Ah, I don't want to do anything today. I'm tired, fuzzy-headed and exhausted by these goofy animals. The furry ones are starting to blow coats and because I feed more in the cold weather there is more poop to deal with. If I don't stay on top of it Teeny Tiny Tina eats it right up. Yesterday Miss Gelsey went around and cleaned up the litter boxes for me and then wanted kisses. Yuck. The past two days I've been brushing out a pom for 45 minutes and each time there is enough fur for another dog. It's the kind of undercoat that sticks to everything and gets up your nose.

I've been pretty good at catching up and maintaining from all the slacking of the holidays. Opening Day for the Baltimore Orioles is March 31st. So I have a fairly quiet 6 week period to get some serious inside work done before the busy-ness of baseball season and outdoor work starts.

And Mr. Dave know that your perseverance, advice, insights, humor, intelligence and successes inspire and energize us! Keep moving forward!

Mrs. Dave {{{{hugs}}}} from me too

Facing "Impossible" tasks.

Hello to all.

I hope that each of you finds a moment of peace amidst the activities of the day.

Take out trash: done. Banking: done. Sort papers: Not done; decided to make laundry a higher priority. (Laundry: done.) Talk with housemate: done, but...

I guess I misunderstood the situation; she's not willing to have me stay unless I pay half the rent (which isn't worth it). She wants to be able to offer this room to someone else in March. Suddenly I need to step up my relocation efforts.

Just a quick update for Day Four.

I was out of the house most of the day with work and such so I simply made my goal to maintain. I hung up my towels right after using them, put all of my worn clothing immediately in the hamper, put the cash I made right in the tips envelope.

Off tomorrow so I'll have plenty of time to get things done.

(((HUGS))) Mrs. Dave

Mrs Dave was crying yesterday because of a broken promise.

Sorry about all your stress.

Good morning

Spent hours outside yesterday with my cats chasing a butterfly.
They never caught it. 😀
There is a small rectangle of yard just out front of the house that I have claimed and made a "No Clutter Zone".
I have lots of flowers and bushes and a little lawn and some nice trees planted there.
My pure white blue eyed girl cat went into the carport area and was lost in all the clutter for over an hour. 🙁
That area is so filthy and dangerous and I had to try to get around in there to try to shoo her out. 🙁
I hate it.
There is no reason to live this way.
It makes me cry.

OK...
my pity party is over, thank you for listening.

Karl,

Also - an encouragement in regard to your bag of papers: I am still amazed about a previous post you made about tossing out all but a few (I think it was 2 or 3) documents in a bag of financial papers. If you are able to approach papers with an evaluation of current relevance like that, my money is on you being able to clear up that bag of miscellaneous items pretty well.

Great to read everybody's accomplishments! You guys excite me to keep going!

anything else will be icing on the cake 🙂

I should set a goal for something to accomplish on Sunday before the chat session. Take out trash; get cash from bank; confirm with housemate that I can stay at least through March; sort through remaining bag of miscellaneous papers.

"Made a top for the top of garage cabinets, so I can now put stuff in them, and start organizing stuff I use." That is one of the things I love about you, Diane. You just casually toss off a statement like that, as if everyone can up and make any kind of top for a cabinet. Way to go on finishing the roof and cleanup, as well as on the perfect weight for yourself. Maybe somehow our bodies are just taking us willy nilly where we need to be.

Great reading all of the insightful posts, very happy to see the growth you are finding in yourselves. Today I finished patching garage roof, really need to replace it as soon as warms up here. I bagged up all the scraps, and some that flew off roof and put in garbage. Felt good to finish cleaning up, instead of leaving junk to do tomorrow. Sort of like cutting off tags and throwing them and package away. Filled up all fire wood areas on deck so am set for several days. Made a top for the top of garage cabinets, so I can now put stuff in them, and start organizing stuff I use. I have to label cabinets so I can find stuff I need.
First thing this morning I made a to do list and did only a couple of things on list, was helpful reading conversation about "to do" list, it helped me today. I was able to ask what is most important to do today, and get garage roof done. Tomorrow I want to be brave enough to post my to do list on here. Thanks Roxie, I think weight loss is from stress, and I am at perfect weight now, although I was happy with heavier weight, do not notice any difference other than clothes loose.

Accordian folder for coupons and gift cards.

Try to be sure you are enough of a couponer that you will use the folder and the coupons. (and don't just assume because you have done a lot of couponing in the past and saved a lot of money in the past, that you will still do that now. Your lifestyle, living habits AND grocery store coupon policies may have changed.)

Just like I don't get any tax benefit from donations and find it freeing to NOT have to list and evaluate my donations, I have found that couponing is a giant waste of time for me. I spend lots and lots (and maybe lots) of time finding coupons, adding them to a caddy, periodically going through the caddy and cleaning out expired coupons for a very small savings benefit. The return (for me) is not worth the effort and being chained to another "necessary process" in the cycles of daily activities.

I'm not saying don't coupon if it benefits you. I am saying "don't automatically apply hoarding behaviors and habits by adding a coupon process that adds to your guilt and clutter if it doesn't really have a benefit for you." Each one of us could have different personal answers and benefits to bring to that question.

I have recently done a bit of cleaning and I think I found most of my gift cards. There is a very small quantity and I just put them in a junk mail return envelope (scratching out the address so I don't accidentally mail it) and put them in an easily accessible place.

Unfortuneatly I have not brought hoarding cleanup to the coupon situation by getting rid of all but one of the coupon caddies I have and just throwing away most of the no expiration date coupons in them. I get in the mail each month about a half dozen coupons I would/could use if I could find them and those would be good in one coupon caddy I keep. I am engaging in classical hoarding behavior saving the no expiration date coupons.

Coins,

I have lots and lots and lots of loose coins. I have not wanted to do this with old stockpiles of coins yet, but I am processing current pocket change monthly.

The change accumulates in a little tray that I keep pocket things in. Once a month I have some banking activities that I need to do. One of the places I go has a change sorter that is free for customers of the institution to use. I take the current month accumulation of unused change, put it in an empty plastic peanut butter jar, and take it with me, run it through the sorter and get the money back in bills which I can use over the current month. Sometimes I will also take in ones and fives to start over the current month with twenties. This has worked very well for me to prevent current change and small bills adding to the old accumulations.

If you don't have access to a free change sorter (don't pay to use the one in the grocery store)ask your bank. I think many banks will do this at no charge for their customers in "the back room". I saw a man with 3 different piggy banks in one of my banks a few weeks ago. I assume he was cashing in his kids savings for them.

I just put the peanut butter jar in a cloth grocery bag along with the banking paperwork I need to take care of during the day.

Dianne - I like the idea of a Daily Project too. It has really been helping me tackle things without getting bogged down by the big picture.

diane - ((hugs)) I'm really proud of you for taking care of yourself. It's not easy for me to take those steps but it's oh so important. Good job!

Roxie - I seem to find myself always with a pile of coins! My purse is a trap for them. I find them everywhere! I'll have to make it a project soon to finally get them all in the same place and take them to the bank. Thank you for bringing it up,

Karl - I'm very impressed by your biking! Seems like great excercise and useful too. Great job submitting your application, especially since they weren't at the office as expected. A hitch in the plan tends to throw me off. This is a good reminder to stay calm and adapt to different circumstances.

Tillie - Glad to see you have some time to go out and play! 🙂 Enjoy!

Day three!

A package arrived with the new underwear I ordered. I immediately opened it, cut off all the tags, put them in the hamper and discared the tags, plastic, and boxes. If I don't do things immediately I don't really do them. I'm getting to know myself.

My other plans for the day are mostly errands. I am meeting a friend and her boyfriend for dinner this evening about 45 minutes from home. While I'm out that way I'm going to take my wedding rings to the jeweler for an inspection and cleaning. I'm supposed to do that every six months and have failed in that department. They have to check the rings to make sure the warranty is still good, since I've missed my service time frame.

Also need to swing by a house my husband and I are interested in to see if the neighborhood looks as good as the online listing.

My chore before I go is to unload the dishwasher and put my breakfast dishes in after.

Have a great day everyone!

Good morning 🙂

Hi Diane 🙂
I'm very glad you are getting things checked up on.
You have been through heck this winter and have done so much hard physical work along with all the stress you are under.
Taking it easy is not wasting time. We all need our down time and sorting out small items is the same as relaxing with a crossword puzzle. 😀
(((HUGS)))

Hi Roxie 🙂
I have not been able to get him to agree to getting rid of all the old vehicles, yet.
But I am still working on it. 😀

Hi Karl 🙂
WAY TO GO! getting things done. 😀
I knew about online chats but never saw a "pop up" inviting me to one before.

Hi Everybody else! 😀

Have no real plans for today.
Will probably go outside again and play. 🙂

The live chat option isn't new -- I remember chatting with Cory when I first got here last May.

I went ahead and RSVP'd for a board games social event for Friday, despite not having a ride this time. It worked out -- during the trip I took care of two issues at the bank, stopped at an apartment complex to turn in my lease application*, and got some good exercise; I also made a midnight grocery stop on the return trip.

*Although they claim to be open until 6:00 or 5:30, depending on which sign you believe, they were closed up as of 5:15; I slid the application under the door.

Diane, it sounds to me like you got quite a bit done yesterday, so just watching tv late in the day was perfectly fine. I'm so glad you are getting to the doctor and starting to get yourself all checked out. Stick with it. I also went through an unexplained weight loss I think a couple years ago, something like 30 pounds. Still dont' know why, but it stopped, and it was weight I could afford to lose. Could you afford to lose that weight?

Do one thing today well!

Today I up and went to clinic to get blood tests done then to radiologist, but could not get appt. until Monday.
Yesterday at doctors appt. I took a list of questions. I was shocked when I got on the scale and saw that I had lost 22 pounds in past months. I think it is due to stress from all the things that have happened past several months. Doctor found breast lump, so will have to go Monday for that. Apparently I do have frost bite on toes, so have to take care of them, and not go out for very long in cold. To me they look ok, since they were so much worse before. I am a little worried about the weight loss since did not diet or exercise, other than work around here, grateful doctor is bright and will figure it out. I knew clothes were loose but had no idea it was 22 pounds, thought maybe 10. My living room is a mess, no maintenance in here, did do two drainers full of dishes, still one more to go. Did one load laundry. Two friends called today to offer emotional support. Worked on cracks on garage roof today, until it was too cold. It really needs to be replaced when it warms up, but will finish patching it for now. I wasted a few hours sorting screws, nails, bolts etc today, just because it was fun stress release. I could do some cleaning in here tonight but just want to watch tv, and avoid life. It is ok for now. Most likely I will wake up tomorrow and get back to maintenance.

WOW! 😀
I really like that live chat pop up!!! 😀
GREAT idea.

In case you haven't seen this new feature yet...
a small box popped up to the left of the screen saying I could have a live chat right now to help me with a cleaning problem or tough situation.

diane,
You posted a several days ago that your insurance gave you our contact info. Can you email me what insurance you have? I am just curious which carrier is giving out our info. I know Kaiser refers us a lot, but not sure of any others. It is great at least to see they are providing resources to their clients!

Dave, I like your idea of *taking a picture with your eyes*. I need to be very focused when I lock a door and even then I wonder a little later. I'll try the camera idea.

I like to give myself a Daily Project. Just something to keep me moving past maintenance. Today the project is to get 40 lbs. of powdery supplements for the dogs into smaller, airtight containers.

Thanks for sharing your ways to remember doing an action 🙂 Good ideas! I have experimented with a few different things and haven't yet landed on a go to. Most of the time I just stop and focus on checking. Sometimes I sing a little song like, "Checking the door and it's raining and it's Tuuuuesday!" haha!

Last night when I got home from work I emptied out my night stand and went through my jewelry box. It was quite a chore since I've had some of that old jewelry for ages and most of it was not something I'd wear now.

Day two!

Today I burned the bag of papers I didn't feel comfortable just tossing with the trash. The only other thing on my agenda before work is to take some extra time getting ready. Take a nice pampering shower, repaint my nails. Oh and I ran the dishwasher also.

Have a great day everybody! As always, thank you for sharing with me.

I tried replying a couple hours ago and couldn't paste my post. I signed offline, then back on, and couldn't access the internet, kept getting a DNS Error 305 message. I finally just shut down the computer and went and watched a new DVD "Safe House" I'd bought.

Glad to see Cory posting and also the rest. It's good to keep up with your news.

If I'm likely to have trouble remembering something, I say it out loud. "The door is now locked", for this example (though I typically don't have trouble with that, myself).

Today's stuff: I ordered the forms that I said I would, and I made a minor repair on an item that was showing some wear and threatening to become useless. I also made a chart for recording when I've brushed my teeth. (In the past I've remembered that task late at night and decided that I didn't want to bother. Perhaps a firm "no skipping two days in a row" rule would be a good start towards addressing that.)

Susan L,
Congratulations on visibility of the closet floor. That's a pretty amazing accomplishment.