Hi Tatoulia
Thank you (((hug)))
You already know my woes & worries.
The house needing fixing and his hoard causing infestations and my health deteriorating and I'm not able to do much and so on and so on...

About the pillow gifts.
We are allowed to do whatever we want after receiving a gift.
But yeah,
Some people want to SEE that we have kept everything they ever gave us.

Make up a story.
Burglars stole them.
One of your cats (not Miss Kitty, the other cat)destroyed it. Shredded them or vomited mousie guts all over them.
Someone fell head over heels for them and you gifted her with them.
Spontaneous combustion???
They are in your (imaginary) storage locker with other treasures.

Come on, you CAN do this!!! ;D

Tillie I am so sorry about your worries and your sleep. I know this all too well and I wouldn't wish it on anybody. Is there anything you want to talk about?

Yay Twinkles! There must have been something special in your soup that has brought him back so soon! Good kitty. Good Tillie.

You've been through a lot lately CM so don't be too rough on yourself.

So here goes: last year when my mother's friend visited she brought some awful pillows for me. And I had to first make an excuse as to what happened to the prior ones she'd given to me. Now I'm finding myself resentful that I am taking up space storing them. I thought I could try to like one of them but I was wrong. They are identical; I was just wondering if I were only using one if I could live with it in my home. Short answer: no. They are not my style at all. They are beaded, giant cats. She mentioned how expensive they were and I was actually pretty pumped to find out they were $30 each (as opposed to the 75 each i had feared). They have nothing to do with my style and she even said, I don't know if you'll like them (after seeing the changes in my house) and I said, they are perfect and she said good, because they were expensive.


Dear me. I want to get rid of them because I get a lot of stuff from people and yes I love cats but that doesn't mean buy me cat decor. I have a cat. She's adorable. I'm don't mind a tea towel or something cute like that. Something that has a use. Throw pillows are a commitment.

I worry if she comes here and twice I've ditched her pillows. The other ones had cats on them too. Mass produced cat pillows. I do have one handmade cat pillow on my bed. It's cute, small, I bought it myself and when I'm done with it I will lovingly pass it along. But that's my private space.
Ugh I've tried to be okay with them in my closet til she gets here next but I can't do it. Should I just shove them under my bed? See if she comes here next Spring as planned? This is about hurting her feelings. One thought I had was to donate one and them just store one.

Ugh. Let me work on something more productive for a while. I have other stuff I can get rid of.

Clearly I'm obsessing so I don't have to do important stuff.

Good Afternoon Everybody

Hi Subclinical
Hope you got to all your plans for today and they went smoothly.

Hi Tatoulia
Sorry Miss Kitty but they are keeping you safe from killer dust bunnies. (((hug)))


Hi CriticalMass
WAY TO GO! getting all those animal chores done!
Really hope you do get to making some doll clothes.
You do such beautiful work. :)

Hi Debbie
Feeling pressure to buy anything is wrong/bad/erroneous.
You know you want a sectional couch so just concentrate on finding the exactly perfect one.
Since you will have a bed and a table you can take your time.
Forever items like furniture should not be rushed just to fill the spaces.
So, there is no pressure. Relax, take your time. :)


Twinkles is doing fantastic.
His appetite is ferocious.

I've been having a sleep issue. Too many worries waking me up.
So I'm really tired. So I am only doing the basic necessities.
Really need to grocery shop, maybe tomorrow?

Turtling along...which I totally gave myself permission to do knowing this week was going to be one of recuperation from the bunny event. You know how there are articles now saying people shouldn't try to multitask, that it really negates any supposed efficiency? Well, right now I couldn't multitask if I tried! My brain has set forth non-negotiable terms of one task at a time.

So today, one at a time, I did these things:

Fed cats
Fed bunnies their pellets
Washed and refilled bunny water bowls
Cleaned Beatrix bunny's litterbox
Got bunnies each their hay and a treat
Washed a kitty water dish and refilled it
Watered a few plants - waiting to see if we get rain
Caught my frog a grasshopper and took it to him

So nothing earthshaking, but I shall steadily do what needs doing (wrap up pet tasks) and what I hope to do (sew a few Barbie clothes for my cousin's little girl).

I have an eye doctor appointment on Thursday, but I think other than that the week is free. If it's not storming I'd like to check out the new YMCA facility and their water park maybe Friday. I can't believe it's almost Labor Day. If I can't make the water park there's always next year and indoor pools till then. Relaxing exercise sounds really good as another way to purge any residual stress.

My room is still pretty scary. Awhile back I'd switched my dolls to different containers but that system hasn't had the desired efficiency so I have some other ideas to bounce around. I will be working slowly on the gridlock in any case, the same way I said above - focusing in on a manageable task at a time.

I'm not one for timed challenges, my schedule gets unpredictable - but whatever such small task I do, I'm going to post it asap - that would bring a quick shot in the arm of satisfaction just to be able to say I did a thing.

Debbie I never use the dry cycle on the dishwasher. and my new one, Bosch, doesn't have one. It's 2 hrs 15 minutes and so quiet!

My whirlwind ladies have come and gone. It was super tough on my little ones. This particular combination of ladies do it in 45 minutes. They are amazing. As I may have mentioned, originally the price was quoted in time/# of cleaners but now that we are established I pay the same amount each time. I don't care how many are here and how long they take.

Okay back to work. Keep going Debbie, you can do it!!!

Great advice Tillie! I need to be reminded to slow down and breathe! I know how lucky I am that I don't have to be out of the old house and into the new on one day! But I still feel pressure! Part of the pressure is buying furniture. I am bringing my bed and dining table and chairs and not much else. So I have to find a couch and guest bedroom furniture. I hate shopping and am bad at picking the right size furniture. I actually measured the people's sectional since it was a nice fit. I hope I can find something and have it delivered on closing day or soon after.

I am going to look into Roku as I hate cable companies. I didn't know there was no monthly fee! That's great!

I am so happy to get all the stuff for AmVets out and gone! And I am sure there will be another pickup in my future, haha!

Glad the meds are easy to get in Twinkles! I hate when they bite even when it isn't hard, it always comes as a shock. I guess they are playing? Or tasting me for later as my sister always says. I only had a cat in college for a short time. She wasn't a biter or friendly really. My nephews cats follow me all the time and want to be petted and then all of a sudden they nip me. My nephew says they are playing but I am jumpy!

Yes so glad about the dishwasher! Never had one but got to like it when babysitting for my great nephews. Theirs is always going! And I learned to like it except it takes 2 hours and 46 min to do a load. I will skip the dry cycle on mine to save time. And probably use Auto instead of heavy duty like they do.

SubC thanks for the encouragement! So glad you only have 2 and a half classes to go! My nephew is a teacher too and the prep for the new semester is hard enough, but the grades and finals are even worse it seems. He does English Lit for HS Jrs and Srs. So lots of papers to grade. His students are all last minute kids too. They always turn stuff in late and it's always a scramble to get the grades in on time. I couldn't handle that. Glad you got to work on the bowls and ornaments for Halloween. And worked on the stalls! I am amazed at how much you do!

Anyway I have to go babysitting for back to school night for my g-nephews. Shopping on the way there. Thank you all so much for being there! It helps so much!

Roku changed my life, Debbie-I cut the expensive cable cord in 2012! What a blessing it has been!!! In addition I subscribe to Hulu, Netflix and my amazon prime subscription brings with it the video streaming service. Highly recommend! No more bulky cable boxes or DVD players.

How's my Twinkles today??

My cleaning fairies are here. I never prep for them in any way. Except today. There were piles of stuff on my coffee table and I just can't deal with it. Shoved into my closet. My office closet. Not good but I did it.

Now, who will send the badger over here yo get me to deal with it?

They are here now and I'm happy. They are so good. Although I haven't yet checked I believe my bed has now undergone a professional sheet change!!!
Mi stopped up at mom's with her clean dishes. This is the easiest solution ever. I don't have to stand at her sink and wash them and she doesn't have likes if dirty dishes around. She's a bit defensive and weird about it but such is life. I'll head into a routine so she won't even notice.

A very scared black cat just ran into the living room. This team of ladies vacuums under my bed NOT ACCEPTABLE to the cat. She jumped up on my couch and was trying to hide beneath the throw pillows. I just put my throw that's on my Harvard chair over her. The throw was a gift from my designer.

My poor scared kitty.

Wow,

So much going on!

I don't think grasshoppers ship well. But I could be wrong. I'm glad twinkles is on the mend.

Debbie, you are amazing! That is a lot of stuff to clear out.

CM, i'm sorry about your email woes. I'm having to learn a bunch of computer stuff for my job, and it's a struggle.

Tatoulia - keep taking care of yourself!

I have started three pumpkin bowls and a couple of Halloween ornaments. Still picking at the studio. I also cleaned the stalls today and I have two and a half classes to go.

Tomorrow I go in to school again. I have a few more things to take and some tables to clear off (stuff to put away)

Gotta run, dh and I are trying to get off the computers by 8:30.

Hi Debbie
WOW! you have been busy!
GREAT job getting all that gathered up for donation.

OK, now pace yourself.
Don't wear yourself out or hurt yourself trying to do it all at once.
I know you are on a time schedule but you don't want to burn out before you are done there.

You can always call for the AmVet truck to come out again for another pick up.

It will be so wonderful starting your new life in the new home unencumbered by all those things you no longer need or want.
This will open up space in your life to welcome in all the wonderful new experiences awaiting you.

So far as DVDs, CDs, records and tapes go...
There are so many easy ways to watch and listen to everything and anything nowadays.
Tatoulia and I highly recommend getting a ROKU.
The device is inexpensive and small but there is everything there to watch and listen to and no monthly fee for the ROKU.
So much to choose from and so many free movie/tv sites.
No need to buy cable or store dusty DVDs or VHS tapes.

So the new house has a dishwasher and the current house doesn't?
YEA!!!



It's pretty easy to squirt medicine into a cat's mouth.
A whole lot easier than trying to force pills down their throat while they clamp their teeth down on your fingers. ;p

Hi All! OMG I am starting to panic! I think I don't have a lot of stuff but I am beginning to doubt my sanity! I had 3 large tubs of puzzles and just whittled it down to one. I had way more books and so I was ruthless. If I can get it at the library, it's going to Amvets. I called and they are coming for a pickup Thursday thank God! I have so much I hope they can take it all. A sewing machine, a suitcase, several small appliances, a couple paintings, 2 fans, a carpet sweeper, 2 small bookcases, clothes, lamps, small tables, kitchen stuff, LPs, cassettes, dvds, VCR tapes. I wrote down any that I loved so I can rent in the future, or find on Netflix. I was so sore last night I took a muscle relaxer and passed out! Still have 2 trips upstairs to get more for amvets. I have my Christmas tree and one tub of decorations to bring down that I am keeping.

Tillie I am so glad to hear Twinkles is home! Also that you don't have to stick him but just give oral meds. How does that go over? Can't imagine cats like that much! Sorry Scooter is a biter but glad he doesn't go too far.

CM, thanks for the Instagram address! Such cute dolls and bunnies! That sucks about the email addresses disappearing! I worry about my yahoo acct and I only have one! I have gmail for junk mail and don't care if it gets lost.

Tatoulia, good for you doing the dishes at night! I am doing the fly lady thing - doing my dishes at night most times. I can't wait for a dishwasher! Hope your blood work is perfect!

Good Afternoon Everybody

Hi Tatoulia
WTG! for pushing through and getting the dishes done last night!
So nice to wake up to a clean & uncluttery kitchen.
Starts the day off on the right foot.

Jack has been aggressive.
When I am outside he lunges at my legs, body slamming me trying to knock me down.
He lays down in front of me and rolls around in the dirt until he is totally filthy then he wants me to pet him.
If I try to run away from him he grabs ahold of my dress.
He dashes in front of my moving feet making me accidentally kick or step on him so I will feel guilty and feed him can food in the hopes he will forgive me and stop pouting.
Jack is the monster ;P


Maybe I should mail you a big box of assorted grasshoppers.
I have a bumper crop of them this year. ;D


Been hectic today but I think I have things under control and it should settle down now.

Twinkles is doing very well.
Scooter is leaving him alone.
Twinks has eaten kitty soup three times.
He purrs when I pet him and spent time washing his paws and face, always a good sign.

I love that you gave Scooter a grasshopper! I bet that was fun (for Scooter) until the grasshopper became a meal! I haven't seen a grasshopper in ages. City living. We do have bunnies and they are adorable.

Good luck to Twinkles today. I'm glad the kitty has you.

I woke up today and was glad that I used discipline last night to do my dishes.

Good Evening Everyone

Hi Tatoulia
I'm glad you took the time to sit and rest on your walk back. :)

If your bloodwork shows you are low on iron your doctor will tell you and give you supplements.
That's what my doctor would always do but he always said that "I was on the fence".
Not anemic but almost. LOL

WTG! for scooping the cat box and taking out the garbage!
Just those two little tasks really make a big difference in maintenance.

Have a good refreshing night's sleep (((hug)))


Twinkles is still under the bed so I can't reach him to medicate him.
But he does not seem to be in any pain or distress, just tired and wanting to sleep undisturbed.


I had to set up a Gmail account just to make my tiny android tablet function.
Have never done anything else with that account.

I have made other Hotmail accounts before just for one or two uses, "throw away" accounts to maintain my privacy on message boards but establish contacts.

I'm relieved that today is over with and hope that Twinkles doesn't have any more problems.
Poor baby was suffering and it was making him sickly.

His sutures will dissolve.
He needs to have a check up in 3 or 4 weeks.

He also got all his booster shots today.
Sometimes that rabies shot makes them feel bad for a day.

While I was out watering I caught a big green grasshopper and gave it to Scooter to play with in the house.
He ate it and it upset his stomach.
He never ate one before and if he had chewed it even a little I think it would have stayed down.

Poor little Twinkles. I remember when we did Tigger's teeth and he looked so mournful. And BF stayed at the work most of the night to keep an eye on him and the kitty enjoyed Lebne ? it's like cream cheese or yogurt. You are so great to make a thin soup for the wee one.

I'd forgotten that Scooter is a biter. What's jack up to these days and what is his opinion on the werewolf?

I am tired and ready for bed. Have scooped the cat box, taken garbage out. Blood work went speedy today. I walked home but took the time to sit and rest on my way back. The rain started but it felt fine.

CM that is frustrating regarding all of your email boxes. I don't know that I could ever manage so many. I have my main one and then work one. For a while I had a gmail one but that's long gone. I couldn't really get the hang of gmail. I got it do one of my drs could email me. Now I just text with my regular dr.

Ok off to bed.

Goodnight everyone.

Up Date

Twinkles has been home for over an hour now.
He purrs for me when I pet him.
He is hiding under Steven's bed and in the closet.
He'll probably sleep it off there for a few hours before he is more sociable.

I made him some very thin soup, he has shown no interest in it yet.

Veterinarian said he is such a sweetheart.
She did a lot to him today.

He has good pain meds and antibiotics.
He doesn't fuss, just looks sad.

Good Afternoon Everyone

Hi Tatoulia
We have not ruled out anything yet but Scooter is leaning toward it being a Werewolf/Cat burglar hybrid.

YEA! for having all laundry done!
Hope you can wait till Wednesday for the perfect bed making. ;D


Hi Debbie
Veterinarians have learned that cats all refuse to take pills so now they give out liquid oral meds and syringes to administer the drugs.
But if they gave out injectables I would be able to handle that too since I am a surgical assistant and have given many injections.
Plus I used to pierce ears for my friends.

Last Summer my lawn had a lot of dead circles and looked terrible.
At WallyWorld I found a clearance priced bag of GrubX and applied that this Spring and there are no more dead patches.
So I believe the grubs are gone but the earthworms are still there.
Occasionally I get some gophers in the side yard but they have not been much of a problem for me because I have Hawks and Great Horned Owls that say gophers are delicious.

Your new home sounds lovely.
You should be able to age gracefully in place there.
Hope you are all settled in there before your surgery.
Just let us know what we can help you with or anything that you are struggling with.


Hi CriticalMass
Twinkles thanks you ;)
So sorry the stupid computer/interwebs is causing you grief.
Take care, rest and relax.
(((HUG)))


Scooter has been very quiet and flying under the radar all day.
Has not begged for anything, has not bitten me even once.
That's why he is still here, I could not adopt him out because he bites.
If he were in an animal shelter they would have put him down simply because he bites.
At least I have been able to teach him not to bite hard or break the skin.
He bites because he is just a natural born A-hole.

Feeling discouraged, and irritated at the Internet.

I have a lot of email accounts I launched over the years because I didn't always want to use the same one - I separated things like important business, arts related, and whatever.

But they started being really picky, these email services like Gmail and Yahoo, and they read your IP address apparently and if you don't login from the same place they send these stupid verification things - I deliberately login from more than one place so as to keep the internet on its cybertoes.

So I'd not want to bother with that till I had time to sit down and go through all my email accounts and maybe even streamline and eliminate a few.

Well, more time went by than I realized, because that's a tedious task and my computer is slow. Apparently over 12 months - and now Yahoo has DELETED MY INBOX/OUTBOX AND CONTACTS for several of them and I'm just fit to be tied about it.

I hope there's nothing important, I think it's wrong, I could storm and cuss and fuss but luckily I'm too tired. I'll put out this new fire and figure out how to deal with email as it is now (I preferred how it was in the 00s - it was simple and user-friendly).

I think I've had enough of computers in all ways for now.

I'm still really tired from the bunny event. It'll take awhile to get up to speed.

The instagram is BunnyPlanetQueen

Speedy recovery to Twinkles

Great investigative work, Tillie! Have you ruled out giraffes?

Debbie thank you for your nice long posts! I am excited about your new home! Great work on getting rid of books. I have more that I need to let go.

One of my walking buddies is in NJ and other one is in Kuwait. It can be done!!

How can we beat support you for your upcoming move? Im excited you'll have two bathrooms! What a dream! I'm sorry that you lost your husband.

Sorry this is so fragmented, I'm getting ready to go to hospital. But wanted to check in.

ALL of my laundry and kitty's laundry is done. On Wednesday when my cleaners come, I'll do the sheets. Love my professionally made bed.

CriticalMass, Nice to meet you too! Am looking forward to hearing about the Bunny event also. My nephew is 11 and just adopted a bunny and I love it. I did not expect to but he purred when I held him and hides behind my back. He is just learning to like people. He already likes the 3 cats and 2 dogs which I can't believe! I was scared the dogs would eat him! His name is Mc Nugget, Nugget for short.

Can you put your Instagram address on again? I saved Tatoulia's but somehow lost yours (in my lurking days). Now I have to do some work as I am slow at posting and it is time to pack! Sorry I blabbed on and on!

Tillie I am glad to hear the Vet is good with the meds. Hoping the kitty sleeps through the pain. I have never given anyone a shot but always thought I could do it. But this is weird, I cannot bring myself to put someone's pierced earring back in! My niece lost one as a child and I just couldn't do it! But give me a needle and I think I could. Strange.

I am only moving from IL to IN about 15 miles I think. The houses are similar in size, but the new one has 2 bathrooms unlike this one which has one (in the dining room!). Always wanted one for company. Three Bedrooms and open kitchen, dining and living area. It is really perfect. I should be downsizing as I just got my Medicare card this month for my birthday haha! But it is on a slab and no stairs so I can manage for years I think. My health is good, my joints are not. So rejoined the gym and lost weight and now I must keep it up. I wish I was like Tatoulia and liked to walk. I like yard work but have decided to use the weights at the gym and get stronger. My Physical Therapist said I had a strong core and should save PT for after surgery as I did plenty at the gym. That was so nice of her! Saved me all those co- pays!

Tillie, I wonder what is digging? I have moles but they dig tunnels. They are kinda cute but they make my mowing difficult. So I put out Grubx to kill the food supply for them and they moved next door. My neighbor is not bothered as he has a riding mower. He feeds all the stray cats and coyotes and deer and skunks anyway.

Hope Twinkles is home soon and on the mend!

Yes Subc the timing of the move and surgery is not ideal. I didn't think it would take so long to find a house. Have looked since March, but everyone in Illinois is running across the border to Indiana and houses go the day they are listed. My new house is only about 12 miles from the old one but I wanted to stay near family and friends. Hope to be in the house by the 18th of September and have surgery by the end of the month. I am excited but scared as this is my first house purchase. My husband who passed away last October had our present house. I never would have chosen the house but now it will be sad to leave. I have a garden and trees I planted and I will miss the neighbors. But am transplanting my favorite flowers and will visit the neighbors.

I lost my long post where I answered everyone! OOPS! I now learned my lesson and in a word program and will copy and paste!

I think of stores like Restore and Goodwill like you do! My own storage unit! They always have stuff when you need it and so wait till you need it, haha!

Happy belated Anniversary!

Hi Tatoulia
Wishing you all the best blood test results (((HUG)))


Nice the lesson has been moved but that you are still all prepared for when it happens.

WTG! getting all kitty laundry done!
If nobody there wants the toy mousies you could donate them to the shelter.
Hoping your Mom's new baby likes to play with toys just because it's so cute watching them.


Walking and taking the subway is a good plan.
I know that you will call a cab should it be too much for you.

It's always seemed strange to me that we have to shower when it's muggy just so we can dry off, but it does work.


Been doing some investigating...
Not a gopher, I know gopher holes all too well.
Not a mole or a vole because they dig tunnels.
Shrews do not dig tunnels but eat lots of insects (grubs and earthworms) and rodents.
They do not gnaw the roots off of trees and bushes, killing them.
They are considered a beneficial species, not a pest in the yard/garden.
They have excellent hearing and can hear the insects in the ground, like the Robin does.
They are also venomous. Some species have enough venom to kill up to 20 mice.
They do not inject venom with fangs. The venom flows from glands and is inserted into the prey on their teeth, like a Gila Monster.
Shrews do not damage lawns with their tiny little holes, in fact the tiny holes are good for the grass.
Shrews have higher metabolisms than Humming Birds.
They must eat almost constantly or in half a day they will starve to death.
So, I may have a shrew. ???

To Be Continued........

Dear little Twinkles. I'm very curious about your animal mystery! I guess it's too much to ask for something amazing like a zebra.

Going up for blood work in a bit. Luckily I called ahead and the orders weren't in. Dr has now put in.

Doing all kitty laundry today and I'm really happy about that! Even the dozen mice that were under the dishwasher are getting a bath. I'll put some aside for mom's new kitty, whenever that should occur.

They don't want me teaching til October so that takes the pressure off. But I'll finish up the remaining chapters this weekend and then look to consolidate the lessons.

SubC what I am doing is simply no where near the scale and scope of your lessons. Mine are just little lunch hour Lunch and Learns. Nothing too fancy; trust me on that.

Looking forward to hearing about the Bunny Event and very curious regarding what you ate!!

I'm going to have to figure out a safe way to get to dr. I'm thinking subway then walk and then just the opposite on the way home. I'll shower soon. I shower at night too. So humid.

I could go Wednesday but I'm so worried about blood levels I would like to do today.

Good Morning Everyone

Hi Subclinical
Good luck with the lesson planning.
Hope you do find the time to work in the studio a little this week.

My first thought was that it was a skunk digging the tiny holes but I have never seen holes like this before and I have always had skunks foraging here.
It's not a gopher, gophers dig tunnels not tiny divots.

Well, Twinkles is at the veterinary clinic.
He was quite concerned this morning about there being no food or water bowls on the placemat.
He just sat there staring at the spot where they should have been.
Asking me if I knew anything about this tragedy.

Good job Tatoulia!

I still have six more classes to do (in six days) and September lesson plans to write the week after. I have a starting point with in all my classes, but a book title or a craft are not lesson plans!

I'm sorry about the kitty food. It's the little things like that that hit you when you aren't paying attention.

Good luck to twinkles today.

Here I would wonder if skunks were making those holes digging for grubs.

CM, I am looking forward to the bunny report.

Good grief on the Christmas stuff. Even I haven't started on Christmas stuff, and I have 22 ornaments planned to be done by the weekend before thanksgiving. I am trying to sneak in a little Halloween if I get time to work in the studio this week. But it takes about six weeks start to finish for most pieces, and any Halloween I sell this year will be if I do the market on the last Saturday in sept.

I got rid of another blouse yesterday. I got dressed to go out for dinner with dh and as always I asked "do I look ok?" And he hesitated. I asked "what don't you like?" And he said "I don't know, something about that top isn't right. I don't think it's cut right for you." So boom - out of my closet it goes!

Good Evening Everyone

Hi Tatoulia
Yea, that is sad about her kitty being gone. :(

WAY TO GO! working on your course and having the bulk of the work over & done with!

Great that you got that new dishwasher and didn't put it off.
It is a very necessary appliance for both you and your Mom.

Discipline to exercise is the way to do it unless we push ourselves too hard when we really shouldn't.
Please pay attention to your body if it needs to take it easier.

That is disgusting!
August and you saw Christmas stuff.
I have already seen a commercial for decorations.
It is a store that sells only XMas items. :p


All day today I fed Twinkles.
He didn't even have to ask for canned food, I just dished it up for him.
Several times today I fed him kitty snax too.
Of course Scooter also got the same.
Now the dishes are all put away.
They are both sleeping soundly now.
By the time Twinkles is singing for his breakfast he will already be at the Vet.
So I won't have to listen to him complaining about how he is starving to death. ;)

For the past few nights there has been something in my grass digging tiny shallow holes.
Have not been able to catch sight of this creature.
The holes are only about an inch across and are one to two inches deep.
Every morning there are some new holes.
This excavation is not damaging the lawn.
I'm thinking someone is eating my earthworms.
I know the Robin listens and can hear the worms in the ground, then she will peck them out.
But Robin doesn't dig these type of holes and Robin never hunts after dark.

I bet you have your hands full, Tillie, trying to keep the food and water away from the cats. It would kill me. It has come close to killing me!

I worked and worked on my course today. Only have two very slim chapters (one is a summary of the entire course) to do. Not much has changed in the new edition. I will go back (or not) and try to tighten up my slides. But the bulk I'd over and done with.

BF and I ran errands tonight and we did mom's grocery shopping. At mom's I picked up her dishes and brought them home to wash. It's so easy that it's embarrassing. I only brought one coffee mug since I didn't want them to break on the way home. I've already run the dishwasher and I'll being her everything back tmr.

I felt sad that I didn't need to buy cat food for mom.

I then went for a walk around 930 tonight. I didn't feel like it so I kept saying, when motivation fails, then I need to use discipline. So I did it. I hadn't realized how muggy it was til I left the cool mall.

Oh and I saw Christmas stuff out. I am completely disgusted.

Hi CriticalMass
We are all interested in hearing more about it later.

Get a well deserved rest for now.

The. Bunny. Event. Is. Over.

Roommate and I are zombies. But well fed zombies.

More later.

Good Morning Everybody
Iced tea "Clink!"

Hi Debbie
The Veterinarian is always very good at sending them home with 6 tiny pre-filled syringes of pain medicine.
The kitties sleep comfortably. :)

Wishing you all the best with your own post-op pain management.

YEA! for using the Amazon give back box!

WAY TO GO! with your packing boxes, shredding and recycling.

How far are you moving?
How many rooms do you have where you live now?
Do you know the size of the home you will be moving to?
Are you downsizing? Are you an empty nester?

Happy you enjoy hearing about the wildlife encounters.
Yesterday evening I had a falcon zooming around me, just checking me out to see if I had any baby Quail for her to steal.


Hi Subclinical
Thank you. :)
So wonderful that you have the reuse store to store all your Justin Case things!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY
Congratulations!

Have another FANTASTIC day. :D

Hi CriticalMass
Have a FUN day at your bunny event.
Wishing you lots of donations to the cause and maybe even beneficial contacts made.

Scooter always gives everybody grief but I have a water spray bottle that Scooter is terrified of and I make him behave. ;p

Hi Tatoulia
WTG! for christening the new scoop!!!

Tatoulia, you are under the care of a physician and should never treat with OTC remedies without first consulting your doctor. (((HUG))

Right now every kitty your Mom sees is "her" kitty, she just hasn't decided on who will be her roommate.


I need to vacuum & sweep today to make sure that there are no kitty kibbles laying around any where that Twinkles might find and eat after I have to remove all water and food dishes.
No food or water for him after 7:00pm tonight.
That also means no water or food for Scooter too.
There will be a lot of crying and fussing come 8:00pm.

LOL ;D

Happy Anniversary! You did have a great day together yesterday!

I am going to work on my class I am supposed to be teaching in two weeks. I'll use you as my good example, SubC!!

Yes! More pictures to look forward to!

Tatoulia, you definitely should not add iron. You should talk with your dr and your nutritionist and do exactly what they tell you. Iron only helps if you feel crummy because you are low on iron.

I hope you got a good dinner.

Maybe your mom is just really enjoying the kitty visits.

Today is my anniversary. We have been married so long we are a bit blasé. Dh is going to play golf all day, i'm going to do syllabi and housework, and then we are going out to dinner. We played together yesterday.

Looking forward to your IG photos!!!! Let me tell you, it is the Mercedes of litter scoops. I used it for the first time. Lovely.

I will check in after the bunny event, and put pics on IG of my crafts and the event.

Nice to meet you, Debbie - look forward to getting to know you more.

Tillie, the bunnies and I will pray for Twinkles. Hope Scooter doesn't give Twinkles grief for smelling like eau de vet office afterwards.

Tatoulia, I imagine breaking a tiny bottle of champagne to christen the new litter scooper!

Hello everyone!

Welcome Debbie! So glad that you are posting and that you've been reading along!! That is tricky with the knee surgery and the move! Great work on letting go of papers and other things! The amazon service you are describing is a new one for me. I'll have to get more details, although I am lucky to have access to a goodwill.

Poor Twinkles! Dental surgery is so nerve-wracking. Saying tiny kitty prayers for the little one.

SubC you do so much! I feel like I should start on some iron to see if I perk up. But right now isn't the right time for me to be looking to change things up. Need to adjust to my new meds first. I'll head to hospital on Monday to get blood checked. Great job getting breakfast, a tour, two new jars of jam, etc. great work!

No new kitty today but I see mom is enjoying visiting the cats. She hasn't found the right one. Meanwhile I have found several right ones. She will know and this is her cat, her process. Afterward I came home and slept

I'm heading up to mom's for just a minute then will go for a walk. I need something for dinner and it's too humid to cook. BF is dealing with a problem at his house and he doesn't want my help til tmr. So tmr it is.

On my way out. Ttyl. Hello Tess!!!!

Hi Debbie, welcome! Tillie writes good reads. ;)

How does the timing on the knee surgery relate to the timing on the move? That sounds challenging.

Tillie, i'm Glad twinkles is looking better. I hope his surgery goes well.

Tatoulia, you are doing really well on your financial stuff! I am also proud of you! hang in there and soon you will have a cushion and you will be able to say "I need to replace the whatsadoidle this month, but I can pay for it out of the extra in my checking account..."

I have started thinking about the reuse store as my storage unit. I put all the stuff that I am saving for Justin Case in it, and I only pay when I take something out, so if I don't need it after all, I can store it for forever for free!

I hope you had a great time kitty shopping!

I had a fantastic day! Dh took me for donuts for breakfast, then we met dsil for a behind the scenes tour at the symphony (I know this guy...). The three of us walked around the city flea market, where i got TWO jars of jam from my favorite, local, fancy small batch jam lady. Then we got lunch. We parted ways and dh took me by the studio to see if my work was done (it was still in the kiln) and then to a gallery i've been wanting to check out. Came home and had a relaxing evening that included finishing the rewrites on three more classes. (Still waiting to hear back from my boss about the other rewrite.)

Not reads, descriptions. Don't know how that happened!

Thanks for the welcome Tillie! I hope Twinkles gets through the surgery and they give him pain meds so he can recover fast! I am getting ready to have knee replacement surgery and the Drs. are now so afraid to give opioids I am worried about not getting enough!Luckily I only need half what they prescribed last time. I hope this knee surgery is an easier one. I think knowing what to expect helps!

I did go through more papers to shred and have two bags to recycle. Also packed several boxes. My goal is at least one box a day.

I am using the give back box from Amazon for the first time. You fill it and they give you a label to mail it to a charity. I usually have time to schedule a pick-up, but am moving in a month. So will try this way.

Hope you are all well and having a great day. I love your wildlife stories and reads Tillie!

Good Morning Everybody

Welcome Debbie
WAY TO GO! for emptying 4 filing cabinets!
A good book for you to read to learn ways to help your sister is "Digging Out".
A good book for your sister to read is "Buried In Treasures".

Hi Subclinical
YEA! for finishing the glazing!
Fingers crossed they come out beautifully.

:p to your boss.

WTG! for all that tossing, sorting and relocating you got done!

Hi Tatoulia
Baby shopping, what fun!

I am so very, very proud of you for keeping a handle on expenses and debt.
Yes, there are times when debt happens but you are tightening your belt and dealing with it immediately. (((HUGS)))


Not much to do around here today.
Getting anxious because Twinkles goes in for some oral surgery Monday morning.
But He has gained back some weight so he's not too sickly looking any more.
I've been feeding him lots of soft canned food throughout the days to fatten him up.

Hi, I am finally posting after months of reading this thread! I thought I'd get caught up but it could take months still. And the people drop off and now I probably won't get to know them. Like the 2 Diannes, May May, etc. So just gonna jump in here today. I am not a hoarder but my sister is. I started reading this to help her but ended up enjoying it and learning a lot myself. I always worried I might become one so I really work hard to not buy much. I do have too many papers, sentimental cards, letters, etc. I am moving in a month and have emptied 4 file cabinets. I love how you guys are so encouraging and kind to each other and would love to join the conversation! I hope I didn't pick a giant font!

Hello everybody!

CM I know you are doing a great job on the bunny event! Yes some space to stage and craft and offer things for sale would be great. I know sometimes when I'm trying to get started on a project, not having the right tools sets me back. So if I don't have the correct pen or a good writing surface, etc, I have trouble getting started. And then I need to tell myself, stop it. Just get going even if these things aren't ideal. Sometimes I need to figure out if I've created the obstacles and if so, I need to overcome them. Tough mental work. I do not suffer from perfectionism so I have less to overcome than others. I know how creative you are and I envy that. I also envy your sewing skills. And other things!

My scoop comes in a holder, much like a toilet brush holder. We had all new litter yesterday so I should try scooping for my first time today.

SubC great job getting rid of stuff! You are amazing! Sorry about the syllabus. Hope you don't have too much work to do on it.

Tillie I love the mundane stuff. I was so happy to wake up today and see my clean kitchen sink.

I got paid yesterday and am being aggressive on paying off dishwasher so I'm out of money once again. Paid a lot of bills. I like to pay all at once so the money is spent and unavailable. I don't know quite why I'm a little behind right now. But I'm caught up now and just have the cat hospital for the next paycheck. Then I should be just fine. The dishwasher credit card isn't even due yet but I don't want credit card debt. We worked really hard to get to this point!!

I'm doing a quick load of delicates this AM. Going to go to the shelters today looking for a little companion for mom.

I'd like to make a bag for goodwill. Surely there are things here to go.

Hi, tired.

Boss wants some rewriting on the English classes. :p

Finished glazing my work from class today, dropped a box at the reuse store, (bought some items for my classroom and a few more stamps for me.) dropped off the classroom items and worked on the room, brought home my wheeled cart (school bought their own) and tossed a bucket of trash in the dumpster (half from home, half from the classroom)

Also dropped off three storage racks at goodwill. I kept the bins that go on them though - they fit a lot of places and can be useful at school if I decide not to keep them.

CM, I feel you on the bunny club issues.

Good Afternoon Everybody

Hi Tatoulia
Hi Tatoulia

Hi Subclinical
YEA! for those two hardest done!!!
Best wishes on all the other ones.

Hi CriticalMass
It would be really great if there was a building, a space to store and work on the bunny projects.

Maybe you are one of those people who need the pesky struggles and drama stages to light a fire under you to get you motivated?
Many people do.
Looming deadlines are stressful but can also be the push needed.
But we can all change. (((hug)))

Long handled metal litter scoops?
LOL ;D


Was going to post this morning but there was just too much happening all around me.
Anyways... washed my pillows this morning, they are drying out on the line now.
Cats had lots of needs.
They are fed, watered, amused and Twinkles was brushed.
Also laundered my pillow covers, pillow cases and an assortment of other miscellaneous items.
Plus I did a lot of other mundane things.

Evening

Mostly been doing bunny event crafts. This year I have procrastinated or let life take me on detours when I could've been doing even a little more focusing on making the bunny club items with time to spare.

I don't know why there seems not to be time to do these things until the deadline is close, then there's time to do them in a frenzy...? I suspect my perfectionism and indecision to be the main culprits. Perfectionism says "I will make the bunny event stuff amazing!" Indecision swoops in and says, "I can help! I'll analyze it to death!" And we're off and running.

So by procrastinating, I reach the point where Perfectionism and Indecision have exhausted themselves fighting and I can safely ignore them and tell myself I'll get something done and it'll be fine, it always is. Which usually it is. I just wish I could skip those pesky struggle and drama stages.

I'm going to work on finishing the stuff I have supplies for even after the event. And maybe we can get our online shop going. If we only had a building, I could store those things there in the hopes I'd never have to consider them "my" stuff anymore. And could go to the building to craft, maybe, if there was space. There's very little space here.

Last couple of nights some things upset me, control freaky things, wishing I could live by myself things. Maybe exacerbated by the full moon. Today was a Holyday so I took the opportunity to go to Confession and I have hope and better equilibrium.

I think we're going to survive the event; I hope it makes lots of money. We have adopted out a few rabbits recently but we've still got lots, and more people want to surrender or have found strays, than are looking to adopt.

Tatoulia, I have extra plastic litter scoops. You know what I'm spoiled on now? Long handled metal ones. The feel and balance of a quality tool in my hands to get the job done right! LOL! If down the road I am on my own and get my own cat, I'm sooo ordering one if those bad boys.

Lol Tatoulia, we were quiet today!

I hope you find a good balance with your sister.

I have the two English classes finished. They were the hardest. 11 to go....

Look! A delayed duplicate post. Just getting in. Love you all.

Had shrimp on a salad. The first time I made it I used too much dressing while trying to be artistic for the photo. It was delicious.

Off to work. Sister is back in life and she's having lots of problems and I need to dig deep and find a way to be compassionate and listen and not offer advice and not see it as a money grab. We took two different paths in life and the fact that I worked toward a corporate traditional situation with an apt in the city doesn't mean I have to feel guilty for having a vastly different lifestyle. Plus I'm taking very good care of mom so that's one less problem for her. I think I can do this. Be supportive but not put myself in debt and not see it as something to feel guilty about.

I can do this and if I can't, then I'll take a step back.

So instead of being occasionally resentful that she does so little for mom, I can view it as a pressure reliever for her.

Good Morning Everybody

Hi CriticalMass ;)

Hi Subclinical
WAY TO GO!
Wishing you smooth sailing on the school work.


Hi Tatoulia
Please remember to always put your welfare first.
You are your number one priority.



It will be another hot lazy Summer day here.
Fortunately not too hot, just high 90s.

Had shrimp on a salad. The first time I made it I used too much dressing while trying to be artistic for the photo. It was delicious.

Off to work. Sister is back in life and she's having lots of problems and I need to dig deep and find a way to be compassionate and listen and not offer advice and not see it as a money grab. We took two different paths in life and the fact that I worked toward a corporate traditional situation with an apt in the city doesn't mean I have to feel guilty for having a vastly different lifestyle. Plus I'm taking very good care of mom so that's one less problem for her. I think I can do this. Be supportive but not put myself in debt and not see it as something to feel guilty about.

I can do this and if I can't, then I'll take a step back.

So instead of being occasionally resentful that she does so little for mom, I can view it as a pressure reliever for her.