good morning! I am whupping tired!

"How do you spell relief?" "The chicks are in the mail." (lol, i hope)

SubC, congratulations on a good art show! I hope you have a good day of recovery and a good night's sleep!

I will do my best getting through the day and try not to despair if I don't get some things done because I'm so tired. Going to work is always good, and the radio just told me it's international jazz day! Enjoy!

Good evening!

Hi Messi,

How did your day go?

I tried to get outside a couple of times because it looked nice, but it was too cold and damp.

My farm sitter took the crib mattresses and some other stuff. I had already counted out most of what I gave her, but I am net out three things I hadn't counted.

I also worked on some memory boxes and photos. Not a lot to show there volume-wise, but I did get rid of a bunch of photos that were really bad or of casual acquaintances we have forgotten (like group photos of kids where you can't see my kids' faces and I don't remember any of the other kids)

My dd2 called me this evening with some (not critical or life threatening) bad health news which has me feeling a little lost and unsettled because there is nothing I can really do for her. It's a "manage and wait and see" kind of thing. Also she's waiting for test results. She's coming to visit for Mother's Day, so I can hug her then.

I am tired again, with not much to show for my day. I did pick up the toys in the basement. And do some laundry.

And Dh and I put the new mattress on.

One more load of laundry I need to hang (inside) then not much left for the day but chores, shower, and bed.

There were free books at school today.

I don't even know how many I took. It's a big stack. They are in my car.

Hello. Another late night session. Yikes! I fell asleep earlier and missed going to the grocery and using the last day of some coupons. Darn! and I missed the window to start an art project for my friend's kids and allow it to stage overnight. hmmmm...

I hope you all had a good weekend. We had some beautiful somewhat cool weather here. I treasure this time. The beautiful migrating birds are coming through. It was dry enough that I could get part of the lawn mowed. at least one thing done.

I am having such trouble getting even small things done. So i am trying to count even one thing as progress and use the saying "one by one, things will get done" so as to combat feeling too discouraged.

SubC, how are those baby goats?

Good morning!

Hi Messi!

Goats are doing well.

Books are still in my car. It's like I feel like if they stay in my car they don't count?

Yesterday I went to a social thing in the morning, then stopped by dd1's house to see Buddy (bean and dsil were camping) stopped at school to fire the kiln, and I hit the grocery store on the way home because I also had coupons that were expiring. But I forgot onions, so I couldn't cook the dinner I wanted. I also dropped off trash.

I had plans to do some more things when I got home, but I crashed.

A friend stopped by and gave me some tomato plants.

Messi, sometimes I chant to myself "food, clothing, shelter, food clothing, shelter.." And I try to accomplish one thing in each area.

Like, I ate a piece of fruit, I started a load of laundry, I put something away... dishes can be food or shelter.

Today Bean and Buddy are coming over and I have to fire the kiln again when I take them home.

Good morning!

Lila, how did I miss that you were going over the pond? Have fun!
I bet you will come back with fresh eyes.

I'm glad your shelf is ok now.

Messi, thank you for the good wishes!

I have everything sorted out at school for the school art show on Wednesday, and I ran the kiln before I left yesterday. My booth is set up for the sale today. I think it looks good. (It looks like MY booth - very full with a lot of variety). Sometimes I look at other booths and how coherent and uncrowded they are, and I think it would be nice to have a booth like that, but I would get bored making all those things that are so much the same.

also, I feel like, it doesn't sell if it isn't seen and I don't know when the right person will come by. My booth is more like a treasure hunt. I have most of my stuff set out with 11 pieces in reserve to refill holes today if I sell things.

I might grab one more box this morning. Pricing and packing hurt my hand and I quit Thursday night.

I am going to TRY not to buy anything, but I already fell in love with a mixing/serving bowl last night at set up. It is too big. It would be hard to store and heavy to use, but it is so beautiful!

Ok, I need to milk the goat and do chores and shower and go.

I promise not to buy the mixing bowl.

Good morning.

My sale did not go well yesterday. The weather was good, there were a lot of competing activities in the city, and attendance was very light.

I sold 13 pots - mostly small ones, and came out $50 short of my "worth doing" goal.

I did also buy a vase that a friend made. It was really pretty - wood fired and she developed her own glaze. Dh likes it. That is the only thing I bought.

I can't decide if I should just clear out 26 pots while I am feeling down or wait until I am less discouraged.

Also, I pulled 12 for reworking and I might count those in the 26 because they will not be "new" pots coming in during my next studio session, but I will probably count them instead of trying to remember which were new after each firing (and also because they might blow up and not get counted in again.)

I slept late this morning. Dh went to play golf. Before he left, he gave me a hug and a kiss and said "rest. And don't cry."

Good morning!

I did ok with "rest and don't cry" on Sunday. I only almost cried once.

Yesterday I had a good day with my boys. Now my house is a wreck and I am tired. Slow start this morning.

I did manage to send two items home with dsil permanently, so that is a win.

This afternoon is my donation appointment with the "off site craft storage" (aka charity arts and crafts thrift store). I will not be counting items, but I will count whatever goes as part of my bin count, because everything is currently stored in my basement. I need to sort through paints and markers before I go.

I hope everybody is having a good day. I miss the regular chatter.

Hello. It feels like instant summer here in the midwest. (and me with my spring cleaning not done, lol) Last week temperatures to freeze the buds off the trees and this week temps in the 80s. I was hoping to get the lawns mowed today but it did not happen. There is a lot that is not happening. I think I have spring fever, because I am not getting much done. The longer daylight time is helping, especially giving more times to walk dogs (I have some issues with walks in the dark, pro and con) but I am not taking enough advantage of the light.

Lila, your refrigerator work inspired me and I did some cooking and cleaning out and took a load to the compost drop. congrats and thank you.

Sub C, you always have so much going on. I hope you had fun with the boys! I hope your hand is doing better...

Ok, it's late. I'm going to work on retiring sooner. more later...

Good morning!

Hi Messi! Good job on the compost!

I also took out the compost yesterday. Today I need to take trash and recycling.

I had fun with the boys on Monday. They enjoyed the playset! Buddy loves to climb. Bean helped me put away the Easter decorations - except the things I put on the dining porch and never actually set out. They are still in a basket on the table. He enjoyed the "rabbit hunt"

The dining porch has become a disaster again. Along with the counter of doom.

My hand is not at all better, but I did manage to clean up the living/dining/kitchen area yesterday and catch up on dishes and laundry. Folding laundry is particularly hard on my hand. I told Dh I may need him to do it for a while.

I found two things I could get rid of while I was cleaning up.

I also made some good choices about exercise and nutrition yesterday. I have been letting my self care slide along with my home care (actual self care, like vegetables and brushing your teeth, not new age self-care). The longer, sunnier days are helping. Sleep is still a challenge.

Six more weeks of school! I need to get ready for today.

Happy Friday!

SubC, you are having so much fun with the boys. They will have wonderful memories with you! Messi, good job on YOUR work with the food/fridge/cooking, too.

I have been working long hours but the new fridge shelf has arrived and is in a box on my table! Today I will put it into the fridge. It just occurred to me that it could be cracked or broken in transit - let's hope it is perfect. I still need to do that very bottom shelf... the one with the produce drawers. Then it will be totally done. I did the whole freezer on top of the fridge as well and it is neat and tidy.

Today I have a partial day off so I am going to vacuum, brush dogs, and clean the kitchen. I doubt there will be time for more than that. I am working tomorrow as well for my event this weekend. I am taking Monday off so can rest and do things around the house then.

So glad for the nice weather! Hoping to start working on the yard soon. I hope you both have a beautiful day!

Good morning,

Happy Saturday!

Lila, I hope your shelf was perfect!

I am up early for a Saturday because I have a very full day. I have to get to the studio early for an all day raku firing activity, and Dh is picking me up for a concert. (I have to change at the studio.) I'll be out really late. Hopefully I don't fall asleep at the concert!

My plan for tomorrow is "sleep late, be tired, do a load of laundry". Anything else will be bonus. I'm going to start milking the goat on Monday. - the boys will be on vacation with their parents, so I don't have them until Thursday this week. I am so grateful to have them be such a big part of my life!

I tried to work on my sheets on Thursday this week, but either I already did and forgot, or I hid them from myself somewhere. The clearing out has really slowed to a trickle. Meanwhile, the shopping continues, although I am paying attention to my budget. I need to update both threads.

I have an appointment to drop things off at the arts and crafts reuse store in ten days, and I accidentally invited an old friend over on the 30th. I mean, I knew I was inviting her over, and I would like to see her again, but I just did it because I got caught up in the moment and then I kind of panicked because I'm actually not sure she has ever been to my house, and if she has it was close to twenty years ago, when we all had busy kids and messy houses, and I'm afraid of what she will think.

But that is a problem for future me. Today me is going to fire pottery with friends and listen to music with my husband.

Good morning, good afternoon! It is sunny on this Monday morning. If it stays sunny and the lawn dries, maybe I will get to mowing.

Lila, does your shelf fit? I hope your Monday goes well. I need to do some work on my refrigerator today, and I need to get a shelf for the refrigerator at work. Your work is a good reminder.

I had a bust of a weekend in regard to cleaning. When I am rushing off to work, with everything I see around the house I think, "OH, I wish i had a moment now to do that," but I don't get to much of it when I come home. My Saturday was similar to yours, SubC, in that I went to work, got home in time to take the dogs out briefly, change clothes and drive off to a piano concert. The concert was amazing! and it took some time to slow down from it. I went to bed really late, so on Sunday I was toast... that took a while to pop out of the toaster.

SubC, I hope you enjoyed your Saturday and the music you went to. I hope you enjoyed your Sunday. Happy Monday and happy goating.

Good afternoon!

Messi, I'm glad you enjoyed your concert. Mine was also very good! And I had a great day with my friends firing raku.

As predicted, I was very tired and overstimulated from people on Sunday, but I did wash and dry and put away a load of laundry.

But where I was able to look forward and grant myself grace when I was doing well earlier in the week, when I got to the actual day I just felt lazy and incompetent and like I was wasting my day and should be able to do better. And I cried. Dh was really good about being supportive, but it is just a hard thing for me to manage. When I am worn down it seems like all I can see is the bad stuff.

Today I have loaded two bins worth of stuff from the basement into my car (this is not new stuff, it is the stuff I have been counting out). Plus a tower of stacking drawers that was taller than my head, which I emptied. Some of the emptying was putting things into other spaces I have created, but some was trash, recycling, or craft donate. I am not counting the little bits and pieces of craft donate as outs just like I don't count the little packages of lego as in. I was going to take it all today, but I think I will go tomorrow morning instead. Maybe I will find more stuff to take.

I also bought a doll. I was watching it for a long time, and the auction expired. And then the seller relisted and I was torn because it is an artist that I have wanted for a long time but gave up looking for because they were always too expensive. And the new price was lower than I have ever seen on one, but still high and I thought "if it would just come down 10%, I think I would buy it." And then the seller sent me an offer for 12% off, and there were already a lot of people watching it, and the "looks today" kept going up, and I made a quick decision and spent my "allowance" for the rest of the week. He's a little wooden doll, so he won't take up a lot of space. The carving on him is beautiful - I have his "baby sister" because the baby one was all I could afford when I discovered these years ago.

After I clicked "pay" I went to look at my doll cabinet. There are definitely a few more I could probably part with, but it will need to be on a feeling strong day, because the dolls have a lot of emotion tied up in them about my grandmother. I may need to FaceTime my mom for help. There is also a sunk cost issue. I don't have the energy to sell on eBay, and there isn't really a good place to take them to sell them here.

Other accomplishments today - laundry, dishes, and I moved the buck and his buddy out to the far field so momma goat and the babies could go on pasture and I can separate them tonight and milk in the morning.

Yay fresh goat milk!

Happy Earth Day!!

Good morning!

Happy day after earth day!

My day was so full!

Yesterday I taught, Dh picked me up at school and we went for a tour of the (newish) public radio station building, he dropped me back and we each drove home to find Bean's family having a (planned) cookout in our yard.

Dd and dsil went home after they put the boys to bed and I was in bed shortly after!

Dd had been to the thrift store and bought "gifties" as she puts it, I am up three to record.

The boys are spending the day and being picked up at 5, then I need to price and pack everything for my Saturday sale because I go right after school on Friday to set up.

Sunday I plan to sleep late and be tired again. Please remind me that it is ok. I am feeling so frustrated about my lack of progress everywhere. But the main point is to enjoy my life. If I am not going to cut down work/activities/ time with people, I am going to have to accept that there will be several days a month when I am just too tired to do anything.

I think my hand is maybe a little better - I rested it a lot on Tuesday - and got nothing accomplished because of that.

hi SubC and messi! I am glad you both had a good time at your concerts. I am still trucking along...

My shelf was cracked!!!!! I was sooo annoyed. However they immediately sent me a new one, which is now sitting in a box on the table like deja vu, with me hoping it is not broken when I open it!

So today my goals are: open that box and hopefully install my new shelf, finish washing the bottom part of the fridge (bottom shelf and 2 bins), laundry, vacuum. I also need to get things ready for my trip to the uk next week. I have a dog walker who will be coming in the house daily, so I need to clean up the immediate area, which includes the doom counter. Wish me luck.

Hope you both have a good and productive day! TotsDad is bringing the trailer today to take loads to the dump, finally! So I am looking around thinking about what can go that would not fit in the trash bin.

My goodness! Full days ahead!

SubC, I hope everything goes well at your sale! You deserve that rest on Sunday! and rest is a major act and component for healing. Wishing you and your hand peace and wellness.

Lila, good luck with the shelf and all your trip preparations. Which day do you go and for how long? yay for the load to the dump, even if you don't find something to send.

I am up too late again. So, more later... (hopefully, more EARLIER)

Good morning!

Lila, I am sorry about your garage. It will be gone before too long though. Try to enjoy having your grands right there with you and know that the overwhelming part will be done in less than a year.

I was exhausted last night, but I didn't sleep well.

I need to go to the feed store this morning, and Dh and I have a concert tonight. In between I need to try to work on my pottery. I have to take at least ten things to be surface finished and fired when I go to the studio tomorrow. I have three ready and eight more started.

I might also spend a little time in my garden. Almost nothing has been planted this year. Part of the problem is that I absolutely cannot use a hoe until my hand heals.

Ok, late start to the day as it is, I should get moving.
Looking forward to hearing what everyone does this weekend.

Good morning SubC, messi, Tatoulia, CM, Road...

I had a very productive day yesterday. Lots of laundry, dishes, tasks. I also did check all the planters and found 2 to discard. One has a massive crack almost in half, and the other is one I just don't want anymore.

I also cleaned the top two shelves in my fridge, and realized that the top on is cracked to the point it is about to fail. I looked up whether it is under warranty (of course not) and then searched online for a new shelf that fits this model and is a good price from a reliable seller. I found one and ordered it, and in the meantime, a large tub of yogurt is in the center of the second shelf, supporting the top shelf which could fall any moment.

I got rid of any spoiled food, which thankfully was not much. Washed the 2 top shelves and put everything back neatly. The bottom shelf has dried spills on it so I will try to do that one today. I did all the door shelves last week.

This morning I sorted the top shelf of the freezer. Took everything out, found soup to thaw, jam to thaw, and brioche to snack on. Washed the top shelf and put everything back organized. I'm letting the freezer get back to its proper temperature and then I will do the bottom shelf.

I have not washed out the whole fridge in many years, so this makes me feel good, and also I can use the food I have. Will post more about that on the No Spend thread.

See you later!
cleaned the dog yard.

Good evening!

Lila, good for you cleaning out your refrigerator. I hope your shelf stays up!

I did not work in the garden yesterday. I did do some pottery, but not as much as I would have liked. I also went to the feed store.

Another big project was helping Dh move the playset from out by the pond where we moved it when our kids were tweens back to the yard by the house so the boys can play on it with no/minimal supervision as they grow. Bean will be very excited tomorrow.

Today I went to the studio and finished my glazing from my last class and dropped six things for firing for next weekend. That was as far as I got. I do have one other thing already fired. Hopefully I can finish more of what I started, but I will have to fire it myself.

I dropped off an old towel (it's a standing request) at the studio, but I brought home a candlestick I had commissioned from another potter ages ago, so that's a wash.

I also stopped at the thrift store, where I bought new shoes, a bag of switch covers, and a soft, summer weight flat sheet. I need to thin out my mix and match sheets, but I'm not there yet, so I will just count it in for now. I'm not counting the switch covers, because I am going to use some of them to replace old discolored/cracked ones and then redonate the bag.

Tomorrow I have the boys again.

I feel like I had a productive weekend because I got some things done, but also I now own more stuff and my house is still a mess.

Good morning. I hope your day is restful and you can get better sleep tonight.

Yeah, I am done having foster dogs for now once this one is adopted. I would still consider a short term, like 2 or 3 day, foster, with ability to bring them back at any time. But this is pretty hard with the foster and my own dog not getting along. So although I love the foster, she needs her own family. I still will have my dog that I adopted last summer. One dog is enough.

I am going to a funeral today. It is the third one in less than two weeks. I hope that's it for awhile.

It looks nice out today, so after the funeral I plan to go into the garage and sort a bit, see if there is anything I can toss in the "going to the dump" pile. Anything that I am not keeping that is too big to fit in my car and would not be a hot item for me to sell or give away, needs to go while I have the chance to have it hauled off for free. When I think about/picture the garage, it feels overwhelming because most of the stuff in there is my son's until he moves out, so it makes it very hard to see what is mine or sort things. But I will give it a try.

I also am going to try to lose a few pounds and get back in the habit of taking a walk most days. I have been pretty sluggish lately.

See you later.

Good evening!

Lila, I'm sorry about the funerals.

Did you have any luck in the garage?

I have been looking for my big fat folder of stickers for a week. I wanted to give some of them to buddy in his Easter basket.

This morning I had a new idea of where to look. They weren't there, but I did find the tiles I desperately needed a month ago and then didn't get to do the project, and the missing pieces to something I wanted to donate but was waiting until I found the pieces - so that is in the donate box.

I had almost given up when I saw a clue out of the corner of my eye, and I found the stickers! Just in time.

I gave the boys their baskets after dinner and they liked them. I'm not sure bean was excited about the watercolors, but he LOVES the book. And candy is always a hit. Buddy's favorites were also a book and the m&ms. Buddy found a really cute little bunny in a giant egg at his church egg hunt this morning.

It has been a full day and I have another one tomorrow, so I am going to turn in.

Happy Eater to all!

Good morning!

I am getting a slow start today. It is sunny, but cold.

The boys and I had a good day yesterday and it was fun celebrating heartdaughter's birthday with her.

Bean and I planted a row of potatoes.

I have some updates on the tally and spending thread, but they are not clearing the hoard, so I will just post them there.

Today I hope to make some pottery and also make progress in the studio. I'm feeling kind of stuck again.

Hello! This post started out as good morning, but things happen, and now it is later, and things happen and I have to punt again in a few minutes, but for now - Hello!
Sounds like the holiday was a good day. Lila, I hope you had a good day. I hope you have some kind of break. I worked two shifts on Easter, but it was a good day. I work at my friends' restaurant and I love to see them and my family was not getting together, so it was a holiday with friends.

more later -

Good morning!

I've done that before with posts Messi.

Yesterday I worked in the studio making pottery until my hand hurt too much. Otherwise just trying to keep up with things.

We got an update on the lean-to and it is still a while out. Maybe summer. That gives me more time anyway.

Today is school and grocery store.

Good morning!

I had zero luck in the garage, and it was discouraging. But it was because TotsDad brought over every last thing that was still in his house (tools, furniture, etc) because it is finally done. So my garage is back to how it was before with piles to the ceiling and barely a walking path. I went through the path and looked for things to sort or donate, but his things are now in the way of most everything. So I walked out.

Today I hope to do some sorting, though. I want to look at the planters in my yard and if any are badly cracked, I will put them in the "going to the dump" pile. TotsDad is supposed to take stuff this weekend.

I got most of the basic chores done last night and this morning:
-[dishwasher unloaded and loaded and ran it (needs unloaded again)
- bathroom trash out
- dishes all washed except the crockpot which is soaking
- dirty clothes and towels in baskets (one load is in to wash this morning)

I need to vacuum, and I want to sort and clean the fridge, or at least a shelf or two.

It sounds like you had a nice Easter with the grands, SubC. Hi messi, hope to chat more soon!

Hello. Sunny and quite cool here today. I hope the egg hunt went well and was fun. I am now home from work, and the sun is still shining. So I hope to walk dogs and then maybe do some home things if I have energy left. Dishes, paperwork! Paperwork could go on forever, but I have a meeting on Monday where I need certain records so I really should give it a try to organize a few things for that. Ugh. Wish I could be hunting for eggs rather than papers, lol.
I did take two small bags of clothing to the thrift yesterday.

The egg hunt went well and was fun.

Dd brought me a hand-me-up shirt. Also my box came - one replacement, 4 extras.

Dd did take some of the baby things she had stored here to send to her friend (dd is not having any more kids and there is plenty in the "baby library" for my other two kids). I told her, if it was originally hers she could do as she wished.

I'm not counting any of that out though.

She also helped me sort through the baby clothes and get them more organized so I know what is where. Overall I don't think I really gained any space, but everything is better organized and labelled and less stressful.

Bean used up some paper streamers I had stored in the basement decorating the mailbox so his friends would know where to turn in.

Good morning!

Yesterday I finished the ribbon bin. I got rid of about a third of what was left.

I also pulled the broken bits (there are always a few) out of the Easter eggs for recycling.

I put the new duplos into the bin the ribbon was in (so yes, my "these duplos are costing me a bin of progress" estimate was correct.) - actually, I put most of the new duplos and some of the old duplos into the bin, and the other new duplos into the old bin, which is less full, but a bin takes up the same space wether it's 100% full or 80% full.

And I moved the bins dd1 helped me sort out of the playroom.

That was it.

I feel like everything is a slog right now. And my brace is driving me nuts. I just want to be able to take it off and do things!

At lunchtime I gave up and spent the rest of the day reading. At least if I'm reading, I'm resting my hand and I'm not shopping or otherwise making the situation worse.

Today my boys come! I am happy about that.