Waffle, waffle waffle....

FormbyGirl said:
Oh my gosh, Sherri. What a bunch of stuff to deal with!! We had to downsize before we moved to our place in a retirement community almost six years ago. We had about 30 years of stuff to downsize. It is a huge and overwhelming job. You have much hugs and sympathy here! Especially since I did not have the same other traumas you are dealing with. If you lived closer I would come over to help (I am not kidding, I am good at downsizing now!) But if you ever need a facetime/skype friend while you are in the process, I will be there for you!

Hard about your sister. Whether you are close or not, it is still traumatic. If you are close, it is the shared memories, if you were not close, it is regret that you were not closer. My mother lost her sister last October. They have always had issues (not major fights about anything, but they were never close). Loss is such a hard thing to push through, especially when it happens so close to the holidays. It is pretty fresh for you still.

Dealing with a parent with the issues you mentioned is hard under the best of circumstances. Having it disrupt your family makes it even harder.

And kids! Oh my gosh - kid issues are the worst to drag you down. You have so much sympathy here, I don't know what to do with it.

BIG HUG
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I got the bathroom emptied out today. Loads taken to value village. Bags of garbage made. Listed stuff on FB groups for the taking, and went through a closet that was stuffed so full the doors would barely open.

Small steps. It sounds like my daughter will be hospitalized the lady week of the month, so I need to get this wrapped up this week. Eeekkkk
 
I think we all think you are pretty awesome! You are a great scrapper and you have had a lot to deal with. It is great having some friendly folks online who can be loving and encouraging. That is what I was hopping the waffle thread would turn into :)


Firstoscartgrouch said:
You made me cry. I'm not sure I've ever been any ones hero other than my daughters. Thank you so the very kind words. It's nice to know that you have liked my shared experiences. I find comfort in sharing.

The avatoar of me in the red shirt, I used briefly, was an out take of family photos but I love it, it captures who I see myself as. It'll be back once survivor is over.
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I have spent the last three days in my pajamas watching television. I sort of got up for a few minutes today and picked up because my son was coming over, but I have effectively done NOTHING this week that was useful, except scrap a bit. Do you ever have days where you just feel like being USELESS. I have too man of them, I'm afraid. I have TONS of stuff I am supposed to get done before I leave for England in EIGHT DAYS. I have done NOTHING. Well, I ordered stuff online haha. Not sure that counts. I have piles of paperwork that NEEDS to get done, a bridal shower invitation that MUST get printed, stamped and addressed to 24 people before I go. I have to balance checking account, pay bills for next month, sort out my grandson's disability paperwork, and a TON of other stuff and I'm in my PJs doing none of it. WHAT precisely is wrong with me?
 
Sounds exactly like me except I'm not going to England. I'm also getting next to nothing accomplished and my hubs is beyond crabby that I'm so far behind with financial stuff. I feel like the depression commercials I see on TV quite honestly. You've just passed another anniversary on the death of your son, you are trying to help your grandson; you've lost another child; I'd say you have reason. My son told me I was a joke as a mother and I won't bore you with anymore dark details. Sorry to be a downer. MN long winters don't help, Hawaii on the other hand, i felt light and free and very alive there, it wasn't just the weather.....
 
Kids can be very hurtful. It does not mean it is the truth. I really don’t have any good reasons not to be grateful for all I have. Yes, I have lost two children, but everything else about my life is pretty perfect. Well, except for the situation with my grandson. And the accident and being sick.
 
Firstoscartgrouch said:
Let me see. My sister passed away two days before Christmas. Dealing with everything to do with that has fallen to me. My elderly mom in not great mind or body moved in with me temporarily until a bed is found in extended care. My autistic son is really struggling with school, the family disruption, my daughters health is all over the place. I'm having to get 30 years of my moms stuff downsized.
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Gosh Sherri that is way too much for anyone to deal with - like Lynnette we recently downsized from the family home after 36 years and its not easy. Hugs
 
Today we got through most of the bedroom, and part of th kitchen. The Liquor store was out of boxes and that really held us up. We had used all the ones we stockpiled for the last month, since we knew this was inevitable.

Tomorrow is a haircut for my son, and getting new glasses ordered for him. My daughter has become mucous city. Ick. Poor kid spilt a bowl of Kraft dinner man n cheese on the rug and it's like fluorescent yellow. The bosses cleaner wouldn't even touch it.
 
Sherri, Sending you "Red Threads." These used to be sent at another site when friends needs encouragement.
"“An invisible red thread connects all those who are destined to meet regardless of time, place or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle, but will never break."

It means that we are here for you when you need a friend and time or distance will not diminish the strength of those caring threads.
 
Yesterday I took part of a family day, took my son for a long overdue haircut, and ordered him new glasses, which he has needed. I found boxes at two different places for cleaning out moms house. And I took time for me and scrapped. Today is back to cleaning out moms place.

Red thread right back at you, love that .
 
Sherri, I just wish you were closer. I actually enjoy packing up houses (silly me) as long as it is not my own. After my friend's husband died, we packaged up her 5 bedroom massive home and moved her to a tiny condo. That, too, was 30 years of her life. It took her six months and I was there every weekend of it! She had SO much stuff, I couldn't believe how much.
 
I am not a big fan of moving. When we moved into our current home 13 years ago, I told my husband we were not moving again until it was to a grave. Hate packing up all the stuff and we really don't have a lot of "stuff" either.
 
I have a friend, Jenni, who is always moving. In the last 10 years, she must have moved four or five times. She has a husband and three children, so it is no small thing. Because she does it so often, she is so efficient. I am amazed. She is usually moved and settled in so quickly. And she is SO cheerful about it. I would not be :) I live in a two bedroom condo with a mother and husband who are as much of a packrat as I am. We can never agree on what to get rid of.

But I am very good at packing up other people's houses and telling THEM what to get rid of :)


Heidi1472 said:
I am not a big fan of moving. When we moved into our current home 13 years ago, I told my husband we were not moving again until it was to a grave. Hate packing up all the stuff and we really don't have a lot of "stuff" either.
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We have been in our house since March 1998. Longer than we have had kids. It definitely needs purged.

After going through every nook nook and cranny at my Moms house cleaning it out, I realize just how much "stuff" there is, it may mean lots to you, but not to others.
Tomorrow another load home to our garage, then I'm turning over to the landlord on Monday after a walk through.
 
FormbyGirl said:
Sherri, I just wish you were closer. I actually enjoy packing up houses (silly me) as long as it is not my own. After my friend's husband died, we packaged up her 5 bedroom massive home and moved her to a tiny condo. That, too, was 30 years of her life. It took her six months and I was there every weekend of it! She had SO much stuff, I couldn't believe how much.
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I wish you were closer too. That would be awesome.

I put it out there that I needed help this weekend. Preferably access to a pick up truck. Considering the number of people that told me after I got sick "if you need anything just call" all my direct calls were met with uhhh sorry. So I went to FB, I had a high school friend show up that I haven't been close with in 30+ years. Having her pick up truck and help saved the entire weekend I think.
 
THAT is a friend you want to keep around, Sherri! It is amazing how many people neglect to come out of the woodwork when you really need them. Packing up my place to move to a retirement community - a five bedroom and garage (and garage office) to a 2 bedroom with carport was really a huge downsizing.

It inspired me to scrap the following (which was also a form of procrastination) and during my quite entertaining art-journaling phase. Coincidentally, these were the things I was KEEPING, not the things I ended up getting rid of. And we still have serious issues with clutter. We did get the kids help in deciding what they cared about vs what we cared about. We were able to get rid of quite a few things that none of the kids wanted that we thought were treasures.

FarewellClutter.jpg


ByeClutter.jpg
 
We've been in our house since 1983. Every time we throw something out the phrase is: " The house weighs less". We both have too much stuff. But at least my 'too much stuff' gets used eventually or is an heirloom. His are old magazines etc that will never be read.
We also have a lot of our daughter's things here.

Today I will go through another box of old photos. Pitch out the doubles+ as well as ones that make no sense but were printed anyway. It's also fun to laugh at some as well as treasure the memories.
m

ps- I'm making progress on the C2C [corner to corner] crochet blanket!
 
Feeling pretty good for a Monday. I just have to get my second son to clean his room before he leaves on his 2-year mission for the LDS Church. We don't know what he needs because most everything he has is piled on his floor! :P
 
That is so funny! Can you only imagine how he will keep his room at the place he will be staying. Good luck getting him to do it before he leaves. I guess if he needs anything he might just have to manage without. Whereabout has he been sent?

AJsRandom said:
Feeling pretty good for a Monday. I just have to get my second son to clean his room before he leaves on his 2-year mission for the LDS Church. We don't know what he needs because most everything he has is piled on his floor! :P
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He'll be going to the Richmond, VA area. And He'll have limited things with him, so I hope he won't spread them around too much!
 
Last few day I have been totally buried in getting my Italy album ready for upload for printing at Blurb. I really thought I was done - all arranged in Lightroom until my dear husband started proofreading... oh!!! the number of pages which had to be corrected.... :(, but now done. I have quite a few pages in the gallery but if you'd like to take a peek its here.....

https://www.blurb.com/bookstore/invited/7490010/7aeddd67e128408614b5766ad8b2836e1b07c9b5
 
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Meryl said:
Last few day I have been totally buried in getting my Italy album ready for upload for printing at Blurb. I really thought I was done - all arranged in Lightroom until my dear husband started proofreading... oh!!! the number of pages which had to be corrected.... :(, but now done. I have quite a few pages in the gallery but if you'd like to take a peek its here.....

https://tinyurl.com/ItalyGreece-Croatia
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i get a message saying it's not there
 
I am in England - what an adventure! I landed Wednesday, spent a day in Poole, visiting my almost 98-year old Uncle. Then we took off for Bath. We were battling snow the entire time. Today, though, the trip was harrowing! We spent 5 hours driving in snow, slush and terrible road conditions. We are finally ensconced in our flat in Southport for a week. We are very happy to finally be here. It has been a very long day and we are absolutely shattered. Cousins are in town, so we will be seeing them tonight. We are hungry, though, and looking forward to having our dinner (or tea as we say up north!). Now I have to get my act together and scrap my Survivor layout.
 
With daughters in England & Ireland we have been watching Sky, amazing scenes! Glad you are now safe & sound, keep warm!

FormbyGirl said:
I am in England - what an adventure! I landed Wednesday, spent a day in Poole, visiting my almost 98-year old Uncle. Then we took off for Bath. We were battling snow the entire time. Today, though, the trip was harrowing! We spent 5 hours driving in snow, slush and terrible road conditions. We are finally ensconced in our flat in Southport for a week. We are very happy to finally be here. It has been a very long day and we are absolutely shattered. Cousins are in town, so we will be seeing them tonight. We are hungry, though, and looking forward to having our dinner (or tea as we say up north!). Now I have to get my act together and scrap my Survivor layout.
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