Oh my goodness that is severe. Good thing you have some fruit to keep you cool.

I am doing laundry today. So far one load of towels and now I'm doing my sheets. Would love to do a load of kitty stuff too. We shall see how I feel as the day goes on.

Iced tea clinks!! I'll drink an extra glass of water in your honor, Tillie.

Good Morning Everybody 🙂

Hi Tatoulia 🙂
Hope all your laundry wishes come true for today 😉

Well!
I am watering EVERYTHING because I got this warning in my weather forecast...

Heat Advisory issued July 16 at 3:03AM PDT until July 19 at 9:00PM PDT by NWS Reno
Greater Reno-Carson City-Minden Area; Western Nevada Basin and Range including Pyramid Lake
...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TUESDAY TO 9 PM PDT
THURSDAY...
* High Temperatures: 100 to 108 Tuesday through Thursday.
* Low Temperatures: 65 to 75 Wednesday and Thursday mornings.
* Impacts: Hot temperatures and limited relief overnight will
increase chances for heat related illness, especially for
sensitive groups and people without access to air
conditioning. Heat stress is also possible for livestock and
outdoor pets.
Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside.

The temperature reading comes from the airport and is always a few degrees cooler than what my thermometers here read.
The "airport" here just has crop dusters, small Cessna's and a few gliders anyways...

It's a pleasant 75 right now at 8:00am.
Definitely will NOT be going to the grocery store.
Still have one cantaloupe, four plums, a peach and a nectarine plus 2 cans of pineapple.
That should hold me over till it cools down a little.

Lots of Iced Tea "Clinks!: ;D

I do love my Roku, Tillie. Has changed my life and mom's life!

In fact, after we ate we watched a stupid show together on Hulu then I walked down to the market to do her shopping. I'm going to have to take another shower as I am very sweaty.

My overseas friend loves how I've pared down the dresser. She's very pleased, as am I.

I'm envious of your four loads of laundry and, as usual, hanging them out to dry. I didn't do any today. But I'm working from home tomorrow so will hopefully get some done!

Hi Tatoulia 🙂

I will be fine here inside, out of the heat as long as there isn't a power outage.
But ever since they updated all the power lines in this area, we have only had one power failure due to a drunk idiot running into a power pole and they got us back online in an hour.

WAY TO GO!!!!
For making good decisions and being happy and content with them.
(((HUGS)))

Decluttering is really like peeling an onion, one layer at a time.
But every layer we remove changes things within us and our environment.
By the time we are finally down to the "pearl onion"
we have just exactly what we need, love and find beautiful left.

Have a lovely dinner with Mom and enjoy those wonderful po'boys! 😀
Then enjoy your tidy clean bedroom tonight!

I washed 4 loads of laundry and as one load was ready to hang out the previous was ready to bring in.
Haven't done much else but I have watched Youtube videos and now I have a movie from "Popcorn" playing.
Always something available and interesting with the ROKU.

Bedroom dusted. I vacuumed on Friday. Clean sheets, bed made. I'm really happy with my choices today. They were all good ones.

Oh Tillie I know you will take care of yourself in this heat but I still need to say it. Take good care. You are important to me.

I've reached a new level. I'm now just puttering and saying goodbye to stuff I hadn't even considered getting rid of and I feel great. I'm going to shower soon and take mom a grilled shrimp po boy. . We will have a late lunch together. I just sent BF after picture of my dresser (bear in mind, my friend had cleared it off and made a lot of changes. I've taken more than half off from there).

Good Morning 🙂

Hi Subclinical 🙂
Sorry about the moldy goat food.
Have fun with the fair. 😉

Hi Tatoulia 🙂
I know that light free feeling.
Just because something is beautiful, useable, valuable or I have owned it for decades,
I do not need to be the keeper of it forever more.
I am free to travel through my life with fewer items to care for.
Less things to clean and clean around.
Less time taken up by making sure they are properly and safely stored away in my home.
More time in a day to just be in the here and now.

Triple digit temperatures for at least the next 10 days.
Garden plants are looking stressed even with lots of watering.
Might be forced to leave home later this week to buy more fresh produce.
The car is a big mess of pollen, sap, and half eaten apricots.
Yes, it's under my apricot tree and the birds are leaving half eaten apricots all over it. ;P

I'm getting a lot done today. Making a lot of decisions. Decisions I didn't realize needed to be made. It's going great!

Cool breeze coming through.

SubC it can be hard to keep up. Please be kind to yourself. That is aggravating that you need to return the feed.

Tillie I'm glad you are making it a Netflix day!

I had a wonderful day yesterday. I ran errands, alone, and it was so pleasant. I stopped for a coffee and a bagel, picked up a piece from the frame shop (my overseas friend had something framed) then I went to the consignment shop to pick up my check. Meager amount but it's mine! I hope my other stuff sells. Not necessarily for the money but just to have it gone. I bought two very nice lamps for my dresser, then I came home and re-evaluated my dresser and took more things off, including taking the glass case and putting in the consignment bag. The glass case is very sweet and I displayed little things in it. I'm good with saying goodbye to it. I bought it at an antique fair somewhere in Texas many, many years ago on one of my yearly vacations with mom.

Yesterday I got all of my extra baking pans out to goodwill. Then in the evening BF and I ran errands. So it was a very good, productive day. I don't know if I mentioned this but I've taken down the other Craigslist posting. Dealing with people has been too stressful. The guy yesterday was lovely but last weekend someone got hostile with me over the email. The other piece can sit in our common space til I feel like listing it again.

Looking forward to taking mom out today.

I feel lighter. Getting rid of even stuff I like and use makes me feel lighter.

Kitty is sipping her water. I love it when cats are drinking water.

Having a little trouble keeping up.

Getting ready for fair - goat got picked up tonight - and not doing a good job cleaning up after myself. Kitchen is pretty bad and i've got all three dds, son in law, and heartgrandson here for dinner tomorrow.

On top of it, I am now short on feed because I just opened my last two bags and they were moldy. I can't take them back until Monday - they better replace them! I've got half a bag of medicated but the milk does can't have that unless I dump the milk for two weeks after, so it's corn and hay for them.

Tatoulia, I am glad your table moved on. I wonder if you were sick from the stress of cleaning out the cupboard.

Carry on!

Good Morning Everyone 🙂

Hi Porter 🙂
How wonderful to have the freedom from doing house cleaning!
Enjoy it! ;D

Hi Tatoulia 🙂
So sorry you were ill (((hug)))
Hope you are doing much better.
WAY TO GO! for selling the table!
My fridge coils got done "GOOD ENOUGH", that's all we can ever do for them. ;P
So true about some generic prescription drugs not at all the same as the name brand ones.

Another hot humidly sticky wildfire smoky day.
Plans are to watch Netflix, shampoo my hair and give myself a pedicure.
No outside, coughing too much.
No housework, this is my day off.
But as usual, I'll do all the tasks cat related.

Good morning, everyone! Well I sold the table I was looking to get rid of. He talked me down even further but I really needed the table to go, so it's gone!

CM, I'm glad you are getting some quality time in with your van! I so appreciate all you are doing with your elderly friend. What a gift for both of you! Yes the cats know when we are up to something. my cat can smell it when I'm trying to get her to the vet.

Sharon, I hope your father is recuperating. I know how difficult the thyroid meds can be. Such a delicate balance. I had my diseased thyroid removed probably 7 years ago. It's been a tough road but I've found that getting the brand name meds (vs the generic) has helped me immeasurably. The cost difference (I pay over $60 a month as opposed to $10) is well worth it for me. My sanity wasn't holding together the way it does with the brand name. It happened by accident. The pharmacy was out of generics so I got the brand name one month. About two and a half weeks in, I was feeling remarkably better and figured it out. Now my physician writes "no substitutions" on my script. You are NEVER rambling so please post whenever and whatever you can.

SubC, you are doing great work with the floors!

Anony, I hope you are working safely with your panels! You know how much of a worrier I am!

Tillie, I vacuumed the coils of my fridge the other day but I'm not sure I did it thoroughly. Oh, who am I kidding? I most definitely did not do thoroughly.

Porter, I'm glad that the cleaning lady is keeping harmony in your home. I am going to start having a cleaning lady every two weeks and I'm excited for that.

I'm off to run errands. Have a good day everyone! Stay cool! We are in a lovely stretch of weather here.

Cleaning service came today while I was at work.

It's like elves come when your sleeping and magic just happens.

Marcie loves not having do a single thing.
It was a lot of effort, but now none at all, very liberating.
Trash, laundry, floors,dishes , counters, bathrooms.

I cut my own grass.

Hello everyone! I had terrible nausea this AM and despite being dressed and ready for work, I had to stay in. I slept til nearly 7. Pretty funny but kitty forgot I was here and looked very shocked when I walked out of the bedroom. I have finally eaten and doing okay. I'd been up in the night with terrible belly pain and this AM I just couldn't shake it.

Great work vacuuming, Tillie! And Anony, keep the faith. So many creature to deal with.

I vacuumed bedroom and moved out a table I'm selling. Supposedly two people from Craigslist are coming tmr for two different pieces of furniture. Both are now in common hallway. I hope they both come and take the furniture. I'll but mom a lobster roll or shrimp po' boy for dinner.

I'm not up to date on the posts. I don't mean to be so self-centered.

Hi 🙂

OK, I vacuumed those spookienesses out from under the fridge.
Since the vacuum was plugged in I went ahead and vacuumed the carpet too.
In the diningroom area is an inherited "dry sink" with a drawer and cabinet underneath.
I straightened out that drawer. I keep tea light candles, short tapers and spare wicks for my kerosene lamps in there.

Went out to the pump house to get the bug barrier spray.
Walked to the pump house door, turned around and noticed that I had just blindly walked past a snake.
REALLY! cute little 2 foot guy!
He was not afraid of me, didn't hurry off, kinda just hung out with me.
Then he showed me how fancy he was by slowly climbing up the tree as I watched.

It was a good day. ;D

Good Morning Everybody 🙂

Hi Anonymoniker 🙂
I understand having to psyche yourself up in order to be able to stomach killing creatures. (((HUGS)))
Have a wonderful time dusting away cobwebs. ;D

Hi Tatoulia 🙂
(((HUGS)))

Hi Porter 🙂
Stay happy!

Hi Sharon 🙂
Great to hear from you
WAY TO GO! for finding items to donate!
YEA! for getting back on top of things and for having a handyman all lined up! 😀

Hi CriticalMass 🙂
Big (((HUGS))) for the kitty cat and hope he feels all better very soon.
Wonderful that there are many enjoyable things you are now able to catch back up on now.
Keep enjoying your freedom (((HUGS)))

Hi Subclinical 🙂
Thank you (((((HUGS)))))

Way to go keeping up with the floors and for keeping your tidy areas tidy! 😀
Maybe you could accept some domestic help if it were just for specific cleaning jobs.
If I could I would hire someone to clean my oven when it needs it.
Someone to wash windows would be nice.
Someone to do those labor intensive icky always needing done household chores would free you up to do the other cleaning yourself without over extending you physically & mentally.
Please think about it (((HUGS)))

Cloudy this morning.
Nice lazy take my time kind of morning.
Haven't decided on a drawer or shelf for today but I WILL clean the underneath of the fridge.
That's where the coils are and they are dusty and fuzzy and icky.
I hate this job. Have to lay on the floor with the vacuum, a flashlight and a long skinny brush to clean it.
But it will overheat, continuously run and shorten the life of the fridge if I don't do this at least 4 times a year.
I much prefer a fridge with the coils on the back where they always used to be.

~♡~Coffee clinks!~♡~
It rained all night again its lovely & fresh outside, but so musty & gross inside, from it. Im trying to get in the mind frame needed to go into 'eliminate mode' on the skunk-rats. I feel too sensitive & emotional to take that on right now. It kinda takes anger...and i should feel angry that they are as bold as they are....(sigh)...i cant do much outside cuz its too wet, so im gonna use the dusting stick thing & clear some spider webs...that should last for maybe a week(no joking)....maybe from there i can gear up to taking on the skunk-rats....so much for living a peaceful life in the forest...im constantly having to kill critters...relativity is interesting, cuz dusting sounds almost fun as a procrastination for battling skunk-rats....ha ha ~♡~

Hello Sharon, SubC, Tillie,Anony, Porter & SubC ! Good to hear from each of you. Just checking in to say, I will send rescue to whomever needs it! Talk to you later?sending love.

Hi Sharon, nice to know you are reading along with us. I usually read even when I don't post also.
I hope your dad recovers quickly.
It is great that you are getting repairs done! And clearing things out - one step at a time!
Maybe the dose on your medication was just too high. Ave you talked to your dr. about it?

Porter, you are an inspiration. I don't think I will ever overcome the hoarding as completely as you have, but when I look at how you changed your life and how happy you are now, I am delighted for you, and hopeful that someday I will have my house in order - even if it is a little crowded and messy with storage in the basement - just being able to find everything and work easily in my studio would be lovely!

Dh has offered to get me a cleaning person for the areas that are ok, but I don't like the idea of someone coming in to my house. Then he reminds me how my grandmother's housekeeper was like another granddaughter for her and she looked forward to cleaning days and lunch with Lisa. But I am not that old yet.

CM it is great that you are getting out and about again. You will settle into balance once you catch up on all the driving things you missed.

Tillie, there will be no wandering into the dessert. If you must get out, you are to contact Tatoulia and she will find a way for someone to come get you and then we will figure out a way to take care of you because you are like our own Buddhist monk offering spiritual guidance, and we need you and that is what people do.

Anony, I am still sending the mini skunks messages to run far away or go into the traps.

Tatoulia, how are you feeling today?

The only "drawer and shelf" things i did yesterday were to move some pottery from a shelf into my kiln (it will come back out today) and set up my shelf at the professional studio where I am taking a class for the next six weeks. My class shelf looks very nice. It has the project I started last night and two pieces of clay on it. I am keeping up really well with the floors though.

Hello - guess I got a little busy running around in my van and stuff and more days went by but here I am. Monday I sat with my lady from church. She's in her 90s and still such a delightful and interesting person. It's good to be able to resume our spending time together.

Tuesday I would've gone to quilting but I was attempting to catch the boy kitty we think may have a urinary issue and get him to the vet. But I tried to get him too hastily and then he knew I was up to something. My roommate got him yesterday and I drove him but he hasn't peed except in the night. Poor guy is spending his second night at the vet's. 🙁 And it's harder on him I'm sure because he was a feral as a kitten. I sure hope he gets released tomorrow, and that his ailment is easily treatable.

Wednesday I quilted then took an afternoon nap. Been staying up late too much. Today I got the bunny club newsletter done, and tomorrow I sit with the elderly lady, go help with bunny club stuff, then pick up my friend and former roommate. She is maybe going to have to move in a hurry.

I knew life would pick right back up to crazy speed as soon as I got wheels again, but I'm okay with it. I just hope to be able to balance other areas of life - the decluttering, the creative undertakings, the backlog from the carless times. And I want to see how it goes with selling dolls and crafts online. Cleaning the dolls is relaxing and satisfying, seeing them go from blah and frizzy haired and grubby to clean and pretty.

Just got to do a bit at a time, which has already worked well, like Tatoulia and the monster cabinet. Hey, maybe there's a door to Narnia behind there! You've come a long way from being afraid to face it to kicking butt! We all have. I better get to sleep, big day tomorrow. Lukewarm water cup clinks.

Hi everyone, hope your summer is going well. I sometimes glance at the comments at the end of the day and reflect on my goals. My dad had surgery and things have been busy and things getting messier. I'm getting on top of things again, but need to advance. My handman/friend is on call to do some repairs, so trying to stay on top of things or at least limit my racing and hiding things the day he arrives, blah!!

Started a thyroid med last week and have been feeling ill from it. I reached the point yesterday that I would rather deal with my minor thyroid issue than take this med any longer. Today I took half the pill and this evening took the other half. The am was fantastic, felt great, the best in ages. Cleaned up some items (dusty/cobwebs) and will be bringing them to the church when I volunteer for the fair tomorrow. It feels good to let go of these items I no longer need/use.

Sorry I rambled enough, haven't got out in days due to these terrible side effects and today was too hot. Hopefully I can now get out before I get more depressed.

Best wishes

Hi Anonymoniker 🙂
Good luck with your traps.
The rat traps I use are those huge wooden wire "SNAP!" traps that look just like the smaller mouse traps.
Those have to hit the rat right on the neck, breaking it, to kill them immediately. 🙁

OK, Well,
I tidied 2 drawers because they are very small drawers so they really should only count as one.
The cabinet on either side of the sink drawers.
In one I keep those green scratchy things, bar soap, nail brush, bottle brush, vegetable brush and extra bar soap for the sink soap dish.
In the other drawer I keep the various assorted sizes of "baggies".
105 degrees at 2:20pm.
74 degrees in here! ;D

~♡~Tillie, im so sorry you are in such a bad situation. You are approaching it in a beautiful way, as an opportunity to be closer to nature & have time to embrace the spiritual side of life. I know what you mean about just giving up & walking into the desert...having someone there is certainly a double edged sword.....☆
Im afraid of these monster sized rat traps! Just trying to set them is scary enough, but wanting it to fully kill them is also a concern....the wildlife here is a blessing & a curse....♡...♡...♡

Good Morning Everybody 🙂

Hi Anonymoniker 🙂
Well, the monsoons always drive the wildlife out of their homes and into ours.
In Tucson we would get javalina and rattle snakes come into the carports to escape the water. LOL ;P
I really could move out of here. No place to go, no money, but I could just walk out into the desert, never to be seen again.

I woke up at 4:00am and couldn't fall back asleep so I went outside and puttered around.
Was the perfect weather for it.
No blaring sun and 75 degrees and just light enough to see pretty well.
Did some watering, did some battling with bugs and did some tidying up.
Soon I will wash dishes, again.
Don't know what to do today, will go look for a drawer to tidy up to keep up with the challenge.
Going to be HOT later today. ;P

Tillie, i keep trying to imagine having to share a home with either of the murderers of my cats, from years ago. I went through that twice, but ive only had brushes in town with those people, never had to live with them after doing that. One was over jealousy, from helping her boyfriend, the other was an extreme bully/terrorist...but both have traumatized me more than anything in my life. I do wish you could just leave? I know its not that simple... ~♡~
Ive been preparing the porch & cabnets for the skunk-rats to be trapped. Yesterday my trash pick up got rained out, but just before the downpour, a huge cenntipede(sp?) came through! My place is in full jungle mode right now!
Tatoulia, im glad youre getting your cabnet cleaned out!
SubC, im so glad she got that job! YEA!!!
Porter, it is so amazing how you have changed your life! 😀
~☆~♡~☆~LOVE TO ALL OF YOU!!!~☆~♡~☆~

Thank you Porter
((((((HUGS))))))
You truly are a treasure and have brought so much wisdom, comfort and comradery into my life.
You deserve to go forward into your fresh clean uncluttered life with a light heart and a free spirit.

Things were what they were and you learned and changed from your experiences.
Isn't that what life is all about? ;D

((((HUGS))))

Tillie,

That's absolutely toxic relationship looking from the outside.

I don't mean to pull the conversation to me, but as way of honestly relating.
I was dominated by my wife's clutter for two decades, to ashamed of my dirty house to even let family in.
How I avoided cps. I just dunno.

You're not married?

I'd get the hell out of that place.
I remember your health concerns being the only reason.
I'm glad you fought back , I'm glad you realized it's him not you.
I'm sorry I haven't been around as much. You made such a difference in our lives just by listening and giving the great advice just when I needed to hear it.

Ibegan to believe it would never end.
The harsh extreme criticism . The indecision and passive aggressive behaviors. Getting snapped on , for clearing filth from where we slept. Totally engulfed in her clutter , living in a home totally owned by her.
She could threaten to kick me out and scream " child support" at the top of her lungs. I hated seeing her suffer though the illness. And I feel awkward being free of all her emotional fluctuations. Even as she passed, the last words were negatives, last gesture as in disgust with me.
I was so convinced it was me. , She had me so convinced it was me.
But after a few months after we parted , I had it all sorted, and slowly like a swimming pool draining of water all her belonging were purged, week by week through trash days.
There came a day when not one thing of hers was in my possession . Just pictures on hard drives .

My rooms looked like hotel rooms. Like a maid just came and cleaned it like brand new sheets, and fresh laid carpets.
At some point. I knew her influence was gone. I hate talking out loud about her like that. But I really am glad I don't live in her hoard any longer or in her emotional hell either.

I'm in disbelief , the grief is is difficult , because she made it so easy to hate her. It wasn't all hell.

So in my improved life. I've eliminated all those things I hated about myself , those things I hated about her. I don't like to talk about it, because I dont like who I was either.

I thought I was done looking back, but Tillie , reading about you stuck there in the same hell , and I apologize if things changed for you, and I've not kept up on it. And am assuming he's still there and in control of the mood of your home.

One room at a time until it's cleared.
One room at time!

Great that you had a nap! ;D

So fortunate that you have the dishwasher to help out.
40% is such fantastic progress.
Rest up, sleep well and feel real good about what you've done (((hug)))

Thank you so much, everyone! I will resume at next chance! You are right, Tillie about finding new places for things. I'm ok with putting the things back as I really feel too raw, meaning that I don't trust myself if I leave it out til I'm finished. I'm too worried it'd just become stuff I don't see very fast.

So I napped and now I'm going to finish unloading dishwasher and reload with the sink stuff.

Thank you again. We are probably 40%! The worst will be wiping it out but let's not think about that right now.

Tatoulia, you ROCKED that cupboard! That is so much! And good for you to get the trash right out!

It will be a whole new world cooking for yourself in your remade kitchen!