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Archive through October 21, 2004

The TVClubHouse: General Discussions: 2004 Aug - Oct: TVCH's Home & Life Organization (ARCHIVES): Archive through October 21, 2004 users admin

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Lkunkel
Member

10-29-2003

Friday, October 15, 2004 - 10:28 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Vee, you can have the canvas organizers, but I suggest you think about what you'll be putting in them. I had them and anything over two turtlenecks per pocket caused them to buckle. If you're going to invest in this stuff, I suggest going for the Elfa, or comparable, drawer system (see mine above) and you can customize the size of the drawers and it is totally versatile. (Before the move, it was in our home office.)

I love Don Aslett--I decluttered his three volume Clutter set to a friend of mine who still has yet to read them--let alone eliminate clutter. (He has a studio apartment with more stuff than our 2 bedroom apartment.)

You wrote: "I love reading 'Talking Dirty with ...,' but, as Laurie says, FlyLady and Linda are quite different. I don't believe FlyLady gets too involved with the particulars of cleaning, i.e., the cleaning agents, methods, etc." Nope, other than how to clean your sink and offering her luscious feather duster, FlyLady doesn't touch how to clean things.


Vee
Member

02-23-2004

Saturday, October 16, 2004 - 6:03 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Oh, thanks for the heads-up on that product, Laurie. I hadn't thought that it wouldn't work so well. I will check out the Elfa system.

Have a great Saturday all...I'm off to the transfer station! Isn't it sad when the big event of the day is the town dump? I think that qualifies as one of those "You know you are from Maine if..." things.

Lkunkel
Member

10-29-2003

Saturday, October 16, 2004 - 4:26 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
LOL. I am just saying what happened to me. Try it, but keep the invoice slip just in case.

I was dreaming and in the dream I injured my leg and when Bill woke me from the nightmare, my knee was stiff and swollen--as it had been in the dream. And, where I had burn marks in the dream, I have bruises IRL.

Today, btw, is Sweetest Day. I ordered DH more issues of his Wrestling Newsletter, while he ordered me FLOWERS. I had sent a friend of ours an email explaining how to use Ebates, and used flowers for Sweetest Day as an example. He had the friend forward the email back to him. For a sneak peak, head to 1-800-FLOWERS, and type 2288 in the search feature.

BTW, Recipe Goldmine is an excellent resource if anyone is looking for homemade cleaning products or homemade beauty products. There are also gifts in a jar, homemade remedies, and a chance to totally lose yourself in a site for several hours.


Lkunkel
Member

10-29-2003

Saturday, October 16, 2004 - 5:41 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
BTW, those of you--Autumn--who had been following the canister ordering, since I have the kitchen decluttered and cleaned, I have ordered the canister set. Actually, I ordered two, since I had the opportunity to determine what I use and, given the fibro, what would be easiest for me to have out on the counter, and when I finished measuring, I discovered what would work best for me.

Now, off to do the next exercises in the Sacred Housekeeping book.


Vee
Member

02-23-2004

Saturday, October 16, 2004 - 6:52 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
What a lovely bouquet, Laurie! Is this what arrived for you?
2288

Lumbele
Member

07-12-2002

Monday, October 18, 2004 - 10:32 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Oooooooooh, nice!

BTW, those of you considering buying canisters, if you are living in humid climates especially, I recommend you look into the Tupperware ones. When we lived in B.C. for 2 years they were life savers because the climate was so humid.

Vee
Member

02-23-2004

Tuesday, October 19, 2004 - 7:22 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
How's everybody doing?

I think that I am really going to enjoy FlyLady's solutions for happily getting through the holidays. Did she do anything like this last year? Did it work?

Cleaned the yard a lot yesterday, but until the last leaf has floated there will continue to be more to do. Must get the deck furniture under cover here soon and things like that.

My sister wants to go shopping for a blouse to match her new brown pants. I have urged her to look through the winter stuff because I am certain there is something already there. She really just wants to shop though... We're never going to get ahead at this rate.

Catch you all later...hope that some of you will share your projects with us!

Lkunkel
Member

10-29-2003

Tuesday, October 19, 2004 - 8:53 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
She did do this last year after she and Rhonda (creator of the Christmas Notebook) met each other.

Rhonda's Christmas group runs from the first week in September until the second week in January and is downright exhausting.

I am restarting on my Control Manual this upcoming weekend (finally controlled the depression enough to do so), and I'm going to skip around and probably work on the holidays more than I would. I think I got myself locked into an area I couldn't handle at the time, since I was reviewing mine one week before typing it moving it over for y'all.

Lumbele, the canisters in question have been discussed since at least Aug. 6, and probably earlier than that. What is ironic is that I told Autumn then: "So, yes, Autumn, in the next few weeks, I will be ordering the canister set, actually, to clear out the pantry of flours, sugars, and other things, I'll be |b{ordering two sets}, since they are airtight. I know you were concerned that I wouldn't, but I will be."

And, indeed, two sets WERE ordered.

Lkunkel
Member

10-29-2003

Tuesday, October 19, 2004 - 10:26 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
btw, here are the flowers. The picture isn't the best, but they are fastastically fragrant!

flowers


Autumn
Member

10-29-2003

Tuesday, October 19, 2004 - 10:38 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
They are beautiful, L ~ enjoy them for all of us! And your cannisters too ~ so glad you've ordered them, I know you're going to love them for years to come.

Lkunkel
Member

10-29-2003

Tuesday, October 19, 2004 - 11:11 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
If I don't enjoy them, I'll send the canisters to you!

Seriously, I cannot wait to get them. I really feel like I'm getting a handle on the apartment. I just wish I'd have more good days than bad!

Today I am mostly staying in bed--desperately awaiting my leg pillow!--and trying to work on clearing out the area by my bed and clearing out the computer emails and files and working on my Household Notebook. I've taken my 2nd pain pill of the day--3 more to go.

Autumn
Member

10-29-2003

Tuesday, October 19, 2004 - 11:17 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
And you know what? I'll TAKE them! lol! They are very pretty ~ good call on that one!

As for good days - they will come. Honestly, I think we all have rotating good and bad stages ~ I know I do anyway.

Lkunkel
Member

10-29-2003

Tuesday, October 19, 2004 - 1:17 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Autumn, I figured you would!

I figured out what causes some of my fibro down days, thanks to the Support Group meeting yesterday. The depression I already have is increased by 30% (and that is generally what pulls me downs as I think I should be doing X, Y, or Z. even though I'm tired).

So, the thing I have to focus on NOW is the depression and redoing the tapes to say "just 15 minutes...just 15 minutes...etc."

I will win. I will defeat this.

Lkunkel
Member

10-29-2003

Tuesday, October 19, 2004 - 1:42 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Actually, I think I figured part of what was causing me problems--too much of one med in the morning was knocking me out.

My leg pillow should up, and BOY can I tell a difference! So my thought is as follows:

Tonight, take my meds early, so I can sleep. Set the alarm for 6 and get up and make my oatmeal and take my meds. That will give me a half hour to clean up stuff and then exercise with my balance ball (which scares the CRAP out of DH) then make my fruit smoothie (saving some for Bill), and then work on a portion of my Zone.

I also realized that I have only been eating about one meal a day--and that has to end. So tomorrow is a brand new day.

Vee
Member

02-23-2004

Wednesday, October 20, 2004 - 6:34 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Laurie, it is good to read that you have figured out some of what is going on with you. Hope that pillow is a big help to you. Now I just hope that you don't feel so terrific that you overdo it this morning! Do you think we can get Potshot to take a picture of your using the balance ball so you can post it? That would be fun to see!

And, good heavens, one meal a day is not enough. Definitely glad that you are mending your ways on that one. Dr. Phil would not be happy about that.

I am going to the basement again today even though the day is bright and clear. I ususally say that I won't waste these kinds of days down there, but anything can be faced fifteen minutes at a time.

Also, I am going to employ the 15 minutes with yard work for the rest of the raking season. Yesterday, I went great guns and today I am paying for it with very sore arms and shoulders. My own stupid fault!

You know, I wondered about that holiday stuff when I saw it, but so far the going is light. I have been using time sitting in the car waiting for writing lists, etc. We have actually talked about exactly what we would like to do this year instead of pulling it together willy-nilly.

Lumbele, what projects are you up to?

Spinner is home from her cruise so I am hoping that she will stop by and fill us in on what she's up to these days. I wonder if she unpacked immediately!

Purple is visiting grandchildren in Kentucky, I think. Sure would like to hear from her!

Then there's Landi who is MIA and Biloxibelle who is new and hopefully not overwhelmed. Wonder how that sink is doing. Is Schoolmarm still unpacking?

Sigh...just like to keep all my flybaby friends in a row. Must be ugly perfectionism raising its nasty head!

Spinner
Member

10-27-2003

Wednesday, October 20, 2004 - 7:04 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
LOL Vee! I did unpack "immediately" if "immediately" can be stretched to the following morning--we got home after midnight and went to bed as soon as we did a quick look over the house. But even then we got the luggage upstairs--not strewn all over the entry halls.

There will be more unpacking to do when the FedEx boxes arrive from the ship's shipping service. It was cheap and made the flight home much easier--and I think valuables are safer with FedEx than with airport inspectors. No, not valuable valuables--more like little purchases we didn't want stolen by airport inspectors. A gorgeous tablecloth from the Dutch Antilles, for example. Little items for family. No biggies.

All will be pleased to hear <G> that at all times our bathroom sink was shiny. I was amused to hear, on the second day or so out, DH call from the bath, "which washcloth are you using for shining the sink?" (He knew good and well that it was being shined--it's such a habit!)

And, wanting that peaceful feeling even in a borrowed bedroom, our clothes were always stored neatly and not out on the cabin's furniture or on the verandah. Having traveled with this line before and knowing that the storage, while ample, is almost all shelving, I packed our underwear in the fabric boxes from Ikea that are cheap and fold up if needed. We just stored those boxes on a shelf and pulled them out as needed. T-shirts (we wore them every day, all during the day) were in larger boxes of the same type which traveled folded and were reassembled once we got to the cabin and stored on shelves, ready to be pulled out. For the first time we didn't have stacks of clothes falling over whenever we picked out something from deep in the pile.

There's a deal onboard where they'll launder for $12 everything you can stuff in the laundry sack they provide. The bag's not big at all; when I first looked at it I told DH that this would be no bargain--we could probably get 3-4 pairs of jeans in one and that would be that. But I decided to give it a try because it's so nice to bring home clean underwear and shirts instead of dirty laundry and I was amazed to find that I could get 9 sets of underwear for both of us (T-shirt, briefs for DH, cotton panties/bras for me) as well a a couple pairs of jeans/slacks and some T-shirts/collared knit shirts, etc. Secret is to roll everything tightly and keep stuffing it into little corners in the bag. DH, watching, said if the bag didn't rip (it didn't!) I'd probably break a wrist with the degree of stuffing that was going on! And everything came back so beautifully folded, or ironed and hung on hangers! So we invested another twelve bucks and sent the second half of the trip's laundry so we only came home with dirty laundry for the last 2 days of the trip. A real luxury that extended the vacation--not facing 3 weeks of laundry when we got home.

We sort of took yesterday off to recover, catch up on mail, phone calls etc; this morning I turned on my Flylady reminders e-mails again so I'm ready for action.

Vee
Member

02-23-2004

Wednesday, October 20, 2004 - 10:42 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Somehow I just knew that you would be one organized lady! Just goes to prove that these principles work anywhere, even on board a ship. My grandmother always said that it was possible to make a home anywhere.

The laundry service sounds like a deal compared to hauling home a lot of clothes needing to be washed. How smart you were to haul your suitcases upstairs right away!

Hope you'll post some of your pictures so we can see how lovely your cruise was. I'd like to see the tablecloth that you spoke about, too.

Was anyone staying at your house while you were gone? I thought you were going to be able to pick right up where you left off. Happy fluttering!

Spinner
Member

10-27-2003

Wednesday, October 20, 2004 - 12:37 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Thanks, Vee. The fly principles do work anywhere!

We have over a thousand photos; all digital, and on my computer (part of our backup system on trips is to store each digital card on each computer, plus the iPod, and burn CDs for each card which can be stored away from the computers should something happen to them) and when I sort through I'll find a couple to post. Attached to this post is a photo of a little girl with her ice-cream cone; photo was taken in a plaza in Guatemala, with the mom's permission. My DH takes the photos--he's the photographer in the family, not me! (I'll keep the photo really small so it won't waste your time downloading; if anyone wants to see a larger version I can always email it to you.)

No one at the house while we were gone; we hire a neighbor girl to come by each day, pick up any paper trash that's on the doorstep/yard, feed the birds, water flowers, etc. She never has to come in the house. So all I had to do when we got home was to dust--most tables had a fine mist of dust--and get some fresh flowers in. Everything was in good shape, with nobody here. I'm a big believer in leaving a clean house when you go away.

Guatemalan child

Vee
Member

02-23-2004

Wednesday, October 20, 2004 - 2:45 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
She's a cutie! I envy you your picture cropping/editing/sizing skills!

Spinner
Member

10-27-2003

Wednesday, October 20, 2004 - 4:19 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Photoshop, Vee, Photoshop! <G> No skills really involved.

Vee
Member

02-23-2004

Thursday, October 21, 2004 - 6:36 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Laurie, I'm concerned that you may have gone into whirling dervish mode! Please check in today so that we know how you're doing.

The leaves keep whirling and they can be quite dangerous if wet or frosty especially when they pile up around the steps and in the driveway. I have determined not to allow them to get ahead of me, but also not to overdo the way I did Tuesday. Yesterday, I took my timer outside and clipped it to the sun umbrella on the deck while I did 15 minutes, and just 15 minutes, worth of raking. It was not perfect, but it was good enough. My arm and shoulder even felt better after raking than before so I guess I am without excuse. I plan to follow this method until the leaves are removed or until the snow flies, whichever comes first.

Photoshop, eh? Well I have Photo Suite, which I have not been able to completely decipher yet. I can reduce a photo so that it can be posted here, but the clarity seems to suffer. Haven't figured that out yet. But then I've never been the sharpest blade in the drawer!

Lumbele's back seems to be bothering her way too much these days. Schoolmarm had quite the frightening adventure this week so our little Flybaby crew have all been enduring some challenges. Hugs to you all!

Spinner
Member

10-27-2003

Thursday, October 21, 2004 - 6:47 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
LK, I'm hoping that all's well with you.

Leaves! We don't have any, but there are times when I wish we did. We used to have a liquidamber tree that dropped them; one tree's worth isn't too much to rake and I enjoyed it. Alas, the tree's roots were taking out our driveway, the neighbor's drive and the sidewalk--it had to go.

Vee, Photoshop is very expensive and not what you need unless you do this professionally. But Adobe makes Photoshop Elements which is under a hundred bucks, very easy to use, will do everything you need and has lots of neat features like one-shot red eye correction. That sort of thing. Look for a good price but shouldn't be over $99.

Spinner
Member

10-27-2003

Thursday, October 21, 2004 - 6:57 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
In keeping with this thread <G> I offer one more photo--a mommy with her children in their very uncluttered home. This was taken in a pouring rain from a moving gondola using a telephoto lens--I couldn't see the monkeys at all, just a blur of orange--until we could open and zoom in on the monkeys because the tree was a hundred feet from us or so, but we were even in elevation from the treetop. It's one of my favorites, and it's from a rain forest in Costa Rica. It's my DH's photography, of course!

Rainforest canopy

Vee
Member

02-23-2004

Thursday, October 21, 2004 - 7:48 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I love these photos...they are way too cool!

Spinner, would you also consider posting in Travel Central where more Clubhouse folks will enjoy them? Not too many know about this little corner or avoid it like the plague!

Spinner
Member

10-27-2003

Thursday, October 21, 2004 - 7:54 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Vee, I glanced around over there and seemed to me that the travel under discussion was travel to meet with other clubhouse members; maybe I glanced too quickly. My general impression is that most people are quickly bored by other people's travel slides so I thought I'd just put up a couple here.