Good Afternoon Anybody

Been having a nice day.
The weather is lovely.
Did a bunch of laundry, things that don't get washed all the time like some curtains & tablecloths.
Cats are happy and have all their needs taken care of.

Handed Steven a bag of assorted frozen meats from the fridge freezer last night and asked him to see if there was anything there he wanted to eat this weekend.
The stuff all smelled very strongly of that old/been in the freezer too long a time smell.
The smell got on my hands and was terribly strong.
I told him that that food probably wouldn't taste very good and it was all freezer burned.
But, that bags worth is no longer in the fridge freezer, YEA!
Plan to keep doing this every week until the freezer is empty or he starts fussing too much.

Good Evening

This morning I could have done some chores around here.
Decided that I did not want to so I went into town.
Was at the hospital auxiliary thrift shop and discovered that I can get a FREE flu shot.
Just need to go to the county hospital on Wednesday between 5pm to 8pm.
The shots are donated by the hospital auxiliary.

I will be 65 in December. I have never had a flu shot because they have always been too expensive.

Will you all please badger and yell and cajole and remind me NOT to chicken out and to go get a flu shot?

Today I also found a whole dollar bill just laying in the road.
Went to the food bank thrift shop and had a nice visit and bought a tiny cat quilt and a pair of garnet earrings.
Then since I am almost out of laundry detergent I went to the store, got cat snax too.

Came back home and did a bunch of chores.

Good Morning Everybody :)

Hi Subclinical :)
I appreciate a person who answers honestly when asked a question rather than one who pussyfoots around the subject.
Many people consider my bluntness/honesty as being rude but I consider their problem is their own and not mine. ;)
I do not consider you being in the wrong for answering honestly and wonder what their true motives were for asking you in the first place if they did not want to hear the answer.

Many people have appreciated and many people have been very upset when they have asked my opinion about what they are wearing cause I tell it like it is.
So, if they can't handle the truth then they should not ask me. ;P

But I do understand what you are saying about the ridiculous social games that people feel they must play and it's frustrating trying to figure out their rules of play. (((hug)))


Last night the skunk must have just sprayed a dog because when she came around here it was so heavy it woke me up gagging.
I remembered Jack's kibble bowl on the back porch had food in it and was able to bring it in before Miss Stinky discovered it.
I like the skunks but don't want them getting used to eating on my porch.
The intense pain in my spine and the sick headache are much better today and I was able to sleep last night without tossing & turning trying to get comfortable.
Anyways, I now know that I can no longer prune or move branches thicker than just a couple of inches thick.

Oh, and that "Is it ok if I sit here?" Thing - just saying "no." Because it isn't ok and the reason is because I don't like you or find you annoying, but it would be rude to say that - that is really not ok.

I learned "go ahead." And then I leave as quickly as possible.

Tillie, i'm Glad you have made friends with the kitty.
And i'm Sorry about the branches.

CM, I hope the plumber was able to help you and that all is fixed quickly!

There are a lot of lies people tell that don't really make them "liars". People pretend they want to go to social events and can't when they don't want to go. They say they will miss you when they won't. They say they don't care about stuff that they care about. There are many rituals and assumptions around lying to each other in society that for most people make the world better.

Here is an example:
"Do you want the last donut?" (Might mean "can I have the last donut?" or might mean "I want to wash the plate." Or might mean "I am trying not to eat this donut." Or might mean "I want appreciation for giving you the donut" or "I ate more donuts than you did and I will feel better about myself if you eat one.")

"No, you can have it." (Might mean "I want the donut but realize you just asked for it and don't want to seem rude." Or "the donuts are bad." Or "can we share this donut", or even "I actually don't want the donut.")

90% of the time I say "sure, thanks." And eat the donut. Or "no." And stick with it in the face of continuing pressure to which I respond with increasing annoyance. And then later a family member explains what I did wrong.

"Want to go get a drink after work?" "No."

"Are you busy?" "Yes."

"What do you think of this shirt?" "It's a little tight."

"Is it ok if I sit here?" Is a different question. "No. I want to sit by myself." Is not an acceptable response.

I get myself in trouble a lot.

Hello

Hi CriticalMass :)
Iced tea "CLINK!"
WAY TO GO!!! getting the AC repaired and the heater all serviced and ready for Winter!!!
Very happy you have the plumber there right now.
Hoping that it is an easy fix and not too much damage has been done.
It may just be ugly old common dark mold and not the extremely dangerous "black mold".
If the subfloor is not damaged you can easily coat it with a product that will seal in the spores and help keep it more water resistant too.
Please apologize to girl kitty for thinking it was her since she is innocent and would never do anything like that. ;D


Hi Subclinical :)
I do not believe it is really lying when you misdirect peoples expectations to keep a happy fun secret.

On my personal list of people I dislike, liars come in right after people who hurt animals, children or nice people.
You can never really trust a liar.

Yeah, I just say "fine, and you?" any more except with people I have known for a while and am on more friendly terms with and then we have an honest exchange.


This morning Jack
(who's not my little black kitty living on my porch)
was standing patiently by the bowl as I poured his cereal.
I held out my hand to him and he did not flinch or show any signs of nervousness so I gave him a good head rubbing, first time I have attempted to touch him.
He enjoyed it.
When I stopped he looked at the bowl and I said "OK, go ahead and eat your breakfast", so he did, just like nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
It takes patience for these kitties to get to trust and now Jack trusts me.

Oh no CM, her manners are fine. She's a lovely woman, really. She is very caring and puts people at ease. But she knows me, and she has made an effort to do that.

I was talking to another person today and I told her "i'm Still pretty tired. I ran into L at the end of the day yesterday and she told me I looked like crap." And the person I was talking to gets it - her immediate reaction was "that's how you know somebody is a real friend."

I don't lie. Maybe about stuff like where I hid your birthday present or what we're going to do after dinner - for a fun trick or a surprise, but basically, I don't lie. And I have a really hard time with people who lie to me. And I understand that there are all kinds of socially acceptable reasons people lie to each other that make life easier and more pleasant. But they just make me confused and insecure. "Hi-how-are-you" is actually a huge social pitfall for me. I forget to say it all the time. And sometimes I actually forget and answer it. Which is very awkward. I have to remind myself it is not a question and answer, it is a social ritual in which "hi-how-are-you?" Means "I see you." And "fine-how-are-you?" Means "I see you too."

SubC, I would have a hard time biting my tongue and refraining from telling that woman her manners are crap!

Tillie good job on the trees. Sorry about the wood chipper. Your telling of Steven's road to hell paved with good intentions is making me do some more soul searching. Definitely rest that aching bod. Iced tea clinks!

Okay, this is one for the #YoureNotGonnaBelieveThis category: The AC was fixed this morning and the furnace readied for winter. But we were thinking girl kitty had been peeing on the bathroom rug. I later noticed it was sopping wet, and there was a musty smell in the bathroom.

Long story short, there has been a drip beneath the sink for an indeterminate period of time. There's black mold; we'll have to replace the vanity and maybe boards and whatnot beneath. Aaaand I gotta go, plumber is here.

Good Morning :)

Hi Subclinical :)
So true, most people say "hi-how-are-you"
never really wanting or caring to know.
Hope you are soon feeling better. (((HUGS)))
Here, we truly do care how you are doing and are cutting you lots of slack on doing anything until you are well again. ;)


Have been suffering since cutting down those tree branches yesterday.
They were large and heavy.
Had asked Steven to do this several years ago for me and I waited too long before giving up on him and doing it myself.
Cancelling all my plans for today, except the usual daily cat related tasks.

Several years ago he paid over 200.00 for a used wood chipper at the thrift store.
He turned it on once to test it out.
Since then it has been sitting out in the yard hoard rusting away while the yard has filled higher and higher with branches I have trimmed or that have broken off and fallen down. :(

CM, thank you fir your nice long note!

I'm glad you seem to be feeling better. Enjoy the quilting and good luck on the sorting out!

Tillie, you got a lot done today.

I can't really think about what I want to do right now.

I'm really tired tonight. A coworker friend has been out really sick for over a week and was back today. I ran into her after school and she said "you look like crap. What's wrong with you?" And I said "i'm anemic, thanks for noticing." And she said " well, you look it. Your color is bad and you have big hollows under your eyes."

This is why she is my friend. Most people say "hi-how-are-you?" And don't actually look at you or want to know. Also, it kind of made me feel better to know that I actually look like crap. I feel like I am whining when I say I am too tired for things, but if I look like I feel, then that's ok.

Good Afternoon Everyone :)

Hi Tatoulia :)
YEA! for weighing in today. LOL ;D
Sorry (((HUG))) I know how all that crazy stuff drives sane people insane.


Hi CriticalMass :)
Maybe boy kitty will learn a few manners in the family room where RABBITS RULE! ;D
So happy to read that girl kitty is playing with her toys again.
That is always a good sign.
I have discovered that once you get a cat to relax, settle down, chill out
they seem to continue being calm since they no longer feel like they are in danger and can now think more rationally, as rationally as a cat can think anyways.
WAY TO GO!!! working on the quilt! YEA! :D
Wonderful the AC waited for much cooler weather before going on the fritz.
Thank you for the names of the cat psych books. ;)


Been doing stuff all day...
Watering my 6 trees.
Pruned branches off rogue trees that I do not like or want. Their branches were interfering with my ash trees and one grew to be right over my burn barrel, making it dangerous to burn anything.
Brewed some more herbal ice tea.
Did cat stuff.
When the trees are finished watering I will wash my hair.
Tomorrow I will do laundry since I can not run water outside and inside at the same time.
Later today or tomorrow I will water the lilac hedge.
So nice that everything is not demanding watering constantly day after day since it's cooled down nicely here.

Addendum - I meant to share the kitty books we've been reading, just in case anyone needs to know about them. Tatoulia especially in case you do have to introduce two cats at some point.

Cat vs. Cat: Keeping Peace When You Have More Than One Cat by Pam Johnson-Bennett

and

The Cat Whisperer: Why Cats Do What They Do - and How to Get Them to Do What You Want by Mieshelle Nagelschneider

A little update

After church on Sunday I went to the parish picnic - I wasn't crying anymore, thankfully! I ate a hamburger, chips, watermelon, probably too much dessert (LOL) but it was good. Didn't stay for the activities; sometimes as a single person I can find a family I know to sort of hang out with to watch the goings on, and not feel lonely. But after the drama in the middle of the night I realized the meal and the conversation with the people I sat with were enough.

So I came home and had a nice nap. :)

SubC having had anemia myself around the time of my hysterectomy 10 years ago, I can tell you it's normal to feel weak as a kitten, maybe a little depressed - and that you shouldn't feel guilty or hopeless about it because it's perfectly normal. Your strength will return. So spend the current strength wisely until it does.

Coconut bread - yum, I like coconut. Tillie I'm with you on the Mexican coconut candy, and other Mexican sweets! Good stuff! Where I used to live was really close to what's probably the best Mexican bakery in town. I still go there once in awhile.

Your linen closet sounds like it works great for you. Too bad Steven didn't want to take that medicine - and not because of side effects even. I know I don't like having to take any psych meds and I take the lowest dose I can, but that's because of the desire to avoid side effects. And a person shouldn't take anything that would make them feel high, since that'd possibly lead to addiction. So I guess that can happen, that a person feels no different and decides to quit.

Since this household can't seem to go more than two days without some drama, the latest is the air conditioner. Roommate said it was making a loud buzzing and overheating. But the repairman thinks it will be a fix and not a new AC unit, thankfully.

I had been at the church yesterday - got started on the last phase of hand sewing the binding on my quilt. So when I found out I'd need to be here to wait for the AC repair, I drove back and brought the quilt home from the church - realized there's a clean sheet on the sofa with no dog hair so I can sit here and stitch on it. I'm about 5 ft. along but it's a queen size so I've got a ways to go! Can't wait to be done!

Kitties are doing not too bad on their rehabilitation programme! Boy kitty has accepted being back in the family room and has stopped meowing. He has the rabbits to keep him company. My two are large rabbits (who aren't bonded yet - we're working on it). I let one of mine out in the morning, swap in late afternoon, and then roommate's two smaller rabbits have their playtimes in the evening. My big bunnies aren't intimidated by kitty's nonsense, and if he tries to stick a paw in through the pen wires to bat at them, they merely give him the stink eye and hop away like "Seriously, dude?"

And girl kitty up front has been playing with some of her original toys (hunting play is part of the therapy for both kitties). It's like you can see the light go on in her mind, the memory of when she used to play those games with those toys. Her anti-anxiety meds will be prepared by a compounding pharmacy. She may not even need them that much.

We are fortunate that the weather is reasonably cool enough to be able to leave windows open and ceiling fans going, so being without AC hasn't been bad at all, really. I had slept on the living room sofa Saturday and Sunday evenings due to the crisis with kitty and not having had the chance to get items off my bed, but last night I cleared it off and slept there. Roommate may or may not need the sofa to sleep more propped up due to allergies. Though with the AC off she chose to sleep in her room. Either way, we're prepared.

So basically my goal is #1 to finish the quilt, and #2 to keep working on decluttering. When I can, I'll take things to the storage unit and begin sorting there. I also want to do some fun things and creative goal things, of course. I want to sew doll clothes, and at some point reassess where I left off with my writing (that has been SO neglected). And artwork - doodling for relaxation, and dare I hope, some more focused and serious efforts later on.

I love the thought of your shelves and the curtains, Tillie. So neat and tidy and pleasant! I can't believe that Steven at one point had a med that made life more tolerable! I can believe, and have seen it first-hand, that the simple act of taking a pill wasn't worth it to him.

My brother stopped all psych meds a few years ago which then created a whole new issue including extreme paranoia and belief that certain things were happening and that certain people were just actors and other crazy stuff. He's rarely been able to manage being pleasant for too long but his anger and psychosis were much more pronounced without the meds. Such is life. HIS life for I am out of it.

Well I'm super late for work.

Oh!! Got myself weighed!

Hello :)

Hi Subclinical :)
I always think "some people are educated beyond their intelligence" LOL :D
WAY TO GO! not bringing home more than you need or want to handle from the food bank.
Is there one little fun thing you want to get started on?
If so, please think about it, see if you have everything needed to do it, plot and plan how you would proceed with it.
Maybe just thinking through a little fun project would be a pleasant pastime plus you would be actively working through all the logistics.
(((HUGS)))

Hi Tatoulia :)
I love coconut. There is this one candy in Mexico that is just coconut and a ton of sugar that is my absolute favorite.
"Heavy sigh" Mexico is so far away...

YEA! for a beautiful new duvet for your Mom! :D
Thank you for helping the Aide (((hug)))

I have a shelf in the hallway where I store my bedding during the day.
I hang a pretty curtain from a tension rod on the shelf to cover it.
In my tiny room I have a shelf unit with 4 shelves.
Over the two bottom shelves I use a tension rod and curtain to cover the contents.
Makes things look pretty and tidy. ;)

The reason why I try to never advise prescription medications online is because I am not a qualified medical professional.
I'm always so happy when someone is prescribed a medication that helps them.
When I was working as a surgical assistant I used to write up a lot of prescriptions every day.
I was responsible for a drug cabinet containing a plethora of amazing things and a crash cart filled with life saving drugs.
But here online I will talk about all and any kind of alternative OTC remedies.
Steven was prescribed a med that made a huge difference in his moods and behavior, it was so wonderful, everybody noticed he was pleasant.
He took it for a short time then quit it because HE saw no change in his outlook/mood???
"Heavy sigh"...

SubC I misread your post?thanks for catching that. MIL needs a shop the family lesson, or not! Sorry about that! I hear you on trading out the PhDs! So cute! It's good to have something to draw upon and make you snicker!

I know that frustrating feeling, SubC. Self-loathing. It's so terrible. It will pass. I wish I could just let out a massive scream sometimes. I hope the iron starts building back in your blood. It is a terrible thing to fight fatigue. You'll feel more like yourself.

Tillie you are so good and so loving. Oh that roast beef sounds tasty! My cleaners brought me some nice Brazilian food today and my goodness it was tasty. I gave away the coconut bread because I don't like coconut. I'll tell them next time that I liked the chicken pie and the cheese bread. I don't want them spending their money on bringing me something I won't eat.

They are so dear.

CM my first thought, when you said you had some anti-anxiety meds for the cat: save any extras for me! I understand that there are pros and cons to taking medications and I respect views that differ from my own. Personally, being able to take a pill sometimes is the best thing for me. I'm glad you are helping the kitties to get their acts together.

Well I'm going to finish up a few things then get ready for bed. I have a meeting tomorrow night for one of my volunteer positions and I'm the leader. So there's that. Tillie did I tell you that the town had enough volunteers for the gas/Fire/explosion claims so I had Saturday to myself.

Saw mom tonight. She wanted to swap out her bedspread for her comforter. I ended it bringing over one of her birthday presents, a Marimekko duvet. Boy it lights up her room! Then One of the aides asked me if I was going to the store and eventually I pulled it out if her that she forgot her dinner. So I came home, got my wallet, then picked up a sandwich and some chips for her. So I got a little walk in. I also went to the hardware store and bought a tension rod. I used it to hang a tea towel over my kitchen cabinet that lost its door. It looks really cute. The tea towel is from Naples and is the most beautiful fabric. It was a gift from a friend.

Ok time to settle down. Goodnight dear friends.

Hi all!

Warm ginger water with a wedge of orange clink.

Dh always shops the family. It's my mil who forgets what amazing and talented kids and husband I have. She is all about the prestige of titles and paychecks, and I am more like, yeah, yeah, but look at this thing he made for me with his hands!

Once when dh and a friend were working on a dead car (they fixed it) I told the other wife "they'll figure it out, right? They've got two phds." And she said "i'd trade both of them for a good garbage man. You can solve a lot of society's problems just by taking out the trash regularly." (Literally and figuratively)

There have been a lot of times since then that i've looked at some "brilliant" overpaid idiot facing an actual problem and remembered that moment.

CM, I just keep thinking about you and the cats and hoping that miss kitty will feel well again. I wish you had fewer challenges!

Tatoulia, I love hearing about your cleaners.

And Tillie, i'm Glad you're having a nice fall day with your veggies.

I had a hot pretzel with mustard from the food bank for lunch - which was yummy, and two chocolate donuts. (We had 27 boxes of donuts left at the end of the day, so I took ONE.) not very healthy food choices, but I worked hard there this morning moving boxes and it is dark and rainy, so I went with comfort food.

I also brought home one medium sized and one small box of bread (which included the hot pretzel) I refused to even go in the produce shed and look at the veggies they were throwing out. (The pouring rain helped me keep my resolve)

I am having a really hard time making myself of the things I need to be doing. Things I want to have done and things I know will make me happy if I can just get started on them. I don't know if it is the weather, or the anemia, or some kind of mental block I can't get past. I feel frustrated, but not enough to actually do anything about it except be mad at myself.

Good Afternoon Everyone

Hi Subclinical :)
How wonderful that you have such a talented and skilled family. :D
Happy you will soon be debt/mortgage free too!
And the money has been well spent making these home improvements to make your home more what you both want and like.
Wishing you a pleasant and uncomplicated week.

Hi CriticalMass :)
Happy you are studying cat psychology.
I'm relieved that girl kitty will be using some anxiety medicine.
I try never to advise prescription remedies online even though I sometimes believe they would help.
Thank you (((HUGS)))
Yes, I get so much from each and every one of you here.
You all give me hope and the courage to go on.

Hi Tatoulia :)
Very sweet of you to gift the cleaners with some lovely things. (((hug)))
It is always satisfying when we can directly give our things to the people who want and appreciate them.
I'm pretty sure tomorrow morning you will weigh, naked and caffeine free, the same as you did this morning. LOL

Very slow day.
I could be doing so much more but just don't have any energy.
That's OK, I won't push myself. Maybe I really need to rest.
Got to sleep in till 8:30am.
Had warmed up roast beef, potatoes & carrots for lunch.
I just love having tasty leftovers. So easy and convenient.

Good morning! Thanks for all of the encouragement!

My cleaners woke me up today. So I made us all coffee. Wow so clean in here. They really make my life so easy. I had a really pretty dress that I thought would look nice on one of them and she put it on immediately and looked so pretty in it. So then I pulled out a jacket from when I was tiny and I gave it to the other woman and she looked terrific in it. They were so sweet. I also had a bag of gently worn clothes that won't fit either of them but they said they have plenty of people to share with. I curated them so they'd be nice and useful and only very gently worn. That was great fun.

I did have two bags I took to goodwill yesterday. Stuff I couldn't see giving to the cleaners such as pajamas, pots and pans from the no longer dreaded cabinet, some blouses that were less than perfect but definitely wearable, etc. I am so pleased with clearing out.

I didn't get to weigh myself this AM as I couldn't just take off all my clothes and weigh myself before coffee with the cleaners here.

SubC great plan regarding retirement and debt! And I am absolutely sure you have lots of talent to draw from right there! DH needs to learn to "shop the family" with that type of talent available!

Tillie, oh for a roast beef with carrots! So delicious!

I think I had forgotten you'd given feliway a chance. That's interesting about cat behavior, CM. I sure hope I never have to integrate mom's little bully with the world's most angelic cat. (I do love mom's cat. I just believe in rooting for the home team.). If I ever do, I'll know who to ask!

Well I can hear the work emails so I'll go back to work now.

Have a great day!!!!

I'm feeling better. It has been a decent September day, on the warm side but not bad.

We are reading cat behavior books and have determined that our situation seems to warrant a complete reintroduction of the cats. Boy is not happy because as the instigator he has to be in the back room at least the first few days - the book said give the picked-on cat the prime territory to reestablish confidence. Girl is already acting more like her old self.

It will be a challenge to do this because as I've probably mentioned, this house doesn't have the most convenient layout and we have between us a lot of stuff! (Surprise!)

Tat we had bought the Feliway diffuser starter kit, only to discover we didn't have a grounded outlet that wasn't too close to furniture to plug it in. So we got some Feliway spray instead. Girl kitty is also going to be starting a Rx anxiety medicine, hopefully that won't have to be for long.

I went to church today, unburdened my soul to Father in the confessional and to God in prayer. By the way, you all are my earth angels, just so you know. This clutter and stress battle is not easily fought without allies. So thanks and bless you.

SubC I agree you came up with a brilliant strategy, one I may borrow if in a similar situation! It's kind of like these cats, you don't let the fight have time to start! Good for you. And may the decompression proceed peacefully and enjoyably.

Tillie I just appreciate your experience with cats and the hoarding issues you never wanted to have to deal with and yet here you are like a rockstar for all of us. I hope you get back even more than you give. Be sure and rest and pace yourself as needed.

Wonder how some of the others are - Joan, Anony, Tess, Mar, et al. Be nice to hear from Porter once in awhile too, though he may be busy enjoying the new path he is on.

All shall be well. For all of us. ***HUGS***

Tatoulia, that is wonderful that you have your mortgage paid off!

We had ours paid off, but then we took out a construction loan for part of the addition, so I feel like we have a mortgage again. It will probably take us 7 or 8 years to pay off, although we may try to do it faster because Dh wants to retire in six, and he won't retire with outstanding debt. - we managed to save the money to buy the flooring, trim, and beam covers while making the payments, so early payoff is definitely doable.

We don't spend a lot and are pretty careful about debt. This weekend we splurged and bought over $50 in groceries and drinks to cook dinner for us, dh parents, and the three kids plus serve a brownie sundae bar for dessert. (We have leftover ice cream and beer)

I'm glad you have your gentle artist friend to help you make your home beautiful!

Dh and I were talking about what we want to do with trim around the beams, and mil said "you should hire an artist to sketch it for you. You should call a professional carpenter. They might know someone. You might even be able to find someone who could make you something." Among my 6 kids, there are two art degrees and an architecture degree. Jobs include a construction project engineer and a graphic designer. I do tile work. One kid with only unskilled experience in the construction trades built the built in shelving unit in the bathroom that she "just loves" while we were out of town one weekend. He was bored. Dh does technical drawings as part of his job.

Tillie, roast veggies and a clean kitchen sound good. Enjoy your videos!

I am getting back to my regularly scheduled life tomorrow.

Good Evening Everybody :)

Hi Tatoulia :)
Isn't it wonderful having that mortgage all paid off?
As long as I pay the yearly property taxes I have a home.

Having someone with a fresh outlook help you rethink your home is great.
I know living here for so many decades it is sometimes hard to rethink how it could be.


Been a lovely day here today.
Warm with a breeze.
The roast beef and potatoes & carrots turned out deliciously.
Got the kitchen all cleaned up too.
Sometime this afternoon Netflix put up season 8 of "The Walking Dead" so I get to watch that.
Didn't do any kind of chores, except cat related stuff & dish washing.
Usually by now the air smells like Autumn and the line dried laundry holds the scent but this year it still smells like Summer.
A few leaves have started to change, especially on the Cottonwood trees.

Congratulations, SubC! Great coping mechanism! I'll be right back after I ... brilliant!

I am so sorry MIL is insulting. We've all had people like that and it is hurtful.

I used to have a friend that when he was at my apartment, he'd say, you need to move, you live beneath your means, you should live in x, y, z, etc. well he moved almost every year, buying more and more and more expensive places. I ran into him about 5 years ago, as he no longer lives in the city. He was with his sister and he said how we used to be neighbors. And I said, I still live in the same apartment and he rolled his eyes. So I said, only a year left on my mortgage. That shut him up. It was also a lie, as I paid off my mortgage this year. Those types of lies are perfectly appropriate in my mind.

When my artist friend first saw my apartment (two years ago) she kept saying how beautiful it is and how much she loved it. Now this is a woman who had had two of her homes in an overseas version of Architectural Digest. And she was happy and excited to see my dirty and cluttered home. Once she arrived back home she sent me the most gentle letter saying that she had some ideas to make the rooms flow better and if I were interested, she'd sketch them out for me. I kept hoping she'd offer to re-do my place, so her letter was a gift. Initially she wanted to have kitty and me vacate for four days. Well my pocketbook says let's slow down. I have agreed to almost everything she has suggested because in my mind, I've lived here 20+ years my way, time to let a professional handle it.

There are ways to be insulting and there are ways to be helpful. I'm glad we have each other here.

Hi Subclinical :)

So happy things went smoothly this time!
Yes, some people believe that the whole world revolves around them and everything that happens is because it happened to them.
Just be thankful that you are not one of those idiots. (((hug)))

I absolutely hate when someone comes into my home and touches, evaluates and tells me what I should do with my own personal possessions.
The occupational therapist woman that came in here to evaluate Steven after his leg surgery for the blood clot did that to me and I hate her for it and was glad that I proved to her that WE did not need her services.
So rude...

WAY TO GO! for having your home company ready! :D


Hi Tatoulia :)
YEA!!! for having your home clear AND clean!!!
WTG! for continuing to sort out for nobody else in the world but you! (((hug)))

I would gladly suffer asthma attacks if it would help to stop all that fussing, fighting, stress and spraying.
But I believe the spraying can be brought under control eventually once the discomfort of the urinary tract infection is eliminated.

Poor critical mass. Poor kitty. I am sorry everything is so hard. And yes, if there is one place you should expect understanding, it is from god.

Tatoulia, I agree that the spending is justified and reasonable, but I know how overwhelming it can be in big chunks that come all at once!

We just ordered the wood for the berm covers, window trim, and floors in the addition. :0

My inlaws are gone. They were here 23 hours and generated two loads if laundry. But that was ok, because I had the laundry all caught up last night. It rained, so I couldn't clean stalls, but mil just had knee surgery, so she pretty much installed herself in the middle of the addition and stayed there. I spent the whole day doing laundry and dishes and putting away things in theaddition that belonged somewhere else because it meant that I could leave the room over and over for breaks that were long enough to rest my ears and mind, but short enough that she wouldn't get up and follow me around.

I just kept saying "I need to switch the laundry over, i'll be right back" "I need to unload the dishwasher. Don't get up, i'm just going to be walking back and forth." "I need to go fill the rabbit's water bottle, I'll be right back." "I'm going to take this book upstairs. I'll be right back."

So my house looks pretty good, and even with all the extra laundry and dishes (three of the kids came for dinner last night too) I am nearly caught up.

There are always too many things for me to process after they leave, but I think the defining one this time was a comment mil made when I told her that my heartgrandson kicks the island when he sits on the tall stool, so I make him take his shoes off, and it reminds me of when Ds was learning to play the piano.

She said "No. That was (bil)." (In a "correcting an idiot" voice) Oh, right, of course, I have clearly confused events from my son's childhood with events from the childhood of a boy I didn't even meet until he was a teenager. Yes, I remember that she told me years ago when I told her about making ds practice barefoot that bil also kicked the piano. But she didn't say "(bil) did that too, remember?" Or anything like that. She was there when bill kicked the piano, she was not there when ds did it, she can only remember seeing bil do it, and therefor that must also be what I am remembering because, for this woman, there exists no perspective on the world but her own.

My house must be better though, because she didn't give me a long list of how I can get rid of things. they are usually things that I want and care about - like "you know, you can take all these children's books to a library or a school. A lot of teachers need books for their classrooms." (I'm a teacher) or, picking up decorative item made by my great grandmother from my shelf "you know, the nursing home near me takes stuff like this for bingo prizes because the old people like to have little things they can give away to visitors." Or - choose anything in decent condition:"I could probably sell this for you."

Ok, done whining. The visit went pretty well and it is over. I am less exhausted than I could be.

Oh CM how absolutely awful. Awful. I'm glad you are going to church today. When I had mom's cat here I did buy some ?feliway' cat pheromones product that you plug in like an air freshener. Unfortunately it stirred up my allergies so I couldn't use it. I gave it to the woman at work who had suggested it to me; she uses it when before she takes her cat to the vet, so he'll be nice and chill. Honestly I didn't see any difference in the cat's behavior and I couldn't breathe, so I might not have given it enough chance. If I still had it, I would mail it to you. But my need to be clutter-free means that I got rid of it within the week. I got it on amazon.

Tillie, roasting sounds so very autumnal! How wonderful.

I've folded and put away the laundry and I have my little cat next to me. I will get dressed soon and see mom. Means bike I'll finish making my bed and see what wiping up I can do in the meantime.

Thank you for the support on my spending, Tillie. I'm worried for no reason whatsoever. And I can't figure out why I'm worrying so much about friend's visit. It is a month away. And I don't need to clean to get ready. I started my big cleanout here five years ago when she came to visit. I should re-cast this into a victory!!!! I don't need to do any cleaning or clearing out for her visit!! I will continue to clear out, but for me, not for her.

Good Morning Everybody :)

Hi CriticalMass :)
(((HUGS Kitty)))
Hope the new treatments finally fix this.
Is she on a special "urinary tract health" type food?

Yes, it is so much more difficult trying to work in a very limited space.
But WAY TO GO! for working at it! :D

Hi Tatoulia :)
OK, so the buying/money worries are from your home improvement costs.
They are sound purchases and will serve you well for many years and the masonry work will also increase the appearance and appeal and value of the building.
Plus, you are borrowing trouble by worrying about possible scenarios concerning your friend's visit.
Wish I could just tell you to relax but I know that's not in your nature. (((hug)))
Your dreams are very interesting...
Especially finding yourself practically naked in public. ;D
The dreams will eventually die down and only happen every once in a while.
But one telling thing about them is that deep down you are being very diligent that you will never go back to disorganized clutter ever again.
WAY TO GO!

Awake at 5:30am today and couldn't fall back asleep.
Have the tiny quartz heater on to bring the temps up from the high 50s.
But very soon I will need the Edenpur heaters and the other radiator in from "the garage".
Today I am celebrating the season and planning to just enjoy the day.
Going to roast a beef roast with tiny red potatoes and carrots.
Then clean the kitchen, again. ;)

OH! CriticalMass
I am so very sorry ((((HUGS))))

I have heard people talk about a spray with something like hormones or pheromones that is to help cats with issues like stress and fussing and fighting.
Helps them calm down, relax, chill out.
They say it's available at pet supply shops.
Maybe this would work.
(((HUGS)))

Anxiety dreams - yuck. Just yuck. That was a doozy, Tat.

Y'all may not believe what I'm going to recount now, but you're the only ones who'll understand why it's upsetting in the particular way it is.

So I had done significant work yesterday in my bedroom. There remained more to do, but I felt confident even about that because what I had done revealed what I needed to do next.

There were some scattered papers and a few books still on the floor, again, nothing that I couldn't deal with efficiently now that I had dealt with one of the major logjam areas. Likewise, items I had moved to deal with said logjam were on the bed. I planned to set them on the floor for the night, knowing I'd soon be solving the problem of stuff on the bed and floor.

So I go into the bedroom to go to bed and what do I see? Bloody cat urine all over the stuff on the floor!

I was screaming and cussing, it wasn't pretty. I got hold of myself enough not to go completely thermonuclear, and I assessed the damage and started the cleanup. Some of the stuff that got hit turned out to be unimportant or beneath/in plastic bags. My hard to find vintage books luckily were spared. I closed the room and slept in the living room.

I don't blame or resent kitty; I do wish it wasn't my room where she decides to let loose. There had been a squabble between her and boy cat earlier. My room has a baby gate with a kitty door which I'd been keeping latched when leaving the room unsupervised. It was closed. But the tall scratching post was temporarily in the hallway by my door, and I suspect she might've climbed it to gain access.

It felt like such a defeat after the good I'd accomplished earlier. And my roommate and I are just at wit's end trying to implement behavioral solutions for these two clashing cats so that they can get out of the vicious cycle of stress and conflict and stress-related illness - and make no mistake, we humans are caught up in the loop ourselves.

I did sleep, life goes on, it could've been worse. I'm getting ready for church - I definitely need to be praying about everything. Last winter when I was in a tizzy about the old money pit van and whatever else, I had gone to confession with a visiting priest and I was telling him about my difficulty praying and he could sense my state of mind - they no doubt get many frazzled women in the confessional! Anyway, he said to me "God knows you're stressed out." He wasn't meaning give up or get lazy, it was more of a "hang in there and pray the best you can till it gets better" message. So I guess that's what I'll do now as well.

May you all be healthy and stress free and have healthy kitties. TTYL

Glad for the good kitty news! Or at least better than feared! Great work on the bedroom and hooray for feeling encouraged!

I'm washing my sheets. I did my towels and some delicates yesterday. Beautiful fall day. Going to get mom out.

I finally drove my car yesterday. Oh I mentioned that, since I had gone to consignment shop. Oh well!

I'll need to buy gas today and drive mom out somewhere, anywhere, to give her some fresh air and a fresh perspective.

I haven't heard back from cleaners yet. I've told them I can do Monday or Friday this week. So I'll be in office three days in a row. And do you know what's funny? I had anxiety dreams last night where I was trying to figure out what to wear for work and running late and finding that I was in a see through dress and other terrible stuff. Honestly. The anxiety dreams never end.

Hi all,

This will have to be a quick summary with a promise of more detail later.

Thanks for the prayers and good thoughts for our girl kitty. She had quite the day Thursday when she went for the ultrasound, being shaved on her abdomen, poked and prodded. But the verdict was more in the direction of interstitial cystitis, not nice but not as bad as kidney failure. The hard part will be reducing stress and tension between the two cats.

Today I worked on my bedroom and accomplished quite a bit. But of course there is more to do. In a small space as you know, it's challenging to get the unsorted remainder out of the way so one can, say, sleep in the bed. And to do half to a third of my room, while a satisfying accomplishment, is about as much as I have time and energy for before I need to start on the part where I reclaim enough of the bed to sleep.

But I'm encouraged greatly. More details later.

Tillie thanks for the recipe! I will make sloppy joes when my friend is here.

I spent some money on clothes to round out my wardrobe and I've been spending money on the house. I think some of my money upset is because I'm letting the friend's visit take up a lot of headroom. I'm worried more than I need to be. So I'll gave to let that go. Also, my portion of the brownstone repairs was quite a bit. So I've been worried and I need to stop doing that! Thank you for the reminder. It's all been big things for house, fireplace, floor mats, etc. not spending money on little stuff. It's all little stuff here already!! I've got all the little stuff anyone needs!!

My stuff at consignment didn't sell and I picked it up today. What a shame. Well I will go through it and decide what to donate and what to hang onto. I'm not willing to donate the gold and diamond jewelry and it takes up no room. So I'll keep that and try again. The shop did a terrible business this summer so I picked the wrong time to donate. I may have a Christmas thing or two to consign.

Tillie, your childhood was so harrowing. I'm so sorry. I wish I could grab you and change that story.

I love you lots. Yes it's 7:40 here, I'm in my pjs, and I'll go settle in for some Netflix time.

Good Afternoon Everyone :)

Hi Tatoulia :)
The reason I was craving sloppy joes was because I was watching "American Horror Story" on Netflix and she kept making Manwich's.

Brown ground beef add diced onion
Add diced bell pepper
Stir in the tiniest little can of tomato paste and add a can or two of diced tomatoes.
Any kind of canned diced tomatoes.
This time I used Rotel diced tomatoes with diced chilis.
Simmer until it is the right consistency and it will also taste better.
It really tastes best the next day, like any kind of tomato based sauce.

OK, what kind of things are you spending money on?
When you feel the urge to shop, take time to look through everything you already have.
Look in every cupboard, cabinet, drawer, closet, shelf, everywhere.
Window shop at home. ;)

YEA! for your new fireplace!

I sure can sympathize with your bad nose bleed experience. (((hugs)))
Two of my Father's brothers had hemophilia so bad they died shortly after birth.
I can control any bleeding as long as I can apply pressure but when it is way back around the corner in my sinuses it's impossible and cauterizing is impossible.
I was always taught to never talk about any of this and my father believed it was best to take care of it at home because it used to be very bad for bleeding children in the hospitals.
My muther always called me and my father "dirty filthy bleeders".
Most of my nose bleeds were caused by her punching me up side the head making my head also slam into the wall.
My brothers used to do that to me too "just to watch her bleed".

I washed 4 loads of cat laundry and it's all out on the line.
I washed the 2 metal doll bunk beds and the doll cradle and doll crib.
I shook out the cardboard box my big boy kitty loves and washed the quilt that goes in it.
Used the lint roller on the glider rocking chair and put a towel over it until the usual quilt is in off the line.

Just finished lunch, resting.
Soon I will wash a load of rags to help get all the cat fuzz out of the washing machine.
Happy to have this done today, the last day of Summer. ;)

Good morning!!

I've read all the posts and the thing that sticks out above them all.....sloppy joes!!! Could you tell me how you make yours? I've always made with a can of Manwich. So delicious.

We aren't quite ready for cat blankets just yet but my little one is snuggled next to me for my body warmth. And I'm dying of cuteness, naturally.

Had a busy end to the week. Now I'm finishing my second load of laundry and dishwasher just finished. I have mail to deal with now. Read & shred, read & shred.

My fireplace has arrived. It's at BF's office. I think my hallway runner arrives this weekend too. Now to get pillow lady to look alive. I've texted the cleaners about Monday.

I haven't yet changed my sheets. I got a lot of good walking in yesterday and need to repeat the process today. I also need to stop spending money. I am out of control. I need to rein in my spending. My work clothes are set with the exception of one pair of heels. I have one pair of heels and one pair of flats that I'll take to be repaired. These are work shoes. I have plenty of dress up shoes and casual shoes here.

Tillie I am glad this hard summer is over. I excited that you'll be able to enjoy and tend to a smaller garden. Please tell the kitties I say hello.

SubC I am glad your iron deficiency is being taken care of! I hope the iron will get you back to feeling like yourself. I had severe anemia once after a series of events including a stubborn nose bleed that required three hospital visits and after two attempts at cauterization, ended up with a really gross procedure to stop it. I was then hospitalized for several days and missed all my college finals. I ended up taking them all in one day, because of when the school semester was ending and I couldn't afford having incompletes. I was living in Boston with no real friends and no family here. Someone's mom took good care of me and finally the school assigned someone to get me back into the hospital. I was working full time so my boss was really good to me too. Back then, there were still long-distance calls and charges so getting in touch with mom was a challenge.

Oh to be young again. Weathering the storms.

I will write more later. Enjoy the day! Sunny and cool here. I am in heaven.

Good Morning Everybody

The very last day of Summer today...

This was a very hard Summer for me.
Record breaking number of days over 100 degrees.
No rain so had to water all the time.
Physically unable to keep the weeds under control.
Wildfire smoke that was dangerously thick day after day.

Very happy about and looking forward to making my garden/yardwork minimal but still having the plants & bushes that are peaceful to look at and easier to care for.

Today I plan to launder some cat things and bring out some of their warmer blankets.
They have been complaining about the cooler nights and cold mornings.

Good Afternoon Everyone :)

Hi Subclinical :)
Hope you remembered to wear the brace today.
I sure am hoping that the prescription anemia medication fixes this issue! (((HUG)))
Any idea why? Sounds to me like you eat properly, but then, maybe not as much as your system needs during high stress times.


Hi CriticalMass
(((HUGS)))


Been doing some downsizing/minimalizing today.
It feels good.
The more he hoards the more I minimalize of anything that's mine to do with as I please.
Hardest part is actually getting the stuff out and gone.
If I donate it to the thrift shop he will just buy it all back.
He has done that many times before not realizing or caring that I was the one who donated it.
But then it becomes his and is added to the ever growing hoard.
If he sees my donate pile before I deliver it he takes it all and adds it to his stuff.
I have to find somebody who knows somebody who they think they might want/need it so it never goes to the thrift shop except for women's clothes & such, things Steven doesn't even look at much less buy.
It gets so complicated. "heavy sigh".

Hi all,

Busy, tired, not ready for the in laws (but dh told them not to stay extra long.)

Didn't wear the brace yesterday and my elbow hurts. Will put it back on today.

Got my test results back and I do have significant anemia! Started a prescription dose of iron this morning. And am looking forward hopefully to feeling better.

Hello

Had a good day today.
Went to town.
Bought a navy blue long sleeve winter weight cotton top at the thrift shop.
Talked to a few humans.
Went grocery shopping, got everything on my list.
The check out girl was new, just learning and she forgot to ring up the big heavy box of kitty litter in my cart so I reminded her it was there before I paid.
Came home and made up sloppy joes and did a load of laundry.
Driving through town I saw a pedestrian waiting on the curb to cross in the crosswalk so I stopped for him.
People coming the opposite direction also stopped for him.
Then this woman came speeding through in the lane to my right and she did not stop or even slow down.
There was a police car right there and he went after her.
He followed her for a long time with his lights on and using the siren intermittently and she still did not stop for a long time.
She was totally oblivious that there was a cop behind her and she was oblivious of that pedestrian too.
When she did finally notice the flashing lights and blaring siren directly behind her she just stopped dead in the traffic lane.
The cop tried to get her to pull off the road but then she just started driving away again.
He had to maneuver into in front of her, block her in to get her to stop and pull over.
She was at least 65 years old.
I hope they revoke her license.

Good Morning Everyone

Have decided today I will drive into town.
Might even grocery shop too.
I dunno, just need to get away from here and talk to some humans maybe.

Good Evening Everybody

Hi CriticalMass :)
Hope you had a good time at the meeting and that the meeting space didn't depress you too much.
Decluttering starts with all the thinking and planning to start to declutter.
Then "motivation follows action".
Even though we don't feel motivated we start with something small, baby steps, one little declutter task.
Then when we see our accomplishment and say "WAY TO GO!" that really helps us feel motivated to do a little more.
Wishing you all the best when you finally make the time to dig in & dig out. (((HUG)))
My thoughts and prayers are with you and Girl Kitty.
Still holding out hope this is not as dire as the Vets think it MAY be.


Hi Tatoulia :)
It would be wonderful if they called you to help!
When tragic things like this happen we all wish there was some way we could help and bless you for volunteering your time and talents. (((HUG)))
What a magical evening you got to enjoy.


Was watering trees this morning and since I was outside anyways I attacked the flower bed in front of the house, under the dining area window with a shovel, hoe and rake.
Steven extricated my garden cart from the carport last weekend.
Now that flower bed has been reduced to a bare patch of dirt just like it was when I first moved in here.
It is sad, very depressing to eliminate my flower beds but I just can't do it all any more.
Better to just get it over with, accept the fact that physically I really need to minimalize my yardwork.
Still have some more flower beds to tear out and other plants & bushes to dig up but little by little I can do this.
Already my gardening chores are so much easier and faster for me to do.
Once the main flower/herb garden and a rose bush go to sleep for Winter I will rearrange plants there and put the rose bush in this area.
So then I will only have this one flower bed to weed and tend, YEA! ;)

Cm I am most definitely praying for kitty. Dear little soul. I look forward to hearing your progress on the storage space!!!

I'm back from a delightful evening. Will write about it later. Does anyone remember Dory Previn, the singer/ songwriter? The art talk was by her widower and included paintings from her collection. Marvelous evening.

Love you all. CM I cannot tell you how nice it is for me to have cleaners. I only need to clean up after myself each day. Someone else does the tub, floors, toilet, sink, dusting, etc. it is truly lovely. When I first moved here I had a cleaning lady once a week but then I fired her (she had made an odd request and that, coupled with a few other oddities, made me get rid of her). I kept up okay til my brother became even more seriously ill and almost died and from then on, I put myself and my life absolutely last.

Tillie one of the towns affected by the fires is looking for volunteers to process claims so I left my name and number to do Saturday. I hope they call me back.

Tatoulia, keep on inspiring us!

I'm going to my clutter club in a bit here. This may be the last time for a few months - not that I'm quitting, but the weather should cool off soon and I'd do better to actually be working on my clutter than going to talk about it. I have plenty of good advice under my belt and I have you all. Just need to get boots on the ground in the actual battle.

Girl kitty has her ultrasound tomorrow. We'll know if it's kidneys. We may be sad. Prayers and good wishes requested for kitty and me and roommate. Thanks.

Oh dear, Tillie. What a shame. Having all those obstacles and that sort of stubbornness in your way. It truly is a sickness and I am so sorry for the struggles. You deserve so much better.

CM, great work on getting the quilt binding done! There is truly nothing as wonderful or as loving as a quilt.

I'm glad you are swimming, SubC. I am envious of your drive and dedication.

I am home today and have an art talk tonight at a gallery. I'm looking forward to it.

I need to push myself forward on further organization and reduction. Still too much. I could have so much storage if I just applied myself. I reminded myself today that months ago I would've never believed I would have a drawer for my reusable bags so that means there is s lot more space here that I am not using correctly. I need to fix this. I don't clean anymore now that I have my ladies. So I need to apply myself to moving forward. I have the time.

Good Morning Everybody

Hi CriticalMass :)
YEA! for more progress on the quilt!
Good you are reevaluating time and activities. There is only so much time in any given day and sometimes saying "no" to some demands is necessary to prioritize what we need to get done.

I know how traumatizing it is to the whole community to lose an officer that senseless way. :(

Holding hope that the veterinarians can and will find a favorable outcome for the girl kitty.
Gentle (((HUGS))) and pettings Kitty.

Hi Subclinical :)
YEA! for wearing the brace!
WTG! recycling phones and glasses!
I always give my old useless eye glasses to the drop off box at the optician's to be given free to someone in need through the Lion's program.
I learned that old phones are used for people in bad domestic abuse situations as a way for them to call 911 if they need to.

Yeah, good plan letting DH handle mil's plans as when to leave.
I would have a hard time not saying what I was thinking. LOL ;)

Yesterday I completed the 4 tasks I had written down on my To-Do list.
Watered flowers & grass
Cleaned kitchen
Washed laundry
and took a shower and washed my hair, again.

Decided to take a peek to see if he respected my bright yellow "Keep Clear" tape.
The tape was exactly as I had draped it across the area
But...
he has since stacked a 3 and a half tall pile of assorted boxes in the path directly in front of this area, making accessing it again impossible.
And now it is almost impossible for him to get down that narrow goat path to get to his computer and TVs where he spends almost every minute of every day sitting.
And of course this is all my fault. :P

Critical Mass, yay for the quilt!

I hope the kitty is ok.

I wore the brace.

I dropped off two bags of recycling, and I dropped old eyeglasses and cell phones in the collection box when I went to swim!

Got email from mil that her plans for Monday fell through, so do we want her to leave Sunday morning as planned, or monday morning? I am socially competent enough to know that it is not ok to respond "we didn't want you to come in the first place." I'm going to let dh handle it.

Hi, it's been eventful last few days, some good, some bad.

The good is that I got the binding machine stitched on my quilt at church. That dragged out so long I was beginning to wonder. Hand finishing will be relaxing and done in time.

Tillie, thanks for the affirmation that we deserve to give ourselves decent places to live. I'll even go a step further and say we have an obligation to do so, as best as we each can within our means and abilities - because we will be less stressed, healthier, able to help others more efficiently, etc.

But baby steps. Weather here is still hot but I know what areas in house and storage I am ready to tackle. Also reevaluating of time and activities - so I can stop spreading myself too thin. Saying a few "Sorry, not nows" and "I don't know, maybe laters." It's helping.

I have those dreams about sorting clutter, about flea markets, all sorts of related topics. Sick of them. Hoping that as I get order in my life they'll stop.

Tillie, yay also for getting your space heaters extricated in advance of need. Be sure and wash your skin thoroughly. Maybe Dawn soap would get off any petrochemical residue - wildlife rehabbers use it to get crude oil off waterfowl. Baking soda might also be good. My dad suffered a severe reaction from his early 50s till he died at 71, triggered by weed killer.

I also hope Steven's fire hazard carelessness does not result in dire consequences. Stay safe!

SubC, wtg on the exercise. I've realized I'm never going to FIND time to exercise; I must MAKE it.

Tatoulia, glad the neti pot helped. Sinus rinse is a good thing.

Sorry to hear about the gas explosions in MA. I don't catch the news always. Natural gas can be scary; I have been even more paranoid since almost losing a bunny to it a few years back. Hope the memories of the Marathon bombing aren't too stirred up for people with PTSD from the terror attack. And the manhunt.

We lost one of my county sheriff's deputies Sunday, he was shot in the line of duty. Flags here at half mast.

Well, I wanted to tell more about our girl kitty - that's another piece of sad. She may have kidney disease. I have to get to church for holy hour in 20 min. Prayers for kitty welcomed & I'll post more details later.

Good Morning Everyone :)

Hi Subclinical :)
I hope you are simply anemic and can easily fix the tiredness with a little daily pill.
Your veins are a Phlebotomist's nightmare.
WAY TO GO! for getting a brace for the elbow!
Now wear it.
Good luck with your plans for today.

Had a bad night, tossing & turning and finding it hard to sleep.
Scooter cuddling up tight with me all night didn't help.
Don't know what his problem is that he feels the need to constantly be right on me/clingy lately.
Have a short list of To-Dos for today and am planning to do them.

Tatoulia - good job keeping up!

Tillie, please be careful!

I also hope he respects your tape!

I have a new suit packed for swimming today. I bought an elbow brace and will wear it (although this morning the elbow that got stabbed is more sore than the other - I have tiny, hard to find veins that roll, so one stick resulted in four overlapping bruises!)

is it bad that I kind of hope I am anemic? It would just be nice to have someone say "here is why you get so tired, take this little pill and you will be better."

Subbing today and have some plans for minor cleaning out errands, but I will report on them after they happen.

Garbage and recycling are out. Kitty box clean. Ran dishwasher and wiped the counters.

Hope everyone is well. I'm tired. I didn't sleep well last night.

Tillie we had a beautiful weather day. Tmr we have big rains. SubC I hope you are feeling better. I cannot yet enjoy the cooler nights but I'm hoping the masonry work will be done soon.

I hope everyone is well. I'm missing Anony, CM, Joan, Diane, Dianne, Roxie, Bitsy, LR and others. You know who you are. And Tess and Mar. and everyone else.

subc I am glad you are at the dr's office. I, too, hate going when I am sick! Tillie how is your skin today??

I am running dishwasher and doing mild puttering. No laundry today. I have s small load of delicates to do on Wednesday.

Must go. Will write more later.