Coffee clinks!

I was back at office yesterday and it was exhausting. My presentation was at 9 and it was a big hit. I got a lot of compliments! I'm not nervous before I present so I think that helps. Plus I don't rehearse any jokes or any garbage like that. But I ended up being quite funny, I guess, because even the new VP (who has very high standards) mentioned that I was very funny and natural and that she doesn't say that to a lot of people. I was professional but hey, people enjoyed me.

Two bags of garbage out and one recycling yesterday. I came home from work positively exhausted. I was almost home, at grocery store, when BF called me. So I was able to buy some heavy stuff and get a ride home. Later on he took me to Home Depot and other places so I could pick up a few things I need. I also got to show him what will be my kitchen and he loved it.

I did a load of laundry at nine and so didn't get to bed til after 11, which is still pretty good for me So I managed to do a lot despite the exhaustion. I slept very well?cool night so I had one window open and the fan on. So cold. Absolutely lovely.

So kitty used her new box set up last night. I had to get a smaller box. And she used it!

Tonight dinner with friends then tmr I need to get cracking here because friend will be coming by before we take her to the airport so I'm going to have to show progress. And I want it to be done. I want to finalize the clutter.

Mar, we are here for support. If you can, tell us how you are feeling. No shame. Don't feel ashamed in front of us. You are safe with us.

Anony, Tillie and SubC thank you for your support I need to push through to the end. My friend has the strength and endurance of an Olympian and I need to show that. I can do it. I worked for so many nights at my mother's place when i was getting it ready to bring her home from hospital. I can do that for myself. It's going to be great.

Oh! Almost all set with cleaning lady. Everyone here uses her. She does our common areas every two weeks, one neighbor every week, another neighbor once a month, etc. so I'll just get added to the every two week rotation. I do not have the $$ for every week. I barely have it for every two weeks. But it's my sanity at play.

Good Morning Everyone 🙂
Still morning here, not even 11:00am yet.

Hi Mar 🙂
So sorry to hear you are struggling with this. (((hugs)))
Let us know whatever we can collectively do here to help you.

Hi Tatoulia 🙂
WTG! for working on mindless but satisfying shredding! 😀

Hi Anonymoniker 🙂
Cats are fussy and suspicious.
I figured she'd find some place in there that meets her criteria. ;D
WTG! for good solid logic as to wanting new wood instead of accepting the offer of the old tired wood. (((HUGS)))

This morning is so lovely!!!
Cool and a bit breezy so I got out early and did a lot of stuff needing doing in the yard.
Didn't pull any weeds but got some stuff sorted out, organized and put away better.
But most of all I spread around the last 5 bags of composted steer manure I have on the lilacs, honeysuckle, roses, rhubarb, grass and everything else that is growing out there.

~now iced coffee clinks; update...
~To my very smart kitty's credit, she is now preferring to lay on the freshly cleaned carpeted engine cover in the RV, which us much nicer than the clean garbage bag covered area...ha ha...i just had to clarify that, to her credit~♡~ =^-^=

~Good morning & coffee clinks!~
Mar, i hope you can get started, even a little bit at a time? It is hard for me too, but it feels so good once i do get going. You can do it! Pick one small area & see how you feel? 😀
Both places that my kitty liked to lay in the RV, are now nice & clean, and she has not sat in either spot! How could she have preferred that disgusting floor on that putrid garbage bag, over how nice it is now? Im only cleaning it for her. There is no point if she doesnt like it?! Cats are such a mystery~ =^-^=
Tatoulia, umbrella fabric would be great for outdoor stuff! Ill keep that in mind, cuz the sun is so brutal here! The kayak & screen porch couches are both in mostly shade, tho? Im gonna see what they have.
The skunk has been pushing insulation & skunk turds through the hole in the hall ceiling onto the floor every day. That part isnt even as bad as the constant chewing & scratching noises. I thought i mightve heard babies up there yesterday. I just try to remember how grateful i am to have a place in the forest~
~☆♡☆~I hope everyone has a great day & gets some satisfying things done!~☆♡☆~

Mar you are here!!! What can we do to help?

Hi everyone!

Right now I have no chance to read your posts (sorry), I'm here only to say "hello".
I've only about 10 days to leave this place (3rd self imposed deadline) but I've done almost nothing, so I begin to feel somewhat overwhelmed.

Anony, might I suggest sunbrella fabric? It doesn't fade, it washes easily and is very sturdy. I highly recommend it for your outdoor furniture.

~Good morning & coffee clinks!~
The panels for my trailer are gonna take a few weeks longer, which may run into our monsoon season, but it also wont be so intensely hot. We can do the prep work, of which my friend offered his old, been-in-the-desert-weather-for-many-years wooden trim, thatd need to be modified, and i said, 'No, thank you! Ill just buy new wood to hold the panels up'....that logic just astounds me....
The RV is starting to improve! I dont know how kitty feels about it, but i hope she likes it?!
Im amazed how much more complicated composting is than id thought, but its fun to learn. I feel like it is the essence of the cycle of life~
Im not as upset over the skunk now. I guess worrying about my cat with the bite shifted my perspective.
Next i plan to buy fabric to cover the hideous sofas on the screen porch & a new cover for the kayak, which should make a HUGE difference in the back side of the place!
SubC & Tatoulia, all the best in creating healthy, slimmer bodies!!!~☆♡☆~
Tillie, im so glad youre cool & cozy!
~☆♡☆~Love to all!~☆♡☆~

I'm on my third load of laundry and I'm running dishwasher. I need to work on papers or putting things away or floors or something.

I can't us the excuse of having "earned a day off". That could be the death of me. I need to put in effort here because I have done very little and it wouldnt take that much to get rid of more stuff.

Shredding is peaceful. I'll work on that. Mindless and yet I'll feel like I'm doing my part.

Thank you.

HI Tatoulia 🙂

YEA! a whole free day just for you! 😀
With gifts remember that is truly the thought that counts, not the item, (((hug)))
Have a wonderful time at the theatre tonight.
Fat camp and a nutritionist.
By end of Summer you will be looking like Wonder Woman! ;D

Good Morning Everybody 🙂

Hi Subclinical 🙂
Hope you have a place for the donate pile that is not in the way of anywhere you ever need to do something.
I understand your logic concerning the taxes but I think that maybe you are allowed to keep the receipts from one year and use them for the next year's taxes.
Not sure so maybe you can ask a tax preparer to find out about that. 🙂
WTG! for finding a nice iron pan and a flattering dress.

Woke up about 4:00am and couldn't fall back to sleep, so I'm up.
Drinking tea "Clink!"
Thinking I'll go into town this morning,
There are some things I need from Dollar Tree.
Their one dollar windshield wiper fluid works as good as Wally World's more expensive stuff.
Anyways, it would be nice to get away from the house for a little while.
That always helps with my perspective on matters here.
And I have already tidied up the floor again by the back door! ;D

Coffee clinks! The final day off of my vacation. My friend is off for her reunion weekend and I have theatre tickets tonight. I also start what I lovingly call Fat Camp today. I'm pretty excited.

SubC Great Work on deciding that the spice rack doesn't work and immediately putting into donate pile! Great work! I'm glad you found a lovely linen dress. It is very important to feel attractive.

Oh! Nutritionist just called and needs to reschedule so we will start next week. I JUST WON A FREE DAY TO MYSELF!!!!

Tillie! I'll continue to work toward not feeling guilty. I need to move forward to my life. I can't have people's gifts holding me back.

Anony you are doing a great job with the kitty! I cannot wait til you have your panels for your home.

I got a huge bag to car yesterday to go to goodwill. Household items. I'll go run errands today for a bit but largely I want to just be home. I have a few things to do for my friend like picking up a few things she cannot get overseas.

I am going to Just Be for a moment. free day!!!

Yesterday I had to run errands (bank, food) I also dropped the recycling, and decided to take myself to the thrift store to check for jeans and shoes. No luck, but I did buy a nice cast iron pan, a spinning spice rack that I thought would help with my spice cabinet problem, and a nice quality linen dress. The prices at my thrift aren't as good as Tillie's, so it was $18. The spice rack didn't fit, so it went straight to the "redonate" pile.

Dh was pleased with the pan and the dress fits well and makes me feel attractive. I've been gaining weight again, which is depressing, so that is kind of important.

I am accumulating a "donate" pile because historically our itemized deductions have been close to the new standard deduction. So for 2018 we are going to take the standard deduction. Then the cash donations we normally make in December will go in January of 2019 and December of 2019, and I will also take the entire 2018 donate pile in January.

2018 I have been focusing more on trash and recycling and organization. Hopefully in 2019 dd2 will have her own place, and it will be a good year for a top to bottom house clear out.

~♡~YEA, TILLIE!!!~♡~ Getting lots done in the nice cool house sounds fabulous!!!~♡~Im so glad you are cozy & cool & having a good day!~♡~

~Ice water clinks!~
Tillie, i kinda figured youd know about that already, but just in case, i thought id say it. This heat is so scary! Im a little shocked my friend out here didnt know what to do?!
Well, my kitty liked the black tuna...ha ha...and didnt mind my putting some wet charcoal on those spots, which i will continue. I feel confident in doing that, instead of a traumatic visit to a vet that would likely not help as directly & naturally~Itll be obvious if it is helping or not, so ill go from there~
I hear people throw around the term, 'Let go of' a lot, but never really understood it. Im still sorta struggling to grasp the difference, but i can feel that it is important for me to know. The things in my house need a rewritten story behind them, too....not a fabricated story, just a new perspective~

Hello Everybody 🙂

Hi Tatoulia 🙂
You have the guilt only because you have been conditioned by society to have the guilt.
Stand up straight, head held high and remind yourself that you are a grown woman who is in control of her own life.
YOU will make all the decisions as to how you are going to live your life.
Letting the washer/dryer go is a very good idea since it's broken anyway.
If someday you find you really want another one you know what to do about getting it.
A twice weekly cleaning woman would be heavenly! ;D

Hi Subclinical 🙂
Thank you.
WAY TO GO!!! for all you do in a day! 😀
A large sack of potting soil actually belongs on the floor.
You need it right there to do this important project and soon as you're finished with it, it can be put back away in the garage.
Sometimes the floor is the only place to do things.
I pot plants on a plastic table cloth on the dining area floor. 😉

Hi Anonymoniker 🙂
Remember that I grew up in the Sonoran desert.
Should I be without my swamp cooler or electricity for more than one day I will definitely hang a burlap sack in an open window and allow a bladder of water to slowly drip down on it. ;D
Sorry the kitty has a tail issue. (((hugs kitty)))
Letting go vs giving up...
The two may be connected, the family and the stuff.
You may be substituting the stuff for the family relationships you crave but do not have.
WTG! for continuing to work on the kitty RV! 😀

Been busy, busy, busy all day today.
Making up for not doing things yesterday due to the heat and doing the stuff I had planned to do today.
Got LOTS done! YEA me ;D
Now that I'm all caught up I can relax, eat and do something enjoyable. 🙂

~♡~Good morning to all!~♡~
Tillie, im glad your cooler is working now! We're having scary heat here too & id suggested to a friend with no cooler & an old cat, that she close off an area in the kitchen & just open the fridge &/or freezer,also hanging a wet cloth in front of, but without water reaching, a fan, acts as a cooler. Theyre ok now from doing that, just in case your cooler breaks again?
Tatoulia, your kitchen sounds so charming! Everything you are doing sounds so wonderful!!! It is all really exciting to hear about!!!
SubC, congrats on the evaluations & clearing your floors, more than before! An exterminator wouldnt be able to get the skunk out.
My cat has had this mysterious thing on his tail that i now realize may be a bite that happened last month when he had a mysterious limp?!? I think it may be from the neighbor cat?! I woke up worrying what to do, then had dreams i was at the vets & talking to different people, then woke up completely confused?!? Im going to serve him a special treat of tuna in an activated charcoal sauce, today....YUMM!!!
Also, ive been reading up on 'Letting go vs. Giving up or not caring, etc. It is regarding my blood family dynamics, but it also may help me with all my 'stuff' in this house, too...?!?
I vacuumed the RV & covered the heavily sprinkled baking soda with a fresh clean garbage bag for kitty to lay on...ha ha...knowing cat logic, she wont go near it, now...
Im loving trying to figure out composting!
~☆♡☆~Love & Light To All!!!~☆♡☆~

SubC you are so industrious! I am so proud of you.

I will find an acceptable place to put pictures, such as a flikr account and then will add a link. This way, I can take the pictures down and they won't be here for an eternity.

I've decided to get a cleaning lady. One of the women next door mentioned she just got one and I think she comes every two weeks. I'll see if we can coordinate days. I used to have a cleaning lady come once a week but every two weeks will work.

Keep up the good work, SubC. You are doing so well!

Anony, the skunk situation sounds horrible. I wonder if an exterminator is an option?

Tillie, sorry about the frustration with the pump. I'm glad it is working now though.

Tatoulia - your progress sounds amazing! (You are a little like the musician who practices for years and then suddenly becomes an "overnight" success) I wish that we could have pictures here. I would love to see!

such a big decision to get rid of your washer and dryer! I think that like my trash service, it had become more of an annoyance than a resource. - and that will open up a big space!

I know getting rid of that microwave was a huge weight gone too!

I did pretty well yesterday. I wrote 8 evaluations (I have 14 to go) picked the rhubarb, chopped it up and froze enough for 3 pies, plus put "one pie" in the fridge to fix today, picked the first cherries, pitted them and froze them on a cookie sheet (not enough for a pie yet), ran the dishwasher twice, did three loads of laundry - including my sheets, and removed one paper grocery bag from my floor.

However, there was a bag of potting soil that was on the garage floor and is now on the floor of my dining porch. I brought it in to pot up two little plants. All the rest of the plants I need to pot up are on the dining table, so I just left it there. I could lift it onto the table, but in this case, the floor (painted concrete) seems like a better choice.

Little melted candles! The other day it was very humid and the cat was flat on the bedroom floor. Glad that is all under control now. Sorry it's always a two-step or even three-step process.

We are up at 4:15. We will go to bed soon.

Tillie you are right, I am ready. We've done a lot of work here and I am ready. A few things I asked "permission" to get rid of. Like what I do here sometimes. I need someone to tell me it's okay.

I need to finish sorting through the piles here (I did a bit of churning yesterday) and then I need to reasses in the closet area and see what won't make the cut.

I have to say, I loved it enough OR I never loved it. I have to be able to say one of those two things in order to let go. What's better is when I have no emotional attachment, and I can just put in donation. Why is there guilt? Why?

Although I took out garbage bags and a recycling bag, there was actually very little by way of true garbage as I have been keeping up.

She has id'd A good place for litter box. Finally.

We have decided to get rid of washer and dryer. It's just a big broken appliance and there's perfectly good and free laundry in the basement and there is a laundromat two blocks down that has big machines and fluff & fold service. So at some point I can switch to fluff&fold if laundry becomes something I don't enjoy.

Ok back to bed. I'm meeting her for coffee and then we are going hither and yon. She has a lot of errands to run today.

Hi Tatoulia 🙂
YES! the cooler is now working great again. 😀
It is nice and cool in here and I took a shower.
I'm happy again. 🙂
The cats were all sprawled out on the carpet looking like melted candles and now they are happy again too.

So great to hear about everything going on in your home.
To some it may seem that you are moving too fast but I know you are ready.
You have worked so hard to finally get to where you are.
You have a vision and are now seeing it become a reality.
I knew you could do it! (((((HUGS)))))

How nice you have refreshing rain tonight,
sleep softly. 😉

Tillie is the evaporative cooler fixed? I'm worried about you in that heat! It poured most of the day here. I like that kind of weather. And when I started to take garbage out at five, the rain felt so good in my skin.

We are doing it. Thanks for the encouragement. I've been shredding papers and now I'm ready for bed.

Tmr we are running errands and then coming back here for a bit. Hopefully I'll be up early enough to work on papers a bit more. I haven't done any laundry all day. Quell horreur.

She's arranged the books on my shelves so nicely. New table looks really good too.

Thank you everyone. I need to see the rest of the clutter up and out. I just have to power through. After tmr, I won't see her again til Sunday. And she goes back home on Sunday.

Hi Tatoulia 🙂
HOW WONDERFUL!!! 😀
Yes, when anybody starts pulling out furniture those dust bunnies are very scary huge.
YEA!!! that she will take some items and BF too.
Always so nice when things go to new homes this way.
Your kitchen sounds adorable, so happy that microwave is no longer there bugging you.
Have a great night's sleep (((HUGS)))

Hi Anonymoniker.
So sorry there is that tricky and clever intelligent skunk haunting your home.
Please don't allow it to rule your emotions (((((HUGS)))))

The weather here has been very nice up till now.
The other week I told Steven that the water pump in the evaporative cooler was not working.
It is common for them to wear out after a few years and cost 16 to 18 dollars at the hardware store.
He rummaged around in the massive hoard and pulled out someone's old nasty water pump he found dumpster diving and installed it.
All smugly & nastily saying "that is why I keep all this stuff around here."
His way of justifying to himself that hoarding and squalor are good and justifiable.
At about 1:00pm today that old worn out used up water pump stopped working.
Today the temperature in the shade on the back porch is 100 degrees.
Inside right now it is 90 degrees.
I am not happy.
I hate calling him but I did and he knows that on his way home today he must stop by the hardware store and buy a new water pump.

Anony! I am so, so sorry about the skunk. I am just so sorry. Tillie I loved reading books all summer long. Such a treat.

OK this was a big day today. Just how dirty my house was is mortifying. The furniture has all been switched and more changes with the artwork. We have come up with a solution for the study area that will allow me to just add an electric fireplace and a nice antique mirror and it's done. We finished picking out the paint color for the living room and study area.

She cleaned my filthy scary kitchen. Oh! At last microwave is gone! BF carried it out for us. I have a huge bag to go to donation and a bag to go to consignment. My kitchen is so cute now. She's moved stuff around and decorated it and put a lamp in there. It is very sweet.

We got the piece of furniture out, the one that gathers stuff and clutter. We put it in the hallway. I will measure it and photograph it and put on Craig's list. Bf came and got chair.

I picked up lobster rolls for us and mom for lunch. (I just had a BLT as I am still full from our beautiful Sunday dinner with BF last night).

Oh! And she wanted two of my pieces for her house. That made me extremely happy. One I was getting ready to consign and she was trying to get me to keep it and I said, would you like it? And another piece that belonged to my mother, she asked, what are your plans for this because I have an idea. It really means a lot to me that she'll have a piece of my mom's.

I have to do at least an hour's worth of work tonight. Just to show I care.

I have piles of stuff to go through tonight. Paperwork. Still I own too much and I have to reckon with that.
Solid day.

~ice coffee clinks to all.....except the #@&*@#! skunk!~
I am so frustrated with this thing. It has turned my home upside down. It wont go in the trap. Every area of my house is modified cuz of this thing! It scares me how much hate & anger i feel towards it....

~☆~Good morning to all!~☆~
SubC, i cant even think about wearing wool underwear?!!? I love your list of what is better about thrift store clothes! A pond would certainly be my preference, too! Thats how i feel about my forest instead of a fancy house!
Tatoulia, you are so brave! Everything youve taken on lately has been amazingly bold & wonderful!
Tillie, your view on avoiding that industry is really clear & so true! When i moved here off my boat & had several years as The Serial Shopper, i over accumulated all kinds of cheap junk from stupid stores & now they have become my forefront sentimental things, too...its been a weird dynamic~Ive read on re-writing a past experience perspective & its something ive tried to do for a while. That whole period of time was so bizarre...like a foggy dream & nightmare, both~
Hi Porter!
Hi CM!
~The skunk is awake & its vehicle awaits~

Good Morning Everybody 🙂

Hi Subclinical 🙂
I love those nice wool socks, they feel so cozy on my feet and don't itch.
I really like your "Snooty Fox" dollar rack. 😉
Yes, living out in the country you exchange things for a better way of living.
By giving up store bought clothes for second hand quality items you get to enjoy a pond. ;D

Hi Tatoulia 🙂
All new kitchen cabinets & counters too!
You are making such wonderful plans.
Good luck and best wishes as you work toward your goals today and into the week.
This is all such a big step but you are ready to do this. ((((HUGS))))

Not moving fast today and have no motivation to do anything.
But after my tea I will decide on a task and tackle it.
I want to do what I loved doing as a kid soon as school let out for Summer.
Sit outside in the shade of a tree and read books.
But first I need to do some chores...

Coffee clinks! I enjoyed reading the conversation about clothing. When I was in grad school, my very dear friend gave me all of her daughter's clothes. I would have them tailored to fit me. The clothes were so beautiful and since I worked full-time in offices, I looked professional and well-dressed and felt good about myself. It was a lot of fun for me. They also gave me duplicates of their quality household goods. My friend and her husband would give me $5 so I could take a cab home with all my things. I still use the pots and pans they gave me as well as the flatware. They bought quality things. And I am thrilled that they have stood the test of time.

Today's the big cleanout day. I told her last night that my biggest fear isn't that I'll refuse to give something up, it's that I'll say stuff like, I'll do that some other day. So we've agreed if I get squirrelly she'll send me to work on a project like sorting papers.

We bought a table at a consignment store yesterday that will work between my two couches. In the corner. We also picked out my kitchen cabinets and counters and she will measure today. We previously picked out my bookshelves. We haven't figured out my fireplace just yet.

Things are coming together. I don't have any money just yet but I will get there. Knowing what I'm working toward will help.

Oh! I took my jewelry to the consignment shop and it's priced at just over a thousand dollars. If it sells, I get half. Every piece was a gift. Some pieces I never wore and others I wore quite a bit but won't wear again. They mark down after 30 days. If I clear 300 I will have won. Not that it's a contest.

I'm waiting to hear about that awful man purse. They haven't priced it yet. I have spoken with the high end shop where I sent it and told them I didn't realize it was a man's bag. They told me not to worry, they will classify it depending on who they think will buy it.

Anony, you had told us and I forgot. I'm sorry. I hope you win the war against the skunks soon! Hopefully at least your earth home will be skunkproof.

My dh has wool underwear and he likes it. It is merino and washable, like SmartWool socks.

Tillie, I also prefer second hand stores - no need to make a new thing when a perfectly good one already exists. Also, little or no packaging, and the item has already proven itself reasonably durable - especially with clothes, the shrinking and fading should be pretty much over. Also - the flame retardant is washed out. Cost savings are a bonus.

Obviously, the most expensive thing I own is my farm. I remember when my kids were young, one of them invited a traditional suburban friend to come out and swim in the pond. Her friend said "you have a pond?!" And Dd said "yeah." And her friend said "but isn't that expensive?" Dd was confused and said "I guess?" And her friend said "but your clothes come from goodwill!" Dd gave up and asked me to explain the exchange later.

One of my favorite things is the dollar rack outside snooty fox. Snooty fox is a high end resale store here. Items that don't sell in a 3 month window have to be picked up. Many of the consignors choose to just donate their unsold clothing, which is put on the dollar rack and sold for an actual dollar. All the dollars go to children's hospital. Sometimes you have to replace a button.