Good Morning Everybody 🙂

Hi Diane 🙂
FANTASTIC!!! 😀
So Happy (HAPPY DANCING) that the RV sold and you have your new pickup set-up to use!
That is some major down sizing 😀
You have really been having a very fast moving few weeks there.
Hope "chilling" with the nervous dog helped you unwind. (((HUGS)))
I think you are "burned out" on the craft room sorting.
GREAT that you have donating to the Senior center to give you motivation in there. 😀
Don't beat yourself up about the time it is taking you because you really have been doing FANTASTIC! 🙂

Yesterday I forced myself to get out of here & go to town.
Glad I did because I had a wonderful time
visiting with people and doing a little shopping.
Cold, dark and windy here today so I will stay inside and make potato salad and pigs-in-blankets.
When looking at my blouses lately I noticed that almost everything is black, need some bright cheerful colors.
Found two pastel blouses yesterday, one pink and one blue.
That makes me happy. 😀
Also, the blouse I just made is very colorful too.
Now, to weed through all the black blouses and find three to toss out.

So...
what are you all up to today? 🙂

Hello everyone, enjoyed every post since have been on last, too long. I got motorhome ready to take to RV dealer Monday, yep I procrastinated, and a couple called and asked me to wait until they could come and see it on their lunch hour. They decided to buy it so met them at the bank on Tuesday and got cash and took it to my bank and deposited it. I did a massage Tues. AM for the first time in over a year and barely made it to the bank in time. I was emotionally drained after all that has gone on recently, habitat, etc. I cancelled my helper on Wednesday, had a nervous dog arrive Wed. morning and just could not have her help, dog and I chilled all day, very little done. Yesterday was a little better, getting things done. Cleaned out entire file cabinet in closet in craft room, I burned all the stuff with my name on it and recycled almost all of the rest. Kept a few things. Was easy since I had not been able to reach that area in over 15 years, so was really old stuff. Today chatted with helper, I have lost interest in going through stuff in craft room. Donating to all the different thrift stores, so much stuff. As we talked I got excited about picking through my collections of old buttons and jewelry that seniors would love. Also lots of sewing stuff. My senior center, has a free shelf to leave donations on. Had fun picking out stuff for donating to senior center.
maintenance is still difficult for me. Having that motor home gone and a new canopy on pickup feels like a miracle. Sitting here with a clean living area is a miracle. I finally bought a new toilet seat and put it on a cleaned toilet, old seat went in the garbage, although I considered keeping it---hoarder thought. Feels like I have hope again, just not sure why I procrastinate finishing that craft room. Thanks all for posting and letting us know what you are doing, sure helps.
Oh Tillie, loved reading about wasps, I am ready to kill mine too. Pests, keep finding new places they have started new homes.

Good Morning! 😀

Hi Tatoulia 🙂
Yes, that is some good advice.
Good planning you have going on there in preparation for your over night meeting.
Kitty will miss you but otherwise should be just fine. 🙂

Hi CriticalMass 🙂
Happy that the storm was not a crazy dangerous one. (((hugs)))
I strongly agree with you!
When we are tired the number one priority becomes making sure we get all the rest we need.

Another cold, dark, windy day here.
Maybe we will get some rain. hope, hope, hope.
Will just putter around inside here, doing a little of this & that.

TTYL 🙂

Just hello, I'm regrouping after yesterday's storm system went through the Great Plains where I reside. It actually wasn't the tornadofest they were predicting. But I get apprehensive on those weather alert days. All the pets to protect and hoping my van doesn't get destroyed by hail. I'm a worrier about stuff like that. Although I enjoy a good noisy thunderstorm once I can tell it's not a mean one and it feels cozy to be inside listening to the rain come down. 🙂

But I was hurrying around prepping, and before that for a few days I haven't gotten enough sleep. So today I just said that's it, I'm taking a nice long nap! Three hours, it was, which is my usual. I have weird sleep issues and afternoon naps like that do me way better than night sleep.

Right now I know it's late in the day to try to do anything very ambitious, but I just wanted to say hello anyway, and to share my theory that sometimes when we're tired, we need to take that time to rest and refresh. Who's with me?

Hello everyone--doing some cleaning here and there and trying to realize that I have probably have enough time in each day--love the sage advice of easy does it but do it!

Have figured out clothes for my conference and have set aside. Going to work on kitchen while doing laundry. Prefer to be home but a night away from home will be fine. Will leave kitty with plenty of water and food and if for some reason I'm delayed in my return, have someone prepared to stop in to see her.

GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY 🙂

Hi LR2014 🙂
LOLOLOL 😀 I wonder if the right hand gloves have run off with those socks that always go missing. 😉

Will let you know if the wasp traps work.

Got the laundry all done yesterday even though it was a little bit chilly out.
Overnight we got a nice sprinkling of rain, hoping for more.
Have the housework all caught up so today I may start sewing a blouse just for the fun of it.
Looks cold, dark and too wet to play outside.

I think I may have solved my computer problem and should now be able to post with color again. Fingers crossed. 🙂

TTYL 🙂

If the wasp traps work, Tillie, please post the Youtube link!

Spent more time today working on my "vehicle project." One thing I keep in my vehicle that I use a lot are work gloves. Today, I found five gloves while working on that project. No, not five sets of gloves. Five gloves: four for the left hand, and one right-hand glove. (Sounds like a topic for the lost-items thread!) Arggg!

Have a good evening, everyone.

Good Morning Everybody! 😀

Hi Tatoulia 🙂
Your summer quilt sounds lovely and a welcoming place for summertime sleeping! 😀
WAY TO GO!!!
for getting things done to make coming back home more pleasant!

"CLINK!" to Roxie and You all. 🙂

Hi Karl 🙂
WTG!
It's all those little things like recycling, menu planning and finding good ways to tidy up that together make one big improvement.
Any good Geocaching adventures in your future? 😀

Hi LR2014 🙂
Yeah, Karl's new place has maid service!
Nice! 😀

Sunny skies all day today so I am doing laundry.
Need to do some kitchen cleaning today too.
Yesterday I made some homemade wasp traps that I saw demonstrated on Youtube.
Hope they work! 😀
Had fun anyways making them.

TTYS 🙂

Wow, I must really, really be behind on posts! Karl has maids? I love it!

I dropped off some bottles at recycling (got $1.35 for them), did some grocery shopping (but decided not to get some perishable items until I'm ready to use them), and finished up some mending that I've been meaning to do.

I'd previously gotten the floor cleared so that the maids could vacuum; it's still mostly clear, but I'm thinking of getting some hooks so that I can hang up some clothes that would otherwise be on the floor or a chair. They do have appropriate hooks at the dollar store.

Hello everyone and thank you for the encouragement! LR, I was thinking of you yesterday and I'm pleased to see you! CM-congratulations! Great advice. I raised my hand--dos you see me? Tillie I took my summer quilt to the laundromat and it came out so white! It looks great!

I hit my garbage out tonight--I tend to miss the pickup on Tuesdays so I'm glad I got it out. Also took out two bags of recycling. I'm traveling later this week-only one night away but I hate to come home to a dirty house. I will, but I can make some progress in the meantime! I can def "lessen the blow".

Hello to everyone--good to read your posts and am looking forward to a coffee clink with Roxie tomorrow.

HI CriticalMass 😀

FANTASTIC!!!
WAY TO GO!!!
For pushing through the resistance and making so much progress!!! 😀
Even I have lots of those kinds of moments.
A really great thing to do with all those unwanted opaque plastic bins is to fill them with donations and then give them to charity shops or friends. ;D
And You're right, those empty bins could be too tempting to fill up with stuff you really don't want and make it into "out of sight/out of mind" clutter.
Wonderful to "see" you today. 😀

Hello and hugs to everyone. Roxie, may God bless you and be with you every step, and know you will be in my thoughts and prayers.

Just a brief progress report today - went to my storage unit on Friday. I started to do stuff and in less than 5 minutes I had this desire to say #*$^& it all and get back in my van and go back home!

Good news - It passed. I can't even remember what set it off - just a little confusion where to start, probably. Wanted to share it to encourage anyone else who has had that feeling. I bet I'm not alone - show of hands? Yeah, thought so, LOL! 😉

So just take a deep breath, say a little prayer, and power through it!

So as to the cleaning itself - I managed to make room to set up a card table inside the unit, which can function as a sorting/staging area. I had to put items on top of it before closing down the door, but they were just lightweight things like empty tubs. So it'll be easy to move them off when I want to use the table.

And - in the process of clearing the space, I found a blue tub, fairly good sized, and wondered what was in it. It was fabric. I had thought I'd gone through and gotten rid of all the excess fabric, but I guess that one was hiding. So I blew through it and took most of the contents to the thrift shop. Woo hoo! And got some more trashy old cardboard boxes out.

I am coming to really love clear storage tubs - and labels. No more of this opaque stuff for me. What I do deem worth keeping is going to eventually live in clear tubs or containers, with labels for good measure. As I replace them, I'll give away the opaque tubs to friends or charity. For me there's a definite advantage to being able to see at a glance what's there - and I think it'll also be a deterrent towards keeping excess stuff overall.

Have a great day, everyone! CM

Good Morning Everybody 😀

Hi Tatoulia 🙂
WAY TO GO!!!
for all the positive things you have been up to! 😀
Yes, too much stuff makes it almost impossible to get everything organized, put away, tidy and clean.
Wishing you the strength and determination needed to sort out and get your home to a more manageable state. (((HUGS)))
Would really like to put away my big down Winter comforter but we keep having some very cold nights with snow in the higher elevations. 🙂

Hi LR2014 🙂
Wonderful to "see" you! 😀
With all the flooding news lately, I was worrying about you. (((HUGS)))
So sorry that evil thieves stole tools you use and need to work out there.
Hoping the old ugly rusty carpet sweeper jinxes them. ;D
Glad you liked my post on sunk cost. Hope it was helpful to someone, somewhere. 🙂

Well today it is cold, rainy & windy.
Need to do laundry but can't hang out wash in the rain.
So anyways...
today I will clean the bathroom. Really needs it.
Maybe I will vacuum the carpet too, will see if I get around to that.
Feeling much better this morning but don't want to push it.

Everybody, have the bestest week possible! 😀

Hi, everybody. As some people have phrased it, I'm just doing a little drive-by posting today. Good to "see" you all.

Been really pretty weather here the past few days. Did a lot of outside stuff yesterday and didn't put on sunscreen. (Frown.) Worked a bit on my vehicle project today, and in the process I "unearthed" my sunscreen. No excuses now for not using it.

I see in skimming the posts from the past few weeks that your decluttering has been in full swing, Diane. Whoo-hooo!

Tatoulia, those few words say a lot to me: "I just need to start." How true that is of so many tasks that I need to do. (That being said, I can't do it all at once, either. I'm reminded of something a friend of mine often says: "Easy does it . . . but do it.")

Tillie, I really liked your April 6 post about "sunk cost." Lots of memorable lines and phrases in that post! I'd like to add one more item to your list of things that damage (in the long run) or otherwise make useless all those things we hoarders try to keep: theft. I unfortunately had that experience recently with some items I'd stored outdoors (obviously not stored too carefully) in that "rural area" of which I often speak. While I was sad about much of what was taken (because some of it was stuff I'd been using), at least there was a bit of humor in the situation for me. I was in possession of an old, ugly, slightly rusty carpet sweeper I'd "rescued" when we were emptying a house to sell. I really didn't need it myself; had one already. But this one seemed usable, maybe, if it were cleaned up. I've had it for three years. I struggled and struggled to get rid of it, often thinking I should just toss it. I know that nobody in my family wanted it. Yet I never did get rid of it. Well, I discovered that it was among the items stolen. Hooray!

Hi to CM, Karl, Roxie, Dave, and others. Looking forward to getting more caught up on your posts.

Hello everyone. I got my bathroom cleaner and had a plumber come on Saturday. The rest of the house is in pretty poor shape. I still have this massive area where I just dump stuff when I come in. I'm keeping my bedroom up to date, but I can't get a full handle on any of the house. I must remind myself that if I dont have room to put things away, then it means I have too much stuff. I need to really drill down on this idea. I am so much happier with a clean bedroom and a clean kitchen. I also keep my desk and my dining table nice. But everything else seems to be fair game for clutter and stuff and more stuff. Now would be a good time to just buckle down and clear out the clutter. You've helped me to harder clearing away than this will be. I just need to start.

I did put away winter comforter and will wash the cover tomorrow. I will also take white summer weight quilt to be washed-will need to take to laundromat since my washer isn't big enough. It has been on my bed all winter--one of the many layers on my bed. But now that it will be exposed, it could use some freshening.

Diane I am amazed and proud of you! So incredibly proud of your accomplishments. Roxie you are making great strides--I bet that oxygen has opened up the world for you! Congratulations! Tillie, my dear, I am glad you are feeling better. Thank you for the visual of the flowers.

Take care, everyone. I know I've been saying I just need to do things and I haven't done them. Thank you for being here for me. I know I'll get there. I just need to remember to l check in here and I'll find all the motivation, support and friendship I need. I know I'll get started again. I miss the feeling of accomplishment. I truly do.

Good Afternoon Everybody 😀

Just now 2:30pm here.
Yesterday I managed to stay awake all day and same, so far, for today!!! 😀

Hi Tatoulia 🙂
Thanks for the drive by 😀 (((hugs)))

Been outside watering and doing a very little bit of yard stuff.
Talked to a neighbor friend. They are doing fine.
Lots more purple iris blooms and the wild yellow rose bushes are so loaded with blooms they are heavily weighted and bending down.
The smell is soooooo heavenly. 😉
Went around and killed some wasps that were just starting to build nests/hives.
These are the queens that hibernated over Winter and are ready to start building their invading armies.
Hope you are all having a good day today too. 🙂

Love you all. Going to take mom out for a while. No time to catch up but doing a quick drive-by to say hello and to remind you that you are important to me.

GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY! 😀

Maybe today I will be able to stay awake.
Slept for almost two whole days!

Hi Diane 🙂
Would be so wonderful if Habitat For Humanity could help you get your windows and roof fixed.
Those have been the two most difficult and water damaging areas for you to get under control.
Plus you would be much more comfortable in the winter.
Your RV should sell faster once more people get a chance to see it. Good luck with that. 😀
How are you feeling now about having had a person come inside?
Please don't feel embarrassed or critical of yourself.
We are ALL so very, very proud of you and you have nothing to be ashamed of. (((HUGS)))
My Hoarder's mother had Hospice care in Oregon about 8 years ago and they did a wonderful job easing her onto her next journey.
Thank you for your service in this field. (((hugs)))

Hi Roxie 🙂
"CLINK!"
Happy that you will have portable oxygen 24/7 to keep you all pretty and pink. (((HUGS)))
WAY TO GO!!! for straightening, picking up and sorting! 😀
So true, you can always back out of Hospice if you later decide it's not what you want or need. (((HUGS)))
The nurses are very knowledgeable about ways to help you feel more comfortable and easy your fears.
As for all our missing servants
they are in big trouble if we ever catch up to them! 😀 LOL
Hope your Brother is having a wonderful time and I'm happy he will be back home with you tomorrow.

I'm feeling better this morning.
The ache in my bones and the burning headache are gone. Hope they don't return.
Left kidney is not as painful as it had been either.
The wind is blowing rather hard but if it slows down a little I plan to get out and appreciate the blooming flowers.
Other than that, I will be taking it easy and not fretting about everything that needs doing around here.

Everybody, have a GREAT day.
Play, laugh, be silly. (((HUGS)))

Sweet Roxie I had forgotten about our servants, I dismissed mine the day I was born I think. Good you got portable O2, more mobile, watch out world, no stopping Roxie now. When I was a hospice nurse the rules were person has to have RX for hospice from MD, which I assume you have. Life expectancy of 6 months or less. Many people do improve and are off hospice with good care. Good thing about hospice, here anyway, is that nurse brings you all of your medications related to your terminal diagnosis at no cost to you. Also all comfort meds are brought to you. Here you had to be willing to give up curative treatments, such as chemo or surgery, which is no problem with your situation as I understand it. You never have to worry about picking up your meds. Here you had to call your nurse before you called 911, not sure how it is there. Could only go to hospital with hospice nurse or doctor ok. I found it to be a great comfort to patients to have regular visits by nurse, massage therapist, also ot and pt can come to home if you need advice how to manage any physical decline. Nurse can order adjustable hospital bed, foam pad or alternating air mattress, etc. You can always try it and if you don't like it can cancel at any time and start again if needed. I wish you much comfort on your journey in this phase of your life.
Today I did not get much accomplished after this busy week. Helper came on Wed., we filled truck, took to thrift store, donated. Yesterday had guy come, so just felt exhausted today. Also anxiety kept me awake most of night, having a guy in every room of my place for the first time in many years.
Roxie, habitat builds house for low income people but they also do home repairs for seniors and disabled low income people. I am a senior and low income but have savings so do not qualify for free help, have to pay full price from savings. I am choosing habitat because they have people that know how to replace windows etc in an old trailer. Mine was built in 1967, so has old 3 pane roll out windows, no new windows are that size and width of an old trailer. My windows have unfixable roll out bars that no longer open or shut windows, so I have to prop open and in winter have to clip and tape them shut, then put plastic on them and still get icicles inside on some of them. Plus 2 panes are broken, so since hoard is mostly gone can get them fixed. For years no one could get close enough to the windows to even measure them, yep, a for real hoarder moved in here, hard to believe this nice clean person had a huge dirty secret that no one saw, not even me.

Wow, Diane, that was a huge step for you! (((Diane))) I somehow got lost in space, so...what are you hoping Habitat can do for you?

I've decided that we are all members of the lost tribe of royals, so we are accustomed to having all done for us and are just at a loss as to what to do absent all those servants. lol

Are you feeling any better today Tillie? Your yard sounds so pretty.
Today the guy from Habitat for Humanity called and said he could come over and look at my place TODAY and tell me the repairs needed and have contractor make a plan. From the call at 11am until he arrived at 3PM, I was a cleaning machine, did a little dash and stash. Made me realize once again how important maintenance is. I told him that I have been a hoarder for many years and no one had been here to do repairs because of the hoard. He was very kind and very surprised how nice house looks, and very understanding of craft room work in progress. He had to measure windows from inside and out. He saw hoard outside and said, when you are ready, I will send guys over to help you clean this stuff up and haul it off. He said most of it can be sold at their store, so won't have to go to dump. He got up and looked at roof and had some good suggestions. He noted the good qualities of this old trailer, barn wood on one wall in living room, "very nicely put on" and the pretty wood in the add on room ceiling. He went out of his way to be respectful of all Sandy and I have accomplished. I teared up a few times, out of embarrassment. He was here a couple hours talking to me, measuring things etc. When he left I felt raw to the bone, this was so difficult for me. He was in every room. Today was the first day the whole craft room was vacuumed in over 15 years, floor is still there, just have not been able to see it until recently.
I am exhausted, and still have so much more to do. Went to RV dealer yesterday and talked about consigning it, they sounded hopeful, so will take it in to dealer and hopefully leave it tomorrow. So many changes this week, I know it will get easier, just so much going on now.

Lilacs, purple iris and yellow wild roses are blooming in my garden. 🙂

Good Morning 🙂

Hi Dave 🙂

Hi Diane 🙂
Thank you
YEA!!!! you finally got your truck topper!!! 😀
I think getting the pickup ready and having the canopy installed takes priority over any other plans.
WTG! for all the bagged donations! 😀
So, where do you plan to take your first over night mini vacation?
;D

Still not feeling well...
So much that I should be doing around here but can't.
This really depresses me.
Wish I had even a little bit of help.

If wishes were nickels
we'd all be millionaires.

TTYL 🙂

Roxie, guy noir gets to go to the acme building to ponder life's mysteries. We have to do it on a bulletin board. Adding thinking about the ending nature of life to consideration of the changing nature of life sounds challenging to me. I am learning about changes in what I am able to do for my family. I hope you find good living solutions for the questions you have and that you can be at peace with them.

Hello all
Tillie so sorry you are not feeling well, happy you are going to take it easy.
I worked in craft room for hours this morning, then went out and sprayed weeds in the heat then got a call my canopy arrived. So I spent a couple of hours taking the tonneau cover off in the heat. Then cleaned the bed of pickup, removed insulation and goo, swept, rinsed it out. Took forever to figure out how to remove everything. They charge $25 to remove it, it would have been worth it, sometimes saving money takes a toll on me that I do not need. Canopy looks so nice so happy I bought a new canopy and had it installed. Will be nice to have waterproof place to sleep for overnight explorations.
Helper is coming in morning, and I am so exhausted really don't want her to come. Canopy interrupted my plans of having more done today. Did get lots accomplished, lots of donations bagged up, but room is a mess. I am tired.
Hope tomorrow is a good one for you Tillie

Good Morning Everybody 🙂

Hi Karl 🙂
Sounds like you had a WONDERFUL! time 😀
Hope you got your room straightened and all your new things arranged in there.
But I suppose that sleep is a higher priority for now. 😉

Hi Roxie 🙂
"CLINK!"
WTG! for keeping up with the donations, recycling and laundry down the chute! 😀
I have done "quit claim deeds" before and it was really easy. Hope you have the same experience with it that I did.
Every time I go into a store and look at the merchandise I am reminded of just how much I do NOT need. It's a kind of sad and yet very freeing feeling. (((HUGS)))
Hope the Dr. appointment went well.
Please take care while Brother is away, NO parties or boys in the house ;D

Hi Diane 🙂
Thank you
Isn't it funny how we try to fool, lie to and sneak around our own selves? 😀
Problem with that is we know just what we are doing, but we try anyways.
WTG! for tackling those tasks! 😀
Rock saws are very dangerous and messy with all the water needed and muck generated.
Protective wear is ALWAYS necessary and you must NEVER be distracted while operating it.
Enjoy your lilacs! (((hugs)))

Well, I got sick Sunday night and Monday's plans never happened.
A bit better today but not yet well enough to do much of anything.
Beautiful day today so I will get dressed and sit outside with Scooter (the cat).
Mean evil girl cat wanted to sit on the window sill where Scooter was already sitting last night and so she scratched his eye 🙁
Will treat it today at home but if no improvement by tomorrow I will get him to the veterinarian.

TTYL 🙂

Energized? Well, maybe after I've gotten caught up on sleep!

So happy you posted Tillie and Roxie, the old group still feels like my support group and real friends. Roxie, sounds like the is a good plan to deed the cabin to son. Happy you are able to do ok on your own with bro gone. Tillie you have really had your spring energy, good for all you do. I did get the dishes mostly done. Worked in yard for hours, then to craft room for about an hour. I really want to hide it all in the garage and bring in some old junk from garage to make it look like I went through all the buttons etc. I am a devious gal, then I remember I am doing this for myself. The hoarder really wants to hang on to some stuff just because, not because I will use it. Guess I will haul junk to deck and give in another go round. Thanks Tillie for posting and I am so sorry he took the weekend to play instead of get stuff done.
This is the first year that I can smell lilacs in the air, bushes are loaded this year, and no freeze so many will bloom. Usually way behind your blooms Tillie, so I am very grateful for a mild year and flowers blooming. It is sunny and warm here this week, smoothie clinks to all.
I love having clean areas now, really don't want to finish craft room, so whats with that?
Not sure if I mentioned I put together my tile saw and tried it out on cutting rocks. Well it spits water all over the place, and not nearly as safe as tumbling rocks. I bought it months ago, and so glad I tried it out before buying an expensive lapidary saw. I can buy a rock saw blade if I decide I want to keep cutting rocks. Just seems like a lot of mess, and danger of inhaling toxins.
Ok, enough from me. Thanks for feedback and sharing your life with us.

[" (((Diane)) "[i]yep lots of dirty dishes filled the sink when I was not looking a real "Who dunnit" mystery." When things like that happen, brother says "the nenes have been here." That includes when things go missing. It sounds like your friend understands you and enjoys being with you.

Beautiful days here, with sun. Enjoy where you are!