Buns Again

[bunsofaluminum]

so tired, from the move. There is still a lot to do at the old place, but I've been there after work for hours after work the past two days, and I can't do it today. I was literally in tears yesterday, when I got home after working my butt off for two hours loading stuff (It is amazing that I could say that all the stuff was loaded out of there, and still come up with a full back hatch PACKED with stuff, two days in a row) and cleaning down on my hands and knees (which is hurting my bad knee) and just basically hustling physically. Really difficult physical work, and I haven't even started wiping down the kitchen and there is STILL STUFF to haul out of there...stupid coat closet...

Well I am not going there today. I got home from that brutal couple hours of hard cleaning, getting home after 8:00, limping on both feet, with a car full of stuff to take downstairs, and standing there amid all the boxes that need unpacking and Wylie and I both saying Where is it all going to fit? and I started crying. So. Tired. Much. Pain.

today, I will go straight home, cook food and eat dinner, and unpack some boxes. Organize them, get them up against the walls and out of the middle of the space where it is blowing our minds. And then sit and relax with my zentangle. And a beer. Sorry Dr M. But it will be so good to cook again.

[bunsofaluminum]

Yesterday was a much better day, though I was sleep deprived. But going straight home after work was the very best thing I could do. I was able to unpack some bathroom stuff, and made food! and then sat with my bad foot up. When Wylie got home he had some stuff, and two trips each brought it all in thank goodness. We went to bed by 10:00 and I slept solid until 5:50 a.m. I'd still love to have the day off. One full day dedicated to unpacking? Oy! But I'll go straight home today and do some more unpacking. My foot will probably be much better by then.

Breakfast was a tomato samwich and half a bean and cheese burrito. During the move I've had to grab my lunches at the store on my way to work, and this was $1.00 so I got enough for the week and left them in the fridge at work. BUT since I made food yesterday, I brought lunch and the tomato samwich wasn't enough food, so I nuked that bad boy and ate until I felt full...half the burrito.

Lunch is Thai Curried Rice, and that will be dinner as well. A piece of extra dark chocolate because I can and because endorphins feel good. But I'll not make this a habit. It's enough to allow myself chocolate on Saturdays.

I recently read a short essay about committing 100%. The general idea is, if you are at 99% commitment, when something is presented, you actually have a choice in the matter. "hmm, I'll have some chips with that JUST THIS ONCE" If that were a 100% commitment to no added oils, there is no choice. You don't eat fried anything. Ever. Decision is already made. With a 100% commitment you don't have to waste your time thinking what to do.

Food for thought. Like the Jewish woman I read about in "Omnivore's Dilemma"...an old woman in Poland ran away when the Nazi's invaded. She escaped with her life and the clothes on her back, into a rural area. For days she hid in ditches and abandoned out buildings, afraid to approach dwellings or be seen by people, for fear they would turn her in. After all this hiding and wandering, she was very hungry when a kind farmer saw her. He and his wife were just getting dinner and they invited her to have some. She was starving and the food smelled so good...but when she found out that it was pork, she turned it down. She was 100% committed to eating kosher and it wasn't even a question in her mind.

Hm.

[bunsofaluminum]

FINALLY we got all the boxes out of there, except there are still some cleaning supplies. We'll put in a few hours today getting it really clean,

Hahahaha This is from Tuesday, after spending a couple of hours on Monday in the old place. Wasn't that a fantasy, though. I packed the back of my Subaru FULL with boxes on Monday and said "that's it, no more loading things" and I said "tomorrow, we CLEAN!" but no, on Tuesday after work I filled up my back hatch AGAIN full of stuff, and still left freaking STUFF to haul out. But we did get some cleaning done. And Wylie brought home everything from the coat closet last night.

I took a bucket of soapy water around and got down on my hands and knees to wipe baseboards, and I am paying for it now. My knee is just killing me.

Well anyway, I got a chuckle out of my optimism there on Tuesday, thinking I'd gotten all the stuff out. Pfft. Back to cleaning tomorrow. Today I'll go straight home again and do light unpacking or at least organizing of boxes, and I WILL sit with my feet up. Grateful for the energy. Through all of this, even with feeling exhausted and having knee and foot pain, I haven't felt overwhelmed. Limping, yes. Dragging? Nope. If not for the foot and the knee, I could still keep going.

[VegSeekingFit]

FINALLY we got all the boxes out of there, except there are still some cleaning supplies. We'll put in a few hours today getting it really clean,

Well anyway, I got a chuckle out of my optimism there on Tuesday, thinking I'd gotten all the stuff out. Pfft. Back to cleaning tomorrow. Today I'll go straight home again and do light unpacking or at least organizing of boxes, and I WILL sit with my feet up. Grateful for the energy. Through all of this, even with feeling exhausted and having knee and foot pain, I haven't felt overwhelmed. Limping, yes. Dragging? Nope. If not for the foot and the knee, I could still keep going.

Hi Buns!
Wishing you well on your move and your cleaning... So exciting, but so stressful. Glad you are not dragging and just know that this will be done soon and you can return to normalcy.
Best,
Stephanie

[bunsofaluminum]

Thanks VSF. We're moved OUT completely, and the old place is sparkling clean. Moved IN? There's a lot left to do. But it sure feels good to have the China hutch on display, and I unpacked all my books and DVD's on Saturday. We've got some work to do in the kitchen, which is shared space. Thankfully my mom isn't trying to micro-manage every detail of rearranging that we're doing in there. And there is more. But I cooked yesterday after work and I have plans today, too. Moroccan Sweet Potato Stew. Yum!

Stepped on the scale the other day thinking "hey, I've been pretty low calorie for quite a few days in a row, plus extra activity" but didn't lose an ounce Oh, well. Still very grateful for the energy I have. It's been a long time, but I remember how depressed and draggy I always felt in my pre-McD days even when I wasn't pushing myself.

I AM very tired, and my knee hurts. That's because I got down on all fours to scrub baseboards a week ago. Ugh. But very grateful as well, to go out the door and be outside, not in a lifeless gray corridor. To have a backyard to hang out in, and a neighborhood with yards and houses. It's very nice, and it's going to be good, living there.

[Idgie]

Mazel Tov, buns! I hope your new space is very homey and welcoming to you in no time.

[bunsofaluminum]

I am so glad it's turning to Autumn a bit. Soup season! I want to make a big pot of lentil something or other. My mom has requested a big batch of Moroccan Sweet Potato Stew for an event she is co-hosting...a little church gathering. Well, I'm going to make some this evening because it sounded so good. And I'll make her a batch to take when the time comes in a week or so. I also want to do just a good old harvest veggie soup. Maybe that famous Cabbage Soup (from the Cabbage Soup Diet) yum!

I'm also thinking about breads...yeast breads are easy to make without oils, and cornbread as well. Soup and a good crusty bread.

[bunsofaluminum]

Mazel Tov, buns! I hope your new space is very homey and welcoming to you in no time.

Thanks Idgie!

Truly, setting up my china hutch made the biggest difference. It's a beautiful antique, with a dark walnut stain, and I keep my mom's white and silver china in it, along with various pretty pieces, and lace doilies that I made back in the day, along with antique cut lace pieces from my great-grandmother...it's very pretty when everything is set up and I'm so glad to have it. That, and the bookcases, along with my Zentangle stuff, and many boxes have been reduced.

Now we need to get a space for Wylie's hobby(s) which include miniature trains, woodworking, and gardening. Well, the gardening is right there in the back yard any time he wants and we've already scoped out part of our living area for him to set up with his trains. YAY!

But we still have a quarter-zillion boxes of kitchen stuff to re-combobulate. Whew!

[moonlight]

Hi Buns,

Congrats on your move! I really felt for you during the moving process and cleaning the apartment. Such a dreadful process! Sounds like you have made a really special change. You are there if your mother needs you. You and Wylie have more room to express your awesome selves. I wish you the best in your new home.

[bunsofaluminum]

Hi Buns,

Congrats on your move! I really felt for you during the moving process and cleaning the apartment. Such a dreadful process! Sounds like you have made a really special change. You are there if your mother needs you. You and Wylie have more room to express your awesome selves. I wish you the best in your new home.

Thanks Moonlight. The adjustment is going to be rough, but once we all get used to each other, I think we'll be quite happy there. The hardest thing for both Wylie and me is having to cook in "not our kitchen" and for my mom, it is having me kind of steam roll into her pantry and cupboards, organizing it in a way that we can work there. She hasn't been fussy about it at all, but I'm sure with the changes her stress level is up a bit. But we're all friends and getting along is important to all of us, so we'll make the adjustment. An additional bonus is how near my brother and his family are...literally less than half a mile away, easy walking distance. He and his wife dropped in for a quick visit on Sunday which was absolutely lovely. My bro and Wylie are buds, and I just love my sister-in-law so I'm excited to live near them.

With all of this going on, I've definitely been "treating myself" on a daily basis. Lots of refined sugar, and some high fat foods, and getting up and out of bed the last few days has been painful. My feet hurt, of course, but I'm also feeling it in my elbow and my hands are falling asleep thanks to carpal tunnel syndrome so that mornings are pretty rough. Well this morning I made a decision. No more sugar; no more added fats. PERIOD. It isn't fun waking up with pain, and I know what to do to change it. The treats are NOT worth the inflammation they are causing.

I have GOT to change. In my 30's when I first practiced McDougalling, pre-arthritis, pre-carpal tunnel, pre-IBS, if I ate stupidly, it didn't lodge in my joints. Made me fat? Yeah. Made me depressed? yup. But I wasn't waking up like some old person, all creaky and slow, adjusting my gait for the ankle, or not quite straightening out my knee.

Most of October remains. I am committed to no sugary treats, and no added fats. PERIOD.

[moonlight]

That’s the attitude! Doesn’t it sound so simple? Yet, we make it is so difficult sometimes. I’m struggling with the same “treating” myself because I’m feeling very stressed. Poor eating just adds more stress.... You are inspiring me to make the effort to make good food choices.

I hope your body responds quickly and you start feeling better - no more creepy old woman thoughts!

[Rosey]

so tired, from the move. There is still a lot to do at the old place, but I've been there after work for hours after work the past two days, and I can't do it today. I was literally in tears yesterday, when I got home after working my butt off for two hours loading stuff (It is amazing that I could say that all the stuff was loaded out of there, and still come up with a full back hatch PACKED with stuff, two days in a row) and cleaning down on my hands and knees (which is hurting my bad knee) and just basically hustling physically. Really difficult physical work, and I haven't even started wiping down the kitchen and there is STILL STUFF to haul out of there...stupid coat closet...

Well I am not going there today. I got home from that brutal couple hours of hard cleaning, getting home after 8:00, limping on both feet, with a car full of stuff to take downstairs, and standing there amid all the boxes that need unpacking and Wylie and I both saying Where is it all going to fit? and I started crying. So. Tired. Much. Pain.

today, I will go straight home, cook food and eat dinner, and unpack some boxes. Organize them, get them up against the walls and out of the middle of the space where it is blowing our minds. And then sit and relax with my zentangle. And a beer. Sorry Dr M. But it will be so good to cook again.

That feeling when moving is part of why I became a minimalist. I still have stuff but I make sure it doesn't get out of hand last move was great because I didn't have much.

[bunsofaluminum]

That feeling when moving is part of why I became a minimalist. I still have stuff but I make sure it doesn't get out of hand last move was great because I didn't have much.

Hi Rosey

I am the same way. Each of my cupboards had at least one empty shelf; fully half of my closet had no clothes hanging; corners and wall space free. I keep a Give Away Bin in my closet, and it gets a lot of traffic. I"m always putting things in it, and to the thrift store with it, when it gets full.

Then Wylie moved in. Bless his heart. A lot of his stuff has sentimental value, such as the kitchen bowls and apron that his grandfather used; his grandmother's rolling pin, etc. But he also brought in dozens of T-shirts, at least six gray or black outdoor jackets, jeans and shorts from his 30's (aka They Don't Fit Anymore)...and so forth. Along with kitchen gadgets enough to cram every shelf full. Along with bins under the bed, a full bookcase of DVD's, some interesting little gizmos and doo-dads for display...and so forth. You get the idea.

The coat closet is what got me. I have one winter coat and five or six cardigans or jackets (for indoor wear at the office) and one pair of boots. But that sucker was crammed FULL and I got to hoist it up and out of there. Whew! We own two vacuums for pete's sake and mine is better quality so I'm keeping it, and his was given to him by a close friend when he broke HIS vacuum helping his friend get a house ready for the market so he doesn't want to get rid of IT. Yes. Every middle aged couple in a basement apartment needs TWO vacuums.

Anyway I'm with you. When I moved from a house to an apartment I got rid of a LOT of things. Many trips to the thrift store, believe me. Things are just STUFF and STUFF is a burden. After the move, he did go through the T-shirts and ditched a huge garbage bag full. took them to the senior center where people will get some more use out of them. We have many decisions to make about our kitchen gear. Gonna have to let some of it go.

[Rosey]

I'm lucky my hubby is almost as minimalist as I am. He does have 1 draw of knick backs and his bikes but he sold 2 of the bikes to get an old truck so I can handle that.

[Idgie]

Partner and I live happily in less than 500 square feet because neither one of us is into possessions, thank goodness.