Tatoulia, I'm sorry you are struggling.

I don't have any ideas for how to help your mom.

My sale went pretty well yesterday,

I am exhausted though. I enjoy the sales but I am an introvert and the long day engaging with the public takes a lot out of me. Random adults are much harder than my kids. (I tend to engage with people's kids at the sales. It works pretty well, because half the time the kids are bored and fidgety, and the parents are trying to look around and supervise them in a room full of stuff that's breaks, and then I ask the kid if they want to hear how my chicken helped me make this pot, and the kid gets engaged and the parent can shop. And I don't have to talk to an adult.)

I came home completely wiped out and then stayed up half awake until 9:15 because I had chores to do and dh was talking to me. I planned to sleep a little longer this morning, but my body insisted on waking up at 5.

I have a headache and even though more sleep would probably help the headache, I figured that by the time I actually git back to sleep, it would be too close to six and I'd have to wake right back up feeling groggy and disoriented.

I'm not sure how I'm going to make it through today. Actually, I'm pretty sure the energy of the sale (the environment, the other potters...) will pick me up during the day, but then I have to load up, drive home, and do chores...

I would love to sell 4 or 5 big pieces today. Besides the income it would help a lot with the packing up. Yesterday people mostly went for the easy to pack smaller items. - like, a stack of eight $10 dishes that just gets wrapped in one piece of bubble wrap and set in the box became a stack of seven. Same effort. I sold a bunch of hippos, but the hippos just get tossed in a shoe box....

Maybe I should talk to people who look like they need a fancy platter or fruit bowl instead of to small children... sigh.

I bought a little bird bath from another potter. It was very inexpensive and cute. It isn't for real birds, and it's a little too big for my dollhouse. It's more Barbie scale (I thought of you CM) It has glass "water" in it and it just spoke to me. I don't know if it will end up on my dresser or in the little doll cabinet.... it could be a "ring dish" but I am trying to teach myself to actually put my jewelry away when I take it off. Maybe I will put it in my studio and park my wedding ring in it when I throw instead of sticking it in my pocket. The potter made them as party favors for her 50th wedding anniversary and this one was left over, so that seems like good luck.

The coffee is helping my headache, so perhaps I will survive.

Hello everyone. Took a nice long walk tonight. We shall get through this. The depression lamp is definitely doing its job. I just still have struggles.

No extra money being spent! I've found the magic words: is your debt paid off? And that has completely killed any desire to buy anything. I have that one loan that I'd love to get paid off. It's a low interest rate, but I would love to see it go. I have to think about this a bit. I could put my vacation days money (assuming I have days to cash in - I have nine right now so I just need to stay healthy and for mom to stay healthy) on the loan. Originally I was going to put it to build an emergency fund. But I'd be happier without the loan.

I need all December and all January to be focused on, is your debt paid off? Then no, you don't be buying that. I can eat out once a month. That's it. Since I do not drink, it's a cheap night for me.


I love it. I took mom to home sense today - it's like a home goods/Marshall's type store. I thought she'd enjoy seeing the Christmas things and she did! We both did! And we spent not one penny today.

I also stopped by to see her on my way out walking.

Mom is depressed. And I'm seeing her at least once a day. It's tough and it's affecting me.

I wish she'd let me clean her house. It is filthy. She won't let me take even one thing out. If I throw out garbage, I have to prove several times that it's garbage. I know she'd be happier with a cleaner space. She's agreed to the linen closet (really just shelves in the bathroom) organization but right now, the home good stores have mainly Christmas themed boxes and baskets. So I'll see if she'll let me cull the sheets and towels and organize without the frills right now. I know first hand that she will be happier in a less chaotic space but I don't think she'll let me get her there. If she'd even let me throw out/recycle a couple hundred magazines, we'd be in business. Very sad situation

She keeps talking about how she always kept a beautiful home and I say, so let's do that again. We can make this work.

What do you suggest??

I think I'll make her a deal that if she's not happier, I'll refund her misery. But I'll need to do this carefully. I can't offend her. She's fragile.

Ok I'm not caught up on anyone's posts. SubC I hope you are well. CM I hope your meds are fighting the infection and Tillie I don't know if you've had a chance to put your ceiling tiles up or not.
Goodnight my friends.

Hello Everyone. I'm struggling with depression right now. We too have a bright sunny day here Tillie but it's nice and warm-about 46F.

I'll write more in a bit.

Good Morning Everybody
"Clink!"

Nice sunny day but very cold.
Have no idea what I'll get up to today.
Mousie is not in the water bowl, don't know where it is.

Hi Tatoulia
Hi CriticalMass
Hi Subclinical
:)

Hi Subclinical

Best wishes at the show!!!!

How wonderful about the young man.
Sometimes all it takes is the right people or person having faith in them.

Wishing you a great Fall break.
Make sure to schedule in rest and recreation. ;)

Good Evening Everyone

Hi CriticalMass
Happy you are well on the mend. :D

Cats can be so hard to dose. Good at least boy kitty took his.

Once I had a litter of 5 newborn puppies to mother and bottle feed.
They always acted like they were starving and greedily slurped at the bottle.
To help with the air/gas I would place them on my shoulder and burp them just like with a human baby.
Baby puppies can burp very loudly.
Never had any issues of gas, bloating or colic.
Would bunny like to be burped? Can bunnies even burp?

Rest and take it easy on yourself as you recuperate.
Sleep well. :)


Today I cleaned kitchen cupboards inside and out.
Washed/rinsed all the dishes and put them back in neatly.
The cabinets will have to wait a little, my back is achy.
Cabinets are dustier than the cupboards were so I'll get to them soon.
Times like this I appreciate there is only things I really like and enjoy using stored away in the kitchen.

Poor mousie! At least he got a break to rest.

CM, I'm glad you are on the mend.

All set up for the show tomorrow. I got a fantastic spot!

School is now officially on fall break for a week.

A former student came by to visit me at lunch. He is so much happier and more together. It was really good to see. He said everybody keeps saying how impressed they are with how well he is doing and he wishes they would stop. I said, well, they are happy for you. I am happy for you too. But I knew you would be alright. I knew you would be fine when you were 11. And he laughed and said "we'll, that's one of us." He was a very angry kid when he walked into my room.

Iced tea clinks!

I really am feeling better! :)

Took the first pill about 8:00 last night, and by bedtime had already noticed a difference. No bad side effects. Just that drowsiness, so I called it a night at 9:30.

But had to get up a couple hours later and care for roommate's wee boy bunny. He had tummy gas again. Looking into what may be behind it. We will try cutting back his pellet food and getting him to eat more hay. He eats everything well, as a rescued rabbit found along a bike path might do - the food insecurity thing may cause him to eat too fast also. That may mean he swallows air.

So, I checked on him in the night, gave follow up doses of gas meds and warmed a towel for him. He is doing better today. And this morning we were able to get girl kitty into the back of the house and boy kitty up front. Wet food with sedative for both. Boy refused at first then ate his.

Girl is having none of it, and is quite unhappy. I'm doing laundry on my side of the barricaded door and I hear protests and see a little arm and paw under the door. Poor baby. She's not a fan of wet food anyway. I guess, though, if only one of them takes the sedative, better that it's him. He has been snoozing away on the cat tree for hours.

And a cat nap is on my agenda as well. We have some intermittent snow here but it's light with 30s temps and melts when it lands.

Good Morning

YEA! CriticalMass
So glad you are on the road to recovery!
Get as much rest as you can.
Good luck living with the vengeful kitties. ;)

Mousie is back in the water bowl this morning, ;p

Hi Tatoulia :)
Hi Subclinical :)

No plans yet for the day.

Quick check in to say I'm proud of you, CM! I need to see you feeling better!

Sending love to all.

Got to doctor, she phoned Rx in. Then went to bunny shelter house to do mani pedis. So many rabbits now that I'll have to do round 2 next week.

Picked up Rx on way home. Took 1st pill w/supper. Watching Star Trek realized I think the stuff makes me drowsy. Maybe that'll wear off when I get used to them. Glad I'm getting something that is really going to work, though. More than ready to be over this illness.

Roommate will have to sequester each cat in a separate part of the house tomorrow morning & give them sedative in wet food in anticipation of Saturday vet visit. I hope things don't get too wild & crazy. I plan to do laundry and toss some papers while kitties plot revenge.

Good Morning Everybody

Hi Subclinical
WAY TO GO! for a successful firing!
Pricing them high is a good way to go. If they sell you will still be happy. :D
Three dozen is a lot of pottery and best wishes that customers all want your wares.

Bet the cracked pieces are still beautiful works of art people still want as a lovely decorative piece.


Today's plan is to light the burn barrel.
Been months since I could last do that so it's pretty full.
Woke up to find Scooter's mousie tucked under the covers in bed with me.
Have cucumber, cherry tomatoes and bell peppers to eat today.
Yesterday I managed to eat zero sugary things! :D
Only had chili, a banana and some pistachio nuts.

Tillie,

So glad you are getting the rain! And dry ceilings! Yes! Yes! Yes!

CM- keep writing and feel better!

I snuck one last firing in tonight. I can't decide if it came out well or not. 9 pieces, 6 cracked, but only one so badly that is is not salable (in the style of firing where pieces are removed from the kiln hot, cracking is ok, I just mark them "not watertight, not food safe" and sell them for less)

But the really bad one was disappointing because it was one I was really hopeful about.

Otoh, two of the pieces that didn't crack came out REALLY well (like, "maybe I'll keep this" well. - which doesn't help my sales, but it makes me happy. And I need to keep really good examples of my work around so I can keep trying to surpass them.)

I have three "maybe I'll keep" from the three dozen I made new for the sale. I'll probably just price them high so that go or stay I'll be content.

Hi CriticalMass
Very relieved that you have an appointment pending.
Sometimes we need a little extra help getting over things.
With urinary tract infections, waiting too long trying to flush it out at home can cause even more issues.
As you know (((HUG)))

WTG! for going to the events.
When your litter box problem is taken care of you will have even more fun. ;)


Very dark, frigid cold, sprinkling to down pours.
A most wonderful marvelous magical blessed day here. ;D
Had to get out.
Not many people out there but those who were are happy adventurers.
The thick snow clouds cleared on the horizon for a second and I was able to glimpse the snow covered mountains.

Quick update, more later.

I was having more owies erm, using the litter box shall we say, so I did a couple things - bought some over the counter meds at Walmart, and left a message to get a doctor appointment.

Tillie, I know you have medical knowledge so thanks for Badgering me about it and the reassurance. It also is on my mind what my poor friend went through last spring with her kidney failure, and she still must have 3x a week dialysis. Would rather not let this go and risk anything along those lines.

Yesterday and today I have gone to NaNoWriMo events at the public library, and enjoyed them and am getting some written on my novels. These events are nice and quiet, as opposed to the ones I attended years back, at restaurants and such - those were fun for the camaraderie but I couldn't settle down and think to write.

Today I have no excuse, so I shall bid you ladies adieu and return to my literary pursuits. TTYL.

Good Morning :D

Hi Tatoulia
Hope you got a good night's sleep.
Enjoy the cleaning fairies ;D

Hi Subclinical
How wonderful that John saved all those things knowing he would be seeing you again! :D

Sounds like staying late is a big bonus to get things accomplished without distractions or limited elbow room.

WAY TO GO! for using crochet cotton from your basement stash!

Think you may be right about Scooter drowning mousie as a sacrifice to make it rain.


Rained all through the night.
So soothing listening to it as I lay in bed.
The dust is washed from the air, trees, bushes, landscape.
There is no longer a "red flag" wildfire danger warning for this area.
I can finally light my burn barrel.
The ceiling in my room and the hallway is DRY.
Supposed to rain off & on through to tomorrow morning.

Maybe scooter sacrificed the mousie to make it rain?

Doing ok today. Yesterday was really good. My kids did well and I got a new student who seems like a good fit, and when I went down to pick up clay, I discovered that the firing god (the guy in charge of the kilns, firing schedule, and all decisions related to the disposition of pottery in the firing room) had chosen to put my forgotten work from last session on the member pick up shelf and leave it there, instead of following sop and moving it to the unclaimed cart and then the dumpster. I am not a member, but John is a really good guy and knew I would be back eventually. It made me feel welcome and wanted. Plus, I really liked the pots.

Skipping swimming this week in favor of catching up on school stuff and doing extra firing.

I stayed late at school last night to work on some stuff, and it was really nice. Lots of big tables to spread out on, no fire to start, no goats in the field yelling for dinner, no desk to get out and put back, no dirty dishes in view....

I may do that more regularly.

Today I will be taking a bunch of crochet string in to school for my fiber arts class to choose warp colors. - out of my basement!

Yay for rain, Tillie!! How's the roof doing??

I'm glad you can relate to my feelings of being content and happy while everyone reminisced. I remember taking mom to my BF's once and saying, the bad news is, they will talk politics the whole time. The good news is, it's not in English.

I think the mousse is jumping into the water in her own.

I'm very tired. Going to wash up and go to bed. My cleaners come tmr.

It's raining
this time it's doing it like real rain
making little puddles all over the world!!!

Been so many months, I really missed the rain.

Plus this is a test to reassure me that the new roof is doing it's job and it will be safe now to fix the ceiling in my room. :D

IT RAINED!!!!

Not much but all the ground got slightly moistened!!!

Happy rain dancing! :D

OK...
Dishes are all washed
kitchen is all wiped up
fridge has been gone through, organized and nothing spooky is in there.

When I washed cat bowls I salvaged mousie and set him on the window sill to dry.

Had a very tiny bit of "grapple" type snow fall.
Not much at all but it is promising to finally have some sort of precipitation. :)

mornin

Hi Subclinical
Hope you got a good night's sleep.
YEA! that the lesson plans are good enough! :)

Guess where mousie is?
I left him there for now.
I've always suspected that Scooter was unjustly punishing him. :(

Hi Tatoulia
It's wonderful that Mom accepts the new cat to help ease her loneliness of missing her other cat.
Having a new friend to get to know is so good for both of them. :D

Having been married into a family of Spanish speaking people I know what it's like to sit happily eating and observing as they all reminisce and excitedly talk. ;D

Back when I was managing all the finances I had budgeted out money to have a new toilet installed.
Steven was angry that he did not have access to all the funds to use for his thrift/yard sale shopping.
Demanded and confiscated so much money I did not have enough on hand to pay all the bills.
So I took ALL the paperwork and dumped it in his lap for him to handle.
Washed my hands of it.

Every time I mentioned the toilet he threw a mean violent nasty fit.
Said "well we just won't have a %&$#%&$ toilet then!!!"
I had to drop the subject or he might have killed another cat or something.

He never fills the bucket to make the toilet flush down.
I am always doing that. Not fair at all.

Today I am going to force myself to do things.
The kitchen needs attention.
I want to go through my possessions and get rid of lots of things.
It always makes me feel better but I am running out of stuff.

I seem to be staving off any illness. I'll take another Greek medicine before going to bed.

Cm do you mind if I make a suggestion? You mentioned that started a project with your tools then thought about consolidating them into one box. I think that's a great idea. I also think it's a good idea to just finish washing and putting away the tools into the three separate boxes. This way, you've accomplished something and you can feel proud of that. Maybe there's a better or different way, but for today, you'll be able to have finished something.

Since I'm focusing on finishing things this month, I thought I'd offer this alternative, to stick to the original idea.

Yikes how awful to be developing a UTI. You definitely need an antibiotic. I too do not take antibiotics. But I would if I had a UTI. I wouldn't fool around with that. I vowed never to take again way back in the 80s. And since then I had to take once or twice and I was grateful I loosened my stance those two times. Now with TeleMedicine, we will see people getting healthcare for "routine" UTIs and URIs and strep and thrush and other things without a trip into the dr's. I attend a lot of conferences on this sort of thing and it is fascinating.

Tillie how about asking the roofer about who could fix the toilet? Maybe the roofer knows of someone and you can just call and get it done. I'm not minimizing the terrible waste of money and resources and progress. I'm just thinking, hey let's get that toilet replaced.l and routed and pipe replaced, etc.

I got mom ?s groceries tonight. I am so grateful to have her right here by me. and let me tell you, I love that cat. I asked mom about her prior cat and mom said that the other cat was so ingrained in her system and that it's painful. But that she loves the new kitty for who she is and finds her to be such a delight.

Ok bedtime. SubC I hope you are hanging in there. I am thinking about you.

HELLO TESS, ELLIE, ANONY, LR, DIANE, DIANNE, JOAN, BITSY AND ROXIE.

I went errands with BF tonight. It is bringing us closer and I am grateful for that. He was still talking today about seeing his friends at the memorial. These people were contemporaries of his parents. We had dinner with them back when we first started dating. They are lovely and kind. Every so often they'd break into English but I could get the topics okay just not the words. I could tell when they were reminiscing and I could tell when they were talking about BF's nieces and nephews. I just ate and was happy and I don't mind at all not being part of the conversation. It reminded me of our early days of dating.

Oh dear Tillie!

The roofer was very nice. Maybe you can convince him to tell Steven that a bunch of the clutter has to go for him to be able to do the work?

Are you sure scooter likes the mousie?

My lesson plans are good enough. Going to try getting to bed early again.

CM, it will be nice when you have your tools all together and organized.

Good Evening Everybody

Scooter used to bury mousie in the litter box but he eventually stopped doing that.

Hi Tatoulia
OH NO! please don't get sick :(
Make sure to drink lots of water/tea/etc.
Great that you have lots of fruits & veggies in the house.
WTG! for shredding, doing laundry and working on getting out trash & recycling.
Make sure to rest & feel better soon.

Hi Subclinical
Glad you aren't pushing to fire more today.
So hard to know what people will be buying.
WTG! for going to town, laundry and working on lesson plans.

Hi CriticalMass
Sometimes to be healthy we need to take an antibiotic.
Taking it as prescribed and finishing taking ALL the pills is being responsible.
The antibiotic kills most all the offending germs and then your body will be able to finish the job.
The problems with making super bugs is that people take antibiotics for every little thing and they take the wrong drugs for the specific bugs bugging them.
Then they stop taking the medicine leaving all the bugs in their system to develop resistance to the med.
But responsibly taking an antibiotic once every 5 or ten years does not contribute to the development of super bugs.
Just be extra careful when visiting a hospital or person with MRSA so you don't pick up any.
Steven got MRSA last time he was hospitalized.

Boy bunny was probably just over tired. ;)
Good idea to consolidate the art supplies into one tote box.

Did you know they make OTC cranberry pills that are concentrated cranberry goodness?


A beautiful day full of promise was destroyed.
Steven and the roofer made plans to fix the carport roof for EIGHT HUNDRED DOLLARS.
I just really, really want that 3rd carport area removed/taken down, removed to allow in sunlight.
Why does he always get what he wants???
He has heaps of his clutter stuffed in that area, stuff he never uses or even has a use for.
For over 20 years I have wanted a toilet that flushes but NO I can't have that! >:(

Then right after I posted this morning my computer said windows10 had to update or become obsolete.
So I clicked on "upgrade now".
OVER SEVEN HOURS it was updating and non useable.
Now I have been trying to fix it back to normal and removing a lot of BS I will never use and it's still boggy and running very slow.

I did vacuum the larger areas of the carpet but nothing else since I am so unhappy.

Not too much going on...

Playing with computer more - I think I successfully installed Inkscape! Looking for games and other software things I need. Just taking it slow and easy.

Still not 100% physically. Sinuses are better but I don't know if I'm trying to get a UTI, well, or have one and it's not getting worse. I promise if any definitive change points toward needing to see the doctor, I will. But I just have such a fear of antibiotics since all the scary headlines about resistant bugs. My mother for a long time before she died had MRSA. I resolved to make my immune system strong and not reliant on meds if at all possible.

Also, last night I was running roommate's two bunnies so she could go to bed early. The boy is a very spirited small fellow, playful - you should see him pick up toys and carry them around, it's hilarious. But like any genius, he is sensitive, and may have had too much excitement yesterday as she had taken him for a pet stroller ride with her girl bunny. After he had his lettuce, he acted uncomfortable so I gave him tummy meds again.

But I was so tired, I just had to go to bed. Woke at 2:30 with my own tummy a little bleh, something I ate I suppose. Got up and checked on little bunny and he had eaten his rabbit pellets. Seems fine now.

The broken sleep made me resolve I would nap awhile today, and I did around midday. After I got up I didn't have much appetite. Finally had a late lunch of spaghetti. That helped. Trying to chug the fluids and cranberry for the urinary health. Also took a probiotic.

Tatoulia, I hope your feeling blah turns around and doesn't worsen.

I wonder if Scooter's mousie will learn to swim. Or perhaps it is an amphibian, like my frog. The first amphibious mouse in the world!

Oh, one sort of decluttering project I did putter on was my tools. They'd been scattered and I also had 3 small toolboxes I used to use in college for my different art classes (one for watercolor, one for charcoal drawing, one for general drawing).

So I cleaned the boxes and the tools and started putting the tools in the boxes. However, I am thinking it may be better to find one box, slightly bigger, that can accommodate all the tools in one place. Then I can decide what to do with the small boxes. Quite likely they will be donated.

Oh dear Tatoulia, feel better!

Poor scooter is trying so hard to teach that mousie to swim.

I drove to the town and got the things.
I changed my sheets
I fired the kiln.

I have not finished my lesson plans.

The fire is going and I did one additional load of wash that needs to go in the dryer.

I really want to push like crazy and try to get a bunch more stuff fired, but I know that is a bad idea. I have enough. I can cover my space three times! I am just always afraid that I will run out of the one thing people are buying....

Hello everyone!

I'm fighting a bit of a sore throat, stiff neck and ear pain. I was feeling it yesterday, too. I just took some of the medicine my friend brings me from Greece and it is helping. I also had fruit on my waffle today and I just ate a big salad. In a bit, I'll have some lentil soup. Trying to avoid this turning into something.
Despite feeling miserable, I still went for a walk last night. I'd been sedentary all day and needed to walk.

Tillie we have a grey, rainy day today. Wish I could send you some rain!

I'm shredding and shredding and shredding papers. I'm thinking about my meals and how to maximize the fruits a vegetables. I bought a ton last night. I may roast a squash tonight.

Almost all of my laundry is done. It is trash and recycling night and I definitely need to get all catalogs into the bin.

Good Morning Everyone
"Clink!"

Hi CriticalMass
SO happy to read that you are doing so well getting used to the new computer and not stressing over whatever you may have lost on the old one.
Change is hard but change sometimes is the best thing to happen. ;D
Nice thing about viewing that movie again at home is you can also stop it, use the restroom, get a drink and not miss a thing.


Hi Subclinical
Good luck with all your plans for today.
You should be good & tired by sundown tonight, wishing you a good solid night's sleep. ;)


Scooter put mousie in the water bowl again last night.
Can't take it away from him since it is his favorite toy all his life.
Think today I can do some light house cleaning without my back hurting too much.
But anything needing too much physical stress will have to wait.
I will vacuum without moving anything heavy to vacuum under.

CM, it comes and goes. But at least there are moments.

I'm glad you are enjoying your new computer.

Because I wasn't very tired, I didn't get to bed on time last night, so now I am tired again. 🙄

Today's main goals:
Lesson plans
Change sheets
Fire kiln
Trip to next town over for animal meds and groceries


Then I have a very long list of maybes.....

Testing 1 2 3

This worked before, having a tab open to read posts and another in which to type my replies. But for some reason tonight it kept wanting to only open one tab, and closing the second one on me. I hope I've solved the problem. It may be something as simple as the fact that I have a bandaid on my right index finger and am hitting the wrong touchpad key.

SubC - Glad to hear you are finding the heart of your motivation again! That always feels good, especially after some really down times. Happy for you.

Tatoulia, glad you're making a plan that works well for you re holiday gifting without excess or useless spending. I'm pretty much there in my own way, having no immediate family - roommate I have in mind a few small practical items I feel sure she would like to get. She wants to declutter too, though right now her job consumes so much of her energy and her health concerns.

She is feeling better, and right now I'm watching her bunnies play so she can go to bed early. We had gone to a movie at my church, "For Greater Glory" about the Cristero War in 1920s Mexico. It was well done. I want to see it again with subtitles, and our library has the DVD. My elderly lady I sit with was a child when the government allowed the churches to be reopened and the bells rung.

It was a 2-1/2 hour movie, and though I was absorbed, I will look forward to seeing it again at home, instead of on a metal folding chair and with my neck hurting trying to peer through the bottom of my bifocals! And I'd like to read a bit more of the history so I can really follow it, though I guess I did okay.

Wow, Tillie, I never knew that about colorful giftwrap. How sad. I know soy inks are used more; perhaps that helps. The company I buy acrylic paints from, Golden, has taken steps to remove heavy metals from their paints and find safer pigments. As far as package wrapping, I like tissue paper and gift bags - I will have to look into this more. Most of my older gift wrap I gave away a long time ago.

Tillie, my condolences on the loss of your son. And hugs.

A very sweet 97-year-old lady (different one than the one I sit with) passed on Friday. The Rosary is tomorrow evening and the Funeral Mass Tuesday morning. I'm not sure if I'm going - but I might. Our parish has a number of founding families, several of them business owners, and I think hers was one of them. I'm a "nobody" but she was always sweet and friendly to me and that is a warm memory. It's also possible that the Tuesday morning quilting ladies will go to the funeral, so I might go with them.

I'm sure enjoying this computer, though I need more time to get the ducks (or software) all lined up. Actually think it has been an answer to a prayer about my decluttering logjam - whatever things I lost when the old one died, I'm feeling don't matter as much. Now granted, files such as pictures and documents WERE recovered, and if they hadn't been, I might be singing a different tune.

But without going into endless boring detail, there are some things about losing the old software that are going to force me to simplify some things - and that actually ties in with my paper reduction ideas, like throwing away a bunch of old receipts, etc.

It feels like I'm going to feel freer somehow and more relaxed, both in terms of physical objects and information I choose to keep or toss. I'd been going through old folders here and there on the computer and deleting obsolete files, and now since this one starts right up and hums along instead of balking and freezing, I can delete that stuff so much more quickly - just pick a folder to go through here and there, and before you know it, they'll all be less bloated.

God always surprises me with the answers to my prayers, and I do believe that's what's happening here! ;)

Well, time to kiss one bunny and put her in and let another bunny out and play with him, then to bed where hopefully my kitty buddy awaits.

Iced tea clinks!

Hi Everybody

Hello Subclinical
Your plans for after thanksgiving sound like it will be a lot of fun!!!
Best wishes the firing comes out perfectly. ;D
Glad you got a little more rested today.

Hi Tatoulia
Good that BF got to spend time with friends he hadn't seen in a long time.
Please sent some snow flurries this way :D


Shopping out here is very limited unless I want to travel 170+ miles round trip then try to maneuver around in nasty city traffic to try to find stores selling what I am looking for.
So today I finally gave in and shopped at amazon.
There were 4 items that I have wanted for a very long time and now they will arrive here soon.
Nothing fun or fancy, just items that I need to carry on.
Plus Discover card has cash back bonus feature and when I shop at amazon I can use those credits so my purchase cost 00.00 with free shipping too.
Just hope Steven never discovers this and starts ordering stuff. >:/

The kitty is dear.

I do not go to funerals if I can help it. People go to funerals for comfort and they do not comfort me. I only go if someone who is alive needs me to be there. I did not go to the funerals for two of my grandparents, but I went for all three of dh's (dh fourth gparent died when he was small.)

My father has requested no funeral and my mother says if she dies first not to have one because my father won't come and that would be awful.

I didn't try to do as many things today. So I am a little less tired, but also less caught up.

Most of the things I have to do are caused by the things I want to do.

The kiln is firing to unload in the morning. (Afternoon?) tomorrow. I also have to run errands and do lesson plans. And fire the kiln again.

My girls (and sil) are coming to stay the weekend after Thanksgiving and helping us get our Christmas tree.

She is such a sweet kitty. You'll see lots of boxes in the background. It's tough.

I can understand that, Tillie. This was a 40 day mass, I just said funeral as shorthand. So the service was mainly not in English which gave me good time to just pray. We weren't going to stay but BF saw some people he hadn't seen in a long time so we stayed. And it was very nice. We had little snow flurries.

I haven't walked much at all today. I'm going to get dressed and head out.

Good Afternoon Early evening Everybody

The kitty is so pretty.
I like how she wears different socks on all four feet. :D

I will go to the grave side part but not the church beforehand or the buffet afterward.
I do much better when I am outdoors.
I do dress nice but most people dress like they have just stepped off the ranch, which they actually have done.

Last time I realized that I know more people who now reside in the cemetery than I know now above ground.
Just another interesting fact of life of getting old. ;)

Did diddly squat to improve the condition of the house today.
Did do cat related things, as always.
Had a very good day off today.

Feeding the animals is a beautiful gift, Tillie.

Sorry about the fight, SubC. Fights happen. And they feel terrible.

Just back from a funeral then the mercy meal. I'm still in my dress and shoes.

I'm going to rest a bit.

I posted a few new pictures of mom's cat. There's debris in the background. Boxes where mom got her private products delivered and other messes. But the kitty (giant ears) is just such a sweetheart! None of her socks match!

I'll be resting for a bit.

SubC, I had seen reusable fabric gift bags and I thought, as soon as my paper is done with, I'm going to see some. I have a lot of half yards of fabrics as I've been working through which ones to use for my new shower curtain. I bet I could see these. I love the idea and I see that Etsy sells quite a few, too

Good Morning Everybody
"Clink!"

Hi Subclinical
So sorry about the stupid fight (((HUG)))
Please find your happy spot again, your wonderful new adventures coming your way.

From the small amount of your daily activities you write down here, you try to get 40 hours out of every day.
Too often all your "have-tos" make it impossible for you to do any of your "want-tos".
I really want you to have more "me" time and a lot less hurry & hassle.

I like your cloth bags!
Great idea especially for a larger family. :D


Woke up a little before 5am with Twinkles complaining that Scooter put his mousie in the water bowl again.
Taking another slow day today.
Planning to do a mani-pedi since all my nails need trimming.
Will hang linens out soon as the sun is up.
Will make plans as to how to best start tackling this dusty house tomorrow.
The extended weather forecast is teasing that there will be rain by Wednesday.
XXXXX fingers crossed XXXXX

Only gifts I give are on the Winter solstice when I put out lots of food treats for all the animals.
They don't appreciate wrapping, "just give me the food lady".

I use cloth or paper gift bags for wrapping. I bought all the cloth on clearance at 99 cents a yard after Christmas when my kids were little. People usually give them back, and we toss them in a basket during gift opening at my house.

The paper ones are all reused and I use them for people who probably won't return my cloth bag.

I make tags from old Christmas cards.

I had a stupid fight with dh yesterday, shattered into a million pieces, and fell back down the rabbit hole.i did most of my things anyway.

More firing and glazing to do today, plus lesson plans, paper grading, and prep work. Also have to call the clay studio and arrange to have an order ready on Tuesday because I will be short on time.

Lately I am always short on time.

I told dh I think I want to cut my hours back at school again next year. I don't want to have to think about anything but the baby when I have the baby, and I don't know how I would keep up this level without Monday to work on things. I'm barely keeping up WITH Monday.

Tatoulia
You mean the world to me ((((HUGS))))

(((Hugs))) (((Tillie))). I had a sense you'd lost your son. What a terrible thing to live this lifetime without him. I am so sorry. You did a lot of good and creative and educational things with him. A great mom.

Freedom. What a beautiful middle name.

Tillie you have changed my life. I hope you know that.

Hi Tatoulia
No, son has been gone since Sept 9th, 1988.
Thank you (((HUGS)))

The pawn shop here pays me for the gold/silver by the daily going rate for the metals.
You show picture ID, they make you an account.
That is for just in case someone pawns stolen merchandise and the cops can trace it.
I am happy just to get the price of the metals and it's great if something like a gold chain is broken and useless.

You should try to find a jewelry store to sell items with gems or exceptional workmanship.
You know, the good stuff.
Here, I would have to drive all the way to Reno or Carson City to find a jeweler who buys stuff but you probably have several in your town.

WAY TO GO!!! so happy you released those items from your car!
FREEDOM :)

So sweet of you looking after Mom (((HUG)))
Yes, use up your wrappings, bows & ribbons and all that.
I do know that specialty stores sell environmentally sound sourced gift wrap/gift bags along with lots of Hippie friendly items.

I think I told you already that my paternal Grandmother's middle name was Freedom.

Tillie, I remember decorating with potatoes! So much fun!

I don't know if you still have your son, but I know you were a good mother to him.

Hello, hello!!

I took a small bag from my house to goodwill today. When I got to my car and garage, I looked through the trunk. I still had bags of stuff that didn't sell at the consignment store. I pulled out the jewelry (will take to Pawn Shop) then put the rest in the goodwill bag. It was hard. But as I held the stuff in my hand, I felt the emotional weight. And that I do not need. So it's gone. And I'm lighter. I did it. I put the jewelry in my purse. I'll have to see if the pawn shop will take. There's some gold and pearls. I have never been to a pawn shop. Tillie, I know you have. How does it work?

I renewed the listing on my chair and I reduced the price by $25. But I don't think it's the price that's in the way. I just don't think anyone wants it.

And that's fine. Surely someone at Goodwill will buy it. It has one more week in my house.

After Goodwill I went to see BF at work and I ran out and got us sandwiches. Then I ran to mom's and played with the kitty and changed mom's bed. She'd had an accident and couldn't wait til the sheet-changing day on Monday. So she's organized.

I'm going to work on papers now.

I didn't know that about wrapping paper, Tillie. For me, I just need to use up what I have.

Wrapping paper reminded me...
Back when I had a young son I taught him to take a paper grocery bag and cut it to open flat.
Then I would cut a potato in half and whittle away everything but the desired design on the flat cut part.
Usually an evergreen tree or star.
Then he would dip the potato in tempera paint and print his designs all over the plain, unprinted on side of the paper bag.
It was so much fun making wrapping paper.

Good Afternoon Everyone

Hi Tatoulia
Your no mindless spending December plan sounds spot on!!!
Of course you will buy food stuffs, you must eat and feed guests.
Not participating in the mindless frivolous over consumption purchasing of whatever shiny new thing they dangling in front of consumers is very sane and rational. ;)

Wreathes for your windows is your traditional home décor.

For many decades I have only ever wrapped in tissue paper.
The colorful & shiny wraps do so much damage to the environment.
In dumps they bleed into the ground water. Burned and they release dangerous toxins into the air, which then settles down and contaminates the water.
Supposedly they have banned and removed all the heavy deadly metals used to create the vibrant colors but they are still bad for life.
Now Tillie jumps down off her soap box. ;p


WTG! shredding and doing laundry!:D

Here when they light the XMas tree that they put up in the middle of main street it's a big thing to attend.
They block off main street with bales of straw.
There is music, horse drawn wagons with huge draught horses, cocoa and cookies and Santa with candy canes.
I'm sure there are plenty of these kinds of things for you to amuse yourself rather than shopping.

I really like the idea of you baking some gifts.

If you start feeling tempted, throw open your closets, cupboards, drawers and look at what you have and how good it feels to not have too much. (((HUG)))

Keep up with that lamp! I know it will help.


Pretty much took today off.
Showered & shampooed my hair.
Sautéed mushrooms in butter then sautéed zucchini in butter and sprinkled parmesan on it.
Ate my fill and have enough for two more servings.
Played with all my new stone beads and watched Roku.
Ate a heavily seeded "everything" bagel with cream cheese.
Plan to wash sheets & etc. tonight and hang out at sunrise tomorrow.

Hello everyone!! Great to read your posts!!! You are motivating me!!! Yay!

I slept a million hours last night. And now I'm taking it slow with my coffee and therapy lamp! I also put my sheets in the washer.

Cm!! Your new computer works!!! Hip hip hooray!!! I'm so happy for you!

Tillie, great work yesterday! Socializing, snapping up some holiday and other fun items for very little! Enjoying your life!!!

SubC! I know that you and I can get things done today! I am going to continue working on shredding closet papers. I want my closet space!!

Ok here is how I am viewing/modifying the No Spend December: It is the actual purchase of things. Purchasing cute stuff, funny stuff, this stuff, that stuff. I have everything I need. I have all last minute gifts and not last minute gifts. If BF's neighbors join us for Christmas Eve, I go to my well of gifts and choose a couple (nice jam, tea towel, small box of Frango mints, Swedish sponge). I'm not making stockings the way I used to because we don't need more candy. If I find I "need" more gifts then I'll bake a few quick breads. Easy.

I will be having a few dinners out here and there with friends but no shopping. I have all I need. I keep saying this to reinforce and to help build my resolve. Yesterday I had some Macy's $ (50 to spend, it's like cash, I don't pay anything) and I used it to buy pjs for sister's BF's daughter and I sent them some Frango mints. I didn't spend all of it but I'm done. Shipping was free and I asked sister to wrap the little girl's pjs and make them from the cat.

So i am good with all of this. One night I am doing the Beacon Hill Holiday Stroll with two friends and I will not buy anything. I have all the wrapping paper, cards, tags, etc for a lifetime. I will buy my wreaths for my windows from the church sale I go to but I won't buy anything else.

What are your thoughts? It's avoiding buying those cute little add-ons that no one needs, wants or uses.

My goal today, in addition to shredding papers, is to get some of the presents wrapped. I'm wrapping everything in tissue paper this year. I have a lot of tissue paper from years gone by and I'd like to use it up.

That is my goal. It's the accumulation of stuff and the lack of thought. It's avoiding the automatic pilot shopping.

Let me know. If you think I should cut down more than that, I'll need you to tell me. The aspiration is avoiding more stuff. Avoiding the depressing consumerism.

Good Morning Everybody
"Clink!"

Hi Subclinical
So happy for you! :D
Have a wonderful day doing all those things you now want to do.
Just start and let inspiration carry you from task to task.

Mr. Kitty doesn't want to share you. ;p


Knew I had a D.D.S. appt, thought it was this week but it's next Monday, YEA!!!
Have one whole week to get the house cleaned up.
I've let everything go around here with everything else going on.
It's so dry and dusty here not having any rain all these months and everything in here is heavily coated with dust.
Every vehicle that goes down the road raises a huge choking cloud of dust.
I'm living in a dust bowl. ;p

Forgot to list a medium sized beautiful leaded beveled glass hanging thingie with dried flowers pressed between the panes I got and already hung up in my room. :)

Good morning all.

CM, you sound quite pleased with your new machine. :)

And tillie, I'm glad you had a fun day out. You can fancy up your room and put up your ceiling tiles!

Tatoulia, I would find a no spend December an awful challenge, but you are done your Christmas shopping and don't have a bunch of kids coming from out of town who you want to treat, so go for it! I bet there are a lot of cool, free things to do in December where you live.

Dd went to the doctor yesterday for confirmation and everything looks fine. Only Mr. kitty is not excited.

I have a ton of stuff to do this weekend, but finally, I want to do it. Not just with my head, but I am feeling the wanting to do it. The only hard decision is where to start.

Good Evening Everybody

Hi CriticalMass
WAY TO GO!!!
New computer and you are learning it's functions!

NO! you and roommate are not allowed to be sickly!
Best wishes for her speedy recovery and that you don't catch it if it's contagious.

Yeah, love those muscle cars.
1st. car was a 68 Plymouth Fury, then a 68 Camaro super sport.
Last car I owned was a 72 VW super Beetle.
It's still here. Steven ran it into the ground and parked it in the yard where it still sits. :(

Sweet dreams with a kitty to snuggle. :)

Hi Tatoulia
Hope your weekend is relaxing after a busy week.
WTG! doing laundry. So nice of you to be considerate with the machines.
Shrimp & pasta sounds so yummy.

A no spend December???
Don't let the ads tempt you. There will be more & better sales with lesser crowds next year.
Delete any emails from stores.
It might be hard with all the usual XMas frenzy going on but you CAN do this! :D
Good luck.

I am so tired physically and mentally.
What a week!
Then today I was out in town from 10:30am to 3:00pm.
Saw lots of people, had lots of conversations.
Was at the thrift shop and the clerk (my friend) and the reverend were discussing sales.
They put the entire store on sale for half off.
So much holiday stuff so I bought 5 scented pillar candles and a scented jar candle.
A large elaborate reed diffuser.
5 strands of shaped gemstone beads.
A large box of pine/fir/evergreen incense.
A tiny fabric toy duckie for Scooter.
A crossword puzzle book.
Cinnamon sticks for potpourri.
A bottle of cologne.
Box of scented talcum powder.
And probably some more I can't remember right now.
All for 10.50

Then when I was at the grocery store buying kibble and litter I ran into more people to catch up with.
When I came home I spent a few minutes talking with my neighbor and two horses and the dog who were all out for a walk.
Looking forward to a quiet relaxing weekend.