((((HUG))))

Quick check in. I am overwhelmed with taking care of my mother. She had a big, terrible fall on Thursday and I am overwhelmed. And tired. And tired of it. I'm tired of all of it. I'm so tired. Mentally exhausted from taking care of another human being. I'm tired of the noise of her clutter. I'm tired and overwhelmed and truly am sick of being in charge.

Hi 🙂

We discovered that once there are a lot of posts in one thread that that thread is very slow to load and other frustrating things.
So, now we make a fresh new thread once the previous one gets a lot of posts to prevent that frustration.
That's why we now have phase three. 😀

Thanks for your encouragement. Glad you have better water situation now. I will be going over to phase 3 of What are you doing today, from now on.

Hi cj 🙂

Thanks for the link. Right now the well is working much better since the plumber pulled out a large mass of roots from it, but this is only a temporary fix.

WAY TO GO!!! for working in your kitchen! 😀

Welcome to the message board. 🙂

Tillie, you might find a solution to your water pressure problem here: https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20120527123010AAX4oh4

BTW, I read an older post from you yesterday and used your gameplan to work in my kitchen until late in the evening. Here is what I commandeered and printed from that post:

Unclutter by Tillie

Where to begin...

Here we begin by getting a trash bag and going around for 5, 10 or 15 minutes bagging up all and any trash we see.
Food wrappers, junk mail, broken things, litter, etc. Then take the bag out to the trash can.
Congratulate yourself for a job well done. 😀

Another timed round could be to gather up all dirty dishes and get them to the kitchen.
Then go again to gather up all dirty laundry and get that to the hamper.

Once the litter, dishes and laundry have been gathered up and out of the way it makes it easier to move around and see
where the actual clutter is.

Often we say to start with the bathroom because it is usually a small room and can be completed in a shorter amount of time.
First, put all loose items in boxes or containers.
Clean the sink, tub, toilet and floor.
Then reevaluate the items when you put them back in the room.
Do they belong in the bathroom? Do we use/need this item or can I toss/donate it? Is it worn out/broken/all used up?

Try very hard not to shuffle items from room to room.
As you pick up items try right then to make the decision to keep/toss/donate it or does it belong in another location
in the house.

After you have cleared and cleaned an area defend it daily by routinely tidying it up. This takes just a few minutes and
helps to keep things from getting too overwhelming.

Other rooms are usually done area by area rather than emptying it out completely.

A good book to read is "Buried In Treasures".

`````````````
Well, thanks to you all for your caring attitudes and willingness to embrace this community. I'll be around with maybe and idea or a kind word.

cj

Good morning 🙂

Hi LR2014 🙂
Thank you. 🙂
Hope you got your vehicle back from the shop and it is running perfectly and safe for you for many months to come. 🙂
Also hoping that today you are all rested up now. Happy you are taking care of yourself and resting when you need to. (((hugs)))

Hi Roxie 🙂
Making advanced directives is so very important.
Everybody should make them no matter what their age or health.
Having them written down avoids so many complications, should the need arise.
It is unpleasant to think about these things but I find that once it is done we can have peace of mind that we don't have to worry about ending up in a situation that we honestly would never want for ourselves. (((hugs)))

Yesterday we had a severe weather system move through.
A near by community was hit with a tornado that damaged 6 homes and 5 businesses.
Fortunately no people were injured.
Here the huge black cloud just constantly rumbled with thunder. For 45 minutes it was rumble, growl and crack without ever letting up. It was very interesting and amazing to listen to. 😀
I was feeling sick all day and kept getting sicker & sicker as the day went on.
Fell asleep before 8:00pm and woke up today at 10:30am.
Really needed the rest and feel so much better today. 😀
My plans for this weekend are to continue to rest.
I believe the stress of these past three months has finally all caught up to me.
But now that he is no longer taking pain medication I have given him back his driving privileges and I am no longer needed to drive him around or go fetch his medications from the pharmacy.
I am free!, free at last! 😀

Everybody take care and try real hard to schedule in some fun this weekend. 🙂

Tillie, you are right that it's fun to find more posts here and read them. For me it's like when I lived overseas and the mail came. Yeah!

Hugs all around.

Tatoulia, great to hear even a little bit about what's going on with you. "Beautiful, serene" home. How wonderful!

Tillie, the well situation does sound quite frustrating. Sorry about your thumb; hope it feels much better soon. By the way, thanks for posting that link to the Hoarders show; saw the first episode.

Got my vehicle (mess and all) put into the shop this morning for some repairs; looking forward to getting it back later today. I plan this afternoon to do a little laundry, to work a little on paperwork, and to try to work on making my bedroom look somewhat better. Taking lots of breaks to do sit-down work at the computer, because I'm extra tired today. If I get extra ambitious, I'll probably vacuum a little bit.

Hugs to all.

Hi 🙂

Reading the board this morning was as exciting as when I was a kid, being the first one up on Sunday morning and having the "funny pages" all to myself. 😀

Got as much done as I could yesterday. Still have lots more to do today. Kitchen still with dishes piled up high.
One thing slowing me down is an injury to my right hand.
Cats were out in the yard Saturday, large dog entered the yard, Marty (the cat) ran to me for help, I picked him up to put him in the house, on the way to the door he freaked out and bit me, straight through the ball of my thumb, hurts!
Water pressure from the well starts out strong but within five minutes it is reduced to a very slow flow, even with the pump working hard overtime.
So, I can water plants for five minutes, turn off the water for five minutes then back on again for another five, and so on and so on and so on...
Extremely exhausting and frustration plus I have other things to do rather than baby the well all day long.
Looking forward to the day he goes back to work because him here 24/7 makes so much more work for me. He makes a lot of messes and never cleans up after himself. Once the last surgical would heals and closes the doctor will release him to return to work. He is physically healthier now than before the blood clot incident. 🙂

Everybody keep up all the FANTASTIC! progress, WTG!!!
Love reading all your updates and knowing you are all alright. 🙂

Glad to read everyone's posts. Am not up to posting these days but wanted you to know I so enjoy catching up on things. Everyone is doing a great job!

The one brief thing I'll say about myself is that yesterday someone asked to stop by and I said yes and the person thought my home is so beautiful and serene. I have come a long way! Thank you for your help in getting me to this place. I am working hard daily to keep it up. Thank you. I am a work in progress.

Oooh . . . lots of posts to read this morning. Great!

Yes, Roxie, I was referring to using the online support button to do live "buddy system" work. (And yes, I did make the 2000th post. Do I get an extra coffee clink for that?) Thanks for all your encouragement here. Made lots of iced tea this week, by the way . . . iced tea clinks!

Thanks for the supportive words about my job search 🙂 Sending out more resumes is on the list for today as I have not received any calls or emails yet. On the bright side, it's getting easier to send them, I'm getting better at it and it's making me less anxious.

Karl, Oodles, Lex, LR - Great job taking steps to get stuff done! Love love love seeing progress!

How did I not know you could post pictures here?!

I had a really productive day yesterday so that felt wonderful. This morning my puppy ripped up my tray of seedlings that was on the deck and I'm still trying to move on from that. I salvaged what I could and moved them as high up as possible. My mind just wont shut up. They were marked with little toothpick flags and I can't stop imagining that he ate one and it's going to seriously hurt him. But I've counted them several times and he couldn't have eaten any. I'm trying to stop myself from counting them again so I decided to post. Sigh. My perfect rows of carefully planted and marked seedlings are in disarray. Sigh. I yelled at him and feel bad about it. Sigh again.

Mustering all my energy to stop counting, get dressed, and take him for a hike. It'll do us both good and maybe I'll feel like we've "made up" haha If any of you have OCD and want some exposure therapy I suggest getting a dog! They will give you exposure therapy alright!

Hi again,
Things have been a little on hold (i.e. procrastination and mental fog). With the move, there are many different areas I could choose to tackle. The storage unit is the biggest and most daunting - though I've had some successes here and there. I'm waiting on someone to come get large items, and that person keeps getting tied up with other stuff because he's a mechanic and jack of all trades. So that has been super frustrating.

At the new place I'm living, I could work on putting stuff away neatly. That may be the best project for when my mind is indecisive and lethargic and distractible (thanks, ADD). Just do one section of a shelf at a time or something.

The moving took the months of April and May and put them into a blender of frenzied activity and stress; mentally it feels as if I've lost an entire season, been in a time warp. We had a lot of rainy weather in May, and some nice cool days. Suddenly the calendar has rolled over to June and it's summer and stinking hot and I'm disoriented by it. And not a fan of hot weather anyway. So that is demotivating. I'm going to have to find some workarounds - sort and shred papers in the air conditioning, maybe, rather than spend a lot of time in the metal storage unit that's like a bake oven!

Whoa, lex, that was cool to see the picture of your hard work. I know the thing about throwing out bad food since that happens with me, too. But we do what we can and go on. Congrats!

Hugs and clinks

Hi Tatoulia, Karl, lex, CM, Oodles, Tillie, Roxie, Jess, Diane, bitsy, Dave, and others who may be reading!

Great to get so much work done on the refrigerator, lex!

I spent quite a bit of time the past few days doing "buddy system" work. Worked some on my bedroom and on my "vehicle project."

Looks like this post will be the 2000th post on this thread. Do I win a prize for that? (Ha.)

Happy day to all.

Congratulations! You are my hero!

Hello all! Just got done cleaning the fridge, well most of it! I tried to put a picture up above but I don't think it worked lol.
This was hard because there was A LOT of food in there that had gone bad :\ I feel bad for wasting food like that but glad that it's done 😀

Good morning

WAY TO GO!!! everybody for all your accomplishments, big and small.
They all make a positive difference in your lives. 😀

Yesterday was another wasted day for me getting things done around here.
Drove all the way to Reno and back again.
When I got home I was too worn out to do anything.
Kitchen is piled high with dirty dishes, laundry is piling up, place is really needing attention.
I keep falling farther and farther behind. 🙁
Even though I want to have a "pity party" I will just start doing things to improve the situation.
I will work at one task at a time, eventually it should get better. 🙂

Take care and keep posting! 😀

I cleaned & dusted a shelf this morning. I think I am going to focus something in the morning. I went to work. I got home dealt with family drama and feel anxious and numb so will take another baby step tomorrow morning.

I've been working on sweeping out my room. Move stuff to a staging area, sweep the now-clear floor, then put the original stuff back (but possibly in a slightly more organized arrangement). I'm doing it in stages, one section at a time. I got four sections done during buddy-system time today; maybe I can finish it up before the Tuesday support meet.

Tillie, I wish you well with your well situation. I wish we could send you some of our excess water!

Hi Everybody 🙂

Hi Roxie "clink!" 🙂

Hi CM 🙂
WAY TO GO!!!
For getting some stuff put away and making some visible floor! 😀

Hi LR2014 🙂
Yes, unfortunately you are a water leak pro. 😉
Your last apartment was ridiculously leaky.
Happy you posted and that you are safe where you live.

Yesterday I just sorta slowly puttered around here doing odd jobs here & there.
Surprisingly, I actually accomplished a lot.
Then I played. Took time out from everything.
It's Monday already!!???!! 🙁
Another busy week here dealing with his surgical incision that has an area that is slow to heal and all the other things in life that need attention.
Main issue here is the water well. We just have to have water to function.
Right now we have enough for inside the house but my garden, trees, hedge and bushes are all going to die.
The well is very, very old. Sediment blocks the holes that allow water to flow into the well.
This can be fixed, we have done it before about fifteen years ago, but I need to find someone to help me do this.

Happy June! 🙂

Just a quick check-in. (Hi, CM! Welcome!)

I was very confused a few minutes ago because I didn't see the post I'd written a day or two or three ago. I searched on my computer to see if I'd saved a copy of it. I found it; and then I discovered that the reason the post didn't show up here is that I never actually posted it! Oh, well. Here are a few excerpts, many of which are now outdated.

******

"Hi to Cory, Jess, Tatoulia, Roxie, Tillie, Diane, and anyone else that might be reading posts.

Tatoulia: I, too, am sorry to hear about the passing of your friend. Hugs!

Tillie: I hope you do get the chance to get more rest. Since "water leaks" are something I'm quite familiar with, I'm glad to know that things are drying nicely at that house you're watching. I like your comments about job hunting. And unfortunately, yes . . . there has been quite a bit of severe weather in my general area recently. So far, I myself have not had anything damaged, though.that I know about, anyway.

Jess: Hope all goes well with the job search!

Roxie: I hope the consultation with the cardiac surgeon went well. Iced tea clinks!"

******

Me: I'll post some "me" updates separately . . . but not tonight, because I'm getting ready to try to snooze. Hugs to all.

Hi again!

Call me CM for short, that'd probably work! 😉

I was still grumpy and tired last night at the clutter in my room - but it was because it was out in the way more temporarily, while shelves were put in. I was just tired and confused at the task of putting stuff (keepers, not junk) on the shelves. Been sleep deprived for a few days, that didn't help.

Today I got several items put away and am seeing floor. Tomorrow I'll do the rest and see more floor - that'll be a happy thing! The reason I say tomorrow is that today my roommate will be home and the stuff and commotion will get in the way, whereas tomorrow I'll be able to pull it out to sort and put back neatly. You all will hold me accountable for that, right? 😀

Welcome, CriticalMass. May I call you "Mass" or something shorter? I'm lazy. lol

Hi CriticalMass 🙂
It does help to post what you plan to do or post what you have accomplished, so we can give you a big WAY TO GO!
Putting our plans down in writing helps keep us accountable to try to follow through.
A good way to get past the procrastinating is to pick one small task.
Something easy to do that will not take more than a few minutes.
Then congratulate your self, appreciate the feeling of a job well done.
Very often motivation follows action.
You feel better having made that one improvement so that may help motivate you to do another small, quick task. 🙂

Hi, I'm a newbie but would like to stay active here. I posted my intro on the introductions forum - warning, it's long! I do tend to ramble.

I like the idea of saying what we did today. I'm moved into a friend's to stay and I've been dealing with some stuff I brought with me that still needs to be put away neatly. I got that "hit the wall" feeling midafternoon so I admit right now I'm procrastinating. I hope I won't feel so discouraged as I recover from the stress of the move. It really took it out of me, though I do feel much better now than a couple of weeks ago when I first arrived here.

Good Morning 🙂

Hi Roxie 🙂
(((hugs))) and prayers that this new procedure works miracles for your overall health.
How wonderful to see that fawn!!! 😀
I spend lots of time watching all the different kinds of birds and cotton tail bunnies that visit my yard too.

Was finally able to finish my To-Do list yesterday.
Had so many interruptions, phone calls and him always needing me to "find" something he needed right this minute.
Thought I'd never finish. WHEW! 😉
Today and tomorrow should be slow paced with lots of free time.
Going to be hot so good time to be inside sewing and watching movies. 🙂

TTYL 😀

Whoa, Tillie, sounds like Mr. Tillie has turned some kind of corner. As for you, remember to rest now and then. Hugs.

I sit sometimes on my brother's suburban front porch, to watch. I often see squirrels and birds, especially robins, and sometimes a rabbit. His house is at a road T. One day I was sitting there and a fawn came running down the bottom of the T toward me. He stopped in the road, looked both ways, then went off toward a wooded area at the end of the street. I was thrilled! 🙂