Good Morning Everybody 🙂

Hi Subclinical 🙂
Your compulsion to rescue things really makes your already busy life so much more difficult.
Most of this hoard here is also from dumpsters.
Wish there was an easier solution to this other than just saying "just don't look". (((HUGS)))
WAY TO GO! with keeping up with the household trash and feed bags!

Hi Tatoulia 🙂
Do it! Just call and schedule an appointment.
WTG! for breaking your compulsion to stock pile items or buy things just to buy things and keeping things around for Justin Case. (((HUGS)))

Going into town today.
Don't really have to go but just want to get out for a while.
Think it will be good for me.
Still chilly, highs in the 60s but it's supposed to get a little warmer after today, more back to normal Autumn weather here.

It is raining, so I took the towers apart and tossed the pieces out in my yard (yard not visible from street or neighbors) they will be rinsed when I get home.

I also sorted through my "inbox" and recycled some papers. I am contemplating getting a smaller inbox.

Now I need to shower and go to work.

I feel your pain, SubC. And I'm standing right by your side. We will do this. It is mentally and physically exhausting but we can do this.

I've decided to head in to office so I need to get ready. I'll get a nice walk home tonight.

Good morning.

Tatoulia, I don't know if I will use the drawers. I have plenty of stuff I could put in them, I just don't know where I can actually put them. When I cancelled the trash service I swore off buying plastic furniture and containers because eventually they break, and then they are too big to throw in my classroom wastebasket and they don't recycle. But things that are about to go in the landfill, I have a hard time resisting.

If I don't use them, I can take them to goodwill, but they need to be washed (actually, I have seen stuff almost as dirty at goodwill, so they probably just need to be rinsed with a hose, but if I keep them, they need to be washed). And I already have a very long list that does not include washing drawers. Also, they are currently sitting in the spot where dh parks his car, so they have to be dealt with by tomorrow night.

I keep trying to put my time in places that make the house better and don't spend money or even earn money, and most days I do ok, but it is hard. And I am tired a lot of the time - I have more classes this year than ever, and while I love teaching and I love my kids, several of them are really challenging and it is exhausting. This is the first year I am finding myself wanting to sit during independent work times instead of walking around the room. Maybe it is age, but I dislike that explanation. My oldest daughter was born when my grandmother was 80 and I remember Gram crawling on the floor playing peek-a-boo under the coffee table with her, so I think it's the sitting that ages you, not the other way around.

Anyway, one day at a time and I will try to do better today. I have to go to a store and buy a new trash can for the new kitchen though. I promised dh I would do that before he came home.

Hello!

Tillie I'm glad you made the eye dr appt! I have to get my mammogram and ultrasound. I should just call up and make the appointments.

SubC Are you able to use the towers you found? I know it's hard for you to resist things and I admire your dedication to the planet. Just be sure to take care of yourself, too, and that could include not taking something. I'm not judging. My first apartment was, with the exception of my mattresses, completely furnished with stuff I took off the street. I just don't want you to be taking stuff that then becomes a detriment to a peaceful home life.

I have broken my urge to buy multiples of stuff and to buy too many things because they are on sale. For the past couple of years I've had a pretty good handle on that. Sometimes I still have to stop and return some items to the shelves but it is largely automatic for me. I've also stopped buying stuff to come up with a use or someone to give it to. Now I just leave it in the store. I really had to learn to stop buying things just to buy them.

Well I'm thinking of going in to office tomorrow. I'm finding that too many days at home isn't good for me.

Hi all!

Tatoulia, you sound like you are getting into the swing of things again.

Tess, I'm sorry you were so stressed out, but what a lot you got done! And you didn't have to have plumbers.

I have lost a little weight with dh gone - I snack less and eat fewer carbs. For example - when he is home, I will cook pasta and top it with sautéed vegetables, but when he is gone I just eat the vegetables raw.

I am still not managing well though. Today I rescued two plastic drawer towers from curbside trash pick up. One of them is missing a couple of drawers and they need to be washed. And I haven't addressed the candles.

I am keeping up with the trash and still slowly getting rid of feed bags. I planned a lesson for one of my classes on Friday that will use some of my hoarded art supplies. I found paper in the basement and started lining my new drawers - by which I mean I did one out of three. I recycled an old phone book. Nothing big.

Dh has been pretty good about calling me and sending me notes on the computer so I don't start to panic too much, but it is not as much help with the focus as when he is here.

Hello 🙂

Hi Tess 🙂
WAY TO GO!!! That was a LOT! 😀
At the grocery stores where they have the carpet shampooers to rent they also have the rug shampoo and carpet stain removers.
I'm happy that you don't have maintenance this time but keep going like you are and there should not be any more stress when it's your turn. 😀

Hi Subclinical 🙂
WAY TO GO! for resisting stock piling crackers and mostly sticking to your list! 😀

Hi Tatoulia 🙂
WTG! FANTASTIC! on the weight loss!
Wonderful that you can "Shop At Home" and now wear those other skirts.
Go get that new button down blouse and make sure to donate a too big one.
That's the "One In- One Out" rule that I always follow to keep things in balance.

Hi CM 🙂
Hi Joan 🙂
Hi Porter 🙂

Laundry is all done & put away.
Almost finished with the watering outside.
Dishes refuse to wash themselves, darn them. >:(
Well, I did it...
Actually called and scheduled an appointment for an eye exam.
It will be October 14th so I have plenty of time to gather my nerves. ;P

Great work, Tess! I can't believe how much you got out today! I'm sorry you had all that stress for nothing but as you said, it forced you to make some changes st home.

Honestly re carpeting, I used to use resolve & my vacuum but nothing compares to my Bissell carpet cleaner. It was expensive/maybe 250 but I love it. You can generally rent machines at grocery stores. I'm glad I bought mine. Really does a good job. Thecwayer coming out us black. Disgusting!

I fast two days a week--a way of eating that is big in the U.K. I'm over 15 down at this point., so I'm about a third of the way there, I think. It's great to be down a size!

I do hope everyone is doing ok. I had some stress recently which kept me off-kilter so I'm not exactly up-to-date but I'm thinking of everyone!

Hey everybody!

Remember all the stress and panic I put myself through last week? Turns out the maintenance isn't even in my apartment. Oh well. At least it's clean now, right? I still have work to do, but I'm no longer paralyzed by fear or completely buried. Therefore, I have no regrets. Onward and upward!

Today is garbage day. I was able to take out 8 bags and a chair. It felt good. I also swept my kitchen and living room floors and went grocery shopping during my lunch break. After work, I'm going to finish putting groceries away and kick back with a movie. I so need a break. Question: does anyone know of a really good carpet stain lifter? My carpet is a disaster.

Tatoulia!!!! Congrats on the weight loss. That's awesome!

Subclinical - good for you for not going back for a basket. That's hard for me to do. I either end up at the register looking comical or I just go back. Lol!

CM- how's the bunny?

Hello! I shampooed my bedroom rug today. Should be dry in a few hours. I put ceiling fan in to help it along. Kitty throws up a lot so I do get good use out of my bissel rug cleaner!

I feeling very warm after that! Hoping it'll be dry in a few hours. Some spots may still be wet. I wanted to do this AM then was going to forget it because I let the day get away from me. Ultimately I'm glad I did it and didn't look for an excuse.

Hi Tillie!

In going through my closet I have reclaimed three skirts that I haven't been able to wear due to weight gain! I'm so excited! So I have a few things I can wear this fall in addition to my skirts that are too big--I can keep wearing the too big ones for a few more weeks before either taking them in or donating. I need a few more blouses as the old ones (not actually old, as I bought them recently) are finally too big and not doing me any favors. I may go in to office tomorrow just so I can do a little shopping in my way home. Just one new button down blouse would make me feel so good--and in a smaller size!

I may keep my too big ones for a short while;, I can wear them not tucked in over jeans for the weekend. Even though I hate jeans, I do have to wear them sometimes.

So, what are you doing today? I'm up and happy and will work hard to hero this feeling!

Good Morning Everybody 🙂

Still chilly here but no clouds today.
Nice to see what all you are up to.
WTG! for keeping on keeping on.
I'm doing some laundry right now and soon will go water some stuff in the yard.
Even though it's Autumn some stuff still needs to be watered before it goes completely to sleep.
I should wash some dishes sometime today too.

Good morning everyone!

My coffee maker has started to leak. I'll get a new one on Saturday. I'm home today and will work on papers. They drive me nuts. Have a bunch of my mail and a bag of brother's mail.

Hoping everyone has a good day! Am taking mom for a haircut after work tonight. It's a beautiful fall day here although it might be a bit warmer than I'd like. At least I'll get out of house, with mom's haircut. Some of these days at home I never leave here.

I went to the grocery store yesterday for a few things (dish soap, raisins, cocoa powder) so I did not get a basket. They had a big stack of some fancy crackers I like for half price. I picked up two boxes because that was all the more I could carry, but I didn't go back for a basket. I reminded my inner squirrel that crackers are a treat, not a food group.

I am doing a little better on time management. I managed to watch one video when I had my dinner last night and then stop. I did it by sitting near the window where I could see the goats and starting it so that it would end near their dinner time.

I stopped at goodwill on the way home yesterday too and bought one little dish for a press mold. I need new jeans soon, so I will be stopping there more.

Good Afternoon Everybody 🙂

Tossed and turned all last night but fell sound asleep from 6am until 11am.
YEA!
Cool, cloudy overcast day here today but should be nicer tomorrow.
Desperately need to grocery shop soon but really do not want to be around people right now.
Got all my "have-To" tasks done, mostly all cat related.
Now I'm watching movies on Netflix and eating lunch. 😀

And hi Joan!

I started my post and wandered off and you posted before I came back and finished.

I'm not sure what to do with your quote in light of my obvious inability to manage my own life, except try to do better.

CM, I hope your bunny keeps improving. You are a good bunny mom.

It sounds like you have a good plan for your bedroom too. Just keep chipping at it and you will get there.

I have been doing badly on my plan for "all my free time" while dh is gone. I pretty much made bad choices two afternoon/evenings in a row.

I did sleep better last night, so that is something. And I have been doing some laundry and putting clean sheets on the extra beds. I had stripped them after the wedding and not remade them, and I like to have them made up in case any of the kids or friends want to crash here. (We live way out, so evening visits sometimes become overnights, and it's good to be able to say " it's no trouble, the beds are already made up.") also dd2 is coming home to sleep in hers this weekend.

My operating system updated automatically while I was sleeping, and I now have a keyboard that I hate. Due to my typing style it results in random numbers and symbols being inserted into my words. I'm trying to catch them, but i'm Sorry, some may slip through.

Anyway, back to my terrible time management - I have managed to put things off until I no longer have any slack in my schedule, so I will probably do better today, but not finish a lot of the optional stuff. I also came up with this great idea for rearranging the furniture that I am trying to resist. Meanwhile, I have to leave for work around 10. And I have to take a shower this morning.

I will try to come back tonight and report on any progress.

CM, you put your finger on it. In 1995 I saw my first reader, who gave me a traditiona Americanl Indian reading. He had inheirited the gift of being a seer. I think often of how he told me, "Everybody's just been passing the buck. The buck stops with you."

There are those on this board who pay the price every day for not passing the buck.

May God bless Nevada and bring healing and consolation to the victims of the horrific violence. <3 <3 <3 What an example of the harm not being able to reach out for help can do.

I'm proud of us, not in a braggy way, but a gratitude-filled way, that we are taking our biggest challenges, those things that we've been shamefully judged for, and the difficult life events that took us down strange and tormenting paths - and saying the buck stops here. We WILL dig out. No uncaring family, abusive people, poverty, none of that will stop us. Not because those things don't hurt, but because we make a CHOICE not to let them continue to control our lives and rob us of our peace of mind and make us bitter, stunted people.

My life's been in catching up mode still, after the busy September and the illness at the end of it. My roommate has the same sickness only worse, so I've been helping her with things like going along on dog walks so she doesn't have to try and control 60+ pounds of young, hyper dog. I've not minded the exercise myself; it helps keep my weight off.

The needs of the pets have been a continuing concern and I've done more with that today. Gave granddaughter bunny a bathing because she had peepeed on herself and with the bad leg can't clean up like healthy rabbits can. One must be careful not to stress a rabbit with a bath - so I only washed the back end, using plain slightly warm water with a wee bit of mild doggie shampoo. Bunny was actually pretty calm so I'm hoping that meant it felt good to her. I dabbed the wet fur with washcloths and put Bag Balm where her skin was irritated and cornstarch to soak up moisture. There's something about knowing you've helped an innocent creature feel better.

As for decluttering, I can see it's going to take a number of sessions of straightening in my bedroom, as well as setting time for certain specific projects (hopefully most of these being things that do have a beginnning, middle, and definite end and don't drag out forever - and that result in disposal of x amount of paper or other stuff at the finish). And I need to go work in the new storage unit, but my bedroom really has reached "CriticalMass" LOL so I need to tackle that now.

Tatoulia
Thank you for using your grief and sadness to do things that will make your home life nicer for you.
(((HUGS)))

I need to use my despair and dismay and sadness for good. I don't want anyone to have to deal with my dirty house if I'm gone in a blink of an eye.

I cleaned toilet and vanity today. Found my way to the laundry--all done and put away. Took out recycling and now taking out garbage.

I need to be awake for my life.

(((((HUGS)))))

~♡~♡~♡~Love to all!~♡~♡~♡~

~♡~♡~♡~Love to all!~♡~♡~♡~

I am sickened and saddened and distressed. Praying for Nevada.

Please say a prayer for Nevada

I am behind in posts so please forgive me.

Tess I see you made it through the weekend! I'm surprised the maintenance person didn't show but I'm glad to see you took advantage by doing more cleaning, napping, and seeing friends! Good work!

I'm home today. Someone is using laundry so I'll wait til later and/or til Wednesday. Need to get garbage out today and recycling. I don't want to jinx myself but I am coping well with laundry situation. Hope I can keep up the correct attitude.

BF will call his body shop guy and take my car for me. I'm glad about that. I can't jet this go. I need it fixed asap as if really looks terrible.

Have a good day everybody! Keep up the good work!

Hi Tess, your post wasn't up yet. Glad you had a good weekend! It sounds like you are making great progress on your kitchen!

I think my family needs to see it too. It's not that I have lied to them. At least, I don't think I lied, because I believed it when I said it. My working definition of lie is "a deliberate misrepresentation of what you believe to be the truth" but I have let them down a lot. And it is part of who I am.

That reward thing? I can't do that. I will either decide I can do just this thing before I start and never start, or I will keep going and forfeit the reward every time. Transitions are just too hard for me.

There have to be natural consequences. Or consequences from somebody else - I made a deal with dh this fall. I need to go to bed by ten. So, if I am not in bed by ten, he takes my iPad the next day. I am only allowed to have it for work. he can check my history and if I cheat on the "only for work" part I lose it another day. So if it is getting late in the day and I am on it and I realize I will not finish everything I must do, I get off. It isn't just fun stuff. I have been known to wipe off a counter at 9:45 and end up on my hands and knees scrubbing cupboard molding at midnight. Dh has to yell at me.

All nighters in college? I once didn't sleep for four days (on day 4 I started hallucinating)

Raising kids was fantastic - kids interrupt you constantly. They reset you over and over. Teaching works great for me - every class has a beginning and an end, and at the end of the day, the building manager comes up and asks if I am done because she's ready to turn out the lights and go home (if I don't have a "next commitment" I am always the last one out of the building because I am cleaning up my room or I get bogged down in organizing stuff.)

I love the timer on the stove and the alarms on the washer and dryer. I love having livestock that expect to be fed at regular times. I kind of hope dh calls me tonight and tells me to go to bed.