Hi all.
It is 2 degrees outside. I can cope with winter, but not these dangerously cold days.
I am really struggling today. The mess and chaos is overwhelming. I am going to work for two hours and then treat myself to a manicure and pedicure. (Thanks for the idea, Tillie.) The cold and housework are really hard on the hands. I can't work in gloves---too restrictive.

Good for you, Tillie! Enjoy your spa day.

Good morning :D

Been having a great time this morning.
Happy, just so internally happy today.
Have been doing the usual daily maintenance, not much to do today.
Planned a "me day" for today.
Going to do a moisturizing treatment to my dry straw like hair then shampoo it.
Planning to give myself a soothing and relaxing pedicure and manicure my hands.
Sort of a home spa day. :D
And I plan to play today.
Will probably get outside since it is so unnaturally warm and sunny here.
Having "me days" are very important for all of us.
When we feel good about ourselves we can give more to all we do.
WIshing you all a great day. :)

So great seeing all of your posts. Today I got more done on back deck, more to do tomorrow. Chopped kindling, brought in firewood. Got a good fire going now. Cleaned up some branches from juniper trees that I had left where they fell, hoping they would dry out, all in one pile now. When I brought wood in, none fell off the cart now that I made a smooth gravel path, was happy I finished it this week.
Carol emailed and said she enjoyed every minute of our tea and walk Sunday. Was surprised and pleased. In no hurry to have company again, totally happy working around here by myself. No time to feel lonely or sad, so many projects to do. I do have to go to grocery store soon, almost out of food, didn't go last week when I said I was going. Will be fun, maybe tomorrow.

Good morning :)
Had problems with internet connection this morning but it seems to be working now. :D

Hi Karl :)
Hope you had fun and got something useful in the exchange. :D

Hi SusanL :)
So GREAT to hear from you! :D
WAY TO GO!!! for all your clear and serene spaces! :D

Hi Diane :)
YEA! for fixing things! Power tools make things soooo much easier to do. ;)

Hi Dianne :)
Wonderful to hear about your accomplishments and about your life. :D
Stay warm.

Hi Roxie :)
WAY TO GO!
All those maintenance type tasks are so important.

I've been getting a lot of misc. etc. type stuff done this morning.
Trash can is out at the road. :D
I want to play but am having to force myself to get some stuff done in here first.
Then I can play. :D
Stay warm, find something to laugh about today. :D

I worked on the back part of the deck today, nearly froze my fingers, really cold with the breeze. When Carol was here she looked out and saw that part of deck, and I realized it looks bad, so worked on it today. This morning worked on felted wool scarf, almost done. Had an ok day, frustrated with the stuff on deck. The gate opens in so took it off and want to fix it so it opens out, so have more room. Good thing is, I finally used my drill to take out the screws, have had it for years, just was not sure if I could use it, it was so easy to use, and so much easier than doing it by hand. Amazing how fear of new things stops me from doing things more easily.

Good morning :)

WAY TO GO! everybody for getting stuff done! :D

Sort of took yesterday off. Did a bit of tidying up but mostly just did fun stuff.
Today there will be more needing to be tidied up but shouldn't take too long, then back to doing more fun stuff. :)
Clear skies but cold. Been warm enough in the afternoons to get outside with the cats and play for a few hours.
Tomorrow is trash pick up day here. Always nice to see anything go away. ;D

So, what are you up to today? :)

Good evening all. Thanks Tillie, yep, been debating about eye exam, in my head today, your reply helped. Bottom line, just get it done.
Fog was to burn off by 2pm, nope, frozen fog all day, I stayed inside except to bring wood in. Only got up to 28 degrees for a high today, was 59 yesterday. So today, I made soup. Took the sewing machine foot pedal apart, I broke it last month and it wouldn't work. After I cleaned innards,patched it up and put back together, decided to clean inside of machine and check it all out. I had taken front and bottom off before but never the top, so as you might imagine, plenty of crud. Believe it or not, it works now. This is my old singer I bought in 1966, and have hauled it to all my moves, California, Montana, Minnesota, California again, and back to Oregon. So glad it works again, my old friend Singer. Today I worked in the craft room for a couple of hours. It was fun for awhile then noticed I started to churn, so quit and started working on sewing machine. Now done for the day. Feels like I didn't get much done, but I did, have a pot of soup for proof!!!!!! Fog again tomorrow, may drive south until I find sunshine. I actually enjoyed the bad weather so I had a reason to do stuff in here.

Has anyone heard from poster MayMay? She was so active and lighthearted. She didn't seem to be a hoarder but was always a cheerleader and supportive of everyone. She just disappeared from the site.

I've been stalling for over 3 hours.

Off to garage.
Visualization, door bottom weatherstrip being replaced without repairman being wounded in action.

Also cutting a little more wood for dumpster.

Good morning :)
Cats kept me up all last night bickering about I don't know what.
Anyways....lol

Great to see so much activity all over the board!

Hi Roxie :
Yes, MLK holiday here and schools and post offices are all closed.
WAY TO GO! for getting out and getting your prescriptions!
Great to hear from you. :D

Hi Barb :)
Good luck at the dentist! :D
Great little game you play by beating the washing machine.
I like to do those kind of challenges too.

Hi Diane :)
Those weekly tasks sound like very good goals.
Very do-able too.
If using a different doctor will prevent you from getting the eye exam then use the old doctor for the test.
If you have worries about any serious medical conditions with your eyes that you need followed up on then the same old doctor would be better since he knows your case.
But for just an eye test for new glasses is something that any opthamologist can do for you.
About guilt for not buying glasses from the old doctor, I have done that too.
But these days people have to count all their pennies and the doctors know this too. Their higher prices are because they have to pay high overhead for the building and pay the optician who orders the new glasses and fits them to your face when they come in.
The big box stores do greater volumn and can afford to have the lower prices.
Also the big box stores have guarantees so if the new glasses are not right for you you are covered, not out the money.
Most important point is that you update your prescription however you feel most comfortable.
But don't let guilt make you spend more than necessary.
I have been very happy with my last pair of glasses from walmart and know I could not have afforded to get new ones at the opthamologist's office. :D

Last night's chat was a lot of fun, I really enjoyed all your company. :D
Just hanging around today, nothing much planned.
Have a GREAT Monday everybody. :)

Woke up to frozen fog, hey weatherman, what happened to the sunshine you predicted all week? Must admit, I am happy to relax a little today. I have been on overdrive for weeks, and really want to just do a little maintenance today, dishes, make soup.
I have already forgotten my goals from chat. Tillie to the rescue. Were these the only ones?
1. Make appt. for eye exam
2. finish insulation
3. short sessions in craft room, organizing
Reason I don't want to make eye appt. Have gone to the same guy for years, think it may be time to go to big box store for exam and glasses so cheaper. Worry big box doc won't do good job. Old doc was $62 for years then went up to $170 for exam. Glasses were well over $300 there so last few pairs were from Costco after got Rx from him. Difficult to go to him, then not get glasses from him. Feel guilty because he does such a good job with my difficult eye exam, then think he deserves my money for overpriced glasses.

Good morning, all.
Roxie, today is the Martin Luther King holiday celebrated some places and not in others. Our local university suspends classes so that students may perform a day of service. Unfortunately, this year, the city decided to suspend bus service, so many students will be unable to get to their assignments.
We had another snow yesterday and my faithful young friends showed up to shovel me out again.
Tillie, I am so glad that you were able to get new glasses. I'm glad you got a reduced price. Glasses are so expensive!
I have a dentist appointment this afternoon just to get my teeth cleaned. I hope they use the sonic cleaner. It is faster and seems to do a better job.
I fell backward this weekend and let the dishes pile up. But it won't take me long to get them knocked out and get the kitchen clean again. Monday is also laundry day. I am so fortunate to have a washer and dryer in my home so I can do laundry while I continue to declutter. A new little game I have with myself is to fill one bag and get it out before the laundry is ready to hang and put away.
I hate setting deadlines and chafe against them. But without the deadlines, I procrastinate.
Have a good week everyone and don't forget to check in here on your breaks.

Good morning :)

Hi Diane :D
WAY TO GO!!! for all you accomplished!!! :D
Relax and have a GREAT time today. (((hugs)))

Hi Dianne :D

Hi Karl :D
So so very sorry that you have been basically left homeless.(((hugs)))
Last time I changed addresses in California the DMV just sent me a little sticker to stick on to the back of my license with my new address on it.
Hope you make it to caht tonight. :)

Well, yesterday I got the eye exam and the Dr. told me that I really needed to update my prescription for my glasses. I already knew that. lol
Well then my Hoarder saw I was buying/getting something and he just had to have something too.
He asked to be squeezed in for an eye exam, got it and ordered new eye glasses too. ;/
I ordered the same exact frames as I already have because I like them so much and they have not malfunctioned even after years of abuse.
Last time I bought these frames they cost more than they do now. Strange that something actually went down in price.
Since I ordered both reading and driving glasses first, when my Hoarder ordered his new bifoculs I was given a 10% discount on my total purchase. Sweet! :D
With the eye exam included, my purchase was only a little over 200.00.
Then he wanted to go shopping, heavy sigh.
I found a bed sheet to replace my sheet that one of the cats (Scooter) had put a tear in = 2.00
Found a stone bead bracelet = .50
A cat toy = .10
Then we went to the grocery store and last time they did not have the big bags of grapefruit I wanted but this time they had three bags left.
I bought two bags because I love eating them every day. :D
Today I will be over at the big house sorting out the mail so I can mail it off.
I think the mail doesn't run Monday because of the holiday.
I will water their house plants too.
Have laundry on the line and plan to get outside today and play with the cats in the sunshine. :D

Thanks Dianne. To tell the truth,I started doing a few things to make sure things were in order, then started worrying about stuff, ended up working all day, then regretted the invite, told myself to stop, you will have fun tomorrow. Fear takes over and can make life miserable. I did a little work on insulation, laundry, clean sheets on bed, brought firewood in, worked on steps in back yard. Did dishes, cleaned kitchen. worked on a pile of clothes in bedroom. Worked in craft room organizing stuff, can see more floor now. I am tired now and wish I would have stopped working earlier or really taken the day off, well tomorrow will be mostly a relaxing day. I need a good laugh and time to chill.

I DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!! Just invited a friend over tomorrow for tea. She is coming at 2pm. I am so happy I get pushed out of my comfort zone on this site. Thank you, I feel excited and happy about the invitation. We used to go to water exercise together, both quit, she is accepting with a good sense of humor. Haven't seen her in many months, have not responded to her emails or phone calls . Not sure why, since I enjoy her, just the low self esteem about the hoard I think. She is a good housekeeper, not extreme like my other friends. Will be great first step in having friends over, something I was never comfortable doing. Clearing the area in front of house was a sign I am finally ready to try a new adventure.

Good morning. Tillie, you are so brave to face your fears and just do it, will be so nice to hear how it went. Dianne, trip sounds wonderful and so happy you recognize the progress you are making, like the letting go feelings have changed since last year. Fun reading and finding all the things that are similar between us.
Today I am moving slow, still 20 degrees out, and SUNNY. Have to shower and wash my hair, way over due. Then may go to store, and take a small walk by river in Bend. I need a day off and still need to do my "social event" for this week. Every day I plan to do the insulation under trailer, start to, then get distracted and say tomorrow. As you know tomorrow doesn't come. So since it was a goal this week, I have to do it "tomorrow" or fess up in chat. I did complete the rock pathway, plus one in sitting area and one going to fire wood. Feel so good about all that I accomplished outside, and the fact I can use areas now. This morning I oiled two wood inlaid bird pictures, they look so much better. I continue to look around for things that need to be repaired that bug me in their current condition. It is so nice to get up and sit in a clean living room. Someone could actually drop by and I would have a place for them to sit!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so grateful for all the changes you have helped me accomplish. I am grateful for the sunshine this week, feels like God is blessing us with this great weather, almost like a reward for keeping my head up during the freeze, broken pipes, and no water for a week. I definitely appreciate it like never before. Just like the hoard has made me appreciate an orderly living area, every time I enter. I am amazed and grateful for the energy I have this week.

Good morning :)
What wonderful posts! :D
I am grateful for this message board, a sanctuary where I find companionship and understanding. It keeps me sane.
I am grateful for Cory and his friendship and how very much he has helped me. :D
I am grateful for every single one of the posters here. (((hugs)))
I am grateful for all the blessings that I have in my life and that God (the Creator of everything) made me an eternal optimist who is always looking for the silver lining in every dark cloud.

Going to get dressed and ready, for today I will get new eye glasses ordered! :D

Have a GREAT Saturday everybody! :D

Enjoyed reading your posts Roxie, Barb, Tillie and Cory. Tillie remember how worried you were going to Carson for the big shopping trip and it turned out fun and interesting? Funny, today I was noticing I can't see well anymore and need new glasses and I did think he might not give me correct prescription because I always have trouble saying which is better, a or b. Like any decision, I have had trouble. Last few times I told him, I have trouble, so could you go a or b, two times, then I will pick. They have a machine that pretty much figure out your prescription anyway.
It will be fun to have new glasses, we just have to do it.
Another SUNNY day here, got up to 62 today, was cooler yesterday and tomorrow so I enjoyed every minute of it. I finished the front rock path today, moved all the junk out. I thought I would fee delighted when it was all finished. I felt a sense of emptiness. I remembered when I cleaned all the junk out of the hall in the house, I felt the same way, and it lasted about a week, now enjoy the empty hall, and know the same will be true with the front of house. I was surprised how much junk I had stashed out there. Buckets of rocks, 4 tires, a motorcycle ramp, pieces of wood, and plenty more.
I am so grateful for all the energy I have when it is sunny, got so much done this week. I sat in the sun and enjoyed how wonderful my life is becoming now that I don't have to go shopping daily and can now walk without tripping on junk.
I am grateful we have this site to keep us going.
I am grateful I have friends that will be there when I am ready to be with them again. One friend called yesterday and we had such a great talk, and planned a get together Feb 5th. She has to plan that far in advance, I don't get it, It would drive me nuts to have a busy schedule like she does. I am grateful that I am learning to accept differences in my friends and not dislike them because they do things differently. I am grateful I can be creative again, now that there aren't piles of junk everywhere. I am grateful I don't have the urgency to shop, instead can enjoy working with what I have, and feeling content.

Such uplifting posts today!
Cory, thank you for sharing. Your openness in sharing your life with us opens the doors of trust and that is something we hoarders sometimes find very difficult to do.
I agree with you and Roxie and others. If we can get up in the morning focusing on at least one thing we are grateful for in our lives, it is easier to face whatever may come during the day.
Tillie and Roxie, if I dream about cleaning and organizing and decluttering at night, I do find the following day much more productive. It is as if my mind is trying to rehearse and practice for what it needs to do.
I am grateful for my warm little house in a neighborhood of caring people who look out for one another in bad weather.
I am grateful for my health that enables me to have the energy and stamina to clean and organize.
I am grateful for this website where I can reach out and receive support during both my successes and my failures.

Good morning :)
Have lots of things planned for today.
All last night I had very vivid dreams where I did all the things I have planned for today.
Now to actually do them in real life. lol
Getting very nervous about my eye exam appointment tomorrow. Worry that I won't get there on time. Worry about talking to strangers. Worry that they may touch me. Worry that my new glasses won't work right for me.
Enough with the worrying. I CAN do this. I MUST do this. :)
Dreamed last night that I polished my silverware.
I use the good stuff every day because it's mine, I like it and I am not saving it for any special occasions or to pass it down to someone when I die. :D
I need to polish it about twice a year and today I will do that as I sit and watch something on Netflix.
Need to water the house plants over at the big house.
Doing some laundry today too since the weather is still nice.
Will probably go outside this afternoon and play with the cats.
Then I need to shampoo my hair and pick out what clothes I will wear tomorrow.

What are you all up to on this Friday?
Whatever it is make sure to include some fun. :D

Another beautiful day here. I was outside most of the day, cleaned up more of the yard, worked on pathways, filled garbage can with yard junk. I was so happy to get on the computer and read all of your posts.

HI :D

BIG WAY TO GO!!!
for all your accomplishments!!! :D
I have been keeping up with the maintenance but not getting anything done on my sewing projects these last two days.
The afternoons have been cool but absolutely beautiful so the cats have been going out to play and I have been going with them.
We just hang out and explore and do stuff together. :D

Hi all,
Roxie thank you for your sage advice. The financial consultant I am using is not a broker. He is part of the free service I get at my bank in just looking at my overall financial health. He helped me set priorities in taking a good hard look at my financial assets, income, and expenses. I have gotten rather lax in that over the last few years and have just spent whatever I liked without paying much attention to budget. Now that I am retired, all that needs to change.
I am also a Suze Orman fan and have been glad to see her advice to the common working person change as times have changed.
My husband was a financial analyst and I am well aware that there are a lot of financial institutions who will do whatever it takes to make money for themselves. He stopped working for a major house and worked out of our home because he became so frustrated with a system that did not put the consumer first. His company, which shall remain unnamed, was playing fast and loose with other people's money. He saw the writing on the wall and got out before all hell broke loose. In today's economy of greed and i'll get my piece first, things haven't changed very much.
It's been a rough couple of days. Winter is back with a vengeance. It snowed all day and the temperature is dropping.
But the trash men did pick up five contractor bags this morning and that is five bags of trash that are not in my house!

Diane
how long did it say a person would have to undergo that treatment to be able to do the quick discard thing?

What a great day today, sunny all day, up to 57 degrees. I cleaned the ashes out of the stove, Got up on roof and cleaned the chimney. Worked on my entryway for hours, still have a little more to do. Cleaned a section of the yard. Brought in firewood.
I sat and had tea in the area I cleaned yesterday, very nice. It is taking a long time to make progress but I am seeing progress.
In the Hoarding book it said CBT can make changes in a short time and you can get rid of hoard quickly. Said it is not true that since it took a long time to accumulate all this stuff, it will take a long time to get rid of it. I was offended or annoyed when I read that, since it took over 20 years to get all my junk and it will take at least a year to get all of it gone/organized/cleaned. And I am working on it for hours weekly. For the book to say if I had a deadline of one month, I could get it done in a month, seemed a bit odd.

The bannister is cleaned down to some outbound books.
The dining room table is about half cleaned.
I have removed a few items from living room pile.
I have been able to continue keeping dishes clean each day.

I'll see what tomorrow brings.

I appreciate both the prodding and the encouragement of you folks on the site. You have helped and are helping me through some rough times in my head. I think I may be able to return to the garage now and deal with some space wasters like lumber, plastic buckets, grass seed and fertilizer. Today I also chose to let go of some books that really suprised me. I am encouraged to think that my thinking is changing enough that some more significant progress may be possible.


Thanks.

Karl, happy you are finally getting to the bottom or the locker and good you see the need to move, sounds like it is difficult to live with a hoarder.
I got up and was so happy my living area is neat. I really see the value of having a home for everything and putting stuff where it belongs. (I still have two rooms semi full of junk, and garage) Just happy to have living room, dining room kitchen and bathroom tidy for the first time in years.
I have been reading in the hoarding book how high the return to hoarding is, scares me, but with this group I have hope. It is so peaceful in here without excess junk to trip over. I got glue gun and fixed upholstry on desk chair and backing on two wool throw rugs this morning. I am looking at things I am ashamed of and fixing them. It is amazing how long these have bothered me and how little time it took to fix them. Living in the moment is so new to me. I still have dark thoughts about mean things I did to men, have to stop myself, forgive myself, and get back in the moment. It is still below freezing and windy so am waiting to hit the yard. Excited I can work in yard all day today. I am ashamed of some of the debris that is still there, so hope to get it fixed today along with finishing entry way stone path. Thank goodness we have this site to stay motivated.
Dave what are you working on today? Hope it goes well for you.
Dianne was happy you are tackling work. Hi Tillie

Karl,

If you had a way to get temporary access to a car again, and if there is some working room in the locker, maybe you could get some smaller boxes to the locker and then carefully cut into a side of the two large boxes and excavate and repack them?