Lila, I am very relieved about the stage one!

I have a bunch of "lipomomas" which are "fatty tumors" they are non malignant and basically just caused by your body deciding to store a ball of fat somewhere random. apparently they are common, but most people get them in their butts so they don't notice.

Road, I am sorry about your niece. Your dinner sounds amazing!

I have cleaned up some dirty dishes and picked the spinach and cleared some space in the garden to plant pumpkins and edamame with Bean. He should be here soon.

Road, I do the hybrid recipe thing too! I like to cook, but I look at several recipes and figure out what will taste best from each one. It's fun. I hope yours turns out! Sounds delicious.

I have really worked! I got called to do some emails and calls for a problem with the place I volunteer for, got that done. Then I:

-cleaned out the microwave
-loaded the dishwasher
-washed a couple pans
-wiped down about half the counters
-took all the food off the 3 fridge shelves, washed the shelves, sorted the food, tossed and composted what was no good, and put it all back neatly. I do still need to do this for the veggie drawer, cheese drawer and door shelves but it looks a thousand times better and I know what's in there.
- ate some fruit, prepped some veggies to be cooked

I am taking a rest and will eat lunch and then do something else.

Lila, Great news about the stage 1. Big relief.

Cm, good idea about the creative clutter. That's certainly a major category for me and I know it is for many people.

I'm forgetting other things...

Today so far I've worked on some genealogy stuff and then looked up some recipes and started prepping stuff for dinner. I am an intuitive cook and don't like following recipes, but now that I am dealing with some restrictions I find I have to try a lot of new recipes so I feel like I'm not deprived - especially of Thai/Vietnamese since it's typically at9mic levels of sodium. I'm trying lemongrass tofu. So far I've pressed the tofu and chopped up the shallot, lemongrass, garlic, ginger, bell pepper and cilantro... watched a few different videos on YouTube. Mine will be kind of a hybrid. Leave it to me to unnecessarily complicate things. Haha

The H took my son to his bro's to swim in their pool today so I'm sure he's having a blast. One of his cousins on that side has been in the hospital for more than two weeks with eating disorder stuff. I know the mom has been staying there and has gotten a crash course so I hope they will be able to take care of her when she does come home. Sounds like she's going to an inpatient program next. She hasn't been able to eat/drink enough to get the feeding tube removed so it's a very serious situation.

I'm looking around my room right now trying to figure out what I can do... maybe I'll start with bringing up the laundry...

Lila, please do "serial post." It helps me, too.

Over and out,

It's been a bit, but here I am, checking in, and doing better. The new testing and specialists determined I am stage 1 and the other tumors are not cancer (but still, hmmm). Anyway, they are just going to watch and wait, keep an eye on it. Good news!

Catchng up on posts:

SubC, I am trying to imagine the 4 square graph because it sounds very helpful. I am going to google it. I might be able to use that in my planner. Thanks for the suggestion.

SubC, I am sorry you are so worn out. I hope you can take some time off soon to take care of yourself. It can get so hard when we are overwhelmed. I find sugar so comforting... going to get back onto the healthy eating train today and post on the other thread.

Tatoulia, can you please explain orient to the task and not the result?

Tatoulia, omg, your mom eating a Tide pod. Good for you staying calm and not overreacting. I'm glad she is ok.

Mar, when I used to sanitize my purchases, I got an aerosol disinfectant and kept it by the door and misted it all on the front porch. Had a box inside the door to carry things n after they were sprayed. This is just an idea, so ignore if you prefer!

CM, hugs, I will pray for you. Thanks for letting us know.

hi Road! Nice to see you and I hope all the medical stuff calms down! You are getting things done for sure!

I need a minute to gather my thoughts about what I want to get done today, but if you all don't mind I will post that here for accountability and I hope to hear what YOU are working on today.

I am waiting for Tot the Second to be born any day 🙂

Good almost afternoon.

Road you are ticking off the boxes! Go girl! That electrodes thing sounds like it is going to be a nightmare.

We went to a baseball game in a nearby city with dd2 last night. It was fun, but we got hone at midnight. All of the weight of everything just crashed down in me and I slept until 11:30. (I put the does in with their kids last night so I wouldn't have to milk this morning)

I've got about 5 hours before Bean shows up for a two day visit (double overnight - it's his parents' anniversary)

CM, I like your thread, I like the idea of splitting things up - I think this thread chases people away sometimes because it's a lot and maybe they feel like outsiders and don't know that we're like the theme song from Cheers. It may be a bit before I come by though.

Hey...

I had this idea 💡

Since I'm looking for other topics to post about, I thought maybe a thread about creative clutter might appeal to some of us and others who find this Daily Chat section. So I made one. If you're interested, check it out:

Creative Clutter Discussion Thread /url]

Hi errrbody

Hope everyone is accomplishing some of their day to day goals and if their bandwidth is all used up, that you're taking care of yourself...

My little accomplishment today was picking my way though a stale shopping bag full of genealogy research. I kind of dove back into things last week after not doing much for a few months. I've had some weeks months where I was mostly doing stitching in my spare time and some weeks months where I couldn't even do that. I got some new dna hits on my welsh line which was exciting because I couldn't confirm anything on that line beyond ggparents by dna. The matches were from connections 6 generations back and it's the male Line surname which makes it more interesting for the relatives. (Sexist and annoying but that's how it is)... it's not fool proof but this type of thing generally confirms that your research is correct so yay! But anyway, I got through the end of the bag - about two reams worth? I was able to toss maybe half a ream of garbage and because the bag waS kind of gross and stained I tossed that as well. Since bins and bins of paper are one of my main categories, it's always good when I can get to the bottom of any container and throw some stuff away.

Saved my laundry just in time. So clean clothes inthedryer right now.

Also scheduled my sons 5 day EEG thing lawd help us. (He has to wear the electrodes for 5 days straight)... never mind that the place called me so it was totally passive on my part but I am still going to pat myself on the back for it. Haha.

Went to the nutritionist appt. and went to the gyne. Now most of my stuff is done and I will shift back to my son. The H is getting all his health stuff checked off too. He said at dinner this is the first time in his life he's ever watched what he was eating. Can all of us women just take a collective sigh and eye roll? 🙄😂 meanwhile I got to -17 lbs. down then bounced back up again to -13. Hoping it starts going down again tomorrow. Aiming for -30 total by the end of summer. Long way to go beyond that but that's what I'm focused on. Bike is ready to go so I can start doing short rides.
Alright I better fly.

So good to read everyone's updates...

Tatoulua, I wish I did not think that way. Every thing is accompanied by a subtext about how I suck because this thing has not been done already and I can't keep up with anything and I am lazy and I put stuff off and I am incompetent, so I am constantly being battered by a little invisible demon with a clipboard in my head.

I'm glad you were able to distract your mom from the imaginary rat bite! That sounds awful!

The evaluations are done and turned in!

Celebratory salad!

Mar! Good work on the table! Keep going! Enjoy that sense of pride and accomplishment.

SubC you are getting through the evaluations! Interesting exercise you did yesterday! I don't think that way so I found it fascinating!

Road - thanks for checking in! And hello,CM and Lila!

I have PTO today and it is a beautiful day.

I have to gather up the garbage and shower. Meeting BF at 12:30 to go to the museum.

My flower boxes look nice in the windows.

Mom had a different incident last night, involving a hallucination. She though a rat bit her ankle. She was insisting on an ambulance. Her ankle was fine and the swelling she described (after having thought the bite happened several hours earlier) wasn't there. The foot was cool to the touch. So I redirected her and we watched tv together. The poor thing.

Hi all, Time got away from me.

Hi Mar! And welcome back.

Will try to check back in later after I catch up.

Ok.

Evaluations are due today.

I have 8 left.

I got a lot of weeding done in the garden yesterday. My body is sore.

Also my farm sitter and her sister came by to hang out for a couple of hours with their kids - 4 of them ages 16 months to almost 5. They're adorable. I used to teach the sister a long time ago and she has moved away. It was nice to see her.

I did an exercise yesterday morning. During the hour in which I started some laundry, picked the cherries, milked the goats, and emptied and partially loaded the dishwasher, I also jotted down every task that jumped out at me - you know, when you are doing a thing, and you see another thing, and you think "I need to.." 86. 86 things. In one hour. Ranging from "put those jars in the dishwasher" - which I did, to "clean out the stalls" which I did not do. This may be part of the reason I am constantly exhausted.

It probably would have been a higher number if I had not spent the time jotting all those things down.

I went to my pottery class early yesterday to catch my coteacher for summer camp so we could talk about the weeks I am working since she has not emailed me as she said she would. (Camp started May 30, but I am only working two weeks of it) Apparently she notified the camp at the last minute - after being sick for four days - that she would not be there because of covid and has not communicated further or responded to the camp director, so she is either hospitalized, dead, or fired. The camp director told me to go ahead and plan my weeks and she will either be my coteacher or find me one. This is not really what I expected. But I guess it will be fine.

The camp director offered me the third week I had applied for (which was filled) - since it is now down one teacher. I am thinking about it. Gas is so expensive though, and the studio is so far - I will lose 25% of my pay to gas. Plus the time commuting. Otoh, there are things I can do on the way there or home that are a detour of a couple hundred feet.

It's going to be a gorgeous day to work in the garden, but I have 19 more evaluations to do and I'm afraid to put many off for tomorrow.

I found another pair of jeans to get rid of.

Hi SubC, Tatoulia and CM! [color/]

I've continued working on the table. Part of the surface of the table starts to being visible!

Tatoulia, thank you for not taking away your mother's hospital cats.

CM, do what works for you!

I gad a good day with Bean, but I am tired. We made bread and worked in the garden. He liked the baby goat. He also voluntarily touched the fuzzy wall hanging - which is a big deal.

I have found three pairs of jeans with holes in them that can go. Unfortunately none of them can be cut off for shorts. Dd gave me a pair of shorts, so I literally have one decent pair that fits. The rest are too tight or too ratty to wear in public. I don't want to do camp in skirts in two weeks.

I tried to go to the local goodwill on my way home, but they still have no changing rooms and will only give store credit for returns.

I need to do some useful things.

Hey everyone! Hello new baby goat!

Cm I like your plan! Definitely would be great if you could stay engaged! SubC great thrift shopping!

The post about mom's hallucinations was that she saw 15 cats in the hospital. Good for her!

I got a full bag to the car this weekend for goodwill. I got my flower boxes done, too. A colleague will be in town next week for work stuff and we are having dinner one night. We will either eat at a pub down the street or we will get takeout and I'll have her here. She's never been to my house before. I wanted to make sure my flower boxes were done before she gets here. I told her we can stop at liquor store since I have no idea how to buy wine for anyone.

Ok off to bed. I had terrible stomach pain yesterday and all night tried to keep from throwing up. It was brutal. I had to have a bag by my bed all night. I don't think it was actual food poisoning but man that meal made me sick. I I'll go to bed now.

Hi,

It occurred to me later that I could switch things up, post now and then in the main part of the boards here, maybe help some newbies with practical matters. That way I wouldn't feel overwhelmed emotionally but wouldn't have to detach completely. And I can read posts here still, chime in briefly if the mood strikes.

The upsetting thing I alluded to earlier may have some chance of being less dire than the worst case scenario. Let us hope.

I finally made some progress on the evaluations.

39 to go.

I allowed tomorrow off for Bean, so that is 13 per day on the other days I have left. If I do a few during his nap tomorrow I can whittle it down. I did 21 today and I am wrung out.

New jeans are in the dryer. Feed put away. Dishes kept up. Baby goat is getting her medicine on schedule.

Not doing too well on the evaluations.

Baby goat has an eye infection. No big deal except I had to drive 40 minutes to the vet pharmacy. I was also out of feed, so I hit the drive through feed store on the way even though the prices are slightly higher. (With gas these days, the close place would be about the same.) and I stopped at the thrift store on the way home.

Two hours and 45 minutes later I have medicine, feed, and six pairs of jeans that fit for less than $26 with tax.

I am now challenging myself to do some evaluations before I eat lunch.

I'm sorry CM,

We'll be here when you need us.

Today's focus is - drumroll- evaluations!

(Bean is coming tomorrow)

I'm sorry ladies, but things are once again terribly uncertain and stressful. And I'm sick and tired of telling the latest in my never ending series of life complications. Talking about it actually makes me feel worse.

The only thing I can do is pray this latest thing isn't as bad as it sounds but it doesn't look good. It's not my physical health, although stress is not good for that.

Going to take a little break, don't worry, if I can bring myself to I'll check in now and then. I didn't want to leave you hanging.

Also meant to tell you - I have a new baby goat waiting for me at home! It's a girl!

Mar, good luck on your table.

Tatoulia, I'm glad mom is home..

We're on our way home now. Stopped at a hotel. I should work on the evaluations, but I am very tired and rung out. Cried a bit in the car today. It has been hard because his parent's house is not a safe space for me.

Also, I have eaten so much sugar the last few days. Mil let me see the pineapple "stuffing" recipe to be sure I could eat it. It was basically pineapple upside down cake with no cherries or sour cream and bread crumbs instead of the cake batter, but all the sugar that would be in the cake batter.

The nuts for the salad were coated in sugar, breakfast is basically cake or cereal - and all the cereal has at least 13g of sugar per serving. There were strawberries - which she sliced and drenched in sugar before putting out, the corn bread had added sugar and apricots. it was all tasty, but everything was dessert.

I'm in a little better mood about my mess. I hope my table is usable for the end of this month.

((Hugs))

Hello!

Tatoulia,
Glad for your mom is already at home.

Yes, I've considered buying a shredder, but I've not enough money right now. Maybe later.
Great the shredding event! I wish there was also in my city.

SubC, I'm sorry. How are you now?

SubC I am sure you are drained from the funeral. I hope you found comfort in the church that meant so much to you and your family.

Mom made it home this AM. Was supposed to be last night but they were having trouble finding transport home. So she spent the night. She said that she was in a place where all the nurses were singing and that the room next door had fifteen days and they were cute. As long as her hallucinations are pleasant, who am I to correct her?

I'm at a friend's house, laying down and playing with my phone. I'm also feeding her cat. I'll head home soon.

Tatoulia. I am very sorry.

Memorial service yesterday. It was at the church where Dh and I were married. His grandparents are also buried there in the memorial garden, and the minister who married us was an old and dear family friend - who died a few years ago trying to help someone who crashed their car on a hill across the street from his house in the middle of the night. We spent the rest of the day with Dh extended family - the part I love. Slept ten hours last night. Still worn out and crying. Evaluations are still behind. (I allowed yesterday off in my math)

Today at his parents place - his brother left yesterday, sister leaves this morning. Just his parents and favorite aunt and her (second) husband - who is a very nice man, but didn't become part of the family until "recently" my kids all remember their original great uncle and everybody calls him by his first name only.

Ok, going to put some clothes on and go face the people.

Checking in. Mom ate a tide pod and is in hospital. Not sure what they are doing for her. No more tide pods for her. I'd like to get her the laundry sheets I use but I think she'd have trouble learning to use them and will view them as dryer sheets instead. I guess back to the bottles of liquid detergent.

Ps I'm sorry if I seem cold about this. I just learned that if she's not bleeding, crying, or unconscious, I don't have to worry as much. Doing something boneheaded like eating a tides pod isn't going to rankle me. BF met me at her place and sat with us while we waited for the ambulance.

Receipts/proof of purchase, all the same. I didn't realize you are outside of the US! So glad to have you here.

Try to find a place to shred the paper and/or consider buying a shredder if you think you'll use it and you have room in your budget. This could help you get rid of the receipts faster.

I have a shredder but when I have lots of stuff, my BF and I hire a shredding truck and we do his business papers and whatever I come up with. There's a shredding event in my city on June 18 and we can bring up to ten boxes of shredding, so we'll get some stuff ready and bring it there. They will also take old electronics, clothing, and paint. A pretty decent event and easy enough to get to.

Going to bed. My cleaning ladies were here today so I came home to a nice, clean house.

Hi all!

Subc,
It has been said that it can be unnecesary disinfect purchased items, but I don't feel safe if I don't do it. My other option is putting the items in "quarantine" for several days.

Tatoulia,
Maybe receipts. Idk exactly how to say it in English, hehe. Piece of paper that one receives when making a purchase, listing the products, prices, and the total cost.
I have no a shredder. And I don't like to burn them because it produces smoke and pollutes, I prefer to put them for recycling.
Idk if Office Depot offers shredding service in my country, it would be great!
Yes, I've a box for paper and cardboard.
It's ok, you are not intrusive 🙂
Thank you.

Mar, what exactly are proofs of purchases? Are they receipts? Can you shred and/burn? Check to see if your town has a shredding day where you can take a box of stuff to be shredded. Also check your local staples or Office Depot or some other such places to see if they have a shredding day. getting rid of those will be much less time consuming. For now, can you put in a bag or box while you look for resources? As to the paper plates etc are those used or new? Used can go in the trash bin.

I hope I'm not being intrusive, I'm just so excited for you to get started. Don't orient to the result, orient to the task. So focus on a task on the table, not the whole table. Today I'll put the receipts in one big bag to deal with later. Then when you need a break, do a little googling to find out how to have the receipts shredded.

Coffee clinks to everyone!