Pictures sure tell the tale...

A quickie message as I get up early Sunday morning.  Happy to see your work in progress. And so much to sort through.  I am also a bit jealous that you are actually able to sort and as you say  "recycle, giveaway, or garbage" .  Oh how I wish I could do that. haha!  Today I make my cheese tarts - I did the mincemeat yesterday but because other things happened I could not get to the cheese tarts.
It is early and my quiet time so I shall drink my black coffee which I am really enjoying now, and check my lottery ticket.  Maybe we'll all be rich millionaires?  Take care XX

I promised picture

As you can see, total chaos.  Crap everywhere, even in the storeroom.  You can also see the hexie "lozenges" that I've been working on, pinned to the design wall.

We took a car load to the thrift store this morning, and there is now another one ready to go.  I spent this afternoon working on the store room, and have made a big difference there, as well--IMHO, if not the opinion of others.

There is even a better picture of the hexie Lozenges.  I figure I need to cover the wall to get enough for a single bed size quilt.

The thin end of the wedge.

On Thursday, while cleaning off the table, I noticed that one of the heavy-duty shelving units, in the basement studio, appeared to be leaning a bit.  I mentioned it, and yesterday we went down to see what was going on.  A level showed a fair bit of lean and some of the screws holding it together were loose.  These units carry quite a bit of weight, so this couldn't be ignored.  The unit was emptied, and all the bins put on the table that had just been cleaned, and David went to  work.  It was a hideous job, took two hours, and tested the strength of our marriage, ( we only had one pair of glasses between the two of us), and pretty well destroyed the studio, as so many other things had to be moved to facilitate the job at hand. Finally we were down to the part where we had to start shimming the wretched thing to bring it back to level.  While this meant several trips out to the garage, it also brought our eyes down to floor level, where a bit of mold was spotted in the corner between the shelving unit and the bookcase.  So the bookcase had to be emptied and moved, as well, and every single surface in the basement was covered in crap.  We also discovered that the bottom shelf of the bookcase is falling off.  This is the one where all of my periodicals are stored, and the "master" file of handouts and teaching notes for every course I have ever taught was kept.

The wall, floor, and bookcase side and back were sprayed with a special mold removal chemical, and had to be left for 24 hours, before anything could be put back.  I was left to deal with the residue.

The day before, while cleaning of the table, I had started a bag of donation fabric to go to the thrift store. Well, here was my chance to get a little more excess "stuff" out of the room.  Ho ho ho! Oh yeah!
I had a little chat with myself, and decided to get rid of things I knew in my heart I would never use again, using the sorting system of "keep, donate, and garbage".  And the donate pile must not contain anything with a name or address on it!  I worked like a dog.  Up and down those f---ing stairs.  Special needlework projects not yet finished?  I know they will never be done, unless I can get hand transplants.  Everything, fabric, thread needles and instructions into a Zip Loc bag and in the donate pile. ( heart breaking but--realistic)  Magazines that I paid almost $20 years ago and will never see again--but haven't read in years and had forgotten they were there--donate.  Wooden frames that have been coveted and protected since I left work ( I had the carpenter at work make them for me)--donate. Most of the hand made dimensional fabric boxes I've made over the years are gone--but not the reliquaries. The class notes and handout--which have always been available on a flash drive--well, if I haven't taught it in five years, and probably won't in the near future--gone to recycling.  That job meant going through almost a dozen big loose leaf binders, page by page.  All of the interesting articles  and patterns I have taken off the internet and out of magazines over the year--gone and more binders in the pile. (I found my owl pattern!)

It took most of the day and evening. All of my other chores such as laundry, a bit of grocery shopping, and changing the bedding over to the duvet were also taken care of.  I was exhausted and into bed early.  Of course that meant I was awake at 4:00 this morning and planning the rest of the job to be done today.

Pictures in the next post.

Strange, isn't it?

How the computers seem to be taking over our lives?  We have had some issues last week or so - I've had to call the technicians at our Server to fix three times already and have developed a nice congenial working relationship with " Tony" haha!. And Cathy you say you also have some issues with yours, but now Pati, you should be just fine.   I worry every time I try to log onto internet whether it will actually work - for me I can live with this trauma, but Harry needs his computer and I am always the person to have to get it fixed . A little white stuff last night so this only means the temps have fallen a bit and the precipitation we've had with rain and more rain,  has turned to snow.  
The parcel I sent to Erin in the mail arrived yesterday - Mike picked it up at the post office and phoned me, and together we unwrapped the outer papers and box, and then he placed the wrapped gift on the counter for her to spot when she came in from work.  The DavidsTea Advent Collection we sent was on time for her to start December 1 - so I am well pleased!
So here's to another day, and then the weekend. Any plans anyone? 
I may try to make my mincemeat tarts, and then cheese tarts as it seems Harry is now done with his recipes and the kitchen.
Time for my coffee and early quiet time...take careXXX

The rest of the day

Evening now.  The computers have been fixed--all three of them.  And they all have Norton for the next year.  When the guy from Geek Squad showed up, it wasn't the one we expected.  David let him know that we had expected someone else, but he was here so settled in to fix things for us.  We both believe that he was a less experienced technician, but he got the job done. In the end, we had to buy a new wifi connection (modem??), but the old one was installed in 2008 didn't owe us anything, given a life expectancy of 3 years.  However this meant that the afternoon was shot.

Right after supper, we took David for his haircut.  Worked out this time, and he and the hairdresser decided that he should make an appointment for the first appointment of the day, in future.  He must have heard my comment about shaving his head, because that's what he had done.  I like it.

So now we can both settle down, and play with our computers, to see how they work. Hopefully, this also means that he can sign into Poker Stars, and not get kicked out every two minutes.

Colder now

We got a phone call, late Tuesday, that there had been a cancellation, and the respirologist could see David yesterday morning.  Yes, he has "significant Sleep Apnena", and they recommended him using a mask while sleeping.  He declined.  But I have made a note of the diagnosis on the E.R.I.K package we keep on the fridge.We also dropped my "Remembering" piece off at the clinic where it will be on display for the next 3 months.  Then some more shopping--we were able to cross one name off the Christmas list--and bought a few groceries that had been missed on Monday.  This also included a trip across town to get a sweater that I had fallen in love with, at the local store, but they didn't have it in my size.  I'm finding that, given my current life style, I can make my T-shirts, and jeans look dressier with a sweater, rather than a sweat shirt.

Today, David had an appointment to get his hair cut, but he had a bad response to the scents in the place, so he left.  She had suggested that he go back this evening, after supper to try again.  He's taken a Claritin, and we'll see what happens.  Since it appears to fall to me to solve the problem of where he gets this done, I suggested that we get out the dog grooming kit and just shave his head, given what little hair remains. However, he reminded me that we gave the electric clippers away, in one of my cleaning binges.  

You spoke of refraining from using milk in your coffee Beth.  I have recently found that the pleasure I find in my coffee has been missing.  Now I wonder if the amount of milk I use influences that.  I have always used milk, since being told, by my doctor at the time, that since I don't include milk in my diet, using it in my coffee is a good idea.  Yesterday, and again today, I've significantly reduced the amount I use, and am finding the flavour improves.  Thank you for the suggestion.  ( and the coffee stays warm longer!)

Still haven't dug into the mess in the basement studio.  I know it has to be done, but just can't find the wherewithal to get down there and do it.  Yes, I feel the "blues" creeping up on me again.  But the weight is down-minimally, so there is some source of joy in my life.  I have to wonder if I'll find some treasures digging into that pile.  Maybe so?

Singing in the rain...

Wonderful weather last two days - rain and more rain.  I went out again this morning in the drizzle - I refuse to let a little wetness spoil my daily walk.  In the bank I ran into the neighbour from across the street. She said so will you and Harry be dropping in sometime over the next while for Christmas - or some such words - I didn't catch it exactly except that she was asking us over. I don't like open invitations without substance or intent. So I said back " Is this an invitation, Ruth?"  She said yes and left the bank.  I was just upset because it sounds as if we are committed, doesn't it?  We don't do visiting as a rule although during the summer we did go once to their house for a drink - sat in the back yard.  Oh boy! Something else to worry about I guess. In meantime, the cards are mailed - a bit too early for my liking but Harry insisted.  And I have all Mike and Erin's box ready. Just getting a few things together for Willie and his crew.  Then I guess I'll shop for something for Harry and that's it!!  I keep thinking about last year and the anticipation of the "bus ride" and the visit with you all , haha!  It brings such happy memories to me.  Lots to think about.  Take care for now XX