View Full Version : Winter Challenge
Anyone in through the spring solstice?
rosarugosa
12-21-21, 6:30pm
Yes, I started working on my list today, but I want to give it a bit more thought.
Since omicron is burning through the population quickly and covid is proving in the Northeast to be largely a seasonal illness like the flu I am a little optimistic that I can get the mask mandate repealed, or at least whittle it down a little.
Other goals are to increase my walking to 4 times per week, to install a bathroom sink backsplash, and stay on my aggressive budget each month.
The plan so far, will edit and add more in a day or two
Update yarn inventory
Continue the book cull
empty 3 boxes from storage unit
Start working on a t-shirt quilt for my husband. I started it about 20 years ago, but then kids, etc.
I'll try:
1--finish a long stitchery project I started a month ago by spring
2--get my steps back up to 10,000/day (I've been healing from a non-mentioned before surgery)
3--go back through the closet and drawers one more time and actually take my office wardrobe to the resale store before spring
Updated winter to do list in no particular order
Updated list, posting again since I couldn't edit my earlier post
Update yarn inventory
Continue the book cull
empty 3 boxes from storage unit
Start on my t shirt quilt
Evaluate work clothing
Finish the permanently packed toiletries bag
iris lilies
12-27-21, 6:31pm
Moving houses. Am starting. Probably will be at it for 6 -8 months.
happystuff
12-27-21, 6:34pm
KayLR - hope you are healing well!
rosarugosa
12-28-21, 9:22am
OK, here's what I've got:
Annual culling/shredding of files
Organize gardening & potting supplies in cellar
Organize empty storage bins in cellar
Clean oven
Schedule meeting with attorney to discuss some questions about matters related to Mom
Get Alexa up and running for Mom (already got internet service activated)
Investigate changing Mom's phone to Comcast from Verizon (can number stay the same?)
Finish decluttering first floor of Mom's house
Get Mom's pension form notarized
Get a tetanus booster
Get new eyeglasses (the ones I got a few months ago just aren't satisfactory, and since I wear my glasses all the time, I've decided that being unfrugal and buying a new pair with be worth it in terms of quality of life)
Arrange for heating company to fix radiator that is producing "water hammers." (For those of you who may be unfamiliar, this is a steam heat phenomenon where water condensation doesn't drain properly and it results in a sound like someone is banging the radiator with a hammer, especially annoying when you are trying to sleep. Tried YouTube and DIY, but the problem persists)
Arrange for plumber to fix a slowly leaking pipe and replace shutoff valve for outside water supply with a ball valve
I also have 4 medical appointments to schedule/reschedule
I could add more, but I think that's enough for now, don't want to overwhelm myself.
Very ambitious Rosa. Yes, you can port your mom's number to a new carrier.
I walked three times last week; will try again for four this week. Should finish December under budget barring an unforeseen catastrophe.
rosarugosa
12-29-21, 6:36am
I took care of scheduling/rescheduling the appointments yesterday. That is something I really dislike doing for some reason, so I'm glad to be done with it.
I walked four times this week and am doing okay budget wise. The Board of Health meeting was cancelled so I didn't have a chance to present my latest petition to repeal the mask mandate. All three of the MWRA wastewater trackers show covid levels have peaked and started a very slight decline. Since these are leading indicators I think we are past the worst of omicron, though lagging indicators like hospitalizations may not show that for a while. But maybe by the time of the next meeting the Board will be willing to acknowledge the change.
rosarugosa
1-10-22, 6:41am
That's good on the walking, Jeppy. It's one of my favorite things to do, but I know it's harder to fit in when you're working full time.
I took care of the pension form notarization, I've made a dent on the file culling/shredding, and I cleaned out two kitchen cabinets at Mom's house, coming away with another good-sized box of items to donate.
DH does have Alexa up and running, although I would say we are still exploring the potential. So far, Mom is loving the music, but it is more a matter of us giving Alexa the commands on Mom's behalf. I think she's still a little bit afraid of breaking it or something.
Teacher Terry
1-10-22, 1:46pm
When I worked I would eat lunch at my desk while working and then take my walk on my lunch break. I realize not everyone can do this. I would then also walk after work before dinner.
rosarugosa
1-10-22, 2:39pm
Terry: I did the same on my lunch break the last few years of work. Prior to that, I would usually do some "recreational shopping" at lunch time. I finally realized that I really just needed to get out and have some type of destination, and it turned out that walks in the Boston Public Garden were infinitely more satisfying, more frugal, and did not produce clutter in my home!
Yarn inventory updated and I made a spreadsheet that I can access on my laptop and phone so I can find the right yarn instead of tearing apart the apartment.
Took a box of books to the library, seeing the end of the tunnel on the great book cull project.
Next up is evaluating my work clothing. Corporate decided not to renew the building lease so everyone is 100% remote as of June 30. Being a newbie that never set foot in the building it didn't affect me. Now I'll only appear from the waist up on camera so I think it's time
rosarugosa
1-11-22, 4:40pm
Hana: So you can get rid of all your pants now, lol.
File culling and shredding is done, and the radiator with the water hammers has been fixed. Hopefully it will be nice and quiet while we sleep tonight!
and the radiator with the water hammers has been fixed. Hopefully it will be nice and quiet while we sleep tonight!
OMG. 15 years of living in old tenement buildings in NYC with steam heat has me completely sympathetic. I would probably have a PTSD flashback if I ever heard that noise again. The closest I've come since leaving NYC was our first San Francisco apartment that had an ancient gas wall heater in the hall just outside the bedroom. The heat box (or whatever it's called) would make non-stop bonk bonk bonk noises as it heated up and again when it cooled down. It was so bad that I insisted that we not use it while sleeping. The apartment had no insulation so it would be a chilly 50's inside when SO got up in the morning. He'd turn up the thermostat and close the bedroom door before getting in the shower.
Fingers crossed that they actually solved your issue.
Hana: So you can get rid of all your pants now, lol.
File culling and shredding is done, and the radiator with the water hammers has been fixed. Hopefully it will be nice and quiet while we sleep tonight!
Good timing because with this cold weather the radiator will probably be kicking on a lot.
rosarugosa
1-12-22, 6:32am
The fix was successful and we had a blissfully quiet night.
I also called Comcast to initiate moving my mother's phone number from Verizon to Comcast. This will save her about $80 per month.
Looks like it will be only 3 times walking this week due to arctic air. Getting the mask mandate rescinded is looking less likely, but I found some photographic evidence of the mayor violating it that I will try to leverage to my advantage. I had heard in the past he didn't obey but now I have proof. He is like our own local Boris Johnson.
Hana: So you can get rid of all your pants now, lol.
File culling and shredding is done, and the radiator with the water hammers has been fixed. Hopefully it will be nice and quiet while we sleep tonight!
I wish, husband is now back at home full time so I have to keep the lower appendages covered per his company's work at home rules. I'll probably have work pajama pants and home pajama pants. Seriously, I'll probably keep 1 pair of dress slacks for non work related dress up and behave occasions.
rosarugosa
1-23-22, 7:06pm
Annual culling/shredding of files- Done
Organize gardening & potting supplies in cellar - Done
Organize empty storage bins in cellar - Done (they are actually on loan right now to a friend who is moving)
Clean oven - Done
Schedule meeting with attorney to discuss some questions about matters related to Mom
Get Alexa up and running for Mom (already got internet service activated) - Done (although it will take awhile to fully explore features and potential)
Investigate changing Mom's phone to Comcast from Verizon (can number stay the same?) - Done
Finish decluttering first floor of Mom's house - in progress
Get Mom's pension form notarized - Done
Get a tetanus booster
Get new eyeglasses (the ones I got a few months ago just aren't satisfactory, and since I wear my glasses all the time, I've decided that being unfrugal and buying a new pair with be worth it in terms of quality of life)
Arrange for heating company to fix radiator that is producing "water hammers." (For those of you who may be unfamiliar, this is a steam heat phenomenon where water condensation doesn't drain properly and it results in a sound like someone is banging the radiator with a hammer, especially annoying when you are trying to sleep. Tried YouTube and DIY, but the problem persists) - Done
Arrange for plumber to fix a slowly leaking pipe and replace shutoff valve for outside water supply with a ball valve
I also have 4 medical appointments to schedule/reschedule - Done
happystuff
1-23-22, 7:18pm
Nice, rr!!! You are definitely attacking and completing your list!
Walked four times already this week (I go Monday through Sunday). I count anything vigorous as walking - vacuuming, up and down the stairs with laundry - and this weekend shoveling.
rosarugosa
1-29-22, 6:45am
The Comcast phone thing turned out to be a major hassle. Tuesday my mom had no phone service at all. I spent about 1.5 hrs on the phone with a couple of different agents, had to go over to her house and at the end of the day we had her cordless phones working but not her older-school wall phones. So the next day I spent time on the phone with another agent who clearly understood the issue, and a technician was scheduled to come out Thurs to add another modem for the wall phones. I told agent that mom has AD and to use me as the point of contact. I was feeling pleased that I had addressed the issue, but on Thursday, the technician called my mom to ask if phones were working OK, she said yes, and he cancelled the service visit. So I had to call yet again and schedule another visit, which was successfully completed yesterday. Finally.
Every time I called, the artificial intelligence robot wanted to do a modem reset with me. That was annoying, but the agents I spoke to were all very friendly and pleasant, so I will give them credit for that. They kept thanking me for our loyalty, which was kind of funny because my own household hasn't had an account with them for about 20 years.
happystuff
1-29-22, 11:24am
Glad it finally got all worked out, rr. Your persistence paid off!
A friendly agent does help a lot to get through the frustrations. I had a similar experience with my cable internet provider. It seems that directions are hard for the agents to individualize but designed to go through by checking off little ticks.
Send tech - tick.
Call # first - tick.
Call a designated, assigned alternative - no tick available
Send tech who understands the unique situation of dementia - nothing to tick
I think companies understandably have many callers with identical issues so the 'tick' system works well for them.
rosarugosa
1-29-22, 6:01pm
I'm guessing they have a significant % of calls that can be resolved with a modem reset, so it makes sense from a business point of view to handle as many of these calls as possible via the AI robot. Once you get past her, you get a live agent almost immediately, no holding and no muzak. It is frustrating though if you know you don't need a modem reset, and they really come on strong about it. On one call, I was shouting into the phone - NO - NO - NO - NO! like an ill-tempered toddler, and DH was in the other room laughing at me. When I got off the phone, he asked me if I was absolutely sure that I didn't want to restart my modem, and I didn't even hit him, lol.
My husband used to manage desk top support in his past life. He had so many calls to AT&T that he knew all the answers to get to a technician. Ditto with Dell for the computers. Still it was hell.
Although when the fiber optic cables went in, our need for tech support from AT&T seems to have disappeared.
Working to stay on budget. My microwave broke (it's an old one dragged out of the basement when the previous one broke, not worth repairing) but I will wait until February 1st to get a new one.
There was oily residue on the bottom of a part coming off the oil tank. This happened a few years ago and a gasket had to be replaced. I put a container under it and have been checking it throughout the day and no drips, so it's a slow issue same as last time. I will keep watching it.
rosarugosa
1-31-22, 7:05am
Update, Sister and I met with the attorney Friday. That's one of the creepier things which I am inclined to procrastinate, so glad to have that one done.
Annual culling/shredding of files- Done
Organize gardening & potting supplies in cellar - Done
Organize empty storage bins in cellar - Done (they are actually on loan right now to a friend who is moving)
Clean oven - Done
Schedule meeting with attorney to discuss some questions about matters related to Mom - Done
Get Alexa up and running for Mom (already got internet service activated) - Done (although it will take awhile to fully explore features and potential)
Investigate changing Mom's phone to Comcast from Verizon (can number stay the same?) - Done
Finish decluttering first floor of Mom's house - in progress
Get Mom's pension form notarized - Done
Get a tetanus booster
Get new eyeglasses (the ones I got a few months ago just aren't satisfactory, and since I wear my glasses all the time, I've decided that being unfrugal and buying a new pair with be worth it in terms of quality of life)
Arrange for heating company to fix radiator that is producing "water hammers." (For those of you who may be unfamiliar, this is a steam heat phenomenon where water condensation doesn't drain properly and it results in a sound like someone is banging the radiator with a hammer, especially annoying when you are trying to sleep. Tried YouTube and DIY, but the problem persists) - Done
Arrange for plumber to fix a slowly leaking pipe and replace shutoff valve for outside water supply with a ball valve
I also have 4 medical appointments to schedule/reschedule - Done
Rosa, I love those RED dones!!!
Happy Lunar New Year/Imbolic/halfway between the Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox!
Rosa: thanks for mentioning the tetanus booster, need to check my vaccination records and see when I need a booster.
Update yarn inventory done
Continue the book cull ongoing
empty 3 boxes from storage unit 1 of 3
Start on my t shirt quilt still in planning stages
Evaluate work clothing done
Finish the permanently packed toiletries bag 85% done, supplies in a grocery bag want to find or sew a new bag since the other one wore out
Rosa, I love those RED dones!!!
Thanks, I used to have a manager who was very big on formatting, lol!
Happy Lunar New Year/Imbolic/halfway between the Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox!
Rosa: thanks for mentioning the tetanus booster, need to check my vaccination records and see when I need a booster.
Update yarn inventory done
Continue the book cull ongoing
empty 3 boxes from storage unit 1 of 3
Start on my t shirt quilt still in planning stages
Evaluate work clothing done
Finish the permanently packed toiletries bag 85% done, supplies in a grocery bag want to find or sew a new bag since the other one wore out
You are doing great and I hope you'll share pictures of your quilt when you get to that point! Is the ultimate goal to get rid of the storage unit, or just to decrease the contents?
I've kind of dragged my feet on the vaccine just because I know they were busy with boosters, but that probably isn't too much of a concern at this point.
You are doing great and I hope you'll share pictures of your quilt when you get to that point! Is the ultimate goal to get rid of the storage unit, or just to decrease the contents?
I've kind of dragged my feet on the vaccine just because I know they were busy with boosters, but that probably isn't too much of a concern at this point.
Thanks, I'll try my best to remember to post photos when it's done, or at least when the top is done.
Decreasing the contents of the storage unit, the condo association is in the process of redoing the basements in the buildings. At some point we will receive a 30 day notice to empty the storage unit. The process is taking longer because covid and more damage than anticipated in some buildings. We decided we wanted to take our time emptying the unit and it's something we kept saying we're going to do and this time we mean it for the past few years.
I will walk four times this week. My aim is to look for a backsplash tomorrow.
Attended another Board of Health meeting. One member seems open to switching to a mask advisory, one is vehemently opposed, and one skipped the meeting. The chair is 77 years old and starting to lose it. I corrected him on three factual errors, which did not endear me to him. He is also all over the place on what is needed to lift the mandate. Since September he has said:
1. Meet the CDC threshhold of not being in an area of high or substantial transmission.
2. Later he seemed to forget this completely and said that all along his metric has been 80% vaccination rates in the city.
3. I told him there is too much vaccine hesitancy and we will never get to 80%. Without ever acknowledging I was right after a few months he said the standard would be that we are over the omicron surge and vaccines are available for those under 5.
4. At this week's meeting he seemed to forget that all together and now said the prerequisite is the state removing the mask mandate for public school students.
In the past I suggested we follow some surrounding communities and set a positivity percentage goal but that was rejected.
This constantly shifting, contradictory and confusing approach to the pandemic is a problem in many parts of the nation and is one reason faith in public health officials has plummeted over the course of the pandemic.
Next up I will try my luck with a new group of tyrants at the Library Board of Trustees.
Yesterday, we (Sis and I) cleaned and decluttered Mom's front hall, including the closet, the coat tree and one of the world's largest private collections of tote bags, lol. It isn't a large space, but we took out 4 big bags of stuff for donating or fabric recycling, and put a couple of deteriorating throw rugs out for the trash as well as a couple of bags of trash.
Mom is always asking what she can do to help, so I set her up for a document sorting project in the dining room. It was frustrating (and sad) because she wasn't really capable of doing what I had envisioned, so I ended up helping her complete what was actually a totally superfluous step in document management, the step having been created almost solely so she could feel productive. Then I set her up to shred documents, which she did happily and effectively, commenting, "At least I can do something productive." So I'm going to consider the whole document exercise a lesson in patience and compassion for Rosa.
Well done, RR. Shredding is an essential activity in decluttering.
happystuff
2-7-22, 10:55am
Excellent, rosa! And how wonderful you were able to figure out how to make your mom a happy, useful participant!!
Rosa, that's really impressive, and that your mom is helping--wonderful!
iris lilies
2-7-22, 11:47am
Rosa, what a wonderful attitude you have about this. I would like us all to remember this and what our children will go through if we don’t clean and Declutter now.
I’m forever grateful to my mom for being able to toss things. She also moved twice from our last “family home “so every move supported getting rid of crap.
Wow, what a wonderful thing you did for your mom, and so patiently and compassionately! What a poignant comment: "At least I can do something productive."
Teacher Terry
2-7-22, 2:59pm
My mom was also great at downsizing and getting rid of stuff. I have done the same. I unpacked my entire place in less than a day. It’s sweet how patient you are with your mom Rosa.
rosarugosa
2-10-22, 7:15am
Thanks for all the kind words!
I got my tetanus booster yesterday, so that's another one checked off the list.
Did not get the backsplash as I was dealing with car issues and likely will not this month as I am still trying to stay on budget and it cost over $400 to order 125 gallons of home heating oil. DS continues to turn the heat off during the day which I don't like - have asked him not to - he tries to remember to turn it up before I return home. So that is saving but I would rather be in a warm house. I think he is worried he will not hear me or others approaching the house because the furnace is noisy - seems to be getting more paranoid as time goes by. Walked one time so far this week - the weekends it's easy to get in steps, but the week is harder. No luck yet with the mask mandate. It's ironic that the places with the most protected (vaxxed, boosted) people are the most worried and they don't need to be.
rosarugosa
2-10-22, 4:45pm
Jeppy: What about a programmable thermostat so temp is automatically lowered while you're at work and rises 1/2 hour before you get home?
Jeppy: What about a programmable thermostat so temp is automatically lowered while you're at work and rises 1/2 hour before you get home?
Hi Rosa. We have a programmable and he knows how to use it but he has his own ideas. Today it was fine when I got home.
rosarugosa
2-12-22, 7:21am
Yesterday, I could not get my mother on the phone; I just got a constant busy signal over a period of 2+ hours. I took a quick drive over and she was fine. I had to leave for an appointment, so just did a quick check and no phones were off the hook. She had unfortunately unplugged Alexa, because I could have called her on Alexa, but not with it unplugged! I was fuming to myself about Comcast, and stressed/annoyed that I was going to have to spend more time on the phone with them. My mother's caregiver was with her yesterday afternoon. She checked around and found that my mother had gone down cellar and unplugged the modem for the phones. She had also unplugged her master cordless phone with the answering machine in the living room. Caregiver plugged things back in and all is fine, except that I kind of want to wring my mother's neck. I know that isn't very nice, but it's true, and at least I didn't act on it. I'm planning on a whole bunch of post-it notes that say "Do not unplug me or your phone won't work!" (We already have one telling her not to turn the furnace off, "Do not turn off or you will be cold!") On the plus side, she does have an extremely low electric bill, lol.
I hear you Rosa on the frustration. My mother was famous for leaving the phone just barely in the cradle, and so we'd get busy signals for hours. These days she constantly complains that her TV is broken, because she continually misplaces her remote, or forgets that the same button is used to turn the TV off as well as on, and so unplugs anything in the vicinity, sometimes the TV, sometimes the cable box.
When my dad entered hospice (at home), I was staying over for the first night. My dad was on an oxygen concentrator. I woke up at 11pm vaguely uneasy. In that not-quite-woken-up state, I debated whether to get up or go back to sleep. I got up. I realized my mother had disconnected the oxygen concentrator because it was making too much noise. Had I gone back to sleep. my dad likely would have died that night or done some significant brain damage due to low oxygen levels. It was at this point, my siblings and I made sure one of us was there 24 hours a day, because we could not leave Mom alone to her own devices.
Sorry RR for this situation. Do you know what mental childhood age your mother has regressed to? I am wondering if she even has reading comprehension skills still to make the notes effective.
Funnily enough, my mom can read much better than she can hear and understand. So she has done better with written notes for years.
Rosa, if she is turning off the furnace, that sounds like maybe she needs more than what she can have living alone in her own house.
My mom definitely became dangerous to herself in her home. It is a horrible state of affairs. I felt such relief when they were out of that house and at least physically safe.
Yppej, the mental childhood age thing in my experience does not really apply. My mom could not figure out how to use the telephone, for example, but had written a sign by her bedside that said "Abandon hope, all Ye who enter here." If you gave her a porcelain figurine, she asked if she should eat it. But she could still watch the Kavanaugh confirmation hearings with great interest.
So it just did not apply.
happystuff
2-12-22, 11:06am
Sorry you are going through these scares and frustrations, rr. Sounds like you have a good/proactive caregiver, though!
rosarugosa
2-13-22, 9:08am
Thanks for the moral support, folks!
Herbgeek: Wow, that is pretty scary and an unplugged phone pales in comparison!
Jeppy: I think Mom is at the point where her ability to read a book is slipping away, but she reads magazines all the time. It almost seems more like an issue of focus and attention span than literacy. I think she does fine with clear and simple notes. Alexa is surrounded by a ring of post-it notes that say "Alexa," lol, and I am the one who called her Alissa not too long ago!
Tybee: I should elaborate on the furnace thing. She hates to be cold, so the furnace is running all the time in the winter and I don't have any concerns about her turning off the furnace in winter. What has happened is that in early spring when we get a run of warm days, she uses the furnace shut-off switch to turn the furnace off. Then temps go down to 50 and she is miserably cold. I've tried to explain that she should just use the thermostat, and should never turn it below 70 since she tends to get cold so easily. I figure that even if it's July, she wouldn't want it to be less than 70 in her house. Turning the furnace off in the warmer weather might make sense, but probably not for her at this stage in her life.
Rosa, can you have someone do something to the thermostat so so that she cannot turn it off that way?
Rosa, can you have someone do something to the thermostat so so that she cannot turn it off that way?
I have seen clear plastic cages over thermostats with a key to unlock them in workplaces so only the manager can control the temperature. We do not have this where I work now, but if you adjust the thermostat nothing happens. The switch is just for show as the temperature is controlled remotely from corporate.
rosarugosa
2-13-22, 6:55pm
The thing with the tape and the post-it note seems to be working, so I'm OK with that solution for now. Post-it also says something like "If you are too warm, go to the dining room and turn thermostat down to 70."
At some point, I will probably explore a smart thermostat that I can view/control via Alexa.
Sis and I spent a few hours today decluttering the dining room and going through drawers. We have the entire back of sister's SUV filled with donations: tablecloths, cloth napkins, placemats, vases, serving platters, ice buckets, napkin rings, place cards. All the accoutrements for an alternate life that my mother is not living (and never really did as far as we can recall). Some of the stuff has clearly never been used. We could have a hell of a yard sale, but neither of us is up for that. A lot of it is really nice stuff, so we just make a point to bring it to a favored charitable thrift shop as opposed to the more convenient Savers.
Got the supplies for and backsplash - $8.54. It is not really what I want but it will cover up the screws in the wall above the bathroom sink. I wanted something narrower but those pieces were curved and only the edges could take adhesive and I want something flat that will adhere securely to the wall.
Now to put it up.
Also looked for a microwave at Home Depot and they had only had one countertop brand and it was junk.
I will walk four times this week.
rosarugosa
2-25-22, 7:02am
Update below. All I have remaining is to call the plumber (for some reason I hate doing that sort of thing, and we have a great plumber, so I'm not sure why), and to finish Mom's first floor, which is progressing nicely.
Annual culling/shredding of files- Done
Organize gardening & potting supplies in cellar - Done
Organize empty storage bins in cellar - Done (they are actually on loan right now to a friend who is moving)
Clean oven - Done
Schedule meeting with attorney to discuss some questions about matters related to Mom - Done
Get Alexa up and running for Mom (already got internet service activated) - Done (although it will take awhile to fully explore features and potential)
Investigate changing Mom's phone to Comcast from Verizon (can number stay the same?) - Done
Finish decluttering first floor of Mom's house - in progress. Finished dining room and started on the back porch last Sunday. Filled another box of donations.
Get Mom's pension form notarized - Done
Get a tetanus booster - Done
Get new eyeglasses (the ones I got a few months ago just aren't satisfactory, and since I wear my glasses all the time, I've decided that being unfrugal and buying a new pair with be worth it in terms of quality of life) - Done, and Costco replaced them at no cost; I even got a $30 credit because my new frames were less expensive!
Arrange for heating company to fix radiator that is producing "water hammers." (For those of you who may be unfamiliar, this is a steam heat phenomenon where water condensation doesn't drain properly and it results in a sound like someone is banging the radiator with a hammer, especially annoying when you are trying to sleep. Tried YouTube and DIY, but the problem persists) - Done
Arrange for plumber to fix a slowly leaking pipe and replace shutoff valve for outside water supply with a ball valve
I also have 4 medical appointments to schedule/reschedule - Done
rosarugosa
2-25-22, 7:06am
As we were working in the dining room last Sunday, Mom says (not for the first time), "You know, when I die, everything I have belongs to you two girls." I responded with, "I know Mom, that's what we're afraid of, and why we want to make sure there's a lot less of it." Mom still has her sense of humor and laughed at this. :)
I put the backsplash up and expect to walk 5 times this week.
rosarugosa
2-25-22, 7:40am
Jeppy: You've really done well with your mission to make your home a nicer place. Good for you!
Thanks RR. I read an article the other day about how American mobility is way down. People who want to move aren't because of things like the crazy real estate market and an increasing number of professions that require licensing at the state level. So we have to bloom where we're planted.
You are doing awesome with your list.
I have two items to complete from my list:
Call plumber - I really need to do it this week, not out of any absolute urgency, but because I should do it, and procrastinating makes me so annoyed with myself. Plus, I cannot check it off my list until I do it!
Mom's first floor - I'm currently working on the cellar stairwell, which is the last realm of clutter on the first floor (and boy, is there a lot of stuff crammed into that small space!) I'll admit that I've gotten sneakier about just making things disappear without consulting her. This makes me feel a bit regretful, because I always prided myself on never getting rid of anything without her OK, and that's how I built trust and one of the reasons she would let me help her with decluttering. That made sense when she had possession of her faculties, but it doesn't make as much sense now. So I don't really feel guilty; I know I'm doing the right thing, but I feel regretful that she has declined so much. I brought her a bag of documents to shred from Sis, so that kept her happily occupied. For someone who was never much for housework, the woman bought every "Magic" cleaning cloth or gadget on the market, as though merely owning these items would make the house clean, because MAGIC! We will bless some Saver's shopper with some of these magical items, lol.
For someone who was never much for housework, the woman bought every "Magic" cleaning cloth or gadget on the market, as though merely owning these items would make the house clean, because MAGIC! We will bless some Saver's shopper with some of these magical items, lol.
What?!?! You mean... really????
Sigh....
Couple of weeks from the Equinox, here's my update.
Update yarn inventory done
Continue the book cull ongoing
empty 3 boxes from storage unit 2 of 3
Start on my t shirt quilt just started
Evaluate work clothing done
Finish the permanently packed toiletries bag done
Adding interfacing to the shirts since they're old and worn out. Donated 2 laptops and a desktop to a neighbor that repairs/updates computers and gives them to people on the wrong side of the digital divide. Counting the desktop as a 2nd box since it was in the storage unit. Parents are doing the Swedish Death cleaning thing so I will pick up some quilting supplies and do a final once over of everything I have at their place. Hope I don't get too sentimental or nostalgic. Goal is 95% of what is there goes to Goodwill. Thrift stores are starting to accept books again with limits, and I'm still giving them away via the Buy Nothing group. Husband is attending is college reunion this fall and his former roommate is a high school English teacher who will happily take any books we can give him. Former roommate is making a list and we'll put aside a couple of boxes and put in anything we have that he thinks his students will want to read.
Happy: Damn, I just hate it when I burst someone's bubble, lol.
Hana: Wow, you are doing great, and that is so cool about the English teacher!
"For someone who was never much for housework, the woman bought every "Magic" cleaning cloth or gadget on the market, as though merely owning these items would make the house clean, because MAGIC! "
I do that, too. Apparently, the aspirational Jane is much tidier than her real-life counterpart! :D
Truth is, I'm never going to be a housewife, the best I'll do someday is hire the work out.
Teacher Terry
3-6-22, 10:24pm
Rosa, when my good friend had dementia my ex would take her out for the day so we could get rid of stuff. She would take anything out of the garbage. The house had to be empty because he was going to live with his son because he was dying and she was going to a home. You are doing the right thing.
I do take her trash home with me and put it with my trash, ostensibly so she doesn't have to worry about taking the trash out to the curb, but also because there might be some things in there I don't want her to see. ;)
I called the plumber and he is coming to do the repairs on Friday!
Rosa, You will be so glad to have those things done!!!! Congratulations.
Rosa, You will be so glad to have those things done!!!! Congratulations.
Thanks! For some reason, I hate making the phone calls and always tend to procrastinate somewhat with that. I would rather clear clutter all day long than make a call to schedule something.
rosarugosa
3-11-22, 11:10am
Plumbing repairs are done - yay!
Good for you Rosa. I will walk four times again this week. Ready for spring soon and some new challenges.
rosarugosa
3-11-22, 11:31am
Good for you Rosa. I will walk four times again this week. Ready for spring soon and some new challenges.
Yes, I've started drawing up a list for spring. :)
happystuff
3-11-22, 12:15pm
Plumbing repairs are done - yay!
Congrats! Those are the types of repairs I hate waiting on. Glad they are done.
rosarugosa
3-11-22, 4:53pm
By the way Jeppy, that's good on the walking. I've been kind of slacking lately, and being retired, I really don't have an excuse. I do get my steps in, but instead of going out for a walk, I sometimes walk in the house and read my book. I like the multitask aspect of doing that, but it really isn't the same as getting outside for a walk.
rosarugosa
3-11-22, 4:56pm
Congrats! Those are the types of repairs I hate waiting on. Glad they are done.
And I don't know why I drag my heels since we do have a really nice and responsive plumber. I called Weds and left a message for him. He called me back on Weds and said he could come out today between 9 - 10. He got here at 9, did just what we needed and was gone by 10:30.
Update yarn inventory done
Continue the book cull ongoing
empty 3 boxes from storage unit done
Start on my t shirt quilt 3 of 30 blocks complete
Evaluate work clothing done
Finish the permanently packed toiletries bag done
Calling it complete with a few days before the equinox. Going to take a few days to decide on my next set of projects.
rosarugosa
3-17-22, 5:15pm
Good job Hana!
I've completed everything on my list, except, if you want to split hairs, I'm not quite done with the cellar stairwell at my mother's house. I fully expect to complete that task this coming Sunday though. I would have completed it last Sunday, but we had an opportunity to get together with our niece and her husband, and my SIL and BIL. I'm not sure if I talked about our second niece's death, but in the past year, two of our three nieces died, one in a car accident (39 YO), and the other of a heart attack (37 YO). This is our only surviving niece (just turned 39 YO), and it was great to see her in a non-memorial context (when I also lost my MIL last year, that was our niece's grandmother). This niece and her brother are the two remaining of four siblings. Now there was a time when I would actually have foregone this opportunity and done the decluttering instead. Yes, I can be that obnoxiously task oriented. So apparently age has brought a little bit of wisdom at last.
happystuff
3-17-22, 5:17pm
Rosa, so many losses! Prayers to all. I'm sure your niece really appreciated the time together. Your post is the perfect example that stuff is stuff and can be dealt with anytime, while people won't always be around and opportunities to spend time with others may be more limited than we realize.
Teacher Terry
3-17-22, 9:37pm
Rosa, I didn’t know about your second niece. That’s so sad. I always drop everything to spend time with people. The work will always be waiting.
rosarugosa
3-21-22, 5:48am
Finished the cellar stairwell at Mom's yesterday, so I've completed my list! Will get a spring list posted this week.
Annual culling/shredding of files - done
Organize gardening & potting supplies in cellar - done
Organize empty storage bins in cellar - done
Clean oven - done
Schedule meeting with attorney to discuss some questions about matters related to Mom - done
Get Alexa up and running for Mom (already got internet service activated) - done
Investigate changing Mom's phone to Comcast from Verizon (can number stay the same?) - done
Finish decluttering first floor of Mom's house - done
Get Mom's pension form notarized - done
Get a tetanus booster - done
Get new eyeglasses (the ones I got a few months ago just aren't satisfactory, and since I wear my glasses all the time, I've decided that being unfrugal and buying a new pair with be worth it in terms of quality of life) - done
Arrange for heating company to fix radiator that is producing "water hammers." (For those of you who may be unfamiliar, this is a steam heat phenomenon where water condensation doesn't drain properly and it results in a sound like someone is banging the radiator with a hammer, especially annoying when you are trying to sleep. Tried YouTube and DIY, but the problem persists) - done
Arrange for plumber to fix a slowly leaking pipe and replace shutoff valve for outside water supply with a ball valve - done
I also have 4 medical appointments to schedule/reschedule - done
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