Good Morning Everyone

Hi Subclinical :)
Happy you went to the Dr. and that they stabbed you.
WTG! for doing a little in the guest room.
As long as they can squeeze into a bed I believe your hostess duties are fulfilled.
I wish people would get over the delusion that a woman who works away from the home and has other obligations should also be the perfect little house keeper all the time too.

YES! wear the new swimsuit!
That's why you bought new ones, the old ones need to go.

I have tried to talk to Steven about the deep freeze and fridge freezer situation many times.
Yes we have brown recluse spiders and also black widows and scorpions and all sorts of other creepy crawlies too.
There are Deer Mice and Cotton Rats/Desert Pack Rats and the snakes that eat them.
There are chemicals mixed into the hoard, many in assorted jars & containers without any proper labeling as to their contents.
The garage has a thick dark gray silt covering everything in there that is a combination of everything horrible in the world.
Just walking in there is extremely repulsive.
I wrap up tight and cover the things I store out there and then they are placed inside a cabinet where they stay clean.
I just hope he respects my yellow and black tape and doesn't use the open space in front of my area to restack anything.

Almost 10:00am
Guess I better get up & dressed and do something.
65 degrees in the house this morning but will warm up nicely in a little while.

I got stabbed to check for aneamia. They'll call with results...

Good morning!

Tillie, is there any hope of talking to Steven about the cat freezer?

I'm glad he let you into your storage area. I don't know about the tape. I think it's one of those things where you have to either laugh or cry.

I worry about fire at your place. I don't suppose there is a fire martial who would ever come make Steven clean up?

I also worry about your skin. do you think it could be chemicals? I suppose it could also be bugs or stress. Do you have brown recluse spiders there?

Tatoulia, yay for an electric fireplace! And how nice to have your wardrobe all together! I am still using the "going to lose weight" excuse to avoid doing mine.

The bathing suit I wore to swim last week has got to go though. I don't even know why I wore it, except I guess I felt like restarting swimming in a brand new suit was too "novicey" i'll wear one of my new suits tomorrow.

I have my doctor's appointment today. Cold is in full swing, but I am going anyway.

I cleaned up just a little in the guest room yesterday.

Hi Tatoulia
He moved a huge mountain of clutter away from the area he gave to me to store these things.
The path through the garage is so narrow it is only one foot in front of the other to walk through.

How lucky you will be to have that electric fire place!

WTG! for grocery shopping and evaluating your wardrobe. ;)

Hi Subclinical
I did not know bunnies could catch our colds.
Give yourself a break keeping up with housework.
You are still getting into the routine of school, have animals to care for and have a cold. (((hug)))

I really wish I could get that deep freeze out of the pantry so that I could use the space to store my space heaters.
I developed a horrible case of hives/a rash? all over my body and scalp after being out in the garage.
A shower didn't help.

SubC I am so sorry about your cold! Pretty miserable to be sick. Especially so early in the school year. Feel better!

I am impressed by your yoga and swimming! I'm sure being less than thrilled has something to do with not cleaning for in-laws visit!

Tillie! He cleared a path! I love it that you have, essentially, crime scene tape to secure your area. Now that I've written that, I feel sad. Glad you have your heaters out.

I suspect my place will be measurably more pleasant this winter once I get my electric fireplace, which I should be able to order this week.

I did precious little today. I did go to the grocery store to get mom a few things?last night I did the basics and today I walked down to the store to get meat, eggs, laundry soap.

I have my work wardrobe set for fall, with the exception of shoes. I would like navy and black but think I will do just navy as I do have black heels in good shape for the winter. I am not buying any more clothes as I have enough in my current size and I'm thrilled. At some point I'll be down another size. So happy to be getting medium tops and size 12 dresses and skirts. I have at least one size 12 skirt that I do not yet fit into, so that will be something to look forward to. I organized all of my blouses today and I have a very good idea of what clothes I have. I have two dresses that I can probably wear one more time each. I also have a dress that never fit me and it's perfect right now. So I guess I did do something today as I worked on my closet.

At mom's today I helped put some of her things away, completely at her direction and at her suggestion.

I shall see you all tomorrow.

Hello Everybody

Hi Subclinical :)
Feel better soon.

Steven finally moved a lot of the big heavy hoard from in front of my Winter storage space in the garage.
Lots of smaller stuff left like about 50 assorted remote controls and empty food wrappers, etc.
I swept all that over out of my way onto the goat path leading to his computer space.
Since I finally had access I figured I better put the one big plastic bin away and get out a space heater before he reclutters the space back up again.
It's been getting down into the 40s overnight so I brought in one quartz heater and one electric radiator to have ready for when me & the cats need to warm up a bit.
I had bought some yellow and black caution tape that reads
"Keep Clear"
and strung it across and around my garage space in the hopes that I will still be able to access that area when Winter sets in and I need to fetch in the other space heaters.
The cats like having two electric radiators, one in the kitchen and one in my tiny room.
I like using the Edenpur in the dining area or turning on the other one in the livingroom area, but never use both at the same time.
The house is small enough that this system works well.
Steven uses other small portable heat sources in his bedroom and always forgets to turn them off when he leaves the house, he does the same in the garage too.
I have even discovered him using a propane gas heater out in that dangerously hoarded garage.
Not only was that a fire hazard there was not adequate ventilation for the carbon monoxide it produces.

Hi,

I am still here.

Tatoulia, you have some much going on! Great job being an adult!

I had a good week with my kids, but one of them gave me a cold. I very rarely get sick, so I am grumpy about it.

The house didn't get quite as bad this week, but i'm Still having a very hard time keeping up with everything.

Haven't cleaned up for inlaws yet (hmm, I wonder if it could be because i'm Not excited that they are coming...)

I did add swimming into my week on Thursday. This coming week I plan to go twice. Plus yoga three mornings a week with dh, which so far is making me more stiff and sore, but he promises it will pay off soon.

I spent yesterday babying my cold - just sitting around, watching videos, drinking hot drinks and eating salty snacks and fruit. Today the stuffy head part is worse, but my throat doesn't hurt any more, so I "feel better" in general. Planning to do some very overdue stall work. (Also need to brush my bunny, but bunnies are vulnerable to respiratory infections, so no go.)

Accomplishments yesterday: talked to my mom on the phone for an hour (it was her birthday) cleared off a small corner of my desk - reshelved books and filed or recycled papers.

What a lovely afternoon you had! :D
I would love to have scallops. The frozen ones here tend to be rubbery and not as sweet.

WAY TO GO! being such a responsible adult.
You thought of everything too.
Very efficient.
I especially liked the vacuuming just in case there might be any tiny slivers.

DARN! that bad dog leaving cat fur on the couch!

You are such a loving daughter for your mom (((HUG)))

Happy the electrical work will be an easy job.
Last electrical work I did was when my dad and I completely rewired this house.
It had originally been wired when they built the dam and finally brought electricity out to this area.
So what was here was old and added to over the years by people who did not appreciate the dangers of electricity.
I'm not counting wiring up my doll house since that was more play than work.
My father was a master electrician and I learned from watching and helping him since I was a tiny girl.
My dad wired the computer control panels for the space shuttle launch pad and also did the computer control panels for nuclear power plants, along with some other impressive jobs.

Pretty much did nothing this afternoon.
Watched some ROKU movies.
Decided to name the little black kitty on the porch.
Since he is black I named him Jack.
I live in Nevada and Black Jack is a popular casino game.
Plus it is a nice licorice flavored candy and gum.

Thank you, Tillie, good advice on the pillows!

I knocked over an etching today and broke the glass. So I was an adult and I took it out of the frame, threw away the glass, and put the etching inside the top of my desk where I store I framed art. Then I wrapped up the glass carefully, took the frame apart (this had been framed by someone else and was in a metal frame) and I put the screws, etc in a ziplock. I also vacuumed up in the event there was a tiny shard or two that could get caught in a kitty paw. Then I thought, as I put away the tools and the vacuum, that's what adults do. I gave the couch a quick go-over with the vacuum because in the few days since cleaners were here, some dog came in and left cat fur everywhere.

Bf and I had an enjoyable afternoon including an early dinner at the Wayside Inn. Please google it if you don't know it. Very charming, historic, and delicious yankee food. I had the scallops and they were tasty. Mashed potatoes and green beans. So yummy. We walked around the grounds and saw two different wedding couples. One couple was taking pictures in front of the Mary Martha Chapel and the other was in front of the Grist Mill. So beautiful. That is where I plan to take mom for her birthday lunch with the friend who is flying in. I had Sunday dinner there twice over the summer with my overseas friend. (Turkey dinner both times)

I stopped at mom's on the way home and took out her garbage, cleaned the cat's box and dropped off milk, bread, etc.

I'm excited about the prospect of the on demand water heater, Tillie. I need something switched out on my electric box but none of it is expected to be too difficult. Today's electrician will not be my installer, I just wanted an opinion on my fuse box and other stuff. So I'm feeling good about all of that.

HELLO EVERYBODY.

HELLO EVERYBODY

Hi Tatoulia :)
I have heard very good reviews on the on demand water heaters and that they are not hard to install.
This place has a gas range with electronic ignition rather than pilot lights and the new water heater is gas too.
There was a large free standing gas heater in here but it would sometimes send large balls of flame out like the Wizard did in Wizard of Oz so I insisted it be removed.
Steven then replaced it with a nasty dirty filthy not ventilated to the outside, wall mounted unit that is only meant for large garages & work shops.
I refuse to have that thing on in here so I use electric portable space heaters.

If/when that woman returns your pillows in the condition that you expect them to be
do NOT tip her.
If the work is satisfactory, pay her the agreed amount, if not done to your satisfaction withhold payment and tell her to take you to small claims court.
Also tell her why there will be no tip and that you plan to warn everybody to avoid her tacky business.

I had just gone 3? days without any scarf & barf to clean up, with four cats I was lucky.
I know Scooter scarfed kibble too fast this morning and brought it right back up.
I don't know why because I always have plenty of food and water available and there is no waiting in line to eat.
I think it goes all the way back to when they were homeless starving babies and alone in the world before they were rescued and they never get completely over it.


I picked up all cat toys, moved around all cat beds & perches & scratch posts and other furniture and vacuumed the carpet.
Swept floors, did cat related tasks, watered some in the yard this morning.
In a minute I plan to fix myself something to eat and then wash the dishes.

Scarf and barf! Kitty did do that yesterday. Not sure when she'll do it again. Sometimes daily, sometimes she skips a day.

I'm thinking of replacing my hot water heater with an in demand one. Electric. My house does not have gas. So BF went someone down to check to see what I'll need to do electric-wise to be ready and prepared. I'll want to move forward on this very soon. As usual, it's $$.

Enjoy your day, Tillie! And thanks for helping me figure out the masonry dust and how to clear it out of my system. The place will be beautiful once finished.

Pillow lady got back to me. I've told her I must have by first week of October. She bites off more than she can chew.

Good Morning Everybody

Hi Tatoulia :)
Glad you are feeling better!
I figured it may have been both the medication and all that masonry dust causing your grief.
One is bad enough but the two issues together just compound the misery.

Those kind of dreams are exhausting!
But they are very common after someone has decluttered or packed up and moved or are planning to move.
I think going through another cupboard would reassure your sleeping/dreaming brain that things are not that bad.

WTG! for having the electrician in. Hope there is no real bad news, except that Miss Kitty was inconvenienced.

I keep stressing that here we are not just a cluttered dirty house.
We are all so much more.
We need to look at the whole person.
Decluttering and cleaning are important but not always the most important thing at the time.
Our physical, mental and spiritual health truly does have to come first.
Decluttering and cleaning is just what can be done once the person understands that they are truly valued and appreciated and deserving of a safe and clean home. (((HUGS)))

Shaping up to be another lovely day today.
Have no solid plans yet.
Might do a little work in the yard.
Laundry is all caught up but have some dishes to wash.
But first I must clean up Scooter's latest scarf & barf.
Steven will be leaving soon to do his usual every freaking Saturday acquiring.
Wish he would stay home and deal with what he already has here.
Anyways...
time for me to get up and dressed and see what I'm going to do this lovely day.

I am feeling more like myself today. Not fighting extreme fatigue. I was still fighting yesterday but I had more spring in my step. Tillie I bought saline for my nose and that is helping me. You suggested Neti pot. So between stopping the new meds and spraying my nose (two unrelated things as my meds were not for allergies), I am feeling significantly better. I was feeling like I had a bit of a sore throat as well as some dizziness. Well here I am, scads better.

I had an upsetting dream last night where I was cleaning out a house for a move and we were no where near ready and I didn't know what to do with brother's things so I was making tons of decisions (surprisingly easy on the decisions on everything, just the sheer quantity) and the kitchen cabinets were full and my room was full and I couldn't get mom on the phone and the movers were coming and for some reason I had quit my job. So I was doing all this stuff. It was easy but the volume was amazing. I'll take that as a sign I need to clear out another cabinet tonight.

I'm changing my sheets, on a second load of laundry, I just made breakfast and the electrician has come and gone. So I'm feeling much much better today.

Kitty is back to normal after having the electrician here.

Togetherness really counts when the world is upside down. The human connection is meaningful and real.

Tillie you have enriched my life immensely. Everyone here has. You've helped me tackle things and face things and make myself better. You helped me see that I was miserable and it wasn't just a matter of, "well I need to put those things away and it will be fine". You've helped me open up my eyes and get me to a place where I don't hate myself and I don't hate my house.

True connection. True friendship. You are just what my heart needed.

Hi Tatoulia :)
WOW! I sure can believe those sconces still had gas! :D
LOL Happy that I wasn't the only one who still had gaslight.

When the marathon bombing happened I had my TV on and was devastated as the news came in.
Sat and watched in horror for a little while then walked over to my neighbor friend's house.
We put the TV on there since they had not heard and comforted each other as the news kept coming in.
I really hate being all alone when things happen like both space shuttles and 9-11 and big earthquakes and volcanos and the 1972 Olympics and other tragedies.
Times like these is when we really need community and together we can begin to heal.
(((HUGS)))

Tillie a brownstone I lived in once, many years ago, still had gas in the sconces above one of the fireplaces. Can you imagine that? Much like your lamppost!

I do appreciate your checking in with me last night. We were scared and upset and worried.

When the marathon bombing happened, we were not at the marathon due to the fact I had to take kitty to vet. After dropping her at home, BF went to park his car in the garage and I ran to mom's to drop off something for her. I was supposed the call him when I was done so we could walk over to watch the race (it's an all-day event here) and my phone wouldn't work. Couldn't make a call. So I started to walk up to him and I saw all sorts of emergency vehicles flying down the street. Motorcycles, ambulances, fire, everything. So I walked up to his work and I was already crying and he put the police radio on and the tv. Do you know the first two people to contact us were 1) a young girl across the street and 2) a man in Oman. The closest and the furthest. We finally had to send multiple group texts because so many people were trying to find us, as we are big marathon fans. I heard from one old BF by email who said, you don't have to talk to me, just send the word "safe." The next few days were terrifying, but one thing that was oddly comforting were the armed forces on my street.

The days that followed were horrific, esp the chaos that included the shootout and manhunt. I had watched it unfold til 2:30 AM and that situation (murder of a police officer, carjacking, shoot out) hadn't yet been publicly connected to the marathon bombing so I was just a terrible wreck. The next day I begged BF not to go to work (city was on lockdown/no subways, no one was to be on streets, etc) and BF went to office and kept lights off til a police officer gave him a thumb's up. Various neighbors went to spend the day with him and were so grateful to have a safe place to sit and have a coffee and just feel normal. Somebody even sent him a thank you note (a male neighbor) who said that when he saw BF at work, he knew everything would be OK.

I haven't thought about that in a while. But I felt so loved and cared for then, as I did this AM, when I saw you checking in on me. Thank you.

Hi Again

Just now 2:00pm
I managed to do two loads of laundry, it's drying on the line.
Watered the lilacs.
Did all cat related tasks.
Very pleasant day today. Partially cloudy, 75 degrees in here right now, no wind.
All four cats are in the livingroom taking naps.
One on the couch with me, one in the rocking chair, Scooter on the window ledge and Poohkie in a sunbeam on the floor.
Should find something to do but don't wanna do nothin.
Just ate lunch and maybe after I rest a bit I will be more energetic. :)

Hello Everybody :)

Hi Tatoulia :)
Yes, this happened so very close to Boston, within 60 miles or less.
And it all happened so fast too, one home right after the other.

Hope it is all over with now & will never happen again.
I would want to switch out to all electric but our gas company has already redone all the lines here.
Mine were so old and corroded that there was a long standing "seep" into the ground next to the house.
Back when gas companies first started bringing gas lines into residential neighborhoods they would install a gas lamplight on the property.
I STILL HAD THE ORIGINAL GASLAMP OUT FRONT!
That's how old our lines were.
They had shut off the lamp but it was still attached to the gas line.
Now I have the gas lamp wired for electric and out beside my walkway next to the lilac hedge.

Tillie thank you so much. I used to regularly travel to Lawrence in ny previous job. Absolutely terrifying.

(((HUG)))

So glad you are alright!
I am assuming that all your loved ones are too.
Yes, I saw no brownstones in the video but I didn't know where you were when it all was happening.
(((HUG)))

I don't know why the word bike was there. I'm so upset and scared. I am in Boston Proper so a distance away. Can you imagine. I am scared and heartbroken

All safe here. I was glued to tv and didn't get on line.

Thank you. I'm going to go put on TV. what a terrible bike thing. So terrible and unable to wrap my head around it.

I wish Tatoulia would check in.
I'm worrying about all those Massachusetts gas explosions and house fires near Boston.
((((HUGS))))

Scooter is such a jerk.
When any cat shows any interest in the new cat perch/scratch post
he jumps up on it and hisses at them, scares them away.

Good Afternoon Everyone

Hi Subclinical :)
Yeah, those "stash & dash" boxes from quick tidying up for company can contain an amazing assortment of assorted items.
WAY TO GO! for dishes, compost out and especially those two pounds! YEA!!!!!
How wonderful your long awaited project is coming together.
"I played guitar and had a snack and didn't clean up" fairy.
Are you sure that was a fairy? LOL ;D


Went shopping this morning.
First stop was the thrift shop.
Found a new (TAGS STILL ON) carpeted & sisal cat perch/scratching post.
Originally 32.00 but I got it for 8:00 and Scooter approves.
Then I went grocery shopping.
Got Poohkie a cereal/kibble that she loves and I remembered it was easier on her tummy (less scarf & barf) and did not give her the runs.
Problem is it is expensive, comes in a very small bag and ALL the other cats pigged out on it and ate it all gone in two days.
This time I will keep it under lock and key away from the other cats for her.
Bought myself a bag of peanut M&Ms.
Been doing so good on the no extra sugar that I felt it wouldn't hurt to splurge a little.
Starting to get cold here so I bought some oatmeal and Malto-Meal.
Also bought nuts and chocolate chips so I will be all prepared to bake during the first Winter storm.
The produce was discouraging but I managed to find a few things that didn't look like they would completely spoil before I got them home.

Good morning all!

Having a slow start with my coffee this morning. I'm feeling a little falling behind, but then I just checked my last post and I DID wash a load of dishes and take the compost out yesterday.

Tatoulia, I hope you get your medicine straightened out quickly! It sounds like a really tough struggle.

I enjoying hearing about your cleaning crew and imagining them working their way through your house. How lovely to have the cleaning fairies come while you slept!

I was very tired last night and went to bed early and the "I played guitar and had a snack and didn't clean up" fairy came. Oh well. He's making dinner tonight.

Tillie, did you get your groceries?

We call those bins "random boxes" at one point I had over 100 random boxes. I got it down to two or three, but I think it is up again. Mostly in the studio. I tend to make random boxes when I am trying to clean up a space really fast. (I'm betting dd's discards will end up in random boxes so I can get the guest room ready for the in-laws.) although, that is sort of a category.

I'm taking one thing from her pile to one of her old teachers today. (It's a nice souvenir from something Dd and the teacher's daughter did and the teacher wants it)

CM, I am pulling for your kitty! Poor little girl. I know she is miserable and that has to weigh on you and make everything else harder.

Good job on getting rid of the not fitting clothes!

I am still keeping my not fitting clothes, but they are a size or two too small, and it is an act of faith.

Checked my blood pressure after school again yesterday and it was down to 111/70! I have a major project at work I have been pushing for two years and it is coming together finally! I am excited.

I plan to start swimming again after work today. It is hard to block off the time, but I have to remind myself that I get more done when I feel better.

And, I have been waiting to tell you this because it is such small progress, but it has been holding steady all week, so - I have lost 2 lbs.

Good Evening Everyone

Hi CriticalMass :)
Thank you for the wonderful post filling us in all going on in your life. :D
Poor Kitty,
that procedure they performed is extremely irritating and would be very painful when she peed.
Poor baby (((HUGS Kitty)))
Fingers crossed this gets resolved quickly this time.

I have been doing some experimenting with different cat kibble/cereal and found one that has greatly reduced the amount of scarf & barf but now my girl kitty has the runs, so I will keep experimenting.
Her main problem is that she's a blue eyed albino with several recessive genes and a delicate constitution.

To me Peter Davison will always remind me of Tristan Farnan from the BBC production of "All Creatures Great And Small" even though I enjoyed him as "Dr. Who" too.

Junk bunkers is what Steven does best.
He gets those plastic bins, assorted boxes and other containers and fills them with assorted stuff then labels them "STUFF".



Hi Tatoulia :)
Thank you for the gift of rain.
Hope you are able to flush that medication out of your system quickly and are able to get back to normal again.
Have fun at the volunteer work!
My plan is to shop tomorrow, hoping to get better sleep tonight and be more "with it".
One thing I have noticed with the reduced amount of sugar in my system I am more awake and feeling less nappy during the day, even with a bad night's sleep.

Hi,

I've wanted to post the last couple of days but been caught up in the whirlwind of life. I'm glad I'm keeping up better with posting here though, and reading what everyone's been up to.

I was tired Monday, due to shorted sleep. Then yesterday being 9/11, I wanted to go to noon Mass as a spiritual way of honoring the day. I had a busy schedule, but overall the day went off well. We watched a show about 9/11 in the evening - sobering but I never want to forget, and I wish this country could be more unified like we were after that happened.

I had also taken girl kitty into the vet first thing yesterday so they could try to get a urine sample straight from her bladder with a needle (ouch!). But by today, we'd gotten calls that they had no luck so now she has to go to a different place where they have an ultrasound. That will be Friday, because of a funeral I am going to tomorrow and the way these vets seem to keep weird hours, that was the soonest we could get an appointment. And I sure hope she doesn't have to spend the weekend! Poor baby was SO upset today when I picked her up, and she's got to be in pain because she peed in the carrier - and made a couple of really unearthly cries when she did.

Today was just nervous breakdown day for me trying to coordinate the appointment. Had my roommate communicating with two vets, then texting or calling me, and me trying to see what would work with the funeral and with a friend I'd said I would drive to her doctor's on Friday. That is the sort of thing that really grinds my ADHD brain's gears, and from there we crash into anxiety and rage territory.

SubC, I can so relate to the crying jag - although since I don't have a hubby or my mom or someone to hold me when I cry, sometimes it stays bottled up, which doesn't help at all. Sometimes I can hold my bunny and sob into his fur! Or at least just be calmed by his softness.

I also understand the thing about showers. It's been hard not having my own bathroom for one thing, where I can keep the items needed instead of having to carry them in and out (and inevitably forget things and have to dart back nekkid to get them!). And where the dog isn't allowed at all, so I don't have to worry about getting black dog hairs all over my towel, my bare feet, etc. If I can ever get these crazy broken up weeks to go more smoothly so I can get to the gym, weirdly enough I do pretty well taking showers there because they're roomy and I have everything I need in my bag I take.

Take care of that elbow - I had tendonitis in the base of my thumb a few years back from using a non-ergonomic quilting rotary cutter, and it's stubborn to get rid of and prone to return as I'm sure you know. Bromelain enzyme (it's in fresh pineapple, or tablets) and vegetarian glucosamine help some. Ice sometimes can help, or ice/warmth alternated.

Oh, and my total sympathies on the new computer thing. I don't learn well from videos at all - I prefer written, perhaps with hands-on or having someone to ask (like in crocheting). Hope you can get it sorted without excess anguish.

I'll say ixnay on the apple/garlic/cinnamon/onion bagels as well, being as I'm already a picky eater, LOL.

Tatoulia, I confess to having been one who would do that thing with dishes of putting water in them but leaving them for days/weeks till they were stinky. That's one area where having roommates has helped me - learning to wash and rinse after each meal. I think I'll keep doing that even when I'm back out on my own; it seems ingrained enough now.

Let's see, a few more miscellaneous things and then I'll say goodnight -

It does feel SO good to donate too-large clothes - last week I took a couple pairs of pre-surgery sized jeans to the thrift shop. I hope to re-lose the few of my 30 lbs. that I regained last winter, then attack the goal of losing the next 30. That should put me to the point where I can assess what "fine tuning" may or may not be needed. The numbers on the scale vs. bone density, muscle mass, etc. will have changed since the last time I was down that far. But first I have to lose the weight! Wish me luck!

Boy kitty still is doing some scarf & barf - with the new food he seems to be more prone to it.

We've been watching a show on BritBox - "The Last Detective" starring Peter Davison (aka the 5th Doctor Who). He's the one we met at the Doctor Who con in 2016. I'll watch pretty much anything he stars in!

Tillie, glad Steven moved something, anything, and hope he will be willing to do more. The 7-ft cabinet sounds like what one of my decluttering expert authors, Don Aslett, would call a "Junk Bunker." I hope I don't have too many "junk bunkers" in my life - it can sometimes be a fine line between organizing with containers the right way and having junk bunkers.

Anyone on the east coast, where the hurricane approacheth - be safe!

Tillie we've been having a lot of rain. I don't mind these days but I do wish I could send some of it your way to reduce the fire dangers.

I've been so fatigued I even checked my coffee to see if I bought decaf by mistake! I just woke up and I am drinking huge amounts of water so I can flush it out of my system. I am not calling dr just yet as he is new and I don't have the strength. It's funny, I was making a hair appt for Friday and I thought: how can I possibly stay awake.

I hope you got your groceries tonight! BF called me when he left for grocery store but I couldn't wake up enough to go with him. I too need some things but my brain is a little foggy. I know I'll feel better tomorrow. I have volunteer work tomorrow night til 7 and I'm going to have to be awake for it.

SubC I hope you had a good day. I am missing Mar, CM, Tess and Anony. Remember, we always are here for you no matter what's been going on. Here to support you!!

Your new weight is definitely something that must be factored in when taking medications.
So many other things change beside the dress size.

You being to the point of now having a cleaning lady in is something that has us all ecstatic!
You give me hope. (((HUG)))

More cloud cover and much windier.
Another RED FLAG wildfire danger day.

Have my grocery list made up, checking to make sure I have it all written down.
Nothing worse than getting home then remembering something you absolutely need to have but didn't get.

Tillie I looked up the med's side effects and the muscle cramps (had over the weekend), the headaches and the fatigue are all lisyed. I've taken these meds before but I'm different now. Started them on Thursday and I haven't been right since.

.My thyroid should be accurate so I'm not worried about that. If anything, my weight loss would put me in hyper not hypo so I think it's the new, non-thyroid med. even BF said today there's something wrong. So I'm going to stop the med and see how I fare. I can't be at work and having my head drop to my desk (which again sounds like thyroid). I've tried taking a walk and caffeine with no luck. And couple that with the environmental dust and allergens. Total wreck.

Cat and I are going to lay down.

Tillie you and everyone here got me to the cleaning lady point in my life. I am grateful for that.

Hi Tatoulia
YEA!!! WTG!!! for a CLEAN home!!! ;D
Happy Dance that that cabinet is ALL DONE!

Do a search of your medication and see if this may be a side effect.
Sometimes message boards where people on the same drug have better input about side effects than the very tiny printed paper inserts that usually come with the medication.

YEA! for BF getting her in to tidy up his home too.

Now I want to lay down & take a nap hoping that when I wake up the cleaning fairy will have visited me too. ;)

No throttling, Tillie, unless you want to throttle the seamstress for me!

House clean, CABINET CLEAN. so nice. So nice. I wasn't feeling well so I took a nap while they were here and I was like Wizard of Oz, I woke up and my house was sparkling.

Oh she is itching to clean my bedroom. Sounds good to me. Next time.

My BF is going to hire her. I'm thrilled with that. He works so hard.

I also wonder if my new meds are making me sick. I'm stopping one of them for a week. I am so tired I can't keep my head up. I know the grit in my throat and eyes is masonry dust. But this extreme exhaustion made no sense.

It's nice having people in who really and truly want to clean my house.

Good Morning Everyone

Hi Subclinical :)
Wishing you a great school day! :D

Overcast and breezy out this morning.
Been enjoying looking out through the clean windows & screens.
That storm brewing off the east coast looks like it is going to be a bad one.
Planning today to do a few things around here and tomorrow go to the grocery store, maybe.
Seems lately whenever I go out there is at least one person I encounter who goes out of their way to aggravate me.
Rude inconsiderate and just plain nasty.
They do not know how lucky they are that I have managed to keep my mouth shut or have not throttled them. ;P

Mar, the important thing is that you are not giving up. You are making progress. I know it's hard to see in the middle of everything, but just keep focusing on one spot at a time. The kitchen is a great place to start.

Tatoulia, masonry dust is very bad. If you are walking through it or or is getting into your house, you want to shower and wash your hair and wipe down surfaces with damp cloths - swiffer , don't sweep.

Today is a long day at school. I need to get dishes done and compost out at minimum.

Hi Tatoulia
I am very sure it's the masonry dust.
Whine away!
That dust also has all sorts of old nasty things caught up in it too from the big city environment.
Do whatever it takes to minimize your exposure to it.
Drink plenty to help wash it out of your body.
A Neti-pot would help wash it out of your sinuses.
Cough, sneeze and blow often to help get it out too.
Do not take anything (antihistamine) to stop your nose and eyes from running and dry you up.
That is your body's defense against the irritating dust to flush it out.

Have fun tomorrow at lunch with friend & baby.
I would strangle that seamstress then write up reviews about the way she conducts business.

Hello dear friends

SubC I am grateful someone at work can help you! That is why you have friends! I am also grateful for the love and support your husband provides you.

Tillie you did a good job making dinner and keeping up with things! I am either coming down with something or I have terrible allergies. I feel lousy. I had an extra juice at work today. And I slept when I got home.

Mar, keep the faith. You are doing this, bit by bit. And we are all cheering you on and supporting you.

I am taking a few hours off tomorrow to have breakfast with a friend and her new baby.

My cleaners come tomorrow. Then my house will be fresh and new. I am busily trying to get the pillow lady to do my pillows already. I gave her the fabric, paid half of her fee, and I've done nothing but chase her ever since. I did have a moment of clarity which is clearly this is the way she works. Whenever I email her she writes back, a day or two later, to say she's on a deadline and will get back to me. Then she doesn't. Then I tell her we need to set a firm date and once she called me days later to say she would call me back in five minutes and she did not. . Two weeks ago she said the first week of September and so I said great and still nothing. Over the weekend she said this week for certain and it's been radio silent ever since.
At first I was pretty frustrated but now I realize, this is her work pattern. She needs to be nagged. Well I'll do it now but I will not use her again. I don't know how she can live with the chaos.

I'm praying I'm just suffering from allergies. I do not want to be sick. And all the dust from the masonry. That's probably the issue. There is dust all over the place. Ok now I'm whining

Well Subclinical
I suppose she could show you how to do roll call and emails.
Hopefully that will not be too hard.
Then just shine on all the other BS features.

Hi Mar
Congratulate yourself for what you HAVE done there.
WAY TO GO! for washing dishes, working on the fridge and sorting out a place to put the dishes!!! :D


I washed dishes and did cat related tasks.
Then I was hungry and made myself tostadas con queso & salsa, dos.
Then I washed up those dishes too.
Very nice day, cold in the morning, now cool in the shade but hot in direct sunlight with a gentle little breeze.

Hi to everyone!

I've wanted to come here for several days, but couldn't until now.

Daily activities surpass me. Usually I love cooking, but with stress and soooo many things to do, I feel cooking & eating like a waste of time. And to have to do it at least 3 times a day is the last straw.

I've been washing and washing dishes, but unable to finish all in one day, they accumulate. And after each meal, surprise! More dishes! X( Disposable ones? Never!

I feel discouraged.

Dad has a cold. He can't help.

Among so many washed dishes, I realized we need a good place to save them. So, I've also rehabilitating the drawers of the cabinet where mom used to put them.

It's time I've NOT finished with the fridge. It's already working, but a tray is still needed to disinfect. I do things desperately slowly :(

I hope to write more later. I hope...

I complained to another teacher.

She said "this is why you have friends. I'll show you. It's no big deal."

Hi Subclinical

How upsetting!
Is there anyone you can take your list of legitimate grievances to?
You have your class to teach but you also have a whole other home/volunteer life to live too.
I have always hated when someone who knows squat about a job is put in a position to dictate how the people who actually do the job should operate.

I do not blame you at all for deleting their emails and refusing to participate except on your own terms.
(((HUG)))

Tillie, while a candied orange makes a lovely dessert, it is not enough food for a person for a week!

I have a situation with my job that is causing me a lot of stress.

Basically, a new computer system is being implemented it will be the third computer system in 5 years. I am not a computer person. I learned the last two systems. This one is very complicated. It appears to do two things I need to do at work - send e-mail and take attendance. And a lit of other things I do not need to do.

It is being driven by a person who is not my boss but does serve on our board of directors. This person is asking that we take hours of video training online to learn this new system on our own time. I am paid hourly. Not fir planning time for my classes or for administrative/evaluative duties (except an hour a week), not for time spent obtaining class materials - only for time I am in my room with my students. Supervision has shifted this year such that I am obligated to outing a few extra minutes every sh on supervision - minutes thawill add up to about ten unpaid hours over the course of the year.

My "benefits" consist of two paid sick days per year. I must provide lesson plans and arrange my own sub (they will pay the sub) on those days.

I do not learn from videos (I have tried to teach myselfv things on YouTube). The training classes are free but at specific times - they are distance learning classes. If you have questions, you type them in and a ta answers. I type very slowly. By the time I hav two exchanges with the ta, the class will go half over and I will be too lost to catch up.

I am not going to do this. I have started deleting the person's e-mails so that I don't have to see them, because they stress me out. I love my job. I love my kids. But this is my limit. Someone can hand walk me through e-mail and attendance at a time that works for me. And if they insist on anything else, they are going to have to fire me. I have been fired before.

Or I will come sit in the office at work and take the classes. And they can pay me for my time. It will be a lot of time. Because I will have to take every session at least twice, plus practice, plus adding all the unneeded and relatively useless things to each of my classes.

Good Morning Everyone

Hi Subclinical
Wishing you a peaceful day today.
Happy you have your DH and class this afternoon.
(((HUG)))

Slept poorly last night.
Physical issues and bad dreams/memories about the distant past kept me up.
Today I need to wash some dishes. There's not too many, I can do this.
Been a long time since I went grocery shopping, running low on food again.
Will think about writing up a list, really do not want to go, cats still have enough food, snacks and litter to last more than a week.
But there is only an orange and some ginger root in my veggie bin.

Tatoulia, you are inspirational. I'm glad no one is being mean to your mom. She sounds like a sweet mom.

Tillie, you accomplished something. You took a shower. Some days it can be very hard to take a shower.

I fell apart last night. Dh got home very late and all I could do was cry. He was very good to me. He reminded me that I should call him when I feel like that and not sit hone all alone with the voices in my head.

Today I guess I am better. I still feel a little sad, but I am cried out. It is another day and I have class this afternoon....

Good Evening Everybody

Hi Tatoulia :)
A cold rainy night with some hot mulled apple juice and a frozen chocolate glazed donut would be so heavenly.

Very glad brother was not being mean to your Mom, just cuckoo.


The nice thing about not having too much stuff is that you can then truly appreciate those things that you do have so much more than you could ever have appreciated things when you had so much that you couldn't see, use or enjoy them all.
Like those lovely silver forks hidden in that drawer where you now keep the bags.


Today I accomplished nothing.
Did cat related tasks, took a shower, watched "Fear The Walking Dead".
Last night I watched a BBC production on PBS called "The Miniaturist", part one.
Now I have to wait and try to find when they will show part two.
My TV shows me a daily line up of programs and part two is not on tonight but if I am awake at 2am I can watch part one again.

It's based on a book that I have not read but the reviews say that the BBC production took liberties with the story line several times.

Tillie I am glad he did something. Honestly the attachment to items. I suffer too but of course Mr Hoarder's don't make the kind of sense.....of course MINE made sense......well at least I've largely broken my attachment. I feel connected to my mom, my sweet BF, my kittycat and my friends, meaning you all. I am trying to embrace the other things in my life as ephemera.

I am glad that Tillie is keeping an eye on your elbow. I know how much you use it SubC and that is the nature of your life.

I would very much enjoy a frozen chocolate glazed donut, please. No need to defrost, I'll enjoy as is!

We are having steady rain and it's fairly cold. I love it! I took up mom's groceries I'd gotten her last night. She said brother wasn't mean but he was cuckoo.

I love her. She's great.

Alright Subclinical
But please really consider a brace and then wear it as often as possible. :)
Happy you do not take pain pills.
Pain is a good way to know when to stop.

Don't worry Tillie, I know what the elbow is. It's chronic tendinitis. I am a potter and I have a farm, and I have had issues with elbows and wrists and shoulders for years. I have been in a sling before. I don't have time for that. So, when it hurts, I try to rest it. I am considering a brace. I would still take it off for some things, but it would keep me from hurting it doing stupid unnecessary things.

It bothers me so much because I don't use any pain meds so that I will know when to quit.

Hi Subclinical

OKAY... Enough already with this sore elbow!
I want you to get it stabilized in a brace that makes it impossible for you to exert it.
Having it properly evaluated would be nice.
If you were here I would have you in a sling.
You may be doing further damage to it, we don't really know do we?
It may just need to rest for a month or two to heal?

Oh YEAH, I would pass too on those apple garlic cinnamon onion bagels.
Good thing the chickens are adventurous.

The garden cart is in the carport not the garage, thank goodness.
He has made the narrow little goat path too narrow to roll it out of there.
I could get it out if I could lift it above my head and carry it out.
The main obstacle is a nasty old falling apart particle board "wardrobe" that's huge and about 7 feet tall.
He claims this is exactly what he needs to get this hoard all sorted out, organized and in a neat tidy little collection.
The wasps have built a nest in there. That's all that's in it, a wasp nest.
The thing is so warped the doors don't open.
I parked my garden cart in the carport because I don't want it to sit out in the elements and get any more rusty than it already is.
Steven did once bring me home a different garden cart but I do not use that one.
It is very small, actually a vintage metal child's toy. I have to stoop low over it to push it along and it only holds a few handfuls.

Tatoulia and Tillie, thank you for the praise. I needed it.

Still no sun and I am tired and a little sore from working on the drainage ditch from the run in. And my elbow hurts again. Stupid elbow. The drainage is much better, but not all fixed. Dh really doesn't understand how much trouble he caused me in just a few minutes with the tractor bucket when he regraded the yard.

I thought I would do the ditch and stalls and pottery today. I am so amusing...

And I need a shower, and a goat chewed up the sleeve of one of my favorite old sweatshirts. I think it will still be ok to work in, but not to wear anywhere.

I went ahead and gave the chickens all the bagels - when I opened the boxes, there were only 6 to a box. We would have picked up the donuts, but I don't know what we would have done about packaging. The health department won't let us take anything that isn't packaged except whole produce. Maybe he could have stapled them into paper bags for us? Sometimes we get bread stapled or taped in bags.

The donuts and bagels we get are store bakery - at the end f the day they pack them into boxed assortments and try to sell them the next day at a discount. Then they give them to us if they don't sell and take a tax write off. Often nobody takes the bagels at the food bank for the same reasons they didn't sell at the store - they are stale, and their stupid assortments have sweet and savory mixed together and nobody likes bagels that taste like apple garlic cinnamon onion.

Tillie, i'm Glad you got something! Can you get your cart out?

Tatoulia, I too am glad you are free.