know if I told you this but I came across a yearbook and I couldn't believe how happy I looked.

I am not looking forward to getting dressed and going to the office again. Now that I am in management, I'm thinking of letting my professional team work from home full-time instead of coming in two days a week. My administrative staff will need to come in everyday. But I'm getting ahead of myself on this. I've inherited a big mess that needs some real and creative solutions before I worry about people's schedules. We do not have a return to work date. They say not before June 1. No other details.

Well I will shower and get dressed and run some errands.

Good morning.

I am feeling very resistant to the world.

Last night Dd asked me to get her vitamins on the way to give Bean his basket (I did that, it was ok.) I'm thinking I am soon going to get back all the things I don't want (parent conferences, social obligations, in person business transactions, people standing too close, people dropping by unannounced, my inlaws...) plus medical appointments (neutral - dislike but need) without getting back most of the few things I do want (all my kids in person, feeling safe in thrift stores, feeling safe at art fairs....)

I was reading an article this morning about end of pandemic fatigue and the author said that she didn't think there was anyone in the world who cannot say that this was the worst year of their life. She has a very limited world view. Aside from the obvious survivors of wars, atrocities, natural disasters, debilitating illnesses, and violent acts, there is me. Not even close to worst. There were 4 years of high school, there was the year I struggled with undiagnosed clinical depression, there was the year the hoarding tipped into completely out of control and the basement flooded and I sat in the water and cried, there was the year I realized I had to move because my neighbor was making me so miserable I realized I might be capable of watching him die and not intervening, there were the years my grandfather died and the year my grandmother died... I'm sure there were other "regular" years that were worse than this. This past year wasn't even in the top 20% of worst years of my life! I had 8 REALLY hard weeks, and the rest of it has been ups and downs.

Anyway, we had a lovely time with Bean last night. He liked his goodies - no super hits, but he seems interested in everything. The green spotted wooden egg was the best.

Today I have a ton of farm work to do, but it is still a little cold, so I am being lazy. I did chores and started the dishwasher. Bean and the kids might come over tomorrow.

Excellent work, SubC! Very impressed with what you've been able to reduce! WTG! Tell bean that I too love kitties. My mother used to have the candy maker make me a chocolate kitty for Easter.

Cm Happy Easter.

The shredding truck came today. We kept thinking we'd go to a third bin but we didn't even fill one! But apparently came close. BF was very happy with the service. Quick.

I had my house cleaned today. Really want to do this every week. I'll think about it.

Hi CM!

Good morning all!

CM, I'm glad your jaw us doing a little better. I hope it keeps improving.

Enjoy your weekend. I know this us a very special time for you. But also please be careful. I worry about all the people gathering at churches right now and I hope that yours will continue to keep you safe!

Yesterday I dropped off a big pile of goodwill stuff - the attendants no longer come out of the building and speak to you - you can just put your stuff in a bin and go. They have pre-signed receipts taped to the window. I know this could be a fraud concern, but I love the not talking to anyone part. I didn't even take a receipt because Dh just takes the standard deduction now.

I also dropped 4 paper bags of recycling and 5 plastic bags of plastic bags. The car left full and came home with two small bags of groceries - fruit, bakery bread, and chips and cookies for dh. The grocery store is still a lot for me, but it was better this time.

It got down to 22F last night. One of my apple trees was blooming, and I don't know how the daffodils will take it, but I think everything else will be all right. The tulips are still tightly closed. It's actually not supposed to get above freezing until after I leave for school today.

After school I get to go to Bean's house and take him his Easter basket.

Little drive by

Weather was a pain last week; it's improving. We had some days with a tremendous amount of wind, even into this week. Can't work in the storage unit when it's like that. Plus I was having flare ups of that pain in my face, jaw, and even down to my collarbone. Dr. Google and I are discussing what it might be.

I think it's getting a little better, gradually. The wind might've been part of the problem, and the mask elastic which I've been trying to put on very loosely until I can get around to fixing it to something softer. And trying not to clench my jaws in my sleep, that does me no favors.

Just embarking on my observances of Holy Week with the Thursday liturgy tonight and Good Friday and Holy Saturday, and Easter morning. But I'll try to hop in on Sunday, like a bunny. More later!

Good morning.

I have three large bins packed with stuffed animals in my basement. Some of them were mine, some belonged to my kids but were not their favorites, and some, well...

Goodwill used to have big plastic trash bags of stuffed animals that they would sell unopened for $5 a bag as a way to clear out when they got too many. And I used to buy them. Because $5! The fun of discovery alone was worth $5! I would run them all through the washing machine and dryer on sanicycle. Any that didn't survive that treatment or come clean went to fabric recycling. The rest were either set aside to use as gifts (generally for my kids) or decorations - rabbits! Easter!, or redonated later when I noticed there were no bags and fewer animals on the shelves (the itemized deduction returned part of the $5 and I was helping with inventory control!)

But there were a number that never got gifted or donated. So, this morning I went downstairs to see if I could find a little cat for Bean's Easter basket (he loves cats) no cats. But I found him a little baby safe fist sized lamb. AND I chose three animals to donate (I'm going to do a drop on the way to school today to be sure I keep my resolve) and three that might make good classroom prizes. (My students love prizes) so, a reduction if 2 per bin, plus the lamb.

Tonight I am not eating the cake - literally.

Also I returned the incubator to school (where it belongs) and set it up in my classroom with a bunch of eggs. I'm not giving the eggs good odds because the chickens climbed in the nest with muddy feet, so the eggs all have muddy footprints on them, but it is what I have, and I talked with the kids about it. (You can't wash hatching eggs). If it doesn't work, we have time to try again. We set 21 eggs. I'll be happy if 7 hatch.

And I found the examples I needed for another class and took them in too, but they will come back to my studio again.

And I cleaned up a bunch of little things from the scullery counter and started the dishwasher.

Tatoulia, it's the pain.

It makes me feel so stupid - it's like the stuff - i need less stuff to make my space and life more functional, and I need less weight to make my knee more functional - and yet, I eat the cake knowing it will make my knee hurt, just like I used to bring things home knowing I had nowhere to put them.

Goid job with kaundry, garbage, and donations!

I took an armload of books to the store (I have more) and I bought two new books for Bean's basket. One about a vegetable garden and one about a sparkly dragon - with real sparkles.

SubC I am huge. I don't have any clothes that fit. First, I started baking with the pandemic. Second the pandemic has been a year. I think I've covered my reasons.

Going to do some laundry in a bit. I slept really well last night. After work I got the garbage out and my two donation bags to the car. I didn't take out my large recycling bag because it was very windy and I didnt want it to fly all over the place. I can take it to our bin later. I also did mom's groceries.

Today it's just been work.

What's going on everyone? Lila? CM? Any word from Tillie?

Tatoulia, you got a lot accomplished and did a very hard thing!

I like your "imagine I'm on hoarders" game.

Btw Lila, a lot of us watch episodes for inspiration!

I got Bean all to myself again yesterday. 🙂 I love this, but I'm going to have to get more focused and efficient. I'm not really ready for school today.

I did almost catch up with the dishes, get half the clean laundry put away, wash two loads and dry one. I'm remembering the rhythm of life with a baby - but it's harder at 52 than 24!

I also have to lose some weight. I'm already almost 15 pounds heavier than my knees would like, and adding a 22lb baby on my hip does not help. Yesterday we took water to the goats and I realized I was carrying and extra 46lbs on top of my "extra" 15.

I post about all this other stuff because it relates to routine, executive function, and organization - working on getting control of my day to day life helps with getting control of my environment and vice versa.

This morning I think I will go to the used book store before work and take a pile of books to sell and see if I can find one or two good choices for Bean's basket.

Checking in when I have had time to read.

Lila! Excellent work on getting the chair ready for sale! Very proud of you!

I love hearing about your plantings, SubC. Great that you got some time with your grandson!

I did just two loads of laundry today. I've done a good job of keeping the towels clean while friend was here bi haven't done her bedding yet. I can put her pillows away for now. Will need to wash her comforter.

I'm still working. Have a lot to do in order to be ready gor my new role. Have agreed to do both roles for now. We are hoping to hire my replacement ASAP.

Hello and good morning!

I have a lot of work work to do yet wanted to check in. My friend left early this am. She ended up staying an extra night.

So last night She helped me with a lot of papers. Lila, we are getting a shredding truck on Friday to come to my boyfriend's business to shred old papers. In his basement, I found four work boxes, from a job I left many years ago and those will be going as part of his business records clean out. I'm also going through stuff here to include in the giant mobile shredder that will be at his work on Friday. My friend and I cleaned out my closet file cabinet, two other filing areas, then she cleaned and cleared one shelf in my closet. We have two giant bags for donation. It was hard. It was very hard work.

One thing we did was emotionally tough for both of us. I had a file from a friend's suicide in 2003. We were able to get rid of most of it. I think in the end I kept two pictures and the note he left me. I think the rest we got rid of. We enjoyed some of it I had cards he'd sent me over the years and I only kept one. I may be able to go through and further cut down on what I saved. Maybe five pieces of paper and two pictures. I may let the two pictures go. I had a bunch of him but for what. We threw out the various obituaries.

So I now have a completely clear shelf in my closet. It looks so nice.

A lot of work last night. I can't remember how we got started on it. We were trying to keep things light and pretending we were on Hoarders and so at one point I said this is where I'm going to need some alone time with Robin Zasio, or this is where Cory tells me we only have two days. We did it. Giant trash bag, giant recycling bag, two huge shredding bags and two bags for donation.

That's what I've been working on. I had to work really hard to stay hydrated.

My friend left early this AM; not sure when she'll be back. She'll have to pick up her cat once she's figured out where she will live. Her cat is at a different friend's house.

Lila, doing a good job with in will really pay off. It makes a big difference to get to a point where the net flow is out.

I'm very proud of you about the papasan chair.

Right now I am focusing on small things - looking through the baby/kid stuff as we pull things out for Bean (I found a plastic whistle to get rid of. Why in the world did I save a plastic whistle?) papers, sometimes books. Trying to make good day to day judgement calls in my everyday life and using/using up things I have saved for "later". I'm 52. It's later.

I'm also starting to actually remove things from my house that i set aside to get rid of, but didn't because I couldn't go to the place to get rid of them.

Bean and family came over this afternoon. The kids helped Dh clear some brush, so I got a lot of time with Bean and not much done.

Dishes are a lot better though, but not the laundry. And the bucks have their annual vaccines, and are wormed and out in the new pasture with freshly trimmed hooves. That was a big challenge today. I need to buy another collar because I did not have a 22" in the correct color for the biggest buck. The color coding is important to help me keep track of bloodlines. For now he has the wrong color because his old collar was too small, but I have to change that before I forget.

I am better at not bringing things in. I bought a lot of dog chews and treats but they are getting consumed pretty quickly.

I am watching Hoarders because it makes me want to clean. I want to be a success story. I am tired of it. I look at the huge piles and think "I can do this, I want to get rid of stuff!" but when I get down to individual items it is a standstill. How do you get past it??

My goal this week is to sell the papasan chair I bought for my daughter. They are SO expensive and she wanted one for so long. I finally got her one, it was close to $200 with the cushion and is a nice one. But it is huge and took up too much space in her room. We moved it to the living room but it takes up a lot of space and the dog just kept getting in it and then she didn't want to sit in it covered in dog hair. Now it has been in "storage" (son's room) for years. I think I am finally done. I am going to take pictures and sell it. It is a huge space issue and once that is gone I will look for the next large item I can get rid of. The bigger things leaving make me feel a lot more accomplished than some tiny item that makes no visible difference in a room.

What are you all working on as far as decluttering goes?

Lila, we do that all the time. Thanks for bringing it over.

Fantastic job on the shelf! It is so hard when things get tangled up with our memories and emotions. That is a really big one for me.

Don't give up! How are you doing at stopping the things coming in?

I spent most of yesterday with Bean. After reading the cdc guidelines, dd decided that it was ok for us to be around them and in their house unmasked since they have no known exposure and no symptoms. So I got to come over and play with him while his parents did yard work. I took him a wooden xylophone from the music bin in the basement (actually, I took a whole bag of music things, but they let him keep the xylophone. - the rest came home with me.)

My raspberry canes arrived early in the morning, so I planted those before I went, and my strawberries arrived while I was gone, so those are the task of the day. Right now it is very muddy because it rained hard all night. It is still raining, but less hard and supposed to be done in an hour or two.

I also need to get the bucks out on new pasture today.

Yesterday I did run one load of dishes, and I will try to do another and some laundry while the weather is bad. I was tired and slept late today.

GREAT work, Lila! WTG! Yours is the only post I've read so I'll check back in later. Have a house guest so I'm busy.

Well I feel silly... I posted on the old thread and didn't notice this new one until now. So here is what I posted:

hello all,

I can't remember when I last posted, but I thought of you when I finally gave away a shelf today. It was a hard give. My husband and I bought it when I was pregnant with our daughter, and he hung it in her nursery. It looked so beautiful in there, white against the lilac colored walls, with teddy bears and things on it. She is a teen now and we took it down to paint her room, and she said she didn't want it anymore. I wanted to hang it in the guest room, but then offered it to my daughter in law for my granddaughter's room. It's not a cheap shelf. It has 4 cubbies and 4 silver hooks. She said yes, took it, and kept it in a spare room for 6 months and then told me they decided not to hang it and did I want it back? Well I said yes, because it reminds me of my baby girl and I wanted it in my granddaughter's room, plus it was expensive so at least I could sell it. I put it in a bedroom and then my daughter apparently spilled water which it sat in when she didn't wipe it up. I went in today and the paint is peeling off and I needed to declutter that room (getting really hoarded up). I posted it online for free and someone came to get it within an hour. That is progress.

I am trying so hard to declutter but almost every item I look at, I can't bear to get rid of. I see some use for it. It has a memory. Ugh, I am so tired of the clutter.

Lol! - it us the MOON that is beautiful. I don't know how it got changed to "monk".

Good morning.

The monk is beautiful today.

Tatoulia - how much interest are you paying on the loan? If the loan interest is more than you would earn by saving the money, you should pay it off. If it is less, save the money.

Dishes are so piled up here. My plan is to work at home in the morning and then go to see Bean. Dd says I can come in the house now because I am fully vaccinated and they have their first shots.

Yesterday I went into the grocery store for the first time since April. (Not counting the evening Dh got his shot - that was not shopping and it was super stressful)

It was ok. Their were a few people wearing their masks incorrectly, but I stayed away from them. It was nice to be able to buy produce that looked good - and a loaf of bread from the bakery.

I also dropped off five plastic grocery bags full of plastic grocery bags to be recycled. I used one new plastic grocery bag because I used the "you scan" I thing I will be taking 5 bags to drop for recycling every week through April. The curbside pick up used so many plastic bags!

Then I went into the hardware store and got potting soil. Also ok.

I double masked both places. I think the fourth wave has started in the US, it is just going to be much more uneven this time. Also, I won't really feel comfortable until I am no longer teaching. (In June, not retired) because I spend most of my days around people who cannot get vaccinated.

Dh is already talking about going to a restaurant. I haven't told him yet that it won't be until June.

One of my students is a 15 y.o. diabetic, and my behavior choices are currently based on "how much risk does this expose that person to?"

There are 9 more weeks of school.

I think next week I will go to the used book store and take some books I have set aside to sell and shop for some books for Bean's Easter basket.

SubC I am sorry about the goat. That is very sad. I am also just so sorry for the family friend. What a turbulent time in her family. I am so sorry.

I'm pleased that you are helping your mother determine some places for the treasured apron. Very good work.

Cm you are doing very well! I'm sorry about the jaw pain and that is interesting that it might be mask-related.

I'm very busy even though my promotion has yet to take effect. The announcement of promotions in my department goes out on April 5. My team is being told ahead of time. I've already been warned regarding that there might be an uncomfortable situation with one of my team members. Maybe he saw himself as the next in line? Our bonuses are paid tomorrow. I'm hoping that I can out the majority into savings, although I'm a bit tempted to oay off the remaining small loan I have. I'll have to see how much money my bonus is. I can calculate the gross amount but not the net amount.

My friend is visiting so I will say ta ta for now. She once again mentioned how I live in the cleanest house. What a treat for me.

CM, I use a strap around my head to hold my mask on. The ear loops were too much with my glasses.

The goat didn't make it.

I am just trying to look at 2021 as "the year of starting over." I need to let go of a lot of the stuff that has come before.

My mother is going through her house and making a list of where everything is in a book for me. Apparently she has an apron that belonged to my dad's mother's grandmother. I suggested she send the apron to my dad's cousin who works in the textiles department of an American history museum.

Gotta unload feed and get ready for school.

The transition indeed has begun. Like you, SubC, I hope some of the online opportunities will remain, because there are some of us for whom they work well. Down the line, I could probably bring in a bit of extra money to make ends meet more easily if I didn't have to fight my anxiety and ADHD hassles the way I did with in person jobs. I've been pondering possibilities since the early days of the pandemic. But one thing at a time.

This week my roommate and I have been getting the house and garage ready for termite inspection, aka Bug Man. The garage is not used for cars because the house was added onto making it not easily accessible, and there's a lot of gardening stuff and misc. that has to be moved away from the walls so Bug Man can look.

Anyway, the weather has been so icky, damp and chilly, and I've been having a problem lately with pain in my jaw and around it. The chill did not help. I keep asking Dr. Google about the symptoms, and last night it occurred to me that it might be nerve pain from the elastic of my mask pressing on my ear and jaw nerves. This has happened to some people, I discovered. So I may need to put a softer type of elastic or some cushioning on the earpiece.

It would also be nice if Ma Nature would say enough with the cold weather already. I'm not holding my breath on that though. We've got more to do this morning but not a lot. Wearing a soft knitted headband to keep my jaw warm helps some. I'll be glad when this task is over with.

Good morning!

CM, you made so much progress that you got all the way down to layers from so long ago you couldn't remember! Nice job!

Good luck with your books.

All three of my bio kids got their first shot yesterday! (My governor threw a tantrum and told pharmacies if they have open appointments less than a week out to let anyone take them.) dsil gets his today!

And research shows that breastfeeding vaccinated moms pass immunity to their babies - so Bean will be covered too!

School was good yesterday. I also went to an online seminar about growing blueberries in the morning. One of the things I love about covid is the way it has expanded opportunities to participate in state ag programs. I hope they keep that! In person is better, but the drive is often too long.

I ordered some cooling racks. They are very nice ones that over the years I have bought for all the women in my family except me. I thought about that as I was struggling with my old bent one the other day after making bread, and then I ordered them. They arrived yesterday, so now I just have to wash them and get rid of the old ones.

The musical shaker eggs for Bean's Easter basket also arrived. They are cute.

Wednesday is a long day and I have a lot to do....

Stay safe everyone - the end of the tunnel is still a way off, but it is in sight.

You ladies have been pretty busy. In my own way I have also.

Tatoulia, I hope you enjoy your new job and that it's not stressful. It's nice when someone else who loved one of our Rainbow Bridge animals can reminisce with us and help recall the happy times.

SubC, I'm glad there are good things happening to balance out those that are more trying. I pray the girl gets some help to cope, and if possible a miracle for mama goat and baby.

My roommate is on spring break. We always have a lot to do. The weather is not as cooperative as we'd wish. Still rainy and chilly. I did start a little of my plans for digging out my room. It's been so hard to do organizing in a shared house, and more than ever difficult with her working from home right there in the living room.

If it was just me in the house, I could move my items from the bedroom elsewhere for sorting. But at least I started, and have an idea what I'm dealing with (embarrassed to admit that some stacks I'd forgotten what was in the lower layers 😬 yikes).

So even though the whole business will probably stretch on into next week, I think I can figure out how to proceed. A lot of it is books. Which is a big thing awaiting at the storage unit when I make my next big push there. The books here are pretty likely keepers, they are ones I hope to read very soon, and they have to do with my interests dear to my heart. But in the storage I'll probably find books to let go. And other items.

It looks as though the last week of March may be sunnier here. But 10-day forecasts must be taken with a grain of salt.

Hello.

Had a great day with Bean today!

Also, Meadow the goat had twin bucklings. Not excited that they are boys, but they are healthy and strong. And soon I will have milk again.

One of my kids got a new therapist, which I think sounds promising.

tomorrow is school again, which will be hard because it is a transition and also I have gotten used to being home all the time again, but it will, feel good once I make it to the classroom.

Now the bad stuff, feel free to skip. First is people and second is a farm thing that may have a sad outcome





People - my friend whose son is STILL awaiting trial for murder - her daughter attempted suicide. But it is not all bad because she lived and is getting help.







Farm - one of my older goats is bred and due on the 15th. she started losing weight three weeks ago and is horrible thin. I cannot get weight on her no matter what I do (she has been treated medically) and I am pretty sure she is going to die. If she lives past the 6th, the baby has a chance, but it is unlikely. I milked out colostrum from the goat who kidded tonight for emergency care for the baby just in case.

SubC I hadn't seen your most recent post-I was commenting on the gallery, etc.

That was an absolute rollercoaster of emotions you felt, SubC. A very rewarding and positive day with some negative feelings. I think the positives far outweighed the negatives and I hope you feel the same way.

We had very sunny and bordering on warm weather yesterday. BF had family in from NY and I minded the store together with an employee for the entire afternoon. I like this employee a lot and I haven't spent any time with her lately. She has only worked one other day all year. She didn't know that Tigger was gone so I told her. I know BF couldn't find a way to tell her. She was able to quickly shift from sadness to talking about the beautiful life he had.

I was able to do two loads of laundry yesterday. I have more to do but at least I got those done.

I may have mentioned this but the only friend who I told about my promotion sent me flowers on Saturday. They are beautiful and will look lovely when my friend comes here on Wednesday.

Since the cleaners are coming today, I need to quickly look alive. It's messy here. I am not the person who cleans for the cleaners, but I did let stuff pile up here. Want to get the most out of their time here!

Coffee clinks.

I lost yesterday. I don't know why. The weather was nice, but I was just tired and couldn't get moving.

I think part of it may have been the stress let down from going to get the hay. That had loomed larger and larger until it became pretty overwhelming.

I did make some Improvement in the scullery, but not a full hour. I also spent some time outside, but I didn't get work done.

Today I get Bean again! I think we may actually be going to the original plan of I get him every Monday!

My dsil sent me a link last night to wonderful information. There is a new recycling/reuse center opening in the city in April that takes pretty much everything! All the food packaging I have been saving to take to ds's house (I'm up to 5 grocery bags) plus other food packaging I've been throwing away! My trash is going to be down to Dh used razor blades and a few personal hygiene/animal medicine items.

I am excited that the world is adapting itself to me. ("The reasonable man adapts himself to the world. The unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man." - George Bernard Shaw.)

Good morning
Happy (belated) spring!
I worked outside yesterday and my daffodils have started blooming.

Tatoulia,
Yay for getting to spend time with your friend!

Also great news on your promotion coming through! I hope that the "decent pay boost" means you get to have your cleaning fairies every week!

We just got the great news that ds will get a shot at work on Tuesday! (Don't know which shot yet)

We did go to the gallery on Friday. I think it was a good thing for me to do. Not too many people and all wearing masks and the door was open with a light breeze. I wish it would have been one week later so I was out of my waiting period, but I hugged Dh cousin. That felt weird, but nice.

Dh cousin is a ceramicist, so the people were comfortable people for me to be around. (In relation to my regular social issues, as opposed to all the revulsion to people brought on by the apocalypse.)

We bought an art piece that I really like and Dh cousin gifted us two really pretty mugs. He also invited us to come visit his family (in a nearby state) when this is over. We all stood close together with our masks on and took a picture to send to his mom. I was glad we made it to the show, because his mom had told him we were coming and he was looking for us.

I did melt down yesterday when I couldn't find an important piece of paper (still can't). The voices in my head started telling me how bad I am at life and that any progress I think I've made is just an illusion and really I've just shifted the problems around and stopped paying attention to them and my house is dirty, and there are piles all over the place and I'm behind on dishes and laundry, and any minute people are going to expect a return to normal engagement with life and I am going to crash and fail miserably.

Then Dh put me in the truck and drove me down the road to buy hay and straw from the neighbor who told me he hadn't seen me in so long he thought I moved.

Today I am going to work outside again. And spend one hour (probably not in a row) on dishes and the scullery.

Hello everyone! Sorry to be absent recently.

CM I know that cat trick. I lose the ability to type or everything's aligned weirdly. I can only turn off then back in again to resolve. Sounds like your cat is more advanced, and was able to make a more permanent change!

SubC I am sorry your youngest is going through a break up. Never easy. I am grateful that your husband made you a nest! So sweet!


We continued to work in the basement to get ready for the shredding company. We also moved the date to April 2 as we felt we could get more done with more time. Most of my things are ready to go but I am going to look through my house and see if there are any piles of stuff I can take to BFs basement for the shredding truck. We got a lot accomplished this week. I have another box of old children's books to send on their way.

I also slept a lot. I was tired and just slept.

My friend is coming here next week so I have scheduled my cleaners for Monday instead of Wednesday. My friend will have completed her two week quarantine from Japan and then will be staying here. I don't know how long she'll be here. And I don't think her cat will be here but time will tell.

I got my promotion! I don't have the details other than I had an email late yesterday with the subject line of Congratulations, [new title]. She also said in the body of the email that there's a decent pay boost. Her words, decent pay boost! I'll get the details next week. Only told BF and then one very close friend at work. My close friend was so happy for me, and she said she was as happy for me as I was when she received a promotion a year or so ago (she had also given me the inside scoop). I am thrilled.

Okay I am doing a load of laundry and as soon as I put into dryer, I will take my shower and get ready to get outside. It's sunny and fairly mild out.

Goid morning again.

My coffee is all gone.

I managed to make it through yesterday pretty well without needing my nest. It was good to know it was there though. Mr. kitty enjoyed it for part of the day.

I did melt down at dinner time.

But I managed to start seeds, transplant peppers, set sweet potatoes for slips, plant a few willows, run a load of dishes, and bake a cake.

Today is sunny, but very cold.

More housework in the morning - outside in the afternoon.

I have been watching homesteading stories on YouTube for inspiration. Some of them basically just talk to the camera, so I gave set a goal to work on the scullery while listening to three of those this morning.

This evening Dh and I might go into the city to a gallery reception for the opening of his cousin's show - or we might go into the city, look at the crowd, wave to his cousin from the doorway and leave.....

Good morning!

CM,

I'm glad you solved your "cat"astrophy.

Tatoulia, I think the time change is hard on everyone.

I have reached the middle of spring break "I'm not going to get anything done" panic. My body is sore, my house is a mess, and my sleep schedule is in tatters.

My oldest is doing better - the vaccine on her horizon is giving her hope, but my youngest is a train wreck right now. Her relationship ended, she is living alone again, and she has a lot of job uncertainty.

It's going to rain all day today. My yard is flooded. Dh has created a little nest in the wingback chair near his desk for me to collapse into when I am ready. He says I have to bring a book or an undemanding task. He knows that otherwise he will come downstairs and find me sitting on the couch, glazed over, doomscrolling and eating ice cream out of the container without having turned the lights on. And he says "we don't want that to happen."

Update: Got my laptop back. Everything okay. Problem likely caused by cat jumping on keyboard, which changed a setting. I think I actually fixed the same problem myself a month or so ago but this time just couldn't recall the specifics nor locate the information on Google.

The perpetrator is curled up on my bed with me. 🐈

Happy St. Patrick's Day ☘☘☘

They talk of March coming in and going out like a lion or a lamb. They never say much about it being like a snarly weasel in between. Too many cloudy and chilly, rainy and windy days that aren't conducive to my hopes to get back on track with the storage unit.

Been rather draggy. Jet lag from the time change. My laptop is in the shop, after I was furious with it Monday because the keyboard decided not to recognize typing. And some error message with the windows updates. I tried lots of geeky things to no avail.

I hope they can fix it without a big hassle. It may be time to start a fund for a new one. This one is 10 years old, albeit refurbished but I don't know if refurbished really adds more years to them. I don't need an annoying money pit computer. We'll see.

Next week is the spring break for the schools so my roommate will be off and we'll need to prepare for the termite man to inspect. The weather doesn't look that great then, just tolerable. The week after is Holy Week and hopefully sunnier too. Hard to believe it will be Easter that soon. Time is still weird because of the pandemic and other craziness.

Just need to compile ideas that will help the work go efficiently when I do get to it. I may also be finishing up the vine and weed pulling since the rain has made the ground soft.

Enjoy the day with your grandson! I am still awaiting news re my vaccine. I'll be eligible soon.

Am trying to be focused on work. I find everything's an effort right now. I have three checks to deposit and so far have only deposited one, which I did this AM. I don't now why I'm so behind. I don't feel depressed but certainly if I can't do the simplest things I must be.

Ok, it is very overcast today, so I am struggling.

But, I did plant about 25 little willowslip starts (of about 200?) and I caught up on the laundry a bit.

And I got super good news today that three of my kids will be eligible for shots at the end of the month and my son may be able to get one through his work in a few weeks.

Also, tomorrow I get Bean again!

I am going to try to do a quick 15 minute pick up in the living room.

That is a lot of ferns, SubC. I hadn't looked at it that way.

Garbage out, recycling out. Kitty has clean box. Dishwasher running and I'm going to try to go to bed now. I stayed up til 3:30 AM which, it turns out, was a bit of a mistake.

Lol - Tatoulua, I am excited about the ferns, but I have to plant 100 ferns! I have to dig all those holes! It will take hours!

I'm afraid I'm hoarding plants now. I'm afraid I've bitten off more than I can chew - I have seedlings, strawberries coming, things to direct seed, raspberries coming, trees coming, willows in jars that need to be planted...

Chicks coming in May, pregnant goats, rabbits...

So much to do in the barn, classes to teach, pottery?!

And this house...

I did use up potting soil left over from last year and some peat pots that have been sitting around forever. That is good, right?

You did great with your bags and your pj clean out!. The shredding sounds like a good option too.

We cross posted, SubC! Yay for the terms! A lot of ferns!