Sub c, my basil suddenly fell apart, too. Is that end of season stuff or is that a pest attack? I was letting my one prize beet go to see how big it could get and I went to pull it and it was half eaten! Oh the horrors! I was actually pretty upset about it. Haha. The beet trauma.

Hey, happy Saturday

I'm still very sleepy so I couldn't put an exclamation point after that.

Tatoulia, that's very cool about the chair. I am a furniture and wood appreciator. And I'm taking notes on how you are cognizant of letting go of the extra pieces you don't need and "trading up" when the opportunity arises to get something special.

These two things aren't recent revelations to me but they both just came to mind. One is that I was always a pack rat, even as a little kid. I was in the hospital a lot when I was really little (2-4) and I guess people would send stuffed animals (all of whom had names) and up until I can't even remember how old I kept all of those. I'm sure I still have some in a rando bin in the garage. We had a lot of built in storage in our rooms and I remember those cabinets being stuffed with things, little collections of detritus basically. Our rooms were always messy. Battles would break out between dad and sister. I wouldn't say battles. Well, the infamous one was when the date for the ant exterminator had arrived and the warnings of "clean up your room" had not been heeded and he threw all of my sisters stuff out the bedroom window, teenaged bras hanging on the telephone line... he still tells that story laughing about it. Hell, I've told that story laughing about it. It sure was never funny to my sister. Cause she really couldn't gather herself to do it. She has been plagued by this her whole life. Now I'm veering off into her story but her hoarding was naturally the major issue in her marriage and her husband would blow up and beat back the messes in the kitchen and the living room, and the main bathroom over and over but he ended up sleeping on the recliner in the living room (for years) presumably because he couldn't handle sleeping in the hoarded bedroom anymore. Eventually he was dying of cancer and you just felt like he had literally been squeezed into that small corner of the house Until he ceased to exist. It was horrible. She had to move out of the house within the year - couldn't deal with it. She bought a small house with cash she could maintain and afford and proceeded to fill it up with all new possessions. She even replaced objects You don't associate with sentimental feelings, like dishes, etc. I brought it up a few times, but regret not confronting her more forcefully (or more firmly, more effectively) at the time because she proceeded to blow through his life insurance money and probably took a mortgage on that house. She works but makes very little - yet is always wearing $80 shoes and buying new kitchen appliances - things we can't afford and we make 5x what she makes... And my parents keep paying her bills.

The other key life event/stage was when we bought our house. I rambled too much about my sister (now I can never refer her to this board because I spilled all her beans). I started garage Sale-ing and thrifting seeing how many great antiques and yada yada my sister could acquire for next to nothing. It was always sort of an identity pride thing to score something great. For a period she sold stuff successfully on eBay and in antique mall things where you rent out a booth, but just couldn't maintain the mess of the inventory and it overflowed into the house, etc. but I would say we enabled each other. When I was pregnant I found great baby clothes and toys second hand - the quality of things we could never have afforded to buy new. When my son was born with Down syndrome, that launched me into an extended grieving period (which seems absurd now cause he is the absolute "world's best ever..." and is hamming it up trying to make me laugh this very minute) but it's very common for ignorant new parents to freak out even when they are good people and are educated. But I had to get that endorphin rush to boost my mood and I was prob overcompensating with acquiring material things for him when all he really needed was a happy mom.

Better stop - but those two things came to mind and I wanted to get them down while they were fresh because they've had a big impact on why I am in this situation now,

So today I am going to make sure my night stand and floor continue to "hold their ground" and keep working on getting my bed clear so I can get it cleaned up, flip the mattress, and vacuum, and try the risers things for elevating one end of the bed... ooh, and the detail I love to forget... cleaning out the crap under the bed. Sad trombone.

Hello hello! Everyone is so busy! Haven't caught up on all the posts yet.

SubC I love that you'll be able to take stuff to school instead of storing at home! And yay for the weight victory! I've started my weight loss again and it's going pretty well. I lost 2.4 lbs this week but of course being my first week, that is to be expected. But it made me feel great.

Road, you are working so hard and on so much! Laundry is my favorite thing so I wish I were there to help you! One of the first things I learned here was to fold and put away laundry. So crucial to put away.

My friend and her friend came for dinner last night. My house looked so clean and so pretty.

I went to work today but became tired around 430 and came home and slept. I just woke up about an hour ago to have something for dinner.

Road, my mother is in assisted living. Has been there for quite a few years. 17 this September. She just moved into a different room and all of a sudden she's motivated to see it clean and clear. Still won't get rid of a lot but I try. I'll go tmr to see if I can make any progress. She has stated she wants it to be clear so I'll do my best.

I've been using my great grandmother's chair for my desk chair and after this past year, I am done with it. It's uncomfortable and I need something different. I bought something at auction this week and my friend said she wants the old chair. I have the seat of the antique chair recovered in the same fabric as my dining chairs, for visual continuity. I only have two dining chairs so the desk chair is pressed into service when there are three of us. I used to have four dining chairs but gave two away to declutter the space visually.

I'm not sure if I'll be able to have the other chair seat fabric easily changed or if I'll need to have it professionally done. It's one of thos Thos Moser handmade chairs and I'm pretty excited to get it home (likely mid-September). I've walked by the Thos Moser store in Boston for years and was pretty psyched to find one at auction.

That's my news!

Kind of a whirlwind today. Today was almost like the way things used to be pre Covid... kind of weird, experiencing it, enjoying it, but then also feeling like it might be "over" again soon. I basically just had a running errands day... the kind of day I almost never got to have when I worked full time and had a long commute. Today, it was exhausting but satisfying. Did quite a bit of household chore cleanup as well... Kitchen garbage and recycling, bathroom and car garbage, 4-5 days of backed up dishes. I had already cleaned the sink and stacked up the dishes... (yes, I do organize my dirty dishes). I soaked all the glasses and flatware, and then fed those to the robot 😜 then soaked all the bowls, plates, etc. Washed the counter. The H held the puppy while I trimmed her cute little face so she could see. Now she looks like a poodle... 😆 but the poor kid needs to see. Everyone's been fed, medicated, watered, pottied...

At the beginning of the week I had a very large, amorphous expectation cloud for what I would get done this week. I started out strongish, but today I never even got my "dAily" filled out. This is my own take on a daily diary/to do list/ habit tracking form, custom designed (by me) for my specific needs. When I'm more functional I use it a lot and it helps me stay more functional. When I'm not functioning, I don't even know where to find the damn thing.

Anyway, I have to get a plan worked out and tied to a calendar somehow because I figure I have sept and oct to deal with the first half of the garage and I don't even have the bedroom done yet. I think I'm making progress just have to focus a bit more.

What's on tap for the weekend, clearers and maintainers?

I am tired today and accomplishing almost nothing.

I forgot to set my alarm and to set up the coffee last night. I think my body is telling me I have been pushing a little too hard.

When I got the basil out to make dinner last night (Dh had his shingles shot and was feeling poorly) it was already browning. I haven't even looked to see if I can make pesto today.

I am trying to find the energy to start the ice cream making robot and the dish washing robot.

I also have a fence guy coming tomorrow morning and I need to find the notes I made about the fence, and Bean's family is arriving at about the same time. Dd has a 5 hour retreat she needs to attend remotely from my porch. My porch is covered in garden stuff and lesson plans stuff.

Oy!

Hi all!

CM, just keep posting! We like to know what you're up to. I hope you get a chance to work on your quilt and your clearing projects. So glad the disruption is easing.

We have bern having the heatwave as well, but we did get a lovely rain this afternoon, and I hope you get one soon. Apparently my area is one being made wetter by climate change - which doesn't surprise me. I've felt for a while that the mud wasn't so bad when the kids were little.

I have no swimming. 🙁

The Johnson and Johnson vaccine is a killed virus. Dh got it and at his dr. Apt this week they told him there is no decline in effectiveness for six months, but that they are experimenting with boosters that seem to give you NINE TIMES the immune response.

Good luck with your physical therapy.

Roadie,

I am seasonal, so there are long stretches when the days get short when I am foggy and have no energy. You are meeting me at my best. However, I am lucky that I can fill mysystem with caffeine and sleep like a baby.

Feed your robot 😉

I got a lot accomplished in my classroom today, but school is starting to cut into farm. When I got the basil out to make dinner tonight (Dh is under the weather from his shingles vaccine) it was already browning a lot.

I did take a big box of stuff from my barn studio and put it away in my classroom - forever! I'm going to take another big box on Sunday when I go to open house.

I signed up for a year membership (which includes classes) at the grown up pottery studio near my school. My first class starts next week. I think I am excited. I miss going to the studio and seeing those people and i am interested in the class I picked. It feels weird though, because they moved locations during covid.

My inlaws are waiting on tests because they had friends over and now the friends have covid. Dh thinks the friends were probably not vaccinated and he is angry.

Ok, things to do before bed.

Hey CM,

Glad you popped in. I agree with what you said. It helps
Just checking in with your updates even if you can't carve out a lot of time to catch up. Also chuckled when you mentioned only bringing out an amount you can fully deal with in the time you have before she comes home. This feels like the story of my hoard. I always misjudge that and always has negative consequences for me.

I still haven't put any stitches in and it's not looking too likely for today... leaving now for lunch with bestie, then picking up my son, then doggie maintenance, making dinner, and the dishes are piled high waiting to be loaded into the robot we call "D.W." I did conventional grocery-shop this am and figured out some meals for remainder of the week. Working on my lists from the other day...

Re: stimulants - yes that's right regarding anxiety. I hadn't had an issue with that until a few years ago. I wish there were better options... it's amazing being able to think. I used to complain that out of 60 days I had one or two where I felt my brain was "working right." And that's not enough.

Hi Roadie, SubC, Tatoulia, Lila, and anyone else I may have missed.

I've probably about 10 days at least of posts I want to catch up on, but for now I still have to just pop in with my mini updates and pop back out again. Things should be slowing down a bit though.

We're in the middle of another heat wave, dangit. ☀️🌡🔥🥵 If the forecast I just looked at is accurate, we won't have a day under 90 until a week from Saturday. And right now we're in the upper 90s. Heat indices over 100.

Let's hope that forecast proves inaccurate and we get a sudden storm (but not a destructive one) that rains and brings a nice northerly wind to cool things off. 🌬 It has been known to happen.

In the meantime, there is swimming. 🏊‍♀️ Went to the Y yesterday thinking water park but it was closed for the weekdays since the schools have started, and only through Labor Day on weekends. I may brave the crowds and go one last time on Saturday. The water park feeds my sense of playfulness. I enjoy watching all the people young and old just having fun.

But the indoor pool sufficed for paddling around and getting the kinks out, doing some stretches, etc. I'm going to have a physical therapy session on the 3rd because I never got the chance after my abdominal reconstruction surgery nearly 5 years ago. The surgeon told me to work the core muscles but I was a little nervous not knowing dos and don'ts. The surgery I had was a one shot deal; if I rip something, I'd be back to hernia meshes which never held and kept needing to be redone. It'll be so reassuring to get a specific tailored program to follow. Hopefully it will also over time firm up my tummy pooch and make pants fit better!

I'm going to start getting back up to speed on several areas that got stashed around in disarray during the home repair craziness. We just heard from our handyman this morning. His wife and daughter have been on the mend after Covid, he had been sick too with some other flu but he's better and will be resuming work.

There have been a lot of people I know, and requests on the church prayer line, with Covid. Some vaccinated, some not or unknown. I'm looking at possibly a booster. I wish the development of vaccines had been the old fashioned killed virus type. I kind of think that might've been more effective, and perhaps if less experimental less regarded with fear by at least some people? 🤔 I know rabid anti vaxxers are not going to be convinced, but it might've helped to have something more tried and true... I'm no expert though, and I don't want this to shade into politics or rumors either direction, so I'll stop there.

The work that remains may not affect us in the house as much with noise and commotion. And I may start taking my quilt cutting and piecing down to the church to work on where I can use the table etc. I've been going to do that for some time now but have been slow getting started or easily sidetracked. And not always wanting to get out in the hot weather to drive there.

Roadie, I've never tried meds for my ADHD on account of having anxiety problems too, and a hormonal thing that makes me respond unpleasantly to stimulants, and family history of glaucoma. The closest thing I tried was wellbutrin when it first came out. I loved the weight loss and it did sort of help with focus, but the side effects got to be too much.

One time at my retail job at the Catholic bookstore, our landlord gave us a Christmas goodie basket. It had some English Breakfast black tea. I brewed a cup, and drank it, and about half an hour later I was like, "Oh my gosh - I can FOCUS!" 😃 It was fantastic. Unfortunately, that night I had insomnia and anxiety. Back to the drawing board... 😕

Back to catching up on clutter, organizing, and related matters - my roommate will likely go out of town the holiday weekend which may give me options for spreading out things to sort and put the good stuff back neatly. The only thing with that is to not pull out more than I can work with and put back before she gets home! And I'll be caring for her rabbits along with mine, and the cats. She takes the dog usually. But even those few extra routines seem to add lot to coordinate to my schedule.

Just a lot of this and that.

Funny about the robots. Get to work, robots! Unfortunately we don't have one that can pick up puppy shredded paper towels and raw hides and scattered kibble and dishes and condiments on the TV tray, the table, and All the countertops. So I did that. Some of it anyway. But it does put things In perspective. I've picked up enough basic info on life in the olden days from period movies and ancestry research that I know how brutal a day in the life could be. So would it be too much for me to put a dish in the robot that washes my dishes? Lol. Yes, yes that's too much.

No, I never stitched anything. I tried to take some notes and organize but that required brain bandwidth I didn't have today. Do any of you deal with chronic fatigue and brain fog/memory issues? I've been on ADD med before and I felt like It did make me more productive and be able to think more clearly, but I also felt like - you know when wallace from Wallace and grommit is wearing that robot suit and the penguin is controlling the remote? Wallace is sleeping getting yanked all over town by the penguin. But I think I might try it again for a few months and see if that can help me though this next phase of the project...

Lol! My family thinks my kids are "too comfortable" with some of the stories I tell. But honestly, I work really hard to try to make them comfortable. Our director gives them a welcome speech every year in which she tells them that this is their place, that our school exists for them, and that the only rule we have is respect.

Some of my favorite kids have told me that when they started, they were afraid of me. But they can't tell me why, so I don't know what it is. Then, they take my classes and get "too comfortable" and eventually they graduate and invite me to their parties and ask for my personal contact info and then invite themselves back to interrupt my classes.. One of them was my classroom aide last year. I'm going to miss her a lot this year. (She went away to college)

It sounds like you made good progress on your stuff, but did you do any sewing?

I have rules for stuff, but then I ignore them. I think maybe you have to find rules that work for you.

A long time ago I was on a bulletin board for moms with a particular parenting style. Most of us were stay at home and there was a lot of homeschooling. I remember people lamenting that they never got around to starting the laundry, and one poster said "my husband has invested a significant amount of money in providing me with robot servants to make my life easier. It is my job as a good steward of our family resources to be sure that they are not sitting idle when they have work to do. Also, that would be ungrateful."

For a long time we would start posts with "put the robots to work on the laundry, put the robot to work on the dishes, set the robot to making bread.."

I don't know why I remembered that today, but I did. I've been trying to keep up with the robots today, but I swear, every time I make the rounds and sit down with my lesson plans, one of them gets done. Speaking of which, I bet the one in the basement is done drying the dehydrator trays..

Hey all,

SubC, first week of school is definite streamline everything else time,,, funny listening to your furniture negotiations and trades... so familiar,,, and I like the idea of the unwant3d furniture in the hallway. The H lamented last night that the kids were already "too comfortable" ... I guess the ice breakers broke too much of the ice?

Thanks for the pesto recipe! Hadn't considered making pesto with Thai basil...

Coming home from dropping my son off at school I kept thinking how much I wanted to just stitch all day and I psyched myself up to not waste any time. Just get right to it,,, but then I got home and I realized I have two dogs, And the dogs need to eat, and the puppy had accidents, and I had the school email to write, and the dogs needed some supervised play time... And the pupppy needed a bath and let's try to groom her some more so I don't have to take her to a groomer, oh fail fail fail fail fail. Haha. Then I went upstairs (to stitch) and proceeded to finally deal with my long neglected clipboard of "stuff to do"... 2 Hours later,,, but that's good. It needed to be done. And part of that job was writing up a sketch of my "clearing" plan... and some initial thoughts on how to handle that. So that's good. And I ran across some old receipts (3) and took a beat and I was like "no. These are definitely trash." (Oh good job, self!)

So that brings me to a question. When you have gotten to a point where you are actively trying to Get rid of things in a certain category, did you end up with "rules " for that process? For example, receipts for xyz category or under a certain dollar amount, or before a certain date? I guess I'm mostly curious about dealing with paper. I'm not at that point yet but just trying to start mentally preparing...

I did also put away my "new laundry" in my dresser which is something that hasn't been done in a few years probably. I did fold my tee shirts and undies. Not stressing out about it - And I'm identifying stuff I will prob get rid of. So that was good. I also organized the box of phone chargers and Various electronics. Only prob is that there are prob 3 other boxes around like this. But I'm going to run into that a lot.

Not sure what's next... Maybe just more laundry and start going through some of the junk I pulled out of my night stand.

Good morning!

How is everyone?

Yesterday was hot here. It wiped me out. In the morning I picked the garden and weeded until I was dripping sweat, and then I got my act together to go into town.

I dropped off an armload of books at the used book store and the basic recycling at the park drop. The park has a new dumpster, so I tossed my trash (tied up in a plastic grocery bag) in there.

Then I worked in my very hot classroom for three hours. It's going to be interesting when school starts. I was dripping there too - of course, I was also moving furniture..

I got the furniture pretty much arranged the way I want. They did return my desk chair, and it was just as attractive and comfortable as I remembered, but it doesn't work with my standing desk (not really a desk, it's actually a kind of lab table - long story) and it crowded the space at my demo table, and I decided to give it up and grabbed a comfortable stool from the hall (teachers put all unwanted furniture in the hall this week and on Friday it gets stored or donated - it's good to go in early and often.)

The demo table is a new hall grab too, and I added a student table that was also available. It isn't quite as big or sturdy as my others, but it will do and it makes the space work for my slightly larger but still spread out classes this year. I put in a request for four more chairs because they are down two flights of stairs behind a fire gate that doesn't stay open and they are dusty.

I didn't get the cardboard liners on my shelves, but I planned them out. With the old battered, doors didn't close properly lockers, I could make project space for 20 students. With my new shelves - 44! This means an entire class doesn't have to use the storage cupboards in the hall closet. Which means *i* can use the storage cupboards in the hall closet. Which means a bunch of classroom stuff I store at home because I only use it for one unit can go back to school and stay there! I made a starter list to gather up today and then Thursday I will go back (cruise the halls for treasure) and start setting up materials, equipment, and name tags.

Also, because the shelves are open I did not have to keep my furniture as far away to let the kids access them (walk around an open locker door), which gave me a better table set up.

I *thought* I was going to come home, get tomatoes in the dehydrator and maybe make pesto. That was funny.

Dh got dinner with a friend, so I came home, fed myself tomatoes, edamame, nuts, and pesto on bread, found two pairs of clean underwear for Dh drawer, did the chores and set up the coffee maker. That was all I had. I was proud of myself for boiling the edamame for 5 minutes.

I need to remember that the first week of school, all I can do is school. Literally. School and chores. Maybe dishes.

On the up side, with all the working and sweating and no access to snacks in the afternoon and no energy to make food in the evening, I budged the scale needle again. I am now below where I was when we left for ds house. Maybe school will help with my weight.

Ok, off to be productive!

Oh, pesto - two cups gently packed basil, 2/3 c olive oil, 1/3 c +/- nuts (currently walnuts, but I have used other nuts)

And then depending on the type of basil (I grow flavors)
Garlic, salt, pepper, and/or cheese to taste.

The sweet Thai pesto is literally the top group with a tiny dash of salt.

I also grow a hot garlic and a mild garlic.

Big plans for today, I'll report back later.

Good evening!

So much going on!

Lila, you are cooking with gas! Test is indeed quite the job!

Tatoulia, I want to say "sorry your hurricane was a disappointment"? Lol! Really though, having grow up in the hurricane zone - you are relieved that you didn't get hit and everyone was ok, but then it's like sheesh, the power didn't even go out..

Roadster, how was the first day of school?

Your day was impressive!

I don't think I registered that your Dh is a teacher. I feel for his tables! I had to give up one of my all time favorite tables last year and I will not be getting it back. Also, I spent all of last year with no desk chair and I don't think I'm getting that back either. But I really do love my shelves.

Don't forget the underwear!

Also - do you think you can go right now and put away one piece of clean laundry? Just dash and come back.

I think what you're experiencing is that "when you're up to your @$$ in alligators, it's hard to remember that your original objective was to drain the swamp."

I had a very good day with bean and am looking forward to working in my room tomorrow.

Now - off to throw in a load of laundry!

Greetings!

Tatoulia, oh yeah, I am not a neat person and the way Marie kondo folds things would not last long with me... but I think the somewhat rigid process you go through rewires your brain a little, so hopefully that will be my experience. I am thinking of it like the whole 30 which is a popular but kind of extreme paleo. You are seemingly so restricted that you're forced to find new ways of cooking and eating and shopping. You find some things you love and will keep, some that you'll never try again, but In the middle ground maybe are some long lasting habit changing practices. In our case they eventually kind of wore off but then we would do another month and hit the reset button.

Glad you didn't get hit severely by the storm. I am following the floods down in tenn a bit because we were almost in something like that when I was a kid. Very scary stuff. Is your mom in an assisted living place? She's lucky to have you keeping such close tabs on her..

SubC, that's funny about the shelves. The big H has obsessed for several years now on his hard won "tables" - who's got em and when can he get them back... well, I don't think anyone is using tables right now due to Covid so I think he better just forget it. Maybe the supervisory gig is worth getting those shelves! Teachers have to scrap for every supply, I swear. Can you imagine if corporate employees had to supply their own office supplies and provide office supplies to their clients? Lol

What's your pesto recipe? This is the time of year I sneer at my pathetic basil and go to the farmers market and buy big armfuls of it to make pesto. Haha

So I worked on my goals for today...
- new laundry in dryer
- son's gross underwear I'm the prewash. Who is taking bets on if they will be forgotten and molding in there on Friday.
- got a bin off my bed. All the contents haven't been totally dispatched of yet, but most of it got put away in the bathroom closet.
- started clearing out another dresser drawer.
- reorganized my toiletries basket (the daily use stuff)
- haven't gotten any more clothes put away yet.
- tidied up the kitchen a bit (after I trashed it).
- Bedroom garbage
- and YESTERDAY I even made lunches for school the night before! Packed my sons backpack with him and charged all the things (his phone, laptop, his old and new communication devices, AND his tracker on his shoe.)

- floor is holding
- nightstand is holding

A little self awareness: while putting away the toiletries in the bathroom closet I was kind of overwhelmed with how unpleasant it was. I was resentfully walking from there to there putting stuff away and it was really irking me. Then I had the thought that once I do it it's done and it won't be bad like that again - at least not for a long time - and I could come here and say I did it and that will feel good... and I realized that I am too detached from the visualization of a reward. I mean I think most people inherently connect that they'll feel good finishing something like that - or they talk themselves through it - but I am really not thinking of it at all which I guess is part of why it's so unappealing. Will have to think about that some more,,,

Have a great evening everyone,

Hi everyone, well I thought I had posted earlier today but I remember now that I got interrupted and obviously never finished my post. Some key convos with family members this past weekend... so much dysfunction! Wow.

Son and H go back full time to school tomorrow for the year... or at least til the Covid $#/+ hits zee fan again. (I am the voice of doom !) At any rate, I feel very motivated to make progress tomorrow. It's funny cause the H would take the kid out for the day once in awhile over the summer hoping I would be super productive while they were gone but tomorrow I actually feel like I might be. I worked with my son today to get everything ready for school tomorrow. Even though his verbal ability is really low and he has a lot of cognitive challenges, he's amazing at planning ahead for things. So he already had some things packed and his clothes laid out and everything. This usually boggles my mind because only on the most special of special occasions did I ever lay clothes out ahead of time.

So, I think I will focus on laundry and try to get another bin off my bed... defn. have a backlog of paper work. I should be able to get this week's "new" laundry done, plus at least one other load, and get the laundry on my bed put away. Nightstand and floor are holding...

Hope everyone has a good Monday.

Lila you are amazing! Amazing! SubC the hurricane ended up being a big bust. Had cancelled lunch at my friend's house and I was supposed to take two other friends with me. The two other friends stopped by and we went for a walk.

Twice tonight I had to go out after I was showered and ready for bed.

Hopefully now I'm free to just go to sleep. Take care, all.

Thanks SubC. It is a JOB!! I swear if he complains even a little I will just shout YOU'RE WELCOME!! and walk off. I mean it is his stuff and he hasn't cleaned in there in years. And here I am working so hard. He better at quiet if not grateful.

I admit I am losing steam with it. But yesterday I cleared off desk #1 completely, washed 5+ years of dust off it, dusted the tv and microwave and put them back on it. Then dusted a few other things to fill up that space. It's nice now but the tv remote is lost@@.

Today I cleaned off the mini fridge which was piled with junk. I had already throw out the trash but today took everything else off onto the floor, cleaned the surface, and made a nice little coffee making station on it for him. Now I am looking for a small plastic bin for his coffee grounds and utensils. I did throw out a few more items. Also cleared the top of the metal filing cabinet, washed it off and put a few things back.

I then just stared at all the piles on the floor and walked away!! LOL. I dunno if I can do more today. I will tomorrow for sure. I have to clean off desk #2 and a stack of plastic shelves (take everything off, clean surfaces, put back things to look neat). I already have it all 90% sorted but just need to dust and put back in a nice way. Also there is a ledge around half of the room that has stuff on it and is dirty, so I will move everything off, clean them, put things in place. Then need to do something with the items on the floor that I sorted. Probably bin/shelve them, then ask son to vacuum. I will then mop and we are DONE!! That will be a relief.

Good morning!

CM, I'm so glad you have your plumbing back! I hope it hangs in there until you can address that big but!

I'm also glad your handyman does not have covid.

What will you do with your folding table now that you have your efficient little stand?

My dd2 brought me a plastic drawer stack (oh dear) and my plan is to put it in a place where I have a shorter stack. The shorter stack matches a tall stack I have in another place which is missing drawers (I've been using bins that kind of work) so my plan is to cannibalize it for the drawers and take the plastic frame to the moop castle for recycling.

Tatoulia, sorry about the extra trip.

Your recycling made me remember when I was a kid and we used to empty all the trash cans before a big storm - because the roof leaked. Lol!

Lila, so much trash!

Here we have a choice between six (40 lb limit) can a week service (plus $10 per item that doesn't fit in the can) and no service. I picked no service. It has saved us a noticeable amount of money over the last few years and made me more mindful. (I don't know about Dh) we did sign up for three months of service (the minimum) back before covid when I was doing a big clean out after a construction project. Dh has the cans in his shop and we have an agreement that if he ever fills six cans again we will get another three months of service. I periodically go out there and take recyclables and wood out of the cans.

Anyway, you are doing a massive job! I know you must be getting really tired, but finish strong! Even if he brings back a lot of stuff, the dust will take a while to return. And wise move on the surfaces.

Good to catch up on everyone. Roadster, I do not think I could ever be a Marie Kondo. I'm not neat like that. My friend did organize all of my closets and drawers for new and I appreciate it but I'll never be the person who perfectly folds things. But I know a lot of people enjoy her methods and her ideas about what to keep and what to let go are fantastic! Very useful!

I just did mom's grocery shopping and she just called me to say she is out of personal products. I've just showered. So. Now I have to go back out. Sure it's only 535 but I was kind of looking forward to just being home.

So back out I go.

I took my recycling out to the bin because we are supposed to get the hurricane on Monday. I'm not sure what the latest news is for it but I didn't want to get stuck with the recycling in my house.

A few updates

The handyman has flu but not Covid. His wife and daughter are doing better. His son was able to come over and snake our sewer line. But this is one of many times and the bigger project (the Big BUT) is what really needs to be done to prevent recurrences.

However, for now, we'll take it.

I'm going to try and relax and get back into a better headspace with everything. I've been eating and shopping a lot as a dysfunctional coping mechanism. Sigh. I'll get back on track.

One thing I did buy that I don't feel guilty about, and it only cost $25, was a really cool stand for my laptop. It can swivel and tilt various ways and I can use it sitting on the sofa, or in my room by my bed the way hospital trays work with the legs under the bed - I'll be able to get more computer work done. And it takes up less space than this other folding table I'd been using.

Bunny club has an event tomorrow but we're just part of an event with several other groups so it's not as much organizing involved. I'm curious how much our event on the 15th netted. I hope it did well. I want to feel positive rather than stressed out in dealing with the bunny club. But lately I've just been maxed out. Hoping that is changing for the better now that we have the plumbing back. Same for my other things that got shoved aside in all the crazy.

And I pray Covid doesn't screw up everything for everybody.

Thanks SubC! Yes, 2 cans is the service limit. Most houses have one, but we pay extra to have 2 so I can get rid of things regularly. They are fairly large, I'd say they can each fit 8 or 10 full kitchen trash bags (the bin lids are hinged and they will dump them as long as the trash is not overflowing the sides, so I can stack it). We also have a bin for yard waste so that's where lawn clippings and branches and leaves go.

It was SO satisfying to see those cans empty the other day, knowing my house is so much lighter. I have one more full box for donation already. I had someone decide they wanted that junk end table so they came and got it yesterday.

Today I hope to finish that family room, or at least mostly finish it. I have one small shelf to sort that will take 5 minutes. Then I need to find a place for everything. The floor is covered with containers and stacks of things I sorted out. I need to sort it all back into whatever space is now empty like the shelves... oh but first I have to clean off some of the shelves better and also a desk in there. Everything is extremely dusty and needs a good wipe-down. It will be a lot of work and I was hoping one of my kids would help me but they are both asleep right now.

Once I get every surface emptied and washed off, I will put all the stuff on the floors and couches away, being careful NOT to leave too much open shelf space at all! Hubby tends to hoard up every open flat surface so I am going to beat him to it and make sure every shelf and desk spot has something useful and clean already cluttering it up! At least it isn't dirty and trash anymore.

Then I would like my kids to vacuum and then I can mop. That might have to wait until tomorrow. Then I will call that room DONE and move on. I may take a quick look around the storage shed, storage room, closets and bathroom downstairs and quickly just toss or donate anything extra I can, since I want to fill those two trash cans before Friday so it is all gone when he gets back on the weekend. I simply cannot throw anything away when he is here since he wants to keep everything, but I do stand my ground about my right to get rid of MY things.

Well, I am going to go spend 10 minutes or so on it and then sit back down and rest. I don't feel great so will need to take it slow.

Good morning!

Tatoulia, good job keeping up the progress with mom. Books are always really hard for me. Have you chosen a piece of furniture yet?

Also good luck on your weight loss challenge. I am net up one pound from my trip. But there is no chocolate cake here.

Lila, you have made amazing progress! I can't believe how much you have cleared out! Is two cans your service limit on trash?

I'm sorry for your Dh loss. And that he is one of (us) who are triggered to hoard by these events. Hopefully at least the things he brings home will not be garbage.

Roadster, I am very much enjoying your name wordplay. 🙂

You are doing really well too! Family can be difficult. Money and needs and kids are so complicated and frustrating.

I'm proud of you for sweeping the floor again! And putting away the clean laundry! (I need to do that.)

I think making a plan for next week is a great idea. I know I always had big ideas about what I would do with my free time if my kids were away, and then if I didn't get started, the time just drifted off. I still do it with Bean's nap time.

Maybe you could do a load of laundry on Monday and Marie kondo one drawer when you put it away?

I slept late yesterday and today. It's amazing how tired the trip made me when I was basically doing nothing.

I am doing pretty well guarding my time and space. I got an invitation to the teacher luncheon on Monday (which I think might be our opening meeting?) and instead of a lunch order, I rsvp'd "I'm sorry, but I'm not available on Mondays." That is Bean's day.

I also got slotted for a supervisory time that I do not want. It will make my day harder and take away from what I am able to do for my kids (which, if they don't put me in that slot, I will basically be working to make the program better for free during that time - the stuff I would do then isn't stuff I will do later.) the director specifically said that slot is hard to fill, so I did not say no, but I did point out how it would negatively impact my classes and ask her to try to replace me. I hope she will.

Next week I am going in to set up my classroom. I'm finally getting excited. The facilities person bought me my dream shelves! They need covers over the wire, but we will be using cardboard until about February, when Dd will have clean scrap that is just what I want available for free at a construction site near school.

I'm going to be honest that the shelves are another reason I didn't say no to the supervision. Turns out I can be bribed.

The garden is going well and there wasn't too much waste while we were gone. A few squash got too big and a few tomatoes rotted, plus about half the edamame went by. But the farm sitter and my kids picked most of it. Yesterday I filled the dehydrator with cherry tomatoes and picked beans, squash, ground cherries, and edamame and my counter is still covered with tomatoes, but i am not overwhelmed.

I think I will make pesto today. I am trying to put up something every day. Once school starts that will get harder, so we'll see, but the garden won't run too long into October.

Hi all,

Thanks for all the updates. I am cheering you on.

I had a kind of frustrating convo with my bro today. He's as dysfunctional with cleaning and inertia as me and my sister are with hoarding. His job (which he's extremely overqualified for) somehow made it through the pandemic but he was finally laid off in the spring. My parents have partially supported daily bills and/or mortgages of both my sibs since - well, many years. This is a source of deep resentment for me and the H, Not that they want to help my sibs, or that my sibs are in need of help. But that my sibs take the help without any compunctions (seemingly) and my parents try to vent their frustrations to me of all people while regularly reducing the amount they say they're leaving in their will for my son who has special needs and will always be dependent. At any rate, my BFF's sister reached out with a job opportunity for my brother. It's a good fit on a number of levels, but he still attempted to poke holes in it and I'm not at all sure he's done anything to pursue it even though it's now been a week. I tried to share with him what's been going on with me (he knows I have a hoarding issue like my sister but has no idea how bad my room had gotten) . Instead of just hearing me out he started to lecture me about how to de hoard even though he has never dealt with anything like this and he's also severely dysfunctional in slightly different areas. So tonight I just want to throttle every member of my family basically. /end rant

So I guess I should reframe this... I did do some maintenance in my room. I swept the floor again and knocked back the laundry a bit - dirty laundry to closet and moved more clean laundry to drawers. I also read a bit of Marie kondo. My son starts back to school Monday so I was thinking of outlining some objectives for next week. I think it makes sense to get a little farther with cleaning my room before I shift gears and try doing the Marie Kondo thing with clothes. But if I can pare stuff in my room back a bit more I think I could deal with my clothes, then maybe try to finish my room, then head to the garage... that's the broad overview anyway,,, I drove by one of the storage places I was thinking of moving my stuff to several times when things got really bad here... I was relieved to think I probably won't have to do that now because I am making progress and feel hopeful about continuing.

Can't thank you all enough for being a soft (and safe) landing zone for me here, without judgement, and lots of wisdom and support. Xoxo 😘

Back later,

Xoxo 😘

Lila!!! You are amazing! WTG! So proud of you!

Wow, look at all these posts since I was here last!! I have started catching up and will finish later this evening. CM, thank you for explaining big BUT. And SubC, good memory! Yes.. one of the reasons I have not done this before is that he would bring in more and hoard up any free space. Right now he is away due to a death in the family. He has a shared home they now have to put on the market, and he is there sorting who knows what. Last time he did that, ten years ago, he came back with a Uhaul truck full of stuff. I told him we don't want or need anything from there, but I do expect him to come back with a lot of things he wants to keep. I was thinking if he has a LITTLE space for those things then he might fill it with those. But yes you are right and I don't want to clean too much space, for sure.

Today I cleaned off all the remaining shelves, desks, spaces in that room, sorted out things to donate or throw away, and put the rest back on the shelves. The stuff I found though that he kept - burned out light bulbs wrapped in napkins, ketchup packets from 2011, tons of plastic forks from fast food places, gloves with no matches, old shoes covered in paint and spider webs, dog biscuits from 2013, tons of old cords to who knows what! Also an old shower rod with the ends missing, two wooden BROKEN chair back dowels, lids to whatever, old used ziploc bags. Wow.

I took 3 boxes of things to the donation place yesterday, and an entire SUV back full of cardboard to the recycle place. We now have two very large trash bins full and the trash truck comes in the morning. I am so excited for all of that to be gone!!

Next step is to dust and find a place for each thing, then vacuum. I do have one end table that is junk that I want my son to take apart to throw out. We have one more trash dump before he gets back!

Yay for getting home and seeing the baby!

I went to mom's last night and got rid of a shower curtain liner from her old place and seven books. She struggled on the books. I put them in the library downstairs. I also picked up some of her trash. I have to keep moving with getting rid of one piece of furniture in her place. She agreed. And so now it's up to me to make it happen.

My place was cleaned yesterday and in the afternoon I did some, but not all, of my laundry. I've entered into a weight loss challenge with a very dear friend. Our weigh ins are on mondays. She's already lost 20 lbs so I have to lose 20 and she has to lose 15. Whoever gets there first gets flowers delivered. We tend to send flowers to each other anyway so it's a nice thing.

I also have picked things up from all those sources.

And I also proceed in waves.

Currently I am in a season of just trying to hold my ground and manage my life. The kids sent us home with two goodwill forks so we could eat our lunches on the road, and dsil gave me a book, so there's that increase to go against the stuff I got recycled.

Life around here is definitely going to change again - today is the first day of public (not mine) school. Masks are "encouraged" which means they will not be worn. My county is at 23 cases per 100,000. I wonder how long that will take to double?

I have Bean today.

To answer your questions, Road, yes. To all! Reading, watching shows, posting here, spurts, slow and steady, you name it, I've done it. I do find that clearing begets more clearing. You get on a roll and suddenly, you can take a beat and discard Ashley's note and the rusty needle and all of a sudden, you realize you have 100 clean, new needles and you only need 20 so you donate the other 80. Your priorities come into a good focus.

I think subc's idea of tying a task is excellent. I do my dishes as part of my bedtime routine. I make sure that I wake up to a clean and clear sink. I also think about how comforting it was as a child at night when the lights would be low and the dishwasher was running. So I turn on the lamp in my kitchen and I start the dishwasher. So comforting to me.

CM I am so so so so so sorry.

Will write more later.

Thanks for your encouragement (pause for dramatic bow):::::

Thanks too for elaborating on that idea... I think that might work well for me as I know I tend to get "mess blind" in phases (like nose blind)... if only I was better at establishing habits. I really resist doing things the same way twice (boredom or rebellion?) and am also a control freak. Not sure how those two things go together... other than contributing to me having a hoarding problem! A few years ago when I when I was seeing a therapist I got into a habit of reorganizing my purse while we were talking. I guess it was nerves related but it was very practical because it was a regular weekly thing... kind of a reset button.

Glad you were able to get lesson plans done (and recycling) Even though you didn't have the right materials in hand. Things are getting real in the land of returning students and returning teachers.

Curious where everyone here has learned the strategies and hacks or tips that have worked best for them- is it from reading books or watching shows or interacting with each other or ? Also curious if you go through cycles of on/off activity of dealing with things or "slow and steady"...?