Hey there Tillie! Thanks for having the dogs at the ready! It's been very humid and very rainy here. Worked late Thursday and got drenched in walk home. And the humidity was terrible. Last night walking home it was also miserably humid, with rain off and on.

Joan, your perseverance and courage are inspiring. I know brighter days are ahead.

SubC and CM--do good to hear from you and share in your victories!

Today is brother day. I'm sneaking in a quick load of laundry--things I hang to dry--before I leave to pick up brother. Knock wood, using the downstairs laundry has been great. Working from home has made this very easy.

Going to get dishes pulled together and pour a cup of coffee.

Coffe clinks!

Hello 🙂

Hi Subclinical 🙂
Wonderful that you won the 2 free firings!
A gift that you will enjoy and doesn't take up any space. 😀

Hi Anonymoniker 🙂
Hi Porter 🙂
Hi Joan 🙂

Hi CriticalMass 🙂
So happy you got a LOT of good sound sleep.
It's weird but it's true that even with our eyes shut, in a dark room, clutter still effects our ability to really relax.

Hi Tatoulia 🙂
Very happy you dropped by
I was about to send out the search dogs to hunt you down. (((HUGS)))

The recent rains were not drenching, so today I went out and watered EVERYTHING.
The rest of the day I pretty much just vegged out watching stuff on Youtube.
Thought about stuff I could do but didn't feel like doing anything, so I didn't.
Temps were down in the 50s this morning and the highs were mid 70s today.
It was nice. 😀

Hello 🙂

Hi Subclinical 🙂
Wonderful that you won the 2 free firings!
A gift that you will enjoy and doesn't take up any space. 😀

Hi Anonymoniker 🙂
Hi Porter 🙂
Hi Joan 🙂

Hi CriticalMass 🙂
So happy you got a LOT of good sound sleep.
It's weird but it's true that even with our eyes shut, in a dark room, clutter still effects our ability to really relax.

Hi Tatoulia 🙂
Very happy you dropped by
I was about to send out the search dogs to hunt you down. (((HUGS)))

The recent rains were not drenching, so today I went out and watered EVERYTHING.
The rest of the day I pretty much just vegged out watching stuff on Youtube.
Thought about stuff I could do but didn't feel like doing anything, so I didn't.
Temps were down in the 50s this morning and the highs were mid 70s today.
It was nice. 😀

Congratulations CM!!! You did it! So proud and pleased for you! Great work!!!!!

Will write more later. Have not read everything yet.

Love to you all.

Good morning!

I made good on my threat to sleep on the couch, and a wise decision it was. I'm all about being proactive with problems these days, and I've tried to apply that to this excessive/disturbing dream thing, but hadn't been having a lot of success. But last night I thought of some things I haven't done in awhile.

I put on my earbuds and went through my Rosary MP3 that has beautiful music and healing meditations. I do this everyday either in the daytime or at bedtime to get my daily Rosary in. Then I went further and found several of my favorite, most melodic and inspiring Josh Groban songs and just blissed out with those.

It was midnight after this and I turned out the light and got comfortable on the sofa. And slept. Kitty paid a visit at some point - a sack of cement with long fur on my feet. 🙂 Now and then I had to
shift my carcass into different positions because with all the work I've been doing I would get stiff and sore. But the sofa makes it easy to find a new comfy position. When I get my own place someday, I'm thinking I might like a futon bed - there's something about that having a mattressy surface against my back and sides both that seems to work for me.

I slept till 10:00 a.m. today! A rainstorm had come in a day earlier than expected, so it was so dark I just kept right on sleeping. I wanted to tell my roommate to go ahead and open the living room blinds but I was so tired I just couldn't get the words out! And even when I was coming awake, I felt "glued" to the couch.

I hope I can get time to work with my own bed though and clear it off; Tillie, you are so correct about that. I read somewhere that if we have stuff in our beds or even beside them too much it's like it stays in our minds while we sleep. I had it so nice last year in preparation for the surgery recovery. This year, though, stuff to go through got piled on the bed. That's a hazard for me always with my ADD because the bed is the one place I can't miss seeing something I mean to do - so notes, correspondence, you name it, it ends up there. I need a secretary SO badly! 😉 Seriously, if I won the lottery, hiring one would be on the high priority list of things to do.

I also need to do laundry. And finish decluttering the floor of the bedroom. Those tasks are for all practical purposes intermingled.

Cat sitting starts again on Wednesday. I must do some of these tasks in the interim. I'm going to need some of those clothes, for one thing. Monday is my best bet; I have

SubC glad your party went well. I think creative people understand about things like bringing your table service. I can sure relate about artistic confidence issues! Sometimes I think my life would've taken a completely different direction had I felt sure of myself in the visual arts early on. But there's still plenty of time. Anyway, keep building your confidence, and don't let the bumps in the road get you down. I think you are becoming more determined and you're going to hit your stride and run with it! 🙂

My quilt (the good one, not the one I was ripping up night before last) awaits my attention to be finished. I'll have to see if I can work on it during this upcoming round of cat sitting. I want to be sure my brain is fresh and able to focus calmly, because the next task is to precisely cut 4-1/2" squares that have an embroidery motif that must be centered. I don't want to slip with the cutter and have to embroider replacement squares. And then the squares and the sashing strips will need to be sewn together, and each of those rows must match my 4-patch rows. The heat is on!

Well, I've written my usual Russian novel; everyone have a good weekend! I have a lot of gratitude today, and that feels great.

Hi everyone,

And especially anony who I haven't seen in a while, and I hope your path gets smoother.

Super excited bouncy cheers for CM and the storage project! I know it will take some time to settle in, but wow! Good for you!

The party was last night and I did take my own travel mug and flatware. A lot of people brought their own mugs, and only one person even noticed my flatware - we were in line together and he started to hand me a spoon and I pulled mine out of my pocket and said "I travel with my own spoon." And he said "cool." There were real bowls for the soup, and I used two little paper plates (the desserts were on them). Very low stress.

The party was a fundraiser and I won two really nice prizes playing roulette. The best part is that they are service prizes (free firing) that will encourage me to put more time and effort into my pottery, which is a direction I really want to go in my life, but I lack confidence. so, here is the universe offering me more encouragement (if you make it, it will be fired!) anyway, the wheel was mostly stuff prizes (there was only one other service prize and it was a limited offer that went off after 2 wins) and I didn't win any.

So, lots of fun, no stuff, and a "this way" sign for my journey!

YEA!!!! WAY TO GO!!!!!!
Happy Dancing! 😀
Ice water "Clink!" toast!
Been a long hard road but you did it CriticalMass!
(((((HUG)))))
I'm glad you had your surgery and it was a success. Hope the lonely and scary memories fade soon.
Maybe the next project should be clearing your bed so you can have a more relaxing place to sleep.

Hi Joan 🙂
Wishing you a better night of sleep tonight (((hugs)))

HELLO shout out to all you who we are missing ;D

Ladies and Gentlemen, I invite you to celebrate with me the momentous occasion of having swept out and said goodbye to the old storage unit . . . let's Par-TAY!!! 😀

I gave a big bundle of stuff to my mechanic - extra shelves, picture frames, household items. He said to just bring it all by whatever I didn't want, so I did. He has young adult kids who are setting up households and his wife can use a couple of sewing items like a thread spool holder that goes on the wall. I liked that holder but didn't think I should hang onto it (and it might get broken in the process of continued shifting and sorting in the new unit). But it's always nice to think of someone you know getting use out of a thing like that.

Anony, good to see you again. You're right, hoarding can manifest itself so many ways and in any socioeconomic class. The Collyer brothers, Homer and Langley, were wealthy recluses who hoarded a huge mansion in New York City - they had a bunch of pianos, an old car, and all manner of clutter. Tragically, they died in the hoarded house and weren't found for awhile. Their sad cautionary tale is well known. We have more resources now and support and I'm so thankful we do.

I've turned a corner in my journey, and there's still plenty of work to do. I think there's been a little emotional fallout from this finally becoming reality - nothing I can't handle, but some odd feelings. Also nightmares and annoying dreams again, not sure what all is causing them. Sleeping in the living room on the couch tonight hoping the change will break the pattern. Last night I got up and went in with the bunnies and ripped pieces from an unfinished old quilt (don't worry, it was nothing special - an amateurish thing from my teen years). It felt soothing to do a brainless task. When I felt relaxed enough I went back to bed and slept some. I am optimistic tonight will be better.

My bed still has clutter in it - that needs to be dealt with and I'm sure doing so will improve my sleep situation. So I'll tackle that, and other things that have gotten put on hold. Cat sitting will start again next week. It'll still be a rather disjointed month. And I am having some memories of my surgery - the lonely in the hospital part - that may be affecting my emotions as well. But as soon as I pass the date of the 1-year anniversary of it, I will feel like I "made it" and not feel sort of haunted by that dark cloud. I'm really grateful for the improvement it made in my health, it's just that sometimes when I recall how surreal and scary the experience was at times, it creeps me out a little.

Well, anyway, I'm rambling but I'm sure glad to be able to report how amazing this has all felt to get that storage unit settled! Thanks everyone for your support and encouragement! 🙂 🙂 🙂

Hi Tillie!

I saw my healer today. The session knocked me out. I was awake from about 12:30AM to about 5AM last night (early this morning). I am in the middle of adjusting some meds to help with a bunch of stuff. The usual.

Glad you had a good day!

Hi Anybody ;D

Slept GREAT last night and was ready to do some things around the house this morning.
Scrubbed & sanitized all 3 litter boxes.
Swept floors & porches, vacuumed carpet.
Then did a bunch of quick little tasks.
A little before 2:00pm a thunder storm rolled in.
Not much rain but it hailed too!
Still rain clouds covering the sun...
All in all it's been a good day. 😀

I believe that Cory Chalmers has changed the captcha thingie to help get those SPAMMERS to quit.
Don't be afraid of it
just type in the words/letters and click on post.

Hi Everybody 🙂

Hi Tatoulia 🙂
Hope today was a good one for you.
Remember that it's your sister, not you.
(((HUGS)))

Hi Joan 🙂
I believe that it's important to our overall health and wellbeing that we remove or minimize contact with anybody who fills us with negative energy.

Hi Anonymoniker 🙂
I don't talk about it much but my house is basically a tear-down.
It should last the rest of my life, I hope.
But it's basically a piece of crap.
(((HUGS)))

Decided to go into town this morning.
Last time I did that I didn't go grocery shopping because the store parking lot was crammed with millions of people and that's just too much for me.
I was totally out of any fresh produce except for a piece of ginger root.
It wasn't hot out, YEA!
When I got home I had to lay down and take a nap because I was exhausted.
Then I couldn't wake up enough to do anything but finish putting away the shopping.
Soon as "Supernatural" is over I'm going to bed. 🙂

~Good Morning to all!!!~
A lot has been happening! Lots of what seems like wrenches thrown into my spokes, but im trying to see the overall patterns & work with it all.
Joan, i think im a little familiar with that. My friend whose Dad was a higher up in Air Force One spoke of things decades ago that just recently make more sense & i think may fit in to all that! Ive been putting more pieces together recently!
CM, i laughed so hard at your word 'mutinied' ha ha and your storage improvements sound awesome!!!
Tatoulia, i am so sorry that your sister took her own misery out on you! I cant imagine how she could be so mean to someone as kind & wonderful as you?! You certainly do not deserve that!
Tillie, Scooter panting sounds kinda scary? I have a kitty that often pants? I hadnt thought it could be stress? I am so amazed at how youve closed the door on your family, literally. That is what i keep thinking about but am afraid to really do. You are so strong & solid!
SubC, i am also going through that sadly sentimental feeling about my horribly dilapidated trailer, knowing i may have a decent building built, but sort of romantasizing it beyond all logic. I think your eccentric way of dealing with plastic is awesome!!!
Im a week off of my hormone replacement therapy, so in preparing for a possible crash, ive been really focused on doing things to feel good about! Im taking breaks throughout the day to do visualization meditations for healing, connectedness, clarity, guidance, etc., especially of the front part of my brain used for decision making! Im also more pushed for the 'high' that cleaning some of the inside of this trailer would give me. I want to be certain its hormonal & not my disgusting place, if depression does take over again....it was poverty before, so...?
I was at a friend's friend's house & they knew a guy on my street who has a house packed with gorgeous french antiques & refered to him as a hoarder...?!?...i was confused at first, then realized, even if its nice stuff, this guy is super poor & could sell even one room of antiques & hed still have a whole 3 story house packed with more, but he wont...hmmm....id never thought of him that way, but yep!
~♡~I love you all & appreciate you each so much!~♡~

~Good Morning to all!!!~
A lot has been happening! Lots of what seems like wrenches thrown into my spokes, but im trying to see the overall patterns & work with it all.
Joan, i think im a little familiar with that. My friend whose Dad was a higher up in Air Force One spoke of things decades ago that just recently make more sense & i think may fit in to all that! Ive been putting more pieces together recently!
CM, i laughed so hard at your word 'mutinied' ha ha and your storage improvements sound awesome!!!
Tatoulia, i am so sorry that your sister took her own misery out on you! I cant imagine how she could be so mean to someone as kind & wonderful as you?! You certainly do not deserve that!
Tillie, Scooter panting sounds kinda scary? I have a kitty that often pants? I hadnt thought it could be stress? I am so amazed at how youve closed the door on your family, literally. That is what i keep thinking about but am afraid to really do. You are so strong & solid!
SubC, i am also going through that sadly sentimental feeling about my horribly dilapidated trailer, knowing i may have a decent building built, but sort of romantasizing it beyond all logic. I think your eccentric way of dealing with plastic is awesome!!!
Im a week off of my hormone replacement therapy, so in preparing for a possible crash, ive been really focused on doing things to feel good about! Im taking breaks throughout the day to do visualization meditations for healing, connectedness, clarity, guidance, etc., especially of the front part of my brain used for decision making! Im also more pushed for the 'high' that cleaning some of the inside of this trailer would give me. I want to be certain its hormonal & not my disgusting place, if depression does take over again....it was poverty before, so...?
I was at a friend's friend's house & they knew a guy on my street who has a house packed with gorgeous french antiques & refered to him as a hoarder...?!?...i was confused at first, then realized, even if its nice stuff, this guy is super poor & could sell even one room of antiques & hed still have a whole 3 story house packed with more, but he wont...hmmm....id never thought of him that way, but yep!
~♡~I love you all & appreciate you each so much!~♡~

Hello everyone! Tillie, and Tat, I appreciate your thinking of me. Also thanks for the prayers, CM. SubC, thanks for the supportive intentions.

I have a need, at this point, to mention my work again - the work I pay to do, because it is saving my life, for one thing. It is not time yet for that work to come out of the closet, but more and more people will become aware of it in time. Generically I am referring to "energy work". Among the indigenous it has usually been called "shamanic". Those of you with more mystical inclinations will identify with it immediately.

There was a planetary grid shift on 12/21/2012 that affected all humans. It took us off of the treadmill, and initiated an evolutionary path for those of us that want to pursue it. Before that shift, try as we might, the door was closed. The veil was nearly impenetrable. Those of us who are old souls could sense the blockage, each in our own unique way, but the veil was more like a concrete wall. Now it is slowly lifting.

The primary consequence of this that has affected me, and many of you, involves family karma. Firstly, the whole system of karma can be tossed out by those of us who so choose. This was not possible until after the grid shift. Secondly, within the system of karma, true family lineages got tangled and sabotaged by evil forces. Thus, many of us are not with the families, or people, with whom we belong. In my own case, nothing was salvageable from my biological family of origin this time around. There are no members of my true family left alive in my biological lineage.

It is not easy to disentangle ourselves from these powerful DNA bonds that were instigated by dark humans and demons. The good news is that the demonic matrix is shattering. We are dissolving it. The planetary grids no longer support the propagation of evil via the the use of DNA as a weapon to subjugate, persecute, and steal from others what rightfully belongs to them.

If anyone out there understands what I am saying, I just want to add that I fully support everyone who is standing up for their own rights. It is easy to do that from a position of power. Those of us who have been disinherited did not have power - or health, or money, or other resources - in the old karmic system, which supports evil. We are just getting our feet on the ground in this time of change. It is almost a sure bet that anyone who was very successful in the old karmic system depended upon evil for self-advancement. Those black threads are coming unraveled now. Those who depended on that system are now finding themselves isolated, with their territory on our planet dwindling. And it's about time!

I admire those who have posted who have been struggling with family karma issues, and resisting those within their families who would stand in the way of constructive relationships. I think of Tat and her sister. I think of Anony and her sister. I think of Tillie, bravely turning around and closing the door on her persecutors. I applaud and support you all, and wish you all success in standing firm on your own ground. I, of all people, know that this is a difficult road. It helps to know that others are also engaging in similar battles to free the planet of familial sabotage. We will not tolerate the continuance of an abusive system that tyrannizes us to make room for the agenda of those who are only interested in self-gratification and self-advancement.

It is our time.

Congrats on your progress on your 100 day clean kitchen challenge!!! SubC I like the revised rules! Friendlier and more common-sense! Gearing toward success not failure is always the way to go.

Tillie glad to hear you have some enjoyable weather! I love to think about those little bunnies!

I slept after work tonight. Still trying to make sense of sister situation.

Had a lovely day today. 🙂
About sundown another thunder storm blew in.
Not a lot of rain but lots of thunder and lightning, still going on in the distance.

Good Morning Everyone 🙂

Hi Joan 🙂
Great that you are doing yoga!
Wonderful that the weather was nice enough for you to have open windows and fresh air.

Hi CriticalMass 🙂
Whenever I have to rescue a baby cotton tail bunny, I hold it in my hands and enjoy the feel of it for a little longer than needed before releasing it in a safe location.
That soft warm sweetness of bunnies is very soothing to the soul. 😉

Hi Tatoulia 🙂
YEA! for being able to enjoy the rug-less space! 😀
WAY TO GO! for all that maintaining you did! 😀
And maintenance is very important.
Sometimes all we can ever get done is to maintain things like dishes and laundry and trash out.
The decluttering is hard work and you have been doing a FANTASTIC job working at it when you have had the time and energy. (((HUGS)))

Hi Subclinical 🙂
WAY TO GO! for eleven days of a clean kitchen!
So, did you bring your own cutlery to the ceramics studio?
Over the years I have noticed many people bringing their own chop sticks to restaurants and nobody thought it strange.

Hi Porter 🙂

Late last night the winds began to blow and then there was a lot of thunder and lightning flashes and then it began raining!
It was beautiful so I got out of bed to enjoy it.
Taking today off from life.
Going to make it an at-home "spa" day for myself.

Tatoulia, it sounds like you are making good progress, even if you feel like you are just maintaining today.

CM, I'm glad your bunny club is doing ok. And I am still very impressed with the storage move.

Joan, I think you are really brave to keep looking for your answers for so long!

Tillie, I'm glad you got a break from watering.

And hi to anony and porter, whatever they are up to.

I went back to the foodbank today. I brought home mint with roots from the garden to plant,and a 12 soup can sized flat of slightly damaged tomatoes and sweet potatoes they were going to toss. I made the sweet potatoes for dinner, and will use one tomato for dh lunch tomorrow. I might make a fresh salsa with the rest because it will get them cut up and ready to eat in the fridge quickly before they get any worse. The bad parts will be a treat for the chickens.

I put the mint in water and left it by the steps, but I planted the last two crepe myrtles I've had in a pot there, so it came out even?

Tonight will be the 11th day I've had my kitchen clean for the 100 day challenge. I've decided that instead of doing the 100 days and seeing how well I did - I'm just going to ignore the days I fall short and see how fast I can get to 100 successes.
So I will keep going when everyone else is done.

Tomorrow I go back to school (work) again. I am trying to adjust my schedule slowly so I can keep it together. This week I added back foodbank and I am going to start riding my exercise bike again on tu/th mornings. I also have an event I want to attend Thursday night. I think I will take my flatware in my purse. It's at a Ceramics studio - so everyone is eccentric.

All bedding clean and changed. Recycling and garbage are out. Need to identify at least one other thing to do today. I am just maintaining right now and want to see actual progress. I haven't dusted the bedroom in a few weeks and it shows. I also need to empty the dishwasher but that falls under maintenance.

I need to get some things together for consigning. The pieces I've taken so far have sold. I'm not making a ton of money but I am making some money. And it's stuff up and out of here.

I still need to get microwave out but that seems like a big task for tonight.

Today I am finishing up my laundry by washing a different comforter-the one I leave folded at the foot of my bed and pull up only in cases of extreme cold. I wish I were at Tillie's so I could hang it outside.

I am getting work done and enjoying the room without the rug. What a great feeling. I have a lot of mail to go through tonight for trash collection. I also have some boxes to break down in order to put with the recycling. I bought some things on line--perfume and makeup--stuff I use up not stuff I pile up.

I'll write more later. Hope everything is going well with your days!

Thank you for the support everyone! I am trying to process all of it and am getting there, with your help.

Joan, just know that we are thinking of you. I pray and hope and wish for peace and freedom from the biting. My heart is with you. Just getting a quick hello is a treat.

I am doing laundry today. Very busy work day, being first day back. Have a busy week ahead. Thank goodness I'm home today, working with dr kitty right by my side. She's curled up and sleeping.

Hi, over with the kitties, they're napping. Our bunny club met to discuss the plans for the future. I'd feared recent setbacks might stop us in our tracks, but there's still opportunity to move forward. So that's a relief. Got to see new foster bunnies, all very sweet. One big fellow I'd probably have taken home if I had room and money to adopt another bunny!

Tatoulia, so sorry you had to endure the drama with your sister. Hoping she can come to realize what a waste of time to not be positive in family interactions. Glad it went better with mom and brother.

I recommend kitty hugs as many as it takes to get to feeling better. My boy bunny is my 4 footed long eared psychiatrist. My girl bunny is assistant. The difference is simply that boy bunny allows me to pick him up for extended cuddles, whereas girl bunny squirms and nips - but loves to be petted on her own terms. In fact, if I stop too soon she'll just stay there with her head down waiting for me to start up again.

This day is a bit fragmented to do much on the storage. May drop off a few things at the new unit on my way home from the cats. Should wrap up everything from old unit mid-week.

SubC, I agree that we have a harder time with changes than non-hoarders. Probably we overthink things. I see nothing wrong with bringing your own table service - you can call it a "green" practice and I bet some people will even think it's an idea they might want to try.

Joan, will continue to pray for relief for you - keep on keeping your spirits up. Glad you checked in. Wonder how Porter and Anony are doing.

Thanks, Tat and Tillie, for the supportive messages. Also SubC.

Hello, Anony and CM.

There can be stretches of time when I don't post because I have nothing to say. I bite myself, watch TV, and do different practices to reduce the biting and stop biting. I don't do anything else most of the time. Stopping the biting has been my top priority for about 55 years.

I am resting today after yoga class yesterday. I hope everyone is doing well. It is nice here today, so I have some windows open. I am about to watch one of my favorite shows, Face the Nation with John Dickerson. I tell people I go to the "Church of John" on Sundays. It used to be the "Church of Bob" before Bob Schieffier retired, hah!

Hi Tatoulia 🙂

Happy your time with your Brother was good:)
Whenever negative thoughts about your sister's behavior pop up
just push them out with happy positive thoughts about you and your Mom's time together on this trip.
(((HUGS)))

Nope, I never before posted that 20/20 rule.
I hear it a LOT while I'm watching videos on Youtube by professional organizers.

I think this rule helps a lot with not keeping stuff for "Justin Case". ;P

Great work, CM! So proud of you with your new storage unit! I hope you are feeling good about yourself, having set a goal and worked so hard toward it! Sorry the time with kitties is fragmented.

SubC-I am so happy to hear that the new/old table is working out. I generally feel good when I make a change in my house but I've been working on letting me go for a longer period of time. So those days of feeling sick or wistful or anxious when getting rid of something are now in the past for me. But I remember them.

Tillie I like the 20/20 rule very much! If you've stayed it before, then this is the first time it has registered. Love it!

Ok I'm going to rest now. Good time with brother. After I took him for his haircut he wanted to stop by my BF's to grab a cup of coffee. I stayed in the car while they socialized. Afterward I took brother grocery shopping and dropped off some things my mother needed.

Still very upset over sister but trying not to be. Mom and I still had a nice trip together.

Good Morning Everyone 🙂

Hi CriticalMass 🙂
WAY TO GO!!!!
for all the emptying of the old storage unit!
Great that you have also been able to sort out some stuff to give away rather than store in the new unit.
It's fine to keep those few sentimental holiday decorations.
All the other just random holiday decorations are OK to let go of because you can always find more when you have a bigger space to decorate.
There is a rule of thumb many organizers use to help make keep/toss decisions.
Do I use, need or love the item?
How hard would it be to replace this thing should I ever want it later?
The 20/20 rule...
Could I replace this item for under 20 dollars in 20 minutes.
Every year they create more holiday decorations so replacing them is rather cheap & easy.

I'm so glad your cousins were able to get a flight (((HUGS)))

Hi Subclinical 🙂
Thank you (((HUGS)))
I have a nice little pouch (Boy Scout) that has a spoon, fork & knife, all metal for camping.
I do not think it strange if you got your self something like this to use.
Eccentricity is a good thing. ;D
WTG! for not salvaging anything from that disposable lunch!
Change...
Change, even the smallest changes are extremely difficult for Steven.
I have come to believe that most all people who hoard also hate change.
When I make changes around here I do it slowly in phases to give him time to adjust to them.

Hi Tatoulia 🙂
Thank you (((HUGS)))
So sorry that you have all this nasty family drama in your life.
You deserve to be treated better than that (((HUGS)))
My whole family had always been mean and nasty to me so way back in the 1980s I disowned them all.
First I warned them that if they continued I would, they didn't stop so I have had no contact with them in any way ever since.
It was honestly the best thing I ever did for myself and have not regretted it once.
A couple of times over the years I have seen some of them standing out on the road in front of my house hoping I would allow them onto my property.
I just go inside and shut the door and wait till they leave.

Hi Anonymoniker, Joan And Porter 🙂

A lovely cool morning here and not expected to get hotter then 88 degrees today.
Today is the regularly scheduled watering day but I think I can now change that from every other day to every third day.
What a relief! And that frees up my time to do other things around here.
This Summer has been very hard on me and my garden and lots of things have been neglected since I was saving my energy to keep things watered.

Good morning!

Tillie, I am going to trust you and put my "coaster" in the burn barrel. I hope you feel better. I hate being sick or trapped inside on nice days!

Tatoulia, I'm sorry your trip ended up being more stress instead of a nice break. Hopefully this week will be calm and let you rest.

CM I am sure that you are going to find that the new storage unit is much better. But I completely understand the reaction to changes. Even good changes in your environment are stressful, and I think those of us who struggle with hoarding feel it more.

When dh put my great grandmother's table into the new breakfast nook and took the kitchen table away so that I couldn't keep eating/working in the old dark, cramped space, I was so unsettled I cried. I love having my "new" old table where I can enjoy it, and this space is just what I need - beautiful and full of light with views that make me happy.

I am used to it and enjoying it now, but the change made me feel like everything was shifting under my feet and swirling around me and it was a couple of weeks before I stopped pacing around the house like a cat in a new apartment.

I went to a picnic last night where a dear friend got an award. They fed us on paper plates with plastic cups and forks and I managed to clear my place and dh's and a friend's and throw everything away, but it was close. I almost stuck the forks in my purse. I hate plastic flatware so much.

I think I am going to start carrying real flatware in my purse so don't have to use disposables when I'm out. Do you think that is too weird? How old do you have to be to be "eccentric"?

Hi everyone,

These have been busy days and kind of strange ones. I was concerned for a different cousin in Florida instead of Texas, with the approach of Hurricane Irma. She has a young son with incurable cancer but stable at present, but they needed to get to NYC for his scans. They did manage to drive to Atlanta and get a flight from there.

And I just feel bad for everyone in both states and on islands or wherever the storms have been or may still go.

Closer to home, cat sitting has been different this time around because I have to fit it around the dog at home needing a potty break. Wish the two locations weren't across town from each other. I've been used to going to the cat place and spending the entire day - it's like a retreat, so quiet, a spacious house. This time it feels a bit rushed and fragmented, and with the storage unit on top of everything. But I do still get some nice time with the kitties or relaxing in a comfy chair.

Last night I went by the old storage unit and got most all the little stuff. Made decisions about some things that will be donated, some given to people I know, etc. It got dark and I needed to get home, so I didn't get completely finished but I don't have far to go. Mainly some holiday decorations to see what makes the cut or goes to charity.

I was pleasantly surprised to discover that I'd done a pretty good job of culling holiday stuff before I moved several years back (when the foreclosure happened). I've not been able to decorate for holidays much in the roommate situations - and if I'm going minimalist eventually I plan to be more scaled back on it anyway. Still, those few items that truly bring back childhood holiday memories without being overly elaborate are fine to keep.

So all is progressing well on that end. With the new unit it's reached the point where I need to sort and place more things on shelves before I block access to the shelves at the back. This feels more daunting than it will probably turn out to be.

I think there's some emotional shifting going on in my brain with all this - positive change yet any shakeup carries some feelings of uneasiness. I'll get through it, I know. And really, the new place is way better in terms of having a plan for where things will go. It will truly be storage rather than a dump pit.

As I may have mentioned before, I've got to concentrate on the home front as well, get some stuff from cluttering my areas here at the house just because I didn't want to have it far away. That stuff can now go over to the storage unit and still be accessible when I want it.

And I'll have nice fall weather in which to do all of this continued sorting and tossing, so things are on the upswing.

I'm so sorry you are feeling poorly, Tillie. I wish there were something I could do to help.

I am seeing brother today. I am still recovering from the trip. Both the heavy driving and the awfulness with sister. I wish I could press a re-do button.

Good Evening 🙂

Hi Tatoulia 🙂
I'm happy you made it home alright (((HUGS)))
Wonderful AAA was there rather quickly.
I know Kitty is happy now. 😉

Hi Subclinical 🙂
A lot of those silver waterproof linings on wrappers are cellulous and I successfully burn them in my burn barrel.
WAY TO GO!!!! for not settling on something that's not what you actually want!
Be patient and keep looking and eventually you will find the perfect stool.

Been sick since dark thirty last night.
Feeling a little better now but I'm tired.
Weather wise it has been a beautiful day here and I have wasted it. 🙁