The Coffee House

[PhotoHobbyist115 141]

I used to buy every tremendous bargain I'd find at thrift stores. When I downsized, it took me a year to sell all my stuff keeping only the essentials. Renting a big Penske truck for cross country move costs twenty times more than renting a Uhaul trailer. The difference is staggering. It makes no sense to keep furniture if moving cross country. Much cheaper to sell it, and buy furniture at your destination. It is liberating owning no more than what you need.

 

[snowbear115 46]

You two aren't helping.

My husband was campaigning a bit for the mixer. Of course, it’s badass - but still had to go. You can't start getting attracted to the "time and place" aspect of it all.

Rule #1 in basement excavation: Everything must go.

Rule #2: See Rule #1.

None of it's easy!

I just said I liked it; I don't want it. It should be donated to someplace special: a museum, a non-profit, or a dumpster.

We kept a couple of things from my late SIL's place. MLW kept MIL's recipes and her old hand mixer. We also have photos that we will go through, scan the ones we want to keep, and send them all on to the one niece who is interested in genealogy. I initially "saved" a bunch of crap from mom's place. We are keeping a few pieces of the furniture and son #1 wants some of it. That batch is in the basement, waiting until we can trailer it out to Tulsa (first leg of an adventure). There are various other things we have, most of which will be donated to one of the three places previously mentioned.

Our real problem is deciding what of the two and a half households (Lazy Lobster previous rented a room) to keep. We have an antique mahogany drop-leaf dining room table, which we've had for years. MLW also likes MLSIL's dining room table so we are probably going to go with that ans use the drop-leaf as a sideboard. Then there are pots, pans, dishes, glasses and mugs. LL moved in here right after we went to closing but I didn't move in until a couple months later, so we had to get some of the kitchen and dining stuff. MLSIL sent up a number of her dishes and glasses since she had plenty.

 

[snowbear115 46]

Renting a big Penske truck for cross country move costs twenty times more than renting a Uhaul trailer.

Lazy Lobster was in college when the pandemic hit. We had to have all of his stuff carted off to a storage facility and got them back to Maryland. After traveling restrictions eased up a bit, I flew back to Maine to get the stuff. MLW arranged the truck rental but the company gave us a free "upgrade" to a 26' (7.9m) truck. Not only was it overkill, but the GVRW was over 10,000 lbs (4535.9 kg) so following commercial truck rules: stop at weigh stations, road and lane restrictions, and higher tolls. First two were not a problem but I went "the long way around" to bypass the New Jersey Turnpike. There was road construction along the interstate in the Poconos, so the right lane was shut down in stretches. Frequently changing lanes in a 26-footer at night isn't fun.

When we were clearing the two houses, we were renting a pickup every weekend. That's when we bought the Gladiator. When we started moving things (mainly boxes but some furniture) from Maryland to Maine, we rented U-Haul trailers a few time, and decided to buy a 6x12 (1.8m x 3.6m) since we knew we'd have several trips. We figure we can always use it to haul the eventual ATVs or snowmobiles (AKA "Sleds" up here).

 

[CherylL]

This is the right way! All I needed to be convinced was to be the lone offspring who faced my mom's basement when she was finally ready to move into an assisted living facility.

She crammed stuff in that basement for 40 years, and never threw anything away.

New telephone? Old one went to the basement.
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New kitchen mixer? Keep this one around, because You Never Know.

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Stuff.Was.Everywhere.


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There's more, in all directions, but you get the idea. I'll never do this to anyone!

Only later did I come across the Swedish death cleaning concept - I'm a believer!

Oh dear! Crazy how things can get out of hand. Our trash treasures in the basement are organized and noted on the boxes. I've done a few major sweeps in the last few years. Oldest grand's girl scout troop has yard sales as fundraisers and that spurred me into letting go. We still have boxes from my MIL that passed 15 years ago. A lot of old photos with no names.

 

[CherylL]

Went to my first PT yesterday. Hopeful that it will work. Going 2x a week for 4 to 6 weeks and at home assignments. I didn't realize how bad the range of motion was until she did the assessment. I am thankful that it isn't my dominate arm.

 

[terri33 4]

Oh dear! Crazy how things can get out of hand. Our trash treasures in the basement are organized and noted on the boxes. I've done a few major sweeps in the last few years. Oldest grand's girl scout troop has yard sales as fundraisers and that spurred me into letting go. We still have boxes from my MIL that passed 15 years ago. A lot of old photos with no names.

I feel you! Kudos for at least getting a few sweeps done. It's such an effort to go through it all!

Your post reminded me that I also found my mom's Girl Scout uniform from her years as a Scout leader. About 50 years ago. I think she packed it and it’s in her closet at her apartment now.

 

[terri33 4]

Went to my first PT yesterday. Hopeful that it will work. Going 2x a week for 4 to 6 weeks and at home assignments. I didn't realize how bad the range of motion was until she did the assessment. I am thankful that it isn't my dominate arm.

Good luck with this! They know their stuff so fingers crossed for you.

 

[cgw116 141]

Went to my first PT yesterday. Hopeful that it will work. Going 2x a week for 4 to 6 weeks and at home assignments. I didn't realize how bad the range of motion was until she did the assessment. I am thankful that it isn't my dominate arm.

No fun. Can only suggest if your PT isn't getting results, switch if possible. Have busted/fractured ribs that time, not PTs, fixed. Same went for stretched plantar fascias from too many years of kendo. Got better and I still occasionally try to convince myself that guile can trump youth--sometimes, Hah! Patience helps but that's advice I give but seldom follow.

 

[snowbear115 46]

New POTM nomination threads are up. Please look for some things to put in the March Focused thread - I think the theme is "People."

The Compost Bin is basically ready. LL wanted to line the "floor" with wood for some reason, so we pulled from the stack of firewood. Most of what we used are about the diameter of an ear of corn. I'm not sure why there is a firewood stack as we haven't found a fireplace in the house. Anyway, as I was exiting the bin after driving a couple additional stakes for the fencing, my big clumsy foot decided to roll some of the wood and my fat *** fell. As expected my back landed on other firewood. Luck #1 - LL was there to help me up and luck #2 - MLW wasn't there to see it. Always More Fun.

I'm going to finish packing the crack in the basement door panel, then quit for the day. I will try to put something together for the Pastels and Watercolors (and a few other art media) thread.

 

[snowbear115 46]

The basement door has the crack filled and sanded. We only need to paint. A quick drawing of a goose was made on sketch paper with a Posca paint marker and posted in the Pastels, Watercolors and other media thread. My back (and lower area) still hurts, and probably will for a while. MLW and LL brought a frozen bake-at-home pizza back from a sweet Italian market in Portland, and are making it for dinner. They're adding some Italian sweet sausage.

Rumors of snowy or snow/rain mix are floating around for tonight into tomorrow.

The pond water level looks like it's a little higher, today, but it could just be the ripples from the wind, geese and mallards. I did see a small boat out yesterday; maybe 14' to 16' (4.2m to 4.7m) with a small outboard.

 

[terri33 4]

my big clumsy foot decided to roll some of the wood and my fat *** fell. As expected my back landed on other firewood. Luck #1 - LL was there to help me up and luck #2 - MLW wasn't there to see it. Always More Fun.

Well.

Part of me wants to say, Oh no! I hope you're doing okay!

Another part wants to say, Be careful, ya klutz!

And yet another has nothing but:

So mean. So cruel.

 

[cgw116 141]

Finally! Freak warm shot in S. Ontario. BBQing bare foot late this afternoon!

 

[snowbear115 46]

More spring-like temps this week. We had some thunder last night and rain this morning. It's been one of those days I just watch the ducks.

 

[MartinCrabtree107 1]

Forecast mid 80s today with chance of storms. Clear and sunny 'bout 60°f right now. Rainy tomorrow and cooling for the week.

 

[SquarePeg36 7]

What’s everyone’s plans for Easter tomorrow? I’m hosting the usual suspects for a late lunch/early dinner around 3. Prime rib, mac n cheese, roasted veggies and fresh baked honey corn bread.

If the weather is dry I hope to get a long walk in after dinner.