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.

Hello! Good evening!

SubC - You are keeping on keeping on! Sorry if it feels like slog, but you ARE doing it! Congrats on the ribbon reduction and the duplo containment!

I must have missed something, SubC. I don't know what is going on with your hand/wrist/brace. I am sorry it is going on. Also, I am interested, because I have many hand issues and some are intensifying recently. I hope things are getting better for you.

I found a discouraging issue this evening. I have not had a rodent problem for some years, but tonight I discovered one in the kitchen area, particularly in a cupboard. So, everything out of the cupboard (which is a good thing, just not conveniently timed -like it would ever be convenient, duh), gloves, mask, bleach...
I will check and work on adjacent areas tomorrow and look for entry points to seal. i feel mortified.

Good morning!
Happy April!
White rabbits for CM

Messi I live in the country. Mice are just a thing that happens. Nothing to be embarrassed about.

Mice and moths - the battle never ends. (The spiders are on my team)

Yesterday I did not keep on. I surrendered my day to a book. I read the whole thing.

My hand issue is a tendon injury. Everything I want to do makes it worse. I want it to get better, but I need to make work for my sale that is in just a few weeks. And I need to get my garden in. And I can't do those things. So I spent a perfectly gorgeous day just reading.

Today I go to work and try to do my very hands-on job with one hand. Sigh.

Birdy's Easter basket arrived and he called me and unpacked it last night. He loved everything in it, which was great.

My last (recently ordered) books arrived yesterday, and a little package of replacement +2 toys. (Also the last ordered) So I will count those in. I also got my paycheck, which was actually a little bigger than I expected (apparently I still get paid for my planning time when I am out - which is reasonable, since I still have to plan for the sub). I looked at my fixed expenses for the month, and I do still have some spending money - even after the overage last month, but I also have some variables coming up, so I am going to try to be more careful with it. I know I will also want to shop from the other vendors at my sale.

Ok, chores to do and a day to put together!

Good morning!

My goat kidded yesterday! She managed everything beautifully on her own while I was gone, and I returned to two sturdy looking kids dry, on their feet, and eating. Best of all, they are both girls! I have not been out to check on them yet this morning.

School went well yesterday, and I stopped on the way home for some groceries and more Easter basket goodies. I bought chocolate rabbits and m&ms at the grocery store and stopped at the thrift store again.

I did much better at the thrift store this time. I spent a little over $5 and got an egg shaped rooster carry container made by Lego (duplo) that will be Buddy's basket. It had a few baby Primo pieces in it as well. I also found a duck themed board book - which I had been wanting for his basket (he loves ducks) and an unopened mega pack of Melissa and Doug stickers for Bean. I will round the baskets out with some gently used hand me down pieces from the basement that are new to them.

I tried to find a little car or animal Lego set in a couple of stores on the was home to give Bean. Everything in the $5 range was character, movie, or video game themed. I bought nothing. I was overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of heavily packaged plastic junk flooding the toy aisles. Apparently the cool thing now is to buy blind packages on a theme and hope you will get something you like. We are conditioning our children to gamble.

I think I just have to go waste time in actual stores every few months to remember why I hate them.

Good morning!
SubC - how exciting about the baby goats! Wish I could see them! Great job with the Easter things. I'm off to enjoy some rain with the dogs before work. Hope everyone's day is good.

Good morning!

The baby goats are doing well.

I did some tasks yesterday that were essential but hurt my hand and then I spent far too much time binge watching a show out of frustration and to let it rest, got hooked and stayed up too late.

Today I have school.

I did find four things to add to the donate pile and catch up some on laundry and dishes.

hello SubC and messi!

Congratulations on the baby goats! So excited for you and that you got two females!

I'm sorry I have not been by to post. It has been a difficult month in a lot of ways. I think things will settle out soon. I was supposed to get my vacation today through next Sunday (except for Easter) but there is too much to do. So I am working, and my boss told me to try and take my paid 3 weeks off in a row this year to get a real break. That does sound nice, but I have to find the right time.

I am hoping my foster dog will be going to a new home soon. She is a shed factory. Also, my son and his family hopefully will move out before winter. His house is completed and will be getting rented out soon. I know he will be taking a load or two to the dump soon, so I need to look around for big things I want gone. That is a motivator.

Hope to be checking in more often and posting on the Tally.

Good morning!

Lila, I hope you get a break soon. The built in breaks and fresh starts are one of the things I love about my job.

I am struggling to get sleep. I meant to sleep in today, but I am awake. I think I need to try to get to bed earlier.

Today I need to work on pottery and also my garden. And my house is a mess. I am feeling kind of overwhelmed and the hand injury isn't helping. Besides interfering with my use of my hand, the brace is a constant distracting sensory input.

I'm just going to try to focus on cleaning up after myself and making things a little better as I go. Poco a poco (right CM?)

My boys are spending the day with their other grandmother, and then coming out here after church tomorrow to spend the night. When I take them home on Monday, we are having a birthday party for heartdaughter. That will be another late night.

I hope the shedding doggy finds a new home soon. Are you going to take a break from having a dog?

Lila, grief is really strange. You can never tell what is going to suddenly pull the rug out from under you.

More than a year after my grandfather died, I turned the corner at the end of a Home Depot aisle, and the man ahead of me who had just passed the aisle was apparently wearing my grandfather's cologne. The scent hit me and my knees buckled.

Today I left home to get away from an aggravating situation I could do nothing about so I took the long drive to the thrift store and dropped my stuff. However, I also went into the thrift store. I had to - books were buy one get one for a penny and I needed Easter basket fillers for my boys.

For the Easter baskets I got each of them a battery operated bubble wand fan - the batteries work and are replaceable - I pushed the buttons through the bag, three books for Birdy (also five books for here) and an awesome chicken hat. I think that is for Birdy, because he loves hats, but it might be for Bean or Dh because they have this chicken thing going on- I wished there had been two hats.

The bubble wands were in a bag with a bunch of other stuff. I kept the (4 actually) bubble wands and a little night light and put the rest back in the bag and handed it to the nice employee who came over to take my cart.

But, I also got three sippy cups and a toddler snack cup (I don't have any travel snack cups, and we ran low on sippy cups when both boys were here) and, two giant bags of duplo.

I couldn't resist the duplo. There were fire station parts in both bags. I don't know if there is a complete fire set, but there is at least a truck with a ladder, a fire, two guys, a fire station garage door, a window, and a roof. It was $27+ tax for both bags and you can't buy just a used fire station set for that little. I called Ds (Birdy's dad) before I bought it.

I think I need to do some soul searching and join your no spend thread Lila, I am buying too much stuff.

Plus, my little dolls came today - one is a replacement, but with the other two, the nightlight, the extra bubble wand, 5 books, and four toddler cups, that is 13 things in. That is a lot of things.

I relate to scent being a grief trigger, too. And sights, because lately I am laying eyes on a lot of things that bring up deep and difficult feelings. Sigh.

Yes, that is a lot of stuff. I think we WANT to get cute and nice things for our grandkids, so as long as there is space for it OR it is going to their house, I think those kinds of purchases are okay to some extent. The no spend is already forcing me into changes, and while hard, it is good. I will post about that stuff on the No Spend thread.

Remember that, like the Tally, you can make the no spend how you want it. It could be no spend in a certain area, or specific store. Mine is pretty overall, except for regular bills and stuff. And this year I am making the Farmers Market ok to spend at. For food, not stuff.

Good morning.

My Dd has Covid, so my boys aren't coming today. I'm sad because I had a lot of cool stuff planned. There is supposed to be an Easter egg hunt party at my house on Saturday too.

I'm going to try to make good use of the day, although my first activities have been sleeping late (6:30 - lol) because I was up at 4 yesterday, and nursing a migraine.

Yesterday I cleaned up a little in the studio. I don't know if you remember the long abandoned glaze rehydration project, but I restarted it (to get another bucket, to clean off some more shelf)

I also started another materials reclamation project, and then halfway through, I stopped myself. I said, "girl, this is taking a lot of time. It is using a lot of water, and when you are done, you will have recycled a few ounces of plastic and you will have a small collection of art material that needs to be stored, costs maybe a dollar to replace, and you won't need this year." And I stopped and threw stuff in a trash bag. It wasn't even my trash to begin with, it was stuff I intercepted at school on its way to the trash.

The glaze project is worth doing. Most of the time it uses is passive. If I just go out there every day (which I should because it will get clean, organized and used!) and spend five minutes on the glazes, it will save me at least a hundred dollars. Each jar is just "fill, soak overnight, shake, (maybe repeat soak and shake), pour, rinse, recycle." And the jars recycle at the mixed bin drop, so it's easy.

Ok, my stomach has settled and my head is just a dull ache I can ignore, so it's time to get dressed, start a load of laundry, and do my chores. I'll go from there.

Today I did laundry and dishes, finished cleaning up from the "clean out the coat closet" project and faced my recent shopping habit.

And I found the bubbles I couldn't find when Birdy was here (I bought a new small bottle and sent it home with him) and a planner that would have. Been ok instead of the one I bought and already wrote in.

I also loaded up the car and dropped styrofoam peanuts at ups, recycling at the park, materials at school (where I also prepped my room for Wednesday classes and fired the kiln), and books, plastic, and work to be fired at the downtown studio. I also glazed a couple of things, picked up my finished work, and cleaned up my shelf.

There are seven new pots. Most will go in my sale.

Tomorrow is going to focus on studio work and getting ready for school. Also keeping a fire going because it is going to drop down to 28 degrees.

I got the last two books I ordered in the mail today. I added one thing to the donate box and have banned myself from reading either book until I add at least one more thing to balance them both out.

Good morning all. Catching up on your posts. Sorry for not posting. Just been busy in a funk and not getting too much done. Happy Spring! I thought I posted about that, but I guess that got lost. The spring weather has been yo-yoing and me too! On a good weather day, I was able to get some yard cleaning done. Glad to hear about all the things you have been up to. Hoping to hear more details about the lean-to project. Sounds great! Lila, thanks f0r sharing about grief and fridge cleaning. It is helpful on at least two fronts.
Today is looking beautiful. Taking care of dogs, then off to work. more later...

Hi Messi, I'm glad to see you.

I am so slow today. (Maybe I should stop writing "today")

I got the end of the year general schedule done for my classes (work cut off dates and firings) and lesson plans for one class.

Then my son's birthday gift arrived. It is used, but it is a used thing I know he wants that you can't get new any more. It required a little work, but after messing with it for two hours it is ready to wrap and ship. (I will put it with Birdy's Easter basket for combined shipping and make Ds wait to open his.)

While I was working on the present, I remembered some tube bread pans that make little loaves of bread in different shapes. I bought them a long time ago and used them for a party for one of my daughters. I remembered how cute they were and kept thinking I should get them out again for my grandsons. But you have to use the bread recipe, and load the tubes just right, and slice the bread, and I also remembered they were time consuming to clean.

Know what else makes sandwiches in shapes? Cookie cutters. Which I have several hundred of (culling those is also on my list.)

And if you cut the bread before you make the sandwich, you can use the rest for bread pudding - which I love.

So I cleared 7 bread pans out of my cupboard - that makes 8 out and two in with the new books.

I then frittered away another hour reading.

I really need to do lesson plans.

Good morning!

I am actually ready for school today! I have been out so long that it feels strange. I'm looking forward to seeing my kids again. And I have a cool new piece of pottery equipment installed in the classroom that I get to show two classes today! (The others are too young or not relevant)

Yesterday I did not go anywhere, so nothing actually left my property. However, I also did not buy anything having given myself a reality check. Today I am going to take some more trash. I am generating about twice as much trash right now, even with buddy not coming and contributing diapers this week. It isn't "new" trash though - I haven't started buying differently at the grocery store, and everything I have ordered has come in packaging that is fully recyclable - except the tape, which I can leave on the boxes even though it ends up as waste in the recycling process. It is just existing trash that has been taking up space in my life and I am realizing that I cannot rescue all of it and still live my life like a sane person. - things that just require too much time to prepare for recycling or cannot be recycled or reasonably repaired or repurposed.

One thing I am changing about the boxes - I use cardboard boxes as weed barrier in my garden. To do that, I DO have to remove all the tape. I have started recycling the boxes that have a high tape to size ratio. If I run out of cardboard, I can get more big boxes from the bin at school. At the moment, I still have a huge pile of cardboard in my studio barn.

I am also collecting some physically large pieces of trash. I am hoping that the lean-to project will come with a construction dumpster, but if not, I may have to find a friend who will put a few big bags of trash out with theirs, or arrange for a limited period of trash pick up. If I go with trash pick up, I will wait until I have several weeks worth of trash accumulated and do it when I can tackle some large, trash generating projects, because it will cost me at least $100 and be a pain to schedule. My choices here are "up to six 40 lb. cans a week, minimum 12 week contract, but sometimes we skip you for no apparent reason, and also some of your trash will end up in the yard - not our problem" or "nothing". The first option was $100 when I did it a few years ago to get rid of some construction debris. They told me they would not take construction debris, but it turned out that if you cut it up into 20 lb lots and bagged it with regular trash, they totally would. - I think they were visualizing a big pile of wood and Sheetrock.

Also if you have the trash service, you can pay ten dollars to have a large item (like a couch or shower liner) picked up - one item per week and you have to schedule it.

Ok, off to my day!

Good afternoon.

Today more of my packages came (I have a dozen little packages that are paid for and will be dribbling in over the next week or month)

+3 bibs for Buddy. His parents just let him get his clothes dirty and change him, but I am tired of scraping applesauce off of his shirt and pants when I get him down from his chair. Birdy brought two of these bibs along on his visit, and they were excellent. The three pack was a dollar less than a single bib (same bib, different store) so..

Even exchange - not broken monkey and not broken lion, +1 giraffe included in set. (We actually only had one giraffe and I think it's nice to have two of each.)

+1 indulgence for myself that I had wanted a while and watched for and found a good deal on and then there was a problem which I think was 100% the sellers fault and they didn't want to accept any responsibility or work with me or even keep their word on an agreement they made by email - which I still had in my email! And after an hour on the phone, they ended up giving me what I had asked for (which was just a 10% discount and not they pay return shipping and I get all my money back, and they get an item they have to toss or discount - which was an option I could have picked). But even though it was still an overall good deal (the discount covers resolving the problem) it left me feeling sad and tired instead of excited.

Which is another reason I shouldn't shop online, even though it is fun to get packages when they are good. I put it aside until I can feel excited again.

Anyway, +5.

Then -2 cleaning out a drawer in the basement.

Also, I had a 66 quart bin of ribbon, bows, and cord in the basement. (thank you for being a place where I can say that without being judged). I sat down with a giant plastic bag, a 16 quart bin, and the resolve to donate the bag and only fill the smaller bin. But that was too optimistic. I got sick of ribbon and filled the 16 quart bin. Not tightly though, it is definitely well fluffed. There is a lot in the donate bag, but what is left to sort would fill another 16 quart bin. Maybe on another day I can get that down by half? I'm not counting any of the ribbon as an item.

I'm also fully aware that my Dd would have tossed the whole bin of ribbon. But that is the same Dd who calls me when she needs ribbon..

I found one of the boys' toy animals in the ribbon bin - one of them must have put it in there at Christmas when I was wrapping things. Dd would say "it's almost April, and they haven't missed it. so they don't need it."

I did not mail Birdy's box today. It won't matter if it is late - his other grandmother is visiting on Easter weekend, so my box would be put aside anyway. Ddil knows I support this choice. I just didn't want to talk to any more strangers.

I'm off to putter around in the studio barn. I can't do much because my hand is still quite bad - I took the brace off to wash two dozen eggs and it was painful even though I was careful - but I'm sure I can find somewhere to feel like I am gaining ground.

Good evening.

I hope someone comes by soon.

I worked on the glaze project and put four empty pint jars and a small container in the recycling.

I have trash and recycling to drop off on the way to school tomorrow.

Good morning.

I have to clean up today because bean and a bunch of friends are coming for an egg hunt this afternoon.

I forgot the trash and recycling yesterday.

Also, I realized that I posted that I had a dozen packages coming. That was figurative. Actually there are 4. One is supposed to come today. It is another "replacement plus extras"

I know what Tatoulia would say about that. I wish she would come nudge me. I am not good at nudging myself.

I need to go to the feed store and post office this morning (still have to mail Birdy's gift.)

I was hoping the feed would stretch to next weekend. But it won't. I really overspent in March! I'm not good at moderation either.

hi SubC, I know that feeling of having stuff to go, but the box/bag is not full... so it stays. I have a thrift store within 15 minutes drive and a trash pickup service though so I have no excuse. Sometimes I just will take the half box and donate it just to be free of the stuff. So do what you need to, maybe put it all in the car at least so it is out of your space. If you find extra things you can take them out to the car to add them, right?

I have no one home with me today so am enjoying the peace and quiet with the windows open.

So far today I:
- juiced some oranges that were needing to be used (one glass of juice, consumed)
- gathered trash and took it out to the bin
- vacuumed part of the living room (work in progress)
- put in one load of laundry

I am gonna keep going.

I think if I saved all the dog hair I brushed off and vacuumed up in the last two weeks, it would take up more space than the actual dog. One of the mysteries of the universe.

Hi Lila!

Dog hair is like chicken feathers. Supposedly chickens only molt once a year in late summer, but my barn is always full of feathers!

So far today I:

washed my heavy wool cape and hung it to dry (think hobbit, not opera)

Unloaded, loaded, and ran the dishwasher

And went outside to level some ground and move six sections of fence (one of my big tasks), which I estimated at about two hours of work. 3.5 hours later I had been interrupted by Dh - who took the week off because I was on break (even though I tell him I don't want him to do that) and had finished only 5 fence sections. However I had also accomplished a significant amount of tree work that I wanted done and which required Dh help - because he decided that was what we were doing today. And I was sore and exhausted because I did most of the fence work before starting the tree work.

So for the last two hours I have accomplished "eat lunch and read online" - I should have gone to the thrift store! I might skip my second big task.

for now I am going to go out to the studio and do a small task.

Oh, the fence leveling involved laying down a lot of cardboard as weed barrier - so that is out of the studio barn space. Small wins.

SubC,

Hobbit, haha!

You got a lot of physical work done, so you deserve to rest and chill! Good going.

Continuing, I:
- brushed dogs more
- vacuumed again
- put another load of clothes/towels in the wash

I also sorted through the fridge and found things that needed to be used up and had them for breakfast and lunch.

Today I started a No Spend, which I intend to extend through the summer - details on the No Spend thread if anyone is interested and wants to join me (you can do a month or a week, however you want!) I just need to get control of my over-buying and the resurfacing habit of stopping at drive thrus.

I did not do the small task.

I got distracted by some clay. I thought "I wonder if that clay is dry?" It was.

I thought "I should put it in a bucket. It would free up that whole piece of shelf!"

I did not have an empty bucket.

But, I could make an empty bucket if I dumped the dry clay into the mixer!

The mixer was full.

But the clay in it was ready to wedge.

So two hours later I have a big bag of wedged clay ready to take back to school, a mixer full of reclaim clay soaking in water, and a bucket drying in the sun.

And new parts of my body hurt.

LOL, isn't that how it goes?? A short task has a way of multiplying! But hey, you got several things done!

I have off work again today, so I plan to get the last few things done like finish vacuuming, wash my sheets, clean up the dog yard. The kitchen is also in need of a good wipe down.

After that, I can sort something to declutter. Maybe a shelf or a drawer, or reclaim some part of my bedroom that is starting to reclutter (like the desk and rocking chair).

I hope you have a good day, SubC!