That piece of art sounds really cool and unique, SubC. A nice find!

I put on some loud 80s music and got up and forced myself to work. I got just about to the point of vacuuming when Teen came and asked me (nicely) if I could pick up some soup for them, as they had a gift card. So I stopped working and went and got the soup, got us each a drink, came home and made myself a grilled cheese sandwich.

I spent about 20 minutes working. I think, as I look around, I feel slightly lost for some reason, not enough piles??? but I think in 5 minutes, I can straighten the one last end table, so a quick dusting of what's left, and be ready to vacuum. So let me go get that taken care of, and vacuum.

I also brushed both dogs so that there is more hair in the trash and not as much falling off them.

I did it. I dusted and vacuumed. The living room looks almost sparse! She I say, normal (although not decorated). The dog seemed confused when he came in, lol... all the empty space!

I will at some point need to really dust the bookshelves, as I just did the edges. But everything else is cleaner than it has been in a very long time.

I got dinner out of the freezer (because that is what I need to use) and will cut up some watermelon to go with it. I made juice popsicles for Tot and Acorn (and us... lime, yummy). I will vacuum the kitchen/dining room and get the table cleaned off.

I am proud of myself.

I did it. I dusted and vacuumed. The living room looks almost sparse! She I say, normal (although not decorated). The dog seemed confused when he came in, lol... all the empty space!

I will at some point need to really dust the bookshelves, as I just did the edges. But everything else is cleaner than it has been in a very long time.

I got dinner out of the freezer (because that is what I need to use) and will cut up some watermelon to go with it. I made juice popsicles for Tot and Acorn (and us... lime, yummy). I will vacuum the kitchen/dining room and get the table cleaned off.

I am proud of myself.

Keep up the good work, everyone. Not through all of your posts but sitting here in awe of you!

Bf and I had dinner at our restaurant last night instead of museum. Then we sat with mom. I became a little teary when he asked the waiter to take care of me when he's gone. And again when he told mom's kitty to take good care of mom.

Today we've decided to look at our opportunities.

Keep up the good work, everyone. Not through all of your posts but sitting here in awe of you!

Bf and I had dinner at our restaurant last night instead of museum. Then we sat with mom. I became a little teary when he asked the waiter to take care of me when he's gone. And again when he told mom's kitty to take good care of mom.

Today we've decided to look at our opportunities.

Good morning. Tatoulia, I hope opportunities abound for you! SubC, hopefully it will be a good day.

I am off to a slow start too. But I made myself breakfast, and I picked up two items to throw away: an old lanyard that is no good, and the center of a lantern that Teen broke a long time ago. I saved the middle. Who knows why. So added two more items to the Daily Tally.

Tot and Acorn and fam are coming for dinner, so I am going to finish cleaning up the living room today and clear off the kitchen table, which is piled with stuff again. Will vacuum, maybe brush the dogs.

hi SubC! Little bits are good. That's kind of what I'm doing today, although all in one area.

The VHS tapes don't seem to be worth anything, so I am giving them away to a neighbor. I am slightly irritable because Teen invited over a friend that I cannot stand. I do not like this friend whatsoever, but they do not seem to be doing anything illegal etc so I allowed them to come visit Teen and hang out downstairs. Teen has very few friends so I don't want to isolate them further. They might go out to a small concert this evening. However because this friend is downstairs, I am choosing not to go downstairs to do laundry or work on anything down there. I do not want to be around them. #1 I am an introvert, and #2 I do not like them.

I will try and get the living room cleaned up a bit more.

hi SubC! Little bits are good. That's kind of what I'm doing today, although all in one area.

The VHS tapes don't seem to be worth anything, so I am giving them away to a neighbor. I am slightly irritable because Teen invited over a friend that I cannot stand. I do not like this friend whatsoever, but they do not seem to be doing anything illegal etc so I allowed them to come visit Teen and hang out downstairs. Teen has very few friends so I don't want to isolate them further. They might go out to a small concert this evening. However because this friend is downstairs, I am choosing not to go downstairs to do laundry or work on anything down there. I do not want to be around them. #1 I am an introvert, and #2 I do not like them.

I will try and get the living room cleaned up a bit more.

Lila here, gettin' things done...

- sorted and cooked some spinach
- washed the dishes
-cleaned off the stove and counters
- picked up DVDs and video games and CDs from being scattered around one corner of the living room, dusted them and stacked them, and dusted the corner table

I am so tired. I hope if I get to bed early, I will have some energy in the morning to get some more done.

My living room is getting better, but has a ways to go. The end table beside me has a printer on it, and also has stacks of random junk. Markers, pens, pencils, papers, books, candles.... so tomorrow I will try and sort that table.

It will be so nice when this is done. All the things in the Daily Tally that have left my home have made a big difference.

Now if only the dust and dog hair could get under control!

Lila here, gettin' things done...

- sorted and cooked some spinach
- washed the dishes
-cleaned off the stove and counters
- picked up DVDs and video games and CDs from being scattered around one corner of the living room, dusted them and stacked them, and dusted the corner table

I am so tired. I hope if I get to bed early, I will have some energy in the morning to get some more done.

My living room is getting better, but has a ways to go. The end table beside me has a printer on it, and also has stacks of random junk. Markers, pens, pencils, papers, books, candles.... so tomorrow I will try and sort that table.

It will be so nice when this is done. All the things in the Daily Tally that have left my home have made a big difference.

Now if only the dust and dog hair could get under control!

Good morning.

Stayed up too late last night and a slow start this morning.

Good for you getting things done Lila!

It's still rainy here, but supposed to clear up later. The heat and humidity have been really bad. My beans are ready to pick, but everything is wet and I can't stand to be out there.

I still don't know if my friend is coming today or tomorrow or flaking on me. I hope not the third, but her life is a mess, so she'll do the best she can.

There is a craft fair at our former elementary school building today. (It's now a child care program and a lot of empty rooms as the elementary schools were all consolidated into one big building near the housing development sprawl - welcome to rural life.) I don't know if it will be really cool or a few sad tables but I'm going over this morning - it's not quite a mile. If the heat index wasn't so bad I'd walk, but I think I'll drive. If my kids had gone to school they would have been walkers. I did walk ds to scouts there when it wasn't icy or raining.

Dh is playing golf.

Update later.

Good morning.

Stayed up too late last night and a slow start this morning.

Good for you getting things done Lila!

It's still rainy here, but supposed to clear up later. The heat and humidity have been really bad. My beans are ready to pick, but everything is wet and I can't stand to be out there.

I still don't know if my friend is coming today or tomorrow or flaking on me. I hope not the third, but her life is a mess, so she'll do the best she can.

There is a craft fair at our former elementary school building today. (It's now a child care program and a lot of empty rooms as the elementary schools were all consolidated into one big building near the housing development sprawl - welcome to rural life.) I don't know if it will be really cool or a few sad tables but I'm going over this morning - it's not quite a mile. If the heat index wasn't so bad I'd walk, but I think I'll drive. If my kids had gone to school they would have been walkers. I did walk ds to scouts there when it wasn't icy or raining.

Dh is playing golf.

Update later.

the Lila show....

I am feeling stuck. I think it is because almost all of these toys were Teen's when they were little. Just looking at and handling them all is like flashbacks or something.

I put the magnet dolls in a plastic bin. Put the choking hazards in a bag to put away for now. There is not a whole lot left to sort but I am frozen.

the Lila show....

I am feeling stuck. I think it is because almost all of these toys were Teen's when they were little. Just looking at and handling them all is like flashbacks or something.

I put the magnet dolls in a plastic bin. Put the choking hazards in a bag to put away for now. There is not a whole lot left to sort but I am frozen.

episode 3...

I am pushing through, just making myself get up and do one thing.

- vacuumed/wiped out the end table
- put puzzles and blocks in the end table
- put the dollhouse people and furniture in a little plastic bin

episode 3...

I am pushing through, just making myself get up and do one thing.

- vacuumed/wiped out the end table
- put puzzles and blocks in the end table
- put the dollhouse people and furniture in a little plastic bin

episode 4...

95% of toys and books in the living room are sorted and put away. (Have not found the puzzle base)

Questions:

1 - where do you think is best to sell jewelry? I need to sell my wedding/engagement set, which is gold and diamonds. I am looking at online sites.

2 - do you think any VHS tapes could actually be worth money? I saved 6 tapes when I purged, because when I searched them on ebay they looked high dollar. But at the same time, the same tapes are also sold cheap. So I dunno. I am going to look again now, and if I don't think they are valuable they will be donated. If I do, they will be listed for sale.

episode 4...

95% of toys and books in the living room are sorted and put away. (Have not found the puzzle base)

Questions:

1 - where do you think is best to sell jewelry? I need to sell my wedding/engagement set, which is gold and diamonds. I am looking at online sites.

2 - do you think any VHS tapes could actually be worth money? I saved 6 tapes when I purged, because when I searched them on ebay they looked high dollar. But at the same time, the same tapes are also sold cheap. So I dunno. I am going to look again now, and if I don't think they are valuable they will be donated. If I do, they will be listed for sale.

Hi Lila,

My internet was out most of the day. We've been having crazy storms.

Good job on the toys! The toys are hard because they have a lot of emotions attached. Things that were good and were over and visions that didn't come true.

I don't know about the tapes or the jewelry - except that you will probably do better privately than at a jeweler or pawnbroker, but you might be able to get an offer to see what the low end is.

CM, good luck with the dog. I'm glad you got to see your movie.

I've been doing little bits today. The lack of sun was hard. I fixed my iPad stand (wooden book stand, like for a cookbook) and glued the Velcro pieces that I found in my random box back onto Bean's wooden food (I think they came off when dd2 was younger), filled the recycling rack (I think four more days will actually empty the bin, but I might take a break while my friend is here), repotted a plant, my curtain rod arrived and I hung Bean's tractor flag.. That sort of thing.

Hi Lila,

My internet was out most of the day. We've been having crazy storms.

Good job on the toys! The toys are hard because they have a lot of emotions attached. Things that were good and were over and visions that didn't come true.

I don't know about the tapes or the jewelry - except that you will probably do better privately than at a jeweler or pawnbroker, but you might be able to get an offer to see what the low end is.

CM, good luck with the dog. I'm glad you got to see your movie.

I've been doing little bits today. The lack of sun was hard. I fixed my iPad stand (wooden book stand, like for a cookbook) and glued the Velcro pieces that I found in my random box back onto Bean's wooden food (I think they came off when dd2 was younger), filled the recycling rack (I think four more days will actually empty the bin, but I might take a break while my friend is here), repotted a plant, my curtain rod arrived and I hung Bean's tractor flag.. That sort of thing.

Okay, so I am working on the toy sorting.

- pulled all the toys out of the toybox
- vacuumed inside the toybox
- cleaned off Acorn's favorite, the singing piggy bank, and put new batteries in it
- sorted toy pieces into categories; put the kitchen toys in the little kitchen, the duplo blocks in its container, ponies all together in their bag, etc
- donated 6 toys that are small and not part of any kit, mainly, the kind of thing that comes in a happy meal
- threw away 2 toy parts that I have been saving
- put many of the baby-safe toys back into the toybox

Now I am left with some toys that need some kind of organization. The nice toy animals (like SubC has, kind of), some dollhouse people and furniture (I need to look in the garage and see if the dollhouse is there), some other random things. I have small plastic bins in my bedroom I will probably use for these.

I also seem to have lost the wooden puzzle base. The kids play with it a lot. I have all the wooden chunky pieces that go in it, but where did the base disappear to?? Will be searching.

I am going to sort the dress-up jewelry and the my little ponies and take out any items that are small enough for Acorn to put in her mouth, and put them in a quart baggie. I'll save those on the top shelf of the closet to use when they are older, because they go with the kits (shoes and hats for the ponies, etc). I will however be alert to anything I feel like I can donate instead of saving.

Also need a place for the baby books (some are inside my coffee table) and I think I can clean out one end table to store these.

Okay, so I am working on the toy sorting.

- pulled all the toys out of the toybox
- vacuumed inside the toybox
- cleaned off Acorn's favorite, the singing piggy bank, and put new batteries in it
- sorted toy pieces into categories; put the kitchen toys in the little kitchen, the duplo blocks in its container, ponies all together in their bag, etc
- donated 6 toys that are small and not part of any kit, mainly, the kind of thing that comes in a happy meal
- threw away 2 toy parts that I have been saving
- put many of the baby-safe toys back into the toybox

Now I am left with some toys that need some kind of organization. The nice toy animals (like SubC has, kind of), some dollhouse people and furniture (I need to look in the garage and see if the dollhouse is there), some other random things. I have small plastic bins in my bedroom I will probably use for these.

I also seem to have lost the wooden puzzle base. The kids play with it a lot. I have all the wooden chunky pieces that go in it, but where did the base disappear to?? Will be searching.

I am going to sort the dress-up jewelry and the my little ponies and take out any items that are small enough for Acorn to put in her mouth, and put them in a quart baggie. I'll save those on the top shelf of the closet to use when they are older, because they go with the kits (shoes and hats for the ponies, etc). I will however be alert to anything I feel like I can donate instead of saving.

Also need a place for the baby books (some are inside my coffee table) and I think I can clean out one end table to store these.

Good morning!

Lila, I'm glad you made it through. Enjoy some well earned rest.

Tatoulia, we've got you.

My friend's son gets out of prison in three years. He is learning a musical instrument, getting a college degree, working his way through a list of books, and doing various jobs. He corresponds with my daughter by snail mail.

If you think about what you want to accomplish in that time, it will go faster.

Yesterday I worked on (but not in) my studio again. I had another revelation - I have some old kitchen cabinets with a work counter on top. I may have some object permanence issues - when I put things in cabinets, those things basically ease to exist. Also, for YEARS I have been approaching the cabinets as "what can I fit in this space?" Yesterday I asked myself "what do I use in this space?" Then I opened the cabinets.

I found foam that I am always looking for because I never have enough. Enough to share with my classroom! I found two back up blenders. I am always looking for these blenders because I burn them out. I buy them cheaply at thrift stores and was getting concerned because I was down to the two I use regularly and hadn't seen any (or been thrifting much) for a while. I found molds and cookie cutters I forgot I had.

I took everything out of the cabinets. Then i took the shelves out of the cabinets. Then I took the doors off of the cabinets. I filled one cabinet with foam - to be sorted out later - and the other two are now vertical storage for ware boards and spacers for the slab roller that lives on top of the counter.

Those ware boards have been wandering around my studio with no good place to live for 5 years. They would often end up leaning against the front of the cabinets in a stack because that is where I use them, but I would have to move them off the stack and lean them somewhere else until I got to the one I wanted. And of course, I couldn't open the cabinets. Now I can just slide one out! (Imagine your books were stacked flat in front of your bookshelf - page side out - now they are on your bookshelf. That is the level of change.)

I think I am going to send the cabinet doors to the habitat restore. They are plain white. But first I am going to empty and remove the top cabinets so I can put open shelves there. Not soon. After the basement. Unless Dh gets annoyed by the stack. Then he can help take the cabinets down and do the drop.

Also, last night at the pottery studio I talked to a friend who convinced me to use one of the clays I have and can find instead of buying more clay. (He was working the register, so he is a good friend!) and I started a project that I am excited about continuing so I will work IN my studio today.

Oh, also while I was out I dropped the four bags of mixed recycling and two grocery bags of store return plastic.

Good morning!

Lila, I'm glad you made it through. Enjoy some well earned rest.

Tatoulia, we've got you.

My friend's son gets out of prison in three years. He is learning a musical instrument, getting a college degree, working his way through a list of books, and doing various jobs. He corresponds with my daughter by snail mail.

If you think about what you want to accomplish in that time, it will go faster.

Yesterday I worked on (but not in) my studio again. I had another revelation - I have some old kitchen cabinets with a work counter on top. I may have some object permanence issues - when I put things in cabinets, those things basically ease to exist. Also, for YEARS I have been approaching the cabinets as "what can I fit in this space?" Yesterday I asked myself "what do I use in this space?" Then I opened the cabinets.

I found foam that I am always looking for because I never have enough. Enough to share with my classroom! I found two back up blenders. I am always looking for these blenders because I burn them out. I buy them cheaply at thrift stores and was getting concerned because I was down to the two I use regularly and hadn't seen any (or been thrifting much) for a while. I found molds and cookie cutters I forgot I had.

I took everything out of the cabinets. Then i took the shelves out of the cabinets. Then I took the doors off of the cabinets. I filled one cabinet with foam - to be sorted out later - and the other two are now vertical storage for ware boards and spacers for the slab roller that lives on top of the counter.

Those ware boards have been wandering around my studio with no good place to live for 5 years. They would often end up leaning against the front of the cabinets in a stack because that is where I use them, but I would have to move them off the stack and lean them somewhere else until I got to the one I wanted. And of course, I couldn't open the cabinets. Now I can just slide one out! (Imagine your books were stacked flat in front of your bookshelf - page side out - now they are on your bookshelf. That is the level of change.)

I think I am going to send the cabinet doors to the habitat restore. They are plain white. But first I am going to empty and remove the top cabinets so I can put open shelves there. Not soon. After the basement. Unless Dh gets annoyed by the stack. Then he can help take the cabinets down and do the drop.

Also, last night at the pottery studio I talked to a friend who convinced me to use one of the clays I have and can find instead of buying more clay. (He was working the register, so he is a good friend!) and I started a project that I am excited about continuing so I will work IN my studio today.

Oh, also while I was out I dropped the four bags of mixed recycling and two grocery bags of store return plastic.

Oh!
I forgot the other thing i did yesterday.

I had a huge box of half-pint berry baskets in my basement from when Dd and I did a farmer's market 15 years ago. I stuck them in my car, stopped at the local farmer's market on my way to town, and gave them to a vendor! (Another day when I am not going somewhere I am going to buy some sunflowers from him. Maybe as a reward for more progress. They were beautiful.)

Oh!
I forgot the other thing i did yesterday.

I had a huge box of half-pint berry baskets in my basement from when Dd and I did a farmer's market 15 years ago. I stuck them in my car, stopped at the local farmer's market on my way to town, and gave them to a vendor! (Another day when I am not going somewhere I am going to buy some sunflowers from him. Maybe as a reward for more progress. They were beautiful.)

SubC, good work on that cabinet! I can visualize the change and it is good! Also on the baskets to the vendor. It is so much easier for me, too, to give something to someone I now will use it, than to just donate or trash, sometimes.

I enjoyed my peaceful morning, reading on the deck for awhile. It is my day off and I am very happy. So far I:

- unloaded the dishwasher
- took out a bag of trash and a few other trash items to the bins

I am not super motivated (yet) to do more, but I think I will sort the toys. They are all over the living room and some in Tot's room. I want to sort the baby toys and keep them in the living room, and put the bigger kid items in the Tot room. Some will be put away in drawers or on shelves if they have small pieces that Acorn cannot have.

There is also dog hair in clumps everywhere, so I will try to get those vacuumed up too. Tot and Acorn and fam are coming over for dinner tomorrow (I need to figure out what to make, too).

I am doing good on my weight loss (on the other thread) - down 11 of the 20 pounds I set as my goal several months ago. Slow and steady-ish.

I hope to add some things to my Daily Tally, too.

Hope to see more posts today!

SubC, good work on that cabinet! I can visualize the change and it is good! Also on the baskets to the vendor. It is so much easier for me, too, to give something to someone I now will use it, than to just donate or trash, sometimes.

I enjoyed my peaceful morning, reading on the deck for awhile. It is my day off and I am very happy. So far I:

- unloaded the dishwasher
- took out a bag of trash and a few other trash items to the bins

I am not super motivated (yet) to do more, but I think I will sort the toys. They are all over the living room and some in Tot's room. I want to sort the baby toys and keep them in the living room, and put the bigger kid items in the Tot room. Some will be put away in drawers or on shelves if they have small pieces that Acorn cannot have.

There is also dog hair in clumps everywhere, so I will try to get those vacuumed up too. Tot and Acorn and fam are coming over for dinner tomorrow (I need to figure out what to make, too).

I am doing good on my weight loss (on the other thread) - down 11 of the 20 pounds I set as my goal several months ago. Slow and steady-ish.

I hope to add some things to my Daily Tally, too.

Hope to see more posts today!

Hi all - I will attempt to keep this short because already I'm way later to get ready to go to the grocery store. But we know how well I do at keeping things short, lol.

Lila, sorry to hear about the financial stresses. Been there, done that, have a closet full of the T-shirts. It's less often a huge crisis now that I'm on disability with predictable albeit small checks, vs. when I was just struggling along with sporadic jobs and periods of unemployment. And since I came to this roommate situation where I have fewer expenses. It's good if you are able and willing to consider selling the house at some point and downsizing to something more sustainable - get lots of good advice as to what that would be, issues like equity if you go for owning vs. renting, etc. And of course we all have our work cut out for us in terms of reducing stuff. Ain't life fun. But Poco a Poco, we'll get there. You're doing great here lately.

SubC, I definitely have working memory related difficulties with object permanence. Out of sight, out of mind for sure. And like you, I have been aware of the need to switch from viewing storage space as needing to have things stored in it vs. discerning what items are truly useful on a regular basis, taking good care of those, and moving the superfluous on out of my life.

Tatoulia, just sending bunches of hugs, I remember my own boyfriend years ago - early on when he didn't want to come over on a Saturday as we had been in a routine, said he "needed space" and at first I was upset, then I visited the art supply store and bought pastels and ended up spending a satisfying afternoon doing a picture. The whole experience shifted my perspective. Hopefully you will find things that fulfill your soul in similar ways and give you strength.

Roommate went out of town for a family funeral so I'm minding the fort here. This time she didn't take the dog, and I haven't done his care routine for a long time - had thought perhaps I should so I wouldn't forget everything. There are adaptations I make - for example, due to agoraphobia I can't walk him far from the neighborhood, but it's still 100 degree days so short walks are okay anyway. We're managing. The cats and bunnies I'm used to. Then there's the watering of the grass and gardens, that in itself is another big thing. Roommate does a lot more of this sort of routine; I'm more of an indoors gal. I have to write every task on a list and then half the time I forget to look at the list! But I muddle through.

Yesterday I met up with the senior center folks and saw the Barbie movie. People had a choice of about four movies and most went to Oppenheimer or Sound of Freedom. I went for the fluff and one of my favorite fandoms. Even wore a pink top and brought a Barbie doll along as many people on my social media did when they saw it. I'm too averse to my image being posted but I did take selfies just for my own giggles. It was a good break from all the heavy stuff this week.

Maybe I'll get time to do some writing and computer graphics stuff later. But I better get to the store now.

Hi all - I will attempt to keep this short because already I'm way later to get ready to go to the grocery store. But we know how well I do at keeping things short, lol.

Lila, sorry to hear about the financial stresses. Been there, done that, have a closet full of the T-shirts. It's less often a huge crisis now that I'm on disability with predictable albeit small checks, vs. when I was just struggling along with sporadic jobs and periods of unemployment. And since I came to this roommate situation where I have fewer expenses. It's good if you are able and willing to consider selling the house at some point and downsizing to something more sustainable - get lots of good advice as to what that would be, issues like equity if you go for owning vs. renting, etc. And of course we all have our work cut out for us in terms of reducing stuff. Ain't life fun. But Poco a Poco, we'll get there. You're doing great here lately.

SubC, I definitely have working memory related difficulties with object permanence. Out of sight, out of mind for sure. And like you, I have been aware of the need to switch from viewing storage space as needing to have things stored in it vs. discerning what items are truly useful on a regular basis, taking good care of those, and moving the superfluous on out of my life.

Tatoulia, just sending bunches of hugs, I remember my own boyfriend years ago - early on when he didn't want to come over on a Saturday as we had been in a routine, said he "needed space" and at first I was upset, then I visited the art supply store and bought pastels and ended up spending a satisfying afternoon doing a picture. The whole experience shifted my perspective. Hopefully you will find things that fulfill your soul in similar ways and give you strength.

Roommate went out of town for a family funeral so I'm minding the fort here. This time she didn't take the dog, and I haven't done his care routine for a long time - had thought perhaps I should so I wouldn't forget everything. There are adaptations I make - for example, due to agoraphobia I can't walk him far from the neighborhood, but it's still 100 degree days so short walks are okay anyway. We're managing. The cats and bunnies I'm used to. Then there's the watering of the grass and gardens, that in itself is another big thing. Roommate does a lot more of this sort of routine; I'm more of an indoors gal. I have to write every task on a list and then half the time I forget to look at the list! But I muddle through.

Yesterday I met up with the senior center folks and saw the Barbie movie. People had a choice of about four movies and most went to Oppenheimer or Sound of Freedom. I went for the fluff and one of my favorite fandoms. Even wore a pink top and brought a Barbie doll along as many people on my social media did when they saw it. I'm too averse to my image being posted but I did take selfies just for my own giggles. It was a good break from all the heavy stuff this week.

Maybe I'll get time to do some writing and computer graphics stuff later. But I better get to the store now.