Ps Sri Lankan friend and family are fine!

Wow!!! SubC! That is amazing about the trees! I am so thrilled by all of that!!! You are so wonderful and kind and hard-working and thoughtful. I am so pleased for you.

Tillie I saw that there were some pretty big autocorrect mistakes, including calling the clothes unstable. Oh well.

Thank you for helping me through this. I am getting rid of them. The skirts are all too big. The tops I just won't wear again. I did consider price and cost and I will be able to buy new clothes in the fall. Most of my clothes fall within the "seasonless" or three-season clothes since I cannot wear wool anymore. I can have wool coats, but no sweaters or skirts. I do tend to wear cheerful colors and I might have to buy some more muted tones for the winter, but ultimately I'm good with getting rid of these things. I have two skirts that can be worn year round. Not all of these are appropriate for the cleaning fairies as they are more work-clothes and all of my old work dresses have been given to them. There is generally a work-clothes drive at the office in August but I cannot wait. So I'll take to Goodwill, knowing that people who shop their will find interview suits should they need them.

I'll have the suits dry-cleaned so that I am sure to be passing along good things that are ready-to-wear. I can't say I wouldn't buy them again but I can say I won't be wearing them again.

I have one summer dress that I'm going to have taken in as it's lovely and lovely. Yes I wrote that twice.

The waitress at the restaurant (a place we used to go quite frequently but have not been to in about three years), noticed my weight loss. PRETTY SNAZZY.

Tillie I hope you and the kitties had a lovely day. I still would like to get more of a walk in but it's dark out.

I do would love to freshen up one more bed linen so I could use it if I get cold tonight. It was put away clean but it's been in the closet for a while.

I just want to have fewer things. To embrace the cleaning and clearing that you are doing, Tillie. My life is peaceful and calm and serene with having less stuff. It feels quieter in here. And I know I can quiet it even more.

Happy Easter everyone, and especially CM,

Dh and I planted 45 trees as sort of an early earth day celebration. I still have ten elderberry bushes and five little evergreens to plant by myself, plus tons of curly willow and pussy willow starts. I am going to put a bunch of those down in the floodplain.

Dh said next year to only order 30 trees.

The boy goats have figured out how to escape from their fence again, and I can't find where they are getting out. I'm afraid they are jumping.

Found lots of pretty Easter eggs in the barn today and thanked the chickens.

Good Afternoon Everyone
Just now 1:00pm here.

Hi Tatoulia
Your poor BF.
So many tragedies in such a short time.

Clothing...
That is always such a hard subject for everybody.
That's why we all end up with things we don't fit, don't really like and never wear, but we still cling onto them.

I understand you wanting to purge all the Autumn/Winter items.
You were going through a transition period and bought the clothing so you would not go naked.

Only one question...
Will you be financially able, without going into debt to buy new Autumn/Winter clothing near the end of this year?

If you will have a clothing budget by then
go ahead and purge all you want. ;D

I continue to do that Swedish decluttering method.
I find a thing here and later another thing there.
It's really very "gentle", laid back and easy
with a lot of meandering thinking.
There is a lot of having to be honest with myself about things that I used to do and enjoyed doing but admit I will no longer be doing.
I find this to be very freeing.

I am back from breakfast with BF then I walked around. I will now make myself a cup of coffee and take my shower.

Hope everyone is having a lovely day.

Tillie I have a question regarding clothes. I want to get rid of almost everything I wore last fall and winter. Done of it still fits but I don't think I'll wear it again. Not thinking I'll wear it again: is it okay to donate? It's unstable and new as of last year but I don't see myself wearing again. Is that okay?

Anyone can chime in! Not just Tillie. It's just that sometimes I make Tillie tell me what to do.

I just finished taping together mom's Easter goodies. I'm going to shower and have breakfast with BF. He's upset, naturally, with the bombings in Sri Lanka and has reached out to our Sri Lankan friend. We haven't heard back yet but should soon. BF is also sad because one of his long term neighbors has died. So I'll go have a spot of coffee with him.

We will go out to eat with mom later today.

Good Morning to Everyone of you

Hi Tatoulia
That's funny!
If they had just laughed at you it would have crushed you. (((HUG)))

I do that too, keep trying to sleep when the covers aren't enough instead of getting up and grabbing another blanket.

Springtime weather here is so unpredictable.
Sometimes way too hot and then the next minute freezing cold again.

Wishing everyone a lovely day. 🙂

They didn't keep them!!!!!!! Wow your son was a very bright, big picture thinker in 2d grade! Very impressed! Sure it was flawed but I love it.

I got locked in a bathroom in France when I was a kid. Outdoor cafe. I was about 8. (Before brother was born). I found out later that the reason my mother kept hugging me and holding my head to her shoulder were because my father and she were laughing and clutching themselves, trying hard not to betray by laughing out loud. I love that image of them.

I enjoying first cup of coffee.

I was way too cold with just the two thin quilts last night. I will put another layer in for tonight. I was very cold yet unwilling to do anything about it.

I'm chuckling 🙂
Hope she enjoys saving the tape. LOL

I have a Russell Stover's chocolate covered peanut butter bunny taunting me.
I can eat him tomorrow.

I like the down comforter when temps drop down below freezing.
Above 32 degrees the down gets too hot so I use the light fiber fill comforter.

The hardest part of parenting isn't listening to the boring parts.
It's not breaking out in laughter when they say the most outrageous things.
You have to look serious all the while holding back laughter.

My second grader son worked his tail off for weeks selling cupcakes for a dime each.
It was to get enough money to send all the kindergarteners to the Sacramento zoo.
I would make the cup cakes and drop him and them off at school.
He did so well along with other children, all the kindergarteners went off early one morning in a school bus.
When my son came home that afternoon he was extremely angry!
He said...
"The zoo sent them all back, didn't keep any of them!"

See what I mean?
If I had laughed it would have damaged him in some emotional way.
I had to sympathize with him.

He wanted to get rid of all those kindergarteners because
"they are walking around and looking so cute".

I didn't tell him he was wrong and that the kids were never going to be kept by the zoo, put on display in cages.
I had had no idea he ever thought that the zoo would keep them.

Thank you.

I like having something to pull over me too. I switched to down-alternative a few years back as the down became too warm for me. I wish the weather would dip real low tonight. It won't. But I like a cool night.

I am off to bed even though technically I just got up from my nap.

Very windy and very humid today.

Watching young people, and not so young people, enjoying their conventions is incredibly joyful. I noticed a few patents, who were listening to their teens discussing this thing or that thing. And I thought about how I used to bore my parents with my nonsense but I never noticed their boredom.

We will eat dinner out tmr night, the three of us. I'll have to assemble their Easter baskets. I no longer use baskets as my mother then refuses to give them back for next year. So I don't do baskets anymore. One year I used colorful paper plates and she wouldn't let me throw out the paper plate. So I hope she enjoys the collection of treats I'll merely scotch tape together.

Hi Tatoulia
Yeah, August will be too warm for a thick robe.

I have been using a blanket and have a fiber filled comforted to pull up about 3am when the temperature dips low at night.
Still have my down filled comforter handy in case it gets super cold.
Maybe next month I'll wash it and put it away.

I left the message you asked me to do for you. 😀

Your city sounds as interesting as a Comicon, Star Trek, Sci-Fi convention.

Sometimes they are specific characters and sometimes they are a specific species based on a specific character's species.

Like Spock or like a generic Vulcan.
V live long and prosper.

Oooh. So that's how you talk to him. I've spoken to him on the phone a few times but I get all giggly. I'm giggling just thinking about it.

I went for a long walk around the city. Before I left I changed my sheets and I decided that I'll take the comforter off my bed. I took the comforter part to the laundry. They'll wash it and roll it neatly into a bag. I'll wash the cover myself. So now I have just the thin white quilt on the bed. (I washed it last week). I took a small thin quilt out of the closet and washed it so that I can have it at the foot of my bed to pull over me. It's only a twin size. I had bought it for my mother, when she moved into assisted living. I bought her an entire beautiful sheet/sham/comforter/quilt set at Bloomingdales. She never liked the thin quilt because it's more stiff than soft. The colors are perfect for my house and it works on my twin fold out. So I like to use it at the base of my bed. So I washed that up too since it hadn't been used since my friend was here in October.

Now I'm going to rest. Bf is home napping at his house.

Tillie the city is alive with the yearly anime convention and everyone is in elaborate costumes. This makes me so happy to see everyone. They come from all over and have such a great time in the city. I don't understand if they are particular characters or people they think up themselves but they look fantastic.

I've decided not to keep the terry cloth bathrobe for my friend's visit. I'll give it to the cleaners. She wore it last time but it was October and she was cold. She'll be here probably in August.

(((HUGS))) Tatoulia

Without the constant abuse
the real you is shining through.

Steven did not get any trees and bushes because he knew that I really meant what I said about him having to tend to them.

The green ceiling tiles look amazing!
AND a licensed roofing contractor is scheduled to come by on Monday!!!
Soon, so very soon I will be able to fix the ceiling in my room.

Having cleaners come every other week really helps you to maintain.
I'm sure you and Miss Kitty don't make too much mess but living in a big city makes a lot of dirt.
Just dirt that comes in from the streets and covers the floors & everything.
As bad as the dust storms I get here. ;P

Yeah, that's right, you need a new AC.
Good luck finding the exactly right perfect unit.

Did you know I talk to Cory by clicking on the live chat link?
Even when it's not online we can type out a post to him.

Ps Tillie next time you talk with Cory could you let him know that I continue to move forward? No going back? Thank you!!!

Yay SubC! On all counts! So happy your friend remembered her chair! Wishing you a satisfying day, making pots.

Tillie I'm pleased that you are enjoying your more manageable garden and that your hard work is paying off. Steven listener to yo. Wow. I know first-hand that each victory is sepayand doesn't usually signal a life change. But it is a victory.

I bet the spring green tiles are beautiful.

Tillie you have such a good memory! The humidity would magnify my filthy house and make me hate myself. Well that is over and has been over. My friend was here in June when she started the redesign and my faithful cleaners have been here since June or July. I'm fully mopped, dusted, swept, vacuumed and cleaned every two weeks. I'd love to go to once a week. Not able to justify that. As long as I'm able to change my own sheets, etc, there's no reason to love to a second level of cleaners. I will however, get them here on special projects.

Well im doing kitty cat laundry today. Then I still have some returns to make. I also have to start shopping for the replacement ac for the living area.

Tillie we are one week shy of a year since I shed the sibling. I am amazed by it. So in the past year, I finished my mortgage, I got cleaning ladies, I've lost 30 plus pounds, I've made changes to my house, I've assembled a lasting wardrobe of quality clothes, I've gotten rid of all of my credit card debt and I've made smart choices. I have Saturdays to myself and I'm genuinely happy.

Good Morning Everybody

Today is cooler than yesterday with a slight chance of rain.
Going to get outside and water my flowers.

So happy that I minimized the garden and consolidated the flowers into one small area!
Takes only about 10 or 15 minutes to water them all thoroughly now.

The other week Steven was going off to the place where they were giving out free trees and bushes.
Said he was going to get some.
I said that's nice, glad you are going to be taking care of them too since I will no longer be doing things like that.
He came back home without any.

Hello

Hi Subclinical
YEA! for the zoo programs!
WAY TO GO! for finally remembering that chair!!!
So very happy that now no matter if it rains you have dry feet.
Good going having five pieces turned in and as always, quality is always better than quantity.

Hi Tatoulia
Got up to 80 here today.
I remember that the Summertime high humidity was always your biggest problem.
It made you so miserable and depressed and all the issues you had with your home were magnified.
Now you can still curse that humidity but at least you can do it in your clean & tidy home. (((HUG)))

Took another nap then gave the boys some canned cat food.
The most lovely and refreshing gentle breeze is coming through the windows.

I did not know that a beekeeper kept 180,000 bees up on Notre Dame but according to the news article they all survived the fire.
Imagine how much work it was to count all those bees. LOL 😉

Zoo programs went great!

One of my best friends - who lives 4 hours away - stopped by this evening one her way home with her college student. And took her chair that has been in my garage for three years! (we just keep forgetting to put it in her van)

Rain all day, but my feet are dry.

Five pieces of pottery turned in - tomorrow is the pottery marathon. Honestly, if I finish five more nice pieces, i'll be happy.

Subject dropped.

Glad you got a nap in. Yay for clean laundry and a clean bathroom!!!

I'm heading into bed soon. We had weather in the 70s today Tillie with a surprise smattering of humidity.

Ok subject dropped.

Good Evening Everyone

Hi Tatoulia
YEA! for delivering the buns!

Yeah, I don't like most dressings either.
I do like a simple oil and vinegar on salads.

Finally got the bathroom all cleaned up.
I really made a mess in there last night.
Laid back down and took a little nap and when I got up I was able to shower.
Got a load of laundry washed so now everything is all clean and back to normal.

I get sick like this a lot, have for decades due to my abdomen being swollen full of cysts and god only knows what else by now.
The pain is so intense that I lose consciousness and sometimes convulse.

There, now I have come clean and told you all my dark secret.
Lets just drop the subject.

Ok dropped off hot cross buns for BF and for Mom. I'm tired but I did it.

Sorry to hear if the bad night's sleep. Hopefully you can drift off and stay asleep tonight.

Today was a really long day at work. I don't know why it dragged so. Two people who attend my evening programs took me out for lunch today. I had a delicious salad with goat cheese and cranberry, no dressing (I don't enjoy dressing)and a skewer of shrimp. Pretty tasty.

I stopped at the grocery store on the way home and picked up hot cross buns for BF. I am very tired and trying to rally to take them to him.

Good Morning Everybody

Hi Subclinical
Too bad the playset is plastic.
It's not a matter of if they destroy it but when.

Good luck getting your pottery ready and turned in.

Visiting zoo programs. So much fun and educational.
When I was little my Sunday school teacher was the curator of small animals at the zoo and would bring in snakes and such to our Sunday school class.

Have a wonderful day today!

Hi Tatoulia
WTG! for working on not acquiring!
Happy you found a good replacement frying pan for your Mom.

I have half a gallon can of paint left over from when I painted the livingroom/dining area that pretty light Spring green that I'm using for the ceiling tiles.

Plans for today are to lay low and rest & recuperate since I had a very bad night last night.

SubC sometimes I just read too. It's very comforting.

That is a big temptation the giant plastic playset for the goats. Your thought process is excellent-good way to keep temptation at bay. I've been doing pretty well at not acquiring. I bought mom a new frying pan because her old one (probably 40 years old) broke. I had to get one that is sturdy yet not too heavy. Kitchenaid came through for us.

Tillie I've forgotten what color you are painting your ceiling tiles. I bet that is very satisfying work!!

CM I too am thinking about you. It's Holy Week and I hope you are partaking of activities that are meaningful and bring you peace and hope.

I will finish getting ready for work now. It is bright and sunny out. Yesterday ended up being dark but no rain that I could tell from my office.

Tatoulia,

I am always here even if I don't post. I type slowly, but I need to check in every day to help me remember there are people who care how I am doing.

I made a small amount of progress on my pottery for class yesterday. Everything has to be turned in by 7p.m. tomorrow.

Today we have zoo programs visiting, so it will be a little crazy at school.

There has been a play set out for the trash all week at the end of my road and I have not picked it up for the goats. I keep being tempted, and then I tell myself "it is plastic. How will you get rid of it if the goats destroy it?"

Happy Good Friday to those who are observant. Thinking of you especially CM.

Good Evening

Hi Subclinical
Since DH says you look good, then you look good.
YEA! for having great days at school and that school is going well.

Hi Tatoulia
YEA! for a good day at work!
"A rather undemanding cat"
So lucky you are that Kitty isn't a major nag.

Internet sucks again today.
Had a post here earlier but before I could finish & post it disappeared.
Gorgeous day here today.
Painted half my ceiling tiles.
Would have done all of them but had no place to set them to dry.
Basically just a very laid back lazy day for me Scooter & Twinkles.

Oh no we are down to just me.

I had another good day at work. Just did some relaxation and will now toddle off to bed.

Would love to get you that Shrimo po'boy Tillie!!

Yay for a good day, SubC!!! You do so much and for so many! I'm just me and a rather undemanding cat.

As always, the support here is what carries me through the day.

Getting ready for work. I bet scooter looked super cute in the tall grass.

What are you doing today?

I'm planning to walk to work, have lentils for lunch, then walk home.

Tatoulia, you were really busy yesterday!

I am so glad you have cleaning dairies and are getting such positive feedback!

I am also very happy you have set boundaries!

I am still struggling with my weight goals - I lost some, and then I started gaining back, but I think I have more muscle now. It is hard to judge, I don't have a good body image. Dh says I look good, so I guess I am doing ok.

Still struggling with time management and a messy house too... but school is going well. Had a great day yesterday!