Beauty

[just bee]

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@geezerette wrote:

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@just bee wrote:

We have chosen our brick (Old Keystone) and our interior paint colors.  The walls will be Agreeable Gray, the ceilings and the crown molding/trim will be Pure White.

Another hundred decisions to go!

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@just bee 

Then you named the August thread appropriately, with your acceptance of gray in your house.  👏👍

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@geezerette 

Just being agreeable.  We looked at flooring and tile today and cream will probably be worked in that way.  Now if we can ever get a budget from insurance we'll be able to figure out what we can afford.

Not holding my breath.

[just bee]

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@Brisky wrote:
School started today for my daughter and husband.
My son decided to leave North Dakota University and finish college at the University of Denver. He will leave next week.
Rosey has a urinary tract infection. Off to the vet.
Son's 21 birthday today! WOW, He could still pass for 16 easily. We don't tell him though.
I went with squirrel lovers advice.No TSV.
Take it easy everybody!
Geezerette, it's always scorching hot here and rain is a has been, where I live now. I miss warm rain!!
Brisk out for the day...

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@Brisky 

Your son will appreciate this one day.

Give my best to Rosey.  It's not like you can get her to drink cranberry juice.

And congrats on the TSV.  We came soooooo close.

[just bee]

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@geezerette wrote:

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When I think on my life gone by and think about what I’d do differently had I the chance, I wish I hadn’t focused so much on “things and stuff”.  I wish I had the money now for the things I’ve tossed or donated.  I wish I had exercised more and eaten better years ago.

So why then is it so hard to resist that urge to splurge when I see those emails, sales, or junk food displays? 😍🤨😫

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@geezerette 

I hear ya.  My dad always "traveled light."  Smart.  Wish I'd done the same.  At least I have a lot less to deal with right now.  But we should have bought a smaller house with a smaller yard.  Although the kitchen in this rental is not user friendly.  Too cozy.  Designed for people who eat out.

Two months in a small hotel room was valuable.  Don't need as much as I thought I did.

It will be interesting once we're back in the house.  If we ever get back there.  Things are moving slowly...

Chin up.  We can't correct what's been done -- we can only try not to make the same mistakes.

[rnmom]

@aprilskies -we did declutter 2 pieces of furniture, we were not using either one of them. One was an old chest of drawers that my sister had actually used as a kid, it was in our spare bedroom in our basement, I was keeping it for storage if nothing else but I noticed that it had mold growing all over it so I tossed it, I didn't care enough to try to clean the mold off it

The other was a computer armoire. It was really nice when we had a desk top computer and the kids were little, I could store everything in it and close it up so that the kiddos couldn't get to it. Now they are older and we don't have a desktop anymore and I don't expect to get one again, so it was just taking up space. It was in the basement too so at least it wasn't in the way upstairs but now it's gone. 

[just bee]

So I skipped the sale on tea tins at Harney & Sons.  I'm not going to replace them.  I don't need to be reminded of how many tins I'd collected over the years and how many I left behind.

Right now I've limited myself to four varieties of H&S teas: Paris, Victorian London Fog, Bangkok and African Autumn.  That's two blacks, one green and a rooibos.

With the current sale, a tin of 30 sachets is as low as $3.56.  I thought that had to be an error.  Even if I ordered the tin and threw it away, that's still 30 sachets.  That's less expensive than grocery store tea.

Right now I'm drinking a tea that H&S doesn't produce -- yet.  Lemon and ginger.  I need something without caffeine one day a week.  It's the day I go back to work and I don't want to wake up, drink caffeine, then try to nap in the afternoon.

I drank Bigelow in the hotel and I just bought a box of Stash.  Several companies have a lemon and ginger so I may try a couple more before I settle on one brand.

It's not bad.

[just bee]

@geezerette 

All right, that konjac sponge was bringing me down in a big way.  I had to toss it.  Why was it disintegrating?

Replaced it with an Earth Therapeutics sponge that I'd had stashed.  This one isn't drying, either.  Strange.  And there's no longer a konjac sponge on their website.

Well, if I find a new brand I'll let you know.  Hate to give up the konjac because I really like it.

[just bee]

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@rnmom wrote:

@aprilskies -we did declutter 2 pieces of furniture, we were not using either one of them. One was an old chest of drawers that my sister had actually used as a kid, it was in our spare bedroom in our basement, I was keeping it for storage if nothing else but I noticed that it had mold growing all over it so I tossed it, I didn't care enough to try to clean the mold off it

The other was a computer armoire. It was really nice when we had a desk top computer and the kids were little, I could store everything in it and close it up so that the kiddos couldn't get to it. Now they are older and we don't have a desktop anymore and I don't expect to get one again, so it was just taking up space. It was in the basement too so at least it wasn't in the way upstairs but now it's gone. 

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@rnmom 

Has anyone ever walked through a house and counted the pieces of useless furniture?

How many pieces do we have that serve only one purpose?  And that purpose is to fill a space.

Maybe they're called accent pieces.  A decorative table in the foyer.  A chair in the bedroom.  Lamps.

Yesterday we went to the house to see if anyone was working.  I walked into a room that was once the dining room, then it became a sitting room/den.  Only because my mother's furniture needed a home.

Her couch had blocked the window.  I'd forgotten what a huge window this was.  And without blinds, it makes the room.  I don't want anything in front of that window in the future.

Same with a couple of other huge windows in the house.  I don't want furniture in the way.

[geezerette]

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@just bee wrote:

@geezerette 

All right, that konjac sponge was bringing me down in a big way.  I had to toss it.  Why was it disintegrating?

Replaced it with an Earth Therapeutics sponge that I'd had stashed.  This one isn't drying, either.  Strange.  And there's no longer a konjac sponge on their website.

Well, if I find a new brand I'll let you know.  Hate to give up the konjac because I really like it.

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@just bee 

Well, at least that makes me feel better that it’s not just me.  Everything around me lately seems to be breaking down.  I bought another set of five sponges a while ago just to give them another chance.  I also would hate to give them up because I’ve come to enjoy them.

But I won’t be held hostage to this kind of thing anymore.  Even if it’s only in my mind.  I have to be willing to do without and with less, even if it means giving up some, or all, of my luxuries.  I refuse to try another device, cleaning utensil or cloth.  It’s back to a washcloth if this next box starts disintegrating too.  

I got yet another wake up call that perhaps all these fancy-dancey creams and serums aren’t that great.  I spent several hours this morning cleaning out a slow running bathroom sink drain.  It’s been slow for years and I finally got a flashlight and looked all the way down the pipe, and low and behold, it was full of gunk.  Some is my toothpaste for sure.  But a lot was white cream, which I know is all the creamy cleansers I’ve been using for the last few years.  (It never clogged when I was using purity, which tells me that stuff is potent enough to unclog drains so I sure don’t want it on my face!)

Simple, simple, simple!  (September)  Back to basics.  The microwave is another example.  Next house is either over the stove (free-standing) or countertop.  I don’t care if that’s old fashioned.  I’m old fashioned too!  I’m looking at everything now and seeing how it can be kept simple.  And clean.  Got to be easy to clean.  If I get to the point that I can’t do it for myself, it has to be easy for someone else to do it or I’ll get a lousy job.

If I lived in an area that had shopping, I’d also be looking to do most, if not all, of it locally.  I’m going to have to spring for a new iPad soon because this one won’t update when the new iOS comes out.  I won’t use the internet on it if that’s the case.  I was thinking again that if I lived where I didn’t need to order in so much, I’d just start using a phone for everything.  Other than communication (like this place), I’d like to get away from devices and the internet as much as possible.  I can do some of that myself now and I need to start.  

But I have to say, you guys have been a godsend to me this past year and I’m so grateful to all of you for being here.  

(Having a mushy day today, I guess.  Don’t get used to it.  It won’t last. 🤣)

[geezerette]

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@just bee wrote:

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@rnmom wrote:

@aprilskies -we did declutter 2 pieces of furniture, we were not using either one of them. One was an old chest of drawers that my sister had actually used as a kid, it was in our spare bedroom in our basement, I was keeping it for storage if nothing else but I noticed that it had mold growing all over it so I tossed it, I didn't care enough to try to clean the mold off it

The other was a computer armoire. It was really nice when we had a desk top computer and the kids were little, I could store everything in it and close it up so that the kiddos couldn't get to it. Now they are older and we don't have a desktop anymore and I don't expect to get one again, so it was just taking up space. It was in the basement too so at least it wasn't in the way upstairs but now it's gone. 

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@rnmom 

Has anyone ever walked through a house and counted the pieces of useless furniture?

How many pieces do we have that serve only one purpose?  And that purpose is to fill a space.

Maybe they're called accent pieces.  A decorative table in the foyer.  A chair in the bedroom.  Lamps.

Yesterday we went to the house to see if anyone was working.  I walked into a room that was once the dining room, then it became a sitting room/den.  Only because my mother's furniture needed a home.

Her couch had blocked the window.  I'd forgotten what a huge window this was.  And without blinds, it makes the room.  I don't want anything in front of that window in the future.

Same with a couple of other huge windows in the house.  I don't want furniture in the way.

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@just bee 

After moving a few times I decided that the ideal thing would be to sell the old house lock, stock and barrel.  Buy everything new to fit the new house.  Invariably things don’t work from the old place.  Too much, too big, not enough, not the right place for a certain piece.  And on and on.

If you think about it, you have that opportunity.  You can buy most everything to fit your house.  In fact, you have an added advantage: you’ve already lived in the house and know its good points and bad.  With a new house, you don’t discover that until after you’ve lived in it for a while.  But by then you’ve usually already gotten your things.  And you know what you need and what you want from now on.

Like your dining room window.  You know you don’t want any furniture obstructing it.  You know all your house’s little nuances.  If you look at this right, maybe it’s an opportunity.  For a lot of things.  Good things.

Opportunity October.  Maybe by then you’ll actually be under construction and on your way to new opportunities that simplicity can bring. 🤞🙏

[just bee]

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@geezerette wrote:

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@just bee wrote:

@geezerette 

All right, that konjac sponge was bringing me down in a big way.  I had to toss it.  Why was it disintegrating?

Replaced it with an Earth Therapeutics sponge that I'd had stashed.  This one isn't drying, either.  Strange.  And there's no longer a konjac sponge on their website.

Well, if I find a new brand I'll let you know.  Hate to give up the konjac because I really like it.

---

@just bee 

Well, at least that makes me feel better that it’s not just me.  Everything around me lately seems to be breaking down.  I bought another set of five sponges a while ago just to give them another chance.  I also would hate to give them up because I’ve come to enjoy them.

But I won’t be held hostage to this kind of thing anymore.  Even if it’s only in my mind.  I have to be willing to do without and with less, even if it means giving up some, or all, of my luxuries.  I refuse to try another device, cleaning utensil or cloth.  It’s back to a washcloth if this next box starts disintegrating too.  

I got yet another wake up call that perhaps all these fancy-dancey creams and serums aren’t that great.  I spent several hours this morning cleaning out a slow running bathroom sink drain.  It’s been slow for years and I finally got a flashlight and looked all the way down the pipe, and low and behold, it was full of gunk.  Some is my toothpaste for sure.  But a lot was white cream, which I know is all the creamy cleansers I’ve been using for the last few years.  (It never clogged when I was using purity, which tells me that stuff is potent enough to unclog drains so I sure don’t want it on my face!)

Simple, simple, simple!  (September)  Back to basics.  The microwave is another example.  Next house is either over the stove (free-standing) or countertop.  I don’t care if that’s old fashioned.  I’m old fashioned too!  I’m looking at everything now and seeing how it can be kept simple.  And clean.  Got to be easy to clean.  If I get to the point that I can’t do it for myself, it has to be easy for someone else to do it or I’ll get a lousy job.

If I lived in an area that had shopping, I’d also be looking to do most, if not all, of it locally.  I’m going to have to spring for a new iPad soon because this one won’t update when the new iOS comes out.  I won’t use the internet on it if that’s the case.  I was thinking again that if I lived where I didn’t need to order in so much, I’d just start using a phone for everything.  Other than communication (like this place), I’d like to get away from devices and the internet as much as possible.  I can do some of that myself now and I need to start.  

But I have to say, you guys have been a godsend to me this past year and I’m so grateful to all of you for being here.  

(Having a mushy day today, I guess.  Don’t get used to it.  It won’t last. 🤣)

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@geezerette 

Yes!  Clogged drains!

And, yes, this thread has been also been a huge help to me, too.  Thanks to each of you for all the support and sage advice.