2015 Declutter and Get Organized Thread

[debthaven]

Lund we still have not heard from the vet ... I'm worried it's not good news, because she should have called this morning. 

In fact DD was wrong, it's a two-month probationary period, so it will end 5 Nov. That sheepskin is a good idea ... I will look into it. But I'm not sure she could hang it to dry inside the hotel. Waterproof pants might be a good idea too, and they would be more discreet in the hotel changing room. 

[debthaven]

I went for a long walk in the forest with my friend and got a text with good news from the vet! Bunny is eating and poo-ing. She'll examine him again tomorrow but she thinks he'll be able to come home tomorrow! 

ETA: DS2 came home for dinner. I cleared up, ran / emptied the dishwasher and did another load of laundry. And DS3 sent off his college applications tonight, online! Yikes! 

Tomorrow I have only 2 classes, then come home with my 59 finals. Will also keep up with house / kitchen / laundry and try to schedule a bunch of house maintenance appts.

This week
- bank (deposit check)
- call roofer for appt
- call plumber for appt
- call gardener for appt
- get car tuned up
- shop/cook for Wed book club 
- 59 midterms

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Ugh. I just splattered my face with the Pine Sol and toilet water. That's a sign that I should take a break, right?

[debthaven]

Ouch Chloe! Yes definitely! 

[busymom]

It's been a full weekend. Yesterday DS & I went to see DD at her campus, & we dropped off food & her winter clothes. (We also took in a college football game while we were there.)   This morning we slept in, & then I spent the rest of the day trying to catch up on laundry & general cleaning.

I talked to the painters this morning.  They're completely done!  (Our real estate agent had found some additional areas that she thought needed some work.)  Later this week the floor refinishers begin their work.

Tomorrow morning I had a short appointment with the attorney.  Estate work seems complicated!

[Wisconsin Beth]

Spent the weekend up North so the house is a HUGE pit of mess.  DH unloaded the minivan while I ran DS up to Urgent Care - he started limping and we have no idea what he did.  Doctor said it's a sprained foot and to give him Tylenol/ibuprofen and if he's still hurting on Wed, bring him back in.  While I appreciate DH unloading everything and dealing with the cooler, he left everything else in the kitchen and living room.  And we scrounged for dinner and dishes are EVERYWHERE.    And I took a pain pill last night for my jaw so I pretty much was out of it. 

[megaptera]

I did some non-slacking this weekend.  I cleaned out my laundry room, laundry got finished, a lot of football (and Walking Dead) got watched, and a knitting project got completed. (Oh, alright, I suppose those last couple of items may belong in the "slacking" category.  )

My laundry room is super tiny and cramped, and it's also where I store my soap-making and food preservation supplies. (I may or may not have a mason jar hoarding issue.) I was able to get rid of a lot of stuff, and condense items to make a lot more room.

I feel somewhat accomplished.

[Chocolate Lover]

I washed some clothes, watched football, gave Mom a stack of her mail that may be a couple of weeks old (we share a PO box, whoever gets to it checks it). Um...... I did take my elderly aunt shopping. That took a while. 

I went ahead and got my Hamlet tickets today, I decluttered some cash.

[megaptera]

Oct 12, 2015 11:56:44 GMT -5 Chocolate Lover said:

I went ahead and got my Hamlet tickets today, I decluttered some cash.

Let us know how Hamlet is, I probably won't be able to make it.

Anything involving Benedict is definitely worth some decluttering of cash.

[Chocolate Lover]

Oct 12, 2015 13:41:53 GMT -5 megaptera said:

Oct 12, 2015 11:56:44 GMT -5 Chocolate Lover said:

I went ahead and got my Hamlet tickets today, I decluttered some cash.

Let us know how Hamlet is, I probably won't be able to make it.

Anything involving Benedict is definitely worth some decluttering of cash.

Aww, sorry you can't make it.  

I think so!

[megaptera]

Oct 12, 2015 13:52:52 GMT -5 Chocolate Lover said:

Oct 12, 2015 13:41:53 GMT -5 megaptera said:

Let us know how Hamlet is, I probably won't be able to make it.

Anything involving Benedict is definitely worth some decluttering of cash.

Aww, sorry you can't make it.  

I think so!

Ah, no biggie.  I COULD go, but I'd have to find someone for DD to stay with (we homeschool), and I live just far enough from Seattle to make it a pain to travel over there.

But I will look forward to your review, I bet it'll be awesome!

[Chocolate Lover]

Oct 12, 2015 15:12:35 GMT -5 megaptera said:

Oct 12, 2015 13:52:52 GMT -5 Chocolate Lover said:

Aww, sorry you can't make it.  

I think so!

Ah, no biggie.  I COULD go, but I'd have to find someone for DD to stay with (we homeschool), and I live just far enough from Seattle to make it a pain to travel over there.

But I will look forward to your review, I bet it'll be awesome!

Awesome huh? What if words fail me?

[megaptera]

Oct 12, 2015 15:24:59 GMT -5 Chocolate Lover said:

Oct 12, 2015 15:12:35 GMT -5 megaptera said:

Ah, no biggie.  I COULD go, but I'd have to find someone for DD to stay with (we homeschool), and I live just far enough from Seattle to make it a pain to travel over there.

But I will look forward to your review, I bet it'll be awesome!

Awesome huh? What if words fail me?

Nooooo! I'm going to need details!

[Chocolate Lover]

Oct 12, 2015 15:48:19 GMT -5 megaptera said:

Oct 12, 2015 15:24:59 GMT -5 Chocolate Lover said:

Awesome huh? What if words fail me?

Nooooo! I'm going to need details!

I will do my best to be prepared to give details. Lots and lots of details. 

[debthaven]

That's so exciting about the tickets Chocolate! I want to hear details too. :-)

Bunny is home! He still isn't completely back to normal but he's home.

I marked 20 midterm essays (1 class) before rehearsal so I'm considering today a win. I have to do as much as possible tomorrow because I have errands and my book club here on Wed. I'd like to finish the midterms before I go in Thursday at noon but that's a stretch. 

This week
- call plumber  
- call firewood   
- call gardener  
- bottle bank
- call roofer  
- bank (deposit checks) (Wed)
- shop/cook for book club (Wed)
- take DS3 to doc (Wed)
- get car tuned up

Marking goals
- Mon: 20 essays
- Tues: 20 essays
        59 vocab
- Wed: 19 essays
        59 grammar

Update: It's 2.30 on Tues and I finished today's marking.   I'm going to start on the rest ...

[Wisconsin Beth]

I got 2 loads of laundry washed yesterday.  2nd load is in the dryer and I set the washer this morning to delay start the next load.  Ran dishwasher.  Started putting stuff away from the trip.  Hit Target with C to have him pick out stuff for his b-day party, tonight I need to write out those invites for him so he can give them out tomorrow.  Bought him a new frame because his old one died so I'd like to get that put together tonight too.  I've got a headboard in the basement for it but first things first.  And I need to finish up the box for returning C's dead Kindle Jr.  The replacement did come last week.

I think I need a list here;
1. box up Kindle and drop off at a UPS place.
2. get football pool stuff to Dad tonight.
3. set up frame for DS's twin bed and check if the extra headboard will work as is or not.
4. laundry
5. empty dishwasher and load it again. 
6. put handwash stuff away - both laundry and dishes now that I think about it.
7. put kids stuff from weekend away (or supervise while they do it)
8. evaluate C's foot again.  Doc on Sunday said bring him back on Wed. if necessary.  It's a sprained foot and I think he's walking better/limping less. 
9. write out invites for C's friend party on Sat. 10/24/15
10. talk to younger sister and find out if she wants to host her youngest DD's (DN#5) party and C tags along or if we want to do C's party and DN#5 tags along.   Also if we can crash her neighborhood's Halloween stuff again this year. 
11. decide if I want to run home for my cell phone or be incommunicado today. 
12. go to dentist for cleaning and set up next round of work, which could be another root canal, then crown prep work.
13. figure out dinner.  Right now it's looking like frozen pizza. 
14. call to set up haircuts

[Wisconsin Beth]

And yay for Bunny being back

[debthaven]

Thanks Beth! That's a big list ...

Update
This week
- call plumber next Wed afternoon, TBC
- call firewood 8.30 Fri
- call gardener next Wed afternoon
- bottle bank
- call roofer left message
- bank (deposit checks) (Wed)
- shop/cook for book club (Wed)
- take DS3 to doc (Wed)
- get car tuned up

Marking goals
- Mon: 20 essays
- Tues: 20 essays
    59 vocal
    20 grammar
- Wed: 19 essays
    40 grammar

ETA: I had the ingredients for chili at home so I made a chili for book club tomorrow night. I still need to make cornbread, but at least the chili is done. I'll probably just buy dessert. 

[Chocolate Lover]

Glad to hear Bunny is home Debt!

[debthaven]

Thanks Beth and Chocolate! He is doing better today. 

[debthaven]

Feel free to ignore this, I'm posting a new list for tomorrow. 

Wed
- call roofer again
- bank (deposit checks)  
- finish shopping/cooking for book club  
- take DS3 to doc  
- find out how to change DD's health insurance
- get car tuned up?

Marking goals
- Mon: 20 essays
- Tues: 20 essays
        59 vocal
        20 grammar
- Wed: 19 essays
        40 grammar

[debthaven]

I had forgotten, one of my best friends is coming over tomorrow ... to request 5 birth certificates from the UK online. Her timing is REALLY bad for me because of my midterms. She told me it should only take about 3 hours ... I  told her I can give her 1.5-2 hours but not 3.

DH told me it should take an hour, max. This is because my friend is computer illiterate. She's a nurse. She claims she doesn't need the computer for work (although I can't help wonder how she makes her reports .. she tells me they are all transmitted orally.) But seriously, how can ANYBODY be computer illiterate these days?! And yes, she has a computer.

Then she told me if I am too busy this week it's not a problem for her, she'll just leave the rest for me to do when I have more time.   I said NO WAY, please don't do that to me. DS1 arrives on Thursday, I have to get these papers done, and I'd like the weekend (more or less) off. This said if it doesn't go as planned I can always tell her to come back to finish another day. 

She is a VERY GOOD friend but frankly, how on earth can anybody be that computer illiterate these days?! Oh, and she offered to pay me, which is REALLY offensive.

And since I'm in rude mode here, let me tell you what happened at the bakery today. I was on line but I respect people's personal space, so I always stand back from the people at the cashier. An elderly woman walked in, pretended not to see me, and walked right in front of me. Since I was invisible, I decided she must be too. So I pretended not to see her either, and walked right back in front of her. 

That totally BURNED me!!! If she had smiled at me, or asked me if I minded if she went in front of me, I would TOTALLY have let her do it, and opened the door for her / walked her to her car / driven her home too! 

She knew she was in the wrong so she didn't say anything. Thank Gd for that because I was in a foul mood after all that marking LOL. But she did NOT look happy. 

Last summer (during the heat wave) there was a very elderly lady at the local pharmacy who wasn't feeling well. She told the pharmacists she had walked there but was no longer sure she could manage to walk back. I offered her a ride. She thanked me but refused. The pharmacists told her, don't worry, we've known Debthaven for 30 years, you can trust her. Please let her drive you home, that way we won't have to worry about you. So she did. 

It was sort of funny (and sad too) because she refused to tell me exactly which house she lived in, she made me drop her off at a busy corner. Well at least she was a lot closer.

But that woman at the bakery today REALLY pissed me off! I was raised to respect my elders but I have rarely seen one that has ZERO manners or respect for anybody else! 

This said, part of me feels shitty now, part of me wishes I had just let her go in front of me. If she hasn't learned any manners at her age, there's little hope of me teaching her any.

But part of me thinks, you never know, it's never too late. 

[Wisconsin Beth]

I got most of this done. Still need to do the invites and dinner was fast food. Left messages for T and my sister. And the laundry but that's eternal...

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Ugh, debt! None of that is pleasant!!! I'm glad you won in the bakery. 


Wednesday is my last day of volleyball!!! WOOOHOOOO!!!

I'm falling behind on a bit of other stuff, so it'll be great to have a bit more time. 

[debthaven]

Yay for volleyball being over Chloe! You'll have a lot more spare time now.

Wed
- call roofer again
- bank (deposit checks)
- finish shopping/cooking for book club
- ordered a birthday present on Amazon
- mended DS3's t-shirt
- find out how to change DD's health insurance told DD to deal with this
- take DS3 to doc
- get car tuned up?

Marking goals
- Mon: 20 essays
- Tues: 20 essays
59 vocal
20 grammar
- Wed: 19 essays
40 grammar

I finished marking the second my friend rang the doorbell so I was a lot more relaxed. It took us about 1.5 hours. I still have to calculate the total marks.

I made the cornbread, I just have to buy dessert.

[debthaven]

Good luck getting through the next few weeks! I would worry about delayed flights too ...

[debthaven]

Book club came and went ... I cleared up the kitchen, ran and emptied the dishwasher (twice), put away the leftovers, took out the recycling and the bottles. There were nine of us for dinner. 

DH is doing the 7 am bus run tomorrow and Fri so I don't have to get up at 6.  I have about 1.5h left on the midterms (calculating final marks and copying them onto a sheet). I only work a half-day tomorrow.  

And then two weeks with no marking! 

Best of all, DS1 comes home tomorrow! His dad is picking him up at the airport since I'm working. 

[busymom]

I'm glad your DS1 will be home tomorrow, debthaven.    Sorry about the rude behavior you've been experiencing.  How about telling your friend to attempt it herself, first?    And, I think that was so sweet that you gave the lady at the pharmacy a ride home!

Tomorrow DS & I have to get up early to let the floor refinishers into Mom's house.  So glad things are progressing there.  Beginning Saturday, I (and DH) need to work to reclaim our own house.

[jenpen]

Quick check-in.  I am totally in reverse-progress mode.  This past weekend, for some inexplicable reason, I cluttered up my home with two (2!!!) adopted kittens. And all their stuff.  And all their shedded hair. And all their tracked bits of litter.    What on earth was I thinking?!?!?

ETA: But OMG they are so sweet!  I have to post things quickly, though, because the boy has been trying to help me type this!

[debthaven]

Haha Jenpen! You got rid of the clutter to make room for the kittens! 

ETA: Busy in the end my friend came over, brought lunch, and I did the online paperwork for her. Good thing I was there too ... she has never used her CC to pay for anything online, so the card had never been "authorised" by her bank for online pay. So in the end I paid and she wrote me a check.

This morning we are having firewood delivered ... it takes a couple of hours to put it on the woodpile in the back of the house using a wheelbarrow. DH and DS3 will do that this weekend.