Good Morning Everybody
"Clink!"

Hi Subclinical
Thanks 🙂

Glad you got a lot of sleep. Sleep is important too.
Great List of priorities!
Yes, those transition times are the hardest.
Spring and fall are always a too busy.
All that basement work you did last Summer was fantastic and has made it easier in the long run for you being able to find things and keep things from any damage down there.

Hi Tatoulia
Your Mom is going to enjoy another party!
Your plans sound lovely and I will be there cyberly. 😉
WAY TO Go! for getting back to walking distances!!!
Remember to measure your health, weight and physical fitness from where you were before the walking and nutritionist.
You are so much healthier now than back then. (((hug)))

Got lots of sleep.
Trying to plan out what I should do first, so much catching up to do.
Plus now I need to start on the yard/garden area.
In-accu weather is teasing/lying there is an 80 to 90 percent chance it will rain here tonight into tomorrow.
Anyways... will wash dishes today if nothing else.

Coffee clinks! I am having a cup of coffee and catching up on everyone's lives, good and bad.

Moon pies-snort. Ice cream and pizza. I'll confess it sounds delicious.

I had been taking the train to work and the subway home during the last few weeks (maybe longer). Well yesterday I walked to and from work, so I'm feeling better about myself. I see dr on Monday and I am not excited about my weight. I did make appts with my original nutritionist and those will start March 23. I told her I'd like about five sessions. Money well spent.

I have completely planned out my birthday party at mom's. It'll be a bit like what I did for her when she turned 90, but. It as fancy. I ordered beautiful napkins and plates and bought the forks and I've also ordered a platter of sandwiches and my cake. I am mainly doing this for mom, not me. There will be sweet potatoes sandwiches in case anyone wants to stop by....

Bf will take me out for my birthday and again I'm doing the thing at mom's for mom. I have a couple of friends stopping by and a young law student and then whoever my BF steers toward us. The residents and staff are invited to have cake but the sandwiches aren't for residents. Those are for my people first, then my people in ziplock bags for later. Cake (white cake with vanilla buttercream) and peppermint ice cream are for all.

I did two loads of laundry last night. I'd skipped out of work at 5 ( very early for me) and walked partway home with a friend, then straight up to mom's.

I have things to take care of here today but for now I'm going to relax while my load of delicates washes. Bright sunny day.

Tillie,

You definitely deserve to slack off.

I actually slept ten hours last night! I'm still feeling a bit tired.

Lots to do today, although my plans with my friend for tomorrow got cancelled (his wife is ill) so I will drive my pots down tomorrow and have just a bit more time today (although I pretty much spent it sleeping)

I am working on my priorities.
Survival (animals fed, clean underwear, nothing growing in the dirty dishes)
People - taking care of and spending time with the ones who are important to me.
School - prep and teaching.
And then we have pottery and the garden/barn which are vying for the little time I have left.

In winter it is school/pottery/barn/garden
And in summer it is garden/barn/pottery/school
And where I run into trouble is spring and fall when I need to start shifting things around and can't manage.

The house is always last, except last summer I got a bee in my bonnet about the basement.....

HI

Got groceries this morning.
He has his meds from the pharmacy.
I am so tired and exhausted and my body has lots of aches.
Just been slacking off all day, I deserve to.
Chores will still be waiting for me tomorrow and will get done then.

Steven is right back to his regular diet.
Moon Pies, It's-It's ice cream and take out "meat lover's" pizza.

Can you hear me rolling my eyes?

Good Morning Everyone

Hi Subclinical
You sure have been busy!
WAY TO GO! getting your seeds home.
Really great progress on your pottery too!
So happy that the school schedule is almost exactly what you want.
But what a shame those two classes are scheduled at the same time. They both seem like very popular choices for the students.

Today I need to buy cat food and a few things for me.

Critical Mass, what a difficult few days!
I'm glad your priest took care of you.

My ex boyfriend lost his father not too long ago, which I found out because our parents still live in the same small town. I think it was probably a similar feeling, of wanting to reach out in some way on behalf of a closeness that is far away now. I sent his mother a card, which I Hope was appropriate.

Tillie,

I am glad you are back home safely! Hurrah for steer manure!

So busy here! I did do some pottery yesterday and my seeds arrived for my garden. The part I "did" for the seeds was to stop at the mailbox and get them so they didn't sit out in the freezing cold all night. Some of the pots will not be done in time to be fired with my class work, but I guess that is ok. I always seem to have some things that don't make it, but far fewer this session. I actually got 14 out of 25 allowed things on the firing cart in time, and will be able to drop off three more on the way to an event Dh and I are attending tomorrow. Maybe more than three depending on how my evening goes.... that is much better than I did for my last class.

Schedules came out at school yesterday. I have a few small disappointments, but in general mine looks good. I have started talking my classes up with kids who I hope will take them. One of my students overheard me talking earlier with a popular and good teacher about putting a bunch of kids in a hat and drawing names with him, and then the student saw the schedule and told me "oh! I want to take this (that I'm teaching), but, oh no! It's at the same time as that (other teacher). Pause. That's what you guys were talking about, isn't it?" Yep. It's hard because we are competing for the same group of kids whom we both like a lot.

Anyway, the kids can hardly focus on anything except the classes for next year right now. By Tuesday it will be better. My English students did give me a bit of a guilt trip for abandoning them next year, but I think they will forgive me.

Not ready for the classes I teach today, so gotta run!

HELLO EVERYBODY

Hi CriticalMass
You sure have had a busy week.
So glad that the bad things had happy endings.
Hope you don't have any issues getting the right spare tire rim.
WTG! on the glaucoma test and cataracts holding steady (((HUG)))

Well............
I am back home.
He complained & beotched the whole way.
So he's back to normal.

On the way back he wanted to stop in a town that has a store he likes because they have a wide variety of cheese.
So we did.
Plus I stopped by an other store in that town and bought 12 bags of steer manure since I was right there anyways.

On the drive into Reno this morning I saw 6 mustang walking beside the river. 😀

One nice thing when you are away from towns/cities is the speed limits are 65-70-75-80 mph.
You get to where you are going a lot faster.

He keeps saying he has type2 diabetes.
The discharge RN told me no, he is headed that way but can bring the numbers down with diet/lifestyle changes.
He is officially classified as "on the fence".

Thank you all for being here and listening to me over the last few days.
Couldn't have held it together without you all.
((((((HUG))))))

This week just started out fragmentary - on Monday I had eye dr. appt - came out well on my glaucoma test, yay, cataracts mainly holding steady.

I was on the other side of town so worked my way back stopping here and there. Then at home, I had a nearly 2-hour chat with my friend who last year was in ICU. She has had 4 hospitalizations this year, in one she almost died again. I want to stay in touch better just in case. She is definitely a fighter, but faces an uphill battle.

The phone call meant putting aside the loose ends I needed to attend to, then being too tired to attend to them then. So they got carried over into Tuesday...

alas, Tuesday included a flat tire when I came out of quilting at church around noontime. 🙁 I got out the spare and then Father saw me and called AAA. They came out, went to try to put on the spare only to discover the rim I'd purchased some months back & had the tire mounted onto was not the right one. It wouldn't let the tire go back all the way.

The flat one, I had a big screw in and it was a quite rapid leak. But the AAA guy aired it up and I was able to drive to this place nearby where Father goes and he called ahead that I was coming, he knew a guy working there. Tire got repaired, I called another gal to take my holy hour, after I got the van back I did some errands but was really tired. Took a 3-hr nap at home.

Yesterday was Ash Wednesday so I went to Mass at noon, at our downtown cathedral and got my ashes from the Bishop! That was nice. I love our Bishop, he seems like an honest and good one, unlike some who have caused so much damage in recent times. I didn't do too much yesterday even though I had a million loose ends still.

Took care of a few of those today, but wow has the afternoon flown by. I did my haircolor earlier. Am so wanting to take care of so many things, projects, etc. including the decluttering.

Our church quilt Bingo is this Sunday. I may get a baked good if I have time. I wish I could make something, but that has not worked out for years with this different kitchen, temperamental oven, and other factors. So it's bakery or nothing. And no guilt. It is what it is.

I may be sitting with the older lady most every Wednesday starting next week, as they are short on people that day. Should work out fine, and I'll enjoy seeing her.

Found out via Facebook that my ex boyfriend of a long time ago almost died last summer. He had sudden cardiac arrest but just happened to be found by someone, cop was doing CPR until firemen arrived with defibrillator.

He lives far away and I've had no contact with him or his people for decades. I don't still carry a torch or anything (did for awhile but got over it), but this is rather surreal nonetheless. I guess just as a Christian I feel like I should still pray for him, that's all. He was super fit, didn't smoke, drink, etc.

It's a reminder, for one thing, of how much time has passed since we were an "item." But our life trajectories and goals are quite different, that's why it was never meant to be. I'm just trying to make my life the best it can be for whatever time I've got left.

I've been reading the posts - glad for every good thing or at least coping that everyone has been able to experience with various upheavals. And the calm moments in between.

Good Morning Everybody
Those are some very good goals for March. 🙂

Hi Subclinical
Thank you
When I fill the outside big garbage can he takes the trash in it to the dump.
In his bedroom he has a trash can that was overflowing so I dumped it all into a medium size bag and put it outside in the can, he may be angry about this and feel the need to search that garbage bag.
Anything not in the bedroom trash can is off limits to me, except food that's obviously inedible.
I can not make decisions to toss anything because he will accuse me of throwing out all his valuable and important possessions.
I also have to remain "hands off" with anything in the garage/carport/yard areas or face his wrath.
He also gets very angry when I throw away things that are mine to throw away and pulls them from the trash and adds them to his hoard, think pickle jar etc...
I believe this is why he refuses to allow us to have trash pick up. Worried I will dispose of perfectly good garbage behind his back.
"heavy sigh" :/

Hi Tatoulia
You have been doing a very good job dealing with finances and planning for the future. 🙂

He just called so I am off to Reno to fetch him home.
Wish me luck with the crazy traffic.

Tillie,

I am so glad your house is better.

I wonder if you might be able to throw away a few bags of trash before he comes back. I can't remember if your trash is hauled or collected, but it seems like even a few little plastic grocery bags - easy to toss out at a rest stop or gas station on the way to Reno) might be satisfying. I'm sure you could find a place to take from that he wouldn't notice.

Goals. I have too many goals and I always fall short. I want to say do xyz everyday. Then I miss a day and the goal is over. Or x# times, but then I get too far behind and the goal is unreachable.

So, to be realistic - I want to work on my pottery and/or my garden as many days as I can. And I want to go to bed feeling like I gained ground or was caught up on my house/schoolwork as many days as I can. Even if things go really badly, I can still accomplish something on March 31.

Job well done! I hope you had a good night's sleep, Tillie!

Well I don't think it's pouring but I refuse to look out. I'd rather be surprised.

I didn't follow through with my challenge in February but as we all know, that's okay too. I want to continue to reduce, which I am good at, but I want more out of myself in March. For starters, I've set up appointments with my original nutritionist starting March 23 and I'm hoping to do five appointments. I'm so pleased that I've set up a savings account away from my bank, and I got my tax return this week (wow!) and I put all but $113 of it in my savings account. My money is a bit out of control due to taking care of mom but that is the way it goes. Her phone bill will be done in another month and I'll have that off my back.

I think one thing I haven't done and needs to be done is I need a new hot water heater. I also need help with a faucet handle in the bathroom. So I will put these maintenance items on my list for March. Will make a big difference for me. If I have to use part of my March bonus to do so, then I will. I found out what day the bonuses are being paid and now I've forgotten. They are in a formula and typically right around 7% of our yearly income. Nothing to sneeze at!

I also want to put any purchases I've decided not to make onto my loan. I'd like to see what I can do when I'm not buying junk.

So that's what will work for me in March.

Good Evening Everybody
Time to start thinking about what we might want to challenge on or set goals for next month. 😉

Hi Tatoulia
what a lovely evening you had.
Misting heavily sounds almost as enchanting as thick fog.

I think putting some sorts of things into containers/boxes looks a lot neater than just setting the items on a shelf.
You do not ever have to be ready to get rid of your camera or anything, honest. (((HUG)))
There are just some things that are not negotiable.

You really used to do way too much!!!
I only go to the hospital when it's necessary for me to be there.
Usually just during surgery.
With the brain surgery I was there most all day and night for 5 days in a row.
I am the medical power of attorney and patient advocate. 😛
I really hate being in a hospital, even when I used to work in this same hospital in the OR and ER at times.
So he is stuck there until they release him, then I will drive all the way there.
Over 150 miles round trip. :/

Well, the laundry therapy worked well.
I am tired physically and mentally and have a good feeling about a job well done.
And the house smells good without having to burn incense.

I remember those hospital days with my brother, Tillie. And then the staff would start to insist that I be there, in order to keep him calm. They'd put a chair bed and pillows and I'd try to explain that I don't want to be there. One time I spent nearly a month in the hospital with him and even brought my own quilt. I used to do too much; I see it now.

Then the calls screaming he needs to leave, now.

Wishing you strength and peace, Tillie.

As you know, I'm not big on organizing baskets and boxes, etc, as I they are meaningless in a sea of too much stuff. But I've had great success with my linen closet and my bedroom closet, so I felt I could trust the situation and buy the two decorative boxes. The Japan stuff has been in a large square gold jeweler's box together with a gold embroidered fabric box I'd gotten at Filene's Basement, back in the day. I had two; I must've gotten rid of one. The one I do have will go in my closet. It has my camera, etc, and even though I don't use it; I'm not ready and I don't feel that I have to be ready.

I need to work on a donation bag.

Tonight we heard Peter Diamandas speak at Symphony Hall. Fascinating. On the way to Symphony we stopped by mom's. I felt completely comfortable, as did mom, in having my friends come right up and into her room. There was no mess to apologize for. Yes done clutter and too many nooks, but on the whole, pretty good. One of my friends is a nurse so she checked the pulses in her arms and feet.

Ok off to bed. It was misting heavily (if that's possible) on the walk home from symphony and I told BF if there were snow on the ground it would feel like February.

Hi Tatoulia

Sorry the inconsiderate laundry hog is home today.

Have a great time at dinner tonight!!! 😀

WAY TO GO! for organizing.
Sounds like the boxes look nice and make the places look tidier.
Organizing is really good for putting stuff away in a way that makes it easier to get out and to put away.

YEA! for a squeaky clean dish washer.
I need to sanitize my clothes washer now after doing all this filthy laundry.

Try not to get too wet tomorrow getting to work. (((hug)))

The 6th and last load for today is on the rinse cycle.
Saved another bleach load to do last.
His bed is made with all fresh clean bedding.
The clothesline is still full of clothing.
But I am done.
The house smells so much better without that 11 loads of stinky laundry festering around in his bedroom.
Sort of swept the carpeted walkway through to the bed and to the closet.
Left everything else alone.
So the edges of the room and tops of the desk/dresser/night stand are still heaped and hideously filthy.
There are still massive cotton candy like cobwebs lining the ceiling & walls.

When he called this afternoon he said he might come home tomorrow.
Nobody told him he was being discharged tomorrow.
He was complaining about everything and everyone there today when yesterday he loved everything and the people too.
Anyways, I will be prepared for tomorrow just in case they do release him.

You are good to do his laundry, Tillie. I am sure it is an arduous task, seeing that it isn't washed regularly.

I only got two loads done today. My towels then one of my throw blankets. My piggy neighbor is home and he overstuffs the washer then leaves everything in it so it becomes my job to put it in the dryer. So I did the two this AM and will take care of the rest over the weekend. Simple.

I've changed my sheets and I've done some actual organizing. I generally don't organize, per se. I bought two lovely boxes to go under mom's new tv stand and in the process, I bought two for myself. Mine are different from mom's and my two do not match each other. I replaced a box holding my Japan photographs and diaries and I put my year's worth of laundry sheets in the other. The laundry sheets box is on the shelf under my tv table and looks very unobtrusive. The other box is on the lower shelf of an end table. I'm pleased.

Ok I've wiped down the kitchen counters and I have run the dishwasher, empty, with a product that cleans dishwashers, any lime or mineral build-up, etc. meeting friends for dinner at 6 and I'm wondering if I can do so without being late. These are friends I dine with before theatre. I used to skip due to cost then one friend said, it's worth the extra $20 to have you with us, so now she just pays for me.

Ok that's my news!

I regret making plans to go into office tmr. We will be having a very rainy day.

Good Morning Everybody

Just show me the way to your washing machine Subclinical. ;D

Hi CriticalMass (waving enthusiastically) 🙂

Hi Tatoulia
Sounds like you are keeping up with all the things in your life. 🙂

No news is good news.
His hospital stay will take as long as it takes.
Last time he was there almost an entire month.

Laundry is taking time, which I have plenty of.
Lots of stuff needs to soak.
Some stuff has to be washed twice and lots of it needs to be rinsed twice, probably should be rinsed even more.
I estimate there are 5 more loads to do in there.

The bedding is all still out on the line from yesterday.
Will make up his bed today and put away the dry clothing.
Hard part is his dresser and closet are already stuffed full of all kinds of assorted miscellaneous stuff that doesn't belong in there.
I will cram the clothing in as best I can.

Excellent drug choice ladies! Wish you could come by here for a fix. I'm barely keeping us in clean underwear.

Tillie, I'm glad things don't look urgent.
Also glad you could get a bit more order in the house.

Cm you know we are always here! Grateful for your drive by!

Tillie laundry is my drug of choice, too, although I do miss smoking cigarettes!!

You did a lot today, getting the car serviced and gassed up and "attending" the doctor's rounds!

I am home and running dishwasher. Stopped by mom's on my way home. Both she and the cat are doing well.

I'll talk to you all later.

Tillie I'll be praying for you and everybody. I'm having loose ends and glitches and am brain fried. I know you have big things on your mind.

When I'm calmer myself I promise I'll be back.

Hello 🙂

All quiet around here.
Should take a nap since I hardly slept last night.

But I am doing laundry.

Every time he goes into the hospital I go into his bedroom and toss out trash and wash whatever I want and he can not complain.
Because when he is back home I will be doing home nursing while he recovers and I insist on a bit of cleanliness.
Last time we had visiting nurses in about every other day too.

Plus doing laundry is my drug of choice. ;P

Hello

Went at 8am and got the car all taken care of.
Filled the gas tank too.
All set for a trip into Reno now.

Just spoke with Steven and while on the phone the doctor made his rounds so I got to listen in on the conversation.

They are stabilizing him.
Getting his heart, BP, blood, etc. all regulated.
Steven says he is feeling a lot better today than he was yesterday.

His main complaint right now is he doesn't have his cell phone charger and the one he is borrowing there isn't working right.
So that's good news that he is complaining about something so trivial.

He wants to eat but they have him on liquids and diuretics only since yesterday.

No need for me to drive into Reno today.
Will wait and see how he continues to do as to when he may be released.
I am NOT driving all that way just to give him his phone charger.

Just 10:30am here.
When it warms up I will get out and wash the car windows.

Thank you Tatoulia
Thank you Subclinical

No news yet.
Getting ready to take the car for servicing.

Tillie there is so much to be upset about I don't know where to start. I am outraged about the fact you don't qualify for benefits. That is extremely upsetting to me. I am really upset. I used to advocate for my brother and others to get them benefits and it is absolutely frustrating and disheartening and deeply disturbing. I am so sorry.

I'm sorry about the car and the situation with Steven. You have so much to deal with and all I can do is send you support and let you know that I am praying for you and shoring you up from afar.

I wish I drank alcohol.
I wish I took mind and mood altering drugs, illegal or prescription.
But since I am always straight and sober
I am doing laundry.

This is how my day has gone so far...
Earlier in the day a woman called to do a phone interview about my benefits.
I was on the phone for well over an hour, mostly on hold.
Then she informed me that I will not receive anything.
I am a sickly 66 year old woman with absolutely no income or assets so I get nothing.

Then
well you know what happened .
Haven't heard from him or anybody.

Told Steven this last week the "check engine" light was on in the car again and the front left tire was looking low again and since he would be taking it in it needed more gas, only a bit less than half a tank in it and we always need it full in case I have to drive to Reno if he's hospitalized again.

Last time I spoke to him he said for me to take the car to a certain place and ask for a certain guy.
Explain to the guy why he isn't bringing in the car and ask him to check why the "check engine" light is on and to check the tire pressure.
So I will do that first thing in the morning.
Right after I hang out all this wet laundry.

:/

Well today I got my recycling and my garbage out. I cleaned the cat box. I visited mom and I got a walk in. I did a little bit of laundry and a little bit of paper shredding.

Mom's place looks so nice and so light. We are both very happy with it. I have one decorative box and we started to put things in it tonight. I want her place to be pretty and I want to respect her need to hang onto papers.

She did some sorting today and used her new trash can! Great idea, Tillie!

I'm getting ready for bed. During my walk, partly outdoors and partly in the mall, I was looking at some shoes at Lord and Taylor that I do not need and the price was so perfect. I did not buy them. So I came home and transferred the $21 toward my loan so I can pay it off sooner. Have decided that is smarter than putting the money in my savings, where I can retrieve it easily.

I also started an online savings account (maybe I'm repeating myself) and so far I've put two expense checks and my cashed -in vacation days in it. I'm pleased with my small but definite steps in the right direction.

I also spoke with my nutritionist and we've scheduled two of five appointments. I need to get back on track and I'm excited to get this started. She can't see me til the end of March but I'm okay with it.

Goodnight all. CM I just noticed the pictures of your beautiful honey cat today. What an absolute beauty!!!! Sending love and strength to all.

Tillie I am so sorry. Sending you my prayers. If you need anything money-wise please tell me and I'll arrange through Cory.

Oh Tillie,

I'm sorry! I hope Steven is ok.

Steven went to the clinic.
They sent him to the small county hospital.
Right now he is in an ambulance on his way to the big hospital in Reno.
Heart attack.

Will try to write more when I know more.
He is trying to contact his friend to ask him to help me retrieve his truck and to get the car road worthy so I can drive to Reno.

Tillie, how is Steven after his fall? How are you? I hope you didn't hurt yourself.

SubC you are phenomenal! Pleased for your daughter's move!

Beautiful today! Sunny and 57F! I've got the back window open and might do the front window next. Just to aid our a bit.

Yes lots of sleep is helping me immeasurably. That and more sunlight.

I have cleaned kitty's box and am washing her bedding. I've put a piece of fleece on her chair (next to my desk) and it and she look pretty.

Good Morning Everybody

HI CRITICALMASS 😉

Hi Subclinical
So happy you are doing your pottery and it's coming along so nicely for you. 🙂

We should find a way to more evenly spread out the rain and snow across the country.
Then that would end the droughts and flooding.
But having read a lot of science fiction something else would always go terribly wrong from tampering with nature. ;P

Sorry about your chicken.
So true that they really do learn survival skills when raised by their own kind.
But I also love the falcons, hawks and owls that visit my yard. Just wish they didn't always eat here too.

Sounds like next weekend will be busy and fun for your DD2.
What a wonderful time in her life this is. (((hug)))