| Tillie | Posted: 17 August 2012 - 10:50 PM |
Today my To-Do list included What is on your list? π | |
Replies (4028)
| Dianne | Posted: 20 September 2013 - 03:51 PM |
Roxie great work with your teeth and gums!! Congratulations!! I have dropped off with mine, will get back to it tonight. I wanted to run away today and lose myself in a movie. Didn't want to be around the roofers or think about an inspection. But Laura and I agreed it was best to just deal with stuff head-on. So I'm doing regular cleaning and catch-up stuff. I haven't heard anything more from the insurance company. But I'm beginning to feel like this is just something I have to let happen. Bummer. | |
| Roxie | Posted: 20 September 2013 - 03:31 PM |
Tillie, I also admire your spirit, and I feel badly when you are disheartened about your hoarder. All I can do is encourage you to make the best life you can for yourself, as I see you doing. (((Tillie))) Diane, Tillie's advice is always good and helps so many people here. It is good to hear your good cheer when you talk about having the right clothes, knowing where your shoes are, and having a clean sink when you wake up. You have come so very far. Dianne, you know the head in the sand doesn't work. On the other hand, no decision is also a decision. Were it me, I would say go along with the inspection and hope for the best. You can always try to negotiate time and a list of minimal changes. You do NOT want to go without insurance. It sounds to me like you have a lot of the checklist already done. Look around now for fire hazards and maybe target that in your projects? That would be things like stacks of papers (including magazines and books), stacks of anything highly combustible. Yes, go ahead and get those fire and carbon dioxide alarm things you stick on the ceiling. Change the batteries whenever there is a time change. Get as many as you can. Even study online as to the best places to place/have them. I also need to buy and put some of those up. Yesterday I went to the dentist for cleaning and checkup. I have to go back for one cavity. However, the dentist said he can see a difference both in number of cavities and in the condition of my gums. While the numbers for my gums have not changed much, the hygienist assures me that with continued effort they will. YEAH! Haven't missed a day since July 2. Now I need to consider upping to two times a day. I also have a sonic toothbrush I need to set up for myself, which ought to help. Everybody check in, please! | |
| Tillie | Posted: 20 September 2013 - 12:05 PM |
Thank you Dianne π (((hugs))) | |
| Tillie | Posted: 20 September 2013 - 12:04 PM |
AAWWW Dianne (((HUGS))) | |
| Dianne | Posted: 20 September 2013 - 11:59 AM |
Ah Tillie, I SO admire your sense of survival and ability to do what's best for you even in difficult circumstances!! Glad that little Scooter is coming along so well! He's a very lucky kitty. π | |
| Tillie | Posted: 20 September 2013 - 11:53 AM |
Good morning π It is a good feeling to look around at what I have on hand and know that I do not need to shop for a very long time. π HAPPY FRIDAY! ;D | |
| Dianne | Posted: 20 September 2013 - 11:53 AM |
Forgot to mention the shredded, chewed up furniture. I have a vague awareness that we have gotten so used to things that we don't quite see it. I know it affects me and Laura on a deeper level which comes out in depression and fatigue. Strange feeling. It's like, I know, I know...... Then why don't you change? I don't know, kind of glazed over..... Repairmen and workers have been in but I dealt with the stress of that. Very different when someone wants to come in with the express purpose of checking things out and TAKING PICTURES for their files. I just can't do it. | |
| Dianne | Posted: 20 September 2013 - 11:44 AM |
Weird ending there. I just meant to put a sad face. π | |
| Dianne | Posted: 20 September 2013 - 11:42 AM |
Tillie it occurred to me that if I let this policy be cancelled I'd have to let someone else in to get a new policy anyway. Rock and a hard place. I'm sorry you had to go thru that. Roxie, great advice thank you! All door exits are easily used. The one exit that was a tight squeeze has been cleared. No paper or fire hazards. There are no working fire or alarm systems. I cancelled the service awhile ago. But it would be easy enough to get the fire alarms that stick to the ceiling, right? Some outlets don't work. Having electrical work done is on my to do list hopefully for this winter. But the main stuff works. No wobbly rails or soft floors. Everything is structurally sound as far as I know. Water damage in walls for sure but they can't see the worst of it. I hope. I'm actually having some roof repairs going on today. Long story but not bad. The outside is in pretty good shape. Bushes are trimmed, everything was painted a few years ago. No places for critters to live (unless they decide to camp out in some of the doghouses for a few nights.) I guess my main concern is the condition of the inside. In the kitchen, as puppies, the dogs shredded wallpaper and I figured, oh well, let everything get trashed at once (there were 4 of them) and I'll make repairs down the road. They dug a hole right thru the drywall into a closet. A plumber cut a hole in the ceiling to check for a possible leak from an upstairs bathroom but told me ahead of time I would need to get another repairman for that. The cats have shredded sheer curtains (I leave those so the cats won't mess with the more expensive custom draperies.) And of course the general huge mess. Mounds of clothes, papers, books, blankets and animal beds tucked all over, Dozens of multiple gallon water containers for when we needed the clean drinking water. Some rooms totally shut off because there is so much stuff thrown in there and I didn't want the animals messing with that or, God forbid, get trapped and die. What scares me too is that I couldn't hustle and get all that pretty much done even with my family helping. I was very, very discouraged that it took me the better part of 5 days to get my one bedroom beach condo cleaned up from summer and ready for winter rentals. My back was in severe pain and I had to keep laying down and popping pain pills all day. I was crying today to my daughter Buffy. Thank God I have a very supportive family. She said, Mom I don't care that you're a hoarder, I know you've been thru a lot and I love you no matter what. If you and Laura want to live that way it's ok. It hasn't been an outside problem. But when you're willing to let go of your insurance because you don't want outsiders in the house that takes it to a whole new level. Do you get that? I know it does and because my health isn't great it's a bottoming out time. I agreed to let her be more involved in helping me but I agreed last month to let my brother help too and backed out of that. She said she would go to my shrink with me and be truthful about my situation but I said no way. I've been trying to work my way out of therapy, I sure as hell don't want to have to go to more. That's out of pocket and to me, a waste of money. Especially since I've been saying everything is hunky dory. I only go to her to get antidepressants which she won't give without talk therapy. And I've been too lazy to find a regular MD who will write a prescription w/o therapy. So I'll continue with my routine cleaning and dejunk when I can and pray that the problem just goes away. Pretty classic bad, head-in-the-sand, hoarder behavior. ?ΒΌ:( | |
| Tillie | Posted: 20 September 2013 - 11:31 AM |
Hi Diane π | |
| diane | Posted: 20 September 2013 - 12:05 AM |
I had another fun day at work today. Did dishes before I went to work so was nice to come home to clean sink. Put garbage out, not full 2 weeks in a row. I will see if I can fill it for next Friday. I don't work until afternoon tomorrow so plan to clean up some stuff I have left out. Supposed to rain this weekend so hopefully I will make some progress in here. I have dressed great so far, nice to know where clothes and shoes are, saves time. Still waking up too early, but dealing well with lack of sleep so far. Hopefully will sleep until 7 am tomorrow, since don't have to get up, can relax. | |
| Tillie | Posted: 19 September 2013 - 12:21 PM |
Good morning π | |
| Tillie | Posted: 19 September 2013 - 12:09 PM |
YEA! Karl! π | |
| Karl | Posted: 19 September 2013 - 12:16 AM |
Internet fixed. (One computer problem solved, five more to go.) This is the last trash night before the event I'll be hosting, so I should make sure I get as much as possible out to the curb. I have a couple of magazines that I wasn't ready to toss just yet -- I'll plan to read whatever article it was that I was interested in, and then toss it tonight. Maybe I can finish a first pass through another stack of papers, too. | |
| Roxie | Posted: 18 September 2013 - 10:44 PM |
Tillie, I am just so sorry to hear that story. Can you insist that he and you go to counseling together? Maybe somebody else can wake him up? Dianne, I'm no lawyer, but I think you may have a legal right to refuse entry. However, I suspect the insurance company can refuse to cover you any longer. Tough either way. Do a little googling on it. It seems with interior inspections they are concerned with a few things: (1) fire hazards; (2) contamination such as mold; (3) unblocked exits; (4) unsafe conditions. You can do some work meanwhile, being sure no exits are blocked. Making sure outlets have proper covers. Make sure no paper is located near furnace, fireplace or other possible fire hazards. Make sure fire and O2 alarms are installed all over. Make sure stains that might indicate leaks are dealt with. Check on railings on porches, any missing porches or missing rails, any wobbling or unsafe rails or stairs. Find your receipts for any work you've had done on things like water heaters, etc. Make sure your electrical system is okay (no knob and tube wiring; enough wiring for normal loads, etc) Outside they'll look at roof, siding, cracks, garages, any exterior buildings including storage sheds. Outside you can make sure gutters and downspouts are clear and properly in place. You can clean up the exterior, especially removing things like Ivy growing onto structures. Again, remove anything that might attracts bugs or varmints or mold. Trim bushes and trees to they don't threaten the house or garage and so they don't provide coverage for burglars. Make sure all windows are unbroken and sashes okay. Make sure locks on doors are okay. There's more you can pick up on the internet. I'm not saying I've got all that done, myself, but just throwing out ideas and writing my own master list again. Sigh. It's possible they'll inspect and give you a checklist and timeline for corrections in order to keep insurance. size] | |
| Tillie | Posted: 18 September 2013 - 07:19 PM |
I took out home owner's insurance on this place when we first bought it about 20 years ago. About 8 years ago my hoarder decided that he could get a better rate from some dude he knows who is in the insurance business. Well, he cancelled the insurance I had and started a policy with this other company. Now we have a pitiful police with extremely high payments at some 3rd rate company because nobody else would cover us. | |
| Dianne | Posted: 18 September 2013 - 05:43 PM |
Karl thanks for advice. I never thought about a spammer/burglar. She was legit though because my insurance agent emailed me to say hey this woman has been trying to reach you, give her a call. And you're right. I won't say I'm a hoarder. I always say too much so I'll see if I can handle all this through emails. Thanks again. | |
| Karl | Posted: 18 September 2013 - 05:33 PM |
Dianne, the first step is to confirm that this really is not just some spammer/burglar trying to get inside your house. Did you confirm by contacting your insurance company directly? Even if it's legit, be careful what you say to them. I suspect that if you admit to having a hoard, your insurance rates will go up. | |
| Dianne | Posted: 18 September 2013 - 04:26 PM |
There's a lot to catch up on with this thread..... Susan, good that you were able to get that trash past your mother. Roxie and Diane, what a drag to deal with the unpleasant substances coming out both ends of our animals. Especially if it's on us or we step in it. Yuck. We have a young, very skittish lab hanging around. I think/hope she belongs to a neighbor. I cannot take in another animal. Tillie and Karl, I've been feeling hopeless, tired and discouraged too. The early fall weather has been very refreshing and I'm trying to focus on that. As I caught up with stuff I started to feel better. I have to head back to the beach tonight for a few last minute details for people to come in this weekend. Then I got an email from my insurance agent that someone was trying to reach me (I don't answer my house phone). So I called the woman and she says in a very cheery voice that she wants to set up an appointment to come do an inspection inside and outside the house for insurance purposes ~ to make sure I have enough coverage to do a whole house rebuild if necessary. When I said why is that necessary, I've never had an inspection before, I'm happy with the level of coverage the way it is now (truthfully I have no idea what it is) she didn't know how to answer. First she said it was required then she said there would be "not good" consequences of not doing it. I said I would call my agent and discuss it. I'm not freaking out because there is just no way it's going to happen. But I am bugged that just as things were looking ok some more crap happens. I have even gotten used to going to my daughter's to do laundry until the third-broken-part-this-summer for the washer comes in. So if the insurance agent pushes for a reason give me some ideas for answers. Should I be honest and say some rooms are hoards? Should I say I can't deal with people in the house? Should I say screw it and let them do an inspection? | |
| Tillie | Posted: 18 September 2013 - 10:54 AM |
Good morning π | |
| Tillie | Posted: 17 September 2013 - 05:42 PM |
Hi Karl π | |
| Karl | Posted: 17 September 2013 - 05:36 PM |
Posting from the library again. I have dinner plans for tonight, so I won't be at the Tuesday chat even if by some miracle I get my internet working again. (Bah, I just tried to check on something with one of my credit cards, but their site doesn't recognize this computer, and wants to send a confirmation code to my phone. At the moment I have no easy way of being near a phone and a computer at the same time!) I went through more papers -- one of them contains some calculations and sketching from a mathematical problem that I vaguely recall working on, but I don't remember what it was; I've put that on the stack of keepers just in case more info comes up, but I expect I'll be tossing it in the next pass through that stack. I read a couple more chapters in the book "Stuff". The term "anxiety avoidance" came up; that describes quite a bit of my behavior pattern, not just in hoarding-related matters. | |
| Tillie | Posted: 17 September 2013 - 05:24 PM |
OOOOH Thanks Roxie WTG! Roxie for getting things accomplished! | |
| Roxie | Posted: 17 September 2013 - 04:20 PM |
Hi Tillie. I've just gotten back from running an errand. I've brushed teeth and taken meds. Tomorrow I garbage pickup day, so hopefully I'll get energy enough to load up the bin and roll it down to the street. ((())) | |
| Tillie | Posted: 17 September 2013 - 11:22 AM |
Good morning π I need to find my motivation. | |
| Roxie | Posted: 17 September 2013 - 02:23 AM |
Way to go, Karl, on doing all those things. I hope you can get the computer figured out. When I missed a whole week on the computer it was difficult even if I got a lot done offline. Tillie, glad to hear you are feeling better. Today was mostly just another day of getting minimal done. I've got upside down sleep, so that's part of it. Hugs all round. | |
| Tillie | Posted: 16 September 2013 - 07:18 PM |
HEY Karl! π | |
| Karl | Posted: 16 September 2013 - 06:20 PM |
I lost my internet connection early during the Sunday chat. Still not back; I'm posting this from the library (I have 5 minutes left...) While waiting to see if my connection would come back on its own, I went through more papers. Some of them have a lot of different notes on them, so my new protocol is to check it as quickly as possible; if it's clearly trash, then out it goes, otherwise it gets put into a pile to be checked more thoroughly later. It's half-churning, but at least it's still reducing the size. I went into the kitchen and was inspired to clean off the dirty handset on the phone, washed a few dishes, soaked the various kitchen sponges / scrubbies and gave them two minutes in the microwave, and washed off the tablecloth and placemats. | |
| Tillie | Posted: 16 September 2013 - 10:30 AM |
Good morning π | |
| diane | Posted: 15 September 2013 - 05:20 PM |
yes, dogs are lots of work, especially puppies, they are so wonderful except when young and again when old. I have dog door and fenced yard, or it would really be alot of work. | |