CriticalMass, Nice to meet you too! Am looking forward to hearing about the Bunny event also. My nephew is 11 and just adopted a bunny and I love it. I did not expect to but he purred when I held him and hides behind my back. He is just learning to like people. He already likes the 3 cats and 2 dogs which I can't believe! I was scared the dogs would eat him! His name is Mc Nugget, Nugget for short.

Can you put your Instagram address on again? I saved Tatoulia's but somehow lost yours (in my lurking days). Now I have to do some work as I am slow at posting and it is time to pack! Sorry I blabbed on and on!

[sTatoulia, Thanks for the welcome and encouragement on paper shredding! I actually went through my books again and am getting rid of another couple boxes. The library has these and they can store them better than me.

Hope you found your way to the Dr without trouble and get all good news! You do all the work walking and eating so well, it is only fair!ize=5]

Tillie I am glad to hear the Vet is good with the meds. Hoping the kitty sleeps through the pain. I have never given anyone a shot but always thought I could do it. But this is weird, I cannot bring myself to put someone's pierced earring back in! My niece lost one as a child and I just couldn't do it! But give me a needle and I think I could. Strange.

I am only moving from IL to IN about 15 miles I think. The houses are similar in size, but the new one has 2 bathrooms unlike this one which has one (in the dining room!). Always wanted one for company. Three Bedrooms and open kitchen, dining and living area. It is really perfect. I should be downsizing as I just got my Medicare card this month for my birthday haha! But it is on a slab and no stairs so I can manage for years I think. My health is good, my joints are not. So rejoined the gym and lost weight and now I must keep it up. I wish I was like Tatoulia and liked to walk. I like yard work but have decided to use the weights at the gym and get stronger. My Physical Therapist said I had a strong core and should save PT for after surgery as I did plenty at the gym. That was so nice of her! Saved me all those co- pays!

Tillie, I wonder what is digging? I have moles but they dig tunnels. They are kinda cute but they make my mowing difficult. So I put out Grubx to kill the food supply for them and they moved next door. My neighbor is not bothered as he has a riding mower. He feeds all the stray cats and coyotes and deer and skunks anyway.

Hope Twinkles is home soon and on the mend!

Yes Subc the timing of the move and surgery is not ideal. I didn't think it would take so long to find a house. Have looked since March, but everyone in Illinois is running across the border to Indiana and houses go the day they are listed. My new house is only about 12 miles from the old one but I wanted to stay near family and friends. Hope to be in the house by the 18th of September and have surgery by the end of the month. I am excited but scared as this is my first house purchase. My husband who passed away last October had our present house. I never would have chosen the house but now it will be sad to leave. I have a garden and trees I planted and I will miss the neighbors. But am transplanting my favorite flowers and will visit the neighbors.

I lost my long post where I answered everyone! OOPS! I now learned my lesson and in a word program and will copy and paste!

I think of stores like Restore and Goodwill like you do! My own storage unit! They always have stuff when you need it and so wait till you need it, haha!

Happy belated Anniversary!

Hi Tatoulia
Wishing you all the best blood test results (((HUG)))

Nice the lesson has been moved but that you are still all prepared for when it happens.

WTG! getting all kitty laundry done!
If nobody there wants the toy mousies you could donate them to the shelter.
Hoping your Mom's new baby likes to play with toys just because it's so cute watching them.

Walking and taking the subway is a good plan.
I know that you will call a cab should it be too much for you.

It's always seemed strange to me that we have to shower when it's muggy just so we can dry off, but it does work.

Been doing some investigating...
Not a gopher, I know gopher holes all too well.
Not a mole or a vole because they dig tunnels.
Shrews do not dig tunnels but eat lots of insects (grubs and earthworms) and rodents.
They do not gnaw the roots off of trees and bushes, killing them.
They are considered a beneficial species, not a pest in the yard/garden.
They have excellent hearing and can hear the insects in the ground, like the Robin does.
They are also venomous. Some species have enough venom to kill up to 20 mice.
They do not inject venom with fangs. The venom flows from glands and is inserted into the prey on their teeth, like a Gila Monster.
Shrews do not damage lawns with their tiny little holes, in fact the tiny holes are good for the grass.
Shrews have higher metabolisms than Humming Birds.
They must eat almost constantly or in half a day they will starve to death.
So, I may have a shrew. ???

To Be Continued........

Dear little Twinkles. I'm very curious about your animal mystery! I guess it's too much to ask for something amazing like a zebra.

Going up for blood work in a bit. Luckily I called ahead and the orders weren't in. Dr has now put in.

Doing all kitty laundry today and I'm really happy about that! Even the dozen mice that were under the dishwasher are getting a bath. I'll put some aside for mom's new kitty, whenever that should occur.

They don't want me teaching til October so that takes the pressure off. But I'll finish up the remaining chapters this weekend and then look to consolidate the lessons.

SubC what I am doing is simply no where near the scale and scope of your lessons. Mine are just little lunch hour Lunch and Learns. Nothing too fancy; trust me on that.

Looking forward to hearing about the Bunny Event and very curious regarding what you ate!!

I'm going to have to figure out a safe way to get to dr. I'm thinking subway then walk and then just the opposite on the way home. I'll shower soon. I shower at night too. So humid.

I could go Wednesday but I'm so worried about blood levels I would like to do today.

Good Morning Everyone

Hi Subclinical
Good luck with the lesson planning.
Hope you do find the time to work in the studio a little this week.

My first thought was that it was a skunk digging the tiny holes but I have never seen holes like this before and I have always had skunks foraging here.
It's not a gopher, gophers dig tunnels not tiny divots.

Well, Twinkles is at the veterinary clinic.
He was quite concerned this morning about there being no food or water bowls on the placemat.
He just sat there staring at the spot where they should have been.
Asking me if I knew anything about this tragedy.

Good job Tatoulia!

I still have six more classes to do (in six days) and September lesson plans to write the week after. I have a starting point with in all my classes, but a book title or a craft are not lesson plans!

I'm sorry about the kitty food. It's the little things like that that hit you when you aren't paying attention.

Good luck to twinkles today.

Here I would wonder if skunks were making those holes digging for grubs.

CM, I am looking forward to the bunny report.

Good grief on the Christmas stuff. Even I haven't started on Christmas stuff, and I have 22 ornaments planned to be done by the weekend before thanksgiving. I am trying to sneak in a little Halloween if I get time to work in the studio this week. But it takes about six weeks start to finish for most pieces, and any Halloween I sell this year will be if I do the market on the last Saturday in sept.

I got rid of another blouse yesterday. I got dressed to go out for dinner with dh and as always I asked "do I look ok?" And he hesitated. I asked "what don't you like?" And he said "I don't know, something about that top isn't right. I don't think it's cut right for you." So boom - out of my closet it goes!

Good Evening Everyone

Hi Tatoulia
Yea, that is sad about her kitty being gone. 🙁

WAY TO GO! working on your course and having the bulk of the work over & done with!

Great that you got that new dishwasher and didn't put it off.
It is a very necessary appliance for both you and your Mom.

Discipline to exercise is the way to do it unless we push ourselves too hard when we really shouldn't.
Please pay attention to your body if it needs to take it easier.

That is disgusting!
August and you saw Christmas stuff.
I have already seen a commercial for decorations.
It is a store that sells only XMas items. :p

All day today I fed Twinkles.
He didn't even have to ask for canned food, I just dished it up for him.
Several times today I fed him kitty snax too.
Of course Scooter also got the same.
Now the dishes are all put away.
They are both sleeping soundly now.
By the time Twinkles is singing for his breakfast he will already be at the Vet.
So I won't have to listen to him complaining about how he is starving to death. 😉

For the past few nights there has been something in my grass digging tiny shallow holes.
Have not been able to catch sight of this creature.
The holes are only about an inch across and are one to two inches deep.
Every morning there are some new holes.
This excavation is not damaging the lawn.
I'm thinking someone is eating my earthworms.
I know the Robin listens and can hear the worms in the ground, then she will peck them out.
But Robin doesn't dig these type of holes and Robin never hunts after dark.

I bet you have your hands full, Tillie, trying to keep the food and water away from the cats. It would kill me. It has come close to killing me!

I worked and worked on my course today. Only have two very slim chapters (one is a summary of the entire course) to do. Not much has changed in the new edition. I will go back (or not) and try to tighten up my slides. But the bulk I'd over and done with.

BF and I ran errands tonight and we did mom's grocery shopping. At mom's I picked up her dishes and brought them home to wash. It's so easy that it's embarrassing. I only brought one coffee mug since I didn't want them to break on the way home. I've already run the dishwasher and I'll being her everything back tmr.

I felt sad that I didn't need to buy cat food for mom.

I then went for a walk around 930 tonight. I didn't feel like it so I kept saying, when motivation fails, then I need to use discipline. So I did it. I hadn't realized how muggy it was til I left the cool mall.

Oh and I saw Christmas stuff out. I am completely disgusted.

Hi CriticalMass
We are all interested in hearing more about it later.

Get a well deserved rest for now.

The. Bunny. Event. Is. Over.

Roommate and I are zombies. But well fed zombies.

More later.

Good Morning Everybody
Iced tea "Clink!"

Hi Debbie
The Veterinarian is always very good at sending them home with 6 tiny pre-filled syringes of pain medicine.
The kitties sleep comfortably. 🙂

Wishing you all the best with your own post-op pain management.

YEA! for using the Amazon give back box!

WAY TO GO! with your packing boxes, shredding and recycling.

How far are you moving?
How many rooms do you have where you live now?
Do you know the size of the home you will be moving to?
Are you downsizing? Are you an empty nester?

Happy you enjoy hearing about the wildlife encounters.
Yesterday evening I had a falcon zooming around me, just checking me out to see if I had any baby Quail for her to steal.

Hi Subclinical
Thank you. 🙂
So wonderful that you have the reuse store to store all your Justin Case things!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY
Congratulations!

Have another FANTASTIC day. 😀

Hi CriticalMass
Have a FUN day at your bunny event.
Wishing you lots of donations to the cause and maybe even beneficial contacts made.

Scooter always gives everybody grief but I have a water spray bottle that Scooter is terrified of and I make him behave. ;p

Hi Tatoulia
WTG! for christening the new scoop!!!

Tatoulia, you are under the care of a physician and should never treat with OTC remedies without first consulting your doctor. (((HUG))

Right now every kitty your Mom sees is "her" kitty, she just hasn't decided on who will be her roommate.

I need to vacuum & sweep today to make sure that there are no kitty kibbles laying around any where that Twinkles might find and eat after I have to remove all water and food dishes.
No food or water for him after 7:00pm tonight.
That also means no water or food for Scooter too.
There will be a lot of crying and fussing come 8:00pm.

LOL ;D

Happy Anniversary! You did have a great day together yesterday!

I am going to work on my class I am supposed to be teaching in two weeks. I'll use you as my good example, SubC!!

Yes! More pictures to look forward to!

Tatoulia, you definitely should not add iron. You should talk with your dr and your nutritionist and do exactly what they tell you. Iron only helps if you feel crummy because you are low on iron.

I hope you got a good dinner.

Maybe your mom is just really enjoying the kitty visits.

Today is my anniversary. We have been married so long we are a bit blasé. Dh is going to play golf all day, i'm going to do syllabi and housework, and then we are going out to dinner. We played together yesterday.

Looking forward to your IG photos!!!! Let me tell you, it is the Mercedes of litter scoops. I used it for the first time. Lovely.

I will check in after the bunny event, and put pics on IG of my crafts and the event.

Nice to meet you, Debbie - look forward to getting to know you more.

Tillie, the bunnies and I will pray for Twinkles. Hope Scooter doesn't give Twinkles grief for smelling like eau de vet office afterwards.

Tatoulia, I imagine breaking a tiny bottle of champagne to christen the new litter scooper!

Hello everyone!

Welcome Debbie! So glad that you are posting and that you've been reading along!! That is tricky with the knee surgery and the move! Great work on letting go of papers and other things! The amazon service you are describing is a new one for me. I'll have to get more details, although I am lucky to have access to a goodwill.

Poor Twinkles! Dental surgery is so nerve-wracking. Saying tiny kitty prayers for the little one.

SubC you do so much! I feel like I should start on some iron to see if I perk up. But right now isn't the right time for me to be looking to change things up. Need to adjust to my new meds first. I'll head to hospital on Monday to get blood checked. Great job getting breakfast, a tour, two new jars of jam, etc. great work!

No new kitty today but I see mom is enjoying visiting the cats. She hasn't found the right one. Meanwhile I have found several right ones. She will know and this is her cat, her process. Afterward I came home and slept

I'm heading up to mom's for just a minute then will go for a walk. I need something for dinner and it's too humid to cook. BF is dealing with a problem at his house and he doesn't want my help til tmr. So tmr it is.

On my way out. Ttyl. Hello Tess!!!!

Hi Debbie, welcome! Tillie writes good reads. 😉

How does the timing on the knee surgery relate to the timing on the move? That sounds challenging.

Tillie, i'm Glad twinkles is looking better. I hope his surgery goes well.

Tatoulia, you are doing really well on your financial stuff! I am also proud of you! hang in there and soon you will have a cushion and you will be able to say "I need to replace the whatsadoidle this month, but I can pay for it out of the extra in my checking account..."

I have started thinking about the reuse store as my storage unit. I put all the stuff that I am saving for Justin Case in it, and I only pay when I take something out, so if I don't need it after all, I can store it for forever for free!

I hope you had a great time kitty shopping!

I had a fantastic day! Dh took me for donuts for breakfast, then we met dsil for a behind the scenes tour at the symphony (I know this guy...). The three of us walked around the city flea market, where i got TWO jars of jam from my favorite, local, fancy small batch jam lady. Then we got lunch. We parted ways and dh took me by the studio to see if my work was done (it was still in the kiln) and then to a gallery i've been wanting to check out. Came home and had a relaxing evening that included finishing the rewrites on three more classes. (Still waiting to hear back from my boss about the other rewrite.)

Not reads, descriptions. Don't know how that happened!

Thanks for the welcome Tillie! I hope Twinkles gets through the surgery and they give him pain meds so he can recover fast! I am getting ready to have knee replacement surgery and the Drs. are now so afraid to give opioids I am worried about not getting enough!Luckily I only need half what they prescribed last time. I hope this knee surgery is an easier one. I think knowing what to expect helps!

I did go through more papers to shred and have two bags to recycle. Also packed several boxes. My goal is at least one box a day.

I am using the give back box from Amazon for the first time. You fill it and they give you a label to mail it to a charity. I usually have time to schedule a pick-up, but am moving in a month. So will try this way.

Hope you are all well and having a great day. I love your wildlife stories and reads Tillie!

Good Morning Everybody

Welcome Debbie
WAY TO GO! for emptying 4 filing cabinets!
A good book for you to read to learn ways to help your sister is "Digging Out".
A good book for your sister to read is "Buried In Treasures".

Hi Subclinical
YEA! for finishing the glazing!
Fingers crossed they come out beautifully.

:p to your boss.

WTG! for all that tossing, sorting and relocating you got done!

Hi Tatoulia
Baby shopping, what fun!

I am so very, very proud of you for keeping a handle on expenses and debt.
Yes, there are times when debt happens but you are tightening your belt and dealing with it immediately. (((HUGS)))

Not much to do around here today.
Getting anxious because Twinkles goes in for some oral surgery Monday morning.
But He has gained back some weight so he's not too sickly looking any more.
I've been feeding him lots of soft canned food throughout the days to fatten him up.

Hi, I am finally posting after months of reading this thread! I thought I'd get caught up but it could take months still. And the people drop off and now I probably won't get to know them. Like the 2 Diannes, May May, etc. So just gonna jump in here today. I am not a hoarder but my sister is. I started reading this to help her but ended up enjoying it and learning a lot myself. I always worried I might become one so I really work hard to not buy much. I do have too many papers, sentimental cards, letters, etc. I am moving in a month and have emptied 4 file cabinets. I love how you guys are so encouraging and kind to each other and would love to join the conversation! I hope I didn't pick a giant font!

Hello everybody!

CM I know you are doing a great job on the bunny event! Yes some space to stage and craft and offer things for sale would be great. I know sometimes when I'm trying to get started on a project, not having the right tools sets me back. So if I don't have the correct pen or a good writing surface, etc, I have trouble getting started. And then I need to tell myself, stop it. Just get going even if these things aren't ideal. Sometimes I need to figure out if I've created the obstacles and if so, I need to overcome them. Tough mental work. I do not suffer from perfectionism so I have less to overcome than others. I know how creative you are and I envy that. I also envy your sewing skills. And other things!

My scoop comes in a holder, much like a toilet brush holder. We had all new litter yesterday so I should try scooping for my first time today.

SubC great job getting rid of stuff! You are amazing! Sorry about the syllabus. Hope you don't have too much work to do on it.

Tillie I love the mundane stuff. I was so happy to wake up today and see my clean kitchen sink.

I got paid yesterday and am being aggressive on paying off dishwasher so I'm out of money once again. Paid a lot of bills. I like to pay all at once so the money is spent and unavailable. I don't know quite why I'm a little behind right now. But I'm caught up now and just have the cat hospital for the next paycheck. Then I should be just fine. The dishwasher credit card isn't even due yet but I don't want credit card debt. We worked really hard to get to this point!!

I'm doing a quick load of delicates this AM. Going to go to the shelters today looking for a little companion for mom.

I'd like to make a bag for goodwill. Surely there are things here to go.

Hi, tired.

Boss wants some rewriting on the English classes. :p

Finished glazing my work from class today, dropped a box at the reuse store, (bought some items for my classroom and a few more stamps for me.) dropped off the classroom items and worked on the room, brought home my wheeled cart (school bought their own) and tossed a bucket of trash in the dumpster (half from home, half from the classroom)

Also dropped off three storage racks at goodwill. I kept the bins that go on them though - they fit a lot of places and can be useful at school if I decide not to keep them.

CM, I feel you on the bunny club issues.

Good Afternoon Everybody

Hi Tatoulia
Hi Tatoulia

Hi Subclinical
YEA! for those two hardest done!!!
Best wishes on all the other ones.

Hi CriticalMass
It would be really great if there was a building, a space to store and work on the bunny projects.

Maybe you are one of those people who need the pesky struggles and drama stages to light a fire under you to get you motivated?
Many people do.
Looming deadlines are stressful but can also be the push needed.
But we can all change. (((hug)))

Long handled metal litter scoops?
LOL ;D

Was going to post this morning but there was just too much happening all around me.
Anyways... washed my pillows this morning, they are drying out on the line now.
Cats had lots of needs.
They are fed, watered, amused and Twinkles was brushed.
Also laundered my pillow covers, pillow cases and an assortment of other miscellaneous items.
Plus I did a lot of other mundane things.

Evening

Mostly been doing bunny event crafts. This year I have procrastinated or let life take me on detours when I could've been doing even a little more focusing on making the bunny club items with time to spare.

I don't know why there seems not to be time to do these things until the deadline is close, then there's time to do them in a frenzy...? I suspect my perfectionism and indecision to be the main culprits. Perfectionism says "I will make the bunny event stuff amazing!" Indecision swoops in and says, "I can help! I'll analyze it to death!" And we're off and running.

So by procrastinating, I reach the point where Perfectionism and Indecision have exhausted themselves fighting and I can safely ignore them and tell myself I'll get something done and it'll be fine, it always is. Which usually it is. I just wish I could skip those pesky struggle and drama stages.

I'm going to work on finishing the stuff I have supplies for even after the event. And maybe we can get our online shop going. If we only had a building, I could store those things there in the hopes I'd never have to consider them "my" stuff anymore. And could go to the building to craft, maybe, if there was space. There's very little space here.

Last couple of nights some things upset me, control freaky things, wishing I could live by myself things. Maybe exacerbated by the full moon. Today was a Holyday so I took the opportunity to go to Confession and I have hope and better equilibrium.

I think we're going to survive the event; I hope it makes lots of money. We have adopted out a few rabbits recently but we've still got lots, and more people want to surrender or have found strays, than are looking to adopt.

Tatoulia, I have extra plastic litter scoops. You know what I'm spoiled on now? Long handled metal ones. The feel and balance of a quality tool in my hands to get the job done right! LOL! If down the road I am on my own and get my own cat, I'm sooo ordering one if those bad boys.

Lol Tatoulia, we were quiet today!

I hope you find a good balance with your sister.

I have the two English classes finished. They were the hardest. 11 to go....

Look! A delayed duplicate post. Just getting in. Love you all.

Had shrimp on a salad. The first time I made it I used too much dressing while trying to be artistic for the photo. It was delicious.

Off to work. Sister is back in life and she's having lots of problems and I need to dig deep and find a way to be compassionate and listen and not offer advice and not see it as a money grab. We took two different paths in life and the fact that I worked toward a corporate traditional situation with an apt in the city doesn't mean I have to feel guilty for having a vastly different lifestyle. Plus I'm taking very good care of mom so that's one less problem for her. I think I can do this. Be supportive but not put myself in debt and not see it as something to feel guilty about.

I can do this and if I can't, then I'll take a step back.

So instead of being occasionally resentful that she does so little for mom, I can view it as a pressure reliever for her.