Hello everyone--good news in the fire containment! Thank goodness.

Could we head over to the Phase Seven I created? I am having trouble loading this Phase Sux, likely due to the number of entries. thank you!

~☆♡☆~Hello, all!~☆♡☆~
The fire is much better now! They have it 60% contained, instead of 40% ....the last fire scare, about 6 years ago, really gave me a certain ease of getting my place worked on after knowing how i could have lost everything in a fire..i hope to get that again this time...ha ha...it does make one evaluate what is really important!!! ~☆♡☆~I am soooo grateful & thankful to God & all the fire workers!!!~☆♡☆~ YEA!!! ~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~

~☆♡☆~Hello, all!~☆♡☆~
The fire is much better now! They have it 60% contained, instead of 40% ....the last fire scare, about 6 years ago, really gave me a certain ease of getting my place worked on after knowing how i could have lost everything in a fire..i hope to get that again this time...ha ha...it does make one evaluate what is really important!!! ~☆♡☆~I am soooo grateful & thankful to God & all the fire workers!!!~☆♡☆~ YEA!!! ~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~

Anony, glad to see you! How's everything going?

Tillie, ouch, that sounds painful! Rest and recover! If you like it, eat some fresh pineapple, the bromelain enzyme in it is good for our aches and pains. :) And take some anti-inflammatory like an NSAID if you can, and get plenty of protein to help your muscles rebuild. These are things that have helped me after my surgery or at other times when I've had injuries or overuse.

Porter - if you like to write, you may enjoy participating in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). They have a "Camp" month in July, and April which is just wrapping up. Their main event is in November. The original goal was writing 50,000 word novel in the 30 days of November - that's their main event month. But there are other options - "NaNo Rebels" and such for those who want to set their own goals, write something different than a novel, etc. It can be a lot of fun. I don't follow the traditional way but I enjoy their forums.

Cold, wet, rainy here in central KS - but I'm thankful I don't live in the western part of the state - they're getting SNOW! Blech! Should be better by Monday. Plenty of decluttering I can do in my own room. I also want to do something fun like work on art, and I think I've been a good girl decluttering this past week, and can reward myself a little with that privilege. ;)

YEA!!! I got on the full website!
Im still dealing with the huge, nearby fire threat. Im using my get-unstuck-mode for my overwhelmedness with this. Im methodically packing up important stuff, trying to plan. Nobody around me seems afraid, but ive got to catch the feral cats, if it gets to that point of seriousness.

Sunny day here - and I spent it indoors decluttering! LOL! I really don't mind as long as I'm on a roll.I just couldn't stand the state of my bed for another minute. So I got a card table, set it up in the tiny hallway, and took books, papers, my box of vitamins, and other assorted items there.

Then I changed the sheets. Long overdue, that. I took off the dust ruffle. I don't like dust ruffles anymore. To me they are unnecessary and get in the way, things fall down and the dust ruffle makes it harder to look for something that falls between bed and wall. So it's going to live in the laundry bag indefinitely. Hopefully my roommate won't notice, or if she does, will be okay with that.

Went through the stuff on the card table, filled two plastic grocery bags with papers I had set aside to read (skimmed through them). Out they went. Put some books temporarily in my van. I don't like doing that, but hope that when I get more of the room decluttered they can come back in.

So it's better - there's always more to do, of course, to make a tiny room liveable when you have STUFF. Getting rid of STUFF is one way, but a lot of it is stuff I use regularly. I'll have to do the best I can till I can get my own place. Must keep at the storage unit, too - hope to get out there by next week or sooner.

But at least my bed feels more like a bed again. Not 100% how I'd like, but more room for me in it, and any kitties who want to snooze awhile.

Time for chillin' now.

Indeed Tillie.
Especially to little ones.

Try the yoga sleeping pose.
Hope you feel better soon.

On last break.
18 tasks in three days. 6 each day
2 after breakfast
2 after lunch
2 before bed.

If I get that done I'll be on a cloud

Hi Everybody :)

Just a drive by post.
Had an accident and managed to pull some muscles around my ribs.
Can't get comfortable, can't sleep, can't think...
Living with clutter is very dangerous. :(

Changing my subjects.
For a creative outlet I write outlines, for TV shows. It's just a hobby, more like a pastime.

I've been writing a storyline about a hoarder and have written. 6 episodic timelines everyone I tell about it are nice and not too disinterested. I struggle with writing well. My grammar and style make the reading poor and sometimes unclear.
However I can spend hours and days on a subject ,and is more interesting to me than watching TV.

My new subject is more about creating a new, monster. Well not not monsterly.
In the vain of character development as mummy, werewolf, vampire, zombie.
A sleeper. These characters are dangerous when they sleep, mostly set in the future.
A person takes a pill.
That person listens to a hypnotic media as fall sleep, as they slip into trance, an media input allows for an interface from the internet into sleep conscious. So instead of being totally unconscious like sleep. The are dreaming in way that is like an extremely vivid dream. They can see themselves sleeping though a video cam. But there are many other channels to observe.
So the intention is to be able to learn and experience life during the sleep period we all do. But in a semi hypnotic state instead.

As the technology expands, the sleepers start to gather In Groups, and leaders rise. The drama occurs when safeguards are not realized and hypnotic suggestion s cause people to do things of drama suggested by hackers. .
Acts of violence, of terrible.


Sleepers, they dream the internet live, but get hacked and cause calamities as hypnotic stasis and unknowing participants as secret assassins.

Thanks for the post, Porter. For me, I like to jump in and get going. It's just my stuff here, so no need to put into bins. I try like the devil to pick things up once. I do the same at work--I like to handle a problem or an issue once. Tonight I started making donation bags, I got a friend's bathrobe in a box to mail, and I gathered up stray garbage. I am reasonably good st laundry, clean bed linens, clean dishes and terrible at the rest of it. I need to dust and vacuum. I'm getting much better at putting things away. Thanks for the encouragement.

For years I had a storage space/was so glad to clean it out and get rid of everything. I need to keep moving in that direction. Just keep reducing.

When I panic , I plan.
Panic is a response.
It can be motivating if channeled into that.

It like happens so gradually I don't notice how it looks to others. Then a snapshot or photo is taken and I'm shocked . How is it I don't see it until it becomes overwhelming. And then I can barley deal with it . The oly way I've adapted is to develop clearing skills. No matter how it is to be sorted . The sorting is an obstacle to me . So I've adapted to usurp the sorting . Put sorting into its own area. Put the unsorted into large tubs with lids , photograph them. And try to have a sorting day at least 2 times per month. But the rest of the month. I need to focus on 1 room at a time. Clear it's entire space, repair it, clean it , and start over. I've begun to realize , I can ask for help. So the rooms where helpers can come and feel comfortable taking a break makes a huge difference in how long they stay , and how often the return.

Helpers need a clean place to use the restroom . So I keep it at absolute minimal . This makes it easier for me to clean before any helpers arrive.

The kitchen is second . Because helpers. Usually become disgusted if a kitchen is unkept. Or place where they may become sick.

Third is the room where they first come inside.
It helps to have a staging area.
So trash goes outside , but keeps stay inside and helpers can start helping with a stage area. Without having to dig through to create one.

Anxiety is normal. Feeling overwhelmed is normal.
Unable to overcome what triggers the overwhelming anxiety? What can I say. I struggle. So I help from people whom don't struggle.

I used to have cats, I loved them like children, some like friends. My favorite was a black cat named Felix. An alpha male. He was a very strong cat, that often chased dogs and was so mean , he tried to intimidate everything in his environment.
I also practiced throwing him onto and into trees.
I essence attacked in my own yard. I trained the cat to jump into my arms when I would make certain Whistles. One time I threw into the face of an attacker. And the cat hung on like when I threw him onto tree. I was able to get away. Get a weapon , and the attacker fled. What a cat right?
I fed him well. And would often wait for me where I park my car. I would open the window , he would climb in and fall asleep in my arms. He loved me , and I loved him. I miss him , and never been more fond of other cats. He lived 14 years before he became deaf and died from a car.
I returned him to his sleep place where I first found home and planted a black roses bush.

He always Sat upon the highest points of all my piles.

I'm panicking over the number of things on my house. I want to reduce by 20%. I'm going to keep track here. It's all driving me crazy. 20%. Starts today.

Hello!

Cm I have three clutter piles in my house. One is next to my bookshelves and kitty dies head over there fur a little exploring. I have one in the space that separates my living room from my "library". Kitty hides around there. And I have one on my coffee table. She will climb there but hates the noise of things falling.

I didn't realize I had clutter piles. I had started to write that I only have one, then I saw the other two. I shall work on one today--thank you for the eye opener. I didn't know I needed that.

Keep up the good work, CM! Glad things are moved MF in the right direction.

Hi everyone

Tatoulia, glad you took that rest - and no need to feel guilty for it. You've had a lot on your plate.

Porter, interesting changes. It might be good for everybody to have some bonding time. Hope it all goes well.

This week has turned out more committed and busy than I anticipated. I had two mornings of sitting for my elderly lady friend, and today I'm going to a satellite town where another friend lives whom I don't get the chance to visit as often as I'd like due to the distance - gasoline + agoraphobia. But now I have $$ for a little gasoline, and in the daytime the agro won't be an issue.

Yesterday I did more laundry - mainly prewashing of quilting fabric. Not to worry, it wasn't a huge amount, I'm committed to not hoarding fabric anymore! It's for a couple of quilts I already have planned. Then I ironed the pieces dry. Since the gas leak, there remains a little follow-up work to be done with the heater, so we haven't been running it, and April's been chilly - so it felt good to iron. And that way I won't put it off till it does get to be hot weather.

Also some is for the current quilt in progress. It's been slow going on that one but I hope it'll pick up.

I've got several decluttering and organizing projects going at the same time, in my ADD way, but that means I never get bored. If I get tired of one thing I can switch to something else.

Question for all the kitty lovers - do your cats enjoy climbing on your clutter piles as if they were brave explorers near the summit of Mt. Everest? LOL! When I get the piles gone, the poor kitties will have a boring life!

cats climb on my piles

Hmm
My wife is fed up with the property management blaming the property owner. She's decided to move , move with me.
I didn't expect this.
Further my daughter will be staying with us for the first year of high school.
I guess my wife got offended at something. Her sister said. And has changed her mind about sending her to her anytime soon.

My yard looks good. My porch a friendly shady place. Just packing everything up because we will be moving by June 1st. I'll miss the big house, but not its problems.

Hello Everyone!

I actually cleaned my bathroom sink the other night. It looks so nice to have a clean sink and vanity. If I stay off the internet I have unlimited time.

Last night after work I went to bed. I just caught up on my sleep. I don't know why I do that but I am so refreshed today. If I limit that to once a week I'll forgive myself for it.

Today I'm working from home. Gray raw tainiy day, which I actually enjoy.

Tillie I am going to use this slight car incident as a wake up call to clean out the trunk for once and for all. I went to the car two days ago and it started without any problem. I'll go to my garage today--I'll be able to tell by the way that it is parked if my neighbor had been using it. I hope so and I hope she hasn't had any problems with it. Actually I'll be seeing her tonight so I can find out then.

Have a good day, everyone. Tillie please remember to rest your body. You need to take good care of yourself.

Sorry for not editing.

This is a post of what I sometimes type but rarely actually post. Just sharing , what I do sometimes is type these posts but then save them into archives rarely reread.
.........

Better today.
I'm covered with poison Ivy but the yard is city compliant.

In parts of the world where women have very little resources and are alone for a million different reasons. Rammed earth is a growning concept for wall building .
But it is prone to cracking and earthquake vulnerable.
Rammed earth is simply my creative outlet.

Being adhd. I absolutely need. ,no , require creative outlet. True or not I am much more settled with something to pour my internal thought energy Into. Rather than obsessing over things I can't Control.
In north America housing has be one so expensive that it is impossible to pay off most 30 year mortgages even if wages are double minimum wage.

So my interest is in relevant market.
Second is global climate change.

Cars are not the problem . It is residential heating and cooling of homes that is driving co2 emissions.

Stick built homes cut up the forests furthering the problems. And 38% of wood built homes are destroyed by fire or termites and floods.

As learned more about rammed earth . I see it as the only permanent solution. To global climate change. Well if built as self-sufficient .

This become somewhat complicated, but is still explained in layman's terms.

Extracting hydrogen from urine , and burning g. hydrogen bubbler that heats water that lumping through a mass wall.
Additionally the heated water is pumped through the floors and ceilings .

In this way heating and cooling pollution and costs would be eliminated from global climate change equation .


Further in my own version .
If the roofing harvests rain water into on site cisterns. Then drinking water and farming water can be equated to fit the size of the family living in the home to match. If plants like tomato, onion,blueberries,broccoli,carrots apples and peaches . Are grown on surrounding property, and I a top level green house ,instead of tar roof.
Most homes built this way could grow more calories than required by the family that lives there.

My creative outlet leads me to .
Rammed earth first floor.
Foamcore second floor and roof.
Off grid electrical,
Rain Water harvesting. Gravity feed cistern.
Large swimming pool as a water reserve for farming.
Solar Hydrogen harvesting from urine before processing out a septic system.

Utilizing fish and rabbit for meat. And many other choices like frog legs, chickens, and insect proteins. The goal would not just be to survive on site . It to create enough energy surplus to in turn create products for market.

In this model.
I would have a couple .
Put in 16 hours a week apiece.
8 hours during the week, 8 hours on the weekend.
If they work on the house for ten years it would be a ten person home in ten years.

If they start out with a mortgage on the property, a professionally built foundation and septic system. Plus a storage container to start out in as a shelter to begin. They should be able to pay off that mortgage in ten years also.


So. I'm not sure if I've posted this fantasy in a similar way before or not. I'm just letting you all know what I think about when I'm not drawn to distraction.
It only makes sense to me if it something real. Some proven method already be utilized by someone today right now.

I can post video links where each of these issues are being lived out. My creative outlet is find way in a model to bring them all together.


Please forgive.
I watched a video about some self proclaimed hippies in The 1960s. Who tried to build homes in the ground and grow their own food. Most began to hate the farming life.

However I think this could become less of chore with the new mobile apps technology.

Not only would the there prompts to what should be planted weeded tended, and harvested an cooked or sold. But also to monitor water needs, disease and insect detection, in ways never dreamed of by the hippie generation.


I thank no this would be a much better approach to mono cultures . Where the humans poop and urine are used in ways that reward the earth and enrich it. For instance extracting hydrogen from urea.
And composting feces and mixed with other organics. And dumped into 100-200 foot deep holes as fruit and nut tree root nutrient wells.


I write these posts all the time , but rarely lost them as they are basically jibberish. I though I would just post it anyway to open .

Good Morning Everybody :)

Hi Tatoulia :)
Hope your car is OK or if it needs something it's something cheap & easy to fix.
Having the car gives you more freedom to do all the things you want to do. :)

Hi Porter :)
I like to learn more ways that we all can live better though technology.
Different areas of the earth have different conditions and needs & local resources.
But there always seems to be a way that people can live in harmony in their environments.

Hi CriticalMass :)
So nice your home is back to being easily useable! :D
Happy the flea stuff arrived and nobody is itchy any more.
Yesterday I watched a movie "Cell" based on a Stephen King story. The ending was disturbing ;/

Hi Anonymoniker :)
I don't know nothin about cell phones.
Can you delete history and cookies?
Can you defrag them?
WTG! for working on the spider corner!
Maybe when that area is all cleared out, spraying a bug barrier around the edges would help keep them from returning.

Yesterday started out nice enough.
But as the day progressed it slowly went down hill.
Getting old is no fun...

Hello,

I'm being my usual night owl self, Wanted to fill in from my earlier drive by post.

Saturday morning our repair guy called and said he could come - and he made it! What this means is that things that were in the "wrong" rooms could go back into their correct rooms, and people and animals could also go back to sleeping in their proper places.

For me it meant the laundry room is more easily accessible. So today I did a big whites load and a big darks load. I have a smaller load of each for sometime later in the week. Depends on which day is best. We have more rain due possibly as early as tomorrow, and the latter part of the week. I'd like to have a storage unit day, but catching up here at home is important too.

Yesterday was absolutely gorgeous. I weeded a fair amount in the garden beds. Today along with the laundry I sorted some fabrics for my quilt. I hope to move ahead on the next stage of it soon. And I am finding and bringing together photos in preparation for scanning. There's a lot more in terms of paperwork to go through, scan, enter, or just shred, depending. But I'm seeing progress.

One of the rabbits has fleas really bad, and our shipment of medicine came so we treated the cats and bunnies. The dog has had his. Finished up the day with the DVD of the movie "Passengers." Fun.

Porter I had to Google rammed earth - interesting. I enjoy reading about various unconventional ways of building, living off the grid, and related subjects. Don't know if I'll get a chance to do any myself, but who knows. It's fascinating and gutsy.

Emotional roller coaster of a day.
On the inside, my thoughts drift towards thecmodel homes. After many years obsessing over the same design, I've become more Interested in the equipment , technique, and simplicity.
Rammed earth is terribly labor intensive.
So I believe I may turn to the mechanical design of a rammed earth wall builder than turn corners .
I have just enough training to make both mechanical and architectural concepts and designs and turn them into drawn plans.

Sorry to give the ideas such a place.
The issue for rammed earth is that the inner walls dry at different rates as the outer walls so you cracks.

The design I have is to include pipes inside the walls as they are built .so they can be built in the cold north, but also have an inner cage frame.
This then goes on to be the way the house is heated and cooled. So it needs to be built with machine.
The current rammed earth building have very complicated forms that are extremely technical.

My Concept, is make it as simple as loading the clay,fiber,and cement in on end of the machine along with long roll of pipe. And the machine just follows a path as it rolls along compressing it all into an 8 foot wall.
After the walls are hardened from dying. The are eventually covered in aluminium panels that be rolled out as 100 foot long strips 8 feet wide.

The concept is that there are so few parts. That a child could do it. And it would last 500 years , so there would be time to make fantastic impovments off the ages . Clay is as cheap as dirt.

It's how its insulated that makes it become expensive. But even that has been resolved with foamcore metal panels spanning 56 feet costing $200

So what I see is it's all there it just has to put together.

Well I'll talk more about it some other Monday.

I'm just resting for now. .

I dusted the bed tables and lamps. That made me feel a lot better. I'm going to do a few more things then go to bed.

Hope everyone is well.

Garbage out and cat box clean. Worked a lot on laundry today and did a little picking up while at mom's today. I have so much to do here.

Will unload dishwasher and finish putting away laundry. I worked on my dresser today too. So little bits of progress here and there.

It's been a good day.
Too tired to do anything but sleep before work.
I'm having inner thigh pain and I need to rest.

Will drive by tomorrow.
I like the confidants angle Tillie.

Happy Sunday! Great news, Tillie & CM!

I am finishing up mom's laundry then will take to her place to hang it. Beautiful sunny day but might be a bit cool--hard to tell from inside. Have window open for kitty.

Dishes done, clean sheets on bed, doing a little picking up. Need to wash down jacket so I can donate along with my boots. Car giving me a little trouble yesterday. Hope it was just a hiccup. If it requires repair, I'll likely just get rid of it. I'm pretty close to going car-less. My biggest concern is I have a neighborhood mom who uses my car to take her son to the bus stop everyday. She lives across the street from my parking garage and it makes her life so much easier. That, and I like to get my brother out each week.

Hi CriticalMass :)
YIPPPPEEEEE!!!!!
So happy you and the cats all have your home back! :D

Thank you (((HUGS)))
You all have no idea how much you help me.
You are the only people that I ever share my fears with.
You all give me courage and never judge or minimize even the most illogical fears & worries.
((((((((HUGS))))))))

:D

Drive by, more later but just had to say...

Oh happy day - our repairs are done! Now we can put the house back together!

Tillie, as a fellow agoraphobic, I feel ya! I hope everything goes swimmingly but as a backup plan here's an idea: think of all of us here who are rooting for you! :) :) :)

Thank you Porter :D

Today went very well.
Not only did I donate some of my time
I also had the car trunk full of linens & bedding type stuff to give to the organization for the cat/kitten foster parents.
Also, a bag of stuff for their yard sale coming up next month.
Still wish I had the room to foster kittens & expectant mama cats.
To me, that would be so much fun! :D
I really enjoyed those 3 kittens I had for a little while.

Hope you have a good time tille
Best wishes

Good Morning Everybody :)

7:00am here and I am getting ready to go.
Tossed & turned all night so I am tired but I won't allow myself to chicken out.

Have a wonderful Saturday! :D

Good Morning Everybody :)

Hi Tatoulia :)
I admire you for all you do for your family (((hugs)))

Hi Porter :)
My mouse/desert pack rat population is outside all around the property.
Over the years I have found and covered/blocked every entrance hole I could find.
I also keep ALL food in mouse proof containers and trash is taken out daily.
Now a mouse still sneaks in about every five years or so.
The mice outside have attracted Gopher snakes that now live here year round.
Unfortunately, they hibernate during Winter and the mouse/rat population grows.
But in the warmer months they do a fantastic job of eating lots of the rodents.
I also have a Great Horned Owl that dines here regularly every night.
He is HUGE and likes to sit on the fence totally ignoring me, like I don't even exist.

Hi Joan :)
Wishing you all the best in recovering your health (((hug)))

Hi CriticalMass :)
WAY TO GO!!! Fantastic what you have been getting done at the storage! :D
Keep chipping away at it when time, weather and getting there allow and before you know it, it will be conquered. :D

Because tomorrow I won't be here, today I will tidy up the house, do a bit of laundry then wash my hair and get ready for my big day Saturday at the "home & garden" show.
I have been slowly over the years forcing myself to overcome my agoraphobia quite successfully but I still have a blood chilling fear of humans.
I know that most will not verbally or physically attack me but it's that one in a hundred that I fear running into.
There will be a LOT of people attending this event.
Wish me luck ;)

Hi again and Happy Friday :)

Well, it's raining and looks like it probably will most of the day. But I'd been thinking of tackling the paper clutter here at the house, so I'll do that today. I think I'll get a good sense of satisfaction from it, too.

Hello

My week's improving gradually - even if it's nearly over, LOL. I'm just glad it is. Had the clutter club meeting yesterday. Was so tired I was just going to sit and not say too much, but I did end up venting some. It helped. And another member spoke of Vitamin D deficiency, which made me think I have been inconsistent with all my supplements lately. So maybe some of my doldrums are attributable to that. It would be nice if it's something easily remedied.

In any case, the doldrums are kind of lifting of their own accord. I could still use more sleep, and I'm guilty of letting my inner night owl take over. I resist sleep because I fear the excessive dreaming. But some of this should sort itself out over the weekend if I can get in a good nap.

Joan, sorry to hear about your health issue - that sounds painful and extremely annoying. Glad you were able to go for a treatment; hope the results will help for as long as possible. I'll keep you in my prayers!

Porter, yeah, ADHD is what it is, then add sleep deprivation and it's like ADHD on steroids.

But today I got a bit of time - had to go to the pharmacy and that's halfwawy to my storage, so I popped out there. Found some needlework pictures I'm going to ask my cousin if she'd like to have, and some pictures of my dad and mom and me, just a few, to scan.

Using that magic of just focusing on getting rid of cardboard boxes, I filled a about 2/3 with them and some junky stuff. And found a box of craft magazines I'm no longer interested in, to go to the thrift store. Some of what I did allowed me to get stuff off the floor and onto shelves that have been empty and available all along, but that stuff got piled in front of during my hasty move of 2015.

Tomorrow if it doesn't rain, I'm thinking of going out and going through another couple of boxes of misc. papers which are probably mostly junk that can go bye-bye. Or if it rains, early next week I can go. There's always the clutter hear at the house, no danger yet of running out of projects!

Tatoulia and Tillie and Porter - I love to hear your kitty tales (tails). I hope I can volunteer with kitties someday. The rabbit rescue has been awesome to be a part of and will be a part of my life as long as I can do it. This Sunday I take my bunnies to an assisted living center for visits. They have been a hit with the residents.

Well, better get my night owl self to wind down now.

Joan, my heart aches for you. Sending warm, healing thoughts your way. Thank you for telling us about this--standing by your side and supporting you from afar.

Feeling better tonight. Had some healing work done today.

I have a really devastating movement disorder (life long) that is nearly impossible to get people to understand. I bite my cheeks and often cannot stop. It has improved with various treatments now over the past several years, but it acted up again suddenly this week. Tuesday night and yesterday were rough. Biting prevents sleep, so I only got a few hours of sleep at a time for about a 24 hour period.

Don't know how I managed for so many years with the biting. A few years back I had to see a good chiropractor, because the biting was literally twisting my head off of my neck, giving me vertigo and pain and all kinds of problems. For about 6 months I have been seeing him every week. I just cut back to every other week a few weeks ago. It's very tough to live with this disorder.

Anyway, tonight I am feeling much better with the healing, and looking forward to a good sleep. Enjoy hearing about your cat volunteer work, Tillie! Tat and Pain, you both seem to be managing pretty well. CM, you have ways of working around problems. Hope Anony checks in again.

I've managed to get used to the washer dial not working. I do three loads of laundry on Thursday.
Mother in law does everything's else including towels and sheets . As she Comes and goes.

It was a freak-out when we're over ran by mice.
So much mice feces winds up in drawers and the Co there functioning system, that I bought all new heavy duty bags. The vacuum bags were almost as cheap. $45 for regular bags or $65 for vacuum storage bags. I used my money I made from. LETGO


So my point is about the mice.
If I got em and I can't overcome them quickly enough.

#1 all food is in the kitchen.
#2 all food in the kitchen is in air tight shatter proof containers. I've been buying 6 containers a year and now all my cupboards are mouse proof food storage in the kitchen.
#3 all laundry washed all on same day.
#4 all laundry kept in vacuum sealed mouse proof bags.
#5 all flatware and Plates kept in tubs also.

If you have other ideas I'll be glad to hear them.
Of courses I've been trapping them, but I fear I won't be rid of them until I move away from this house..

What I've been doing is using poisons outside.
Inside . I bought a large tub of glue.
I reuse toilet paper rolls , the card board center.
I coat the inside of the rolls with glue and tape some together and place everywhere.
I catch about 3-4 a day at a cost of 5¢ per catch.

I know a cat would be purrrfect , but my wife won't have it.

I like dogs more than cats.
However when I had a home, and boat. Dogs and cats don't do well on a boat. But when I on the boat the dogs don't do well by theirselves.
However cats are purrrfect for weekend warriors.

So if I get another pet , it will be a cat hands down.

Tillie, your volunteer work on behalf of kitties is just another item on a very long list of reasons why I admire you.

I stopped by my shelter on the way home tonight--only four cats! That's good news that there are so few. I like to stop by just to visit.

I am home and in my pjs, with my kitty putting away and keeping me warm on this cool spring night.

Ttyl--have nothing to report but no backsliding either.

Good Morning Everyone :)

Hi Tatoulia :)
Wonderful that you have been getting some well needed sleep. (((HUGS)))
Hope your day is going smoothly and
WAY TO GO!!! with getting done all you have been. :D

Hi Porter :)

"Plan out a system. Find ways to make the system a routine. Clear living space, and don't spend all your time sorting and resorting it. Spend time managing it."

Exactly! :D
Also spend all the free time you will have made for yourself just enjoying yourself.

Pretty day today.
Have no solid plans as of yet.
Since I can not foster pregnant cats or kittens, I have volunteered my time Saturday to work at a "Home & Garden" show to promote the organization and try to educate people about what this organization does.
They mainly trap feral cats & kittens, give them inoculations, have them spayed/neutered, return them to a safe area where people will look after them, mostly as "barn cats".
They also foster & rehome cats who's owners die or otherwise can no longer keep them.
They also do random starving kittens that just show up on my front porch.
The adoption fee is only 25.00 per cat.
No cat is ever euthanized, except if it is dying/suffering/no hope and at the end of it's natural life.
The adoptive family must sign an agreement that if they no longer will keep their adopted cat, the cat must be returned to us.
The goal of this organization is to have no more homeless cats wandering around dumpsters or having litters of homeless kittens that will soon have their own litters of homeless kittens.

Have a wonderful Thursday :D

One benefit of being the point where most of what do is from my lists. Is I see where I stall.
For the last three days I've barely gotten anything on the list done. So when I look at what I am actually doing . Sorting and resorting bins and tubs . New while some of the bigger goals are getting nowhere.

I can see. I sort of blind when it comes to completing things. I kind of start stuff then set it aside as the day ends . Unless it's the weekend I rarely spend more than two hours on anything.

So I feel I must start making project lists that are broken down Into 1 hour steps.


I benefit alot from listening to time management on YouTube. I do have a productive tube hour each day just before I leave for work. So my understanding is. I need to wake up earlier. And give myself an hour to do house work before going to work. This means going to sleep earlier.

Yep I've been snoozing past my most productive personal time. Further it said we often. Take to S during our productive hour/time. So we focus on job goals rather than own.


I realize I'm now spending too much time stacking and restacking the clutter my wife is dragging back out. It's the same old argument.
She hates stuff being put into bins and tubs. But she doesn't realize there isn't enough room in the house to have out . There isn't enough places to put it all without it becoming a pile of clutter..
So it speaks out into the common areas.

However I realize it makes perfect since to me to keep organized and categorized in tubs.

But to her it's like toys never getting out of the box they came in to her. I have to apply the adhd mantra. A little mess is OK, but alot of mess is unacceptable.

Many of our dumbest arguments have been over me waiting on her to do something , and she has no Intention to ever do anything with it. Keeping her options open forever.

If you read all that and are still with me . I condense it down to this.

Plan out a system. Find ways to make the system a routine. Clear living space, and don't spend all your time sorting and resorting it. Spend time managing it.

Hi Tillie! Your flowers sound beautiful!

Laundry laundry laundry today. That and work. I have a big day tomorrow so need to keep working through at please a portion of tonight.

CM, sleep deprivation is terrible. I've caught up on a bunch lately--I lost so much while worried about mom. I went to bed very early last night and got a very good sleep. I don't sleep very well as a rule, but recently I've been doing better.

Keep up the good work, everyone. I've done only maintenance stuff today--recycling out to bin, dishes, etc but it's something. I have a fairly large but manageable pile of paper that I would so love to get through today.

Good morning Everybody :)

Sunshine & blue skies this morning.
My Iris and Gladiolas are doing great putting up leaves.
Lilac hedge is heavenly all in bloom.
Rose bushes are getting flower buds.
But the best & fastest growers out there are all the weeds. ;0
With all the snow and rain we have been having, this summer will be a big time wildfire danger zone.

TTYS :)

CM
I CONSIDER having adhd like a normal persons sleep deprivation. So when I have sleep deprivation it like I'm sleep walking , half In A dream the other half trying to remember what I'm doing from room to room.

Tat
What can I say, you're a great sister!
I only have brothers , wish I had a sister like you.

Tillie , please take care.

And you others , check in and fill us in for better or worse.

Hi, drive by

Got into a mood funk yesterday afternoon. Repair guy didn't show, but that was only part of it. Today I'm confident I know the answer - some more cumulative sleep deprivation. I was at my prayer hour and not only was I falling asleep during my prayers, I was not remembering the words of them. I've had other word-finding difficulties and that's definitely my brain on sleep deprivation.

I shall see what I can do to rectify the situation!

Tillie, I'm glad Twinkles didn't bring the mouse inside still alive! My former roommate's cat used to carry them in in her mouth then play with them. And then sometimes lose interest while mousie was still alive! :O

Hope to have some more upbeat news to post in a day or two if I can get some rest. I feel better though for starters just knowing what caused that weird mood.

Great to hear from you, Tillie! Glad your eye is better. Twinkles! You little devil!

It is so nice having mom home. I'm grateful she's on the mend and is able to enjoy being in her clean, clear home with her kitty. I stopped by last night to see her and pick up a little in her apartment. Her sheets had already been changed and her linens cleaned, so I put away the clean sheets and towels.

I'm home early today and am glad to be here. Very busy at work but I took a few hours off to run some errands. Bright day/surprisingly cool and windy. I didn't wear a coat today/big mistake. I have no idea what I was thinking.

Porter, my brother is mentally ill and I for the most part try to ignore the upheaval. I've been taking care of him all my life. There are times where it's worse than other times. I have learned a lot the past few decades and continue to learn new coping mechanisms. I always cook a holiday meal for him. He hasn't been able to join us for the last several holidays and quite frankly, it's been easier on my mom to not have him with us.

Good Morning Everyone :)

Hi CriticalMass :)
WTG! for fixing your glasses! :D
My fingers are still crossed that the repairman can get there and complete that project for you & your kitties.

Hi Tatoulia :)
Very happy that your Mom and her kitty are back together.
So sorry about your brother's behavior.
You are a wonderful daughter and sister (((HUGS)))

Hi Anonymoniker :)

Hi Porter :)
I think it is FANTASTIC! that you have found what really works for you.
Your long detailed lists has made it possible for you to declutter and clean your home in a way that really works.
And, finding exactly what works for each of us is sometimes almost impossible. :D

Dark drizzly day. Gentle rain has been falling since last night.
My little garden area is loving this. :D
Yesterday I got the house cleaned, had been too long and it was really grubby.
Yesterday morning Twinkles was outside and caught a mouse. Played with the poor dead thing for about an hour.
I was happy he did not want to eat it, just left it and came inside for some cat food.

TTYS ;)

OK
New day .
Trash day .
Heavy trash day.

On my porch. Enjoying the warm air. Eating potatoes to break my fast.

I put more time in on the mobile app for do list.
Basically moving my Info from the old o e to the new one.

I have a couple other lists I keep up on as much as possible and when I do it makes a difference.

I keep track of my paydays in advance, and tally the differences between estimated and actual.
This helps me to spend or save wisely.

And another list is my menu, and below it everything in my pantry.

This also valuable to me to eat things before they expire. My memory isn't good enough to just know what to eat first or last. So keeping up on the pantry does help . And also keep track of other people's favorites. And keep track of snacks .

It's easier to have a stock of twenty days of food.
And keep replacing it as its Consumed.
I save money by eating 2 boxes of ramen noodles every three months. Or more if I'm trying to save for a purchase.
I did have about $3,000 but I've gone through it. And some was to get rid of the hoard.
.
There's a bunch of great software for all sorts of things , but all I really need is a fantastic to do list app. I'm always excited to start a new app.

But I rarely stick to them for very long.
But this one is like it was written just for me.

It's important that do lists consistently.
For example.
If I write down 10 bright ideas a day , maybe possibly over a lifetime one of them could be a million dollar idea.

How I apply that everyday on lunch break, I write twenty tasks , I try not to duplicate past tasks but it doesn't matter if I do. As I keep entering. There becomes less and less that forgotten about or am neglecting, so I pull tasks from the cloud of lists. Withing a month I'm usually right on top things . And able utilize time management, creative outlet, and work ahead of deadlines.
Getting out from a hoard life would seem a lot easier than it was for me. But I've only just emerged as a moth. Iykwim

OK truck is here

Tat
You got it worse than me, but I can relate.
I had to stop see and talk to my brother , because he was becoming abusive to my wife.
Saying her cancer was karma only 2 days after finding out it was terminal .

I tolerated his abuse all my life , but in this time of illness for my wife, not knowing what he'll say to my daughter, he's on his own till after she's gone. I'll not allow another sssssingle word to her from him.

Jeremiah 29:11
11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
......

These are what I try to plan, beyond my hoard life.
Plans of hope and future.

I hope to live on a boat, and give a prosperous future to my only child.

Hey everyone. I just got back from visiting mom and picking up her place. She is so grateful to be home. The cat was sitting in her lap, which was precious.

CM thank you for the nice words. My brother was really terrible/terrible insults and swearing and I had to keep pretending I didn't hear him. Then he'd use my silence against me, saying I wasn't fighting back because he's right. His language was really really foul. I did tahwvhim to and from pharmacy figuring that if he's out of meds, he needs to refill the scripts ASAP. Once I dropped him home he started to cry and I said, let me just get your turkey in the oven for you. And he cleaned up his house while I prepared the turkey and the stuffing. The squash was already done. I hope he's pulled it together. It was really rough going. It takes a toll on me.

I have my garbage out/clean sheets/taxes done/doing some laundry. I washed the duvet cover and put away and I dropped my comforter off to be cleaned. I'm doing laundry now and thinking about going to bed early tonight. Would be nice to be in office early tomorrow.

Critical mass
I am adhd. Non experts in my family think I'm bipolar. But after cbt training, and a diagnosis by a Dr. Medicated and 26 visits to therapist.
I know I'm adhd. Regardless of what my family believes. They are bipolar, so they relate to bipolar. And try to force that able on me.

But I adhd with tendencies to hoard.
The scheduling and over planning isn't compulsive, it's a response to nearly being sloth. I'm not sloth. For example . I can make a list of 100 things I need to do. If I look at the list on my lunch break. I'll get 2-3 things on list done per day. If I put the list in a drawer. And forget the list . A few years later I may find the list. And only have about ten things on That list completed.
It's not who I want to be, but I'm constantly seeing that person In The mirror.


24 years ago. My first wife cheated on me. I was hurt, she wouldn't admit she cheated , but I suspected, and caught them together in a car by chance. I didn't approach or make for a dramatic jealous scene. I was hurt. He ended it and she was hurt. We ability to see a therapist. And not a counselor. We were asked to make a plan .
She did not plan, but a few words like spend time together. But my plan was an over plan. Going into details about when , where and what.

Now. I didn't Come up with the idea to make a plan.
But they acted like my plan was absurd. Even though it included the all the things we were asked to do. I do listen. Once the therapy turned to me instead of my wife. At first the therapist said I was ocd. But by the end she ope ed a book , asked me about 300 questions. Called my Dr. And I was adhd medication. I hated being on them. And my hated me being on them.
See the medications. Make the paper plan like calender in my head. I was very focussed and very intent on achieving goals even if the people involved didn't want to be guided by my push to complete my frivolous goals.

But there were sexual side effects that I couldn't live with. I no longer take the meds unless I'm grieving or something for anxiety. But on temporary basis.

I came away from that with deep understanding that I can rely on list making to complete and expedite tasks.
Then in 1995. Windows computers came out.
And then a plethora of free ware in the following decade. I was so fascinated with freeware that I stopped watching TV and would spend my alone hours downloading freeware and seeing how to make it fit a niche I'm my computing time.

After my fascination, the one software that always makes an impact on my personal productivity is to do list software. So I've had about 40 apps that tried to use in the last 20 years.
PC apps I can't take into the field. Mobile apps Lacked development as freeware. And rarely can we transfers a cloud of lists from one app to another. And withing a year or two I need a new mobile.

So here I am one day last week.
Knowing if I just had a list I get miles ahead of where I am . So I looked on play store.
An after surfing about 9 apps.

I saw one that you can use as
Parent task
Sub task
Sub sub task

I can drag and drop the entries so I can reorder them at will very quickly.

They have alarms. Any task can turn my phone on like phone call ringer.

I keep a list of about 200 things in a cloud.

The drag and drop feature makes easy repeating tasks .

I have for separate lists

In no particular order.
The cloud list of everthing I need to do.
The chore list of my weekly routine.
My errand list that involves scheduling
And my next 20 things to do.


I pick twenty things to do a day because I usually can get about 10 thing done, but 20 helps me look ahead a put some thoughts into getting help or prioritizing things that can be done as a group of tasks. Or which can't be done till other tasks are complete.

This doesn't occur naturally in my head unless I'm on a specific medication, and at dose not recommended.

So thankfully I've had the experience of know how much I can do. How much I can do when I've planned, am focussing on the plan, and energized with caffeine or stimulates.

.

So yea for me . Right .
However I live with another person that is an emotional Tiger. I need to be in the mood organize or clean. And she almost always kills my mood. When I press issues about what can go where.

So I quickly unravel. Not until she had to admit that she could no longer care for herself. That just ignored her mood killing behaviors.

The last piece was finding a support group , this one. Well , I vent my frustrations here, so I do t get tangled in a mood killing conversation with my wife. When all it is is venting frustrations of having to deal with HER responsibilities MYSELF.

Usually when she's gone . I have a plan to do things. But when I have an app . I can do 2-3 things a day instead of 20 when She's out.

I thinks this leads to a conversation about her keeping options open, and not allow too much change.
For example. She was venting in public ten years ago she wished a dumpster would just show up a she could just dump everything, or if someone could just do it for her. She went out of state to visit a her brother for a week. I got busy . I reorganized the entire house. Threw nothing away.
But reorganized it so it was functional.
For years she complained she couldn't find anything .but if she actually looked for it or asked me . It was not as lost as felt like it was.

So now I make the changes very subtle.
Yes I recently did RE arrange room assignments and the stuff taken out to a unit. But was do e I. A way that nothing was lost.

Just to add on a tip to all this.
When her grandpa passed , her stuff increased, when her grandma passed her stuff increased.
When her friends passed he stuff increased.

When she stopped managing her stuff I began living In Her hoard. When I stopped pushing her to do something and did it myself. I no longer live in a hoard. But it was a melodramatic nightmare.

I think if I weren't in such fear , of needing to move. The hierarchy to-do list mobile app could of made the transition less sudden.

Either way it's done now .
I don't ever want to go back to living within a hoard or living in a tangle of emotional dysfunctions.
I have memory issues , staying on track. Is a struggle. I can be paying attention , but get distracted.
I know I need to keep the app front and center from now on.

Happy Easter Monday to all. I haven't done much focused on decluttering at all.

Tatoulia, glad you didn't owe as much on the taxes after all. Sorry your brother had a bad day but that was nice of you to make him a turkey. Maybe the tryptophan in the turkey will also help him to relax. ;) One never knows! Having something healthy to eat in any case can only be good.

Tillie, glad your eye is on the mend. I managed to wire my glasses back together, and it doesn't really show unless one is looking closely. So I don't have to be in a hurry to find new ones.

Porter I like reading about your app and lists and all the ways you motivate yourself and figure out how to stay focused and energized. Having ADD, I can see how several of your tricks would adapt to my circumstances. So keep on posting about them, it's not boring, trust me!

My weekend consisted of exercising, church services, rainstorms, fun time with friends, a nap (and I want more of those!), yummy food and treats, and attempting to take Easter photos of my rabbits (they were not amused).

Today, the repairman said he'd come this afternoon. I went ahead and got the cats shut in the back room. But it's 2:30 p.m. and he has had some kind of crisis week last week, and I'm beginning to wonder if he'll make it today. I feel bad for him and his family. I think they just have a lot on their plates.

I guess I did do a little decluttering this morning, of my bed. I hate having anything on my bed - papers, books, etc. but in limited space it seems to end up there despite my efforts. Didn't get it all gone but it's better. Yesterday I found a tick on my skin and I think it migrated onto clothes that got laid on the end of the bed then onto me. Ick, it was gross! Much yard work needs to be done to keep the grass short and all. The more the weather warms up, the more bugs are going to be a concern. Ugh.

I feel torn in a lot of different directions with trying to get my "what was I doing before the latest crisis interrupted?" back in mind, much less pursue those goals, whether decluttering or other goals. And then try to fit yard work and such around it. My brain hurts thinking of it all.