Joan!!! So glad to hear from you!!! I'm pleased you've had some relief from the biting, dear friend. Your struggle is never far from my mind. Please do not eat expired food again. Please don't. Your health is much more important.

Standing right by your side. So very pleased to hear from you.

Hello everyone.

Today I mulched = threw into the woods some pieces of coconut that had a "sell by" date of 10/17. The last batch of coconut I kept overlong. It became slimy, I ate it snyway, and it made me sick. I have to be on top of the food issues and feeling good before I can take on any other environmental reforms.

The biting is slowly improving. This week I skipped a chiropractic visit, so had 4 days in a row to myself at home. By the evening of the 4th day, I'd saved enough energy and managed to wash my hair. It was a big treat. I go one or two months without sometimes.

The very thought of FB makes me cringe in my mind. You won't ever catch me on "social media".

Glad everyone is doing well, Tat, Tillie, Anony, CM - and anyone I may have forgotten. I snoozed after yoga class this morning, and am just getting up now.

VW blue! I love that color!

Cm I am proud of you. You take so much on and you are so wonderful and so creative. I'm glad you aren't too upset about the Dr Who convention. You are smart and much more realistic when it comes to money than I am. I look forward to hearing ab your sewing project and of case your feline apprentices.

Brother was a little tense today but I kept it together and even stood up for myself for a minute. That's not easy to do because he's not right in the head, so most f the time it's n worth it.

Afterward I went to wonderful bakery and picked up a birthday cake for mom's celebration tomorrow. BF will take us to dinner at a restaurant that allows us to bring our own cake.

I also went to office to take care of something for my brother's health insurance. I realized today that I do not hate him, I just hate being his sister.

Tillie thank you for cheering me on. I got a bag of some coffee mugs out today. They are nice big new mugs but we are changing up our logo at work. My brother loves the mugs so I got enough that he can have a set of six. They are beautiful and sturdy but I'm happy with my one mug. Don't need multiples. Do not need multiples.

The goodwill bag is here and will go to goodwill tomorrow. I also threw out my too big bra today. Now kitty napping and I have to resist the urge to join her.

Good Morning Everybody 🙂

Hi Tatoulia 🙂
WTG! for cat fed, dishwasher emptied and a bag of donations to drop off!
Wishing you a pleasant day today. (((HUGS)))
My VW is blue, you now the shade, VW blue. ;D
WONDERFUL that your bedroom is a pleasant place!
So, lets slowly start working on getting another room there too.
I think the bathroom would be easiest to see great results the fastest.
Whatever you decide remember to take it slow, one small section at a time and eventually it will all come together. 😉

Hello Eliza 🙂
I find FB to be a terrifying experience the way they tap into our private mailing lists & who knows what else.
Then there are the hundreds of "friends", strangers, who want to friend you.
The captcha thing for every post is to try to stop the spammers from spamming.

HI ANONYMONIKER! 😀

Hi Subclinical 🙂
Thank you.
I have made two verbal agreements to sell my VW over the years but when Steven found out he intimidated the buyers into backing out of the deal.
Hope you do get to stay home today and tomorrow too!
Not just that you can get things there done but I find staying home to help keep me from becoming too frazzled and keeps me centered.

Hi CriticalMass 🙂
What a lovely post! Thank you. 😀
That is very discouraging to buy something and on further inspection find it does not live up to what you think it was.
WAY TO GO!!! for becoming much more discriminating!
Low energy and lack of good sleep are the enemies of all our best laid plans.
Please be gentle with yourself until you are better. (((HUGS)))
Personally, I would go with the Dalek lap throw because I would get more use out of it.
Hope you can get those books sorted out before the weather gets too cold & wet.
That's wonderful that now you can get to storage to bring out what you need and put away things you are finished using! 😀

Well, really have no plans for today except cat stuff.
Already fed them some canned food breakfast so they are all now taking naps.
A little too chilly & windy to hang around out doors today but tomorrow is supposed to be a little warmer.
So I think I will finish those things I had on my list the other day but didn't get to.

Welcome, Eliza! I hope you'll be able to adapt to this forum, because it's really a great bunch of folks. I'm from the pre-Facebook days so I'm used to forums, and I kind of like the ease of finding older posts. Anyway, here are my secret workarounds for this particular site's quirks - perhaps they'll help you.

When I make a post and it doesn't appear, I go up and click on where it says "The Daily Chat." Nine times out of ten it will show the list of topics and I'll see my name as the most recent poster, then open up the thread and there's my post. If that doesn't work, I back up a couple of screens and usually it's all there and I just redo the Captcha and it posts. Of course, it's always good, right before submitting, to do a Select All and Copy just in case something really glitches. Hope this helps!

I've really enjoyed the recent posts from everybody and can relate so much. Tillie, I learned that principle you describe by trial and error in my 20s. I was going to the thrift stores but not being very discriminating in my selections, and buying too many things at once. I remember this one 2-piece skirt and top set, how it would've been okay but when I looked at it I realized how faded and dingy it was from washing.

Out of that realization, I gathered up all the items that I didn't like, re-donated them, and from then on my motto was "If in doubt, pass it by." I guess that was an early version of realizing there will always be more, which is a key strategy in fighting our hoarding. As Tatoulia pointed out, just knowing something is out there in the world can reduce that anxiety of "better snatch it up now before it's gone forever!".

SubC, you've been making good progress - hope your next year's garden is plentiful. Ours here this year was puny in yield too - mostly due to lack of time to tend to it, and getting a late start because of dealing with the water heater crisis during the time we should've been starting seedlings and so on. We have plans and hopes to improve next year.

I've still been fighting the burnout from having a lot of activities going on - but I'm pushing back. The trouble is that many of them are things I like to do, or want to do to help friends or my church or bunny club. Then there are others I have to do whether I want to or not. And the coordinating them all together, that's a battle in and of itself. Then there's the problem that the Bedroom and Craft Area Tidying Up Fairies have apparently gone on strike; I return to those areas and they are exactly as I left them.

Energy is fair to middling. My sleep the same, maybe a little better, but I crave lots of it. Mamma Bear wanna HIBERNATE! My thyroid medication got raised when I saw the docctor recently. I was surprised at that initially but as tired as Ive been sometimes it is making sense. I hope the new dose will even be enough!

Also been getting up later than I would if a) the mornings weren't darker these days, and b) I wasn't so tired, and c) I didn't have to coordinate bathroom and kitchen times with my roommate trying to get ready for work, and her large dog underfoot and all - having grown up in a roomier house and as an only child, I get irritable when my personal space bubble is violated - so it's just easier to wait until I have the place to myself, but it puts me behind on the day.

On Thursday I was dragging my feet again so I decided to do something fun first - I went to the quilt shop and Joann fabrics looking for border fabric. Didn't see anything I liked but I bought a pack of air-dry clay to fiddle with in my attempts to sculpt aliens, or just anything, to have something to do with my hands during TV time.

Then I decided to go to the storage unit later on and that went okay. Got some bulky items out of the van. Some things I was able to pitch - a trash bag full. This was a time of assessing where I am with the new unit, and what will need to be done in resuming sorting. Also found some clothes in the van I want to wash and decide what stays or goes.

Some big crates of books remain in the van. If I'd crammed them into the storage, it would've just made a big mess again. I'd rather set a time or series of times to go over and deal with the piled books already there, get them onto shelves, then incorporate these last crate loads. I got the cake pans I went to fetch for use (and then return when I'm done so they're not in the way here at the house - I'm going to love this system!).

Thanks Tillie for the info on glasses. That gives me kind of a ballpark. I might talk with my eye doctor's office when I go for my glaucoma exams in November - those are covered by Medicare/Medicaid but eyeglass exams aren't - but maybe the office would let me pay in 3 monthly payments or something. I used to do that with other medical places.

Yesterday I went to lunch with a good friend from quilting and we went to a different quilt shop and I found the fabric I wanted for the border. So now I have all the components - some assembly required. When my roommate goes out of town the last weekend of the month I will set up tables and my sewing machine and get that sucker completed! I will probably have feline kibitzers to deal with but that's okay. And hopefully at least one of those crazy cats will decide to come sleep with me if their mom is gone.

Today is kind of dreary and it's going to storm later. A good day just to catch up on miscellaneous. Our church Fun Night is tonight but I think I'm going to skip it - it's mainly for the kiddies anyway, and here lately I'm easily tired by crowds and noise until my energy gets better. I took a cake over yesterday, that's my contribution.

I wonder how the Doctor Who convention is going, but there again, I'm kind of tired so it's okay to be sitting it out. Tillie, that's cool you found Tardis curtains and stuff. I have a Dalek fleece thing I am trying to decide whether to turn into a cape or just a lap throw.

Well, I better wrap this up before I blow up the Internet's storage capacity, LOL. Everybody have a great weekend!

Welcome, Eliza. This forum is anonymous (unlike FB). I hope you'll join us. There probably are FB hoarding groups but I don't use FB. The people on here are warm and kind and helpful, so we are here!

Sometimes you can use the back button to find your lost post too.

Well today I'm off to see brother. I'm hoping it goes ok, just like every other there Saturday. Someday I'll get out if this pattern.

Dishwasher emptied and cat fed. I've showered and have a bag ready for goodwill.

Hi Eliza,

Sorry you find the forum frustrating. Sometimes we find it frustrating too. Copy your post before you try to post it. Also, sometimes if you post and it doesn't show up, it will show up if you immediately refresh.

I can't speak for anyone else, but I am not on Facebook and don't intend to be. I'm sure you could start a group there, there are so many people....

You "join" this forum by showing up. That's it. If you want to be part of it, you have already joined. You don't register. I kind of like that. It has the safe, anonymous feel of AA.

So, tell us about your houses and how we can help you. (We know you can't edit and we are used to the weird stuff. Most of us are pretty good at figuring out what was meant.)

Tillie, I am sad for your beetle! How lovely to be able to stay home for so long! I get to stay home today and probably tomorrow. I have so many plans....

That should read "easier to use" and not whatever jibberish it put there.

Not just for autocorrect reasons but maybe could someone help me start a FB group? It's the capcha thing for every little post! But I desperately need someone(s) to talk to about this housework so I will just deal with it!

No luck finding this group on FB. Why do u use this forum tool? I guess FB has its faillings but it sure is easier to find se for groups. Anyway, I am new here it hope to be included. My house(s) is/are a mess. Neither is nice, both could be condemned probably but there is two of them. And both need to be cleaned up. What do I need to do to join the group. Is it really not really n Facebook? Thanks, Eli

Wow. It just typed a whole bunch of words & they disappeared when I didn't do the capcha! Think 🤔 I will check FB.

Tillie I have progressive lenses which are trifocals, essentially, so they work when using my computer. I'm glad that otherwise your new glasses seem to work for you! I found no transition time at all.

Poor VW bug. I bet you loved that car! I'm guessing that VW Orange/red color--am I right?

I shredded today's mail. Trying to keep up with it all.

Tillie I know I will get there on my house. I've made it far, and I keep my bedroom clean and near and dusted. I just need to really be serious about the bathroom and kitchen. It would make my life so much easier if I kept those two tiny rooms up to date.

Hello Everybody 🙂

Hi Subclinical 🙂
Sounds like you bought exactly the new jeans that you needed. 😀
The one thing I like best about buying from the thrift shop is that I know MY money is not going to any bad manufacturers.
My money goes to the local charity that runs the thrift shop and then directly benefits people in my local community.
YES! next season get your garden producing more.
It is amazing how much food we can grow in even a small plot of dirt. And you KNOW it's organic. ;D

Hi Tatoulia 🙂
Great that you can get the same joy just carrying something around for a while & then put it back!
I have done that too.
Happy that you are enjoying being in your home today.
(((HUGS)))
WTG! for that weight loss and shopping at home for smaller sizes while donating stuff that is now too big!
It is practical and wise to have those suits altered since nice suits are expensive and you know you like these two. 😉

Got a call yesterday that my glasses were ready to pick up but I was busy doing other stuff so I went into town today and got them.
They work great for seeing distance and for reading but I am having trouble using my laptop.
I can see the keyboard clearly but the screen view is too close for distance & too far for reading lens part of the bifocals.
I will just keep using my old reading glasses for laptop stuff.
Also ran some errands while I was out so now I should not have to leave home again for at least a whole week and maybe even longer. 😀
The car still says "Check Engine" but doesn't say why. I told Steven to fix it and make that light go off.
I liked my old car better because I knew what it needed even without it telling me.
Steven trashed my car decades ago & now it rots in the carport. A 1972 VW Super Beetle.
Oh Well...
Today has been Fall weather, not too cold or too warm with a breeze blowing all the fallen leaves around. 😀

Tillie I got a lot out of reading your list regarding how to quell the urge to buy. I have now learned to ask myself whether it is enough to know that the item exists in the world. When I see something that's so cute and only X dollars, I first quell the urge to buy more than one (if there is more than one) then I ask myself if it's enough to know it exists in the world. Sometimes like SubC's recent victory, I need to carry it around for a bit. And this has helped me to stop buying.

The books were solved by my kindle. Getting rid of so many books was solved by telling myself they are available and out there in the world. Also deciding I needed space for other things, including just space.

Well I just couldn't go in today. So I'm home. I don't like working from home on a Friday but on balance, I'm glad to be here. I just finished up my laundry and I'm enjoying my apartment. I will enjoy it more once I do some cleaning. It's cool and sunny.

Kitty box clean and garbage out. I'm dressed in a skirt I need to donate as it is huge--denim skirt and I'm also wearing a bra that is too big. I will clean house in them today then wash the skirt and donate. I have been keeping up with donating bigger clothes but have kept this one skirt for a few cleaning tasks. The only thing I have added is one new button down shirt, as I am able to shop the closet right now. 5 skirts reclaimed! Two of my newer suits (within a year) I will have taken in since the fabrics are nice and I only bought them because I had absolutely no suits to wear. But now they look stupid and big.

My home improvement projects are still stalled due to a combination of my cheap guy isn't around and my finances dont permit me to hire someone else. I expect my finances to ease up mid-year next year, so I refuse to stress about it right now.

Love to you all. I will finish reading your posts. For everyone feeling blue or a little down, you will feel better. And we will continue on this path together.

Good morning!

Tillie, I have similar requirements for clothes, except if I need something specific for an event or work - often I have to compromise.

For the jeans I have been looking and looking for ones I really like, but the old ones were getting too ratty to wear to work, so I finally settled for half price, fit, comfortable, and look good enough to wear to work. Neither is a style I would normally choose, but other people seem to like them because I have gotten compliments.

Usually if I buy something new it is expensive. I try to buy it direct from the maker or natural materials, organic, free trade, recyclable, and the quality to last....

My diet has improved because I have been buying organic food and in season as much as possible and trying to avoid packaging. I need to do better with my garden next year though, because the cost is hard on the budget even after eliminating most of the empty calories.

Hello 🙂

Hi Subclinical 🙂
I didn't get to everything on my list but I feel a great accomplishment for what all I did get to.
WTG! for sticking to your grocery list! 😀
Nice that you can just drop off recycling & trash as you go about your other business.

About shopping at thrift shops...
If it were not for them I would be naked.
Everything I get comes from thrift shops because I can't afford to buy much of anything at other places.
The key is to become very, very picky.
Keep your standards high.
Know what you have at home and what you really need & not just want.
Example...
My clothes must meet all this criteria.
Right size.
Fabric content must be cotton, linen, silk or wool.
Be in like new, never worn condition.
Then when I bring an item home I MUST then get rid of one "like item" from my wardrobe.

Sheets, pillow cases, towels, washcloths, blankets, etc. must meet the same criteria.

Things like Tardis curtains & Daleks are few and far between but we are allowed to treat ourselves within reason.

Craft supplies are very hard for most people.
I allow myself to have on hand enough to keep me busy.
But I set my limit on just how much I will do to completion within 6 months in my free time.
This amount will vary depending on the person.

Dishes & knickknacks & décor...
I have all I need already.
I do enjoy looking at them but don't feel the need to own them.

Books, record albums, dvds...
Steven has about a million of those out in the garage and he NEVER reads, watches or listens to them.

So...
Have a good long talk with yourselves about what you need and what you want in an item.
Don't settle for less than you deserve just to buy something, anything.
Set your standards high.
Be honest with yourself as to what are your impulse triggers.
Try not to shop to fill a void or relieve depression or loneliness.

A good way to learn to manage impulse shopping is to go to your favorite shop
but leave your money/credit card at home.
You can look but you can't buy.
Sort of like enjoying a trip to a museum.
Just don't come running back later on and buy stuff you saw earlier. ;D

Hi all!

Tatoulia, I hope you're not too tired from your work week. This is the first year I have had to be at school four days a week, and I get it. It's not that i wasn't working on the other days, it's the having to go to and from work at a certain time!

Salad is yummy!

Tess, that sounds lovely! Keeping up with the minimum and taking care of yourself is good.

The molds are detailed stoneware. You press shortbread cookie dough into them and then turn out a fancy decorated cookie.

CM, i'm Sorry about your convention.

Good scores at goodwill though. I definitely think staying out of thrifts and yard sales is important at the beginning. But I think it's better to learn how to manage these things. Also, you have to buy some stuff, and if you can only go into real stores or shop online, it gets too expensive!

I hope you get your glasses.

Tillie, how did your day go? Do you have a sense of accomplishment? I love days when I can just stay home.

I opened two feed bags today and took three empties to the trash can at the grocery store. Dropped off the recycling, and only brought home food that was on my list.

Good Morning Everybody 🙂

Hi Subclinical 🙂
WTG! for things out!
What a lovely gift for a special teacher. 😀

Hi Tatoulia 🙂
YEA! for shredding and filling out papers!
Yes, it is more difficult working without the help of the cat. ;D
WTG! for pigging out on salad! I must admit there have been many times when I have done that.

Hi Tess 🙂
WAY TO GO!
Taking care of the bare minimums and especially taking great care of yourself!
So happy you are making it easier on you right now too. 😀

Hi CriticalMass 🙂
Due to my very limited resources I get my glasses at Walmart.
The exam cost 80.00 as opposed to well over 200.00 elsewhere.
The frames I have been getting are 9.00 and I have never had any breaking problems with them.
The cost of the lenses though depends on a lot of factors like coatings and differing prescriptions.
They have hundreds of frames to choose from and I saw quite a few that are the larger lens type.
WAY TO GO! for knowing your thrift shop triggers and doing so well to try to avoid them! (((HUGS)))
Wish I could go for walks here. I used to always walk before I lived here. But people have huge vicious dogs that they don't keep in their yards and these dogs terrorize anyone who ventures by.
There is an ordinance to keep dogs contained but it's too often ignored.

Hi Anonymoniker 😀

Today I can get back to my regularly scheduled programs.
Nobody demanding my time and interrupting whatever I am doing.
Have a load of wash out already on the clothes line.
Need to wash my hair today.
Have a pair of shoes needing fixing up with shoe dye where it's been worn away over time.
Have too much silver that's all tarnished & needing polishing.
Have to saddle soap my purse and Summer sandals before I put my sandals away until next Spring.
Have some food I want to prepare then do kitchen clean up.
Plus a whole bunch of other things that I want to do.
And as always, there are cat related tasks to get done.

Hi Tillie, Tess, Sarah, Anonymoniker, Tatoulia, Subclinical - hope I didn't miss anyone - if I did, it's just my bad memory and nothing personal!

These have been the busiest days in my crowded October but it should be letting up. I just haven't been managing to post as often; that should resume its former frequency soon too. Anyway, here I am today.

Well, we're still waiting for our heater guy - a part was supposed to have been shipped (on a slow boat, apparently) from China. But my roommate hasn't heard anything since earlier in the week as to whether it really arrived or what. We're both just like "we want this DONE and behind us." Especially with mild weather days numbered.

The days we have been getting are those beautiful perfect October ones with a clear blue sky and the trees just starting to turn. I've been on a kick to walk more with roommate when she walks her dog, because my cholesterol readings recently are pushing it - only one out of normal range, but two years ago they were all better. And I do think lack of exercise is part of the reason these recently were a disappointment.

My bank account is also not in great health, though it could be worse. Sadly, the Doctor Who convention this Saturday is no longer in the plans due to financial constraints. Sylvester McCoy had canceled a week or two ago, though Katy Manning (played Jo Grant) and William Russell (Ian Chesterton) would certainly be enjoyable to see if we could go. This con started in 2015 with Colin Baker but we didn't make it then; we made it last year to Peter Davison (who's my fave anyway). The people who started this have decided this year will be the last for it. However, there are some smaller local comic-con type events cropping up around, so we'll be able to get our geekiness fixes. 😉 These are also more affordable.

The busy-ness recently has been pretty fragmenting for my decluttering efforts, though I've done a little here and there. I SO understand the business about thinking a job is going to take longer and be more hassle, and I procrastinate accordingly. After last month's push to get the storage unit moved, as I may have mentioned, I think I've sort of "crashed" and wanted to ignore it for awhile. I hope to end that slump soon, maybe even today. I'm not going to jinx it by promising anything definite, though. I'll just report if I DO accomplish something.

I scored a badly-needed fall purse at the Goodwill a couple of days ago. It was $4.99 and brand new. Also found a vampire novel of a series I want to read and have the first two of already. And a mystery by an author I collect, and a Billy Graham pocket Bible reference dictionary - I had just been telling my roommate how much I liked mine, so I had to get her this copy. She was quite happy with it.

I'm really doing well at being able to go into a thrift store and resist stuff that isn't part of my focused search, though. SubC, good for you for building that skill too! My clutter club leader prefers that we avoid garage sales and thrift stores etc., and I can see that for those who are just beginning this decluttering journey. I do feel I've acquired self-awareness and discipline though. The only time I'm vulnerable to my old addictive buying is when I'm either wound up by a round of ADD madness ("oh look, shiny things!") or really unhappy (retail therapy). During those times I feel guilty but sometimes do it anyway. But even those spells are becoming less frequent.

I could sure use some new glasses - must research how I can afford the exam, though. I probably qualify for a county program for the actual glasses. My problem with the glasses I have is that with the trend toward smaller lenses over the last decade or so, and my deep set eyes and that middle-age presbyopia, I'm always looking out underneath the frames, then finally getting disgusted and just taking the glasses off, whereupon I sit on them and break them! Right now they're wired together because I'm not paying to fix them again. I like some of the vintage styles that are coming back such as cat eyes or browline frames. If I could find some like that - geek hipsterhood here I come, and with lenses I could actually look THROUGH.

Well, I better pick up the pace for the day and keep going. Hopefully I will have some good to report soon. Take care all, snuggle those kitties!

Good morning friends!

Subclinical - good job putting back the molds. Especially at half price! What kind of molds are they?

I just realized that I haven't posted in about a week. Honestly, I've been a bit down and only doing the bare minimum. The good news is that while I've been trying to fight the blues, I've been able to take bubble baths, cook good meals, and relax in a comfy space 🙂 I've been cheating and using paper plates and plastic silverware to minimize clean up. I'm working from home today, so I'm going to do some little things between meetings.

Hello Tillie & SubC & everyone else! Great to catch up--it didn't feel like I was gone for long, til I read your posts.

So pleased you have your car back, Tillie! SubC remarkable job at goodwill and getting rid of feedbags. Your student sounds so sweet!

I did do all the shredding, including brother's mail, which was a good thing because he has to fill out some forms by next monday. I've filled them out and just need his signature.

At office all week. It's been a very long time since I've done four days in a row. Maybe seven years since I've done that. So I'm all confused re what day it is since I rarely work a Wednesday and never do a Wednesday and Thursday back-to-back. YES I work from home but working in my pjs and with my very capable feline assistant is a lot different from being in the office. Had a very good day, however.

Going to go finish the dishes now. I pigged out tonight in salad, if you can imagine that. I have never, ever binged on salad before. Holy cow.

Today I threw out 5 feed bags.

I donated 22 new and like new folders and 10 new pencils to the disaster relief school supply drive at school

And one of my favorite students gave me a little drawstring bag she made herself containing 4 apples.

Hello Everybody 🙂

Hi Subclinical 🙂
Thank you. 🙂
WTG! for being EXTRA choosy & picky about those cookie molds!
I have a cookie cutter collection and know how finding different shapes I don't already have can be so very tempting.
But my collection fits nicely into it's container and the cutters are all ones I treasure and use.
Some cutters look cute but when used to make cookies, it does not translate well at all.

Well, I've got the car back! 😀
He picked me up around noon and I asked that he buy me a Whopper for my troubles.
He got food there too which is why it was so easy for me to talk him into buying me lunch.
The car's "check engine" light is now on because the windshield wiper fluid is empty.
I will have him fix that when he gets home this evening.

Wow, sorry about the difficulties with the kitchen!

Bummer on the truck battery too, but at least you will get your car back.

I was really good at goodwill yesterday. They had a whole pile of the cookie molds I collect. They were half off too, and I was really excited when I saw them.

I sat down and enjoyed looking through them and only picked out four of over a dozen. Then I carried them with me in my basket while I looked for jeans. Then I looked at them again and reminded myself that I have limited display space and will be rotating the molds I already have, so I should only add ones to the collection that I really love. Not "this is really pretty" or "this is different" or "oh, I don't have very many Easter themed" that got me down to one, but it was stamped "second" on the back. I couldn't tell why, but I decided I might notice later and be sorry. So I put them all back.

I am trying to focus on taking out more than I bring back every day for a while again. So far I have a run of one day -lol.

Today will just be feed bags.

YEA! Subclinical 😀
WAY TO GO! getting the donations donated!
Very reasonable shopping too.
You have been doing GREAT with not acquiring unneeded unnecessary stuff. 😀

The kitchen was a huge mess and I tried to do some cooking and it all made a much bigger mess.
Something I was microwaving bubbled over and really made a mess of the microwave.
Trying to make some "no-cook" pudding I decided to use the hand mixer instead of the whisk and the mixer was too fast and flung chocolate pudding all over everywhere.
I thought I would never in a million years ever get the kitchen back to normal.
Kept at it though and I finally did it!
YEA!!! ;D
The pudding is really good. It is "Almond Joy" pudding, chocolate with coconut & nut like the candy bar.
Steven said his truck is fixed but the shop closed at 5pm and he gets off work at 5pm so tomorrow at noon he will come pick me up and go get his truck & I can have my car back.
He has a new alternator, battery and battery cables.
I don't think he needed the new battery because I purchased and installed a good new battery in his truck less than 2 years ago when he was in hospital with that blood clot in the leg artery.
At that time the cables were in fine shape too.
My neighbor friend, a mechanic, helped me buy the battery and do this installation.
Oh well...

Took the load to goodwill!

Bought a basket for dish towels in my kitchen, another pair of jeans (now i'm set at least for the year) and two things to use in my classroom - which I took straight to school.

I also bought a box of clay for my class tonight because I needed a different kind than I usually use.

Tired!

Hello Everybody 🙂

Hi Tatoulia 🙂
Well, that explains why I was wide awake at 3am this morning standing in the kitchen hoping I could get back to sleep. ;D
Was able to sleep some more after 3:30am LOL
So, how did paper shredding & trash out go last evening?

Been moving very slowly today but am managing to get some needed things done around here.
Just stopped because I forgot to eat and thought that I really should eat now.
Still need to wash dishes & wipe down kitchen but wanted to say "HI" here first. 🙂
Whatever I'm not getting done today I will do tomorrow.
Still recovering from the stress of that eye exam and ordering new glasses.
My glasses might be ready to pick up sometime around Thursday through Saturday.
Another social anxiety stressor but should not be too bad.
Hope I have my car back by then.
O.K. break over. Time to tackle the kitchen! 😀

Coffee clinks! I was up st 3:30 AM and wrote you a post, Tillie, which I promptly lost and couldn't recover as it was 3:30 and who knows what I was pressing.

Sending everyone much love and good energy today!

Hello Everybody 🙂

Hi Anonymoniker 🙂
((((HUGS)))
At one point when I was going through menopause I was crying a LOT for no reason.
I never did HRT and different things would come and go.
I knew what was happening to me and have been able to not allow the temper/rage fits to manifest outwardly.
The one thing that REALLY helped was I was extra kind and considerate to myself.
If I needed to slack off on plans/chores, I did.
If I needed to nap, I did.
If I wanted potato chips I ate potato chips.
Everything kept going wrong for me and the house was a mess but I knew that my body and mind were under a great stress and I needed to slow down and not try to push my "new" limits.

Hi Subclinical 🙂
I am glad that you have decided not to push yourself to continue with that challenge since it was stressing you too far.
We are all watching and waiting for you to report your trip to drop off at goodwill. 😉
Thank you for telling me how you like your glasses 😀

Hi Sarah 🙂
YEA!!! WAY TO GO!!!! for doing dishes and cleaning off counters!!!
And especially for that music filled 5 minute pick up! 😀
Yes, those tasks do become so much bigger while we wait to tackle them.
A good way to get better at estimating the difficulty or length of time to do household chores is to time yourself.
I set my timer for 15 minutes because I am watering plants outside and need to go move the hose periodically.
While the timer is going, I tackle some other task and am often surprised that I finish long before the timer goes off.
In my mind cleaning the bathroom sink and counter takes half an hour when it actually only takes 4 minutes.

Hi Tatoulia 🙂
"Heavy sigh" the paper had expired...
Yes, those test orders do expire. 🙁
Thanks for telling me how you like your glasses. 😀
WAY TO GO!!! for getting stuff done while working from home today!
Wish your Mom had more company/visitors every week. (((HUGS)))

Well, Steven keeps waking me up at night because he stays up too late making noise and then he wakes me up too early making noise when he gets up again to go to work.
I have been exhausted for weeks and this morning I was managing to get some good solid sleep until the phone woke me up.
His truck broke down on the way to work. He got a ride to work but I had to bring him MY car at noon.
So, I do not have a car until his truck is fixed.
He thinks it's the alternator. >:(
We have been fortunate here that the California wildfire smoke was going farther north of us but the winds shifted and now the smoke is here.
This smoke is very sad smoke, knowing about all the devastation and death that generated it.
(((((HUGS)))))
So anyways, all my plans for today are trashed.
Did get some laundry out on the line, did the usual daily cat chores.
Cleaned the laundry basket because Marty threw up in it last night. LOL ;P
Was planning to do some cooking today but not now.
Tomorrow everything should be back on schedule. 😀

SubC, I called and it has been TWO months since dr ordered the ultrasound and so it is out-of-date. I see dr on November 6 soneill get updated order then. I had no idea there was a 30 day expiration date on that. Well at least I got my mammogram done.

Yes you can get to goodwill tomorrow! Could you swing by here and pick up my stuff too? I did not go to car today but I did get the kitty litter for mom's cat and took it up to mom. The poor thing is very lonely, esp since in Sunday I went over to a friend's house instead of taking mom out. Well I am doing what I can here. I need a better balance.

I am working on my papers right now. Want as many as possible shredded and out in the garbage tonight. I have a bag of brother's stuff that will need some attn.

Hi Sarah! Glad to see you here!

That "big hassle" feeling of not realizing how long the job will actually take is a hug3 stumbling block. And it seems like the longer you wait, the bigger the job appears, right? Every time you show yourself how easy it is it gets even easier, so definitely hold onto the experience!

5 minute pick ups are great too. If you can get the kids to do that with you every day I bet you start noticing a difference.

Tillie, I have graduated lenses. I really like them.

Tatoulia, good job on your bag! Did you make your appointment?

I brought home some peppers, some eggplants, lettuce, a box of bread and a box of drinks from the food bank today.

The drinks were expired and were supposed to be refrigerated but had been left out. I dumped them all and put the bottles in the recycling already. I had some of the lettuce in a salad and a roll for lunch, and the eggplant will make up the main part of my dinner.

I plan to make a goodwill run before work tomorrow. Somebody hold me to that! (But my class starts tomorrow night, so I will get home very late.)