Sarah! Great to see you on this subsite! This is the most active area.

Ugh. Don't you hate it when you make something so big in your mind then it takes no time at all?! Glad you got it done as well as the other things! Music with the kids sounds like fun!

My bed is made and all my laundry is done and folded and put away. I need to shred my mail and get garbage together for tonight. When I learned that putting away my laundry takes no time at all....gee whiz. All those years of letting it pile up, get mixed in with dirty laundry, etc. now if I can't find a place for something, I decide that's a sign I own too much and I use that knowledge to get rid of things.

Hi, feeling achey/tired/down but trying to find the good stuff (clutter- and cleaning-related, that is) I've managed to do today, and thought posting it would help.

-Caught up on dishes again
-Cleaned off countertops

-Finally put away a storage box I'd left out for months because I thought it'd be such a big hassle to fit it way back in its closet; turned out it took fewer than 30 seconds. (Ugh!!!) I felt so silly, and mad at myself because it took more of my time and energy to be bothered by it every single day for months than it did to just put it away. Hope I can remember this feeling.

-Did a "5-minute pick-up" in living room with 2 of the kids and the transformation was surprising. We put on fast music and made it fun.

None of these areas were major problem areas but I know it was still good to get them in order.

Thanks!

Tillie! Glad to hear that all in all, the eye appt went well. Sorry about the developing cataract. I wear progressive glasses and adjusted immediately, so I hope the bifocals work for you!

Good morning--coffee clinks! This is my only day home this week so I need to make the most of it!

SubC--it's good to make adjustments when needed. I'm proud of you for realizing that your habits have improved re the kitchen and that it's time to shed the challenge. Overstress is not the way to get to where we are going. discomfort is a part of this, to be sure, but feeling overwhelmed and over stressed means time to formulate a new plan!

I had dinner at a girlfriend's last night and her kids are so cute. We had a very nice time.

So I'll go do some work and take a putter break in a little while. I have a good bag ready for goodwill and I might walk it up to the car today, to give me a little free space.

AFTER I make my ultrasound appointment, Tillie. 🙂

I have been reading and thinking of everyone, but not posting. A lot in my life right now.

I have decided to drop the 100 day challenge as it was draining my energy and reinforcing perfectionist traits. I have pretty good habits in relation to the new kitchen.

I have fallen behind on managing the trash, but nothing I can't catch up on this week.

Yesterday dh and I went shopping for furniture for the addition. We bought an ikea couch and the parts from ikea and Lowe's we needed for him to build me a small rolling kitchen island.

At ikea we also bought a down blanket and 4 new dish towels.

I need to do another goodwill run.

Anony I'm so sorry you are crying and feeling so poorly. I wish I could help you feel better. This will pass, I am sure of it, but that doesn't really help. I'm so sorry and hope that this evening gives you some peace.

~♡~Good Morning to all!!!~♡~
Tatoulia, im so glad your appointment went well & that your brother seems to be doing better?!
Tillie, thats great your appointment went well! I know i need bifocals too, but im not ready in other ways, for that, yet...ha ha ;D
Im still having frequent crying outbursts, but its ok. At least i understand why.
Theres a certain point, when plans just keep having wrenches thrown in them, especially weird kinds of problems & obstacles, that i feel like it might be some sort of message, or whatever? Its hard to ignore this pattern. Im not denying my own procrastination & decision making difficulties, but this is gotten to be on another level. I dont know what to think any more....

Hi Tatoulia 🙂
YEA! that your appointment went fine & your brother was pretty good too! 😀
I got to my appointment early and got in early too.
He found a small cataract in my right eye, something to now keep an "eye" on.
Other than that everything else is good.
Ordered new glasses, this time I opted for bifocals instead of glasses for reading & other glasses for driving.
All the cats here are sleeping too.
I can tell that they don't play or rest or eat while I'm gone.
They just wait for me to return.
Makes me feel guilty whenever I leave home. 😀
Now I plan to just rest and relax the rest of today.

Hey Tillie I hope it went okay today at the eye doctor's! My appointment went just fine--got there early and was taken early. Saw brother today and he was pretty good, I have to say. Certainly not abusive and only engaged in his kooky talk for a short period of time.

I'm fooling around on the Internet. Cat is sleeping next to me. I'm washing some blankets/throws right now. I could watch her sleep all day. But hopefully I'll get up and do something about the house instead.

Good Morning Everybody 🙂

I'm up early and getting ready for my appointment today.

Good luck with your appointment Tatoulia. 😀

TTYS 🙂

Great to hear from everyone and it sounds like you are moving forward. I'm glad your storage is closer now, CM. will save some wear and tear on you! Anony good to hear you so cheerful! Tillie I found the paper very easily last night but then out it in the wrong purse and didn't have it at the office today. I will call on Monday. I need to get that done. I hope your eye appt goes well tomorrow!

Tess you are doing a great job with four bags out! SubC sounds like you are keeping up too!

I wa hoping to do laundry tonight but someone is using it. I still don't feel a strong need to get my washer fixed just term which is a good thing because my handyman hasn't been around. As soon as he's well enough to do some work, I need him to hang the chandelier. It is in a box right here. I'll feel like my living room is so much more roomy once it's gone!

Kitty is next to me now Tillie, it is Friday the 13th so we are celebrating my all black cat. It was very cool last night and I pulled out my comforter and duvet. They were both clean and in bags. It doesn't feel as cool tonight but then again, I just walked a couple of miles (well, 2) so I'm pretty warm.

I'm sorry about hormone problems Anony. I have thyroid issues, (well not really because they removed my thyroid) and my temperature tolerance has changed. I prefer to be cool as much as possible, love a cold room and a warm blanket. Now that I'm losing weight my temperature tolerance is improving. I'm carrying around about 42 extra pounds well actually only about 25 thanks to my recent weight loss.

Going to make some dinner and then think about life. So happy to hear from you all. Great group!

~♡~ Good Morning to all!~♡~
CM, That's fascinating that youre writing a science fiction novel & doing research & making models for it?! And the dolls! What a fun world youve created! I laughed so hard about the cat judging you! I know my cats judge me, too!
Tatoulia, I am so glad ypure getting things figured out about your siblings! Ill bet that will empower you in new ways?!
Tess, it sounds like you are getting things done! YEA! And how fun to have a new relationship! ...i had a guy think i was secretly married cuz i didnt want him to come to my house...ha ha
Tillie, yes, kitty-cuddle-season...ha ha I love it, too! ;D
Im very pleased to have found a good spot for the keepable material scraps! Under the pool deck! Its hidden,which is a main factor. Im going to be very choosy what to put there. I have regretted tossing out too much of that sort of thing. It is a tricky thing to balance.
Im running after dark now, cuz even tho the weather has cooled off, im burning up every time go out side or exert any energy cuz of the hot flash hormone thing. Im amazed im doing this well cuz i stopped suddenly from the highest amount of HRT. It is making working on my place so much harder in the daytime! Now that the pile of stuff has a new homesite,i can get the garden put in & ive wanted this for sooo long! 😀

~♡~ Good Morning to all!~♡~
CM, That's fascinating that youre writing a science fiction novel & doing research & making models for it?! And the dolls! What a fun world youve created! I laughed so hard about the cat judging you! I know my cats judge me, too!
Tatoulia, I am so glad ypure getting things figured out about your siblings! Ill bet that will empower you in new ways?!
Tess, it sounds like you are getting things done! YEA! And how fun to have a new relationship! ...i had a guy think i was secretly married cuz i didnt want him to come to my house...ha ha
Tillie, yes, kitty-cuddle-season...ha ha I love it, too! ;D
Im very pleased to have found a good spot for the keepable material scraps! Under the pool deck! Its hidden,which is a main factor. Im going to be very choosy what to put there. I have regretted tossing out too much of that sort of thing. It is a tricky thing to balance.
Im running after dark now, cuz even tho the weather has cooled off, im burning up every time go out side or exert any energy cuz of the hot flash hormone thing. Im amazed im doing this well cuz i stopped suddenly from the highest amount of HRT. It is making working on my place so much harder in the daytime! Now that the pile of stuff has a new homesite,i can get the garden put in & ive wanted this for sooo long! 😀

Good Morning Everybody 🙂

Hi Anonymoniker 🙂
(((HUGS)))
I totally understand how those hormone problems can be exhausting and emotionally & mentally draining.
Hope you find a good spot to store your repair supplies.
Remember to only keep the best most useful items and let go of the lesser quality questionable ones to help keep the stack manageable.

Hi CriticalMass 🙂
Bunny therapy! how wonderful for you, the visitors and the bunnies!
Now that storage is closer by and easier to get to, temporarily putting things there and then bringing things out will be like having a large closet near by. 😀
Schedule in a bit of time to take a nap whenever you can. Naps are important too. (((HUGS)))

Hi Tatoulia 🙂
Tomorrow you get your mammogram and I get my eyes examined.
If you can't find the scan paper then call and ask for another paper.
Yes it is now Kitty cuddle season. In the evening here I get 3 to 4 fighting for spaces on my bed. LOL 😀

Hi Tess 🙂
WAY TO GO! for getting trash bags out and doing a bin and some daily up-keeping! 😀
Happy you aren't saving everything for doing on the weekend.
Doing a few little short things here and there really does make a difference.
It's just too overwhelming when we have way too much to get done in too short a time.

Hi Subclinical 🙂
You are doing GREAT!
Tackling a task here & there now & then even with your busy schedule is fantastic! 😀

Good morning, friends!

Tillie, I'm sorry about your worries. I hope he'll see the danger before anything bad happens.

Subclinical, my date was good. This is a newish relationship. We started chatting in July, but didn't meet in person until last month. We're very casual right now, but this is my first "relationship" in a few years. Between social anxiety and not wanting anyone inside my home, it was impossible for me. This guy is shy, so I think that helps me feel more comfortable around him.

I didn't take out as much garbage this week. Only 4 bags. But those four bags are better than nothing. I'm still spending time each day doing a little upkeep cleaning and tackling a bin. It's slowly, but surely coming along. I'm so glad I broke the cycle of saving everything for the weekend...and then being too tired/overwhelmed to do anything over the weekend. My quality of life has been so much better. Another benefit is finding a ton of forgotten stuff in the bins. It's awesome! I've even found some stuff that I can still return to stores. I'm going to do that this weekend.

Time for me to get to work. Have a good day everyone!

Glad to hear from Anony & CM! The cooler weather is helping me focus, I think. I'm trying to make sense of my siblings and I'm just about worked through it. Thank goodness for my mother. She is so great.

I have my mammogram on Saturday, Tillie, thanks to you. I also need to schedule my ultra sound. I need to just find the paper and make the call.

Kitty is in her little bed, purring away and making bread. It's getting to be cuddle season for her.

I miss the sunshine but will take dark and cool for now. I am happier when it's cool.

Thanks for being my friends. I'm going to go find my ultrasound paper so I can call tomorrow.

Tillie you have an appt on Saturday too. I can't remember what it's for. I know you were just at dds so that isn't it.

I'd have been here sooner, but still haven't located a used Tardis at a price I can afford. LOL

My busy week proceeds apace. On Tuesday I had a mini meltdown about it to my friend from quilting. She was so sweet and helpful. Monday and Tuesday the weather was in a gloomy cold snap which didn't help.

My friend said she'd pray for me, and I prayed too, and made a point to refill my vitamin containers and take the vitamins, which definitely I can tell a difference when I forget or procrastinate about. Essential fatty acids - Omega 3s and such - they do help my mental focus and mood. The weather warmed back up and the sun is out yesterday and today.

One activity that I did enjoy yesterday was when the bunny club took bunnies to visit the skilled nursing wing of a local convent. The nuns had fun with the buns, hee hee! And they were so nice. I enjoyed talking with them. Tomorrow morning we have bunny therapy at a place for disabled and/or mentally challenged folks.

Today I did tackle an area in my room. I neatened up art supplies and writing papers and other things that had gotten jumbled in that area. The girl kitty came into the room (she is the curious one who can't resist exploring - I had to rescue her from the crawlspace a couple of years ago). With all my clutter, when she comes in, I ask her, "Are you judging me again?" And then often what she will do is lie down in the middle of the stuff and get all cozy. Cats are strange little creatures.

One thing I unearthed (no pun intended) was a planet. You may remember me mentioning it - it's made of papier mache' and is the size of the basketball I used for a mold. It is going to be a model of the planet featured in the science fiction novel I've been off and on with for several years now. I had sealed it with gesso and paint but not yet done the actual land and oceans. What happens to me with science fiction is I keep wanting to do more research to make things believable. So I want to read up on plate tectonics before I finalize the features on my imaginary world! It's good to get it out, though - makes me feel it will soon be possible to work on it. And on the polymer clay alien figurines that also help my imaginings take a concrete form, which then feeds back into the writing of the story. That's the plan anyway.

And the art works in progress, supplies, and markers I organized make me want to do art, and feel hopeful that it'll be easier as well.

There remains a big stack of stuff in the middle of the bedroom. It's comprised mainly of sewing, quilt, and doll related projects in bags and boxes. When it gets dealt with, the remainder of the room should be downhill. I think I may have to put a few more dolls into my storage unit. I enjoyed having them all with me; I guess I'm still a girl at heart. The thing about models for sewing and selling the clothes is true, but it's also an excuse to have these mini "people" to hang with and enjoy thinking up cute outfits for! (No wonder the cat judges me.)

this certainly has been an overwhelming year for natural disasters. Tillie, I'm sorry for your heartbreak over your former places. Never easy, something like that. I think my people in TX and FL are coping. In November I see my doctor who is from Puerto Rico; I want to tell her I've been thinking of her and praying for her family.

So I think I'm surviving - the days sure do fly by though. I want to do approximately 10x what will fit into one. And with the daylight time getting shorter, it's worse. Even cooking and things like that seem like time-stealing annoyances. I'd also like to fit in a nap now and then but it seems impossible. I may get one Saturday afternoon. It would help the remains of the "jet lag" feeling.

Hi, all! ~♡~
Im so sorry, Tillie. I hope that maybe Steven will be more 'inspired' to do some fire safety at home after seeing what is going on in CA, or maybe just be more willing to allow some things done to reduce the risk. I also worry about fires in this horrid trailer. Not so much any stuff in the way, but the wiring in the walls, etc.
Im having a hard time figuring out where to store the stack of save-able materials, to make room for my new garden. There really is no good place to put them. I dont want to trash out the areas ive cleared. I dont want new piles. I dont want to ruin the places under the rv, etc. for the cats that like to hang out there. The storage trailer would be too difficult to get these thing in & out cuz of the holes in the floor of the entrance. Plus, i really do need a small selection of certain scraps for things. I could afford to replace them, but its a huge hassle to drive 2 hours to get a little piece of wood or pipe or metal., im crying over everything now maybe cuz of the hormone crash. Between crying & hot flashes, im kind of exhausted. Putting on sweaters, then ripping them back off every few minutes is only funny for a while.....♡

I'm sorry Tilllie.

Good Morning 🙂

WAY TO GO! Everybody! 😀

Been sorta quiet here.
Steven grew up in the areas being devastated by the Calif. wildfires and for several years I lived there with him too.
He still keeps in touch with many of his long time friends and even went back there this past Summer to attend a reunion.
It's so sad to see pictures of places we enjoyed now reduced to ash.
One friend finally posted on Facebook that they are alright, still evacuated, their house is alright but their son lost his house.
Still waiting for others to post their status.

Warning, rant coming...
This all makes me very nervous and depressed knowing that my house here is such a fire hazard being so surrounded by all the hoard with dry grass and weeds all mixed in.
The south west area of the property is a big mess of tree branches and assorted other dry foliage because he has fits if I burn yard waste so it all gets piled up there year after year.
Yes, he also hoards these dry sticks, weeds & leaves...
If the garage catches fire there is no way the firefighters could put it out and it's right along side the house so that would be lost too.
I really wish that he would care about these things but he doesn't.
Rant over...

Quick hello before work. Shredded papers last night. Every bit brings me closer to my goal of a peaceful home!

Recycling out. Laundry folded and put away. Have theatre tix tonite. Trying to stay focused on my work!

No need to apologize for serial posting! This is what keeps us going!

I hear you on the feedbags/Craig's list.

I doing a quick load of laundry here, which I will dry upstairs because I think workers are coming to fix something in laundry room.

I am hoping to also make some progress here today so stay tuned!

Coffee clinks!

Sorry for the serial posting.

When I cancelled the trash service at the end of February, I stopped throwing out feedbags. First I filled the 4h tack box, then I filled a curbside trash can we no longer needed, then I filled the wagon. Then I started throwing them on the barn floor.

This morning I rolled up the last six bags from the barn floor and put them in the back of my car. I will throw them out at school today.

Tess, how was date night?

I don't know your relationship status, so i'm not sure what "date night" means for you. But I hope you had a good time.

Tatoulia - hooray for your new coffee maker! I'm glad you have a good new coat too.

I would rather throw the bags away than have random strangers come to my house. I feel bad about that, but that is how it is. I do the best I can.

Today I made both the animal barn and the basement better by permanently removing a few small things. Nothing significant, but the right direction. I brought home only food and a check (I forgot to deposit the check). I bought one thing off list at the grocery store - some nuts I couldn't remember if we were out of. Nuts go fast around here anyway.

Hello everyone! I am home from work early. Got in early because I couldn't wait to get up and make coffee. Silly, isn't it? Coffee clinks Tillie!!

Great work, Tess! SubC do you think you could list the feed bags on Craig's list? Not to sell but to let people know you have them if they need them? I should talk-- I need to list two or three things myself this week. Have never sold anything this way but found my chandelier and the seamstress on Craig's list, hoping the creepers stay away from me.

Got all my garbage and recycling out last night and am now working on another bag. Bought a good fall coat/raincoat so I will take my current one to goodwill. It is too big and thus looks terrible. My new one is a tad small so if I don't feel comfortable in it, I will return it. I like it -- very sharp looking trench with a terrific liner. The liner can also be worn separately. Pretty nice coat.

So I will work on various things tonight. Kitty acting a little weird but I heard our humidity is being traded for cool dry air tonight. I hope so. I would love to just run the ceiling fan tonight to enjoy the same cool feeling.

Hi Anony!!!!

I wish I could give mine to you.

Hi all!
SubC, im reading a book on how to build an earthbag home & the main material needed & used are used feed bags! That is what the dirt is put into & then those bags are stacked to make the walls. Some people use old rice bags, but used feed bags are the main type of bags used for this process! 😀

Well, I am not even close to zero waste, partly because I live in a house with someone who is not onboard. He is still mad about me cancelling the trash service (it was $25/month, I had to pull the can a tenth of a mile up the driveway, I only bothered every few weeks, and half the time they didn't stop because they thought it was empty or "an item exceeded allowed dimensions" turns out you have to cut a plastic handle into lengths shorter than 3' to throw it away!)

But I do look at my waste stream and try to think of ways I could reduce or eliminate items. Sometimes it doesn't make sense or work for me. Example: I could avoid plastic nut bags by giving up nuts or making a special trip - more gasoline - to a different grocery store where I could pay more for nuts that come out of a dispenser into my container. The nuts still arrive at that store in packaging, and any that miss my jar get thrown away. Or isn't reasonable - I could eliminate plastic syringes by buying glass syringes and a rediculously expensive medical autoclave or by never treating my animals with injectable medications, which would sometimes mean they would die.

I have always been anti-waste, but I really got serious about reducing my trash footprint last fall. It was one way to help cope with some pretty severe anxiety.

I would really like to eliminate the feed bags, but I don't have another good way to get quality feed. I started letting them pile up because I have a plan to sew them into reusable bags for the food bank, but I have not found the time for that in my life yet, so I am slowly throwing away the backlog.