Good morning! (Still, barely)

Goodwin, you are doing a great job. Really. Just getting the trash out can make a huge difference.

Here is my thought on the clothes. Don't just start trying them on. Grab a donate box and start picking things up. If you know it doesn't fit or you don't like it, toss it right in the donate box. You do not have to fold it. It will get jumbled up after you donate it and then somebody else will fold or hang it.

If you think you want it for your trip, and don't know if it fits, try it on. Then hang it up or put it away where you can find it when you pack for your trip. If you know you like it and it fits, put it away. It would be great if someone could help you with this so it is less physically demanding and you can get more done in a day.

Anything not in those three categories just gets tossed into a new pile until you see if you have energy for more trying on and putting away. Keep going until you are tired (or the pile is gone.)

When your clothes have been washed, hang them up or put them away so the pile doesn't get bigger. Keep doing this even after the pile is gone. And here is the last trick to kill the pile - when you get dressed for the day, you have to start with something from the pile (you can make a rule that if the first thing you put on gets donated you can dress out of your closet if you want, but even if you need a dress and the pile is nothing but t-shirts, you have to try at least one thing.)

I am feeling inspired about my body today, so I found motivation to do yoga and clean stalls for an hour. But I stopped after an hour. I tend to binge and become exhausted. I am trying to pace myself instead. I'm working on creating a master planner for myself, and I am going to add daily yoga (or 6x a week maybe) and two weekly hours of barn work to my planning list. "Barn work" will include anything that is not basic chores, not just stall cleaning - including cleaning rubbish out of the barn or projects to improve the barn or repair things. I have decided not to add goals to my planner until i have actually started them.

Good early evening, everyone! Well, it is early evening here.

SubC: Thank you so much for the advice and the encouragement. I'm definitely going to have DH help me with that mountain of clothes. I do have a smaller pile of clothes on a chair that I could easily go through on my own. I'm going to make that a priority for tomorrow. I've started making checklists to keep myself on track with tasks I want to do. It always feels nice to check something off the list.

Today I've been rather busy. This morning DH went fishing. I spend each morning out on my back deck drinking coffee and listening to birds. I have an app that helps identify the birds I'm hearing. I keep a journal each day of the birds I hear and the weather. I was inspired by my late grandfather to do the journal because I found a nature journal that he started when I was young after he passed away. I started it earlier this year. He's been gone a long time, but I just decided this year to start doing it.

I did my PT exercises and managed to walk a mile on the treadmill this afternoon. I still have some things to throw away and put in a donation box. I have a donation box filled already that I've been slowly working on for a while. DH said he'd take it out to my car for me so I could go donate it whenever I wanted.

Good morning.

Goodwin, good luck with your chair today. It sounds like your Dh is really willing to pitch in on this. That's great!

I like imagining you sitting on your deck with your coffee. I start my day with coffee too. Usually sitting on the couch with my iPad (like now) but I'm trying to move to my office and do some journaling and book reading instead of news scrolling. I'm in my office now, sitting at my messy desk. I actually love this messy desk. It invites me to jump in and interact with all the materials and information I left here. A clear desk just presents me with inertia getting started and the feeling that I should try to keep it neat, which doesn't go well with my work style. My mom used to let us leave our toys out and I remember how nice it was to wake up in the morning and go right back to rearranging the dollhouse, setting up paper dolls, building with Legos or playing matchboxes with my brother. Also, the sun rises on this side of the house, and I have fairy lights all around the ceiling.

I'm a little sore from yesterday, but not too bad, so I'm going to try to get another hour cleaning stalls in this morning. I also need to get at least 4 of my syllabi uploaded (pacing myself there too) and probably go to the feed store and maybe out to do some other errands.

Clearing out will probably continue to be incidental and related to papers and trash/recycling I encounter. And I hope to get caught up on laundry and dishes again.

hi SubC, oh yes! We can't forget Alanna! Come back, friend!

I have been working on the closet in the "play room." The play room has a bed, a dresser, and toys. The grandkids play in there a lot and it has already been totally decluttered, except for the closet, which I have not touched in a couple of years. I hate spaces like that, because they are time capsules full of reminders, most of which are bittersweet.

I sorted two boxes and a laundry basket from in there and got rid of more than a dozen things, listed on the Daily Tally. I vacuumed part of the space and then started on the other side of the closet. I opened two large rubbermaid totes labelled "toys." Some of them, I added to the toybox in the room. A few got sorted, repackaged, and consolidated so now instead of 2 full totes there is one, and one empty. I can't remember if I donated anything but I threw away a few trash bits and pieces.

I also saw some clothing folded in there that used to belong to Teen. I am not 100% sure if she still would fit or want them. A few nice hanging shirts belonged to Son (youngest who lives with me), and they are nice work shirts, but I don't know if they still fit him. So, I am waiting til he gets up to ask him and either he will put them in his room or I will donate them. Is it weird that I think they looks so nice that I want him to wear them? I will be disappointed if he says to donate, but hopefully someone else's Son will be blessed by them. Did I mention how nice they look??

Then there are some of Teen's old dance costumes that are fancy and expensive. I actually sold and donated 75% of her dance costumes a long time age and I kind of regret it because Tot would be about the age to wear them, but, I did keep 4 or 5 of them, so I will let Tot try them on when I am on vacation next week. That will be fun!

So all I have left is to finish vacuuming that closet and decide where those clothes go. Well, there is a box of odds and ends on the bed. It is so random. I did sort/donate/toss as I went, but some of it I was like, hmmmm... so I need to sort again and put things where they go or donate them. I have a problem with old phones. There is one in there with a cracked screen, really old. I wonder if it has photos on it? I will check, and then toss it.

Lila, you sound like you are making good progress. Also like you are feeling a bit better. I hope so.

I took care of the truck and went back to my office stuff. I've been bringing things up from the basement to sort through and I filled a paper grocery bag with recycling and a box 2/3 the size of the box of supplies I brought home from school with things to go back to school.

I decided I wanted to use a particular paper sorter in my office, but I couldn't remember where I put it. then I found it. It has a small amount of scrapbooking off cuts in it, but it is holding up a bunch of file folders on a shelf. I'm afraid to look in the file folders, but I need to do something about that shelf and get my paper sorter. I think I have an unused bookend somewhere..

I have an entire two foot long crate full of partly used spiral notebooks. Any kid who doesn't have a notebook for pottery by the first week of October this year is going to be issued a partly used spiral notebook.

Dh is home. He is happy about the clean couches.

Good morning everyone! I'm still a bit sore from falling yesterday and doing exercises. Hopefully, it'll improve as the day goes on.

SubC: Thanks! Congrats on the new grandbaby coming soon! I'm childless unless you count my little dachshund. I hope you enjoy your pottery class today.

Tatoulia: I think that being in clear spaces will help motivate me. I'm going to visit my mom this weekend. She's very much a clean freak, and her house is usually spotless. I wish I'd inherited that trait instead of my father's and grandmother's hoarding trait. I think it's awesome that you have a clean space now. It gives me hope to one day be there.

I have several things going on today. I have to do more PT exercises. I've got to run some errands around town and while I'm out in a cool mall I will walk indoors. I am trying to do 15 minutes of walking a day. I'm preparing to go on an international vacation in October and have to build up my walking endurance. I'm going to a social group ladies' meetup late this afternoon. I've been sort of socially isolated for quite a while now, and I'm trying really hard to make some local friends.

For cleaning today, my goal is to get some order of the junk on my couch. My dad will be coming tomorrow to babysit the doggy while DH and I go to my mom's house. I need to get rid of some things and just sort through other things to put them in the correct places. Sometime before the end of the day, I plan to go to each room and find things I want to either throw away or donate. Hopefully, I'll have time for that.

Have a great day!!

Good morning, everyone! I hope you're all doing well.

Yesterday was a busy day, but I managed to throw away a full bag of garbage. I never got around to cleaning my couch, but that will have to happen this morning. I also plan to go through a couple of rooms throwing away or putting things in boxes to donate. I haven't told DH that I've joined this group yet, but he is taking notice that I am trying. I look forward to getting things more in order. I know it won't happen overnight, or even anytime soon, but I'm determined to make it happen.

Tomorrow DH and I will go to my mom's house (it's about an hour and a half away)to visit with her and her identical twin whom I haven't seen in quite some time. I've missed her and my uncle. What does everyone have planned for the weekend?

Have a great Friday!!

Good morning.

Goodwin, it sounds like you are already getting things more in order if your Dh is noticing your efforts. When I told my Dh I joined a "hoarding support group" he asked "as in supporting hoarding or as in supporting not hoarding?"

My class went really well last night. We do two kiln loads of raku at different temperatures, and a pit firing. Everything I put in the pit came out well and a few things are really good. I had three things in the first kiln. The one I liked least exploded, the one I liked best came out really well, and the other was pretty good. In the second kiln I had two and they both came out fantastic. Nice end to the class.

Today I slept super late. Dh comes home tonight, so I need to focus on all the things I've been ignoring because he cares and I don't. Cat fur on the couch, socks everywhere, empty glasses all over the place (I swear once I drink the water I can't see the glass anymore) projects spread out all over, there's a bunch of packing material from my furniture in his half of the garage, onions drying on the porch chairs, truck parked in the yard with a bed littered with little sticks, mail on the couch...

I did stop by school yesterday and take a few things that belong in my classroom and I dropped two plastic grocery bags of trash from here in the dumpster when I emptied my classroom trash can. (I have standing permission to toss one of those in my classroom can every week)

And I set up my furniture and made myself a little office on the end of the dining porch! The dining porch is 22ft x 7.5ft. One long wall is the original exterior of the house, the other is sliding glass doors with screens. One short wall is also a sliding glass door with a screen (they are all framed by thin strips of drywall and molding) and the other is drywall with high vent windows that open into the "sleeping porch" aka DD's old room - the original open porch ran the whole length of the house. Anyway, I carved 4 ft out of the end with the glass door and put my shoe sorter against the wall, and my Japanese folding table in the window corner with my dog bed (I sit on the floor) and I now have a cozy spot to work with good light and a view of the woods and an overgrown flowerbed (should maybe weed that). The shoe sorter is going to work great for my "piles not files" approach, and since my table (desk) is not in the living room anymore, Dh won't care if I leave half finished projects all over it. For holidays or special events (the only time we use this room) I can close the shoe sorter, clean off the table and fold it, and stick it and the dog bed under our bed upstairs.

Have fun with your mom and your aunt Goodwin!

Wow! Look at all the new posts! Goodwin, what a blessing you are to come here and chat us up. Sometimes it has been the Lila show or the SubC show when others have been too busy, so it is so nice to have you posting often. Tatoulia is an inspiration to us all, maintaining her clean space and helping us with tips and encouragement. CM comes by often but it has been awhile - where are you CM? And Road, I often wonder about Road and where she went and how her son is. That is the basic crew here. Did I miss anyone?

How is Birdy 7 months old already??? I feel like life is just whizzing by. He was just born wasn't he?? But then again my little Star (youngest granddaughter) will be a year old this month. How is that possible?

Thank you for the veggie ideas and for the push to donate the headphones. I put them into one of the donate boxes and had my son put the box in the back of my car. Win!

I am halfway caught up with reading, so will go back and read the rest shortly. I am feeling a bit better, after another Dr appointment, a new med, and a visit to my pastor for prayer.

Good afternoon.

Lila, I'm glad you're feeling better.

I am hoping Alanna will come back too. She wasn't here long, but it was nice having another teacher.

I am feeling tired (emotionally, not physically) and I miss Bean. I'm having trouble working on the things I planned to do today, although I have been motivated to work on my office, it's becoming a huge mess, but it's the kind of mess where I can fairly quickly put my hand on whatever I want. I have managed to add quite a few things to the recycling while sifting through piles and moving things out there from other rooms. I've completely covered the dining table, but we won't need it until thanksgiving. Dh is going to be happy because I will stop piling things on the couches.

I cleaned up the great room (except the kitchen area) and vacuumed, and I cleared out Dh parking space. I need to go sweep out the back of the truck and move it.

hello all. So nice to read about your life, Goodwin, and I am happy to have another friend to talk to! Are you retired? Forgive me if you said so already, because yesterday I went for a re-check at my Dr and they said I have post concussion syndrome and have to take a week off work. I forget things very quickly and am on two more meds now, and I have to rest, also rest my brain, he said. No thinking hard or working out hard problems. I have something this weekend I can't get out of, but aside from that am not working. I am mid 50s with a bunch of grown up children, Teen being the youngest. She will be 20 next summer but I guess they are always our babies in a way so will stay Teen until I think of a better name for her. I will wait for her to recover from addiction to give her a nice name here. Like Victory or something.

SubC, your goats screaming like women crack me up! I can imagine you oversleeping and being jolted awake by screaming goats, running out to feed them so the police won't come! Smart goats! I am sad you won't see Bean for 3 whole weeks. I forgot or missed why?

I am home today trying to rest but also do things. I have a lot of produce people have kindly given me, and I would like suggestions from anyone on what you would make with these items. We have already eaten our fill 'as is' and in sandwiches, and I have to do something with them before they start going bad:

box of tomatoes
large bag of cucumbers
chinese, or Japanese eggplants
big zucchinis and yellow summer squashes
big bunches of gorgeous, tall green onions

I also would like input on something I am stumped on. I went to try and work on the small storage room bedroom, and managed to find a box I thought had equipment in it, but it is just full of more empty boxes, so that is going out. But then I found headphones. They are the kind with cushioned ear pieces and a mike. No name brand from what I can tell. I thought, "oh, I will donate these! They look brand new!" But when I tried to put them in the donate box, I thought, "These look brand new! Surely someone can use them. Maybe Tot will want to use them when she is in school. Maybe someone could use them for gaming." and I put them back in the room. Help?

Hey all! Hope you're having a good day.

SubC: Thanks! I hope he'll be ok too. So far they said he has covid. That really doesn't explain some of his symptoms. I'm still leaning toward a mini-stroke (he had one not too long ago).

Lila: Thank you for the welcome! It's nice to meet you too. I'm not retired, I'm 43, but I'm permanently disabled due to bipolar disorder and MS. I was just diagnosed with MS this year. I'm a former nurse practitioner.
I'm so sorry to hear about your health troubles. I went back and read what happened. You have been through so much. I hope that everything improves for you soon.
As for the veggies, do you like roasted vegetables? You could cut up the squash, zucchini, and even the eggplant. You can put them in a ziplock bag and coat them with olive oil or whatever oil you have. I mix in salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning, but you could add whatever spices you like. You shake the bag up and get the veggies all coated. Then lay them out on a cookie sheet (I line mine with parchment paper) in an even layer. They roast on 375 for about 30 min. I love eating them just as they are, but you could definitely eat them with rice or as a side. Also, I'm from the southern US, and we love fried yellow squash. I'm not really sure what to do with the green onions. The cucumbers you could try to pickle.
I'm not really sure what to tell you about the gaming headphones. I'm just getting started on my journey with cleaning up my house. I guess my answer would be if you don't know for sure if someone will need them anytime soon, then just donate them.

I still have some things to work on today. I did a quick clean a little while ago. I threw away some old mail that definitely wasn't needed in the living room. In the kitchen, I threw away a bunch of receipts and random napkins that got left there after handwashing. My goal for the rest of the day is to go through more magazines to throw away. Then I'm going to go into each room and trash what I can immediately see that isn't necessary. I'll just have to pace myself because I have expended a lot of energy doing physical therapy exercises.

It's picking up around here! I'm glad!

Lila, you could do squash, eggplant, and green onion in anny Asian sauce you like over rice.

I agree on pickles - maybe just do refrigerator pickles? And tomatoes make sauce, but tha5 is a lot of work. Probably too much for right now.

Hardware changes so fast, I would just ask the younger adults in your home what to do with the headphones.

The goats don't yell in the morning, because in the morning I just milk them and throw them out of the barn (unless I'm really late for milking, but after breastfeeding three kids it takes a crisis to make me late for milking) but they let me know if dinner is late! The police don't come anymore, so hopefully no one will decide to murder me around 8pm.

It has already been more than a week since I saw Bean - his daddy cancelled our Thursday because Bean had a doctor appointment midday. Then he didn't come Monday because Dd has Covid. I'm leaving in 8 days to go to see Birdy, so Bean can't come over because he will still be in the potential incubation period. I asked his Daddy if I can have him on the Tuesday after I get back.

Goodwin, it sounds like you are making progress. Does it feel good to get all those bits and pieces squared away?

I made a very successful to do list for today, because it is now not quite six o'clock and I did all the things on it!

Not all the things I need to do, just the ones I figured I could do today. My shoes sorter cupboard thing arrived, so I think I will try to assemble it. And also cook myself some dinner.

Good evening, everyone! I hope you're all doing well.

I've had a rather busy and productive day. I managed to do all my PT exercises, but I did accidentally fall onto my tailbone on the hardwood floor while going to sit down between sets of exercises. It's still a bit sore, but hopefully, it's nothing serious.

SubC: How old is Bean? Is that your grandson? I hope you get to see him soon.

I went through some more magazines and threw them away. Then I went to several rooms and filled up a big garbage bag with stuff to throw away. It feels good to get things done. Next time I do that I'm going to wear a mask though because I have a lot of dust I'm stirring up.

I've got a pretty busy day tomorrow, but I hope to get at least something done. I'll see how my day looks when I wake up. Goodnight!

Nice job Goodwin!

Yes, Bean is my grandson. He just turned 4. He lives nearby and the longest in his whole life I've gone without seeing him up to now is two weeks. Birdy is my younger grandson who lives out of state and is seven months old. I've only been able to see him in person a few times. Bean is getting a baby brother in September.

I hope your tailbone feels better,

I had to stop reading to reply to Lila. Lila donate the headphones. Donate them. By the time tot will be using headphones the technology will be completely different. Let someone enjoy them today. You will make someone's day by donating them now.

SubC this whole time you've talked about your milk you've been talking about GOAT milk? How the heck did I miss that? You drink goat milk? Not judging, just gobsmacked.amazing. I triply love your life.

Goodwin, what motivates me is to be in other people's spaces where it is calm and clear and peaceful. OR looking at magazines (hint hint) where things are calm and peaceful. . I do better with positive emotions rather than negative ones like shame. I also do great with praise. My sister was staying here quite a bit in the winter and she said that my house is so clean and peaceful that it has motivated her to work on her place. Full disclosure: I started here a long time ago and now have a clean and clear house, which I have maintained since 2018 if memory serves. And vastly improved upon in the last six years. I now have house cleaners who come once a week. Right now I am working on papers from my mother's and some stuff from the trunk of my car so you can enjoy a giggle, I gave my car away to someone in March and I got the things out of the trunk last week. Hey, free car, I get free storage.

Back to reading. Also, everyone is having significant health issues and I worry so.

Yes Tatoulia, goats. Lol.
To review:
Ten goats
36 chickens
Four ducks
Two rabbits
One husband
And an old cat.

I didn't put my furniture together last night.

I cooked dinner and then I ended up on a long call with Birdy, and then I was tired.

I have my last pottery class (taking) tonight and am thinking about leaving early and stopping at school to do some work on my classroom on the way.

More barn work this morning, but I've done a lot of physical labor the last two days and am feeling a bit tired and getting a slow start. I might go ahead and put my furniture together.

LoL. Sure, dropping the 17 off my name!

I do find decision-making exhausting. I get overwhelmed to the point where I stop thinking almost totally. I just shut down.

Oh yeah, he could definitely bring me things to sort through. That's a great idea! Thank you!

It's true, I haven't been taking the time to actually create. I seem to spend time gathering supplies of all kinds for different arts/crafts/hobbies (I have too many), but I rarely seem to get any of the actual art/crafting/hobbies done. I have the time to do it, as I can't work, but I just don't seem to have the focus (which is ironic because one of my MS fatigue medicines is also used for ADHD). It's really cool that you do pottery. I've never tried it before, but I love the results. Do you ever sell your pottery?

I'm definitely going to get DH to help me out by bringing me some things to go through this evening. I'm still trying to get myself to go through some magazines to throw away. I'll let you all know how it goes.

Good morning.

So, Goodwin, how did it go?

I do sell my pottery. I do a few craft fairs every year. I've been trying to expand but can't seem to find the time or get organized enough to apply for shows. I also started an Instagram, but haven't really posted.

I teach pottery during the school year (and run two dungeons and dragons groups and this year I will have three science enrichment classes focusing on mammals and birds with visitors from the farm.)

I spent a lot of time in my studio yesterday. I was really enjoying the process and fell into the "forgot to eat" zone. I ended up having raw carrots and leftover rice pudding at 9:00 at night after chores because I was too tired to cook - Dh is away for work again. Sometimes I wonder what would happen to my schedule if I lived alone and didn't have animals.

I watched a homesteader YouTube video once where the blogger said "I don't have goats for milk. The milk is a happy side effect. I have goats because they force me to get out of bed at a reasonable hour every morning." In my case they are for milk. But they also force me to disconnect from whatever rabbit hole I have fallen into before it becomes two in the morning and I am starving and exhausted. They start screaming for dinner if I am late. Twice the neighbors have called the cops. Not for a noise complaint - the goats sound like a woman screaming and in the right atmosphere it really carries.

This morning I plan to focus on chick pens and then do more pottery. I'm trying to get things ready for my last class session tomorrow night.

Good morning, everyone!

That's really cool, SubC, that you sell pottery and teach people to make pottery. That's a very cool gift.

I managed to go through and throw away quite a few magazines yesterday. I got distracted in the evening. DH's father had to be admitted to the hospital with a potential mini-stroke. He's 75 and has been in poor health for a while. The whole situation is rather stressful for the family.

That's cool that you have all those animals to care for. I have a miniature dachshund that keeps me on my toes.

Today, I have several exercises that I have to do for therapy. That might wear me out, but I aim to go into each room and pick up a few things to throw away. I've started using a sticky note app on my laptop to help remind me of the things I need to do. I'm hoping to keep myself accountable. I think just posting to this site will help me with that.

I hope everyone has a wonderful day!!

Goodwin, I'm sorry about your fil. I hope he is ok.

It's nice to have somebody else who posts in the morning!

Good job on the magazines! The key to this is simple (note I said "simple", not "easy") all you have to do is get rid of more things than you bring in - lol!

Let us know how the trash plan goes.

I cleared out a few papers from an old file this morning while I was looking for some information. I've been trying to stack little things like that throughout my day.

Barn work break is over - carry on!

Good morning and thank you to everyone for the welcome!

I feel like my situation is still salvageable at this point. I've had to have people come into my house for home health and also to set up new internet. I was so mortified that people had to see my house in its current state. That has been somewhat of a motivator for me. This is the first time I've really felt like I've had someone besides my father and DH to talk to this about. My father's situation is worse than mine, and he won't even let me come to his house. I don't want to end up like that. Has anyone else felt like the shame has been a motivating factor to clean?

My hardest problem is my energy levels. I have MS and even though I'm on several medicines to help the fatigue, it is still significant. I have to sort of plan out what activities to expend my energy on. Right now I'm doing some physical therapy and that's knocking out a lot of my energy. I also feel overwhelmed by the situation.

With DH help, the house does stay livable. Our kitchen sink is always pretty clean. I did manage to clean the toilet some yesterday. I've got a box started with things to donate. Today, I will be going through piles of magazines (I do collage art/journaling) and I need to go through them to pull out anything I want to cut out and throw the magazines away.

Thank you again for the warm welcome, and I look forward to getting to know you all.

Hi Goodwin! (Do you mind if we drop the "17"?) glad to see you back!

I wouldn't say shame was necessarily a motivating factor, as the people I cared most about impacting with the hoarding were my kids and Dh. I did do a lot of " stash and dash" over the years when people were coming over - which tended to make it worse.

Do you find the decision making exhausting (an issue for a lot of us) or is it purely the physical demands? The magazines sound like a good choice.

If your Dh is supportive, can he help you by bringing you small chunks of sorting to do sitting down in a comfortable spot?

Also, I would suggest making sure you make time to DO your collage art. I am a potter, and I have been learning that I make more progress in my studio when I schedule time to actually create. I am motivated to toss things by the frustration of not being able to find what I need, but also, as I create small, functional spaces to work, i am better able to focus on what I need and what I don't need.

I have a small farm and spent the morning cleaning out the buck's shelter, but I am actually heading out now to do some studio work.

Oh that is scary, SubC! Harrowing experience. Hope he'll still take it easy today. No need to rush on a Sunday.

I'm glad you are finding things that you need to keep things moving and organized at your house!

I had a good day yesterday. I had a pedicure in the AM, then was going to meet my friend and her daughter at the Frog Pond in the Boston Commons. It was so muggy and when I got out of my pedicure, I was closer to where we were going to meet than my house and so I went to a store to buy some cheap flip flops so I could go in the frog pond to cool off. I then sat in the shade by the frog pond and read my kindle. Lots of people around so no need to be on my guard. In fact, the shade bench had lots of stuff on it and the parents looked at me when I sat down and I said, I'm just sitting here and they said, move the stuff over if you want and I said no, I'm fine as is. Everyone at the frog pond was polite. People were sharing benches and keeping eyes on the kids, etc. there are life guards too. So it was fun. We got reasonably priced snacks from the snack bar (unheard of! All the carts were super expensive). I had a hot dog and the kids had onion rings. Then we went in the carousel which was a bit decrepit but the kids were fine with it. Oh the whole family came not just friend and her daughter. The husband and both kids came. Afterward they offered me a ride home but I decided to walk further downtown to the grocery store and then I took the very crowded subway home. When I got here, after showering, I then competed my mothers paperwork and I have it down to one small bin. All those bins into one. I do have a box to mail to my sister but since it has irreplaceable stuff like my grandmother's wedding invitation, she asked that I not mail it. Otherwise, Done.

The next project is my BFs filing since I have a bunch of his paperwork to get filed.

I had to finally clear out my car trunk. They've had my car since March. Isn't that a hoot? The mom needs to use the trunk so she can take her dad out in his wheelchair. I'm so glad to see them using and enjoying the car. I walked up to their house Friday night and then she drove me home with the stuff. I sorted in the trunk. She said she'd take anything I want to goodwill for me, which was terrific.

And I woke up yesterday AM deciding to down size my mother's wedding china. I don't need a service for 12. I'll down size to either 4 or 6 and sell the rest. It is absolutely beautiful, Minton, and is true porcelain china. Big decision.

That's the news for now. Have reserved a car and I'm taking BF's former neighbor for lunch. She lost her husband a month ago.

Lila, I am now caught up on posts. I am so sorry for what you have been going through. Sending love to you.

Good morning

Tatoulia, I enjoyed hearing about your day. It sounded like a lot of fun.

Good luck on the filing and China.

Dh doesn't comprehend "take it easy" he was clearing downed trees off the paths in the woods yesterday with tractor and chainsaw. He is really fine though. It was more scary than truly dangerous, and mostly because they kept me away from him and badly informed.

I got some work done in the garden yesterday - not much, but some, and threw a few pots and made custard to freeze.

I don't know what is happening today. I woke to find that Dd sent a note at three a.m. concerned that she might have Covid symptoms with a list of possible approaches this morning, but no decisions. I am going to go out and get my chores done in case she picks "mom shows up at my house with a Covid test and waits outside" (not my favorite option.) I may have Bean today, overnight, and tomorrow, or I may not have him at all this week.

Hello everyone! I'm new here. I posted an introduction on another thread. I'm not sure how to get started here. I really just wanted to say hi, and I hope everyone has a great day!

Subc I'm worried about your daughter, keep us posted when you can.

Goodwin! Welcome! Jump right in! You can tell us your situation, what's going on where you live, what you'd like to get accomplished, etc and we are here to support you. If you want ideas, we've got them. There is no judgment here and we will cheer you on and shore you up as needed. This group loves new members so you haven't stumbled upon a clique or other unfriendly group! So chime in on what we are saying and share as much or as little as you want!!! So happy you are here!!

Today I have to get cat boxes clean and garbage out. Having my heavy groceries delivered at 2.

Did I mention I had lunch with BF's neighbor? We had the best time! I got hung up in a drenching downpour and laughed all the way during my walk home. Completely soaked. No umbrella but not sure that would've helped. I have so many umbrellas so I did not want to stop to buy one.

Welcome Goodwin!

Read your introduction. Thanks for posting in here so we'd see you!

I always say, start anywhere. Sounds like you should probably start small - some place you can have a sense of accomplish,ent and not wear yourself out.

Empty your kitchen sink?
Clear off a small surface, or even a square foot of one?
Walk around a room and pick up a bag of trash or recycling?
Stop bringing things in - maybe just today or this week?

What would make you feel better if it was done?

Tatoulia, my Dd does have Covid. She doesn't feel very sick and she's hoping it will give the baby antibodies. But this means it's going to be awhile until I see Bean. He called me and cried because he wants to come spend the night at my house. It's hard for me.

I'm trying to make good use of the time though. I got some garden work done this morning and ran a load of laundry.

hello all. Welcome Goodwin. SubC, your kitchen sink comment reminded me of FlyLady, do you know of her? Tatoulia, I saw the comment to you about 'good luck on China" and I thought wow, Tatoulia is really a world traveler! lol. When I scrolled and read the other threads I saw what it actually meant.

I am home today and trying to organize my bedroom, because the little ones are sick with a cold (I think) and I am trying not to catch it. My eyes are getting slowly better - less light sensitive, so that's good. However last week Teen had a rage episode and I ended up in the ER with a head injury. It has been a horrible week. I am still nauseous and it is hard to work or in fact do anything when your head and neck are in pain. I got meds but still, it feels like someone beat me in the head, which, in fact, someone did. All of this has been quite depressing.

I did something for myself today and went to talk to a personal trainer at a gym for a free consultation. I am very weak, my balance is bad, and I now feel quite vulnerable. I have been thinking about taking a self defense class but I need to build some basic strength and balance first, I think. Being a victim of dv is something I went through 30 years ago and never thought I would go through again. Teen was taken to jail and then inpatient and they are looking for housing, so perhaps there is a silver lining that finally someone is helping. It's sad that it took this to get anyone to help. But they cannot come back here (restraining order) and that is a relief in a way, and a terrible heartache in another way, that I cannot even talk to them at this time. Of you pray, please pray for the situation.

Well, that's all for now.