Author |
Message |
Lkunkel
Member
10-29-2003
| Saturday, September 03, 2005 - 3:04 pm
To the best of my knowledge, closing is on Tuesday. (Stupid holiday...) I've reactivated my FlyLady mail (I was just going to the site to read it) and I joined two "sub-groups": FlyLady Clutter Busters and FlyLady Gardeners. My goal for this upcoming week: finish going through papers; start packing up my books to send media mail to Mom; and to do the following 4 tasks with the plants: Transplant house plants as needed; Empty pots/planters of soil from deceased plants; Write down names of dead plants for replacing once we're moved; and Clean out pots that are moving. Doing those tasks in-between will give me a chance to reconnect with nature and to recharge myself. So, those are my goals for this week. Anyone else?

|
Lkunkel
Member
10-29-2003
| Tuesday, September 06, 2005 - 6:12 pm
September has been designated Disaster Preparedness month. As part of that, the Clark County Health District has started the Can-It Program. Everyone should have a disaster preparedness plan, and with it, supplies for at least 2-3 days. (Of course, given what we have seen, I would actually plan for a week...) So, what do you need? Place the following items in a clean, new plastic garbage can with a sturdy, sealable lid. Water: one gallon per person per day Food: Minimum three-day supply that won't spoil (include utensils, can openers, etc.) First Aid Kit Special Items: for babies, pets, the elderly and disabled. Prescription Medicines: Set aside 7 days worth of meds from the most recent prescription and place in labeled bottles; when you refill your prescriptions, switch out the reserve with the new. Clothing: One complete change of clothing and footwear} per person per day. Bedding: blankets or sleeping bags. Tools and Supplies: Cash (most minimum estimates have been $25/$15 per adult/child per day), battery operated radio, flashlight, extra batteries, cell phone and charger, personal hygiene items, bucket with fitted lid (to use as commode), garbage bags, disinfectant, comfort items and a map of the area of locating shelters. You should also have two portable kits--one in the car and one at work. A small duffle or camping backpack is ideal. Essentials include: First Aid Kit Blanket Water Garbage Bags and Ties Flashlight and Extra Batteries Non-Perishable Food I know they recommend the battery flashlights and radios, but I am going to experiment with the non-battery options. Possible flashlight suggestions include: Crank LED Flashlights ($34.99); First Alert® Eternal Flashlight ($12.50); and The Illuminator ($29.95). Possible radios include: Grundig® Crank Radio ($49.99); Emergency Crank Radio ($49.95); and Emergency Crank Radio ($39.95). I will include some batteries, but I don't want to have to strictly rely on them. For blankets, you may want to think about thermal/solar blankets, as well as a fleece blanket. And, of course, no matter what electronics on which you have your Control Journal, have a print out. Also, as a thought, every day on my tennis shoes I have a dog tag (one that has an opening on each end) with my name, address, and phone number. Perhaps, especially for small children, you could get a double-sided tag with their name, address, age, medical problem, and an out-of-area relative and put the tag on a watchband in the emergency kit. That way, if the munchkin IS separated from you, they will already have their band on with their name. Remember: Be Prepared--Not Scared

|
Vee
Member
02-23-2004
| Friday, September 09, 2005 - 11:22 am
Very good list, Laurie. Hope that a lot of people have these kinds of tools and use them! I was just looking up the track of Hurricane Ophelia and I know that all of us on the East Coast will be watching with a wary eye. This never becomes a matter of evacuating in my corner of the world, but it certainly will for those directly in her path. Hope she stays well out to sea. Laurie, what have you heard about closing? Did everything go through as planned? My grandmother's house was finally closed this week. She was there to go through it one last time and she said it wasn't as difficult this time since it is empty and just a shell of a home. She said that she thanked the house for providing her shelter for over seventy years and she told it to be as kind to the new owners as it was to her. I thought that was sweet.
|
Lkunkel
Member
10-29-2003
| Friday, September 09, 2005 - 4:24 pm
The closing would actually be 30 days, not 10. Not that it matters, since I cannot move. I'm in tears right now.

|
Lkunkel
Member
10-29-2003
| Friday, September 09, 2005 - 8:40 pm
Vee, you should be making a blizzard emergency kit. You need to think about the list I posted.
|
Vee
Member
02-23-2004
| Saturday, September 10, 2005 - 5:42 am
I actually do have the first list that you posted a year ago. (Have I mentioned how much I love my control journal lately? It has everything in it including a picture of my new haircut.) Living in Maine nearly all my life, I had never had reason to even imagine using such a thing, but after the Ice Storm of '97 I know that weird things can happen anywhere. Thanks for the reminder! How are you today? Whatcha got up your sleeve? (I'm cleaning the garage before it gets any more out of control.)
|
Lkunkel
Member
10-29-2003
| Saturday, September 10, 2005 - 3:35 pm
I stuck to my promise and stopped crying at midnight. Right now, I am going through books to see what I am moving and what I am not. I am also pulling out books I haven't read yet so that I can move them into my room and have things to read. I'm also inputing them into the Insurance database as I go. The one bright spot? I will have all of my stuff and the household/office stuff cataloged before moving. All that will be left is Bill's stuff (books, etc.) that I can work on after we move. Make sure you put in who did the haircut, where, and when. it will save you struggles in the future. My journal is coming along. I love having it in Treepad. Even if there are components elsewhere, I know it is all in Treepad. Or in the Inventory. I haven't figured out how to move that into Treepad, but they are both saved on the Jumpdrive. I have all of my witchcraft books sorted (out of 39, I kept 25)...of course, I found 3 more that I want. Next up, my general spirituality books.

|
Puppylov3
Member
01-26-2004
| Saturday, September 10, 2005 - 5:52 pm
I need a I live in a mobile home in torando country and have to be able to run out of the house at a moment's notice list.
|
Lkunkel
Member
10-29-2003
| Saturday, September 10, 2005 - 10:44 pm
Puppy: I'm moving to a mobile home in Tornado country, and the supply list is valid for it too. I'm putting the bulk of the human and cat food, water, sleeping bags, and tent in a large, sturdy garbage can. The camping supplies will be in another garbage can. (My other thought was to store all of this in the van I hope to buy, which is a conversion camper. Of course, I'm taking the risk then that the van will blow away. (If I have the warning of a Tornado Watch for my area, we can load the van and head for lower ground.)) In the backpacks are the other supplies: undergarments, seasonal appropriate change of clothes, personal items, drugs, a lightweight blanket (from quakewear, or whatever the site is called), lightweight poncho, 6 bottles of water, some non-perishable food, 2 cans of cat food, 1 pound of dry food, jumpdrive with all the control journal and insurance inventory on it, and first aid kit. Next to the backpacks are the cat carriers. Once I have my Office in a Bag set up, it will not be with the backpack, but it will be with my laptop, which I also hope to grab. The priority tho, is to grab the cats, grab the backpacks, and then, if there is time, grab my OIAB and my laptop bag. I have gotten into the habit of putting my computer to sleep, unplugging it, and putting it in the laptop bag. I'll happily work with you more if you'd like Puppy.

|
Puppylov3
Member
01-26-2004
| Sunday, September 11, 2005 - 5:49 am
my advice - when you get to your new town - ask around and find out where people can go in case of a tornado. In my small town there is a church that opens so that is where I head. The plan (once I get organized) is to keep a duffle bag of stuff in the trunk of the car so I don't have to "find" it - especially during the spring (march to june). Course I have a small car which makes storage difficult.
|
Lkunkel
Member
10-29-2003
| Sunday, September 11, 2005 - 12:38 pm
Puppy: one on the pages of my Control Journal has the space for that information. I do plan on filling it in as soon as we get there. As dumb as it sounds, double check under your mobile and make sure that the mobile was indeed properly secured. You can also have more reinforcement added. I grew up in a mobile, and my dad went under and added to the reinforcement that the installers provided. Overkill? Probably, but out mobile didn't budge in the wind--something that was a major comfort to me. Since you do have a small car--and not a lot of room--I recommend that you find a way to keep the bulk of supplies out of your car until the watch is declared. I'm going through Quake Kare to get most of my items as they are much less expensive than some of the sites. They also have checklists (which match all of the other emergency checklists I have seen) so I know I'm not getting anything that isn't necessary. I just ordered the pepper spray and whistle, and plan on ordering more once I have a better idea of what we are doing. I'm also wondering about getting framed backpacks since we'll be handling 3 pet carriers, and a large wheeled garbage can in our hands. Even DH thought that was a good idea, so I'll be looking at those later. As I continue working on getting our lives together (belongings sorted and inventoried; figuring out what we need in a disaster; and trying to buy my van; figuring out where we're going to live from January to the SS hearing; finishing off my Control Journal) I am, slowly, feeling like I have a handle on things. Getting my witchcraft books packed yesterday helped a lot. Granted, I still have a lot more to inventory and pack, but accomplishing that showed me that I can do this.

|
Vee
Member
02-23-2004
| Monday, September 12, 2005 - 6:06 am
So good to hear that you are feeling better, Laurie. Nothing like doing something...almost anything...to feel back in control. That's actually a problem for me that I still am working on after all this time. But enough psychology. Posting two photos that best represent my issue. Now, I am going to be organizing clutter because this stuff is not all mine...just trying to make it possible for people to easily find what is theirs and for the pathways to be clear. We'll see what a couple of hours (cough) will do. Thanks for helping me be accountable. Yesterday, I got completely sidetracked by real life.
Books, magazines, boxes, junk, stuff...
Furniture, clothes, boxes, junk, stuff...
|
Lumbele
Member
07-12-2002
| Monday, September 12, 2005 - 7:00 am
Wow, Vee, for an attic that looks pretty darn good to me. You should have seen my mother's when I tackled it a few years ago. Can't wait to see the "after" pics. That's the spirit, Laurie! Tackle what you can control, the rest just may fall into place after all. Good luck!
|
Prisonerno6
Member
08-31-2002
| Monday, September 12, 2005 - 7:09 am
Your comment about your mother's attic reminded me of a story that could serve as a decluttering inspiration for anyone. My mother had a friend who had to clean out her mother's house when the mother died. The friend wanted to hire someone to do it, because the house was so crammed with stuff (there was so much stuff in the attic, the third floor ceiling was bowing down). She started herself, however, and soon realized she would have to finish it herself. It seems her mother had the habit of squirreling away cash in assorted places. $30 here, $20 there, several hundred dollars in a box of old girdles... She had to go through each magazine and newspaper (decades worth) to see if any cash was tucked in between pages. Each box of stuff had to be open4ed, unpacked, and repacked, just in case her mother left anything in there. When it was all done, she found over $40,000 in cash, enough to pay off her mortgage. So you never know what you'll find when you start to declutter. 
|
Vee
Member
02-23-2004
| Monday, September 12, 2005 - 7:32 am
I love that story, Prisoner! We have a similar story to tell about a great-aunt with Alzheimer's except that she squirreled away all the dishes, towels, and silverware. Every now and then a bobby pin. My overwhelmed uncle called on my mother for help after his wife was placed in a nursing home and we unraveled little packages like that every weekend for months. My uncle was very happy to get his silverware back.. but, alas, no money! Okay, I am done. It is hotter than the dickens today. I can't believe that I was so cold last night that I got up in the night to don a flannel nightie. Anyway, here are the afters. Oh, just wanted to say that I managed to get back in the house with just three things...yup, I found three things that the house needed desperately...LOL!
Right "aisle"
Seating area (hey! this is exhausting work...)
Room for more There is no left aisle shot because it came out too dark...you'll have to trust me. Happy flying, all!
|
Lumbele
Member
07-12-2002
| Monday, September 12, 2005 - 8:25 am
That rocker will come in handy in the new year, Grammy! The other chair looks so comfy, too. Well done, Vee! Now go have a nice rest of the day, next to the airconditioner, feet up. You completed your quantum for today. BTW: What did you carry into the house? Prisoner, loved that story and the silverware story is hilarious, too.
|
Vee
Member
02-23-2004
| Monday, September 12, 2005 - 8:52 am
Yup, that's the rocker that I used with my two, but we already have four rockers in the house. One in living room, one in dining room, and one in both bedrooms. We are obviously off our rockers! (See how easily I make this for you, Lum?!) Maybe the kids'll want it, but I haven't been able to unload it yet and it does come in handy right where it is. I brought in two end tables...small ones that'll tuck up against the living room chairs...need something and a picture that I can just see in my mother's house. LOL! She's gonna hate me. BTW, you can see those end tables right behind the blue plastic bag in the first set of photos.
|
Vee
Member
02-23-2004
| Monday, September 12, 2005 - 9:00 am
See how easily I make this for you, Lum?! Spoken like a true English teacher! I meant to say, ahhh, forget it, you know what I meant to say! LOL
|
Lumbele
Member
07-12-2002
| Monday, September 12, 2005 - 10:13 am
Oh, easily, easily, Vee and you've said it all, dang!
|
Lkunkel
Member
10-29-2003
| Thursday, September 15, 2005 - 2:17 pm
Vee: If I didn't say it: your attic looks great. If I did say it already, it still looks fantastic. Well, I am not yet a car owner. The car meet up fell through. The woman became ill and couldn't make the drive. Of course, she didn't tell me that this morning, so I climbed on the bus at 9:37 (leaving the house at 9:15) and a transfer and walk later, arrived at Buffalo's shop at 10:45. At 12:05pm, DH called me to tell me to come home, that she had called and was pulling over every 5 minutes to be sick. So I apologized to Buff, walked to the bus stop, waited for the bus, and a wait and transfer later, I walked in the door at 1:40PM. So, we'll try it next week. Only to find out that the complex will not fix EITHER toilet, so after we go, we have to flush and plunge. They think they might get to it next week. Hence, I placed a call to the health department and filed a complaint. The woman I spoke with gave me heaps of advice, so the apartment complex will be getting a letter tomorrow. I feel like I have gotten nothing done this week. I have inventoried and packed 1 box of books to be mailed; I have listed out categories for the inventory list; I took the bus to and from the doctor yesterday; I've walked 5 miles so far this week; I did laundry; we went out to dinner with a friend; I've shredded 1 box of papers; and I'm about to start sorting out more papers. I hope the look for Typo goes better this weekend. We're going over tomorrow to see what we have at first, and then what I do will depend on whether I have a kitten with which to play and train. I won't be giving him his official name until two weeks from now on the new moon. Then, if we bond well over the month, I will do the familiar blessing during the full moon--if he agrees, of course. Anyway...off to paperwork.

|
Lkunkel
Member
10-29-2003
| Friday, September 16, 2005 - 9:20 am
It's Super Fling Boogie Time on FlyLady's site. I'm going to take advantage of this time to really hustle my bustle through here to get things done. Anyone willing to join me?

|
Vee
Member
02-23-2004
| Friday, September 16, 2005 - 4:38 pm
Yup, I'll be joining in...about five bags to go to Goodwill tomorrow from attic clean-up. I like the article FlyLady has on How to Declutter. She's got great tips!
|
Lkunkel
Member
10-29-2003
| Saturday, September 17, 2005 - 12:45 pm
It is a good article. I actually go widdershins--counter-clockwise--as it is part of a banishment ritual. And if there is anything I want to banish, it's clutter!!

|
Lumbele
Member
07-12-2002
| Saturday, September 17, 2005 - 4:32 pm
Okay, gang how do you have your recipes organised? At my house there are a few tins with cut-outs and rip-outs from mags; a thick binder with recipes in protector sheets too heavy to lift and my favourite, a file card box bursting so it's hard to find anything even though alphabetised. Ah, I can hear y'all already: "Declutter!!!!", right? But there are times when I realise my menus have become boring and then I start digging for ideas. Other times one or the other around here needs to go on a special diet for a while, so I go hunting for help there.
|
Vee
Member
02-23-2004
| Saturday, September 17, 2005 - 4:52 pm
I loathe recipe boxes so I have my recipes in an inexpensive photo album that houses photos in individual slots. Well, here, a picture is worth a thousand words.
I purchased sticky tabs so that I could find each section easily. I have color coded so I know what each color represents, but the tabs can also be written on. This works well for me because I find the recipe more quickly and I can remove the recipe easily or leave it as it is since I can still read both sides.
|
|