Supportive Sunday

[CathyS]

Although Mike and I live on a major street that is directly between a fire station and a major fire last night and we slept with the bedroom window open last night, neither of us heard any fire trucks roaring by....


Today I am looking around to see how I can best support all of the homeless people from a townhouse complex fire from last night. At least 18 townhouses are completely gone, and 1 child has died. The roads nearby are closed and the news reports say that the Salvation Army has set up nearby. There is at least 1 helicopter overhead (probably a news station) and I know that there will most likely be curious onlookers around. So I'm sitting here trying to read all of the new local FB sites that have popped up this morning to see which one is the most "official" one.

Speaking of FB... OKay, that pic of you is gorgeous!!! LO looks great, too.

[Nancy]

Laundry is going I was out of work clothes.
I cooked hubby breakfast.
Picked up the clothes aka rounded up laundry.
Carded and blended colored wool working on the b&w wool now.
Dishes need attn.
Helped spinning group leader by purchasing fiber from her.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Ready for a nap. That ain't gonna happen.

High energy day with the Spirit. Pentecost means Fire! Violent Wind! God moving us in new directions. I hope the congregation got that. Had one congregant walk out (not unexpected, I introduced our new minister and his partner just to be clear that he's gay and this member is sees no role for gays in church leadership so our new minister had been warned.) The retired Anglican priest and her husband came to welcome our new minister which was lovely so things balanced out.

After the service, his partner commented to me that it was a high energy congregation and I pointed out that it was mostly me and not to judge us completely by this service. I then added it was hard to tell I was an introvert and he laughed but the lady behind him in the lined confirmed I'm an introvert.

Anyway, it was a wonderful day but exhausting and now we have to pack. Looking around it seems an overwhelming task and dh has to work this afternoon on the New Zealand project. Sigh....

I have 2 minutes left on my break. I also have too much caffeine and sugar in my system so need to start downing water.

Off to change, finish up the bedrooms and then head to the basement. It is hot and humid here so I'm putting on the a/c as well.

[Harriet]

Cathy, I was thinking that if the equipment had already been taken out on another call they might have been past your location when they realized they needed sirens. I hope that might have been the case, if by chance they could have gotten there a little faster by being already out. What a sad event. Prayers for your community.

[Ivy]

Good Morning, Villagers!

Today I'll support:
1- dcousin-in-law by mailing her an article on migraines, an article on parenting Internet advice because of her grsons being on the Internet a lot.
2- DD will receive a letter from me with a Novena and cute cat desk calendar photos, inquiries as to how she and dgson are doing.
3- a pen pal who has cancer in remission, is having a hanging on cough from a terrible cold virus bug she and her DH had. I'll send her some kitty cat calendar pages and some enclosures from magazines.
4- my Alaska pen pal, along with my email address since she's given me hers. May make it a computer letter, I've saved, as she writes computer letters to me. Will send magazine cut-out enclosures, too.
5- my RI pen pal, who described Portsmouth, RI, where another of my pals lives, so beautifully. She went into lovely detail and I DO want to thank her for this because it was almost as though I was walking one of their many beaches in person.
6- the head of the Sunshine Club, which is a $5/year good deed publication where you send members b-day cards, etc... I like to answer her letters, she's a writer, a poet, does poetry readings, and also attends many baseball games.
7- I'll send a note to my BFF who turns 98 in August, to surprise her. ♥ It never hurts to let someone know how much you care for them.
8- I'll feed the kitty cat her mail treats about 1 p.m., for she always receives mail treats at mail time, but on Sunday, she's got it into mind, what time the mails come, so waits at her treat bowl.
9- I'll make the bed better than it is, half-way thrown back/half-way rumpled.
10- I'll be quiet while DH watches his shows, baseball, war documentaries and movies, so he can enjoy himself.

Those are the only supportive things I can think of, which I've got planned for today. I'm going to go through 3 magazines, cut out coupons, articles, jokes, embarrassing moments, comics, etc.. for pen pals, too, then purge the magazine, after I've read the articles.

It's good to have a Supportive Sunday. Sundays are often days where I dedicate my time to the Spirit of giving, which means pen palling.

[CathyS]

Kathryn I was meaning to mention this on the day that I read it. How about only putting sticky notes on the cupboards and closets and drawers that still have stuff in them. As you empty them, the sticky note comes off and you will know you are done when the sticky notes are all gone. Just a thought as you get closer and closer to an empty house. You are doing great. I've been following your progress and thinking about you often.

There might have been fire trucks going by with just the lights flashing. On the other hand, it shows that I must have slept deeply.

It's raining here now, which is a blessing because the fire wasn't out when I first posted this morning. There is now an "official" FB page with numerous updates.

[Norma]

Well, I was happy to support Mr. Guy this morning when I agreed to go on a ride with him in the '31. I really did not want to do this because I have so much to do to get my computer room/office back in order - such as getting the books all over the floor up on the nicely cleaned shelves. I could see the disappointed look on his face when I first said no I couldn't. Hey, I told myself, what's the big deal. You have all the time in the world to do that! He was a happy guy and told me several times how much he liked having a "hot woman" riding beside him! WHAT! Can't be talking about this old lady. But, he said he was.

I would also like to support our man Steve, owner of California Chrome, along with the rest of our valley in hopefully bringing him out of his stupor. That was such a disappoint to many many people. One last word on that ---- no one should be allowed to bring their horse to the Belmont unless they have first been in the Derby and the Preakness. A new rule is needed because the old way is - to put it bluntly - nuts. I won't be ranting about this anymore now. The win by our SF Giants last night helped me out of my stupor!

Off to work on the book shelves.

[Twins' Mom]

So dh and I went to the "Dream" home for a tour and are back home again. He's going to mow the yard but first we went out and manhandled my tomato plant gone wild. I should have staked it earlier - used a lot of soft twine to tie it up to cage.

Sigh. I have gotten out four plastic cups from the cabinet this morning to drink water/iced tea and all have had chocolate milk residue in the bottom because dkids mix it up, take upstairs, and the cup sits and it hardens up in the bottom.

I am feeling really really edgy today. May be the effect of a lot of socialization (dinner out on Wed/Friday, early supper at restaurant at meeting on Thurs evening and then the extended party late yesterday afternoon into early evening) but I really really hate the thought of going out again tonight. It's one of those things I just have to do tho. We may eat here before we go, tho, because I told dh I'm tired of being exposed to so much food.

Going to try for a nap and see if I can settle down....

[DeeClutter]

Pentecost means Fire! Violent Wind! God moving us in new directions. I hope the congregation got that

That was our message (and very good btw) too, Kathryn.

We came home from church & I got things ready to go to the storage unit. Had way more than I even thought. Had three cloth shopping bags and a case (42) of VHS tapes. We're going to ask dbil if he might want to take them back to FL to the flea market with him at some point. Also put things up there going to G oodwill (hopefully dd and I will put more with it and make a large trip there soon -I can't open the door, but think dd can). Put some other non-needed items there that need to go to FL with us this fall. I may get ruthless with some clothes I put up there -if I can't get into them by the time we leave in November.

Been rumbling here, Cathy. Girl working the camp store called dh a while ago to see if she should clear the beach -she'd heard thunder & I heard it while ago -definitely. Getting grayer all the time.

I took a little nap after reading a short time. I needed a break after carting all the stuff to storage. Nice to have room in my closet again!

Dh is really hurting today. Will call the dentist first thing in the morning. He could call today & I know this Dr would gladly come to his office -he's practically around the corner. But dh being dh, doesn't want to bother him & I get that, but I can see how miserable he is at this point. Pretty sure he'll spend the night in the recliner again.

I have procrastinated all month on church council minutes -now I HAVE to get them going. Meeting's tomorrow night. Maybe this evening I'll get them going. Right now I need to get this shut down before the t-storm arrives full force.

Always hate hearing those reports, Cathy. Having a family of firemen it's always right on our news radar.

[Ivy]

Dee, I wonder if your DH would be helped with ice cubes in the mouth or an ice pack on his face, nearest to where the extractions were pulled. Just a thought. Your DH sounds so considerate of his dentist, as to not want to bother him today, but I hate hearing your DH is in such pain.

I'm nearly dong w/magazine #1, I cut out interesting articles, tips, funny things, helpful things, things on health, or gardening, and cute pictures, too. I send them to pen pals or DD or DDIL.

I showed DH a photo of a tiny doggie that was in a dog food ad in the magazine and a gigantic big dog in a woman's lap, as she sat in the chair, the ad said ALL dogs wanted to be a Caesar (?) dog, I believe. DH told me they had friends when he was little, who had a big brave gigantic great Dane. The wife got a tiny 6-week old Siamese kitten for Christmas. The dog went over to the kitten, the kitten hissed, the dog started SHAKING and ran upstairs to hide! DH said they all sure had a big laugh over that. Animals are funny.

We have an even smaller baby bunny here today, than the one I saw yesterday! WOW! Adorable!

The Mariners won in the top of the 9th inning, because the Rays didn't score in the bottom of the inning. It feels so good to get a win.

I'm going to turn off my laptop now, to work on snail mail by hand, want to work on round 1 on the house, or just make it 5-minutes in each rooms' sections, to get toilets cleaned and a quick-clean trek through the house. I am going to try to stick to my 1-hour declutter session in the 2 offices today again, with the use of my Sunbeam FlyLady timer. I baby-step it, turning the timer off when I need to rest. The book says to declutter 2 areas for 1 week for 1 hour a day for thirty days and you end up decluttering 4 different areas (your choices) and get the entire home done in 1 month. Then, you do maintenance. I liked her one grouping of rooms to declutter: Bathrooms & bedrooms. We have 2 bathrooms plus #3 powder room toilet and 1 master bedroom. That would be a good week to get a lot done. Also, I could throw in the Bunny Room, where grandson guests keep their electronics, clothes, shoes, and backpacks, etc.. when they're our guests staying for a week at a time in the summer. If I included the Bunny Room as a "bedroom" I'd only have the kitchen-great room-dining room area left, for area #2, then the utility room-entry-pantry-walk-in closet for #3, then the offices, closets, linen cupboard/storage cupboard for #4. Immediately, while reading her book and theory of 1 full house declutter daily for 30 days, I stated, "I COULD NEVER DO THAT! IT'D BE TOO EXHAUSTING!" But in baby steps, with this wonderful timer, which tells me how many minutes I've done and have left, it's a cinch to do it. Yes, I'm busy on and off all day and on into the evening, but so what. It's not a bad thing. It's a good thing. My paper/magazines clutter/files need to be totally organized. I have writing I've done since the 1970's and on and off since then. I've got "Morning Pages" from the "Artist's Way" morning exercises. Oh, my. I DO have a lot of work so 1-hour for 1 week, daily, will be a good hunk of accomplishment. I read a love letter, in a book I finished this morning and the author had written "Fibber McGee's Closet." I had an elderly lady tell me about Fibber McGee, but I didn't know of him, until 2 weeks later, when there was a short film on him on TCM. Oh, my! Yes, I'd say Fibber was a SHE or HE. I'm glad my closets are no longer that bad. It's not fun to get hit in the nose by something when you open the closet door, looking for something high on a shelf. Been there, done that, no more....