HOARDERSVILLE REVEALED

GOT MY MUCH NEEDED CROSS TRAINING EXERCISE FROM FOLDING THE HEAVY QUILTS.  The lifting and carrying, carrying some more, twisting, leaning, bending, stretching, reaching and walking with the textile in my arms gave my entire body a different kind of strength training.  This became a full body workout which was badly needed.  I was hitting two birds with one stone sort of speak.  Exercising and getting the accomplishment achieved of having the bedding displayed on the bookcase.

This is more like it.  There's potential here.

Placing the quilts on the shelves was very satisfying.  The bedding stash is a beautiful sight to see for me.  Again it's like hitting two birds with one stone having a task finished for the time being and getting some exercise like I received are a big win for me.  

LOVE having the colorful quilts and bedding.  So very thankful and grateful.  In my mind, I can see the rest of the room organized into a functioning TV room once again where all the clutter has vanished.  POOF.  I'm thinking by November 1st the large screen TV will be up and running with the recliners across the room from it ready to watch a good movie and relax for the evening. 

Settling into a tiny COTTAGE has been laborious as a very uncomfortable challenge.  Being real. Still dealing with boxes full of STUFF that's got to go someplace.  What a nightmare to have. There are far worse things to go through, but this isn't easy for me at 70.  Cheerleader needed just about now.  Go SIS BOOM BAH.  Louder please, I am not motivated at the moment.  A kick in the pants might be a better gesture for now.

THIS IS A PROJECT AND A HALF.  It can be taken care of, but not quickly.  I will be transparent.  Maybe I shouldn't be, but hey it is what it is.  Does this make me a realist?  I don't generally live like a hoarder, but that would be hard pressed to prove right now.  This is a snap shot of what the room presently looks like.  I hate it.  Take the emotion out of it and get this place in ORDER.

OH MY GOSH...this is why I was standing on my head to fold up a work table that needed dug out of the space and taken out of the cramped room.  SLOWLY the room is getting whittled into shape.  SLOWLY!

HEAVE HO and away I go to make PROGRESS that is badly needed.

What seems like a simple thing when moving into a house, isn't around here.  It's more complicated dealing with possessions and having to think deeply what to keep and what to give away.  Making this house a HOME is one of the most challenging moves I have EVER gone through due to my age, health issues, downsizing and trying to FIT INTO the COTTAGE. Turning loose of much has taken much thought and physical movement.  MENTAL GYMNASTICS.  

AUTUMN PROJECT.  I have stayed HOME so I can continue working on the front bedroom while Hubby has gone to Manhattan to purchase porch paint, primer and sealer.  He plans to do some painting today.  I have to sit a bit as my lower back screams at me in discomfort.

   

PORCH UPDATE.  The last few days he has been laying porch boards.  This project has been very hard with tearing out the porch and rebuilding.  Like most projects when you get started there are surprises you were not expecting.  He discovered that the porch rock foundation had collapsed behind the heavy concrete steps.  Rebuilding the foundation took time and muscle plus the concrete steps had to be jack hammered down with the chunks of concrete dumped in the street so it could be scooped up and hauled away to a place that would take the concrete trash. 

After the porch boards are primed, sealed and painted, he'll take a break to catch his breath and rest his 70 year old body.  NEXT WEEK, the porch columns will go up and the spindles put into place.  More painting.  Then steps will be built and painted.  Maybe by the end of November the porch will be functioning as a PORCH.  That will be something to celebrate!  

I need to snip produce and bring some plants indoors right away.  I'd better go do this before I forget.

PART TWO.
Finished folding 17 quilts and bed coverings just so so then managed to get these onto the bookcase shelves.  Pleased with how this turned out.  NOW to move onto shuffling the bed in the pink room.  More major shuffling of furniture and boxes.  SO much stuff lying around that will have to be moved out of the way.  

Once I get this done, the front bedroom will be dealt with and this means lots of work.  A full day's work.

Geraniums in the galvanized cart were brought indoors.  I shuffled some more things to make room for the cart in the dining room.  Made it happen.  Pleased to see this plant indoors, but I think the cold we had the night before damaged the plant as some of the leaves turned yellowish.  

I cut some lavender stems from the container garden and placed them in a small old fashioned white pitcher in the Bathroom. Mission accomplished. SO Pleased.  

SO VERY pleased that the bookcase is in the front bedroom and filled with quilts!  Hopefully TODAY the pink bedroom will be a real bedroom again.  Pleased.  

Much to do before the week-end.

~d  

  

QUILTS FOLDED FOR NEW LOCATION IN COTTAGE, MORE SHUFFLING and LIFE GOES ON

HALLELUJAH, THE BOOKCASE IS IN THE CORNER OF THE FRONT BEDROOM!  Have mercy, that took some doing. Thar' she sits all tall and proud.  I'll wipe her down really well and begin to fill the shelves with my folded quilts.  A nice place for displaying and storing the textiles.   

Looking at this piece of furniture that we have used throughout the years, I reminded myself that we have used this piece for nearly 40 years for actual BOOKS and records in various houses, for toys, nic-nacs, used it for a food pantry in the Marion rental and the two story 1883 house as well as in the garage of the 1885 rock house.  Very useful piece to have as we were practically vagabonds that didn't stay put in one place for very long.    

As we moved her into the Bedroom, the bottom edge of the piece broke off.  Saved the piece of wood as it'll be glued back later. 

Soon, I'll be folding the quilts to a certain size so they'll fit beautifully on the shelves.  Can't wait. Measured the shelves and I will fold the quilts to 34" by 11" so they fit nicely.  That will be my project for the day after LUNCH and my walk.  I plan to walk 5 laps around the track this afternoon. 

Folding the bedding will require using the entire Parlour where I can stand and work.  Should work.  The sooner the better.   

Pics after I get this task finished.  Hopefully, I won't be disappointed how the outcome is. Making progress in moving forward in getting settled into our fixer-upper COTTAGE.  

  

I'll continue to collect quilts for extra bedding when I am out and about shopping thrift then when I discover one that's affordable, I'll purchase it.  The more the merrier! 👵 

  

We've pulled up some of the carpet in the COTTAGE to see what shape the wood floors are in. The house was built in 1900 so the yellow pine wood floors have to be over 126 years old. There's no way of knowing the age of the trees that the wood came from in the first place.  So at least 126 years or older.  Imagine really old YELLOW PINE.  Cleaning and polishing the floors will take place hoping the wood is in good shape throughout the house.  Perhaps there will not be much repair to do on the floor that lies underneath this old worn out carpet that's in terrible shape covered with stains that I cannot get out.  

With a tiny house full of furniture, the thought of relocating the furniture in each room so new carpet can be laid has been overwhelming.  If we do one room at a time of working on the wood floor I believe that Hubby and I will be able to freshen up the COTTAGE ourselves.  If we scoot the furniture over to one side of the room then work on that particular open floor area then scoot the furniture over to the other side repeating what we just did, then maybe we will be successful in making the floors vibrant again.

I can expect the entire house to be in disarray as we work on it.  Keeping a relaxed attitude about the messes has been like pulling teeth.  The kids poke fun at us saying we will never be orderly. Right now it looks like we are hoarders as EVERYTHING is out of order, stacked and out of place.  Crammed boxes galore.  My goal is to have a somewhat orderly interior by CHRISTMAS. The painting, crown molding, floors refinished, etc. will take place in 2026.  FACT. 

AS I WORK ABOUT THE HOUSE, each day I need to seriously do 2 loads of laundry to get to the bottom of the baskets.  Also take a little time to polish the Kitchen appliances and clean out the inside of the oven.  

MORE SHUFFLING.  I will continue to shuffle the KITCHEN CABINETS as now I must find a new HOME for our TEA STASH which was on the bookcase that got relocated to the front Bedroom.  The cabinet above the stove holds crystal for now and this will be relocated to the cabinet to the right of the Kitchen sink meaning I have to get rid of everyday mismatched cups. The Tea Stash will go above the stove for now.  This is a big mess.  Turning it into an orderly KITCHEN is work.  MULTI-TASKING TAKES SKILL and PATIENCE doesn't it?  Yep, it do.  

Planning goes along ways. 

~d 

 

 

OH HAPPY DAY and READY TO ROLL!!!

I NEATLY STACKED MY STASH OF COMFORTERS AND QUILTS on the Dining room table so I can figure out how to make room for them in the main closet.  I needed to get them off the victorian settee that sits in the pink bedroom as it is going to the she shed.  Storage space is very limited in this COTTAGE.

We have no linen closet.  Burning some brain cells on this one as I'm not sure how to go about this at this point in time.  Very little storage space in the teeny tiny closets here.  We'll be rearranging the VICTORIAN ROOM.  The bedding has been sitting on the small settee for a while now.  So now I have to relocate the pretty bedding.

Grandma's Quilt

I will refold all of the bedding and see if I can get the quilts and comforters to be close in folded width size whether they are for a twin bed or queen.  I have twin, double and queen.  When looking at them now, I have forgotten which ones are which.  oops.  This can be fixed.  

I've got to shuffle some purses and other boxes in the main closet to make room for the bedding.  My boxed wedding dress stored in the closet might fit under the bed freeing up closet space for the bedding.  Not many choices available.

Morning was slightly busy with laundry, dishes and paperwork.  I'll have to shampoo my hair later in the day.  I'd like to curl it.  

TODAY was a very productive day for us as we worked in the storage units.  We wanted to get out before the outdoor temps climbed hotter.  First we unloaded what we're keeping at HOME and was in the trunk of our PT Cruiser other wise known as our pick-up.  Thankful we have this car.  SO Thankful.

Drove over to the local storage unit to clear out some tubs placing them in the back of the car to relocate to a larger unit in a different community.  Drove over there to unload.  Did it in record time.  Hubby needed some supplies from Manhattan for the bathroom so off we went.  I needed to purchase some MAGNESIUM TAURATE which is the best magnesium for combatting higher blood sugar and blood pressure plus anxiety.  

No Magnesium Taurate.  Tried 3 stores.  Not a go.  Checked out Natures Grocers on the computer.  They have some so I will pick some up next time I am in TOPEKA.  

We did some shopping at Menards and drove the slow way HOME.  Very relaxing.  Will take a NAP and then go unload the car, place a load of laundry in and figure what to fix for SUPPER.  I might copy a salad I had last week.  Shredded Romaine Lettuce, cherry tomatoes, shredded cheese, dressing and croutons.  Easy peasy and fast.  It will be filling enough.  

It has been a OH HAPPY DAY kind of day.

MOVIE NIGHT.  Last night we watched the movie, TUCKER: The Man and His Dreams (1988) with Jeff Bridges in it.  I remember seeing this movie years ago, but for the life of me, I couldn't remember anything about it except Tucker made some cars.  It was like watching a new movie.  Fairly decent movie that I believe the entire family could watch.  Fairly clean.

What a beautiful car.  This 1948 automobile is valued at about $2,000,000.oo these days if you can find one for sale.  Most of these are in museums so it's still possible to get a peek at one.

...and now to unwind.  TIME FOR A QUIET EVENING IN SMALL TOWN AMERICA,

~d

WINDOW TO THE FUTURE

THAT TRAIN THAT JUST BLEW BY has a very loud horn on it.  I had forgotten how many trains travel near the out skirts of the small town I live in.  I can hear the rattling of the train tracks from here.  

We lived in this small community back in 2006 to HALF THROUGH 2017 with the trains being closer to us.  It took me 7 years to get use to their noise making sleeping through the night very challenging.  Not getting sound sleep affected my peace of mind.  I finally adjusted.  We'd live in the rock house about 3 more years before the devastating house fire that forced us out of our historic house made of native limestone.

DO I miss the house?  Sometimes I do.  Sometimes, I am just fine where I'm at. If the rock house had been in the country away from the maddening crowd, I think I would have lived there the rest of my human life.  We lived in the 1883 house after the fire for 6 and a half years and now, I am living in a very small 1900 Folk Victorian Cottage.

This sweet place is a stepping stone in our lives to thin out 80% of our earthly belongings making the most of the small storage spaces.  A LIFE LESSON in downsizing and getting back up.  

The washer and clothes dryer are both running.  Woke early starting the laundry on this fine day. Washed some dishes left in the sink.  On some days, I can hear the church bells ringing to announce that church services will take place soon.  On other days, they sometimes ring the bells at 6 in the morning.  When the city sirens go off at noon on Mondays, we can hear it loud and clear.  The sirens work very well.  Hello there.  

Being able to hear is a huge blessing.  Right now a group of birds are chirping outside my window.  When they do this, it reminds me that SPRING is coming.  In the dead of WINTER, they sing which reminds me that SPRING is near even when it is so cold outside.  Spring is 16 days away!  That turns my crank.  

ON THE HOME FRONT.  I looked at the Kitchen window hardware which needs the paint stripped from it.  That can happen anytime now, but isn't a priority even with it being so grossly grungy.  Shabby Chic it aint.  

Getting settled is the priority.  Have mercy.  As I work I do look at things like this and if I'm not careful, it gets to me.  I don't like grungy anything.  I have to remind myself to stay focused and keep on keeping on.  Some would not be bothered by this grunge.  I am.  Gets to me. 

Started SPRING cleaning and will do a little each day until completed.  The window opens and that's a plus grungy and all.  Sometimes windows are painted shut which causes different issues.
This little window OPENS.  I do like the two small windows above the Kitchen sink.  Small, but mighty.  I want to keep them as they are original to the COTTAGE.  The clean up as it comes will be uplifting to say the least.  Perhaps my blood pressure will go down on its own.

To look at the COTTAGE inside and out, we appear to be ROUGHING IT.  I think of this time as if we are PIONEERS.  We have running water, but for awhile there we did not have any HOT water.  I heated it on the stove and used the Keurig to get instant HOT water.  When the new hot water heater was installed, it made for a happy day.

I got use to using the Keurig to run 4 oz. of water onto a washcloth so I washed my face at the Kitchen sink.  Feels so good placing a very hot washcloth on my face first thing.  Thankful we have running water and the house has heating and cooling.  I've thought about living off grid, but I truly love hot and cold running water straight from the faucet and I LOVE having a flushing TOILET!  If I can cut our expenses is the best procedure for me.  I won't be living off grid although I wouldn't mind subsidizing our groceries some by collecting vegetables from a small garden. 

I continue to fold my comforters and quilt stash.  Nice and neat. Taking shape.  Washed the mattress pad cover and bedsheets for the Victorian Bed that we are sleeping on for the time being.  The bed will get made up.  I moved the Victorian sofa making more room to get in the bed on the far side.  It's a narrow pathway.  After the walls are repaired from closing them off, the Vanity Dresser will be moved to the other wall and the sofa put in its place.  In hopes this makes the room better arranged to live with.  For now, it'll have to do.

Grandma's Quilt

Working on catching up on laundry.  This is ongoing.  It'll take a bit of time to get this done.

AND then of course the Dining room needs attention.  I shredded more papers last night as I came across them in boxes.  Some need filed.  Always an opportunity to get organized again.  It was over a year ago I started my adventure of shredding thousands of pieces of paper.  Here I find some more.  It is manageable now.  

Large trash bags were filled with the shredded papers now confetti.  Lost count of how many bags were filled and thrown away.  It is a relief to have this behind me.  Some of these papers were old credit card statements and I hang my head down low.  I had wondered how much we had spent plus interest on this mess?  Relieved we are out of the credit card jungle.  It was awful to be enslaved to so much debt.  Awful and taxing.  I'm not use to NOT HAVING a credit card payment due.  It's like aren't we suppose to pay a bill?  The freedom that comes from not having a house payment, car payment, credit cards to pay, etc. hasn't soaked in yet.  A newby at this.  We were slaves to debt.  It takes some time to get use to doing things differently.  A welcomed practice.  

I didn't want the debt.  Hubby and I had a huge difference of opinion through the years and it wore me down.  We are finally on the same page after 49 years of marriage.  That's a chunk of time. 

God would rather we stay out of debt.  I have to remember this by honoring HIS WORD.  If I want to be HAPPY in the LORD then I need to embrace HIS counsel and know HE is right. Something that has been going on in life is realizing that GOD's ways are BEST.  After I've made horrible mistakes and bow my knee to HIS counsel, I know HE is right.  To honor HIS COUNSEL before making the mistakes is a far better way to live.  Oh, the pain that could have been avoided.     

MOVIE TIME:  We watched a double feature last night on the television and I have to say it was a waste of time.  MISS JULIE was not my cup of tea.  I wouldn't suggest watching it.  Blah. Terrible.  The second feature was ALL THE GOOD.  It was more interesting, but when the movie has so much killing in it, I need to do something else besides watch it.  Movies do affect the way I feel.  Needing to guard my heart.

If I detox from movies, I have to fill the time with something else.  I use to watch soap operas during the day when my kids were young.  Slowly I detoxed from it and the tv rarely came on during the daytime.  I don't miss it.  Like drinking soda, I am better off not doing it.  I have adjusted and am thankful I no longer watch daytime tele.  I have found plenty to do besides watching it.  It was a habit I did away with.  Praise the LORD.

Be right back.  Gotta check on the laundry.  The machine is chiming. The dryer has a quilt in it so it's drying on the delicate cycle.  I'll let it finish drying by air.  Delicate.  It's a quilt my Grandma made.  Proud to have it.

~Daniel Diet~

I patted myself on the back as Day 5 was a rough one.  Things that I wanted to eat came to mind. I.want.meatloaf.  Cho-co-late.  MEAT.  I kept as strong as I could and didn't blow it.  Day 5 was tough.  I weighed myself and I had lost a couple of pounds.  PTLord.  Stay strong girl.

Day 6.  Fabulous.  Day 6  Had a TBSP. of peanut butter and half a banana with water for Breakfast.  Nibbled on a juicy navel orange and still sipping on water, the drink of CHAMPIONS!

LUNCH was a huge salad.  Probably 4 cups of salad.  Wish I had some sunflower seeds.  Would be perfect.  

SUPPER.  Baked potato topped with salsa and green beans with almonds.  
Snack?  Baby carrots and crunchy celery.

DAY SEVEN.  Think for Breakfast I'll have blueberries and pineapple.  Water of course.

LUNCH will more than likely be a vegetable salad and SUPPER a different kind of salad with other vegetables and legumes like chick peas. 

By sundown, I will have put my first full week of eating the Daniel Diet.  How do I feel about my progress? Glad to have the first week under my belt.  The struggle I have is that I want this to be over and in reality I will need to eat more like this all the time to lose weight.  Which do I want more, to lose weight, to be healthier or to eat whatever and as much as I want?  

I have to remind myself that its alright to change habits for the better and that means I have to change the way I eat.  It's alright to be healthy.  When eating the right kind of food it's a blessing and a healing takes place.  I don't have to feel guilty that I am eating differently than I did growing up.  It's not an insult against my parents and my upbringing that I have had to change what I eat.  I'm not dishonoring them and I'm not being disrespectful to change my mindset that is different than what it was.  I am a new creation.  It is alright to change.  Perfectly alright.  It is possible to change and be better off.  I do not have to be imprisoned to the past even with what foods I ate.  I discovered that I am breaking free from past mistakes and it's alright to be a different person than how I was raised.  Take the good and be thankful.  The past was then and I'm living in the present.  I must go forward and be.

The rebellious Deanna wants to be able to do whatever.  The logical Deanna wants to be healthier which means I have to be proactive and apply myself.  The educated Deanna wants to be well informed and do what is best.  The spiritual Deanna wants to embrace God's dietary instructions. The physical Deanna wants to slim down and be healthier.  SO with all that said, for now it's the Daniel Diet way.  Two more weeks of this and then I begin to add in chicken, tuna and turkey. Some beef, eggs and cheese.  I will continue to hold off on the bread, pasta and desserts.  More water and a variety of fruits and vegetables.  I know along life's road that I failed to eat enough fruits and vegetables.  This is a bad habit I am breaking.

Temps are suppose to hit the low 70s today.  
Like SPRING!!!  That will be sweet.
God bless you,

~d on the prairie

THRIFT TREASURES making me a HAPPY Mamma.

 

THRIFT TREASURES.

A THREE QUILT DAY.

A VINTAGE VICTORY!  This twin size quilt probably from the 1950s was my thrift treasure for the day.  Since it was Senior discount day, 20% was taken off the price tag.  Going from $12.oo to $9.6o made me a very happy Senior.

There were two Queen size quilts that I eyeballed thinking these would be really nice for my extra bedding stash.  My camera did not pick up on the blue color as in the real this quilt is deep blue.  Like a denim.  The quilt itself is very heavy making a nice addition to our HOME. Reversible.  When the Master Bedroom is completed, the walls will be a nice white so adding color will be the magic ticket for making the room pop with some hue.  It will be by switching comforters and quilts for seasonal moods that will add some COTTAGE charm.

This is closer to the true color.

This Queen size Quilt is ivory, in great shape and 100% cotton.

The place that I shop usually has everything clean and smelling fresh.  Still I will wash the blue quilt at the Laundry-mat that has super large washing machines that will hold the weight of the quilt when it is wet.  The other two quilts I will leave alone, especially the twin vintage one.  I don't want to ruin the twin quilt to where it falls apart during the washing.  It will be more for eye candy than use.  

I found a very nice leather jacket in good shape that fit me.  Funny thing is, I gave away a leather jacket that did not fit well and talked to God about getting one that would fit me.  Found her yesterday for a great price.  $8.oo.  No complaints.

With Spring coming, the weather is still somewhat chilly.  This sweater will tie me over until I can reach my sweaters that are in the back of the Master Bedroom where I cannot get to since the room is full of boxes, a mattress and box springs.  It'll be SPRING before I can work on this room to where I can get into the chest of drawers where my sweaters are resting.  I got a great price on the sweater.

MY THRIFT DAY was a wonderful day with the weather being in the 60s.  Blue skies and no Kansas wind blowing.  It was a gorgeous day to be out and about.  Car windows were rolled down. 

We had early morning labs in TOPEKA, so we had to get up early for the drive.  Off to IHOP for a $6.99 breakfast with two eggs and two pancakes.  Blueberry syrup.  I drank water.  On the way to GOD'S STOREHOUSE, we stopped at Starbucks for a cold iced green tea.  Shopped at GS and donated a large box full of donations then drove across the PRAIRIE to our little COTTAGE HOME nestled in the FlintHills.

Gathered up some things in the house to take to storage.  While at the unit, we loaded up some art supplies to bring HOME for Hubby's studio.  From here we drove on over to Manhattan to go to ALDI's and eat supper.  Drove HOME, unloaded the Art Supplies.  By this time I had put in a long day and was ready to collapse.  

DAY WAS DONE and so was I.  Fell asleep quickly.

I know that thrifting turns my crank.  I checked my blood pressure when I got HOME and it was near perfect.  Thrifting agrees with me.  

Praise the LORD.

~d