Tatoulia, how nice that youre having a smooth, fun day! You certainly do deserve that to happen more often!
Tillie, i hope your skunk situation doesnt become too problematic? I also hope your hoarder will shift his priorities & give you what you need, soon. I know that must be very difficult!
My car is being worked on again. Im grateful to have a trusty mechanic that will come here. He can be frustrating at times, but overall, i am very fortunate! :D

Tatoulia, how nice that youre having a smooth, fun day! You certainly do deserve that to happen more often!
Tillie, i hope your skunk situation doesnt become too problematic? I also hope your hoarder will shift his priorities & give you what you need, soon. I know that must be very difficult!
My car is being worked on again. Im grateful to have a trusty mechanic that will come here. He can be frustrating at times, but overall, i am very fortunate! :D

Tillie, I so enjoyed your post. Very poetic. Anony I am sorry about the car breaking down. Can you get it to a mechanic?

Well I took yesterday off to help someone with a problem at his house. The meeting had been rescheduled to next week so instead we spent a lovely day together. I took him on errands and in general a very nice time. I helped him bring some stuff in his apartment and it was in good shape. He did the dishes while I went through his mail to check for anything important. He took his trash to the chute and our day was done. Extremely pleasant all around. Even the weather cooperated!

Today I'm on my own. No obligations. So I'm running laundry and going to work on some slides for a presentation at work. Would like to finish them this weekend.

I slept about 14 hours last night. I am so peaceful today. Going to work on last Sunday's crossword while enjoying my coffee.

So, what are you doing today??!!!?

.....my car is broken down again...for some reason i feel really panicked each time this has happened...

.....my car is broken down again...for some reason i feel really panicked each time this has happened...

Tillie, it very well can become a problem...ha ha...skunks are the real king-of-the-jungle cuz every animal yields to them! They have no predators except one type of owl. I thinks thats why they get hit by cars so often cuz theyre use to hug, powerful animals running away from them?! I have a steady stream of skunks coming on my porch after cat food & they each try to beat the others to it by coming out earlier & earlier! Now there are skunks coming in the late afternoon to get the food! When they have babies, they will not know how to find food naturally cuz they will only learn where the cat food bowl is! I wish i had an answer...this has been a dilemma for me for many years...also, if the cat food becomes unavailable, they will often find a way into the house, where they really can become a problem!

Tillie, it very well can become a problem...ha ha...skunks are the real king-of-the-jungle cuz every animal yields to them! They have no predators except one type of owl. I thinks thats why they get hit by cars so often cuz theyre use to hug, powerful animals running away from them?! I have a steady stream of skunks coming on my porch after cat food & they each try to beat the others to it by coming out earlier & earlier! Now there are skunks coming in the late afternoon to get the food! When they have babies, they will not know how to find food naturally cuz they will only learn where the cat food bowl is! I wish i had an answer...this has been a dilemma for me for many years...also, if the cat food becomes unavailable, they will often find a way into the house, where they really can become a problem!

Did all the usual daily cat related stuff.
Swept the floor.
Washed dishes and wiped down the kitchen.
This evening I will water grass & gardens.
The baby skunks are getting much bolder.
They were on the porch last evening at sundown.
The front door was open, just the screen door shut.
I turned on the porch light that also turns on a lamp a little farther away, lighting the whole garden area.
The TV was on, making noise.
I stood at the open window and at the screen door watching, they saw me and did not care.
The cats were making noises inside, the skunks did not care.
I spoke to them, they looked at me and did not care.
This might become a problem soon but
I don't care.

Good morning to all! :D
I decided since it was so miserably hot, that id drink some strong coffee late & work in the full moon light! It was a beautiful, bright & amazingly bugless night & i got so much done! I got more trim & chairs painted, plus got the new fabric on the table with everything washed & arranged on it! Now when i wake up ill be able to see it all in the daylight! I hadnt stayed up like this in ages! I even got in the hot tub before bed! I love it!
I hope you all have a smooth, productive, satisfying day today! ....zzzz..z.zzzZzz..z.z.zzz....

Good morning to all! :D
I decided since it was so miserably hot, that id drink some strong coffee late & work in the full moon light! It was a beautiful, bright & amazingly bugless night & i got so much done! I got more trim & chairs painted, plus got the new fabric on the table with everything washed & arranged on it! Now when i wake up ill be able to see it all in the daylight! I hadnt stayed up like this in ages! I even got in the hot tub before bed! I love it!
I hope you all have a smooth, productive, satisfying day today! ....zzzz..z.zzzZzz..z.z.zzz....

It is hard to imagine that he REALLY likes things that way & would seriously be proud to have people he knows see it...i just wonder if he feels that way deep down or if hes just being defensive & resistant...i think i would try to gently inquire about his feelings about it, in some way that makes him feel comfortable opening up about it...i dont know how easy that would be, but that is the approach i think i would take...calling the fire marshall could lead to being homeless, so i would not go down that path...but its hard for me to say that cuz im not in your situation... ~♡~

It is hard to imagine that he REALLY likes things that way & would seriously be proud to have people he knows see it...i just wonder if he feels that way deep down or if hes just being defensive & resistant...i think i would try to gently inquire about his feelings about it, in some way that makes him feel comfortable opening up about it...i dont know how easy that would be, but that is the approach i think i would take...calling the fire marshall could lead to being homeless, so i would not go down that path...but its hard for me to say that cuz im not in your situation... ~♡~

Hi Anonymoniker :)

Thanks for the suggestions.
WAY TO GO!!! for painting those now cleared spaces! :D

He is proud of his "collection" and is not embarrassed by the condition of the property.
Not long ago I did ask him why his "friends" never drop by.
He said "they are all too busy all the time with important lives of their own to lead."
UmHummm...
He enjoys sitting in the corner of the totally hoarded garage on the computer he has set up there with food related garbage cluttered all around him.
His bedroom is exactly the same.
Lots and lots of garbage and dirt with items strewn into the mix.
Same with the carport and yard.
Then he tells me to eradicate the insect and rodent problems that develop from the squalor.
I say "can't be done".
I have been hoping that he would work on clearing the carport after seeing the car sitting out there covered in bird poop.
It is the nicest and newest car we have ever owned.
One reason I am leaving it sit that way.
Wishing he would get motivated even a little.
But evidently he just does not care about anything or anyone.

Tillie, is it possible that he is too ashamed of his mess & that is why he doesnt really want people he knows to see it? I read somewhere that it is a collection if youre proud to show it, but a hoard if youre embarrased by it. That really spoke to me cuz i am proud to be eccentric in my ways, but i do not consider this current mess to be that! Maybe you could test out how he feels about it by asking him if hed like to have his friends over for dinner or a BBQ or something?
The other thing i was gonna sugggest is one of those cheap, cloth car covers, to protect your car from the bird poop & also the sun? I got one for about $20. that lasted me for several years!
Today im going to paint some turquoise trim on my outbuildings now that i have the areas cleared! It should make a nice difference! :D

Tillie, is it possible that he is too ashamed of his mess & that is why he doesnt really want people he knows to see it? I read somewhere that it is a collection if youre proud to show it, but a hoard if youre embarrased by it. That really spoke to me cuz i am proud to be eccentric in my ways, but i do not consider this current mess to be that! Maybe you could test out how he feels about it by asking him if hed like to have his friends over for dinner or a BBQ or something?
The other thing i was gonna sugggest is one of those cheap, cloth car covers, to protect your car from the bird poop & also the sun? I got one for about $20. that lasted me for several years!
Today im going to paint some turquoise trim on my outbuildings now that i have the areas cleared! It should make a nice difference! :D

Good Morning Everybody :)

Hi Tatoulia :)
Happy you got a nap! :D

Almost noon here and I have yet to do anything.
Scooter was up all last night playing and kept waking me up.
Maybe I should take a nap. ;P
Been thinking a lot about why I have so much trouble trying to get through to my hoarder and how to make things better.
Final conclusion, I am all alone.
Nobody ever comes by when he is here, nobody ever tells them the things that they tell me.
He does not believe that things here are bad and nasty and dangerous.
He only sees and hears what he wants to see and hear.
I won't involve my few friends because they know how mean and nasty he gets.
He says he has friends but I have never seen them and if they did come here they would be shocked by the conditions here too, unless they are just as squalorous as he is.
If I could have an impartial third party come here and talk to him, maybe he would listen to them. "?"
But who? Who would he respect and listen to?
Maybe the fire marshal?
One big problem is that we live in the county in Nevada where there are very few rules and regulations for private property owners unless you run a business out of your property.

Anyways...
I will keep thinking. :D

Hello! I had long day at work then napped. Going back to bed now. Dishes done. Good to hear from you Tillie.

Hello...

Today I got up real early and went outside and watered everything.
Emptied and washed all the litter boxes.
Did two loads of laundry.
Took care of the neighbor's house.
Then did a bunch of other little things and washed my hair.
Did not wash the car, maybe tomorrow (I'm lying).
Tomorrow should be a free day with nothing except the usual daily stuff. :)

Hi Tatoulia :)

I love Pepe La Pew ;D

Today I did cat related tasks
swept floors & porches
vacuumed the carpet
and cleaned the kitchen.
Took care of some things at the neighbor's house.
Still have not washed the poop mobile
but also have no plans to drive any where any way.
Maybe tomorrow or the day after or the next day after that. ;P
Been too hot and getting sorta humid and I don't want to work outside.

TTYS :)

Tillie! So cute!!! I bet the skunks were really cute. You and Scooter!

Remember Pepe LePew? Always in love with that lady cat?

Hi Tatoulia :)

WAY TO GO!!! :)

Yep, me too
Need to put the stuff away when finished
or I don't feel that it's really finished
because there is stuff still out and in my way.
;)

One more point I wanted to make, just as doing the dishes but leaving them to sit in the dishwasher, or washing clothes and leaving them in a pile, I find that putting the shredder away and putting the vacuum away are crucial steps. If these things are left out then they are just contributing to the overall clutter and upset. The only way I get to enjoy my work is if I can't see it.

Indoor challenge:
Vacuumed living room, desk area
All garbage out incl'g recycling
Shredded all mail

I'll post again if I do any more things. I list today's garbage because on Monday nights I seem to struggle with getting it out.

Thank you Anonymoniker.


((((((((((HUGS)))))))))))

Tillie, i am so sorry to hear such an outrageous suggestion put on you. That is really stepping way over the line! I dont know what you could do. You deserve so much more. You are such an amazing person & have been so helpful & supportive to all of us! I wish so much i could offer you an answer...here is a heartfelt cyber hug....((((((WARM HUG!!!)))
~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~

Tillie, i am so sorry to hear such an outrageous suggestion put on you. That is really stepping way over the line! I dont know what you could do. You deserve so much more. You are such an amazing person & have been so helpful & supportive to all of us! I wish so much i could offer you an answer...here is a heartfelt cyber hug....((((((WARM HUG!!!)))
~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~

Thank you Tatoulia :)

It really is a life saver for me to post here and meet people with too much stuff or squalor who really want their homes to get better.
It gives me a ray of hope.
I need that little bit of sunshine. :D

As for my self care, until I feel like it
I am only doing things that I want to do
Like cat stuff and I have all the fixins for tacos
so I have been eating my favorite food daily!:D

The cats here are all being kind to me
unfortunately, not so kind to the garden lizards
so I keep running out there to rescue them. LOL :D

You are not alone! You are much loved, Tillie. Please find even a small way to do something nice for yourself. I know it takes so much energy to live in your situation and then you expend so much on us. If I had the wherewithal, I'd be buying you a tiny house right now.

Do something for you, I will encourage you from afar. And if you need a break from being our biggest cheerleader, that is absolutely fine!!! Just don't disappear. You can post your struggles and upsets and feelings and emotions without having to address us each time, you know. You have complete AMNESTY. We all count on you and I often wonder if I'm being fair to you--as I've said in the past, I worry terribly that I take more than I give. But that's my issue, I am not looking for anything.

Lots of love. My cat also sends you love. And we've telepathically asked Marty, Scooter and the others to just "cool it," momma needs a break.

Just being here
listening to me
Keeps me from being so all alone
Makes all the difference in the world to me
((((((((HUGS))))))))

Very upsetting that the solution is to destroy three living things (you, pooping bird and tree) over moving garbage out of the garage/carport. If his stuff only gets better with age, then putting it outside should help it 'ripen' faster, no?

I am just so sorry, Tillie. Unfair. You don't deserve this. How can I help? What can I do? Let you know that you are loved and valued and as important as your tree and the birds? Mere words seem so hollow.

I have two dry shoulders if you need to cry and I'll make you a giant pillow if you'd like to hit it for a while. I will build you a place for primal screaming.

Good Morning Everyone :)

Hi Tatoulia :)
Sorry the humidity is back. :(
WAY TO GO! for keeping up with the routine stuff! :D
That really makes a big difference in the overall picture.
Schedule in "ME" time for yourself and don't allow any outside forces to take it away from you.
"ME" time is very, very important for us all. (((HUGS)))

Hello Ghost ;P

Hi Anonymoniker :)
WAY TO GO!!! for that clear clean area under the awning!!! :D

Well, I broached the subject of the poop mobile with him yesterday and his solution is to kill all the birds and/or cut down the beautiful apricot tree that I grew from a seed over twenty years ago.
I must admit that at that point I lost it.
Said the problem is not the birds or the tree,
"IT"S YOU!!!" >:(
He then went to sit in the garage for the rest of the day.
I spent the entire day and night sitting on the couch watching Russian car crash videos on Youtube.
Maybe today I will find some motivation to do more than just cat related tasks around here but honestly I wonder why I should bother.

Oh Well, back to our regularly scheduled program.

CriticalMass & Tatoulia, thank you both for your further insights & understandings of my handyman/mechanic! You are both spot on! Ive been so frustrated by it! Today i text him over the course of 4 hours asking him if the sulfer smell from my new hot water or the lines from it could be toxic or anything, and he kept on answering me with these scientific theories where i had to google mineral elements, etc. I kept asking him to just tell me if its toxic or what it actually means. Finally he texts its likely aluminium & toxic!!! I clearly just need to find someone else to work on these things!!!
One effect he has on me is making me far more driven to get my place fixed nice! He doesnt get im trying to improve things. Ive never been to his place, but he has hauled at least 10 tons of junk from here, and likely took a lot of that to his place! I have no doubt his place is filled with junk & everything is jerry rigged! Its almost a double edge sword cuz his insistence on doing thongs that way makes me want to improve my place more than anyone! ....well, except the love of my life that i lost at least partly cuz of my stagnant movement on this project..anyway, i got an area cleared & cleaned under the awning today!!! YEA!!! Next i am going to start looking for someone to hire for things to do with safety, etc.

☄🌙✨
🚀
🌎🛰

Oh Tillie--planning and plotting for Justin is so useless. If only your friend understood that you are looking for a life different than you know it! And your vision doesn't have room for Mr Case.

Painfully humid here all weekend. Cooler today but with high humidity. I bought a case of seltzer water while taking mom grocery shopping today. Really quenches my thirst.

I haven't done anything beyond the routine-- clean sheets and doing dishes and whatnot. Working from home tomorrow then at office rest of week. Taking Friday off to help someone who is having a dispute with the property manager at his apt--I will be able to smooth it over for him. Then I'll spend some time with him. Not my idea of a vacation day but I need to be able to keep him in his apt or he will have no place to go. I worked very hard to get him this place and he's been doing better. Mentally ill and has difficult coping and they have called him in for an angry outburst. I know how scary he can be and I don't think they are actually trying to kick him out/first outburst there. But he needs to see the seriousness of it too. Such a balance for some people. I have my own balance issues--like trying to find time for me and doing things for myself other than collapsing into bed after a long day.

Such is life. I will tomorrow assess the house. I think I need to add bathroom vanity to a maintenance schedule. Even once a week would be a large improvement.

Love to all.

Good Morning Everybody :)

Hi CriticalMass :)
I think you are right about a lot of hoarders over complicating ways to tackle things.
I know mine does and also spends an exorbitant amount of time searching for the cheapest items to try to do it with.
Even when it comes to his health care and he wastes precious time getting the proper medical care he needs.
WAY TO GO! :D
for catching yourself and having that great conversation with yourself. :)

Hi Tatoulia :)
Hope you are healing quickly (((HUGS)))
Yes, stores are wonderful places to keep things until you need them! :D
If someday there are no longer any stores then we all will have bigger problems to deal other than going shopping.
;P

There is only a small space in the cluttered driveway for me to squeeze in the car to park.
The tree branches hang over this area.
For some reason the Doves have decided to sit in these branches and have a poop fest.
The car is now completely covered in bird poop. :(
That stuff dries solid and is not easy to wash off.
We have a carport that could hold three cars if it was not solidly packed full of random "stuff".
There is also a garage, but it's packed solid from floor to rafters with only a small goat path down the center.
The value of all the protected "stuff" is not as much as the value of the automobile.
Also, the car is extremely useful while all the "stuff" just sits there, never being used because he has no use or need for it.
Last time I asked him he said it was for "Justin Case".
"We could use it "Justin Case" the world as we know it ceases to exist. The stuff could come in handy for our survival."
I guess he is thinking ahead to the next Zombie Apocalypse. :(

Oh Well,
Time to get dressed and go wash the car, again...

Everybody have a wonderful Sunday and please let us know how you are. (((hugs)))

Good morning, everyone!

Thank you for the drive-by, CM, very thoughtful post. I do think for some people there's a connection between hoarding and having something that 'just might do the trick.' That made perfect sense to me -- helps to express creativity and uses problem-solving skills, justifies the hoard by reinforcing the 'this could be useful some day' and 'good thing I kept that'.

Lots to think about. When I did my major clean-out, I had an epiphany where I realized I don't need to warehouse stuff just in case--there are actually warehouses for stuff--called stores.

Coffe clinks!

A drive-by this will indeed be. Been needing to.

I get the thing about car repairs, boy do I get it. I'm blessed with a very conscientious and reasonable mechanic who knows how single women especially get ripped off by a lot of shops.

I wonder if some people's hoarder tendencies and jerry rigging propensities might go hand in hand. I know a guy, great friend, very serious hoarder and not even close to being able to confront or change. He likes to tinker, and a lot of things he does right, but if he gets to overthinking something, first of all it takes him forever.

Secondly, he's creative with solutions but might take many trips to various places to find materials cheaper rather than just get something at the usual stores and get going on the project. It's kind of hard to explain but I know I've done the same thing myself.

I think those of us hoarders with OCD (def. my buddy and I) and ADD (me for sure, him maybe, kind of hard to tell) tend to be that way. We can think of SO MANY possible ways to innovatively solve a problem we get bogged down in our minds. I have done it with my art and crafting for instance - seeing so many things I could do craft projects with - but always being in the state of lamenting that I have "no time" for doing art and crafts. I'm beginning to catch myself at it! :D And say "Uh-uh, don't even go there, put it down (or throw it away) and focus on your GOOD supplies, CM, and you will be headed toward actually accomplishing something!"

Hello Tillie! Poor Marty. Tell him I totally can commiserate with mouth and lip problems right now. Glad he will take his pink medicine without too much of a problem.

Congratulations on getting enough done that you can relax today!

Glad you at able to notice the peacefulness that comes with cleaning up and clearing out, Anony. I so enjoy the serenity of my home. I need to keep st it. I have some big projects for my Indoor Challenge Plus. Hoping to start soon.

So hot. So humid.

Take care, everyone --Tess, Diane, CM--any chance for a drive by? Pretty please with sugar on top??

Good Morning Everybody :)

Hi Anonymoniker :)
WAY TO GO!!! for car being fixed!!! :D
Wishing you thousands of little pleasant surprises at how far your home has come. (((hugs)))

Hi Tatoulia :)
OH! (((HUGS))) hope your lips are better now. :(
I found "Carmex" to be very good when I have cracked chapped lips.

Diane
Where are you? (((HUGS)))

Well, Marty (the cat) has two mouth ulcers.
Has not stopped him from eating those big scratchy green grasshoppers though.
Lady doctor gave him some of that pink amoxicillin liquid, all the cats like the taste of that.
Yesterday I was up and moving all day long.
Got a lot of little things done that I had been putting off.
Today I can relax and enjoy being so caught up on most things.
Still have to do a lot of weeding but my back is not up to that yet.
Time to get busy here. Washing my blankets today. :)

TTYS :)

Hello--nearly 9pm, just getting home from work.

Walking home the other night I forgot to put the sunscreen lip balm on and now I have terrible painful lips and some blisters are starting to form. I don't know what to do. I'm using AQuaphor and trying not to lick them. I iced them for a while at work.

So painful.

Tillie, so how did Marty enjoy his vet visit? Glad the car is fixed, Anony.

Everyone, take it easy in this heat. Diane I hope you are okay and staying cool.

Hello--nearly 9pm, just getting home from work.

Walking home the other night I forgot to put the sunscreen lip balm on and now I have terrible painful lips and some blisters are starting to form. I don't know what to do. I'm using AQuaphor and trying not to lick them. I iced them for a while at work.

So painful.

Tillie, so how did Marty enjoy his vet visit?

Everyone, take it easy in this heat. Diane I hope you are okay and staying cool.

Hello, happy hoarders(soon to be ex hoarders!)!
Im glad to see that yall are taking it slow and resting in the heat. That is important! And having those sporatic areas of order & serenity throughout the house & yard are so calming & encouraging! That is what is helping me the most! They are like pleasant surprises all throughout the day when i walk them! Ive gotten a few more areas cleaned up and i realize, most every area is just a few steps away from being beautifyed(?sp? maybe thats not a real word?). Anyway, my car is now fixed, and even tho my frustrations with my mechanic are understandable, i did realize what was freaking me out so much: my car seemed to be spiraling down the same out of control path that my home did....on multiple levels! That became obvious when it drove me to the city & i got calmed down and looked at it objectively. Wow.

Good Morning Everybody :)

Hi Tatoulia :)
So nice that your home is a peaceful sanctuary for you. (((HUGS)))

Last few days I have been getting up early and starting to catch up on all the little things that I ignored when it was so darn hot and I was under the weather.
Slowly but surely some things are getting done, mostly all outdoors.
He is taking Marty (the cat) to the veterinarian this afternoon because he says Marty has bad breath. OK.
Marty has been dining on a lot of those big green grasshoppers these days and he never flosses or brushes. ;D

Thinking of you all, missing hearing from you. (((HUGS)))

Quick drive/by. Miserably hot and humidity so thick you can practically see it.

Happy to come home to a living room and dining room area that are clean, clear and not upsetting.

Will continue to chip away, but for now, must turn onAC and lay down.

Sending my regards to everyone! Thank you for helping me live in a more peaceful and much cleaner home. Some chaos and some upset in my life these days, but I can sit here calmly and happily because the whole place isn't a filthy mess, just parts of it.

Indoor challenge
Cleaned bathroom sink and vanity. Changed out soap and soap dish. Really thought about how I need to clean the tub and the floor.

Going to gather up garbage now-a night early--because I want to empty out vacuum before putting it away.

Good night, unless I do something awesome that requires me to come back! It's okay to laugh.

Indoor challenge:
Cleaned toilet
Vacuumed LR and desk area

Not going to include taking out recycling, doing dishes or washing laundry anymore since those are routine events now. Going to go beyond the routine and post those things.

Now, raise your hand if you'd like me to clean the sink and vanity in the bathroom. I see the show of hands and I will do that right now.

Good night, dear hearts.