Posted: 28 April 2017 - 07:01 AM | |
Hello everyone--I've started a new chapter as the other one is getting unwieldy and this should solve Anony's missing button problem! Tillie, take good care of yourself today. I've asked Dr Scooter and Nurses Marty and Twinkles to check in on you. Porter, your three-day plan sounds terrific! WTG! | |
Replies (682)
| Tatoulia | Posted: 31 July 2017 - 11:12 AM |
Tillie! So good to hear from you! I've been worried about you with the heat. I love your idea re the teacups and having the kitties enjoy the saucers. I know I need to reduce. I need to do a lot of things. Glad to have you all here. I am going to vacuum today and I know I'll feel better once I do. I can feel the hot/humid weather will be here this week. When I went to get my sheets out of the dryer the person still hadn't used the washer--so frustrating--I could have done another load in that time. I need patience. I'll use it on Wednesday when I'm home. Take care dear Tillie. | |
| CriticalMass | Posted: 31 July 2017 - 03:17 PM |
Whew! I'm back! I got the rest of July's posts read, and I'm a bit more with it as well. So my responses encompass things you all have posted since the 16th. Anony - what a wild ride for you with the housing situation! I hope you are able to get something put together that you really like and that works out for the cats too. In the meantime, do be safe on that roof - I hope your phone is working and you have it in your pocket just in case, but let's hope of course that you don't take a tumble and need 911! I enjoy looking at tiny houses; don't know if I could do it, but I like the cozy feel. Brings back memories of camping as a teenager in our travel trailer with Mom & Dad and - bonus points - sometimes aunts, uncles and cousins. As an only child I was thrilled to have that time with my cousins. SubC, hope you are recovering from your "bug" of whatever sort. That remark of your husband's "For or against?" made me laugh. I'm sure someone could ask the same of me! I hope your depression is lifting too. I had some sort of slump too last week. Seemed like there were a lot of sad things in the news, which I sometimes have to avoid or it'll pull me down. I just pray for the world and the people I know having struggles, and try to let go, but sometimes it gets stuck in my mind and letting go is harder. I enjoyed your state fair conversation. We used to go every year to Hutchinson for the Kansas State Fair, especially when my grandma was still living. She entered her crocheting and embroidery and won a few ribbons. My favorite thing of course was the rabbit building. And domestic arts and any of the buildings where you could buy stuff or pick up free stuff, naturally! I used to love acquiring so much stuff! I think now I could resist most if not all of it. I don't know if this would help you with any of your crafty stuff, or anyone else with papers but did I ever mention my tablet app called FastScanner? It's for Android but I'm sure there are iPad equivalents. You can take a picture of a document and it'll make a PDF. I use it for all sorts of things. Or even just a regular JPEG picture with the camera in some cases. It gets me to not keep nearly as much written material. I use it for things like the instructions on a package of something I bought, for instance, instead of keeping the packaging. Or for handouts, pamphlets, etc. Speaking of which, Tillie, thanks for posting that about trash being sorted even by the regular trash service. I would like to recycle a few things but our city doesn't have public recycling bins anymore. The Dillon's stores had 10 of them, and people dumped all kinds of crap, so that ended that. 🙁 Here it's $5.00 extra to have a curbside bin. Maybe when I get caught up moneywise. I'm following the principle of "overcome the hoarding first, save the planet later" for now. Tatoulia, do you paint or do artwork of your own or are you mainly a collector? I probably asked this already, bear with me! I was thinking, if you did do your own art and still wanted to, maybe just do smaller pieces or a sketchbook. I recently got a new portfolio for some of my stuff because the old one was coming apart. I hope, when I have my own place, to construct or buy some simple vertical storage racks. Our moms sound similar - mine was introverted too, though sometimes the nursing home people could get her to go to an activity. But her blindness made it harder to do some things. I sometimes took my keyboard and played music for her. Porter, I bet you are in a state of hyperfocus when you are cleaning! I like the clockwise spiral approach and will probably steal that idea for some of my own. I was thinking of marking off a square foot or two at a time, but clockwise might actually work better in my small spaces. Keep on keepin' on! I like the idea of basic dishes. When I get my own place I may just do white Corelle, and lots of clear glass. Tillie, your solution for your heirloom dishes was unique but I get the point! We do tend to sort of worship dishes too much in this culture. There should be a Museum of Dishes that anyone who wants to could make a pilgrimage to, so we wouldn't all feel the need to be curators of our own ancestral shrines of them. LOL! As for me, I went through a slump last week that was part fatigue and part emotions I suppose. The weather had been beastly hot, 100+. Then we got rain late in the week and temps have been in the 80s and skies overcast - quite tolerable for late July. I'm doing laundry - my winter robe is in the load! Around here, temps year round are so changeable, a person often hesitates to put away one season's clothes too soon, so I found that robe hiding and it'll get hung back up for winter now! Better late than never. Still on my quilt pieces, embroidering - I'm on No. 21 of 42. They're small and simple. Should be putting the quilt top together in the month of August. Stay tuned. Summer really is flying by; the days are getting dark noticeably earlier. But the moon has been so pretty lately. And I understand we have an eclipse to watch sometime this month. That should be fun. I also stumbled across NASA's site for how to spot the International Space Station flying over from your area. GEEK THRILLS! 😉 Till next time, which will be sooner than it has been lately. Take care all - drink clinks - sometimes mine is just boring old water . . . but I like it. | |
| Tatoulia | Posted: 31 July 2017 - 04:43 PM |
Cm!!! Good to hear from you! I bet your quilt is looking beautiful. With SubC as the inspiration, I have started to shred old files today. SubC, you helped me realize I'm not making true progress! Thank you! I have two file cabinets in my closet and I once started but never finished getting rid of old papers. I'm even thinking if I get one drawer cleaned out, maybe my Christmas stuff (sitting in a corner in boxes) could fit in!!!!! So that's how today is going--Great! I did dust and vacuum bedroom too! | |
| Tatoulia | Posted: 29 July 2017 - 07:49 PM |
Anony/-that sounds so scary. I'm so happy you are trying to keep your sense of humor. Good idea re writing down your contacts from your phone! I too don't want to change phones and despite being eligible for an upgrade for nearly two years, I want to see his long I can keep this one! Please stay safe and be careful. Of course I worry. SubC, Tillie is right. Stressful times generally signal an illness for me. Congratulations for getting through the visit and rest as much as you can. Tillie, the weather is not cooperating with you. Iced tea is likely your best defense right now. I also find watermelon very cooling. It has been cool here. Yesterday had done humidity and the walk home from work was taxing. Today back to low humidity. Big social day yesterday. I met a friend for lunch and a different friend for dinner. Good to spend some time out like that. In between I did manage to stop by mom's with some dinner for her. Today was brother day and it went very well. I fell asleep once I came home. BF is working tonight. I think I should do some puttering! | |
| Tatoulia | Posted: 30 July 2017 - 10:32 AM |
Good morning! Have done the dishes and changed my sheets. Doing a little worrying about washing tomorrow--hoping washer hog is still MIA. Seeing seamstress today for drape project. The fabrics heavy and I need to carry to my car. Going to bring mom with me as it will be a nice ride and she enjoys running errands. She won't be able to do the stairs in the woman's home but the woman said we can talk by the car. I hope to do a little around here before jumping in the shower. | |
| Porter | Posted: 30 July 2017 - 11:03 AM |
Anony how distressing wish i had your answer.i had a large hole in my dinning room and we were getting all sorts of stuff that was not to be getting from outside to inside. but i eventually got tired of the wind coming through and stuffed the hole 4x6 foot with plastic grocery bags between the joists and other things . My cleaning tips for the week . Cheese seems to be the worst for ending a scratch pad from the sink. And I started dedicating those for cleaning out trash bins that have mold in them . when my wife became ill. She only had energy to work and come home and sleep. I have never been the housekeeper. Forgive me that expression . When i had to step up and do it all. I realized that was very lazy. I mean i knew. But i didn't realize how much i was neglecting . And how difficult it would be to get it all done. Before i could just clean in a routine way. I finally settled on the all completed method i described in the last post. In that way i wasn't having to manage tasks . i do have check lists. But t g ey were more helpful getting the tasks out of the way that too big to considered weekly cleaning. At first I still had about 60 things on the list . But after three weeks of spiraling from area to area the task l I at dwindled to 25 and by week 5 was gone. Of course it was helpful to move into a clean slate. So now it's the little things . that's a extremely far cry from whom I was 3 years ago. i also unplug the refrigerator. For about 8 hours a day. so then it's time for the floor. Thats where most of the scratch pads go to die. My wet vac is positioned between the car and the kitch. I fill the sink with my cleaning liquids. Basically we may eat of any surface in the kitchen. well that all for now. Thats how I use the scratch pads . I think I may skip the whole spiral clean next week. And revisit my art supplies I set up for my daughter. I think I would enjoy making givingv it more functionality. I'm so stuck on adobe concept and the flying bike. | |
| Subclnical | Posted: 31 July 2017 - 06:55 AM |
Hi all. Throat is mostly better, energy level is a little better. Aches and pains, wondering if I'm dealing with a mild case of mono. (Read that it can range from severe to asymptomatic) Wishing I had some good solution for Anony, that living situation sounds very hard. Mil brought me a little dresser to add to my hoard. It is currently in the basement waiting for me to return to purging and organizing. I am noticing that a lot of the focus here is on cleaning. Sometimes I wonder if I focus on cleaning and organizing as a distraction - "if I can just make it look good, I don't have too much stuff."? I still have too much stuff. Dh saw my screen last night and he said "are you reading a hoarding site?" I said "I'm participating in a hoarding support group." And he asked " for, or against?" | |
| Tatoulia | Posted: 31 July 2017 - 07:54 AM |
Oh your husband just cracked me up!!! Good to laugh at it. Very good point, SubC re the cleaning. My major issues right now are cleaning the dirt AND doing a third pass st getting rid of stuff. When I first found this site I got rid of lots and lots. Duplicates, stuff I was keeping 'Justin Case' and that sort of thing. Second pass included stuff I previously wasn't able to let go due to emotional attachments, etc. I do try to keep a bag of donations going at all times. I keep thinking at this point if I could just get it clean it would help me with the removal of more stuff. I've pared down my books considerably but still too much stuff. So I'm stuck in this place where I'm making, truth be told, no real progress anywhere. I'm maintaining the areas such as bedroom. But the rest I just step over, think about, and ignore. I need to think and act. It's a pigsty in here. | |
| Tillie | Posted: 27 July 2017 - 04:56 PM |
Hi 🙂 Hi Anonymoniker 🙂 Hi Tatoulia 🙂 I like this Lady and think she would fit in well here on the message board. | |
| Subclinical | Posted: 28 July 2017 - 05:50 AM |
Anony, I am glad your house is wrapped and that things went well with your friend! Maybe she can help some more. Support is good. I skipped the food bank and my class yesterday. I have a make up today. I want to go. Mostly because if I don't go I will be home when my inlaws arrive. the motivation to avoid them is the first thing all week that has pushed through the apathy. I also skipped the food bank. Dh said "but they need you at the food bank." And I cried. | |
| Tatoulia | Posted: 28 July 2017 - 07:13 AM |
Sending you support from afar. Remember YOU need YOU too. Sending you much love, SubC. | |
| CriticalMass | Posted: 28 July 2017 - 12:52 PM |
Right now just treading water... Hope everyone is okay. | |
| Anonymoniker | Posted: 28 July 2017 - 01:44 PM |
~A Happy Hello to all!~ | |
| Tatoulia | Posted: 28 July 2017 - 03:09 PM |
Thanks for the drive-by, CM. Keep treading--right by your side. Anony, glad that your ideas are starting to crystallize! | |
| Porter | Posted: 29 July 2017 - 05:35 AM |
Hi all . My wife family still won't let me see my wife. So I can appricate my sis in law making a life for my daughter to focus only on study and not on the other struggles life can throw and hit us with. I've been keeping busy. And losing a little weight . How does that apply or be relevant to this board. I moved everthing i fo that makes mess i to a checklist on my phone. I grill on Fri and sat. So Thursday is my big day something deep inside me is fighting to keep up on the ckeaning. I used to be such a hoarder ckeaning almost never happened. Just tidy or straighten. But i couldn't get under thing to do very much cleaning. Now that it's me myself and i . I've arranged furniture in ways that make cleaning efficient. my personal approach is the clockwise method. and as it winds inward from room to room. I also clean each room in the clockwise pattern. In this way it includes everything. Skips nothing. No chance to abandon or neglect clutter. As move from room to room i have a cart. It holds 8 large tubs and as i move from room to room downstairs it gives space to collect what needs to go out to other places. My weekends are now filled with card games. I'm sorry i haven't been posting latley. I'm sort of not as stressed and needing to vent and seek support. | |
| Subclinical | Posted: 29 July 2017 - 09:07 AM |
Porter, I'm really glad you are doing so well! Anony, I googled earthbag homes. That is very cool! What will you do for plumbing/electric? Do you live where heating or cooling are an issue? My in laws are gone. The visit was ok. My older dd and her dh were kind enough to come to dinner last night and provide entertainment. Mil took two of my disposable containers full of leftovers and she says she can recycle them. Score! I feel better emotionally, but now I am sick. It feels like the beginning of laryngitis. | |
| Tillie | Posted: 29 July 2017 - 09:59 AM |
Good Morning Everybody 🙂 Hi Subclinical 🙂 Hi CriticalMass 🙂 Hi Anonymoniker 🙂 Hi Porter 🙂 Hi Tatoulia 🙂 Extended weather forecast for the entire next week is temperatures well above 100 degrees daily. 🙁
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| Anonymoniker | Posted: 29 July 2017 - 04:07 PM |
~Hello, Happy Homers!~ | |
| Tatoulia | Posted: 27 July 2017 - 02:20 PM |
Congratulations, Anony! Good to hear that the friend's help was a blessing! I hope the tarp holds! My two cents is unless you can live in the trailer, you should skip it. Trust your instincts-- Tillie--we have been having easy, cool weather here. I don't even mind the rain. I wish I could sweep up your humidity! Thank you for the mortification scale and I've given it some thought. It's my floors. It's the dust in the corners and the dirt. Today I duds weep the kitchen which was huge for me. Since the washer is in the kitchen, I concentrated on that. I would love to do something re bathroom floor. It is mortifying. I'll report back later. | |
| Tillie | Posted: 26 July 2017 - 10:42 AM |
Good Morning Everybody 🙂 Hi Tatoulia 🙂 Hi Subclinical 🙂 Was going to do some watering this morning but looked around and the flowers are ok, don't need water yet. | |
| Tatoulia | Posted: 26 July 2017 - 10:54 AM |
Thank you for the support, SubC & Tillie. he is here now and I'm trying not to be anxious. I just want it to be fixed and I can go about my life doing laundry. He is putting in the part and we are both hoping that I've diagnosed it correctly; otherwise he's going to have to try to figure it out. A little concerned that he didn't want the power cut to the washer. It I'm sure he's unplugged it. Oh boy. Kitty is under the bed. Tillie it has been very low humidity here and very autumnal due to lots of rain. Today is sunshine and cool. Boy I love this weather. | |
| Tatoulia | Posted: 26 July 2017 - 01:19 PM |
Well the washer isn't fixed and he doesn't really know what to say, but as he was leaving my boyfriend called and he had someone in his office who knew about washers, and the guy spoke with my person, and I've ordered another part. The repair guy is on vacation starting tomorrow, but the part won't be delivered by Amazon until August 2 at the earliest, so I will not fret about this now. I am going to have to make some decisions re where to do laundry. We do have free downstairs but I never use it and I feel funny going down there. I can't explain it. Oh well I lived through this. | |
| Tatoulia | Posted: 26 July 2017 - 03:00 PM |
Okay I washed my sheets downstairs--nice, big clean washer. I am drying them up here. Usually one of the guys upstairs uses the washer all day and leaves his stuff in there for hours on end. But I haven't seen him in a while (not unusual) and I haven't heard his dog upstairs, AND his boyfriend sent me an email this weekend saying asking me to do something while he was out of town so I'm wondering if they broke up. They've been together a very long time, decades, so I'm not sure. But it was easy using the washer and I may run another load when I'm home tomorrow. I just don't like one particular set of neighbors o know my business. They are a little insistent on stuff and so I try as much as possible to keep to myself here. I'm pleasant and willing to help out, I just don't want people stopping by. But I guess you must have known that. Years ago there were a lot of young people in the building and I was young then too, and we used to have dinner parties at my house at least once a month. Either my downstairs neighbor or one of the upstairs neighbors would do the cooking here and we'd laugh and gab all night. | |
| Subclinical | Posted: 27 July 2017 - 06:36 AM |
Oh no tatoulia. I'm sorry about your washer, but glad you got your laundry done. The depression is bad this week. I am fighting it. Yesterday I almost kept up with the dishes. So far today I made dh breakfast and packed lunches for dh and dd. So today is pretty good. I'm not sure I can face going to the food bank this evening though. I have a class this afternoon. I am planning to go. Also to be on time. I was late Tuesday. I am almost never late. | |
| Tatoulia | Posted: 27 July 2017 - 08:43 AM |
SubC I am so sorry about your depression. We are here for you if you need to talk. I have a lot of good options in the next few weeks regarding my washer. I will use them all, I am sure. If no one is using ours today I think I'll do a quick load. I'm going to work on house today. After work, I'll put on some puttering music. Yesterday was an eye-opener. Iced tea clinks to all. | |
| Tatoulia | Posted: 27 July 2017 - 12:06 PM |
I've washed two more loads in our big washer. I hope that it continues to be free on the days I am home until mine is fixed. I also hope that we are able to fix mine. I'm working and drinking lots of water to keep myself motivated today. I need to putter tonight! | |
| Tillie | Posted: 27 July 2017 - 12:49 PM |
Good Morning Everybody 🙂 Hi Subclinical 🙂 Hi Tatoulia 🙂 The weather these past few weeks has really sapped my energy and motivation. | |
| Anonymoniker | Posted: 27 July 2017 - 01:58 PM |
Hey there?! Coffee clinks to all! 😀 | |
| Subclinical | Posted: 25 July 2017 - 08:44 PM |
Yes, the formatting! I hope I didn't hurt your feelings Tillie. The message was on point and kind of funny, but the delvery was too jangly. I bought another pottery tool. I used it in class today. I borrow too much. | |
| Tillie | Posted: 25 July 2017 - 11:22 PM |
This is another Youtube poster that I enjoy just because I find him to be very funny. ;P https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-mju_gW3c8 | |