Category Archives: decluttering

Back to routines…

Posted in Bone marrow transplant, cooking, decluttering, Flylady, Uncategorized by

It finally feels like things are getting back to some semblance of normal.

It has been busy to some degree and yesterday was a very long clinic visit with the doctor. There are a few things needing attention. His blood pressure is still low and seems to drop when he stands. The doctor thinks this is the Flomax, but since he needs that to get the peeing going the dose cant be lowered yet. So he needs to be extra careful getting up.  Then he has a ‘drop foot’ happening in his right foot where it’s kinda lagging. This just started a few days ago. The doctor ordered an MRI asap, but that still is 2 weeks out. It may be a nerve or it may be a rare side effect of the anti-rejection drug, so it needs to be figured out.  Well, no one said this would be easy.  But overall, it’s all going better than expected.

Today, though, I’m going to do Flylady zone which is the living room. Always an easy zone for me but I may do it a bit deeper especially after the deep cleaning we got from the cleaning lady.  Yesterday, I moved all my cookbooks into the LR bookcase as I want o see them together and what doesn’t fit I’ll get rid of. I’m also going to wash the couch covers. I’m guesstimating that I do this about 4 times a year. Since we just had the summer solstice that’s a good time.

I’m also going into the closet pantry and do some tidying up in there. It doesn’t need a lot but some stuff does need to be re-organized.

I’m not going into the gym or town at all today. But tomorrow I will go to Costco as coffee is needed and some other basic things. I’ll go early so as to be home just after my daughter leaves for her job. Someone is supposed to be with B 24/7 but an hour won’t be too bad.

I’m also putting a piece of pork in the slow cooker for pulled pork. I have some corn and I may do a small potato salad. Not sure if I have enough potatoes though.

We just had a nice one-mile walk.  Don’t want to do too much yet. The park has been really busy even at 6am. I grumble about it:(

Trying new things

Posted in decluttering, minimalism, Uncategorized by

I like routines and doing things on a schedule. Maybe it’s a security need to know I’m getting things done. For me, there is LBC(life before cancer) and LAC( life after cancer). Before my diagnosis, I certainly got things done and was homeschooling my son using a Waldorf program. I had lesson plans, monthly blocks of learning, etc. So I was disciplined as such.

But it wasn’t til LAC. when I relapsed in 2010 and even later, that I started Fly lady and began my decluttering in earnest.  I don’t remember minimalism as a catchphrase so much back then but I’m sure it was.  Over at Minimally-less stuff,  Trisha has a great blog on the ongoing process of decluttering. It sometimes, like for me, is a life-altering event to start the decluttering journey or just a phase of life and discovering what works.

But back to trying new things. I like to implement new cooking techniques( the IP, that now I’m not too crazy about), and also new minimalist ideas that I read about. My son jokes with me, though, that I don’t really go out of my comfort zone a lot, and that is true. I guess I feel I did that so much as a young person and it was a bit reckless at times. ( The one year we moved like 6 times, like in a school bus, to a trailer, and so on). Yeah, not to steady. It really wasn’t till our daughter was born that we settled into a routine.

Anyway, this coming week I will be doing something new and that’s staying in the RV alone. It’ll be interesting, to say the least. And it will definitely be out of my comfort zone.

The week ahead…

Posted in Bone marrow transplant, camping, decluttering, Flylady, home improvement, home stuff, minimalism, Uncategorized, White space by

We had a quiet Memorial Day.

My brother died in Viet Nam in 1968 so I thought about him. He was a talented artist. What a waste. He also couldn’t get a deferment even though he had a heart problem and at that time was working full time to support my mother. I guess Donald Trump got the deferment for his bone spurs. I guess he had enough millions to pay off a judge. Well, I guess that tells you something about my brother being killed in Viet Nam and  Donald Trump whining about a bone spur.

It was cloudy to start but then eventually the sun came out. We BBQ some burgers and I made some coleslaw. My daughter made us some strawberry shortcakes for dessert later.  We generally don’t eat dessert so this was a nice treat.

I didn’t drive to Sacramento and missed seeing B. But I’m going down today and all the rest of the week except Friday. I think my daughter will go on Friday unless her new job starts. Her library interview is next week and this job she is doing is only temporary thru June.

Everything is lining up for us to have the RV. I just ordered some camp chairs as I don’t want to use the owner’s ones for risk of them being stolen or damaged. We needed new ones anyway.

Flylady zone this week was the living room. That’s an easy one for me as it is almost where I want it with functionality and minimalized. I try and do one thing in each zone that’s new or improved. So this time I moved the Ikea cart out and put it in my office area. It holds our wine bottles( which have been reduced to one Chianti, that we don’t drink very often) and we kept our silverware in Ball jars there too. So, I’m going to try it and see if we NEED it back or can the space just be open( white space). I guess we shall see. Right now in my office space, it has a plant on top and that’s it so, that probably isn’t very efficient either.

I’m planning on going to Sac Co-op this morning for veggies and olives from their olive bar. But it kinda depends on my mood as I get closer. Nothing is critical that I need so we’ll see. (How’s that for being indecisive??)

Dinner is chicken enchiladas!

Saturday stuff

Posted in Bone marrow transplant, decluttering, Uncategorized by

It has been quite the week!! We had the transplant the morning of the 23rd and it is( for those who have been thru an SCT) fairly uneventful. Even anti-climatic except it is the beginning of a new life which is pretty monumental. But it is just a drip for however many hours. Mine was very short ( an auto) B’s was almost 4 hours!!

Well, we are now on day +2 and he’s been in for 9 days. So soon he will go down to WBC of 0 and then it’s a waiting game. At this point is when you start to feel awful, no appetite, diarrhea, and absolutely NO energy. Because his is an allo, the risk of infection and graft vs host is much more present.

Today I’m going down with my son and then tomorrow I’ll take my brother if B is up for it. He said he was starting to not feel great so visitors are usually the last thing you want.

On a different note, I’m working on taking a few things out of the bedroom and closet. I have some empty bins I need to put in the laundry room and  I wanted to move a plant to a different spot. I’d like to take out the suitcase I have a plant on but I’m not sure where I’d put it. It has mementos for both of my children like wood toys and other things.

I’ll just have to look at it more closely. I thought I’d like to mount the wood crate on the wall and then that would eliminate the need for the suitcase which the wood crate is on top of.  That has a plant and a salt lamp on it.

It’s cloudy again today and cool. Tomorrow it’s suppose to rain:( again.

A book giveaway.

Posted in books, decluttering, reading, Uncategorized by

I’m giving away my copy of “lightly  How to live a simple, serene, stress-free life” by Francine Jay.

It’s a great little book with lots of ideas for minimizing, simplicity, decluttering and more.

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To enter, Please leave a comment on why you’d like to have it.

I will use a random number generator to pick a winner and then will post that and the winner can email me there address.

The giveaway will be open until next Sunday, April 14th.

Beginning of the week.

Posted in Blood test, decluttering, Flylady, home improvement, Uncategorized by

I’m off to get my labs this morning. Even though I don’t see my oncologist till the end of the month, I wanted to get my labs at 6 weeks to see where they are or if they’ve changed.

Then I’m going to go pay our property taxes(bi-annually), and I have to go pay the car tags on the Santa Fe.

Then home to do Monday chores. I need to wash mirrors and the window in the entryways and the sun porch. But the sun porch is ALL windows so maybe not all today.

On a super positive note, I called the American Cancer Society about there partnership with hotels for our stay after B is released from the hospital and it all sounds great. He’s in the system and when he goes in then call and set up the tentative date for the hotel. Since it will be at a reduced price, even if we are a few days different, I’ll go and check in just to keep the reservation. So very good news there.

So yesterday, inspired by “The Home Edit”. I pulled everything out of the fridge. Then I cleaned all the shelves with the help of my daughter. I had gone to Target and got some plastic bins for specific things to group. I’m pleased with it all.

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It looks all fresh and bright.

Today I might work on the kitchen pantry which is the restaurant shelving. It seems I haven’t found the best way to work things there.  But I think I’ll take everything out and see where I go with it..

Dinner is unknown…….

 

Simple Sunday

Posted in decluttering, Flylady, minimalism, Uncategorized by

It is rainy, rainy and rainy.  The temperature is dropping too. My daughter is planning to work on Tuesday but I think the freeway will be closed and travel to Truckee unlikely.  I guess we’ll see.

Today B has platelets and I’m going to go to the gym.  This infusion goes relatively quickly.

We got quite a few applications from the Social worker to fill out for assistance such as PGE’s medical rate, handicap placard for when he’s going to the hospital and afterward and an American Cancer one that might have some assistance.  We’ll see how any or all of that goes. I’m still planning to do a GoFundme but just haven’t gotten around to it. Based on what the social worker said the month housing will be around $2000. Plus we will have to cover the expenses of the bone marrow retrieval( plane flight, hotels, etc). That’s if there’s a match.

Lots to consider and think about. But one day at a time and one foot in front of the other or just keep walking:)

This week is the kitchen zone and I may start that when I get home from town or I’ll start tomorrow.  One thing about simplifying and decluttering, cleaning goes much faster when you have less. I’m still loving the open shelves and love the bright white. Even if and when we do a remodel I would keep open shelving. It makes things more organized since you can see what’s there. The things in the metal bins are organized such as tea, coffee, spices, so I know which one is which.  I think it’s working out great and I’d encourage you to try if you’re looking for a change up in your kitchen. Initially, I did freak out and it took 3 coats to paint the shelves but it was worth it.

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We don’t have cable so I’m not sure if we’ll find the super bowl to stream but honestly, I don’t even have a clue about the 2 teams. But the ads are always great and quite clever.

Well, off to town in the rain:(  I really hate driving in the rain.

 

Simple Sunday

Posted in decluttering, MDS, Uncategorized by

It’s supposed to be just beautiful today with a high near 70. Well, 67 at least. Then it’s downhill from there. Rain expected later in the week.

We will be going to Sacramento on Thursday to meet with the nurse coordinator and the social worker. It will be a long appointment as a lot has to be gone over about the transplant and the nurse coordinator will go over sending the donor match kits to the brothers. I think she mentioned they will also be looking at the donor bank but I wasn’t clear whether that was simultaneous to getting the brothers test or after. Also, they want to go over transplant requirements such as a caregiver etc.

I’m heading out to the gym and then B has to get platelets so I’ll just hang out after the gym. I do need to go into Safeway for some chicken I want to make for dinner. I wanted to go to Target and get an ironing board but I think I’ll postpone that.

I dropped off a load at Goodwill the other day that included a bunch of food stuff for the local food bank. I’m noticing that each time I go to Goodwill we really do have less and less to drop off. That is progress for sure. There are a few things I’m still considering giving away but not decided yet. One is the small table in the sunroom. Last year I had plants on it but this year I just put them in the greenhouse so the table top is clear. It’s a nice midcentury looking table I bought at Target a number of years ago so it’s not vintage or anything, so I’d be ok with it going. But if it’s useful(still to be determined) I’ll keep it.

Well, off then to lift weights:)

 

 

 

Simple Sunday

Posted in decluttering, Flylady, husband, Uncategorized, Walking by

I walked this morning and B actually felt like walking too!!! Hurray!!! As soon as we were done though it started pouring rain. It was funny.

Today is supposed to be rainy but then the rest of the week looks lovely and in the mid-’60s. Yes, I can get outside.  I am wanting to get out to the barn to go thru another bin of Life magazines. I think I’m just going to take most of the very early ones to the Cancer thrift. I have some of the ones in the 1930s. I love that life was so different and way simpler but also way more uninformed. News took a long time to get out. Now it’s instant. Anyway, I’m pretty sure my kids don’t want these ones so I think that will eliminate almost a whole bin. I have 4 bins left and I’d like to get it down to 2 by this summer.  Other than reorganizing camping stuff the shelves out there look good.

B will need to give most of his samples away since he’s not on the road and won’t be again.  The food bank always appreciates the organic and natural stuff.  His job has been given to someone else so when he goes back it won’t be for that job. Does anyone know the law about that?  Do they have to hold his job for him for x amount of months or not at all? Well, since we don’t know how long it’s going to be I guess it’s a moot point but still I’d like to know.

I’m off to the gym and then finish the bedroom zone. I want to wash the curtains this time around.

Dinner is spaghetti with a sauce I think. Brinner is an option too. So one or the other.

 

No Spend January

Posted in decluttering, home improvement, Uncategorized by

I’m going to do a no spend month. If you’d like to do it too, it’s pretty easy.

Basically, you don’t buy anything non-essential. Food, pet supplies, household stuff is allowed but no extra stuff.

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I plan on not buying anything from Amazon.  If I need something such as Rid-X which I do get from Amazon, I’ll just either wait or go to Home Depot. So, no clothes, coffees out unless we use a gift card.  We do have a Panera one that maybe when B feels better we can go.

I’ve done this before and it really does make one aware of the things that money is spent on.  Generally, I don’t buy a lot of extra stuff but still, there is some.  I didn’t ever feel I saved money per se, but it did make me more aware of where I spent money.

On another note, I’m almost done with the SDI form so we will do that soon. There are a few things were not clear about but overall it is straightforward. I think this will take us thru the transplant and then after that, we will need to do something else.

On a fun note, if you have Netflix, there is the new MarieKondo series called Tidying up. I’ve watched 2 and it was fun. She is a really sincere person and I like her approach. It’s definitely worth watching.

Today is a gym day, but I’m not feeling great(probably stress) so I’ll just do some weights. There is the Koffee Klatch lunch but I’ll probably skip that too even though I’d like to go.

Dinner is unknown…