Quick drive by while I rest my aching back.
Up and running since I woke up.
Wind is RAGING out there. Huge billowing dust/dirt clouds reducing visibility.
Decided to use up some random pantry leftover ingredients while they are still fresh so I stirred up a big batch of chocolate chip pecan cookies.
Will start baking them in a while, then freeze them.
Did a bunch of other this&that too. 😀

Very good solution to clean up after animals, SubC! Good work on buying things. I'm afraid, largely, of dolls so when you said you bought a doll's head I almost died! Thought that would give you a chuckle!

Cm your cat is so beautiful! Wow! I'm actually allergic to cats but am dedicated to working on allergies one cat at a time. Your dear Percy is absolutely stunning!

I am so sorry about your nightmares and bad dreams. When u was in grad school and studying late into the night, my therapist suggested that I watch a mindless TV show before bed instead of reading. So back then, St Elsewhere (not mindless) was in syndication and on at Midnight. So I'd watch it each night before going to bed.

Tillie I am feeling better with walking. It's clearing out my brain and my body feels good. I'm making excellent food choices and I'm going in the right direction.

I have not put away my Christmas things. They are still grouped on my table. I will take care of today.

My house seems clearer these days and I'm enjoying it. I'll get to the Christmas items and then it'll feel even clearer.

Tillie it's absolutely amazing that the idea that you only have what you love is enough. I'm amazed that you can name the things I love and that they are here and on display.

Still here, still falling behind.

I hope scooter is all better.

I use very few paper towels - I pick up cat vomit with the plastic dust pan and a bit of food packaging trash and wash the dustpan in the utility sink. I use a cleaning rag on the floor, use that to wash the dust pan, and then just launder it with barn clothes or dog towels.

The coyotes are howling. My. Kitty is standing next to me on the couch growling at them.

Tatoulia I also hope your cleaning fairy is better soon.

CM thank you for the pictures.

I went to the resale store yesterday to buy some more materials for my class. (Spent almost $3!) they had sealed large sterile syringes that are expensive at the feed store, so I bought two to put in the vet kit for Justin at 15 cents each. I did not buy him the whole box. I also bought four pretty beads. I took them a small paper bag with six corks, a plastic scoop and a doll head.

Night Owl Time

I don't like to be in very tall buildings anymore myself. Buildings in general feature frequently in my crazy dreams. Tedious buildings, full of tedious stuff and some tedious goal to accomplish on my tedious treks through the tedious buildings.

Hoping kitty will forgive me and come sleep with me. He became more his normal self yesterday evening after spending quite a while Monday and early yesterday under my roommate's bed.

But tonight I was trying to smooth down my blanket and somehow grabbed his paw, startling him. He hissed and jumped up on the sofa arm to glare, then took off. Of all the times to commit such a blunder. I know how you felt when the mouse smacked Scooter, Tillie.

I put more things away in the bedroom today, and sorted Barbies. Thinking of giving some extras to my church garage sale. It won't be till June, but I can keep one box going for that.

I'm sleepy enough now, I think. I fight nighttime sleep because of the dreams. Usually I read, but the book series I'm on is getting suspenseful so I thought I'd try to think only of calmer things. Going to try to go to my happy place - nite-nite...

Hi Tatoulia
The office building I worked in in Reno would sway like that when there was even a tiny earthquake.
Made you feel like you were tipsy. 😉

Sad to hear the cleaning lady was injured and hope she feels better real soon.

Did you get the holiday decorations all packed away and off the table?

YEA! for walking and getting back into all your healthy habits & routines!!! 😀
Everything seemed to be so much better for you when you were able to take regular walks.

Sleep well in your freshly made bed. 😉

Scooter hasn't vomited again but I also have not allowed him any food.
Did give him the hairball remedy snack and he's kept that down.
I buy the big pack of cheap thin paper napkins at Dollar Tree instead of paper towels.
As long as there is a cat in the house I will always have to buy them. ;p

Since today I stocked up so well on cat food and litter I think I won't have to buy any more for them until Spring.

We cross-posted! That does sound like a lot of heavy things. I'm not surprised that your back hurts, Tillie.

Poor Scooter! Poor you! I'd love to go completely paper towel free here but cat vomit keeps the paper towel companies in business.

Scooter!!!

Tillie I hope you were able to go into town today! When it gets windy here, my office tower creaks and sways (as designed) and sometimes I get seasick. I generally sit near the core of the building and I've found if I move out, toward the windows, I feel better.

My cleaners did not come today. One of them injured herself before she got here. She said she could come tmr or next Wednesday and I told her Wednesday is fine. From the picture, she must be in terrible pain. I only glanced at it bf side it's really awful. My house is fairly picked up but I'll have time to do more with getting things put away. I'll be in my office next week so she can get keys from BF's office.

Mentally I'm doing well. I'm listening to my CDs and I'm paying attn to my eating. I walked tonight around the Christian Science Center and it was lovely.

I have clean sheets so I'll shower now and get ready for bed.

I feel clearer in my head. I feel ready to shed some things and some weight.

Good Evening Everybody

I am exhausted.
Went into town.
Got a big bag of kibble and a case of 40 cat cans and kitty litter.
My back is aching from schlepping them in.
Filled 2 water bottles.
Got some fresh fruit & veg for me too.
Got everything put away and soon I want to go to bed but it's only 5:10pm.

Scooter threw up twice this morning and again while I was gone and then again after I came back home.
Will give him hairball snacks to see if that helps him.
?

Good Evening

Winds been blowing all day.
The kind of wind that scrambles your brain even if you are inside away from it.
Scooter decided to pick at the plastic sheeting/insulation I have covering the dining area window to allow that cold wind inside.
Had to re-tape it, hope it holds.
Plan is to go into town tomorrow.
Will get cat food.

Removed mousie from the water bowl and did not wring it out as usual.
Just tossed it near by Scooter but accidentally hit him smack dab right in the middle of his face.
He said that was repulsive. 😀

Good Morning

Hi Tatoulia
YEA! for shopping, cat box and trash out!
Good plan gathering up all the decorations in one spot.
Good luck getting them stored away neat & safely. 🙂

5:10am
Been awake for over an hour.
Hate this waking up so early and not being sleepy & falling back to sleep.
Scooter hates it too because he wants to cuddle and sleep.

CM!!! you are so organized!!! Even labeling which acrylic to use first! Well done!!! Also welcome home to kitty!

I am home from mom's grocery shopping. I also cleaned her cat's box. I got my garbage out but not the recycling.

Tillie good work cleaning the kitchen! Today I put all of my Christmas decorations on my dining room table. I'll put them away tmr or Wednesday before the cleaners come.

Good Evening

Hi CriticalMass

WTG! Kitty Cat for keeping your teeth!!! 😀
You get your bowls back now!

WAY TO GO! Getting art supplies set up on the shelf!
All this shuffling around is making some great useable space for both of you.

In the sewing area a bin/basket/box would help keep projects contained until you come back to it while allowing the other person to use the space for their project.

Keep up the great planning, rearranging, sorting and organizing! 😀

Kitchen is clean, yea me.
Last few days what I have eliminated/deleted from my home has been some food stuff I stocked up on last Autumn to see me through the Winter.
Had some crackers I wasn't too happy with but the birds really are enjoying them.
Thinking about going into town Wednesday.
Didn't go anywhere last week.

Kitty is home. Vet said he did well and didn't need any extractions. I thought he was asleep and was fixing him a bed, but when I opened the carrier he promptly skedaddled to the back room behind the bunny cage.

He just now came back through, and his sister was eying him from atop the coffee table. But she let him pass. I reckon he went into the office or under his mama's bed. Vet said isolate him but it's not like he got the memo about that, or we have a kitty recovery suite. They had him till 4:30 so I think he's not too dopey anymore.

Earlier I worked on "my" new shelves arranging art supplies. Remembered a few items I'd left in another room so got them and integrated them with the rest. I posted a couple of pictures.

The photos may be a little hard to make out insofar as how much of an improvement this is over where the supplies formerly were. Before, it was hard to get to them because the plastic shelves have a sort of overhang and I had to reach in past that and behind other stuff - it was more cramped, and easy to knock things off.

There's another bookcase and a half which in future I'll have. But she needs to get rid of papers so her next wire shelving unit will havd a place to go in the office/library. Then we'll do round 2 of transferring stuff. The shelf I'll gain from that will hold any art overflow, office supplies, and my writing notebooks, genealogy stuff, and books I'm reading.

I'm so excited to have it easier to do art again! And to look forward to neat arrangement of the rest. There will be some streamlining and downsizing along the way too.

Also did mending and moved the sewing machine back to the back room. That will be another place to tackle. Strategies to make it easily useable by either person are what's needed - maybe project trays or boxes.

Ladies, we are ROCKING this new decade!

Hello

Cooking & baking all done.
Taking a break.
Kitchen is a mess but I have some things soaking before I start washing up.
Did a bunch of little this&that too around here.
Twinkles went outside for a short while but came back in saying his feet got cold.
Put some more treats out for the birds.
Other day I gave them an apple and a pear cut in half and next morning everything else was still out there but both halves of the pear were gone.
Maybe I have another fuzzy tailed wood rat???
They seem to be quite fond of fruit like peaches and apricots.

Good Morning Everyone
"Clink!"

Hi CriticalMass
Big ((((HUGS)))) for kitty.
Soon he will be back home.

Enjoy the break in the weather.
Glad you two went and saw the movie. Always better at a theatre. 🙂

Hi Subclinical
I feel you did fantastic!
As long as you have some clean clothes and a clean coffee mug you did good.
((((HUG))))
Some times we just have to give in and allow all our emotions free range.

Hi Tatoulia
Yes, catching up on laundry always feels so good. 😀
YEA! for your fresh clean throw.
I need to wash the cat's couch quilt soon. ;p
Good luck with your plans & puttering today.

On dark dreary days here I have been turning on little night lights.
The diningroom area has a pink salt lamp and my room has a small Tiffany turtle lamp, the bathroom has a hummingbird light.
For some reason these little night lights are helping me endure the darkness.

My plan for today is to cook and bake some real food.
A kielbasa, rice and veggie dish and some corn bread.
Then clean the kitchen.

Good morning!

Tillie the three smallish loads must have been very satisfying! I am washing my throw right now, as I had put it on kitty's because and now it's all kittyed up. I'll put it back on my couch when I bring it up. Happy to hear you could use the bathroom in peace.

SubC, sorry about the crying I hope you are feeling a bit more like yourself today. You've been working on the evaluations and you let go of some yarn! Those are excellent accomplishments!!!!

CM I bet you know already that I love your black kitty! My black kitty doesn't sit in boxes, which strikes me as odd. But she lived under a porch for a long time and she still seems to enjoy sitting under things.

Today will be laundry and puttering. I have to get the remaining Christmas things put away and think about how to lighten up my apartment. It's a bit dreary today and 30 degrees colder than yesterday!

I'll report back soon!

Good luck with the kitty dentist CM.

Tatoulia, I will be eagerly awaiting the laundry report.

Things I didn't do this weekend:
Enough evaluations
Catch up on laundry
Catch up on dishes
Clean off the scullery counter
Take down the Christmas tree
Lesson plans

Things I did too much
Watch videos
Snack
Cry

It isn't supposed to rain today
And I start my pottery class.

Dd2 took nine small skeins of yarn with her to work on a project.

Hi

Seems like the lull period from between Christmas and New Year's and a little ways beyond is feeling over. Ordinary life, scheduled commitments, etc. are picking up the pace. I was enjoying drifting with less of a set agenda and using that time on our organizational project.

Tonight we are removing the pet water and food bowls since tomorrow morning our kitty boy goes in for his dental. The cats are sensing the bustle, then going to look for the food and it's not there.

We had that rain then snow then cold but the system is passing on out and we're supposed to get 50s temps MTW. After that maybe not so nice.

Roommate and I went to see Star Wars IX. I liked it better than I thought I would. None of these last three movies will be what the previous six were. But there did seem to be more character development.

Glad you liked the picture of our little girl cat. Tried to figure out a way to upload one of the boy but with my new computer system I must tweak things a bit. It would be quicker to snap a shot of him with my new phone and use the IG app.

I'm kitty's ride home from the vet's tomorrow so I'll work some more on my bedroom art supply organizing in the interim until time to pick him up.

SubC, I'm a Jill of all trades, LOL. I will see about posting more of my artwork on Instagram when I can photograph it.

Good Evening Everybody

Hey CriticalMass
I see a beautiful black kitty! 😀

Hi Subclinical
So glad you had a restful night's sleep. 🙂
YEA!!! for just hanging out, taking a day off!
Good luck getting evaluations all caught up.

WAY TO GO!
Your diet plan and not eating after eight are paying off.
Good idea to weigh on just Saturday morning to get a good picture of where you're at.

Hi Tatoulia
Sounds like you & your Mom had a pleasant day out.
Coffee in the car sounds fun too. 😉

WAY TO GO! for laundry, recycling and puttering!
Hope you and BF get a good night's sleep and wake up refreshed & ready to tackle the week.

Was able to shower & wash my hair without him busting into the bathroom to use the toilet. :/

Did a lot of thinking about a lot of different things today.

Washed my clothes, towels & wash cloths and kitchen linens, 3 smallish loads total.
Have them drying on the racks & hangers in my room.
Sheets will have to wait until there is no threat of rain but the hamper was really full so I just did all the smaller stuff.

I took mom for a ride. We drove all over, to give her some fresh air and sunshine. Afterward, we stopped at BF's and he made us coffee and all three of us sat in the car to enjoy it. Although it's only three stairs into his office, it's three more than mom can do. We also enjoyed coffee in the car last week. After dropping off mom, I again tried to pick up my script from the pharmacy (lots of problems with it) then BF and I had a salad together. He's now feeling too tired to go do mom's groceries so he and I will do tmr night. I'm just as glad.

It seems like a lot of people in my building are out of town, so I just started a laundry. I have several loads to do but I think I'll keep it at just one. I, too, am feeling quite tired.

I have a big box to go to recycling. I am also doing some puttering and it feels great.

What's going on with everyone?

Good afternoon! Again an eerily warm day here. Thank you for helping me to get my groove back! It means so much that you believe in me!!! Thank you!

Good work, SubC on the evaluations and for waking up more relaxed! And yay on the weight loss.

Ugh. Politics. So awful, Tillie. When my BF's parents died, I took my mom to visit. On the way I said, the bad news is everyone will be talking politics. The good news is it's not in English. So we had a good laugh.

I listened to my weight loss CD today. I was thinking of going back to my original nutritionist and then I thought, first start back with her CDs, make some progress, then make an appointment.

So I'm off to pick up mom. I have loads of laundry to do tomorrow, so I'll have a good opportunity to test out the laundry sheets. Fingers crossed.

Good afternoon here.

I woke up on my own this morning and I was not clenching my teeth. Those are both good things.

Yesterday I let go of the idea of accomplishing anything once the cockerals were gone. I relaxed, watched movies, and drank wine and hung out with dh and dd2.

Today I have done my chores and started my evaluations. So far I have done one hour on the evaluations. I made a plan to get this done steadily and reasonably and I think I will need to do 5 hours today to be on track. I may not make it. At the moment I am taking a break to make tea.

Tatoulia, I bet you will be surprised by how quickly you get your groove back.

I lost two more pounds last week for a total of 5. I am going to weigh in every Saturday morning because I expect that to be my low point for the week (Since I let myself drink calories on the weekends). Still keeping to my new food habits.

Good Morning Everyone

Hope today goes smoothly for you all 😀

For me I hope he stays out from underfoot and allows me to move freely about the house.
Also hope he does not keep loudly talking politics at me even though I show absolutely no interest in the subject.
Then I will be able to do something.

Good Evening Everybody

WAY TO GO! Tatoulia! 😀
You'll be back to where you were before the holidays soon.

Can you walk in enclosed shopping malls without temptation?
Last time I went to a mall in Reno the place heavily smelled of cinnamon buns.

Have a good Sunday out with your Mom. 🙂

I gave the birds some crackers and fruit out under the evergreen.
Did cat stuff.
Pretty much just wasted the day.

Ok I walked around the city then stopped up at mom's. She didn't want me to leave, which puts a lot of pressure on me. I'll take her out tmr.

I came home and made myself pumpkin ravioli with brown butter sage sauce. Very tasty. I only made enough for my plate, so I wouldn't overeat.

My feet and my legs are thankful that I walked. They feel like themselves again. So I'm getting back on track!

I'll sleep with my window open and my ceiling fan on tonight. It'll feel great.
Dishwasher is running.

Thank you for believing in me, Tillie!!! I have been walking and about to head back out!!!

SubC I am excited that the store wants to carry your soaps! Just don't spread yourself too thin!

Tillie I ordered the laundry sheets on line, through Earth Breeze. I assume Amazon carries them or other similar products. I have not seen any of these in stores.

Ok off to the pharmacy to try to figure out my meds. I have new insurance. So I need to show patience.

Good Afternoon

YEA! Subclinical!
Half the chickens to feed & care for, plus the big black tree pot and the broken compost lid too!!!

Great they want to sell your soap!
Will you wrap them for selling?
What would you wrap them in?
The ones I have gotten were wrapped in tissue paper with a label "sleeve" around the middle.
The glycerin soaps are always wrapped in cling wrap.

Hello our pudgy out of shape Tatoulia ((((HUG))))
So happy the weather is lovely for you today.
The holiday season is always hard to stay in condition.
Too many times to eat and too many lovely things to eat.
And schedules get too busy with little to no time to get out for strolls.
I know if you can get out for walks you will be happy about your health again. (((HUG)))

Bet I could find those laundry detergent sheets on Amazon if they are not available locally.
The wind picked up and blew in lots of clouds.
So it's now dark, frigid, with raging wind.
We need more snow or rain or Summer will be back to dry dusty deadly drought conditions.

I bought them in fragrance free. I did a load of delicates today; small load so I used half a sheet. Came out very fresh. I'll do sheets and towels during the week and will report back.

There are other brands too but ultimately I went with EarthBreeze. I gave a few sheets for BF to try out.

I'm going for a walk now. It's in the 60s, which is insane.

Omg! Tatoulia, please, please tell me how you like these! They come in fragrance free! Why have I never heard of these things?!

CM, I didn't know you were a painter. That is very cool! I am enjoying hearing about your progress!

It is in the 60's here. Supposed to get up to 70. Blowing hard and raining sideways. Water flowing across the yard. I'm sure we will have more trees down.

The little farmer's market store wants to carry my soap. So, I will need to add make more soap to my week, but it is not a new new thing because I already make soap.

I let go of 8 cockerels this morning - they went home with the farmers market guy. I also let go of the big black 3 bushel tree pot that I transported them in and the old lid to my broken compost tumbler which I used as a cover. I've been trying to figure out how to get rid of that lid, so that was a bonus. The remaining six chickens from the classroom hatch are pullets and seem very happy to have their brothers gone. I am happy to have my feed bill cut in half and not to feel responsible for the cockerels any more.

I really really have to start evaluations, and I really really don't want to.

Good morning!

It's 64F in Boston today. I have one of my bedroom windows open to get some fresh air in!!!

SubC I am grateful to hear that your daughter wasn't hurt in the accident. CM that is an interesting story about your painting! Good that you have it back!

Tillie today I'm going to run an errand for my overseas friend then I'm going to walk. I'm terribly out of shape and I see my doctor in six short weeks. I haven't been walking to or from work and it actually hurt last night. So I've got to get back into the swing of things.

I have a pile for goodwill. I'm going to go through it and see if I should keep anything for my cleaning ladies. The problem is that the main woman wants my stuff, and she doesn't come here anymore. But I'll do a quick look through and make the decisions.

None of my clothes fit. I'm pretty puffy from the season.

SubC I bought a new kind of laundry detergent-sheets. No plastic container they are sheets that come in a cardboard envelope. I'm trying them out right now. They are expensive-about 67 cents a load, I think, but the environmental impact of those huge plastic jugs is too much for me to bear. If I like them, I'll go ahead and order a year's worth, that will bring the cost down to about 28 cents a load, comparable to what I pay for Tide pods. I'm pretty pumped. Each sheet is equivalent to one pod or one cup of soap. I'll keep you posted!!! I bought the Earth Breeze brand. They seem to be a good brand.