Joan! My Allbirds are like little hammocks for my feet. I love them so much. I am thrilled for your breakthrough and continued hard work. We are all cheering you on. And I am so comforted to know of your progress.

SubC, this is your home and you can absolutely share the sad farm stuff. It's a completely different world for me and I am so grateful for your friendship. Please breathe, drink water, and know that you will get through the evaluations and other necessary work. How is your desk working out??

Tillie, once again you paint a picture with your words. I can see the clouds barreling in and the hail.

We have had a day, maybe two, without rain. I've been walking a lot and I have been sleeping better. Much better. Today I woke up to the cool sunny air and I was convinced it must be 10 AM, I was so rested. Nope, just 8 AM so imagine my surprise and wonder.

Last night mom called to say the battery was dead in her remote. It took a while to sort out but it was the remote to her tv. So I got the batteries and took them over. Nope, still not working. So I went over to the tv, PLUGGED IT IN and magically the remote worked. God bless my mother.

I have a lot to accomplish today. I am desperate for kitty litter. I also have a work event tonight. I figured that I can walk to it, it's about 1.5 miles each way, which is absolutely lovely. I put a hat in my bag this AM as the sun on me yesterday was a bit much. I am extremely fair-skinned with little to no tolerance for the sunshine. The part in my hair burns.

Good Evening

Hi Subclinical
My feelings about sad farm stuff...
It's life, it's your life.
It matters to me what is happening in your life, both happy and sad.
If you want to talk about it here please do.
When I know about what is happening in your life it helps me to know more what you may need from us and maybe we can be more supportive.

Sorry about your chicken and the rooster too. (((HUG)))

WAY TO GO! clearing that shelf!!!
That's good that the kids parents will get the kid help.

Hi Joan
Great!
Hope everything comes together for you with nothing but positive results.

Hi Tatoulia

Hi CriticalMass

Hi Tat. I am thinking of breaking out some new tree runners for the summer, now that summer weather is arriving. The tree shoes, made from eucalyptus, are designed to be cool in hot weather. I have noticed that they are cooler than the wool shoes.

Good news on my end, the culmination of a lot of work: I was facing a manic episode, but the cause of my bipolar disorder was finally uprooted. Need time to adjust. A most welcome shift, a huge shift.

The OCD and hoarding are also affected in some ways. I will know more as I stabilize my newly freed system.

The weather is weird. It barely feels like spring here.

No stalls, no evaluations.

The meeting at school went ok though - the parents are going to get the kid help.

Cleaned off one shelf in my classroom and threw some things in the trash can. Others in the recycling as well.

Something ate one of my chickens (a favorite with a name) and my least favorite rooster today. Hopefully it won't come back tomorrow. I'm going to leave the barn closed up except on the goat end. It got them in the yard.

Does it bother anyone when I post sad farm stuff? Because I can not if you prefer.

This afternoon is got super dark
then there was long, never ending rolls of thunder
then it hailed so fast hard & furious.
The hail covered the ground looking like snow.

Scooter was nervous at first then he joined me at the window to watch.
It was fascinating!

Good Morning Everyone

Hi CriticalMass
Hope you are safe and not where all that severe weather is occurring.

Hi subclinical
Good luck and best wishes for all you have to do this week.
Doing all the absolute have-tos and not pushing yourself to do more.

Relieved that you are keeping a watchful eye on your blood.
Last time you went untreated for way too long.

Hi Tatoulia
Yes, mall walking when the weather is bad is what a lot of people do.
Just make sure to only walk, maybe window shop but don't go into any stores. 😉

What great motivation! $100.00 for getting healthy & fit.

It's like January weather here.
Trying to get the house temperature up to 60 degrees this morning.
Very dark, windy and wet out there
Washed a load of my clothing last evening and have them drying on hangers & the clothes rack.
Plan is to just putter around inside today.

Hi,

Tillie, I am sad about your roof.

CM, Haag in there.

And Tatoulia, your walking is impressive!

I have cut my activities down to the bones.

Not swimming or doing yoga, not keeping up with stalls. Hip pain is almost gone.

Telling myself I will just get through this week and then I will pick back up again. 4 more days of school. I started my evaluations.

I caught up a little on dishes and laundry yesterday. My doctor let my iron prescription run out at the beginning of April and I am concerned about becoming anemic again. She says I don't need it, but if it starts to get bad, I am going in for bloodwork again. I am not convinced that it was an acute condition and not a chronic one.

My plans for today are to do my chores, work on grooming my rabbit, try to spend an hour on the stalls/ditch so they at least stop getting worse, shower, unload and reload the kiln, teach, meeting at work I am dreading, grocery store, plans for Wednesday, and chores again.

If I find myself with more time I will try to do a couple of evaluations. I have 90 to do by June 5.

We never did get the threatened storms here today. I went to see mom a while ago. Her replacement remotes for her nose wave radio came in and I took them to get. Then I ran to the store to get some seltzer, nectar of the gods.

I'm glad to know that if I can't walk in the humidity, I can skeddadle over to the mall to walk. This has never occurred to me before but, in my defense, I wasn't actively walking other than for transportation. Now I'm doing it for weight loss. Plus I want to earn the $100 a quarter that the ins co gives us if we meet certain milestones.

I just took a nice cool shower.

I worked some, but not a lot, on my closet today.

Work is a little tense. There's a lot going on.

Tillie I buy the lighter stuff. I don't like the smell but I buy it. I did try a different litter a few weeks ago and it was noticeably heavier to carry!!

CM congratulations on the load of laundry! Great start and great feeling! You are a wonderful comfort to your friend.

SubC checking in!

Joan I wore my tree skippers today and they were great! I wore the white ones.

Good Evening Everyone

Hi CriticalMass
I am very glad you went back home when you saw the streets were flooding.

WAY TO GO! getting a load of laundry done!
Warm weather should come back someday and you can wear shorts again.

Hi Tatoulia
WTG! for laundry, walking and taking the stairs too!
I've been wearing jeans and warmer tops since it has turned so cold.
Thought my jeans were done & put away until next Autumn.

Last tetanus shot I had I had a terrible adverse reaction to.
But there is another version made from something else that I may be able to tolerate.

Tomorrow's weather forecast is for rain and temps down in the 40s.

Now that there are only two cats, two litter boxes here and the litter and food expenses are lower I think I'll buy that more expensive light weight cat litter because the other cheaper stuff is heavy and I used to have to buy the largest size to fill all 4 litter boxes.

Scooter has lost his pudginess since I am feeding him some more expensive diet cat food.
He also no longer tries to eat ALL the food all the time so he no longer "scarf & barfs" from eating too much.

I did get one load of laundry done. Mostly light colors, summery tops and shorts. Today we're in a rainstorm and cool air pattern and I'm wearing jeans and a hoodie and even taking my parka. It was 50 last time I looked, a wet chilly 50.

Tried to make it to hospital to see friend but came back, too many places with street flooding and though I tried to avoid, got water up on the alternator belt - I called Kenny the mechanic when the check battery light went on.

It'll probably be Wednesday or so when my friend transfers to whichever facility it works out for her to go to. Talked to her by phone since I didn't make it to visit.

Looks like there have already been tornadoes in Oklahoma.

We hit 80Ftoday! Not my thing. It's humid too. After my conference call I went on a quick, 1/2 walk. I went into Copley Place and walked the stairs. I still have to pop out to get cat litter.

We are expecting thunderstorms today.

I need to get, at a minimum, another 1/2 hour walk in.

I am worried you'll get tetanus or other terrible thing from the hoard

I need the (your) roof repaired ASAP.

I would love to see farm animals in vehicles!!!!

It hit 79F here today!

Tillie I didn't get myself a lobster roll or better yet, Shrimp po boy because of the expense. I'd rather get that when I am craving it rather than just because I'm treating mom.

I haven't walked today because I have a conference call at 2. But I did my towels and I did a load of jeans. I own four pair right now, and they were all dirty. Largely because of all the rain we've been having.

I am hungry right now but no time to cook. Maybe an English muffin will hold me through conf call.

Good Morning Everybody

Hi Tatoulia
How wonderful that she did the car inspection!
Saved you from all those "what-if" worries.
Way out here where I live nobody cares about our vehicles, so no inspections or smog checks are ever required.
Plus many people are just driving old battered up farm vehicles.
Not uncommon to see farm animals in vehicles.

You take such good care of your Mom.
Doing so many little things that make her happy. (((hug)))

The roof has not been repaired yet and all the rain, snow and lots more rain caused the ceiling to drip.
Steven happened to notice that I was not happy to see him back so soon and he stayed far away from me.
Which was nice.

This morning is clear with a few high clouds but very cold.
It looks like a Winter sky, prone to snow at any time.
So I will not be doing any laundry.

Steven's carport hoard has spread out down the driveway.
Takes up half the driveway and all along the sides.
Can't hardly get out of the car and it's terrible trying to bring in groceries while maneuvering past all the assorted stuff heaped up there.
And some of that stuff rips and tears at my flesh and clothing.
The wasps are making nests in that stuff and attacking too.

That is the project I am working on getting him to clean up and it is very slow going.

A giant ball of stress was just taken off of me. I hate, hate, hate having my car inspected. I get nervous in a million different ways. I know the car will be approved, it's going to the station, the anxiety of there's a line, what if I have to back up and other stuff. I ran into the woman who drives my car and I asked her about her work schedule this week and asked if if she could take my car. And she just texted me a picture of the new inspection sticker. That act is worth a million dollars to me. I am so excited that she did this.

Now I have to fight to give her the money because yesterday she was full of excuses why she couldn't take the money. It's cash only so I know she paid for it out of her own pocket.

I'll track her down tonight.

Words cannot describe what a loving act this is.

Tillie!!! What is going on with the roof/ceiling? I'm worried about you.

You are already dealing with the stress of having Steven back home. Are you okay??

I'm home today. Definitely more humid today. I'm on second load of laundry.

I walked all over the city yesterday/over 7 miles. I still haven't done mom's groceries but she loved her chowder and lobster roll. I sat with her while she ate it. Then I cleaned her kitty's box and took the garbage out. I'll try to do her groceries later on today. I definitely need to walk today. My legs are so tingly and happy from walking!

I'll write more later. Dear Tillie, check in when you can.

The ceiling in my room is dripping on me. 🙁

Good Afternoon Everyone

Hi CriticalMass
YEA! CAKE!!!
Glad the severe weather has been bypassing you.

With that couple helping box up your friend's home it should go fast & easy.
Cory Chalmers (our host here) was a firefighter/paramedic and he saw how people needed help with hoarding/hazmat clean up and started his Steri-Clean business.

Good luck & best wishes getting your plans for bunny fundraiser carnival all typed up.

Thank you for telling me your feelings on having a mobile security blanket.
Craft items, books, etc. are logical items for Justin Case you get stranded somewhere.
Wish I understood Steven's logic for the items he chooses to take.

Hi Tatoulia
I like the black & white I've seen in your home and think the black & white hamper will fit right in.

YEA! that you brought along a hat. ;D

YUM! for lobster roll. ;p
You have made a lot of major changes in a relatively short amount of time, takes a while to relax into all the newness and reassurance helps to know you did the right things. (((hug)))

Well DARN!!!
He came back.
Got all the way to Reno when the weather app on his phone texted him that chains/cables or snow tires and 4 wheel drive were mandatory over Donner Pass.
That is the part of the mountain range where the Donner Party were snowed in and allegedly resorted to cannibalism to survive.
Then it started raining hard here, then it started snowing here, then it rained even harder here washing away all the snow.

Might snow some more here.
Pretty disappointed that my peaceful easy day alone was taken away from me.
Now I just have a hoarded up car that needs a gas fill up and interior windows washed due to all the cigarette smoking that he did in there.

I too would have panicked, SubC. What a jolt.

I walked downtown and back this AM. At home goods they did not have what I wanted but they did have a very nice, black and white buffalo plaid cloth hamper and it was great on sale for $7. It looks good. I have a small black and white check fabric on my chair seats and I use buffalo plaid dish towels so why not in the bedroom? So far I like it very much. I'll post a picture, Tillie.

I got soaked in my walk. It rained the whole time. I didn't wear the coat with the hood. I had a hat in my bag, luckily, that I was able to wear.

I still have to do mom's groceries today. I told her I'd get her a lobster roll for dinner.

Everyone take good care of yourselves. I know there's a lot going on. We can do this.

Tillie thank you. It's terrible how much I need constant praise.

Misc

Today is sunny here. The severe weather predicted went more to rain at least in our area - and even that last night tracked more north. Flooding has been a concern in many areas.

I went to Mass last night; it was our pastor's 10th ordination anniversary and they had a light dinner and CAKE (yum!). I saw one lady from quilt guild, who's in her 80s, and she said she has been the only one there these last several weeks while I've been away! There are a couple others whose health isn't great, but I feel bad for the one who has been carrying the entire load, and I hope soon I can get back to going, even if I can only stay part of a session.

I think clearing my friend's place will go fine and we should be able to make the deadline. This mutual friend couple has done a lot of this. They helped me in 2011 in the final push at my parents' house after the foreclosure. The girlfriend is good at organizing and sensitive to the emotional nuances of people's attachments to their stuff, yet able to do tough love - without forgetting the love part. Her husband is a firefighter and not easily grossed out having seen inside many homes in his career. They always stock up on any sort of supply we'd need like trash bags, allergy masks, etc. so we can hit the ground running.

Last few days have seen so many passings of well known good folk, two or four legged. Doris Day, Tim Conway, Herman Wouk, Grumpy Cat... and locally one TV station's 14 year old weather dog, a corgi.

I'm going to get going on typing plans for the rabbit fundraiser carnival games for kids. Nothing like last minute when I've been aware of this for months. It always seems like there is going to be plenty of time to do these things in a dedicated, orderly fashion, no stress, enjoying the process, brain firing on all cylinders. Oh well. I just need enough to present and estimate volunteers needed to help. Finalizing my procedures can still be ongoing throughout the summer.

Tillie, once again I can sort of relate to Steven when he goes on a trip and wants to take security blankdt stuff along. I can reason myself into not taking wild and crazy amounts, but I do have a tote bag most places, occasionally two. And alternate clothes for changing weather conditions live in my van. Tote bags contain art supplies, puzzle books, prayer books, maybe a library book, and here lately, some of my Barbies and bits of fabric and patterns. I think brains like mine have difficulty with "out of sight out of mind" and fears of being too detached from the things that "spark joy." Plus that "What if I get stuck somewhere?" uncertainty. It all sets up unease and anxiety, so I just take a representative sampling of the stuff along.

Tatoulia, I saw your earlier post about ride sharing and Uber. I realize my Great Plains suburban sprawl, car dependent perspective is different. But people in my city do use these ride srrvices, downtown buildings are being converted into apartments, etc. It's scary to me due to past creepy experiences and my agoraphobia, so I'm just thankful I have my nice van now. My ex boyfriend is all about the urban car free life - so glad he is my EX, we are way too different. If that works for others, fine, just don't anyone try to push me into it!

Today I hope I can get the bunny club stuff/meeting done and pop in on my friend awhile.

Good Morning

Hi Tatoulia
Maybe you could find the hamper you want in the baby/nursery furnishing department?
Otherwise, I think the fad/fashion now is for brown wicker with a bag lining from Ikea for everybody.
My "hamper" is a shopping hand basket that I found sitting out in the desert.
Steven's hamper is the floor, his bed and draped all over his room.

I can relate to fabrics needing to be exactly the right weight.
Cotton knits are too uncomfortably heavy and warm.

We are all so very happy that you are now where you are.
Living in a clean beautifully decorated home. Taking very good care of your health. Enjoying dressing in ways that please yourself and your new weight.
This "new" you is the person you have always been, now the outward look matches the real you.
(((HUG)))

Hi Subclinical
Sorry the fire alarm alarmed you.
Probably was just a bug.
Sometimes a wisp of dust or spider silk will set them off too.

None of my family or friends ever believed that I graduated since I would not dress in cap & gown and walk up on the stage to receive my diploma.
Even though I had my diploma in my hand and a 4.0 GPA.
The high anxiety of being so visible and vulnerable in public would have been too much for me.
So my parents never gave me a cake or a present or even said congratulations like they did for my siblings and consider me to be a drop out failure.

I keep the car clean.
Only have the usual tire jack in the trunk and I keep a jacket, gloves and windbreaker in a bag in the trunk and a long handled squeegee and an ice scraper in there too.
When Steven returns the car to me he fights me tooth and nail to try to keep the car hoarded but I toss everything out.
With the car empty of all nonessentials I have room to put in groceries or passengers and have room for cat carriers.

He always keeps the truck stuffed so full that he has no room for passengers or cat carriers.
He only moves about 1/3 of the stuff out of the back to make room for a dump run or his constant shopping purchases.
He has a terminal issue of Justin Case preparedness.
But the items he stuffs into the car are not the kinds of things a person would need for Justin Case on a day road trip.

Whenever I have to travel to Reno or Carson City I pack a tote bag with water, Kleenex, crackers, ibuprofen and a snack.

It has been raining off & on since last night.
Might rain all week too.
Fingers crossed that this is the end of the never ending drought.

He graduated, he just chose not to participate in the ceremony. So apparently he doesn't count.

It's 2:30. My fire alarm went off. Just for a few seconds. I checked the whole house and everything seems fine. Dh says there was probably a bug in the alarm, but now i am full of adrenaline and I can't go back to sleep.

Tillie, does he dehoard the car when he gets home? At least it limits what he can bring back.

Tatoulia, your descriptions of your home always make me smile. I am so glad for you.

It hasn't occurred to me that Steven would need to put a lot of junk in your car. If your vehicle is already hoarded, naturally I understand. But getting it ready for a day trip wouldn't have occurred to me

Antibiotics. Now I get it! Makes perfect sense. I am sad about the child who didn't graduate, SubC

I just took dinner to BF then I saw mom, then I walked around some more. It is beautiful out. So lovely.

Tillie I put the check for the cleaners on a bag of stuff for them. Today I got a picture texted to me if one of the women in one of the dresses. And that was a dress, casual, that I'd stuck in st the very last moment to fill out the bag.

I am so happy with my wardrobe right now. As I am working on my bedroom closet, I can see my wardrobe at a glance and I love it. So bright and cheerful. I have the shoes and sneakers I need, I for once have some casual clothes, and I'm just happy all around. I worse my white & aqua summer watch today with a white an aqua gauze blouse and then my white Allbirds skipper or skimmers or whatever they are called. I was in a light pair of jeans and I felt fantastic. Or and a while French terry pullover sweatshirt. I was very pleased. Very pleased to be taking such good care of myself. So happy to have a clean house. My house is cleaned every two weeks. I know you know that but this is absolutely amazing to me. We got me here!!

So more closet work to be done. I assessed my summer pjs today and I need two pair. I like woven cotton like men's shirts material. I have several good pair for now and the fall but I'll need sheerer material. I have two pair of pajama shorts which are nice. So I think that's what I'll need for summer. I've gotten rid of all the too big ones. And the ones in fabrics that I find just too warm to wear. The cotton knits are adorable but I am just too personally warm at this stage in my life.

I have used my old kitchen trashcan as a hamper in my bedroom for about a year now. It is no longer working for me. I need something a little bigger and that's a true hamper. Something along the lines of the wicker ones with lids we had as kids. The wicker was painted and the lid was the same color. They were rectangular and the lid would either be a pearlized plastic OR a vinyl puffy top. I walked to a TJMaxx today and they had a plastic version that was okay but I want white. I may get up early and walk downtown tmr AM and see what's there. I don't like the brown wicker ones with a muslin lining that I see everywhere. I want something neat and compact. It will work better for me. I've given this one a good go, I've been thrilled to have a hamper and I'll keep my eyes pealed for what I want.

Hello

Hi Subclinical
How did the puttering go?
Figured ABX was med for some creature.
WAY TO GO! not yardsaleing!
Happy YOU knew there were 22 graduates even if nobody else recognized the missing one.

Hi Tatoulia
Maybe fortune will smile upon you and they won't fill your work area with people.

Steven has spent all afternoon filling my car up with one of his mobile hoards.
He has it stuffed full for a one day trip, no over night.
Pretty pathetic that he can't ever go anywhere without his security hoard with him.

Been cloudy & cool all day but no rain, might rain later tonight.
I made a plan for tomorrow when I have the house all to myself...
I will do nothing.
Just enjoy the peace and freedom.

Lol!

Antibiotics. for the goat.

I sometimes forget I have an offset frame of reference.

Hi SubC. Great work not buying anything. Except for abx. Which begs the question, what is abx??!!?? Sorry that I don't know know.

8:01 abs some sunlight remains. Took a long nap today and I'm a better person for it. Will be back soo.

Thanks guys.

I bought more abx and nothing else. I did not stop at a single yard sale.

I did not cry at graduation (I mostly missed my kid who didn't walk.) Every time one of the speakers would say "21 graduates" my brain would say "22".

All I am going to try to do the rest of the day is create a little more order in my house. I'll just start at the front door and see how far I get puttering.

Tillie I am sad about Grumpy cat. She had such a way with words. I had a temp working with me yesterday and I had her bring her laptop to sit next to me so if she had any questions on the project, I'd be right there. Is mentioned in the AM that Grumpy Cat has died and then the temp felt sad. In the afternoon, for reasons unknown to me, I brought it up again and the temp felt sad again.

Let me tell you, I can concentrate a lot better having a quiet temp working next to me. We don't have many people in the office on fridays as it is, then having a temp next to me meant that no one stopped by to chat. A pretty good day. The department where I sit is completely empty on fridays but I can tell that they are talking about moving some people down to my floor. So that may change. I'll enjoy it for now! (I don't sit in my department because it's too loud. I sit in a fairly quiet department. Even the temp was saying how nice it was down by where I sit.)

Good Morning To Every Single One Of You

Hi Subclinical
Yes, what CriticalMass and Tatoulia said to you.
(((HUG)))

Hi CriticalMass
YEA! for froggy water!
Badger is back in his hidey hole, for now.

Hi Tatoulia
YEA! for your sunshiny day!
So proud that you now feel comfortable having cleaning fairies in when you are away!!!

Saw on the computer news page that Grumpy Cat has passed away.
I'm between possible rain storms today but it is still bitterly cold.
Haven't made any plans for today.
Steven is taking my car away from me tomorrow to travel to the S.F. area for another one of his stupid class reunions.

CM your colorful post crossed with my boring black and white one. YOU ARE AMAZING

Good morning everyone. I see and feel your struggles.

Tillie I have been a terrible insomniac all of my life. And I am a champion worrier. I work on it, and I'm lucky that right now I'm in a pattern where, most of the time, I can set my worries to one side. Of course, two weeks ago I was so rattled by that evening with the woman I'm mentoring and the family in trouble, that I had to take a mental health day. I do know the despair of not sleeping and I hope that you can find a way to set the worries to one side. It can be so difficult.

CM, I think you will do a good job in helping to clean out your friend's apt. It's easier when it's not your stuff. If it proves too much, then you need to stop and leave it to others. Just recognize what you can and cannot do. And remember you are doing this is as a loving act and in an attempt to avoid another month's rent. You may not, ultimately, be able to avoid the extra month's rent. It's an aspiration, not a mandate.

SubC. Sending you strength and love. This is a hard time of year for you. Just rescue yourself right now. You are doing a good job of not rescuing every item you see. You are doing a great job in saving our planet, and you have raised and nurtured my own behaviors. You don't need to be perfect, you just need to inspire and enlist others to think about waste and landfill. You can do it! We are standing by your side.

Bright sunny day!!! I was treated to the cleaning fairies yesterday-so I wasn't even here. I had BF give them keys and set/unset alarm. I left out clean sheets so I came home to a fresh bed.

I need to walk today, run some errands, then work on bedroom closet. Great day in front of me, and no badger in sight!!