Lila, ten days in a row is a lot! Especially when you have to travel and be "on" the whole time.

Just try to keep your head above water.

I'm glad you found your tea.my tea tonight (replacing the evening snack habit) is green tea with ginger.

I think whatever helps you make progress - physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually is an ok way to look at things. Matthew 6:21 kind of goes with what you are saying I think. - putting value on things.

Tatoulia, good luck with the dresses! I love vintage clothes.I have a couple of my grandmother's dresses from the 40s that I still wear! And I tend to shop vintage style when I can. I wish I had the body to wear a flapper dress - i would buy one.

I did Mr. Kitty's box yesterday and dropped my recycling today. Mr. Kitty has been using the inside box a lot more lately. I think he's feeling his age.

The counter is still slow going, but it is moving in the right direction. There was a lift the flap book on it that dd1 loved and Bean finished off that was resting in the counter pile on the theory that I would repair it.

The illustrator is still working. It was 4.99 total (free shipping) to have the book arrive on my front porch. I told myself "buy art from living artists" and ordered a new copy which arrived today. The old one has been recycled.

Benefits in this country are difficult. In my opinion and my opinion only, there isn't enough of a safety net for people. Living in a city, I see first hand the issues facing people. I don't have any answers or solutions, but the lack of true support, starting with housing and food, is so painful for me.

Good morning!

Good day yesterday. I got my seeds planted, did some work in my pottery studio, and during a break in the rain, laid out the markings for the proposed grape arbor so Dh can see it and we can discuss the location.

I also had a conversation with the fence manufacturer for my dream portable fencing. I am going to order in the next week and I am struggling with the size of the order between buy less and save money now and buy more and have everything I want and save money long term but be tight for a while. I realize that this is a very privileged deposition to even have the choice.

It might help me with the not buying food with empty calories and stuff I don't need if I just order my fence...
School today. Need to get moving!

Tying that back to the official topic at hand - I think the structure of our society contributes a lot to hoarding issues. Financial and housing insecurities can make you hold on to things both for a feeling of security and "just in case" fears.

Also, things we don't need - like plastic toys and fast fashion - are so cheap and easy to get and heavily advertised, while things we DO need - like medical care, healthy food, safe shelter, and transportation, are expensive.

Today is a working outside with Bean day. I'm not sure which tasks we're going to get into, but I expect to use up some of the stored cardboard and get lots of exercise. He will be busy with his Tonka trucks. (The real metal kind, bought well used at garage sales for my ds who is almost 30.)

We also need groceries. I have a list. I am buying some sodas both for me and Dh, but the rest is produce, dairy, and a loaf of bread because I haven't gotten back to baking yet.

Hi everyone! I'm already late for work!

Jumping in shower then off to the office! I need to gather a goodwill bag tonight. I need to keep moving forward.

Today has gone well overall, despite one small glitch which is now resolved. My bunny was not wanting to eat her morning greens and had a gassy tummy. I had been just about to start the laundry but I took time to care for her. She seemed stable enough in a short while that I went ahead and put one load in and sat back in the room with her. Within a couple hours she bounced back and right now she is finishing her morning pellets. I was able to start a second load.

It's a beautiful warm day. I ate lunch. Late, but not ridiculously so. I have difficulty sometimes with fitting in lunch on busy days, because it's hard to figure out where to break in the middle of tasks. Sometimes it doesn't seem like it will work out. And then I eat very late.

I also got my vitamins and supplements taken with lunch, which is another thing that is too easy to skip but then I pay for it. My supplements are a carefully curated selection of stuff that helps my brain be less squirrelly and my temper more even. Plus they help my energy level. Definitely can tell when I skip or forget them too many times in a row.

I got my fan taken apart, removed the hairball and lint in it, squirted some WD-40, reassembled it, and it works a treat! Really glad to get that done what with the warmer weather seasons approaching. Next "been meaning to" task is sewing those jeans pockets on two remaining pairs.

Wanted to spend more time outdoors but it is already getting on. Had planned on reading my Bible study book, which I'd gotten behind on right out of the starting gate but was catching up. Tomorrow I hope I can make it to quilting later in the morning. Helping roommate the early part. The other ladies had been sick so we were on hold with it.

The quilt Bingo event is this coming Sunday. I'm hoping my cousin can come to it. And Friday I want to figure out a dessert to take Saturday for the setup, even if it's storebought because I'm not on speaking terms with my roommate's oven. It overbakes my cakes on the outside and leaves them undone in the middle, no matter how many tricks I try.

This week's schedule is a bit fuller still but not insane.

Still trying to get my bearings after the disruption of this month. Had another stupid episode with the Zoom doctor appointment, the rescheduled one on Wednesday. Camera on laptop not found error message, it was 30 minutes till the appointment, and I was frantic. Ended up using roommate's laptop. Then this morning was going to see what software glitch could have happened. Googled it, and right away saw a thing about the little camera switch on the side. A lightbulb went on in my head. Sure enough. The button must've gotten slid over when I was transporting the computer to the tech guy about that other problem.

I've just been stressed about that, and slow and fragmented about a lot of other stuff. But there is light at the end of the tunnel, I hope. I will need to do laundry again soon. I'm having trouble settling in to read my Bible study lessons and that drives me nuts because I am interested. I did get the typing and graphics done for the bunny group, a few days later than I intended but it's done.

Next week I hope to make a more focused effort on the clutter, and I can do a few small things to get rolling - it's just been hard trying to figure out the times to do things with a chopped up schedule and inconsistent energy levels.

Lila, I think maybe on the question of idolatry vis a vis material possessions and clutter, I've had similar thoughts and maybe here's a helpful way to look at it. God doesn't want us to worship things that aren't Him, be it false gods or the created goods of the world over the Creator. But what we have sometimes fallen into the trap of something that's not like we're building an altar to our clutter and bowing down to it and sacrificing animals to it - obviously nothing that blatant and absurd - but more subtle, and it can be healed easily enough, that's the good news.

Our attention - yes, perhaps we have placed our attention in the wrong direction at times, and that has shifted our focus away from what is truly valuable. But we must remember - it's because God has all that LOVE He wants to give us, so He is trying to get our attention so He can. That's not to say respect for God's majesty and omnipotence is unimportant. But He made the decision to create, and to create us for love and relationship with Him and others. So He just wants us to be fully present, not scattered and distracted, so we can wholeheartedly give and receive love.

What do you think? I'm not a theologian, these are merely my extemporaneous thoughts.

Good morning!

Tatoulia, did you do your goodwill bag?

Lila, I hope you aren't working too hard. And don't put stuff on the table 😉

I did order my fence yesterday. I decided to go all in. I now have a frighteningly high (for me) cc balance. I have the money set aside though, I just have to transfer it. That is the first half, which is what I planned on. The second half will be due in about 5 weeks when the fence ships. I need to keep my cc clean because I have a really low limit (on purpose - I got this card in my name only when I was first working part time. After a year they raised my limit by $500. I contacted them and told them not to raise my limit again unless I asked.) and if I am carrying more than a couple of bags of goat feed, the second charge will be denied. So I need to pay attention and not use the card unless i need to and then pay it right off. (And in the fall I need to start working on my "replacing my car" fund again.)

It's supposed to be really cold today and start snowing in a couple of hours. Dh and I have plans with friends tonight, but the day is pretty open.

Probably start a fire, catch up on school stuff again (I'm getting more organized) and do more clay work.

I am now very motivated to have a good spring sale!

Hi, SubC

So you pulled the trigger on the fence project - good deal. I wish I had had your money and credit sense when I was much younger...alas. But I think you'll be glad to have it all done at once, because time is money too, and there'll be less disruption. And as far as I'm concerned, you needn't apologize for "privilege" - I think that has become too much of a thing these days, and what has been lost sight of is that if a person is not arrogant and boasting and contemptuous of poor people, one should not feel obliged to apologize just for the sake of it. I know you're humble, that's all that's needed. Take it from a poor person - I have encountered people who were clueless when speaking to me of being "poor" when they make $40-50k a year and upwards, but I don't perceive you that way at all. For what it's worth, my two cents. Lol. Anyway, hope all goes smoothly on the project.

I'm in the mood to putter today. That is good. Roommate and I went swimming yesterday and I would say I'm about midway back from the out-of-shape state post Covid. I swam some leisurely laps instead of merely doing paddling around and stretches like the other day. And I think it has done me good in terms of mood and brain being more on the ball. So I'm going to go over to the hardware store and get an outdoor light for above the side door (I'm the official ladder climber here because roommate has more trouble with vertigo from her allergies). I'm going to see if I can fix that fan that I took apart awhile back, and perhaps other stalled out projects as well. More later.

Yoga, chores, breakfast, fire, a load in the washer, AND I have cleared off one foot of the counter of doom.

Dh leaves recycling/donations/trash on that counter because it is my job to sort them to their destination. This was decided by me, because he does not care enough to sort and will just do whatever is easiest - which used to be throw everything in the trash can.

Then I cancelled the trash service and told him he was welcome to call and get it reinstated, but I would no longer pay the bill, empty the wastebaskets, take out the trash, haul the cans to the road, or bring them back. Nor would I call the trash company when they did not pick up the trash (which at the time was averaging one week out of four)

So now my system is easiest.

He does throw really obvious trash into the bathroom or kitchen trash can - we don't have gross things on the counter. And he leaves the compost on the kitchen counter for me to divide into compost or chicken food - usually in bowls or on a cutting board)

Anyway, I'm going to ask him to put new items on that clear foot so I can address them first and know I am making real progress when I clean something off the rest of the counter.

All I can do right now is bop in to say Hi, glanced at posts but not thoroughly. Lila, I'm sorry about your friends. I knew great relief this week when I was finally able to reach the friend I'd helped hand out Halloween candy last fall, then she didn't decorate for Christmas which isn't like her, and going by her house it was dark and deserted looking for 2-3 months and I knew she has health issues so my mind was going to worst case scenario. It is hard the older we get and losing people becomes more of a possibility.

SubC, I'm thankful your building didn't blow up with the gas leak. How scary!

Thursday was a bit crazy and I haven't finished regrouping really. I was supposed to have a Zoom doctor appointment that morning, but it just so happened that Wednesday evening my laptop downloaded Windows updates. Fine, I thought, and on Thursday morning it wanted to restart to finish them. But then it got stuck. I had to call and reschedule the appointment, then bundle up the laptop and take it down to Mr Tech Whiz at the library. Luckily he talked some sense into it in about ten minutes. I had an enjoyable chat with him and another tech guy, plus while I was thinking of it I got some of the file directory and user profile duplication cleaned up (which had been messy since the original Blue Screen of Death months ago).

Yesterday roommate and I went swimming. It was a cold day, not pleasant to get out in but the pool was warm. Today we went to breakfast with another friend as we do most Saturdays. Then my former roommate needed me to take her to the store and we had a fun time but it was a day of much conversation and I felt a little tired and needing to decompress.

The bunny rescue needs me to do some computer things none of which are hard but the disruption in my schedule plus the tiredness has made it seem harder to get going on. I'm several days behind on my Bible study already too, and there is the quarterly bunny event tomorrow.

I just want to be able to catch up but not in a harried, pressured way, y'know?

Next week will have the rescheduled doctor appointment, a covid shot hopefully, and just trying to stay abreast of the usual things. The weather will be nicer. Once again I'm just trying to find a rhythm and flow with the Lent/spring season activities gearing up earlier this year and me having been thrown off by illnesses and such. Hoping that by the end of next week or the week after I'll feel more in the groove.

Quick drive by. All is well here. I'm not caught up on posts. My friend Emiko was here today and she brought some fun stuff from her recent trip to Japan. We didn't do anything house-wise because I was helping her with her work stuff. I also got a hair cut today. I needed one before my mother died so can you imagine how long it had gotten in the past 2-1/2 months?

I am feeling well it find myself falling asleep very early. I'm going to go to bed now. I need to clean out my car this weekend. Yes I still have it but I'm not driving it. The exhaust is sounding a bit weird. I want to hurry up and get the exhaust fixed and give it to my neighbor. They will never be able to fix the exhaust so I will do so as a positive thing to get them on their feet.

I'm going to bed now. Very tired.

Hi CM and Tatoulia! Thanks for coming by and checking in.

Tatoulia, I'm glad you got your hair cut.

CM, I'm glad your friend and your computer are both ok.

I got some stuff prepped for my classes today and finished off the last (for now) of my work emails.

I cleared a few more things off the counter of doom and recycled some paper and did some general organization.

And I also started a flat of pepper seeds.

Tomorrow I'm hoping to do onions, leeks, and shallots.

Also Dd is bringing Bean over to play in the snow and spend the night. Dsil has plans all afternoon and Dd is exhausted and nauseous. Which makes me very happy, because it's a good sign that the pregnancy is going to stick this time. She is almost a week further than she was with the other two, and with those she never felt this bad and started to feel better a few days before she miscarried. With Bean she felt awful the first three or four months.

Good evening!

I reclaimed two more inches of the counter of doom and ran another load of laundry and had a good day with Bean.

I also planted onions, scallions, and shallots, but I ran out of seed starting mix before I got to the leeks. I will buy some more tomorrow when I return Bean. I have a coupon for the hardware store next to the library.

And I shelled a box of dried beans that had just been sitting around since I picked and dried them in fall. So now they are ready to cook. I might pull some out to plant this year.

I love hearing about your plantings, SubC! So much fun to think of spring. Cm I'm glad your friend is ok. Lila, how awful to lose two friends. We are here for you.
I slept til noon then hung out in my pjs most of the day. Enjoyed a long call with BF while I had my cup of coffee. Late in the afternoon I walked down to the cat shelter with some towels and a very fluffy fleece bathrobe.

I ordered new down pillows when I was sick and Emiko took my old ones. I told her to wash the pillow protectors before using. She lives my old bedding and pjs because I spend a small fortune on them. It's how I grew up so I can't shake it now.

So I got the bag of animal donations out. Now to get to the car tmr and make some progress.

I did the online task.
Hopefully I did it right.
It took me two hours.
They will either send me a document or a refund of my payment with a note that I did something wrong. Hopefully if it's the second one, they will be specific.

Now I wait. For more than three business days because I chose not to pay for any of their expedited services. I do not know how many more that three business days. With my luck 8-10 weeks.

When I get the document I can fill out the next form.

School is cancelled tomorrow because there is a gas leak in the building. The kiln was running when I left yesterday, but I guess it didn't blow up. They would have told me, right?

Good evening.

Tatoulia, Bean had a pajama morning too today.

Good job on the animal donations.

I am tired from a full (and fun) day with Bean.

We washed some of the windows, and built and played with an extensive village (which we cleaned up and I put away in the basement) and we went for a walk by the creek and played board games, and tried out a new book on record - the record will have to be recycled, but the book is not one I have a different copy of, and listened to his favorite one again. Gave scraps to the chickens, took out the compost, had a chat with the buck..

The counter of doom is basically the same - I dealt with all the new things and a few tiny bits and pieces that needed to be redistributed in the house - twist ties, pipe cleaners, bottle caps, that sort of thing.

Ok, I don't know if this will be a cross post, because it was interrupted by an hour FaceTime with birdy, but I'm just going to post it and head off to bed.

Holy electrons Batman!

They already sent my the document - as a pdf.

Sure glad I didn't pay $300 for next day service!

That was a full day, SubC!

I got my trash and recycling out last night. Changed the cat boxes. I went to the car and it's in good shape. I have a bunch of my mother's dresses from the 50s and 60s and I'm going to try to wash them and see if I can sell them. They are so lovely. We shall see what happens.

Today is a work day and I'm still sitting here in my pjs. I have a meeting at one so will need to shower and look alive.

Good morning!

I'm off to a strong start. Honestly I think part of my problem is that I have a Bean day, and then a recovery/prep day when I am still needing a lot of rest and low on energy, and then a school day, and then a recovery/prep day, and then a school day, and then what should be a recovery/home jobs day, but lately has been overtaken by a (fun, I'm not complaining) activity with Dh or Dd and Bean or a scheduled event, followed by another of the same with the same factors, then Bean again.

Having two days in a row with nothing specific on the schedule feels really good.

I did yoga, my chores are done, I finished the paperwork and walked it up to the mailbox - with a side ramble down the creek to make it over a quarter mile, and I have a fire going in the woodstove.

Last night I made a little progress on the counter of doom, and I anticipate more later today. But to start, it is just a few minutes past when I would usually leave for school, and I am going to sit in front of the fire and catch up on computer tasks (formerly known as paperwork) for my classes.

hello friends, as usual, running around busy. But I took 4 hours of a break mid-day, played with my dog, rested, watched tv, read, and just came and caught up on posts. I am working a ten day stretch without any days off, including 3 days away leading a retreat. I love my work and enjoying it. I'll be really ready for some days off after all this, and things settle down. This is the week I work the most out of the whole year.

I did find my lost tea and will update on the Lost and found thread. I am not losing any weight, am not decluttering much, but am working on my lent stuff and feeling convicted of some of my behaviors that I want to change. Been looking at idols, and isn't hoarding a form of idolatry maybe? Stuff that hinders. No offense meant to anyone. I know hoarding is also and emotional and mental issue not always within our control. But I am trying to think about it in a way that helps me change.

I will be gone all weekend so see ya when I get back, probably.

hello, it's the elusive Lila here. Reading and catching up after a very busy week.

SubC, I know about dreaded tasks, paperwork, phone calls. It is no fun but it does feel so good once we finish.

CM, I have never heard of the Gesima Sundays, but I really like the idea! I will make a note to look into this for next year. I got a Lenten devotional this year, which has a short one page reading and then 2 pages to journal, from Ash Weds through Holy Week. I am enjoying it so far.

Tatoulia, the table is pretty important. But also overwhelming. It is still not cleared, but I will work on it today a bit, as it is my day off.

I am emotionally drained from people dying and from stress. I have a big "away" event next weekend and I know I will enjoy it but it is bringing up stress in me. It is a group I lead, so I have to be there, sleep there, lead everything. A blessing I enjoy, but my introvert self is wishing I had delegated this.

I am in my bedroom at my desk, because it is a bit overwhelming being with people all day even though I enjoy them. I needed to type in peace without stopping to take markers out of a kid's mouth or do little things they need. The only thing I dislike in here is that typing on my laptop seems SO LOUD. I am not sure if this is because it is on a wooden desk, or because it is echoing from the "hutch" in front of it, or what. Any ideas? Maybe I could try some kind of mat under the laptop?

But the desk is nice, and more organized than piles of stuff on the couch. I can't leave my bin of important papers on the couch anymore, so this is nice.

I accomplished one thing today. I took a pair of jeans I have been wearing anytime I am at home and not working, and I put them in the trash. They had a big big rip in the inner thigh, but who cares when I am working at home? Son noticed it though, so let's have a little self respect and ditch them.

I will be working on my bedroom for a bit and then also the table.

Hope you all are well today!

Greetings oh mysterious Lila. Here is the secret to the table. It sounds easy, but it is not. But it is simple: rule #1 - Do not put anything on it. Even for a minute. Do not let other people put things on it. You may have to find yourself saying out loud to your self - "don't put things on the table."

But all the things in the house are somewhere. They might not be in their best place, but their best place is not on the table, so don't put them there.

The things not in the house should only come in the house if you need them. If you need them, they should have somewhere to go that isn't the table because you don't need things on the table. Don't put them on the table.

Now, take things off the table. At whatever speed you can.

There are a finite number of items on the table, so if you follow rule #1, it will become clear!!

I have managed to clear off all but three chairs in my house by telling myself a chair is not a shelf. (Those three chairs I have decided actually are shelves. Because it would be better if I had a shelf where they are, but sometimes I need the extra chairs - at which times the things on the chairs have to go in boxes on the floor of some other space - sometimes my bedroom.)

Good job getting rid of the jeans! I am proud of you!

Did I miss you telling about people dying? I am sorry.

I do understand the introvert/people thing. The hard thing about being an introvert is that even the people you love become exhausting

I finished a lot of school work, cleared a few items off the counter of doom, and worked in the pottery studio for a bit. Poco a poco.

I like 'a chair is not a shelf', SubC. And I am hoping I can get people to stop putting things on the table. I don't know where they can put things, so I need to make room. DIL has several food items on the table because we are out of room on the counters and in shelves. I need to create more room in the actual kitchen, so the table can stay clear. I have done nothing on this today.

I did get one big thing done today. My phone has been dying. As in, needs recharged constantly, is lagging and glitching... Son2 says it is old (he is older than TotsDad and Son who lives in my house. He was helping me choose a phone online, looking at features and such, and when I chose one, he purchased it FOR me, because he works at a seller, and gets it much lower cost, but cannot be reimbursed (rule for employees) so he said it is an early birthday gift! What a nice gift. I am very excited that in about a week I will have my new (refurbished) phone. I have always bought refurbished or used phones and never have had any trouble. Then I chose a case which I will buy online.

I also helped with the grandkids and tried to do a little in my room. Got my desk cleaned off and organized.

I had not shared but two friends died in the last 2 weeks. They were older friends from church, but both were unexpected and sudden. It's sad for us and for their spouses left behind in shock. I have a funeral to attend tomorrow. Another friend has a very dire diagnosis this week and that is also hard. So I wish I could take a few days off and just be quiet, but I have to work tomorrow and Sunday. I do get Monday as a paid day off.

I am so emotionally tired, though. Teen had a huge meltdown the other day that wiped me out.

Lila, I am so sorry. To lose two friends without warning is a very heavy burden no matter what their age. The emotional load you carry for teen is already a lot.

I am glad you are getting your new phone! (The old one gets recycled, right? Net zero.

I feel like I have done so much today, but it is invisible because it was mostly computer work.

My last thing was preparing to order my garden fencing next week. I really need to do that so that it will arrive before things eat my garden.

ohhh SubC, you mind reader!! Do you know how many old cell phones I have in my bedroom and in totes? I don't either, but I would guess six. I am pretty sure I have never gotten rid of a cell phone except to pass it on to a kid here and there. Maybe I will possibly start to begin to think about doing something with them... maybe?? I will try!

After my last post, I worked on the kitchen table. I threw out a few junk mail, stacked my son's things, pushed all dil's food items onto one spot, put away a few cans of soup and some snacks in the cabinet. I admit I took one box and just chucked it into that storage-like small bedroom. But, now the table is about half cleared.

So that is something. I am tired and I really don't want to go to the funeral tomorrow because it is hard, but I do want to go because she was my friend, to support the family, and to hear the beautiful sentiments. But really I want to curl up at home and cry. Not sure why I feel so low.

Oh, I also made dinner from the freezer. I thawed 2 kinds of soups (when I make soups I freeze the leftovers) and one vegan meal I bought some time ago and never ate. Funny, the kids loved the vegan meal. I didn't. We also had muffins my friend gave me the other day.

I am so tired, drained, and melancholy.

oh, also, SubC, invisible tasks checked off are still progress, and lift something off our plate.

Lila, I will be thinking of you today. I generally don't do funerals, but I went to the last one because it was important to me to let the family know how much I cared. It ended up being a really healing experience. I hope whatever you decide brings you comfort.

Please google "donate phone women's shelter" or "donate phone domestic violence"

The table is half cleared! Now the table will stay half cleared! And get better! And there will be family meals! I have faith.

It's very cold today and it snowed last night. It's not supposed to warm up into the 30s until tomorrow, but I'm trying to get a bunch of stuff done today in case Dd wants to bring Bean sledding. (They have a tiny yard and their only hill is short, steep and ends in the garage door - the parks are full of big kids)

At the moment it's a slow start though.

Dh noticed that 1 - I have lost some weight, and 2 - I have made progress on the counter of doom. Both of those make me feel really good.

Good morning.

CM, my dad always told me god made the mosquitos too. (Btw, I don't capitalize god because the lowercase is more inclusive and direct to me. I mean for it to be a descriptor, not a name because so many people have different names for the same thing, and I feel like sometimes the names become possessive and exclusive - MY God vs. YOUR God. Like ocean vs. Atlantic Ocean - all the "Oceans" are connected. We cut them up and named them. I do not mean to be disrespectful.)

Did you get your ice cream?

I did not do my paperwork task that I meant to have in the mail yesterday. Hopefully I will get it done today. So much on my list! Dh will be very late tonight because he has a dinner meeting. I'm meeting with my summer boss around 4, so I will drive into town. Not too far from her are the post office, goodwill, the grocery store, the hardware store, and the library all in a cluster. It's up the street and back in that order. So I may prep and run some errands.- and mail that form.

I have a lot of dishes and laundry to catch up on, barn work to do, work to check and lessons to prep for school tomorrow, and seeds to plant.

Yesterday Dh informed me that I had split my jeans in the back. Only about 3/4" but you can see my underwear. I want to mend them, but it is right next to the pocket. Apparently I tried to stuff too much butt into them. Sigh.

Bean enjoyed the saw, but he lost interest quickly because it was hard work, and we did not get all the trees cut down. He wanted to stay and play with his trucks in my mulch pile (not great for the "pile" aspect of the mulch, but I can get more mulch.) so we stayed in that area and I cut out a bunch more brambles. He helped me rake out some weeds with his hand cultivator too. He is surprisingly effective and will be useful when it is time to strip beds for spring planting.

I'll report back later on what actually gets done and if there is any progress.