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Post by zenamidievel on Feb 1, 2021 16:12:55 GMT
We are a group working to declutter our spaces. Please feel free to share your goals, projects, ideas, revelations or challenges facing you as you work toward your own goals. Also feel free to copy and paste this intro, use our "CLUTTERBUSTERS" Title for the day to start the thread if you don't see it started. Good luck Clutterbusting!
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Post by michelle on Feb 2, 2021 1:24:04 GMT
Z, The new avatar is so cute! Congrats on doing an incredible job crafting so that your Etsy site has so many items!!!
Good day for me. I had a list of ToDos and spent the day getting them done--or as many as could be done before running out of time. Accomplishments:
-Lots needed to be done to get the emails out to the clients about the engagement letters that are still outstanding. I got all that done. - Reponses started pouring in and I got thos all organized to be dealt with by AA. - Picked up the yard. The snow is starting to melt. Hooray! - Did a mini Home Blessing - Paper Tiger stacked up items such as my little notebook items, some paper work for DH and I, etc. - Got a number of monthly chores done - Went over some items with DH pertaining to work
On the OP front: 1,301 days of daily weighing and recording it on my calendars. 15 pounds lost and staying lost! When I started this daily weighing journey I thought I needed to lose 3 or 4 pounds--Oh the lies we tell ourselves LOL
Such a lovely winter day!!! I think I have spring fever but as far as I am concerned I can take this kind of day 365 days a year.
Hope you are having an organizational extravaganza!!!
Onward>>>
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Post by zenamidievel on Feb 2, 2021 5:38:33 GMT
Good AFternCoon,
Avatar: This is turquoise blue/green color of the wood burn design I was speaking of, on 3"x3" mini notecards.
Etsy/Craft: -someone ordered mini 2 sets of mini notecards, two square sets of the cut paper. -I re-formatted cards, "Maui Flora on Palm Bark" and sent in. These should be even better than before, a crisper, image, higher clarity/quality. -In this whole process I redid my "Buffalo Plaid" ornament also, because this can be an "OkanoganOriginal" art paper, square mini notecard this holiday season as well as be glued on gift tags, these will be adorable, new, and unique. I had to do some work on image though because it was too dark. I have it completed and into the printer to print. This buffalo plaid ornament hangs from bough, has off white bow w/stitching showing, and a Christmas Tree in the center square and is done with blue/cream background. I'm only getting the prints now, not making them. These colors look great on both kraft brown paper and white, will be cute and it was already a done design I'd used for our own cards two years ago! Just needed tweaking. -mailed 2 orders and a an extra set of little cards to a relative how bought a lot of stuff from me, just because.
New House: -responded to 2-3 back and forths with cabinetry person, I think it's all worked out now. -Forwarded the cabinetry person's e-mail asking us for money to builder contact as I'm not sure why we'd be responsible for paying subcontractors directly when we have an all in one construction loan. Waiting to hear back. -submitted our interior paint color choice, it is "Desert Palm" by Rodda Paint, that's who builder uses, at same time sent inquiry to builder contact about exterior items. -Contact at builder did not read my e-mail and sent questions two hours later about exterior items. (mentioning because she tends to not listen, or read emails, or answer direct questions very well) I directed her to my e-mail already sent, waiting to hear back. -spoke with our new house realtor about how things were going, and thoughts on a couple of things for new house. -more e-mails asking about stain colors for deck framing when we'd not been told to pick the color of the decking itself, or how to, to begin with. So none of this is earth shattering, I just find it annoying. -and I'm editing a situation in DH possibly wanting to change decking material because of reasons I don't agree with, plus I like the look of what is spec'd and have not interest in researching it or changing it. I'm not touching that one and walked away.
CUrrent House: -emptied DW, reloaded -rebooted laundry x2 -consolidated packing materials, further down, this got rid of two more stacks of stuff -stacked excess boxes downstairs neatly and to the side so not all over the place -took photo prop items back downstairs, out of MB along with two large baking trays (these hold supplies while I'm working and a bread pan..lol!) -responded even more new house e-mails, spoke with DH, got distracted with creative again, putting it away, agai=
Z.
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Post by zenamidievel on Feb 3, 2021 18:57:48 GMT
Good Morning,
Good work on you streaks! You ROCK!!!! Also good work on our job, e-mail organization, managine AA, paper tiger and ALL!
Hard to remember where I'm at.
New House: -cabinetry stuff finalized, DH and will initial contract today and make payment on overages so can be ordered. -back and forths with constrction contact, confusing, followed up with phone call today, I will go to Rodda Paint, Mutual Materials, and HOme Depot today to look, get samples, resolve garage door color mainly and get formica samples for the downstairs bar.
House: -cooked dinner (this is an achievement of sorts, easy for some, not always for me, so I note it) -removed contents from 4, 48" long shelves, in closet, purged, folded and organized the keeps. This looks so much better. About 40 clothing items purged, pants that were to biig, duplicates, kept the best, got rid of the extra not so good. THese shelves look GREAT! Not overfull and make sense! -organized two of my nightstand/chest of drawers, and purged a few items from there as well. -CB'd 5 expensive, "nice" things I love, but no matter how skinny get, cannot get into them. This was difficult, cause I liked them a lot, even though I couldn't wear them. HIlariously, I started taking pictures of one item, and I will post that later, that is going to be a cute thing I will show you. -on the CB front, I purged over 1K photos from my phone, yes, that happened! -organized, rehung items on closet rod, this is also not overfull, and makes sense, I did well with these areas, 4 long shelves, closet rod, two drawers.
Craft: -I had finalized several more things on the fly to send to printer, Maui cards, Buffalo Gift Tags, Buffalo 3" for mini notecards, the photo of parts of my Western shirt, which might sound weird, but it might be cool, my road runner and two test things I need to look at.
Weight: I am off my streaks however maintained my weight loss over the holidays, victory!!!! I do need to get back on them, and back to walking/exercising. 10-12 more pounds will have me at my goal, and make a few more favorite clothing items more comfortable in wearing. Looking at, trying on the clothes gave positive reinforcement to get back with it!!!
I'm going to pick those up, go to ROdda, Home Depot, maybe Mutual Materials again and figure our New House stuff today.
Hope your day is off to a good start. Thanks for listening as always.
Z
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Post by michelle on Feb 4, 2021 1:28:25 GMT
Z, You got so much decluttering accomplished. Way to go!!! Also great job letting go of the small clothes. IMO it is hard to let go of things that are so cute even though they are useless. I had to do that with some purses I had they were utterly adorable but I never seemed to use them. The new house seems to be moving right along which is very exciting.
Today I finished the company bookkeeping and gave DH all the necessary items. Hooray!!! Every year I say that I will not put it off and every year I end up doing exactly that. Tomorrow I am going to make up my forms for next year and get all organized so that if by chance I do decide to do it quarterly I will have the needed items compiled. If not everything will be ready for January 2022.
My AA is acting up again. It is just too much for me to bear or is that bare. Anyway I decided that all of us have at least one thing that makes us miserable so I just need to get past it. I try really hard to understand her incompetence but for me it just boils down to lack of caring and dishonesty.I have been trying to turn more things over to DH to handle. I have one to go over with him tonight. Maybe the tag team approach will work..... Thanks for listening.
You are so close to your goal weight!!! This is exciting. I think you are smart to maintain for a few months and then lose a little more. IMO the habit of maintaining is so much more important than losing. One time I decided to take several months and just maintain my weight. What an eye opener that was! I had completely lost sight of what it took for me to stay the same and I had to work through feeling sorry for myself that I had to eat so little. Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger LOL Anyway that was pivotal in my change of behavior for staying successfully OP. Just chatting....
Good grief! DH is down in the basement practicing his golf swing and every once in a while he bashes the rafters which makes a terrifying startling extremely loud obnoxious noise. O Well, he is having a good time.
Hope you are having an enjoyable evening!!!
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Post by zenamidievel on Feb 4, 2021 2:28:02 GMT
Sorry about the AA shenanigans, that sounds very frustrating. It is bear I believe, as in "weight bearing.." That is interesting about your weight loss/maintenance experience. Getting older does makes things more challening. My sister and lament that fact we simply cannot eat as much as the good old days!
I'm doing two posts today while fresh in my mind. I left the house at about 11:30 AM and did not return until 5:30 PM.
Tadas: -went to print shop, reviewed prints, put in print order -went to craft shop next door, got more brown card stock, and some other sheets of paper. -had a telephone with cabin location realtor, need to discuss with DH -went to Rodda Paint, got those paint samples -stopped back into Mutual Materials with paint samples in hand to review their board samples again, took pictures -stopped at bad printing place, and used their paper cutter, it's the best. I made sure to bring my paper in their box with logo -gives appearance I'm cutting paper I bought from them, which some of it was, but some of it wasn't...lol! and I cut a lot more bases i white and brown for mini cards. -stopped at Home Depot, got the garage door maker brochure, looked at samples on display, took photos with the paint sample
Now I'm home, I'm going to post the "Maui Flora on Palm Bark Cards" I thinks these are cute and they photographed well. Will be interesting if anyone bites.
THen I am going to make more mini notecards tonight just because.
Z.
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Post by michelle on Feb 5, 2021 2:50:15 GMT
Z, Great job getting all the new house details accomplished!!! I am not sure that I ever could eat more in the good old days since I spent many years of my life overeating and then dieting in endless yoyo behavior. That is one thing I love about just eating normally--I don't have to go through all of the emotions etc that go along with that type of insanity any more.
Not much to talk about today. I did all my normal chores and also spent time doing office work. It is supposed to warm up again to around 55 degrees. This is beautiful winter weather as far as I am concerned. I think I could live in a place that had weather like this year round. Not looking forward to wildfire smoke for months on end again. Maybe this won't happen this year. I'd love that!
Hope you are having a fantastic evening!!!
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Post by zenamidievel on Feb 6, 2021 3:41:58 GMT
Hello, hello!
Yesterday, what did I do? Hmmmm....
-I phoned the Amerigas and requested an expedited order for refill to the cabin on Monday. I followed up today cause they never sent confirmation it happened, it happened. WHen the tank goes all the way dry, this causes extra expense, inspections appointments or they won't refill it. -had two more phone converstations with construction house person., I don't doubt she knows her stuff, but her communication style DH and I both find challenging. -I went to the printer to pick up my print orders, went to Costco adn brought home ready made food stuffs, set out. -went back to HD, this time there was a clerk there at Garage door display, he had color sample cards cause all were not on the wall, this was helpful, I laid out with paint samples took photos. -came home and compiled photos from HD, Mutual Materials, House photo on WORD document and separate for DH to review. He is working very hard, so he will probably look this weekend. I think it's all narrowed down unless he surprises me. -we signed the cabinet paperwork, sent all that back and they get paid the overage amount next week, it is input to go -called furnace place to come back on Monday, our furnace is still noisy even though they were just here.
Craft/Etsy: -Photographing the western shirt was funny, I made a mini notecard out of it, whether anyyone ubys that or not, oh well. -doing the above, realized I could photograph fabric in some cases if I could not find paper I wanted. Example,bandanna fabric, If I can do this well, I can down load the pictures to a word document, fill up the whole page, and make my own "scrapbooking paper". What led to this is I have one piece of red bandanna scrapbook paper left and am unsure where, or if, I can get that again...ever. What I can get is 1/8 yard of red bandana fabric cut and take a picture of it, print, and cut, then I have an infinite amount of that type of paper at my disposal to print as much, or as little as I like to use. So I did this, with red and blue bandanna fabric and found one other horseshoe fabric with floral combo, beautiful, and I tried this too, it works! -Mini NOtecard Sets...so, I probably went a little manic with these, but am taking a break with it now. I have a lot of subject matter covered with those, Western, Cowboy, Tea Time, Tea Pots, Purses, Bandannas, Birds, Flowers,Pastel, Easter, cats, dogs, etc. But my thought was to get more of those posted to increase traffic, see if they sell, see if it helps people to look at other cards I have. I have include information in some listings advertising other items and the savings on shipping when more than one card pack is purchased. -folded all cards from print jobs, Maui, Cat Painting, Roadrunner, packaged with envelopes, put away, organized. -I did one thing with photography with an actual square bandanna we had, ironed it, photo'd photoshopped, sent to printer, I have two ideas for this, if it works out. Psychology: I realize I can get manic with making of stuff. It is a bit like fishing/gambling in that you do it, to see if you get "hit". But it's also fun, cute, creative, to do. Need to be careful and not let it take over all my time/life in the hopes of getting "hits". It is beneficial to have the variety because that draws people in general, but I can't just make stuff constantly. SO now that I've added that variety in mini sets and two new full sized cards, time to let it set a bit.
Home: -printed out the Ebay list DH did for listing his excess items. I will see if I can get through some of these listings tonight and to the photogrpahs etc. -emptied kitchen trash, laundry room recylcing, kitchen reccycling, downstairs trashes -emptied the DW, reloaded it -put away the counter ful hand wash, washed the the sinkful, rinsed, it's drying -got the rest of the dinner stuff leftover from last night, and set out for people to eat -did a quick sweep of floor kitchen -fed cat, scooped litter
That's about it.
Z.
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Post by michelle on Feb 6, 2021 6:37:51 GMT
Z, Fantastic job dealing with the new house, cabin and your current home. That's alot!!! Being able to print the scrap book paper is exciting!
I spent the morning cleaning house. Managed to get a bathroom clean, the K cupboards wiped down--and there are a lot of those. Vac'd, dusted, washed dog nose prints off windows on and on. I have been doing a really good job keeping everything picked up. After that I spent time on the deck in my tank top and shorts catching some rays. There is a section of the deck that is located just right so that the sun heats it up which makes it possible to sit out even though it is fairly cold.
After that I read my book and just relaxed. Of course I took the dogs for their runs, fed the birds, picked up the yard. I went around picking up many little pieces of pine trees that the rabbits bit off the trees. It was kind of time consuming but then the back yard looked so much better. I enjoyed doing that because it has been a while since I have been able to do any type of yard work. That was about it for me I am still lagging a bit so not much is getting done.
Hope you are having a relaxing evening!!!
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Post by zenamidievel on Feb 7, 2021 5:26:29 GMT
Good Evening,
Great job keeping everything picked and being able to relax. Your weather sounds pleasant!
Well I'm still doing a mixed bag of stuff
Avatar: This is the pink one.
Home: -rebooted laundry x1 -loaded 6, full, and I mean full to the top, jam packed, contractor sized bags of the purged clothing from DS, DD, DH and myself, into car and dropped at donation truck. This also included a bunch of army surplus type sleeping bags DH parted with and about 4 bags/totes. -stopped at store, got stuff to make pulled pork sandwiches for Super Bowl tomorrow and buns, and a cleaner to clean bathrooms. I'll do this tomorrow. -ordered sheets, the sheets I'd ordered to go with new bedding coverlet, etc. were discontinued,
New House: -took more time this morning looking online at teh ROdda paint samples, also the paint chip cards I brought home, got input from my sister. I decided to go shade a bit lighter, warmer than the first one I was looking at from the sample house. This also turned out to be an extra card I'd grabbed already while at paint store, so I must have liked it. -drove to Mutual Materials again, tney were closed, but they have a outdoor fireplace display set up of the cultured stone I might pick, so I put paint chips on that and took pictures. Also sent this to sister, she liked it. I will need to go on Monday, verify what it is, have them write up some kind of builder spec sheet we can send to our builder, with stone, grout color etc. -On this note, DH has not been helpful with this process, he says he doesn't care, he doesn't even really want to look at any of it. The home to the west of our house is a green...and I was told the one on the East will be a putty color, so ours will be a Rodda, Cascadia color, "Mocha" which is dark tannish brown, "Leather" (dark brown trim) Desert Tan (lighter tan/cream garage door) and there will be two beams stained this Darker "Oxford Brown" color that are on front of house bellyband, posts and deck framing.
Craft: -picked up print job, one thing works and one sort of didn't but that's okay, this is how to find out. SO I did make two sets of mini notecards from the full bandanna square photo, they are cute, but it's not necessarily good for a gift tag, because the image is then too fine/small to see when made that small size. -did some photo editing and layout on the horseshoe fabric to see if it can be improved upon for mini notecards and sent that off. -re-photographed cat card to see if better for the listing
Have deleted approximately 3K e-mails, many old folders, and have been making current folders to better keep track of E-mails.
Tomorrow I plan to vacuum the house, clean all the bathrooms, make the pulled pork, start looking at, rebuilding the electrical/lighting selections I'd been working on online.
I hope your day has been good! Rain, rain, rain here.
Z>
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Post by zenamidievel on Feb 7, 2021 17:58:12 GMT
Good MOrning,
I am Great Aunt for the first time today! My nephew and fiance welcome a baby boy named Finley! Exciting! THey are all doing well! Waiting to see pics of the family together with baby, so far only see the baby, he's a cutie!
TaDas: -e-mails purged below 1,300 mark, this is pretty major. -clothes in dryer -pork shoulder is in the crockpot -DW emptied, reloaded -laundry room swept, kitty litter scooped, kitchen house trashes/emptied -swept kitchen -swept hallway/entry way -swiped kitchen counters -made choc chip cookies, used up bag brown sugar, big bag chock ship, one vanilla container (wierd, but I like when I use stuff up) -put paper cutter away -put many things, pillows, boxes of DD carp, exercise hand weights, roller, bands, towels, back where all goes, scooted a huge keyboard that made it's way downstairs from under DD's bed against her dumping area (a loveseat in family room) that is constantly stacked with her carp. -rebooted launrdy x1 -dusted out all can lights with feather duster -vacuumed upstairs hall, first set of stairs, landing, wood, corners, stair cracks, and the vent in in ceilingin front of DS doorway. -pulled the pork for sandwiches, yummm! came out great, baked two appetizers, opened a bottle of sparkling cider from garage fridge to "use up."
Craft: -edited that horseshoe fabric one more time and sent to printer. Not sure why, I loooove this fabric, and I realized better way to hone in/balance the important parts hopefully without blurring, making them bit bigger fingers crossed. With this fabric it has rusty, orange, rusty red, browns and black, lookes aged already. When I photoshopped it I added slight vignette to corners for more aging and a thin black border. This gives it a more "finished" look, not like a just a cut piece paper, which...nothing wrong with that, it's just different. -Interesting thing about borders, it's better to keep the border thinner on these things. When this is done it is more forgiving with slight miscuts to the eye. I mistakenly thought a fatter border would make it easier when that happens, however when the border is thicker, if it's uneven, you see it immediately. When it is thinner, only hint of border, someone would really have to squint hard to examine if there was small error. -picked up print order, went to other print place, used their paper cutter, love this fabric so much, made papers using three different focal points from it. May have gone overbboard (what's new...lo) but I like it. -Drumroll.....someone bought the whole, square bandanna I photo edited, put a border on and made my own paper for mini notecards just now!
In going through e-mails funny/random things -I did find what I think was your old office suite address where I'd mailed something prior. But you've moved offices since then. I sent message via Etsy, If wanted to share address, I could mail some freebies your way? -saw that I'd e-mailed the present realtor we are working with 5 years ago regarding a listing in the city we're moving to. -found an e-mail regarding a professional pumpkin carving service, synthetic, I'd paid for pumpkin, but never ordered it. SO If I can find my cc receipt, I can order the pumpkin, they are still in business!!!
New HOuse: -so we just sent our cabinetery paperwork onTHursday I think, set the payment up to go for this week, Thursday, so not paid yet. and I realized I wanted the oil rubbed bronze knobs, in two places in house rather than the brushed nickel. This would be on the cabinets in family room builtins and on the cabinet door in den, so 6 or 8 knobs, same knob, just different color, same price, so I sent e-mail saying so, jright away, like on Friday. I get back long e-mail about change order, restocking charges, blah, blah, blah, (DH reads my e-mail...I don't care) and so we looked at each other like "what the heck!?!. SO dumb. Like I'm pretty sure I can go buy those knobs here and mail them to them for goodness sake! Ridiculous. What is more is DH has a contact at the Hardware Hut in that city and we could just have the realtor go pick them up and plop them on their countertop at their place of busininess. We're ordering more than 25K of cabinets, you can't just switch 6-8 knob colors at $2.50 each, which I'm pretty sure you've not even ordered yet anyway? Thanks for listening to that. I will call and talk to "Harvey" tomorrow.
Z.
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Post by michelle on Feb 8, 2021 3:45:19 GMT
Z, Great job decluttering and getting it dropped off!!!
Yesterday I finished up the annual company bookkeeping, everything is boxed up neatly and forms for next year are printed and ready to go. I spent this morning working on printing forms etc for this upcoming audit season which is almost upon us. Then I went outside and enjoyed the day! Kept everything picked up, did a load of laundry, and all the usual dog and bird chores. I am glad I got those two projects done. It took quite a bit of self discipline so I had to set my timer. This usually puts me on automatic pilot to be able to plow through something I would rather not do.
Tomorrow is errand day for me.
Hope you enjoyed your day!!!
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Post by michelle on Feb 10, 2021 2:12:50 GMT
Today I cleaned the MB and touched up the rest of the house--vacing, dusting, windows cleaned etc. Also did all the dog and bird chores.
I spent time putting some of my Kindle series books on an Excel spreadsheet so that I can keep track of what I have read and rotate through the different genres so I don't get bored. I had handwritten lists but this is so much better!
Still not up to par. It has been three weeks and several trips to the Dr. I will overcome!!!
Onward>>>>
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Post by zenamidievel on Feb 10, 2021 17:03:21 GMT
Good Morning,
I'm sorry you're still not feeling well! Good job on your chores!
Yesterday: -Finished drawing, coloring, sent to printer, my mom's request for 100 years birthday card for her friend. She told me her friend does crossword puzzle every day, likes to play bridge and Rummikub. The Cards says, "In the game of LIFE (here I drew the letters from the board game of LIFE colored square Logo) Friend's name Scores 100!!" So this filled center of card. In the upper right space I did crossword puzzle portion with her last name, husband's name and names of 4 children. In the upper left corner space I did 5 Rummikub tiles with her the numbers of her birth year, different colors and the "Wild" tile with the smiling face, middle beside her name I did some playing cards. This is all hand done, colored, and cartoon like, but it came out pretty cute, I think My mom was happy. Thanks for listening.
New House: -finalized paint body, trim and garage colors as well as the stone selection and e-mailed the construction coordinator yesterday. -Next...I need compile the lighting choices into an organized way to have virtual consultation with the lighting people.
House- -made contact with realtor my friend used to have consultation here next week, she's probably scared to come, I just felt like I needed to say a lot before she comes on the phone about the house before she comes, so she's been "warned". She will come Wednesday next week and this is good goal, will keep me working through things here. -I listed 2 of DH's more expensive bags on Ebay and am doing a third this morning. Then I will list this other group of smaller items he has. -I might go to COstco and do some carpet research for this house. My friend has used them, might be more affordable option if that's something we have to do. -Called two places about small moving/storage costs -emptied house trashes and recycling, serviced cat station -unloaded, reloaded DW -put away hand wash from counter, ran the sink for new hand wash, washed, drying -dinner is in the oven -I've listed 6 of DH's excess bags. Some of these are surplus, army surplus, they stink, like musty fabric mixed with gasoline. Now I'm going to put ina box and move them to the guest room.
Also Need to just keep cleaning.
Vent: I'm asking for $100.00 credit for trip fee for furnace, if we'd had an experienced technician here in September to tell us what was wrong in first place, wouldn't have required a 2nd trip. So far all I have is unprofessional e-mail asking if we want a new furnace, I replied, maybe, but like credit first for this please. We'll see what happens, probably nothing.
Z>
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Post by michelle on Feb 11, 2021 2:04:45 GMT
Z, The card sounds adorable!!! Sorry about your furnace problems, hopefully you will not have to replace it. I wonder how much of the home selling process now revolves around putting photos or virtual tours on the internet. It seems that it might cut down on having to physically show the house which would certainly help.
I spent the day mostly doing office work. I will be finished getting all of my items set up, copied etc for the upcoming audit season. It was another very lovely winter day here. I am seriously appreciative of these days now after the summer of wildfire smoke.
Also kept everything picked up and did some carpet and rug cleaning due to a spill. I love this carpet! Everything comes up so easily. That was about it for me.
Hope you are having a wonderful night!!!
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