Good Afternoon Everyone

Hi Tatoulia
Yes, I understood about your private nutritionist and am relieved that you will be seeing a nutritionist who specializes in diets for specific health issues.

How nice that you can wash your shoes!
WAY TO GO! finding more items to let go.
Your cleaning ladies are so blessed by you.

Sorry about Miss Kitties little mishap.

Hi Subclinical
Here is my suggestion for the clothing overflow.

Place the "maybes" in a plastic bin or sturdy plastic bag and store it away from the bedroom.
Live with all your absolutely keeping clothes only in there.
After 3 to 6 months or longer revisit the stored items and see how you feel about them now.

I have done this at times with some of my clothes and the time spent without them in my life really helps me to make decisions about them.

Most end up being donated and maybe one or two at the most are kept.

The safest place around here to safely store these things was out in the trunk of one of the derelict vehicles in the yard. :(

Oh SubC I know the overwhelmed and buried feeling. It is all too familiar. Just breathe, drink water, and keep going. You'll want those clothes off your bed. I know it's tough. I know how hard this is.

I was just in my drawers and found more stuff for my ladies including jewelry and a good bra. Two more belts. I just have to keep plowing. I need fewer things to trip me up.

The hospital just called and I have an appt with the nutritionist in two weeks. My private one was for weight loss and mindfulness and meditation and breaking the binge cycle and emotional eating patterns. Now time to work more closely with menus and figuring out a renal diet, if that's where I'll be ending up. I'm pretty excited. Again, they found the blood abnormalities and I've decided to take this as Step 2 of weight loss and living a cleaner, clearer life. Anything to make this happen. I'm so excited about all of this.

SubC breathe. We are standing by your side and helping you make decisions. Cheering you on and shoring you up!!

Oh. I actually figured you were working with your regular nutritionist. I just wanted to give you a quick snack list. I am no good at all at meal plans.

Dh and I are doing a challenge to eat 50 different fruits and vegetables this month. He is winning, even though he had hotdogs with the guys last night and I had sweet potatoes. He just eats more.

No one comes to my house except amazon. I can't even order pizza. I could do that box thing except I can't print out a label.

I am overwhelmed ladies. I still haven't made any cheese. I started trying to clean out my closet, well, really just clean up my closet - clean up the floor and fold things and put like with like. I ended up emptying it one shelf at a time - "ok, i'll Just take everything off this shelf and then find all the sweatshirts and fold them and put them here...."

I got to the point where the closet looks good (except that the floor is really dirty) but the bed is completely covered with stuff. I can't even figure out how it was all in there. I literally need to get rid of half the stuff in my closet and I am not ready to do that.

And I don't know where I am going to put all this stuff so we can sleep.

I did find one dress with a jacket, one purse, one coin purse, two headbands and a shawl to get rid of.

I also found the black dress pants I have wanted to wear three times and every time I looked in my closet and thought "oh, I must have gotten rid of those. I wonder why. Guess I had a good reason..." apparently the reason was that I carried them up the stairs in a pile of sweaters and stuffed them in the back of the closet.

Tillie & SubC, thank you. My dr is having a nutritionist contact me. I'm not contacting my private pay nutritionist because she is a mind/meditation/food connection and I just need someone to give me a food plan.

I've been working on a few things today in my drawers. I was looking for a necklace then found a belt I can give to the ladies. Then I decided that I had a bracelet they'd like. It is such a pleasure to curate stuff for them. I feel like I'm shopping for them!

Kitty just barfed on the summer sheet I had put out for her. So it's in the washer. I also tossed in my chalk all-birds since they are looking a little dirty. Have you washed your Allbirds yet Joan? I remembered to take the lining out. I wasn't sure about the shoelaces so I took them out too.

Good Morning Everybody

Hi Tatoulia
I think you should contact a nutritionist if you must restrict certain foods because you need to keep a balanced diet too.
The hospital in Reno has one who will give people printed pamphlets for specific diet plans.

Have a wonderful & lovely walk this evening. :)

Yes, many thrift shops have received a ton of stuff because of Marie Kondo and other more minimalist movements like that Swedish method I've been using.
Now it is yard sale season and thrift shops will be getting even more donations when people donate the stuff that didn't sell.

The salvation army in Reno decided "poor" people were only good enough to have nasty dirty torn & worn out clothes and all nice & expensive things were sold online to the "rich" people.
I could not believe the condition of the clothes they had hanging on the racks, disgraceful.
But St. Vincent's believed that even "poor" people deserved to have nice things.


Hi Subclinical
That is upsetting about that chair.
Someone would have been happy to buy it for a few bucks.

Do you have D.A.V. or M.S. charities who will come to the house and pick up donations?
That's who my neighbor friends would call after their down sizing yard sales and I would add any of my donations to their pile.

My favorite book is a signed copy of "Digging Out".
If your Dh would read it too, it could really help you.

No special plans for today.
Just the usual tidying up type stuff.
Going to be HOT today and my body is not ready for the heat after being cold for so long. ;P

My dad has high potassium.

Here: http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/Nutrition/PotassiumHandout.pdf

I haven't started making cheese yet. Been puttering and doing laundry.

And reading. One of the books I got from the library was "digging out". I feel like I am ready for dh to help me, but he is horrible at helping, so I am hoping that it will help me ask him for the kind of help I need.

Good morning! Thank you all for the good wishes and warm thoughts! I will call on you, SubC in the days to come. I think I need to avoid potassium and sodium. I'm okay on the sodium except for eating out. I was at a nice dinner recently and I asked the waiter if my food could be made with no added salt, and he said, we make everything fresh, we can make it with no salt at all, which was terrific.

The twist here is I have to keep my potassium intake low. So that eliminates the raisins, dried apricots and prunes I've been using as a substitute for sweets. I also am not clear what vegetables I can eat. Any tips (easy, tip of your head) will be greatly appreciated.

I'm actually very happy about this. Treating it as a wake up call to lose more weight! and the weather is perfect and it's at a time when BF has vowed to drive less and walk more.

I've enjoyed reading your comments regarding goodwill. Our main one is jam packed yet organized. The one in S Boston is run by a manager who looks up china and other things and charges consignment shop prices, which is ridiculous. I've seen him there, back when I still was treasure hunting, and he was obnoxious. It's like he's deciding what poor people can deserve and if the sweater has a slightly fancy label, well, they dont deserve to wear it so it has a $15 price tag instead of the usual 2 or 3. Really obnoxious. I like the old Filenes Basement appeal of the main Boston one. Now I just donate and never buy. If I need new cat dishes, I'll go looking for nice vintage ones. But until then, we are all set. You'll recall I donated a nice set of her dishes as well as random dishes. We are much happier with the fewer cat dishes.

I have a few things to take to consignment this weekend. Maybe mom would enjoy a trip out to the shop. I've heard that places are overloaded due to Marie Kondo. Time will tell.

Wishing everyone a lovely day. I'm grateful for having you in my life. Beautiful day here and I'm looking forward to my walk tonight!!

Tatoulia, I took am glad you are home resting with dr. Kitty.

"No damage to my heart" is good, but sounds like it must have been scary. Be a good rester and I hope you get the food thing figured out. If you have cooking or substitution challenges and you want to share them, I might be able to help. Dh went through two years of elimination diet testing and sometimes I had to get really creative.

I don't think the goodwill here understands economics. When your product is free and your main cost is labor and overhead, you want to fill the floor space as much as you reasonably can and price stuff to keep it moving quickly!

The woman before me brought in a black office chair - it was clean, had five working wheels, and was not bent, but the vinyl was peeling on one upper corner about the size of a cracker. They decided not to put it out. So what are they going to do? Put it in the dumpster and pay to have it hauled away? Slap a $5 sticker on that thing and some student will snap it up and decorate it with duct tape!

They used to have coupons and punch cards and more half off days. There were always lines at the checkout. Even when they had all 5 open. Half off days were crazy crowded. Then they got rid of the punch cards, followed by the coupons. They started noticing that people were waiting to buy stuff on half price days, so they started having only one a month. People were shopping less. The new manager opened the floor up with fewer items and it looks like a sparse tjmax in there now. The parking lot is always nearly empty and they don't even staff the registers - you just ring the bell and wait if you want to check out.

Anyway, I shouldn't complain, because this is probably a good thing for me - it reduces temptation.

Today I am going to stay home, nest, and make cheese.

Happy you are back home cuddling your own kitty and sleeping in your own bed.
(((HUGS)))

Good luck figuring out your diet.

Even though it's nothing weight related, eating properly and getting in good exercise makes you more able to overcome so many health obstacles.



Hi Subclinical
WAY TO GO!!!
You got a LOT done today!

YEA!!! for the toilet paper!

I have noticed that the thrift shops here change management and their prices go way up.
Then the merchandise just sits on the shelves forever.
The stores change their policies and 1/2 off sale days.
The volunteer workers quit.
People no longer donate to them.
Then the new manager is either fired or they figure it out that people don't like the way they are managing the shop and then they change everything back.

Right now the food bank thrift here has ridiculously high prices on everything except the clothes.
They have new volunteers.
Even on 1/2 off sale day the stuff is still priced too high.
The merchandise is just sitting on the shelves.
Soon they will change back when they see they are not making any money.

Home. The immediate problem is solved. Next three days will be crucial for me to just take it easy.

I will write more later. Keep up the good work! I have a small black cat right next to me and we are so happy together. BF met me after I was released and we met for a salad and the doctor called with some additional results and we have a plan for the next three days. Meanwhile I need to figure out what to be eating and how to be eating it.

Blood a little wonky. No heart damage. We will see what the next few days bring. I honestly see all of this as a step in the right direction. I have at least 20 lbs to lose and although nine of this is weight-related, I'm taking it as a wake-up call anyway.

I finished the stalls, took a shower, and went on an expedition into town.

I made the house payment, I dropped a big bag of styrofoam peanuts off at UPS for reuse,

While walking down the sidewlk to UPS, I spotted a coworker in the window of a tutoring place (her summer job apparently) and popped in to say hello (she hasn't finished her evaluations yet, but she showed me an adorable video of her baby)

I returned three library books and checked out nine.

I had filled the entire back of my car with stuff for goodwill (previously set aside stuff - but it filled a whole big canvas rolling cart - plus one little bookshelf.) And I dropped all that off. I went inside and bought nothing.

Apparently our goodwill is under new management. The prices have gotten too high, and based on the way they picked over the donations from the woman before me, they will throw half my stuff away, but I cannot think about that, and I don't know where the store dumpster is and I will not find out.

But I will take the rest of the stuff that I didn't get into the car to st. Vincent depaul's - even though it is a longer drive to a place I wouldn't usually go. There is a nice little walkable downtown nearby for window shopping and a good cup of coffee, and it is not too far from where I get my mammogram - which I need to schedule.

And I got five bags of groceries, including toilet paper.

Hi Subclinical

When I had a cherry tree the Robins would always eat just the pretty blush off each & every cherry.
One day I was finding cherries and eating them before the Robins but the Robins declared war on me, trying to chase me away.

WOOHOO! for getting the stalls cleaned!

Have the goats been behaving and not escaping from the meadow?

Garden fresh beets are always the best.
Guess it was just too tempting for whatever ate them.



Thinking about you Tatoulia


HELLO CRITICALMASS!!! ;D

Oh dear tatoulia! I am sorry you are in the hospital, but glad it makes you feel better. I hope that they decide whatever it is is not a big deal.

I beat the birds to some of my pie cherries. I will need to pick every day until they are done. I wouldn't mind sharing with the birds, if they would eat half the cherries instead of half of every cherry.

Same with the beets - I could share, but nature is greedy!

Right now I am on break from cleaning stalls.

Oh! Tatoulia
Hate that you are in the hospital but very glad you are in there.
You must be worrying yourself sick.
Wishing you the fastest and best recovery ever.

You are a lot healthier than you were before.
Getting lots of healthy walking in and your weight has come down. (((HUG)))


Hi Subclinical
Someone ate all the beets!
That's depressing.
Being almost out of toilet paper is an emergency.
Good luck getting that taken care of!
WTG! for all you got done yesterday, especially happy bunny got to get out.

Having impressive plans in our heads is where it all begins.



Going to be in the 80s here again today.
Will water the trees.
Need to make some lemonade, have Meyers lemons.
A few dishes need washing.
I don't know what he did to the bathroom floor late last night but have to wash it because it's all tacky feeling on my slippers.

In the hospital. Feel better just being here. I brought my kindle because something told me this AM I'd end up here.

Wow, SubC! You did great things on your day at home!!!

I too am pleased to see BF reducing our carbon footprint.

I have to leave for work now and I'm a bit distracted since the hospital called just after 10 PM last night. Abnormality in my blood. Was told not to take certain meds today or to eat certain foods. Will hear from my doctor soon, I hope. I did tell BF although normally I like to keep things from him. It was just late and I thought about getting in touch with you all but decided ultimately to discuss with him. I'm sure it will be fine. But I'm still going to be distracted til we can fix this.

Most of the foods I'll have to ignore are in my favor, meaning it will give me a medical reason (other than weight loss) to resist temptation.

Tatoulia, i'm glad things went well at the doctor's.

Hearing about you and your boyfriend walking and using public transit makes me so happy! The one thing I really don't like about where I live us how much I have to drive.

Yesterday I stayed home. I feel like I didn't do much. Remade the second guest bed, stripped, washed and remade my bed, washed the table cloth (it went in with the sheets), did some vacuuming, ran a load of dishes, and got the rabbit out for a hop because part of the yard was finally dry enough.

Tillie, I have been jealous of your yard because mine has been so wet and I have done so little in it. Something ate all my beets.

Today I have to go to town because we are almost out of toilet paper. I have big impressive plans in my head, but we'll see what I actually get done.

WTG for taking such good care of your plants!!! I am sure they will reward you.

All went well at the doctor. He's so nice and so sincere. I took subway part of the way then walked the rest. I walked all of the way home, BF met up with me and we got a salad. Now I'm home, having just taken the garbage and recycling out.

Always something. I'm going to read a bit and then see what I feel like doing. I was going to cook tonight but now I've eaten.

Will write more later. Keep up the good work!!!

Good Afternoon Everyone

Hi Tatoulia
OOOOHHHH I love pretty table cloths.
They can make an area so festive.

Good luck at the Dr. today.

Poor Miss Kitty, LOL ;D
Scooter still has his tiny dragon quilt and miniscule flannel blanket with a duckie embroidered on it.

WTG! to BF for walking & taking the train!!!


Did 3 loads of laundry first thing this morning.
Then went out and watered in all that fertilizer I spread yesterday.
Laundry is all dry, folded and put away already.
83 degrees right now on the back porch at 2:15pm.
Thinking about what I want to do now. (?)

I'm grateful you wear hats, Tillie! I am extremely fair skinned and I have no tolerance for heat.

It has been nice walking with BF. He's now seeing the world through my eyes and it's great fun. It is making perfect sense to him that I don't want a car anymore. He's also taking the subway-something i have never see him do before. He had surprised me at the office recently (he'd taken a cab downtown for an appt ) and after we had lunch he was going to take a cab and instead I said, hop the T and you'll be home in 20 minutes. Now he's hooked. He had to go someplace on Sunday AM (before I was awake) and he said to himself, I bet she'd walk, so he walked the three miles! It is hysterical because he has always been a car person. We did drive yesterday to run some big errands like groceries for mom. But then he dropped me at mom's and I walked the malls for exercise.

The cat blanket is in the dryer. I'm doing my towels now. I have made room in the closet for the cat blanket. I also put out a piece of tissue paper to ease the cat's pain in not having the blanket. She's on it now.

I have the dr this afternoon. I put in for a few hours off. Sometimes I just come home and work some more but it is heavenly weather. Bright and cool. I might wear my new hat.

I have added a freshly dry cleaned table cloth to the donation bag. I used to use this cloth at Christmas Eve at my brother's, so we can say goodbye to that. I have several lovely embroidered table cloths including one my mother got in Switzerland and it matches her china so beautifully. The other tablecloths are from BF, he got them in France for me and they are so lovely.

Ok back to work!!!!

Hi Tatoulia

I have 5 straw hats and wear them a lot!
I tie pretty little silk scarves around them.
So many people here are always having patches of skin cancer removed from their faces.
The sun is more intense here at a high altitude 4300 ft. and in the snow it's amplified even more.
Sun screen, hats, wearing a long sleeve cotton blouse over sun dresses, parasols/umbrellas and then stay in the shade as much as possible.

Sounds very nice having BF talk walks with you.
A great way to hang out.

My Granma died in 1985 and I still talk to her, ask her opinion on things and like to think she would approve of the way I keep my house and live my life.

WTG SubC! Weight off your shoulders and right into your wallet!!!! Great work!!!!!

Tillie I'm glad you had some sunshine and beautiful weather! The kitties must be so cute outside!!!

We had a beautiful day and I took mom shopping for a straw hat. She held up really well during the process and I found a beautiful one for myself. I'd gotten rid of all of mine sometime ago and I'm glad to have a pretty dress hat. This way, I will be able to eat outside with friends. I'll also wear it to and from work. Right now I've been wearing a baseball type hat because I can keep it in my purse. New hat was inexpensive yet very striking on. I've been told I have a hat face, and I can agree that I can wear hats pretty well.

Afterward BF and I ran some errands and grabbed a burger together. We are having a very good time together lately. He's joining me on some of my walks and it is a very pleasant experience for both of us. I did mom's grocery shopping tonight and dropped off, then walked around the Prudential Mall and Copley Place for exercise. Just home and showered and washed my hair.

Tillie you are spot on! I'd forgotten about the 20 20 rule. Sounds perfect to me!

I could list reasons to keep the bedspread but I'd be digging deep to do it. I just needed to reason with myself. And it's a good reminder that I wasted money on something I didn't need. And probably didn't even want. I try to capture the Sunday Afternoons at Grandma's House and white bedspreads or thin worn white quilts give me that peace. We have the thin worn white quilt. All the peace can flow from it.

Thank you so much. You are all so precious to me.

YEA!!!! IT'S OFFICIALLY JUNE!

WAY TO GO! Subclinical!
And the cherry on top is you earned the bonus too.

GREAT job straightening & cleaning and generally tidying up and finding things to donate too.

So true, it is so much easier to declutter/thin the herd when things are assembled and organized into "like with like" groups.

It's good to see all what you have in a category.
Really helps to identify the keepers from the rest.


I got all showered & cleaned up and took care of the daily tasks, cat related mostly.
Now I have the rest of the day to relax.

It's June!

All of the evalyations are turned in and I will get paid tomorrow. And I was early, so I get my bonus.

I feel much lighter with that done!

I can't get involved in tatoula's bedspread because I will just think of reasons to keep it. The only things in my life that meet the 20/20 rule are eggs, milk, hay, and straw.

Tatoulia, i'm Glad your dryer got fixed. And I like your little reminder image. I have one in the notes section where I keep my todo lists that says "some days you drink all the coffee and do all the things. Other days you drink all the coffee and do none of the things. It's all about balance."

I found two CDs to get rid of. It sounds like I am doing nothing, but really, the house is better. Everything in the basement had gotten so out of order and I have better places to put some things now.

I realize that it's not just about places to put things and that I still need fewer things, but it's much easier to come back and make decisions when things are orderly and accessible.

Good Afternoon Everyone

About 2pm here.
Resting up.
Spent time outside spreading that composted manure around everywhere.
Washed up a little & changed my clothes.
Ate some lunch.
Soon I'll get in the shower & wash my hair.
So glad that task is done.
Beautiful day today. Cloudless blue skies. Hot when working out in the sun.
Last night we had another drenching downpour with lightning and thunder.
Scared Scooter when one huge lightning clap was right overhead.
Made me jump too.
So far it's been a good day. :D

Good Morning Everybody

Hi Tatoulia
List one reason for keeping it.
I can list at least half a dozen for releasing it. ;)

YEA! dryer is fixed!!!

You appear to be moving more toward minimalism.
Why have two cat beds when there is only one cat.
Why have more couch blankets than the both of you need.
You want to completely evict Justin Case from your closets.
You seem to like the 20 20 rule.
If you can replace something within 20 minutes for 20 dollars, don't store it for Justin Case, let the store store it for him.

10:30 here...
Cats & I are going out to spread a little manure around in the garden.

Dryer's fixed! There goes that excuse.

Tillie, and really anyone, I know that I am happy with using my thin white quilt. I like the look of it and I use it year round. I know if I put on the white bedspread I might like it. It's a nice bedspread with only a year or two to its name. If I have something I like, use year round, and looks nice, do I need the second thing? ESP where the second thing is easily purchased from stores should I want one some day/month/year/decade into the future?

I'm thinking give to the cleaners. Straight. No putting on bed first. No need to complicate matters.

Thoughts?

Good morning! Almost afternoon here. We slept like little tiny angels last night.

Miss kitty's blanket has not been washed and put away. Last night when I went to do my sheets (normally I do Saturday AM but I was on a different schedule yesterday), I noticed that the dryer vent tube has become detached. I tried to fix it myself but I didn't have the correct supplies. I sent an email just to the owners who live here and one said he'd be able to fix it. So I put a note on the dryer telling people not to use it. Long-winded way to say, I haven't washed it. It hasn't been hot here so right now it's okay. If need be, I'll wash here and take to laundromat for drying.

My favorite tenants have moved out and we have new owners coming in. I am cordial but not close with anyone here. It's an easier way to live. Friendly, nice but that's it. Many years ago we were all friends here (I'm the only one left in the group) and we used to have Friday night dinner parties at my house. Either one of the women upstairs would cook down here or the man who lived directly under me would do the cooking. It was great fun.

In the meantime, I did find a spot for my comforter. I haven't yet put my white bedspread on to get my feel for keeping vs donating. I'm just so happy with my thin white quilt.

I'm looking forward to going over previously cleared drawers and cabinets that may have collected some clutter and clearing it out. I'm feeling immense joy at making these decisions.

Looking back at the winter, I had one blanket for kitty (which we shared) and one cat bed. No more two cat beds and multiple blankets. And we were both fine. And it worked out perfectly when the cleaner said, where did you get your cat bed, and I was able to go to my closet and pull out the clean one and say, here you go. And it was different. It wasn't my usual, let me keep this in case someone needs it some day, it was my not be ready to get rid of it and someone needing it. Big difference. Better thought-pattern.

Monday is trash night. I'd like to see if I can fill a bag. Either trash or donations. Trash could include something I'm not otherwise ready to deal with and that I pretend doesn't exist.

Hi Tatoulia

I am not offended by the fact that inanimate objects do not love me.
As "The Minimalists" always say...
Use things and love people.
I always add love animals too.
And all plants, I always thank plants for everything they do for me.
I'm especially fond of the oxygen they generate.

WTG! for finding things for the Cleaning Fairies!

OK, so you need to get into drawers and cupboards.
Lets just break it down like we did last time.
Tackle one drawer or cupboard/cabinet at a time.
That is what I plan to do this month. Empty out one area, wipe it down and put the stuff back in after I give it a little rinse off.
Always keeping an eye out for anything that has outlived it's welcome.

It's so nice when everything fits easily into their assigned space.

Did you find a suitable place for Miss Kitty's Winter blanket?

Wow I turn away and there are terrific posts! Yay!!!!

Cm I think that's terrific that you could be with your friend and comfort her while the others took care of the house. I think the responsibilities were separated in a way to help everyone. What a shame. No one knows what goes on behind closed doors. What a terrible shame.

Let me know when it's June, SubC! You are doing a great job on the evils! Let's get them in on time! And excellent work on the dormer!

Tillie you are well again! So glad. I recently took my last sports bra, washed it, and gave it to the cleaners. Since they frequently undress to try on my clothes, I know they like to wear sports bras. I also washed a very nice strapless bra for any of my dresses that won't work with traditional bra straps.

I think for June I need to Covet Old Ground. Last year about this time, I cleaned out underneath my kitchen sink. Well it needs to be gone over since it's cluttered. Other areas too, like my bathroom vanity drawers, need to be examined.

My hairbrush and hairdryer go in the bottom drawer. They just fit. I used to have it jammed with products and my hairdryer and my brush lived on the floor. What a terrible way to live.

Ladies I posted a clutter comment on Instagram today. I hope you don't mind. It really made me think: Your stuff does not love you back. (Believe it or not, my feelings are a bit bruised to read that). If the clutter sayings upset you or make you not want to look at my Instagram, just say so and I'll keave it to pictures.

Hi Subclinical

WAY TO GO!!!
Great job on the evaluations, the rearranging shelves & stuff and for cleaning areas as you go!

Doing good on finding books that can be donated too.


I'd been wanting to put another coat of paint on my ceiling tiles so that's what I did this morning.
They should be dry enough by bedtime to gather up and stack.
So frustrating waiting to install them...

Also had a sports bra in the drawer that I was never wearing.
Put it on and tried wearing it but I just don't like it so it's out of here.

Looking forward to the day Subclinical says it's finally June.

It's not June until the evaluations are done! ;-)

20 to go. Met my goal for the day but might hit a few more later.

Still rearranging books and bookshelves. I found two more children's books and one big fat adult book to get rid of. Also cleaned the very dusty, grimy, dormer alcove in my bedroom (because there was a little bookshelf in it I wanted to switch.)

IT'S JUNE!
Already June.
My, how time flies...

Hi Subclinical
Good luck knocking out your evaluations.


It was nice waking up this morning without any dishes waiting by the sink to be washed.

Don't want to let Scooter & Twinkles out because my garden area is full of little baby fledglings.
They are so cute following their parents around, learning the ropes of being birds.

Still cold in the mornings here but warming up nicely as the day progresses.

Hi Tillie,

Dh is my friend who will be honest with me. When I look at myself in pictures or on video, I don't see myself. I know that it is me, but my brain rejects the idea and I can't evaluate myself in the picture, I just hate everything I see. When I look at photos from a long time ago, if they don't have my family or another helpful clue in them I can't even pick myself out. I'll say things like "is that me? I think I recognize that shirt." Sometimes I will pick a woman who is a very different height or weight. I have long brown hair (now with grey in it). Sometimes my hair will be pulled back in the photo, and I will explain my misidentification with "oh. I couldn't see my hair." People look at me oddly.

I can never find my cousin in pictures either. We were really close when we were kids and I "know" what she looks like and can never find her.

31 evaluations to write and ten to proof read tomorrow and turn in.

I think my lilacs don't like the wet. One of them is growing just downhill from the compost pile.

Wanted to vacuum this morning but he wouldn't get out of bed until afternoon.
Anyways, got the vacuuming all done and also vacuumed the fridge coils.
Next I want to wash the dishes but I've first been eating up some leftovers so that those dishes get washed too.
Have the sink scoured all clean & shiny and soon the dishes will be washed.

Next storm is blowing in now 2:30pm.

Good Morning Everyone

Hi Subclinical
YEA! for being on schedule with evaluations!
WTG! for getting things moved around and cleaning out dust bunnies as you go!

The best way to go through clothes is by having a fashion show with a friend who will be honest with you.
Someone who won't lie to avoid hurting your feelings.
Another way is to videotape yourself and see what others see. :O

Good job finding those two orphan sheets hiding out.


One thing I figured out about Lilacs is that they LOVE manure. Any kind of manure & lots of it.
Mine get steer or chicken.


At 9:00am I will decide what I will do today.
Last evening we had a very drenching downpour.
Lots of long rolling thunder.

Good Morning!

Tillie, i've been doing little bits of dusting and sweeping as I move things around. It's awful how dirty the edges and corners of everything get.

Feeling much more human today after another good night's sleep. Helps to be over the hump on the evaluations too.

I forgot to say that I found two sheets to donate when I was cleaning up in the guest room. Not two sets of sheets - just two orphan sheets.

My June won't start until the 5th when I am done with evaluations (that's the due date) - we normally get paid the last day of the month, but they carrot and stick us in May - you don't get paid until your evaluations are in, but you get a small bonus if you make the due date.

Anyway, I think my big project for June is going to be tackling my closet. Hopefully dh will help me, because i'm Terrible at figuring out what looks good on me. There are a few things I know I will keep that he doesn't like because I like them and they are comfortable (like the outfit I wore to our school ice cream social) but there are other things I don't wear because i'm not confident or do wear and maybe shouldn't.

CM, you definitely have to schedule in time for you. Time to do your fun things and time to just rest. Vespecially when you have been putting out so much energy caregiving.

Tillie, glad to see you up and around! Sorry about the hoard, but the lilacs sound lovely!

I love lilacs. I have a few I grew from little runners in my grandmother's yard, but they are still too small to bloom. They don't grow as well here as they did there.

I pushed through my minimum, my goal, and my stretch goal, so I now have only half of the evaluations left to do.

I also moved more stuff around in my house. I emptied the plastic shelf (mostly onto other shelves except three soft dolls that are on a bed "for now" - I try to avoid throw pillows and toys on beds) that was in the guest room, rebuilt it in the guest room closet, and put the games on it. The games were piled on the closet floor because I stole the shelf they were on way back when I needed it to help out ❤️Dd.

I replaced the plastic shelf with a smaller, shorter, more attractive but still fake wood shelf that had been partly blocking the hallway from the kitchen. (I just left the same books on it)

I put away the clean laundry that was piled on the guest bed and remade it with clean, new sheets, a light blanket for a bedspread, and one of my greatgrandmother's quilts. Then I put the throw rug back that I had rolled up and stashed in the basement when the dogs were here at Christmas time, and the room looks pretty nice. (The quilt and rug will have to go when the dogs come back)

Off to do chores and maybe get to bed early...

Good Afternoon Everybody

Hi CriticalMass
"Clink!"
What a wonderful long post!
So nice catching up with you.
Very relieved you have the new tires, hope you have a good spare now too.
YEA! for getting in some walking exercise.

You MUST schedule in some play/crafts or other recreational activities whenever possible.
Those little heart's desires are so very necessary for mental/spiritual/physical wellness.

I'm glad you weren't needed to clean out your friend's home.
This gave you the opportunity to spend more time with her.

Yes, PUPA is part of our metamorphosis. ;D

Wishing you all the best in being able to prioritize and focus on one task and keep at it until it's been conquered.


Hi Subclinical
Things always look a lot worse when we start to do a major reorganizing.
But eventually it all starts to come together and the puzzle pieces all neatly slip into place.

Good luck getting at least your 10 evaluations done today.

WAY TO GO! for all the maintenance you have been doing.



Hi Tatoulia

WTG! Working on the closet!!!
Please let us know when you break through to the back and find Narnia waiting.

SO, so very sorry that you fell (((HUG)))
Don't do that any more.

You having the cleaners in is keeping you honest.
Honest to yourself that you will never let it slip back to how it was before.
You deserve better that that.


Well, I am back with the living.
It has rained every day for the last 15 days.
Steven's hoard in the carport/driveway/yard is all wet and stinking of mold/mildew.
I don't know about inside the garage because I am afraid to go in there.
Every now & then I get a little whiff of carrion while out near the hoard.
All back porch kitties are accounted for.

The house is dirty.
Desperately needs vacuuming and dusting.
Bathroom is ok, I cleaned it on Monday, had to, Steven really made it a filthy mess.

Not many dishes to wash and laundry is all caught up.

My lilac hedge is gorgeous!
All tall (10ft in some places), thick and green.
Yesterday the Honeysuckle started blooming, the smell of Summer.

May is almost over.
Anybody have anything specific you want to concentrate on in June?
I need to take everything out of the kitchen cupboards & cabinets and wipe them out.
I'll do this one cupboard/cabinet at a time.
That way it will be quick and easy and not overwhelming.
I can start and stop whenever I feel like it.

Part 2 from yesterday:

So, I'm at the library dealing with a few loose ends. I'd meant to get more done around the house today, but there are also business things to do such as depositing a check and writing another to pay back my roommate for floating me the money on Monday to get tires since banks were closed then and I knew I'd overdraft if I tried to pay for them directly.

Today and yesterday it's actually been springlike weather here without rain. Last night I decided to accompany my roommate as she walked her dog. When my friend was in the hospital, I did get some walking through the corridors, and that helped get me more in condition. I think my body actually WANTS to move now! So as the 10th Doctor would say, allons-y!

Balancing between messy tiring jobs, such as yesterday's deep clean of bunny's cage, and paperwork long overdue, laundry piled up, fundraiser planning for bunny club - as always, difficult to know where to start. And I really want to hole up and sew doll clothes and quilt blocks more than any of the above. I've just got to block off a time, space, and efficient work method where I can do a little of the things my heart desires so I don't start resenting the obligatory things.

My friend's apartment I guess was in a pretty bad state. The other friend, her husband, and helpers cleaned it out so I wasn't a part of that. It just worked best they said for me to be with her at the hospital keeping her company and updating them on her status. We all knew she had been struggling for a long time. The doctors said pretty much everything (like paper or cloth, upholstered furniture - whatever couldn't be disinfected) had to go because of mold and other pathogens. It's sad, but I'm glad she is in a healthy place now, and if she is able to rehabilitate to the point of independent living again, she can make a fresh start. She seems to be accepting. All this inspires me to do what I need to do while I have my health.

Hi mjz and welcome to our fun bunch! I get you on the nap temptation. I agree a sorting method is the way to go when you find stuff that doesn't go in the place you're cleaning - the trick is to not be distracted by the sorting for other places. Some use bins or bags for the other places if they can do it quickly, but it's perfectly okay to just put it all in one container, carry that to the next sorting place, and things will get returned to where they go once you've made the complete rounds.

Hair elastics were/are something I minimized on the last move. Going more toward neutral colors - I love colors so I had collected so many. Gave the extras to my mechanic's granddaughter if they were clean and in good shape.

Tillie, first of all:
Feel better!
Enjoyed your story about naughty Marty trying to evict Scooter, and glad it didn't work.

Good going on bypassing the lingerie chest. At one time in my life I had my heart set on getting a jewelry armoire, just for costume jewelry mainly. I'm glad I didn't get around to it - and even if I had, I'm sure it would've been downsized by now as taking up more room and encouraging keeping more jewelry than I use.

I love "PUPA" - Pick Up and Put Away! It fits with our journey from cluttered caterpillars to beautiful butterflies, doesn't it!

SubC - we all need to decompress after a long season whether that's teaching, or in my case going up to the hospital pretty much daily to check in on my friend. Hope your tummy is feeling better. The nicer shelves sound like a good option to replace particle board, and I'm sure they'll serve you well.

I've had allergies off and on, nothing bad, the most annoying part is a tickle cough. Honey is my go-to for that, or hard candy. Don't care for the menthol taste of conventional cough drops. Too strong.

Tatoulia, glad you enjoyed/are enjoying the cat sitting - can't remember how long it was to last. Linen closet functional and pleasing to look at - Yay!

Hope you like your new glasses. I've had a bit of difficulty with glasses these last few years. I got a pair in 2011 with my disability lump sum. They were more pricey (not extravagant but more than I'd usually spend). They were exactly what I wanted, Silhouette rimless frames. Unfortunately, I am a klutzy eyeglass abuser these last few years.

Needed new Rx a couple years ago but since my vehicle and other woes depleted my reserve, I had to go to the county medical society, and get a voucher. Well, last year if you recall I had trouble getting around while my old vehicle was in its death throes. So by the time I got glasses picked out, my cataracts had rendered the Rx obsolete! So I seldom wear the new ones, and won't be eligible for another voucher for five years - or maybe I can save the money if things ever let me. I figure I'll get it sorted when the cataracts are bad enough for surgery. I put the current glasses on to drive looking out the bifocal part...

Take care of that knee - ice it a bit if it swells.

Guess that's most everything for now as far as catching up and being back in my "normal" routines. This time has been a spiritual journey that broke me out of my rut somewhat, and I hope that effect carries on. I can see how I spin my wheels, so I'm trying to focus in on one task and "prioritize" - something ADD makes difficult but if I can cut one thing from the herd and tend to it, I might succeed.

Iced tea clinks!

Checking in on Tillie!

SubC I hope you can focus on the evaluations today. I'm sure the state of the basement is nagging at you. Please remember that you are sore and need to just do paperwork today.

I am working from home today. Solid progress on the bedroom closet. Two dresses for the cleaners including one I never wore, tags still on, I tried it on today and I don't like how it looks, and a dress I just washed to see if I will wear it again. If not, goes to the cleaners.

I'll report more later.

Cm loved your newsy post and hope you'll have a chance to post more soon.

Hello Joan.

Tillie, I hope you are feeling better.

Tatoulia, I love that you have the cleaners to take care of you. :)

I slept late this morning - my body is sore all over from yesterday, but hopefully it will ease up as the day goes on. Dh will be home very late tonight, so the day can kind of move at my own rhythm. I'm going to try to see how many evaluations I can push through.

My basement is a huge disaster. It's not the kind of overwhelming I want to cry disaster though, it's more of a creative potential disaster. I really want to get down there and rummage around and sort and churn and reorganize, but I know I have to do my evaluations first and that I will make it even worse before it gets better.

I also know that there is not enough room in the basement for the things that are currently in the basement, which seems counterintuitive to me - because they are there, but the space is not functional.

Tillie I hope you are resting and flushing the fluids. I'm worried but know that you know how to take care of yourself. Still, I'd love to be able to bring you a cool cloth for your head and straighten out the bedsheets.

Cm! So happy to hear from you. You are doing a very good job of weathering the storms-both literally and figuratively. I am so pleased to hear that you bought some plants. That makes me very happy. And you were able to go by the quilt club! Yay! I bet everyone was thrilled to see you!

SubC I bet the goats appreciate your hard work! You do so much in a day. You are making good choices and tough choices and I'm so proud of you.

I am home from dinner. Nice time. Afterward I went to the grocery store and walked around some. I fell and skinned my knee. I haven't done that in a while, but given how much I walk it's to be expected. I also ran into a woman who served jury duty with me and that was fun to catch up with her.

I just showered and am ready to climb into my professionally made bed. I am so glad to have the cleaners. It is such a treat but it's more than that. It's psychologically and physically and emotionally and mentally good for me. Also knowing that kitty is living in a clean place is important. I never have to think about what I should be cleaning and I'm never worn out.

I need to buckle down on the bedroom closet. Tmr might offer that opportunity for me.

Joan I'm thinking of you.

It's getting late now so I'll do Part 2 tomorrow.

I got called away in the middle of that and posted without realizing that I only thought at you that I am sorry about your tire troubles, but very glad you got back to quilting!

Hi CM!

I have been waiting for part II, but I guess I will be intermission.

I got the stall cleaned out. I'm trying to let the floor of the barn dry as much as possible and will rebed it tonight before I put the goats in.

I also got my minimum (10) evaluations done.

And I started moving books and I did a load of laundry.

I found five little thin children's books and two textbooks I can part with. That's sort of like dieting by skipping the after dinner mint, but it's still the right direction.

I've got one little bookshelf ready to go to goodwill, one for dh to cut down so I can use it under the chalk ledge in my classroom (I pulled two 3x3x2' plastic cupboards out of my classroom this year and added one tall shelf) and two small wood ones I haven't decided about - they may switch places with something else that would then go.

Part 1.

Thought I'd get this update done Monday. That was the day my friend left the hospital here for her next stage of her journey, namely more rehabilitation and dialysis on an outpatient basis.

But there was a lot going on Monday and yesterday, and some residual fatigue, and regrouping and reintegrating.

On Sunday afternoon, I'd been headed up to see her and take care of details like packing - including several bags of new clothes our other friend bought her, that I'd taken home to iron name labels in.

I'd seen that my van's tires on the driver's side needed a little air. When I got to the hospital parking garage and got out, I immediately noticed the back one was way too low.

So I went to the Quik Trip a couple blocks away and started airing the tire. Seemed to work at first, then I realized it wasn't holding. Called Kenny. He inspected it and found what we thought was a piece of metal. I had been meaning to purchase a spare and forgot. *sheepish facial expression* So since he has a Dodge Caravan like mine, he lent me his spare.

Off I went to Walmart with about an hour and a half before closing. But it was a moot point. The damage was too extensive. What I decided to do was buy a matched pair of new tires on Monday, have the good one of the previous set saved, and I'll purchase a rim and get that mounted then I'll have a spare.

So that's what I did after seeing my friend off. My roommate had had to have a new alternator after her own adventure with flash flooded streets on Friday. So she came with me and we wandered Walmart. My friend called during that time, after she had gotten settled in at the new facility, so I chatted with her while walking around.

Yesterday I went to quilting at church for the first time in weeks. Today I deep cleaned my boy bunny's cage - the girl's I did recently already. Tomorrow and Friday will be a combination of laundry, tackling my trashed bedroom, returning library books, preparing for bunny club quarterly event on Sunday, gardening - I bought a small assortment at Walmart before all thd spring plants are gone. A pretty reddish pink caladium, some mixed vincas, and marigolds. Just enough to enjoy and not feel overwhelmed caring for.

Mmmm Tatoulia, raspberries - I need to go get berries. Roommate's June bearing strawberry plants, which didn't produce much last year, are doing better now. We also have a cantaloupe to butcher. And Tillie, I have thought about baking one batch (2) pumpkin pies before the weather gets hot.

Lunchtime now. Stay tuned for Part 2! 😀

Cleaning fairies just left. They are lovely. One was wearing some earrings I had put in the bag. They are gold hoops with tiny diamond chips. She looked really pretty. They are nice people.

Sorry you are sick and feverish Tillie. Please take good care of yourself! A cat I used to babysit always had hair ties all over the place. I'm pretty sure that's where I got my one. I used to have tons and then after sorting the bathroom drawers a few years back, I donated all of them. Now I need them again as my hair is longer. M
SubC great work getting the bookshelves downstairs! You will enjoy having sold wood bookshelves and have a place to put your things. I'm happy for you! Very good choice

Don't read this, SubC. The shoes were a very old pair and on their last legs and have now been disposed of. I am very hard on my walking shoes given that I do a minimum of four miles a day on concrete.

I am looking forward to seeing how the soles hold up on the Allbirds. They are made from sustainably sourced sugar cane. I am hoping to get four months out of hard walking on them. Time will tell!! Concrete is murderous on shoe soles. But I enjoy my walks so much.

Good Evening Everyone

Hi Tatoulia
Hope your shoes survived.

Once upon a time my home was filled with hair ties.
They ALL belonged to my boy kitty.

YEA! for being such great company for the kitties you're baby sitting.

Hi Subclinical.
WTG! getting the shelves out of the truck!
YEA! for them being in the basement!


Last few days I've been feeling tired & "off.
Today I have had to admit to myself that I'm ill.
Something with a fever, I dunno...
But I finally did get linens washed and hung out today.