Good Evening Everyone

Hi Tatoulia
Sorry you had an upsetting day.
Take it easy on yourself, treat yourself to some quality down time.
WAY TO GO! getting the basic daily necessary things done anyways.

Hi Subclinical
WAY TO GO!!! for all you got done while procrastinating on the evaluations!

You are NOT giving up by taking advantage of the trash cans.
The amount you add to the landfill is just a tiny drop in the ocean compared to what all goes there every day.
You are simple cleaning/clearing/decluttering your home and property in the fastest easiest way so that you can get on with other things in life.

The carport roof...
The center part of the U shape is touching the tops of stuff underneath it.
But, it has yet to drop the full force of all it's weight down on the stuff there, crushing it in a most pleasing way.

So happy I gardened yesterday.
Today it was bitterly cold all day, no warmth what so ever.
But the laundry dried wonderfully since it was above 32 degrees with a breeze.

Cm I forgot to say that I'm sorry for your loss. I'm so pleased that you know how to arrange flowers and that you could make a beautiful and loving arrangement.

I forget what I read.

Tillie I have yet to get the basket for my desk. For now I haven't needed it. I'm keeping up with things and haven't had any paper on my desk.

Wow! Everybody came by while I was working today. Not on my house (mostly) - on my student evaluations. 12 done, 13 started, 68 untouched. I did get all the laundry put away and the dishes done and the train packed up and the wood box filled, and a metal shelf in the animal barn cleared off and the floor swept, and a guest bed made and a doctor's appointment scheduled and dinner cooked. Because it's amazing all the stuff I can get done when I am not wanting to do evaluations.

Tatoulia, i'm Sorry you had an upsetting day. Really, laundry and dishes are enough to get by.

I am leaving my white lights up on the porch and stairs at least until early feb.

I haven't started the trash cans again yet. I don't know what is going to happen this week. I'm not sure I have enough energy to clean out AND do evaluations. And dh hasn't done anything. I kind of thought he would start on his workbench area by now, but he is working on the window trim instead - which is good, but the rash is time limited. Maybe he thinks he will do some later because I have enough to fill them for now.

I don't actually feel good about using the trash cans. I feel kind of awful about giving up and sending all this stuff to the landfill. But I am proud of myself for pushing through it and clearing out.

Tillie, how much farther can the carport fall with all the stuff in there?

Motown,
i'm Sorry you have difficulties with your dh. That is one area where I am blessed! I'm definitely going to hold on to the coffee table for alittle while while I adjust to the new table, but I talked to my mom today, and she encouraged me to get rid of it.
Tillie ousted my favorite shows, although clean swerp and decorating shows are fun too.

I think I would plan to walk to work if it was only two miles, but then never manage it because I always have so much stuff to take with me.

Critical mass, i'm Sorry about your friend's mother.

I didn't know you were a flower designer. I bet you get to use your eye for color and pattern and balance a lot in your quilts too.

I didn't understand any if those big words, but I understand "hinky" - ouch!

I think "notice it and do it" is a fantastic plan. Not sure I would darn socks though, are they really good socks?

Ok, need to get a good night's sleep if i'm Going to survive thus week.

Hello everyone! Glad to hear from you!

Cm you are doing important mental work! Keep it up! I laughed at your UFO remark! So true! I'm not terribly creative so I don't have a lot of projects that I've started. I'm working on my baking these days. I used to knit a lot but it's no longer something I enjoy. I never fell into the idea of buying too much yarn the way my mother did. I had a few missteps here and there on projects but ultimately I'm not very good at crafts. It must be so hard to be around fabrics and yarns and other wonderful things.

Motown, I'm so glad you are here! I bet you would look odd walking to work! Since I'm right in the city, it makes sense to walk to work and home again. It's under two miles in, and then walking home I'm trying to take a longer route so that in total I'm closer to four miles. I only go in three days a week.

Tillie you are doing such hard work in the garden. I know this will give you a lot of relief as you continue to consolidate.

I'm a slug tonight. I did laundry today and have it folded and put away. Ive emptied my dishwasher and I still need to gather up garbage and get it out. I have to clean the litter box.

I'll do this soon, I hope. I had a somewhat upsetting day so I'm just trying to relax.

Hi CriticalMass
My condolences on the passing of your friend's mother.
How wonderfully sweet of you to make the flower arrangement.
I'm sure it will help easy the grief some. (((hug)))

WAY TO GO! for consciously acknowledging the contents of bags/boxes/bins and knowing what needs to be done to deal with their contents.

Finishing up all the UFOs before starting any new projects would really help keep the chaos down.
But if some project no longer inspires you, is not coming along as you want or is just simply frustrating you are allowed to just abandon it.
Donate or toss.
They are not failures, because along the way they taught you good lessons as to how & what you do enjoy doing.

Hi Motown
On Youtube you can find episodes of "Hoarding Buried Alive" and "Hoarders".
Also there are many other decluttering, cleaning and organizing videos.
Just type in the search bar for "decluttering, hoarding clean up, cleaning or organizing".

Keep doing whatever you need to do for yourself and your sanity.
Someday there really should be a light at the end of that tunnel that's not an oncoming train.

That carport...
A covered space large enough to park 2 cars is attached to the side of the house.
Sometime long ago someone added an extension for one car to the carport roof on the side away from the house.
It is that part falling down. Today the center part is 4 feet from the ground.
It is covered with lots of leaves that are now wet and yes, snow is heavy too.
The corner support posts are still holding up the front and back so what I see looks like a huge U shape.
Depending on the corner support posts, it could pull down the whole carport roofing.
Which is alright with me since that entire roof has been neglected and is damaged by a tornado years ago and lots of other weather related damage.

So, I have not been on in a good while. But I sure have missed you folks. Just now got through reading just enough to feel somewhat "caught up" with the goings-on with y'all.
Subclinical, I hope your new desk works out for you. I really would consider just sticking the old coffee table back in storage just for a few weeks to see if your new desk meets your needs and expectations. Then it can still be donated without remorse. You had asked if I watched cleaning shows while I clean or organize; I honestly didn't know such shows exist. Please elaborate or give me some good recommendations. I have those few episodes of "Tidying Up" by Marie Kondo but other than that, nothing.

Wishing for snow here in Arkansas but will not likely get enough to make things pretty. I don't like to go out in it, prefer to enjoy it from inside where it is warm and dry. I detest cold weather. I don't even like cool weather.

Tillie, I, too, struggle with a SO who is mean and nasty whenever I try to discuss anything with him. He is not fond of communication and I cannot seem to get through to him just how important it is in a relationship. I have begged and pleaded with him to have a conversation about a budget as money seems so very important to him and he always tells me how stupid I am when it comes to finances. In fact, we have been separated since Christmas Eve. At least you finally got Steven to discuss matters of utmost importance regarding finances, etc. We just start to be able to talk a little via text messages but then we cannot seem to get along in person at all. We are both hoarders so...And I do hope you can get some of the hoard of vehicles out of your yard and get parking spaces to suit you both. And for heaven's sake stay away from the carport. I just hope that it doesn't majorly damage the house if it does give way. Snow can do that, right? I am so glad you are enjoying your dollhouse. My 4 yr old granddaughter EmmaClaire has a knock-off American Girl doll from Target and my mom got her a little friend for her for Christmas. I have had so much fun looking at Pinterest dreaming of all the cool things we can make and buy for the girl dolls. It's like an alter ego and how much fun it is to live vicariously through an 18" doll! I know you are having fun in your garden as well. I used to have a nice yard and flower beds, etc. Back when I cared.

Tatoulia, if only I could just buy what we need from week to week. If it were just hubby and me at home then we can be super frugal but with all the kidlings around I don't control the grocery buying, my daughter does that as she gets EBT. Hubby and I buy things that are just for us, like a rotisserie chicken every Sunday afternoon and some salad stuff occasionally. I am envious of you having your cleaning fairies. Someday when my "permanent house guests" have finally gone (or when we have given up and just moved out into another "place of our own") then maybe I can control the tidiness better. I can't imagine walking anywhere, much less to work. I work almost two miles from my house. I would feel foolish walking and carrying a purse and a lunch bag and a yeti of coffee! Also yay for your clear desk! I don't even keep mine at work clear. It is as cluttered as my, well, everything else!

CriticalMass, I LOVE your term for the things that we don't know exactly what to do with. Stumpers! You should trademark that term!

So, I have done a little more but every time I turn my back on what I just did the piles reappear. It's like trying to dig a hole in dry sand!

Gotta go get a little more done on this Monday afternoon before I leave work.

Take care y'all!!!

Hi

Weekend was cold here and not helpful toward getting over this sinus thing I've got, but I'm making some progress.

My friend's mother passed away Friday after many health issues. I went and got flowers to arrange using the florist skills I have a diploma in and at one point had hoped would be my career but it didn't pan out.

It was satisfying to have my hand in and know I can still do it, though. I did the bouquet for my aunt's funeral this past March as well. Buying flowers at the grocery in bundles and a vase and ribbon at the dollar store I can end up with something that would retail for 2-3x as much made up and this way it's tailored toward the person from the get-go.

Plus for a funeral it's important that an arrangement be larger and more visible, which is feasible when I make it myself and keep the stems longer. I'd thought about just going with a plant, but I'm glad I did what I did. Took it out to the funeral home last night.

Today I don't have much to do besides take a leisurely shower and get ready. The Rosary service is tonight and the funeral in the morning.

Decluttering is still on my mind - and the need for it screams from my surroundings, of course. I'm feeling optimistic that this year I'm going to get a lot done - there seems to be a flow to it. Logjams exist, maybe new ones will temporarily occur in the process, but I feel like I'll know how to deal with them one by one.

Tillie, enchiladas sound yum. I think about making a panful. I have a can of sauce. Would just need the corn tortillas and a big bag of shredded cheese. My Mexican lady from church used to have her kids and grandkids over and so I learned some secrets from being part of the assembly process a few times.

SubC - you are doing well - sounds like you have gotten a ton of stuff gone and I know you'll be able to see it through to the finish line. Hope the new desk is everything you want it to be. I want to get an office swivel chair on wheels at some point, lightweight but of good quality, that I can move easily to different places where I live now and then take with me someday. Sitting on the floor is fun but I have a hinky hip joint - iliotibial band syndrome and trochanteric bursitis if you want the fancy words - so I can't sit that way for extended periods without later facing The Revenge of the Aging Body!

Stretches might help some, and I'm still frustrated that it has taken me a long time to get close to resuming a gym routine. I'm still determined to get it going though. Such good endorphins when I do go.

Back to decluttering then I'd better go get in the shower: What seems to be helping me these days is that I'm doing a mental shift in awareness. Kind of vague to describe, but basically it is like I'm going "There are those socks in a bag. I will darn them." Instead of just walking by the bag unaware for the 1,284,395th time. "Here are the Barbie doll patterns and here is the fabric, and the sewing machine stands ready." "Let's get the embroidery design transferred for that one quilt, and decide on block designs for a couple others." (And decided on them.) "For the next plot point in the romance novel, this." "Later, for the science fiction novel, perhaps this new direction. At least jot it down."

With my crazy way of wanting to do so many things, this is what works. Maybe not everybody would want to do quite so many things. Everyone has their optimal preference. The thing is, I want to finish my UFOs (Un-Finished Objects) and at the same time my brain keeps finding new things to start - but I'm trying to be at the switching station and get the UFO train to keep on going down the tracks to its destination, whilst halting or slowing some of the newer trains for awhile and hoping the end result will be a more logical, sustainable, and satisfying flow. And getting the socks darned.

Good Morning Everybody

Hi Tatoulia
Winter scenes and décor can be kept up until the Spring equinox.
WTG! for a tidy and pretty desk!
Did you find a nice hamper for the papers and a convenient location for it?

I have laundry hung out on the line today.
Thinking about maybe doing some dusting and possibly polishing.
Pretty physically easy and gives nice to see results.

Great work on the garden Tillie and I'm glad you set limits. I bet that enchilada was tasty. SubC it must be a good feeling to use your trash cans. That was a great idea to get the service! Yay for taking down a lot of the Christmas decorations. I still have the tiny scene in the window by my desk. I'm enjoying it, and telling myself that it is a winter scene and not a Christmas scene. It's adorable and I love it.

I have kept my desk absolutely free and clear, and it looks so lovely.

I'm doing a few loads of laundry. I just washed and dried kitty's bed. Now to get her to settle down.

Hi Subclinical

WAY TO GO!!! staying indoors and undecorating.
Happy for you! You get to enjoy the tree for another week!
😀

I got my shower and am exhausted now.
Happy I was strict and limited my time gardening.
Used to be I could work like a horse all day long but not any more.

Hi Tillie,
glad you had fun in your garden!

I ran the dishwasher again, turned in my class proposals, and put away all the Christmas stuff from upstairs, bedrooms, bathrooms, dining porch, den, and kitchen.

I still have a tree, a train, and a few outdoor decorations (we have 8 inches of snow - I am not setting up a ladder in 8 inches of snow to get three bows and a wreath off the top of the garage.)

i told dh I would clean up the tree and train tomorrow. He said I can just do the train and keep the tree until Saturday! I love this Christmas tree. It is 11' tall and it has all of my ornaments on it at once, and it is just so pretty! January is so hard. It's really sweet of him to let me keep my tree.

He also brought my trash cans back when he plowed.

I put a few plastic ribbons I had saved into the trash can and recycled some paper items when I put everything away. I also found a cloth gift bag I can donate. It is wine bottle shaped and has an adult (not obscene) cartoon on it. I will never use it.

Just now 1:45pm

Went out and did some raking, some digging, some pulling out and some transplanting.
Also laid out the metal flower bed border but didn't dig it in and seat it.
I stopped when my back got tired & before it started screaming.
Came in and ate enchiladas & am resting up.
In a few I will get in the shower and clean me up.
Happy with all I got done and keep reminding myself that I still have plenty of time before Spring.

Good Morning Everybody

Hi Tatoulia
Hope you got a good night's sleep and are all rested up today.
YEA! for pumpkin bread & muffins and tidying up the kitchen.
Happy you are paying close attention and are getting laundry done until the work actually begins.
Congratulations on the continuing weight loss.
Walking around the city sounds like a wonderful way to get in exercise.

Hi Subclinical
How wonderful to be snowed in and enjoying it!!!
Keep up this great job of resting and taking it easy as long as you can.

Looks like today will be sunny with no wind just like yesterday.
Planning to get out there soon as it warms up.
Want to transplant a small rose bush, a chrysanthemum and my lavender next.
I'm bunching my favorite plants close together in one small area and eliminating all the others.
This will be so much easier for me to care for them.
I will still allow the catnip to run wild at the other end since all the kitties in the area love it so much.
It sucks getting old and unable to do all the things we used to do.
But by minimizing my garden I will still be able to do some proper gardening.
Last summer it was too much for me and depressing to see it all looking a mess.

Tillie,
yay for a sparkly kitchen and plenty of enchiladas!

Tatoulia,
I hope you got a good night sleep. The pumpkin bread sounds yummy.

I got almost no Christmas decorations put away yesterday. I was lazy and spent too much time online and snacked on too many unhealthy things. I also didn't go up in the snow and get the trash cans.

It snowed and snowed all night so now my yard looks gorgeous - you can't even find the remaining post-construction piles, but my trash cans are probably buried in a drift up by the road. Dh will have to plow later, or stay home from work tomorrow.

We have a lovely pot of stew that I made yesterday and a loaf of bread and fruit, (and milk and eggs...) so we are settled in very nicely.

Things I did do yesterday were run the dishwasher and finish my class proposals for next year. The class proposals are due Tuesday, so I set them aside to sleep on, but I will probably send them in today.

I didn't set my alarm today, I just slept until I woke up, so I am feeling more rested.

Hello hello!

Very cold here in Boston I got up early for reflexology (Santa brought me a gift card). I then walked around the city some, came home, was reading when I fell sound asleep. Did mim's grocery shopping tonight and now I'm waiting for my homemade pumpkin bread to cool. I made a few muffins and one loaf. I forgot to put in the walnuts. The muffins are delicious.

I'm hoping the pumpkin loaf will cool soon. I'm tired. They did not start the work in my laundry room (I could've sworn I heard it bring worked on) and I did three loads tonight. Towels, pjs and a load of delicates.

I'm on the couch now, very tired, yet determined to not lay down. Recently I've fallen asleep on the couch three times.

On my way home tonight I stopped in a store and I'm definitely getting down to another size. I tried on stuff just for the experience. It's pretty sobering to have that many mirrors but honestly, it was good to see that I'm at a new improved size.

SubC I hope the new table works out for you. I just want you to have something useful. CM you are working hard and I'm impressed. Refresh my memory on the 80/20 rule? Because it sounds like something I need to employ. Immediately.

Tillie! I would love to stop by for dinner. Thank you for the description of what cleaning the kitchen entailed. Very good teminder. I have my dishwasher set to run right now. I should go do that. And I need to wipe down my counters. I've already wiped down my mixer and put it away. I still have some laundry to fold.

I'm fading fast. I'm so tired.

Kitchen is all clean.
Along with the usual dish washing, fridge wiping and counter/stove top wiping off I also...
Removed the stove rings and soaked them.
Opened/lifted up the stove top and wiped out underneath there.
Scrubbed the stove rings and put them back over the gas burners.
This pilotless electronic ignition gas stove is the easiest stove top I've ever had to clean.
Very little ever spills down the little holes around the burners, mostly just gets dusty under there.

If tomorrow is anywhere near as nice out as today was I am going out and working in the garden.
Not really work, it's actually playing. 😉

Well, the enchiladas are all made and should feed me for the next 4 or 5 days.
Still have to clean the kitchen.
Beautiful day today and I really wish I was out there working on the garden.
But, Oh Well...

((((HUGS)))) Subclinical

I just don't want you to hurt in any way physically or psychologically or emotionally.

I know you have made some hard choices and sacrifices during all your decluttering, home renovating, down sizing the children's things and organizing.

My philosophy is that we can keep those (limited number) items that are dear to us.

Good luck and best wishes with the new "improved" desk.

;D

I wanted to add also,
Tillie, you are really sweet to ask what dh us giving up and worry about wether I am being treated fairly, but you have to remember - I am the hoarder. I am Stephen. I am the person who, in our last house, literally filled our huge dining room waist to chin deep in boxes of papers and honestly I no longer have any idea what so that it was completely unusable and barely navigable, and actually dangerous to our children and so we had to close off a space that could have been used and enjoyed for so many things in our lives. I crowded his desk out of the room and he had to finish part of the basement to have room to work. We have been married 28 years. Sometimes I am amazed that he stayed. There really isn't any accommodation I could make that would make us even.

Well, if I don't like the new table, I suppose we can return it, although the shipping will be a bit much. Hopefully I will like it, because I picked it out. It looked good in the pictures and the complaints about the color in the comments section made it sound better, not worse. People said it was sturdy, light and easy to store. They did say the surfaced scratched too easily, so I may need a mat or blotter, or I may just let it get scratched. The current coffee table surface is dreadful.

The thing is that I look at the coffee table and think "here is where c spilled scalding hot cocoa at the Christmas party, those are m's teeth marksman the leg, this is the giant scratch from the snap on my pants when I launched myself off the steps and across the table like Superman...

I gave the table up once when I sent it off with my son. I really never expected it to survive past his first apartment. So I can do it again. It's just hard.

Dh actually suggested several other attractive tables that did not fold, some with storage, but in most of them, the storage would have interfered with tucking my legs underneath.

I think that having a folding table is a better thing, because being able to fold it up and put it away when I am not using it will keep the space in the new room more flexible. It also looks easier to carry to wherever I might want to work - by the fire in the winter, or on the back porch in summer.... and, I really want to learn to finish my tasks and clean things up and put them away. I don't want my little desk to become yet another surface where I pile unfinished projects. I'm trying to break that habit.

Good Morning Everyone

Hi Subclinical
Hugs to your DH for keeping an eye on you.
So nice that the new low desk is working out so well.
WAY TO GO! working the ten minute tidy in the barn!
Amazing how much gets done in such a short amount of time every day or two.

Hi Tatoulia
WTG! for proper dieting and getting good results!
Hope you have some fun plans for this weekend.

Hi CriticalMass
Please take extra care of yourself.
Stay warm, eat properly and most of all get plenty of rest. (((hug)))
Best wishes fixing Beatrix's fur loss. Is that a common problem in some bunnies?
In cats they usually need vitamin supplements.
Hope your kitties have finally worked out their issues.
WAY TO GO! getting things donated and having the strength to not buy there too!
It was difficult for me to sort out and declutter my music CDs and vinyl records.
But was worth it with the space I gained and Youtube does a great job keeping songs so I don't need to.
Keep up the great job you have been doing decluttering and reorganizing your home.

Yesterday I woke up tired.
Went grocery shopping even though I just wanted to go back to bed.
Got home and put away my groceries and did some chores like cat stuff.
Sat down and ate and spent the rest of the day nodding off to sleep whenever I sat down again.
Plan for today is to make a large dish of enchiladas then clean the kitchen.
Steven has again blocked in the car with his truck.
If he would eliminate even just one derelict vehicle it would help prevent this.

Hello again Subclinical
((((HUGS))))
I totally understand the emotions involved with your coffee table.
I treasure using the one Steven's Grandparents bought years ago, the first they bought when setting up house together.
Steven's Grandmother was a dear beloved friend of mine.
What if you don't like the new one?
What if it's wobbly & unsteady and rickety?
What is he sacrificing in exchange for your sacrifice?

Wish we had more snow here.
Everybody stay safe & warm.

Hi CM!

How did the reordering go?

Did you get snow?

We have lots of lovely snow this morning and don't need to go anywhere until Monday! The county next door (county line is 5 miles from us) has a snow emergency in effect, so we aren't allowed to drive in that direction unless it's essential.

Dh and I had further conversation about the table this morning and while it did not go entirely well (there were tears on my part and apologies on his) the results are that he ordered me a pretty little Japanese folding table. It should be here by the end of next week. It does not have a drawer, but I can keep all my desks bits in a little box, basket, or caddy nearby.

Now, I need to steel myself to get rid of this coffee table. It will be really hard because I grew up with it, and while it is battered and scared, most of the marks are memories. OTOH, right now is probably the best time to pass it on, because that acrylic pour technique is popular and it would lend itself well to that, and so have hope of a new life. Still, this may take a while.

Hi from damp and chilly Kansas, where snow has arrived to the west and is predicted to reach our area later.

I guess I was overconfident about my illness. It's still not that bad, but I was out in the evenings last night and Wednesday night, and now I've had more symptoms. It's just the usual pattern of my respiratory crud, and I'm thankful I don't have any big plans. Roommate too is improving after the bad spell that lasted a long time. So likely we'll each spend the weekend taking it easy.

Thanks for the kind words about Heather bunny. Her successor (not replacement!) is Beatrix. Bea is a sweet and loving girl also. I've been treating her for fur loss around her ears, neck, and shoulders. She had a lovely coat until this summer - I thought she was just molting but then realized no new fur was coming in! I first tried Bag Balm on the bald patches and some regrowth occurred, then it kind of stalled out. Now I'm using coconut oil and seeing better results.

The cats may gradually, begrudgingly be starting each to concede that the other one could be tolerated under the same roof, but there are still hisses and the occasional snarling and chasing. But earlier this week I found girl kitty on roommate's bed with the dog and boy kitty on the dog bed on the floor beside. Hoping that's a good sign.

I did get the old CD holders and a few other items to the thrift store and did not buy anything else. At some point I want to go through the CDs and do the 80-20 rule purge or at least as close as I can come. Pretty sure I spend 80% of my listening time on 20% of the CDs. Nowadays with YouTube it's so easy to find just one or a few songs, or collections (I enjoyed several Christmas ones).

Today I will continue the reordering work begun yesterday. It will have future phases which involve taking stuff to storage when weather improves - and I'm gonna keep that 80-20 rule in mind there as well.

Goals include moving awkwardly placed shelving into a more stable and efficient configuration, replacing flimsy shelving units with the nice chrome ones on casters, putting loose items into clear tubs - smaller ones wherever possible; I'm getting older and tired of lugging the big ones. Fabric stash busting on quilts and doll clothes, stash busting and selling on other crafty things such as jewelry and steampunk.

Going through memorabilia and papers - that has come a long way over the years but is not out of the woods yet.

I'm not going to think about it too much just yet, but when the above goals are accomplished, there will be a need to reckon with the most difficult items. The sentimental such as stuffed animals. And those weird odds and ends I think most everyone has - the stumpers, I'll call them for lack of a better term. Things that I look at and go "I don't really have a sentimental attachment to this object, nor is it that useful, but for some crazy reason I can't bring myself to let go of it." Maybe if I've done the more straightforward goals, I'll have a momentum and a clearer head by the time I get to the stumpers!

Happy Friday with winter iced tea clinks!

Hello. Quick drive by. I remember watching the movie clutter. I remember it as a somewhat quiet movie and maybe a little sad. I don't remember it beyond the vague impressions.

I am late for work, as usual. I'm back to making good food choices and the holiday weight is coming off. Going in the right direction. Need to keep looking forward.

It would be so nice if the inconvenient parking motivated Stephen to get rid of a car or two. But I suppose that us wishful thinking.

Don't worry about me, dh is paying much closer attention now. He is also nagging me to make my regular check up appointment.

The new "desk" is much nicer. I have to confess that I have left it out with work on it, but that is because I worked until bedtime and had things to finish this morning. Dh is only here and awake for about an hour on Friday mornings, and part of that he is upstairs showering, etc. so i don't feel bad. I will clean it up after work today - before he gets home.

I skipped my "ten minute tidy" in the barn this morning because I was in a rush, but I am starting to see a difference.

Hi Subclinical
WTG! for eating well!!!
I just worry about you because you were so worn out and tired for so very long before you got help with that anemia.

WOOHOO!!!
For filling all the cans!

Bet grading papers at your low portable desk table made the task so much easier for you.

Last week the ground here was frozen but the last few days have been warm enough to thaw it out and that's what really motivated me to get the transplanting done today.
Soft unfrozen dirt not too wet not muddy at all.

When he returned today he again pulled in behind the car in the driveway and I immediately went out and had words with him.
He relocated the truck so tomorrow I can leave.

The front yard is divided in two.
It's a very large area.
The part out by the road is where he has 3 derelict vehicles parked.
The other half is inside the fenced area leading to the carport and garage.
There he has one derelict vehicle on the right side of the driveway.
Most of the driveway and all of the carport is totally hoarded.
So, there is really only room for one vehicle to park inside the fenced area, near the house.
He had to park the truck way out by the road behind the dead vehicles.
All the prime parking out there is occupied by derelict vehicles.
If he got rid of those he would have lots of very nice parking spaces.

Watched a movie on "tubi" tonight called "Clutter".
I really liked the message of the ending.

Hi CM,
sounds like you are making good progress on your space!

I am sorry about your bunny. I remember what a sad and difficult time that was.

Tillie, I hope your car is free! It is funny to read about your garden - my yard is frozen. I would need a pick axe to dig.

Don't worry about my "cold". It is just getting better slowly. All a doctor would do is treat the symptoms (which i'm Doing) or give me antibiotics - which at this point are most likely to cause a whole new set of problems.

Today I fought it with a banana, fresh eggs, a sweet potato, some broccoli, cornbread and molasses, almonds, an apple, and lots of hot tea. There may have been two candies that are probably on the unhealthy team.

I did not finish my grading, but I got enough done that I feel ok for tomorrow.

AND I got all six trash cans filled and up to the curb! But I am up late and should go to bed now!

Good Afternoon Everybody

Hi CriticalMass
(((HUGS)))
My kitties loved bunnies (a little too much) so I am sure our babies are all happily & gently playing together.

WAY TO GO! with all bedroom decluttering & sorting out.
Those slotted CD holders are a pain and take up more space than needed too.

GREAT job updating your computer!
I really hate Win 10 and it took a long time to delete or turn off all the BS it installed on my laptop.

Congratulations!!!! for your quilt being on the list!
Hope you are feeling totally better and do not catch any other virus.

Hi Subclinical
Please, please, please...
don't let this drag on much longer before seeing a doctor.

You are NOT a failure
WAY TO GO!!! having 3 full cans full!

You can start the bathroom project once you are feeling 100% and have no other obligations to fulfill.

Woke up early and wanted to go grocery shopping but he always parks the truck behind the car blocking me in.
He has been sleeping in till noonish and staying up until <3:00am>.
So anyways...
I hung out the laundry and lit the burn barrel.
Such a lovely day today that I went out and did a lot of gardening.
Transplanted a rose bush, some purple flowering plant and my hyacinth bulbs.
Pruned all the honeysuckle and a bit on the lilac bushes too.
Dug out some daffodil bulbs and iris rhizomes that don't bloom any more.
The cats all came out for a little while.

I honestly don't know how much he drug home yesterday, only saw the armful of bags he carried into the garage.
He has once again taken off to the thrift shops.
He took two small boxes (games/puzzles) so his excuse was he had to go to donate them.

So, I am watching for his return and if he blocks the car in again I will run out there and tear him a new one... >:/

Hi everybody! Motown, glad you popped in.

I'd planned to post Monday that I'd done three long overdue loads of laundry, the first step in being able to reach my wardrobe (after moving items directly in front of said wardrobe, LOL).

But as Monday progressed, so did a funny feeling in my throat. *Cue ominous horror movie soundtrack* By evening I didn't feel so great, but on Tuesday I was able to get to church for my holy hour and later the quilt guild's meeting where we got the quilt lineup settled for the bingo in March. Fun to see the one I made be officially put on the list! 😊 It's #17, I think, but that's okay. They have to sort and mix them up to make a variety - don't want, say, five predominantly blue quilts all together, etc.

Yesterday was a halfway or further back up to speed day. I finally did a long procrastinated task, namely figured out how to install my computer's Windows 7 updates that I'd put off when Microsoft started trying to sneak Windows 10 onto people's computers whether they wanted it or not.

I actually discovered someone had written a handy little utility program that you could set to do the nitpicky job of combing through the updates and not installing Win 10 ones. Ended up with 59 updates to Windows 7, haha. So glad to cross that task off my backlog list and know that I can update, at least till whenever they stop supporting Windows 7. I've had the laptop for nine years now! Can you tell I don't like change?

Today has been back to the original project of getting clothes put away and dealing with the stuff in front of the wardrobe. I got sidetracked but in a good way, changing out containers my CDs are in. They're now in small lidded tubs. Before they were in those slotted holders that don't keep the dust out, and are fiddly to put the CDs into. If I get far enough along, I will have an outing to rehome them later; if not, tomorrow.

I have gotten to the wardrobe and am done with my lunch so I am ready for the wrap-up. The decluttering won't be finished in my bedroom but I will have finally broken through the gridlock. And as we all know, working on areas we've not tackled in a long time leads to discoveries. Things that can be gotten rid of, things we wanted to use but couldn't get to, and a fresh look at the space which in turn leads to new plans and strategies.

Before I go, I just want to mark a memory. It's sad, but I need to acknowledge it. You may want to grab a tissue... It's exactly a year since my beautiful Heather bunny died after having found a raised piece of vinyl flooring I didn't realize was accessible, and ate enough to block her intestines. That day was the first of many very stressful events of 2018, and I pray 2019 will be a much better year for all of us. You, my friends, are making terrific progress. And I'm sure Heather and Tillie's cats and everybody's animals are playing at the rainbow bridge.

Oh dear Tillie.

At least he was gone for a long time, but how bad was the shopping? Did the dump load net you any reduction?

I'm glad you got some peace and quiet for your dollhouse.

Tatoulia, did your numbers straighten up?

I taught a full day yesterday and realized I am not fully recovered. My throat got sore again, my voice faded, and I was so tired. A friend came by to talk with me at lunch, and I didn't even have the energy to hold up my side of the conversation.

Meanwhile, I am already feeling like a failure because I only have three cans full to go up today, and I need to dedicate my morning to grading papers and getting lesson plans in order - work I meant to do over break when I was sick.

I haven't even tried to address the bathroom.

I have started a nice fire to take the chill off the room, and once I get dh's breakfast made and lunch packed, I will move my "desk" back in front of it.