Second Attempt with the Breathing Mobile Washer

Ok, so today was my second attempt with the Breathing Mobile Washer (see previous post for a link).

This time I had two 5 gallon buckets.  I must say, that was way nicer than using the square container I had used last time.  This time I didn’t have to look down to make sure I was covering the different areas.  This time the Washer was able to move around the bucket without fear of hitting corners nor missing spots.  That definitely released the straing on my neck.

This time I was also able to sit on the edge of my bath tub with the two buckets in there.  I held the bucket between my knees/calves as I pumped the Washer.  With sitting down, this helped put my shoulders and spine into a more relaxed angle, enough that I could even square my shoulders as I was working.  This also didn’t aggravate my carpal as much as I had more control over the angle of my wrists as I pumped the Washer.

I had one bucket with our regular detergent in it (just a tiny bit), and the other bucket was used for an initial rinse.  Once the detergent bucket got way too dirty for comfort, and the rinsing one was looking kinda iffy, I’d dump the detergent water, then add detergent to the “rinse” bucket, then add new water to the new rinse bucket.  Rinsed clothes got rolled up, some water squeezed out, and set aside in a tub waiting for the final rinse.

After I got all my clothes done (3 pants, 7 tops, and underclothes), I put some clean water into the buckets and added some white vinegar, then put clothes into each of them and let them sit for a while.  I guess I could have done two different loads this way, using the same water, and thus saving water.   Just one of a few mistakes I made.  Anyways, after they soaked in the rinse water for about 5 min or so, I pulled them out and stuck them into the regular washing machine on spin to get the water out of the clothes.  I don’t like having to use it, but for now it’s all I got.

Then, I hung the clothes up.

Very simple process.  I was surprised how dirty some of the clothes were.  I’m thinking I need to wear shorts in the house more often, lol.  To reduce how big the items are that I’m washing.  I made a few mistakes, or rather, I could have done a better job at conserving the water.  I also need to figure out how I can use the dirty water for some useful purpose, or even the vinegar water for some purpose.  Other than my food garden, which is in boxes, we don’t have any plants to use the water on (and it’s been raining for days already!!).  But, I’ll figure it out.  Maybe look into using it for the toilet or such.

Meanwhile, I’ve got plenty of room on the lines, due to using hangers to hold the shirts.  I didn’t use much electricity.  And I still don’t know how often I’m going to do this, lol.  But, with music playing and noone else around, I actually found it fun.

Breathing Mobile Washer

The Mobile Washer came into the mail yesterday.  I ordered it Friday afternoon, and it arrived Monday afternoon.  Talk about fast delivery.  

Prior to ordering I called their number because I misread and thought it would take 4-6 weeks to get here, but that could add $2 for priority mail.  But on the ordering process there wasn’t an option for me to do priority mail  I called them because I didnt want to wait 4-6 weeks, and maybe i’d missed the option somewhere.  Turns out that I had misread.  The 4-6 weeks was for alaska and hawaii.  She told me if I ordered it today (friday) she’d have it out to me by Monday.  I’m thinking it’ll be sent in the mail monday (the next business day from friday).  But it actually came in on monday.  I’m still wowed about that, heh.

Of course I had to check it out.  First of all, I ordered two because I thought it might be a kind of flimsy plastic.  Looking at the images, it’s that bottom part with the holes that looks a little flimsy.  But seriously, this is actually some pretty sturdy plastic.  I think it would take either some heavy weight falling on it or some major beatings before it would finally break.

I looked around for a tub to use.  I hadn’t purchased the 5 gal buckets because I thought I still had time to get those supplies.  So I found an extra square plastic container that we’ve been using for storing books or such in.  First lesson?  square isn’t the best tub shape for a round hand washer.

I put the fabric shower curtain in the tub, and then added water and a small bit of laundry soap.  The water came to just over the curtain, I didn’t need a lot of water, though having it deeper might have been better..the same amount of water, only in a container that would make it deeper.  

Anyways, so I pumped the washer a few times.  Yes, I’m very much out of shape.   I can see long term usage causing blisters and/or calluses.  I could feel muscle stress happening in my wrists, arms, and neck/shoulder/back area…that little knot up there where they all connect.  I’d pump about 10 or so pumps, then take a small break, and repeat.  The water got surprisingly dirty.  Maybe from the rust of the shower curtain hooks?  It was dirty enough that I didn’t want to wash the other kitchen towels in it.  Anyways, after a bit I pulled it out of the bucket, squished it in my hands, dumped the tub water, and put in fresh water, then put the curtain back in there.  Without soap, I did the pump and rest routine, and then pulled it out of the tub, added a small bit of soap to the water, and tossed in my kitchen cloths.  After rinsing those as well, I put everything into our regular electric washer and did a spin on it.  Within just a couple of minutes, the water was spun out and I hung everything up to dry.

This method will definitely take some getting used to.  My carpal tunnel is acting up already, so I’m going to have to make sure to use the taping method to get blood flowing through and help prevent this weakness.  This was even without wringing the clothes by hand.  Maybe if I put on some kind of padding to thicken up the handle my hands could do it?  I’m not sure.

Next time I go into town I’m going to get a couple of 5 gal buckets.  I’m also going to order a couple of those gamma lids.  The problem with that particular method will be the requirement of hot water for the pressure aspect to work.  At least that’s what I’ve read so far.

And, in all honesty, if I can’t get these methods to work for my and my wrists on a regular basis, then the washing machine doesn’t take up that much electricity.  I can still line dry regardless of which washing method I use. 

All in all, the Breathing Mobile Washer ( http://www.breathingwasher.com/index.htm ) is actually a pretty sturdy item.  Any issues I’m having with my carpal isn’t the fault of the item.  The item didnt cause the carpal, I’ve had that for years.  It just aggravates it.  Something to keep in mind for other potential buyers.

Preparing for Handwashing Laundry

Today I was looking at the Rapid Washer (http://www.lehmans.com/store/Natural_Goods___Cleaning_and_Laundry___Rapid_Washer___66RW?Args=&customField1=W9 ).  I’ve been looking at it, debating whether or not to get it when May finally arrives.  But this morning I was stalling because I’d finally read the “fine print” that says that it will rust.  I did some searching online and read some comments about it rusting but to prevent it from rusting make sure to dry it after using it, and then smearing on some kind of product but having to make sure that you wipe the product off before each use.  Ok, well, that’s just too much for me to even consider.

But then I happened upon this page:  ( http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/003276.php ) and subsequently to ( http://www.breathingwasher.com/index.htm ).  It’s basically similar to the Rapid Washer, but it’s made out of plastic instead of tin…no worries about rusting!!

So I ordered two of them.  Why two?  I dunno.  I’ll have one for if the one I’m using breaks (I’m not sure how sturdy the plastic is).  I’ll have one to loan to friends/neighbors who may want to check it out.  I’ll have one for my daughter to use at the same time as I’m using one.  Were these the reasons why I ordered two?  No.  Ordering two was a spontaneous act.  But so far the above three reasons might be usable for ‘rationalizing’ my decision, heh.

I’ve held off from getting the Gamma lids at this time for making the at home WonderWashing-type thingy.  I’ve also held off from buying any buckets.  I think this Mobile Washer will work fine in the bathtub for now (or longer).  I did buy a scrub brush for scrubbing at stains if needed, so I won’t have to order a washboard yet.  I’m still looking into ideas for wringing out the water from the clothes without using electricity and without messing my wrists up more than they already are.  (I kinda like being able to type and/or write.)  For now, however, I have a strainer for pressing one shirt at a time (grr) or I can use the spin cycle of our washer.  I’m not too keen on the last idea because it’s using electricity.  But, well, the washer is there already and unlike a new item (such as a spindryer) it won’t be taking up more space than it already is.

I have to go over my notes for making my own laundry soap.  I want to try to keep things to their absolute basics.  I’m not concerned about color brightners nor whiteners.  I just want to get an absolute basic, minimal (but easy to obtain) ingredients, and minimal process for making it.  (Just gotta find my notes, lol.)

First Time Line Drying

I had to do my clothes laundry today.  We each do our own clothes pretty much whenever the basket is overflowing.  For my daughter it’s generally when I happen to walk into her room and see piles of dirty clothes on the floor.  At least she keeps them in one place more or less.  But it’s at that time that I can see her closet is just about bare.  She doesn’t like doing laundry because it takes so long to fold…especially when she’s folding about 3 full loads worth all in one day!!

Anyways, I decided that now was as good as any to line dry my clothes inside.  Since I’m planning on doing it eventually anyways, and since I’m planning on buying the items I want for hand washing our clothes, now’s a pretty good time to take the first step..line dry.

There’s not a whole lot of room in the area that I set up the clothes line inside.  Particularly since this is about two weeks worth of clothes or so.  I started out by laying everything out, shirts bottom end up and inside out.  But that was taking up way too much room, and I was having to put another line that would be low enough for the cats to brush up against.  This was going to be my underclothes line, but I didn’t like the idea of loose fur and kicked up dust finding themselves into my underclothes.  So I wound up putting my shirts onto hangers.  The underclothes are pinned inbetween the hangers, the clips keeping the hangers from all sliding to the middle into one big lump of hung clothes.

I like this, because then it allows the air to actually pass through and get both the front and back sides of the clothes, instead of just the side facing the window.  The underclothes are also sorta hidden as well.

I keep looking at the clothes, hanging there, and knowing that I’ve got more than twice those hanging in my closet.  It’s way too much to handwash in one day, imo.  So I’m thinking that realistically, I only need about 8 shirts and 3-4 pants.  I don’t work so I don’t have to worry about special clothes for a job.  I just have to make sure that I have layering abilities.  I’m thinking that if I hand wash every four days, I’ll be able to let the clothes hang to dry long enough while I’m using the other four shirts, and just keep switching them off like that.  I mean, like we only need two sets of bedsheets, one for being on the bed while the other is being washed and dried.

I also noticed while hanging my clothes that some are more flexible than others, some will dry easier than others, and some will wash easier than others.  I also became aware of ones that are stretched funkily, and various holes or almost holes in shirts, pants, and underclothes.  Yeah, I’m thinking it’s about time for some new underclothes!!

I’d also like to get some of those swiveling hangers for shirts and pants.  I think that would work better than the plastic hangers I’ve got.

I also think that if I wash clothes every 4th day, mine and richard’s, then mine will take up half of one line, and his will take up the other half (if everything is hung on a hanger).  This way I only need two lines, the highest for the hanged clothes, and one two slots below that for underclothes (his and mine), as well as towels.

As of yet I’m not sure how I feel about the idea of hanging the clothes outside.  I might very well do that.  But there’s so many spiders and such out there, as well as pollen and other flying debris, and my allergies???  I don’t know if it’s a good idea or not.  Also with the rains and such.  Though, I think that it’d be easier to dry bedsheets outside than inside.  Although the sun might fade the sheets out..that would be sad.

The 3rd is coming up, payday.  I think with my spending money this month I’ll be getting the hand washing items, some swivel hangers for pants, and some underclothes.  The plastic hangers can work for now.

So, I guess all that’s left to decide right now is which clothes stay and which go bye-bye.  If I figure it out…I’ll post it.

Cleaning & Current Thoughts for Next Month

Yesterday was the first time in years that I’ve been able to do some cleaning without making myself completely sick.  I finally decided to try the baking soda + water followed by vinegar + water routine.  To get the initial scrubbing done, I used baking soda and water.  Then I followed that withthe vinegar and water which also serves to prevent a fine dry white dusting from the baking soda.  No sneezing, no damaging the nasal passages, no headache from breathing in chemical fumes, etc.  Very nice.

Alas, this now means that I have no excuse for not cleaning more often now instead of relying on Richard to do the cleaning.  *pout*

Currently my intentions are to order some gamma lids next month, purchase some buckets, and begin experimenting with hand washing that way.  I will probably get some other devices like that to explore.  I’m still looking at what steps I want to take for powering small items, but I think I’d like to get something for that next month too.  As a means of exploring it.

The alternataive power supply thing is going to be difficult for me.  I guess that first I should learn a little about electricity and such so that I can at least grasp ideas from whatever I’m reading.  We’ve got two really good books for that.  But it’ll take me a month or two before I’m ready to sit down with the books.

First I need to clear out some boxes from my room and the living room so that they aren’t calling out to me so much.

I also will likely be spending next month being a tiny bit more sociable…maybe.  I hate being so isolated.  And now I think quite a bit of damage has been done due to how long I’ve been isolated.  I need to break out of this somehow!!

I also intend to get rid of my socionics notes as I come across them while clearing out the boxes.  I’m just not going to do anything major with it, I guess.  And there’s no sense in keeping that around as a reminder that I should try to work with it or the forum.  Because it just ain’t gonna happen!!

I don’t know what to name this post.

The sustainability efforts are on a slight hold right now.  We’re still composting most of our garbage, and gradually reducing the kinds of items we’re buying that contain too much or the wrong kind of packaging.  Plastic bags are ok for now because those are used for dog and cat box waste removals.  The garden plants seem to be doing ok.  Though I should probably foliar spray soon.

I’ve gone over the lawn once with the reel mower.  Our lawn is seriously lumpy and bumpy in the back and backside areas.  Those were the hardest areas to get to.  But it’s been nice to be able to cut the grass on my own AND without having a massive sneezing attack upon just starting.  My allergies do kick in after spending some time out there, but they would likely kick in even if I was just sitting on the deck outside.  So far they haven’t been too bad.  So far though, there hasn’t been that much pollen flying around.  It’ll get really bad when other people start mowing their lawns and the weeds really start putting out their seeds.  Oh, and those cotton trees, ARGH.

Housecleaning supplies involve baking soda, white vinegar, and microfiber cloths.  This is proving to be an aide to me in that I’m not overwhelmed with fumes and sneezing and sick with just one cleaning attempt.  Though, the current lowered energy levels are also reducing the cleaning I’m doing.

Whatever sustainability efforts I choose, they are going to have to be workable even when I’m in a slump.  Like, the reel mower helps me to get exercise, it’s easy to do (except those lumpy areas) and I can think about other things as I’m doing it…or just veg in my head while doing it.  I really need to get a cleaning schedule down so that I can do some basic stuff even when low.  Turning off lights and such is becoming easier for the family.  But I’ll be figuring out some better electric saving stuff soon as I’ve got the mental abilities back, heh.

Gotta go.

Goal: Compost Kitchen Scraps

I’ve actually already been working on this goal for a week now.  Because I’m using EarthBox containers for gardening, I can’t use regular compost in them.  But compost from worms is acceptable in the boxes, so I hear.  So last week we got a worm bin, set it up, and then I got some worms for it.  I’m having difficulty with the idea of putting my gloved hands into the worm bin itself.  So I’m using a garden claw to help me bury the kitchen scraps.  The bin we got is:  http://www.amazon.com/Worm-Composting-Factory-Tray-System/dp/B000S6LZBO/ref=pd_bbs_9?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1239402180&sr=8-9 (bought locally not via amazon).  The worms are also from local source.

Unfortunately, the worms can’t eat all the kitchen scraps.  There’s some, like orange peels, that they shouldn’t have in their bin.  Also, we have a lot of scrap paper that we’ve put in the recycling bin.  And then we also put into the garbage can the yard cuttings.  This adds to the trash heap.  This makes me uncomfortable.  Sooo, we are also doing an outside composting bing for the papers (not cardboards) and yard cuttings.  The product of this compost can be given to the worms to make it more suitable for the earth boxes, as well.

We got an inexpensive round garbage can 32 gallons, and drilled holes into the bottom and along it’s sides for airholes.  Then drilled four holes along the lid’s edge so that I could lock the lid onto the can for when it’s rolling time.

We’ve got plenty of browns (dead stuff) but havent’ had much greens (fresh stuff).  I can’t use Richard’s mower because it quickly aggravates my allergies.  Also, using a gas mower doesn’t fit the sustainability attempts.  Sooo, today we bought a reel mower ( http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=289835-53393-26153&lpage=none ).  I put it together this morning, and used it on a portion of the lawn this afternoon.  I like it, it’s nice to be able to do the lawn myself without having to rely on Richard to do it.  A little more than half the grass cuttings actually makes it into the bag, but that’s fine.  That leaves some for acting as mulch for the grass, and plenty for my composting greens need.  I wouldn’t say it was quiet, per se, I mean, I’m sure it would awaken my next door neighbors if I used it on their side of the house.  But compared to the gas mower someone was using 4 houses down, yeah, the reel mower is quiet.  My allergies weren’t aggravated much, and I was able to get the front yard done before I quit for the day so I wouldn’t hurt my back too much.

To help solve some of the allergy problems, I’ll have to wear a mask while I’m working on the lawn.  Also use my neti pot soon afterwards.  Oh, and of course make sure I’ve got tissues handy.  At least now those tissues can go into the compost bin instead of the garbage can.

The reel mower won’t get the dandelions in the yard, and probably not the ferns either.  For those I’ve got a weeder tool that will let me stand up while pulling the weeds.  ( http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=46112-89648-78726935&lpage=none )  I’ve also got a cutter for the areas where the weeds are popping up in areas that the weeder tool can’t get into.  (something sorta like this:  http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=99761-302-1945000 )  I don’t like the cutter, it was a bad purchase, imo.  Basically just the wrong tool for the job.

The reel mower also doesn’t get the grass along the edges, near the fences, etc.  So I’m going to have to find a tool to help me get that, since the cutter won’t work well on that, either.

I liked using the reel mower today.  I’m pleasantly tired.  I got a work out.  And my carpal tunnel wasn’t aggravated by a constant vibration.  I’ll be sore tomorrow, but hopefully not so sore that I can’t do the back portion of the yard, saving the side for sunday.

Me? Considering Striving for Sustainability??

Recently I came across a concept called Tiny Houses or Mini-Homes.  My favorite site is:  http://tinyhouseblog.com/  It’s about building and living in:

• Teeny Houses (under 300 sq ft)
• Tiny Houses (300-600 sq ft)
• Little Houses (600-900 sq ft)
• Small Houses (900-1200 sq ft)

This mobile home we live in is about 900 sq ft.  Plus we have a tool shed, and two storage sheds in the yard.  So this place would count as a Small Home.  Funnily enough, we’ve been thinking of it as too small.  There’s only three people here (and 5 animals!!).

Something about the concept of Tiny Homes (Teeny is just too…well, too teeny for me to even consider), uh, anyway, something about the concept of Tiny Homes struck a note with me.  I love the idea.  To think of how inexpensive the homes could be, and how more families could have access to their own homes, and how there would be a smaller footprint per family.

Now, I admit that I’m a product of my environment.  And that environment has included lots of waste, wasted time, wasted money, wasted space, etc.  Stuff Stuff Everywhere and not a thing to do.  Anyways, it’s an idea that seems to fit in pretty well with my current decluttering and clearing out attempts.  It gives me a goal, something to work towards.  To reduce my STUFF down to minimum.  To try to get it down to where I could actually live in a Tiny Home of my own (and still have room to walk around in!!!).

While checking out the tiny home concept, I kept running into sustainability ideas as well.  And, well, things kinda ran away with themselves.

Some of the changes I’m considering are:

• line-drying clothes and most linens (not blankets nor sheets).  This would have to be done inside the home mostly, due to the pacific northwest rain as well as all those spiders and bugs that are out in the yard here.
• handwashing (sorta) our own clothes.  Reserving the washer for blankets and sheets.  I say “sorta” because I’m considering using the 5 gal bucket + Gamma lid (ala WonderWash:  http://tinyhouseblog.com/tiny-furnishings/tiny-washing-machine/ & http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33OHmWckcDc )
• possibly heating water in a solar oven (not sure how pnw weather will work with that one)
• making and using simple cleaning products (such as baking soda, vinegar, tea tree oil, etc) for house cleaning
• making and using simple body care products (such as baking soda shampoo with acv rinse, etc)
• reducing how much electricity we use
• reducing how much water we use

I’ve got a few other ideas, but the above are the ones that I’ve been looking into recently.  There are some issues that will have to be overcome (not including my own laziness and habits or “traditions”), and I’m not sure just how effective the experiments will be.  But I figure it’s worth a shot.

Richard took a reading of our water and our electricty meters.  I don’t know what we’ve actually been using in either.  Though our electric bill does  show an approximation of how much electricy we used in the same month the previous year compared to the same month this year.  There’s also a little graph for each month so I can get a quick view of if things are going up or down, and relatively how much up or how much down.  I figure if he takes readings once a week, and I journal what changes we’re making, then we might see the meters go down over the next few months.   There is no way I am doing an all or nothing kind of thing.  Just a few minor changes here and there, trying to find out what works for us and what doesn’t.

I’ll do some posts over the next few weeks talking about various attempts and such.

Until then, wish me luck.  :D

I’m Coming Off a Manic Phase

The manic phase was already in progress by the time I started doing a massive decluttering of my home.  I joined the ClutterDiet site on or before February 22nd, 2009.  The manic phase was at least going pretty strong at that time.  I remember going through a few days of hemming and hawing before finally deciding to go ahead and join the site.

 I think the phase may have even been going prior to my hiring the cleaning lady.  I’m not sure when that was in comparison to the ClutterDiet, though.  Give or take a week or so I guess.  (My sense of timing is kind of skewed right now.)

 I have to say that this was the most productive manic phase ever.  I got all the clutter boxed up and moved out of the extra bedroom and into the shed richard bought me.  We moved richard’s ebay stuff into the extra bedroom.  The closet of the extra bedroom is now set aside for household supplies and such.  The wall that had Richard’s ebay stuff is now lined with some short bookshelves that hold our board/card games, video games, movies, etc.  It looks really nice there, and the living room is much more inviting than it was.

 The result of this mass clutter boxing and moving out of living areas is that the house feels less overwhelming, and is demanding less attention, and laying on less guilt for it not being clear.

 The ClutterDiet book will help me with refining each room in the house and helping me in that actual decluttering process. 

A couple of concepts I learned from it are

a)  Establishing a purpose to each room, the activities required for achieving that purpose, and keeping only the tools (stuff) that are used for achieving that purpose.  For example, in the bedroom, one of the purposes is to sleep and wake up.  For this I need a sleeping area.  For this sleeping area I need something to support my body (a bed, and pillows), keep me warm at night (blankets), and darkness (curtains over the windows).  To wake up I need an alarm of some kind and/or lighting.  So we have the sunrise alarm attached to a bedside lamp which slowly goes on, to wake us up. 

After establishing the purpose and main items needed to achieve that purpose, then it’s pretty easy to figure out what actions are needed for the care and/or maintenance of those items.  For example, to keep the mattress clean we use a bottom sheet.  To reduce how often the blankets need washing (since they are so heavy/bulky) we use a top sheet.  To keep the pillows clean (to reduce how often they need washing), we use pillow cases.  The sheets and pillow cases get washed once a week, the blankets get washed every other week to once a month, and the mattress gets aired out 2-4 times a year.

In this way, the household chores aren’t some arbitrary assignment, but serve a purpose, and the purpose is clear. 

b)  Future Self – in which you do things now that your Future Self will appreciate your having done.  This was probably one of the most helpful concepts I got out of my time at the ClutterDiet site.  It helped not only with the decluttering process I was going through, it also shows up in day to day actions when I’m tempted to put off an action.  I’ll remind myself that my Future Self would appreciate it if I did that action now instead of forcing her to try to remember to do it, or for suffering the consequences resulting from NOT doing it. 

It also is helping me figure out which of my many hobby attempts are ones that are actually worth spending time and energy on.  One night I was laying in bed, talking to my Future Self, and running through a list of hobbies, asking her which ones she appreciated my spending time on, and which ones where kind of “eh”, and which ones seemed to be a waste of our time/energy.  Drawing was an “eh” one.  Music was a “yes” one.  And gardening was a “oh yeah!!!” one. 

There was such a strong reaction to the gardening one, that she wanted to have experience and knowledge of gardening, that she wanted to be harvesting fresh lettuce and other vegetables from our own yard, that I started looking into gardening. 

I found a system called EarthBox which makes home gardening really easy.  Expensive initially, yes.  But seriously easy for getting started.  It’s a self watering container that uses a plastic mulch cover (to reduce water evaporation, weeds, and insect penetration), and a “side dressing” of fertilizer (which is covered by the mulch cover which prevents the nutrients from being washed away with water/rain).  Each container with casters and first season’s lime and fertilizer and covers costs about $50.  In total we got four EBs and 3 railing planters.  I should have gotten two more EBs instead of the railing planters.  I think I would have preferred having the lettuce in an EarthBox instead of in the planters.  Those planters have me paranoid about the watering and such since they aren’t self watering.  While the EarthBoxes I don’t feel so paranoid about, I feel relaxed about them. 

Anyways, so I got those, went to the forum dedicated to the EarthBox, and started checking out library books about gardening.  I made my own Potting Mix, and using that and the EB ingredients I planted 4 broccoli, 4 cauliflower, have room for 4 brussel sprouts when the weather is ready for them, one row of peas, with another row ready for beans when the weather is ready for them, an EB full of carrots, and the planters are set up for lettuce, chard, and green onions.  (two lettuce planters, and the chard and green onions share one). 

So far, the broccoli and cauliflower are doing well, those were transplants.  Lettuce is sprouting up and so are the peas.  I think I planted the carrots too early and that they won’t sprout. 

This year I’m going for cool weather crops instead of the warm weathered ones and the fruiting plants.  I wanted to make sure I started with things that I could pretty easily succeed with so that my Future Self got her basic experience and could decide where to go from there. 

I started to expand into studying areas of gardening that might be applicable next year (such as making my own fertilizer, etc), and got as far as deciding to get a Worm Bin for making Vermicompost for the garden next year.  Supposedly the Vermicompost helps the plants fight off insects and some diseases, providing them with nutrients that straight up fertilizer might not.

 Me.   Raising Worms. 

Anyone else see anything wrong with this picture??

 Anyways, the bin has been purchased, and tomorrow I go pick up the worms from a relatively local seller.  I’m nervous and excited about it.

 

I’m also transitioning OUT of the manic phase, so I’m really glad I got all that set up and accomplished before this happened.

 How do I know that I’m transitioning out of a manic phase?

There’s a few signs.

 One of them is that I was spending a lot of time on this one logic puzzle type game that I tend to use when I’m trying to distract my mind from obsessing over something.  I was on that game throughout the day, every day.

 I also couldn’t seem to read anymore.  Everytime I’d try to read a paragraph or such, I’d start to doze off.  This is a pretty good sign that my mind just can’t take in anymore information and that it needs a chance to start processing it all and recovering from the whole ordeal.

 While IN the manic phase, I felt pressured to DO.  A lot of money was spent to keep me in that “Gotta DO” mode.  And a lot of information was read to help direct me in terms of what to DO.  I was obsessed with each project.  Spent the entire days working on it.  Did it despite my back killing me and my being barely able to walk.  I couldn’t NOT do it.  And if I was forced to relax and NOT DO, then I was irritable and restless.  I couldn’t sit still for longer than a few minutes.  I couldn’t seem to get into the shows I like.  I was even dreaming about DO-ing.  It was a complete obsession!!!

 And now my mind seems to be trying to move away from that obsessiveness.  The game helps.  I’m finally able to watch shows.  I can’t seem to stay awake for very long.  I can’t make sense of anything I read.  I can barely string a sentence together in real time (speaking-wise).  My mind can’t seem to stay focused, and I shouldn’t be driving because my response time is seriously lagging.  I feel like I’m in a fog and I’m not even sure if I want to get out of it, much less how.  It would just take too much energy to even try!!!  I can’t seem to make any decisions, nor plans, and even if I tried, I wouldn’t trust them to be good ones at all.

 Today is March 31, 2009.  I noticed the changes a few days ago, let’s say somewhere around the 27th.  So that’s at least a month and a week of Manic Phase.  Over $600 was spent on the gardening alone, with another $700 or so spent on the decluttering part.  That’s a lot of frikkin money!!!!

 

I’m so tired!!  I don’t normally sleep during daylight, but I just can’t seem to stay awake lately.

 Other than lethargy, I’m not yet too concerned about how low the low will be.  I feel joy and ‘goodness’ as I watch the sprouts pop up.  Taking care of the plants that are already up is helping to keep me positive I think.  There’s also a strong sense of accomplishment which I think will carry over.  And this time I’ve got help around the house instead of everything falling onto my too exhausted shoulders to do.

 We shall see, we shall see.

Why I’ve been gone…

I haven’t posted anything in a while.  I’ve been waiting until I can sit at the computer long enough to write something at, as well as waiting for more information.  Well, the information hasn’t come in yet, but at least I can sit at the computer for a minute or two now.

I’ve had lower back problems off and on since my senior year in high school (when I had to ride a small bicycle across the city to get from my home to my school, to my job, to home, to my other job closer to home, to home).    This past episode has just taken way too long, and been way too painful…and affected way too much of my life.  I finally broke down and called a chiropractor.  He did his tests, took some xrays, and showed me what was happening.  I felt sick when I saw my xrays.  Wow, that much huh.  It wasn’t the unnatural curve nor twist of the spine that made me sick…though I was shocked that it was that significant!!!  It was one portion where the spine meets the hip.  The left side looked all nice and smooth.  The right side..the side where most my pain is…looked like something had been eaten through (like a group of wolves ripping into a deer’s neck) and then a poor attempt at sewing it back together.  Now I know that the metaphor is off…since it’s bone we’re actually talking about, not muscle/skin like the metaphor.  But seriously, that’s what it looked like.  The chiropractor said that whatever’s caused this…was an old injury, not something new.  Yet it’s obviously causing problems now.

He sent the xray to a radiologist to see if the radiologist has anything to say about that area.  That’s the information I’ve been waiting for…that hasn’t come in yet.

Meanwhile, I can’t get any adjustments for the curviture and twisting of the spine until I get an appointment with my primary care physician, he does HIS diagnosis AND recommends me to a chiropractor.  I also had to request a medicare replacement card because I just couldn’t find mine.

So, this past week I’ve been doing a lot of bedrest breaks.  When the pain drops down, then I’ll get up and do a little something, and then within just a minute or two I’m having to go back and lay down and wait for the pain to drop down again.  I’ve also had to be very conscious of my posture in laying, sitting, standing, and getting from one position to another.  This takes up a lot of mental energy, heh.  But so far it’s paying off I think.  My time out of bed is longer than two minutes.  Though, I’ve needed to go lay down since starting the previous paragraph.

The sad thing to me is…he said my spine is what would be expected of a 50+yo spine.  And then seeing that nasty area…  It’s made me think about the kinds of activities and such that I’ve always enjoyed.  Many of them I won’t be able to do again without risking hurting my back.  This saddens me.  I also won’t be able to be as physically active as I’ve wanted.  I’m having to look at ’softer’ forms of activity such as pilates and yoga.  And even the sheer amount of walking that I’ve always enjoyed…I won’t be able to do as much.

I’ve had to get rid of my nice high heels…even the 1.5″ ones.  I’m using the negative heel shoes of Earth Shoes now.  It alters my center of gravity enough that there’s not as much direct pressure on that painful area.  Alas, these shoes are major expensive for me.  And after just a few days of wearing them, I put on my T-Shoes with the flat soles…and it felt jarring.  I wanted to go back to the negative heel really badly.  In fact, I’ll be ordering a pair of T-shoes from them as well as some easy slip on sandals.

I’m also starting to recognize my age, though it bugs me because I’m only 36 and I’ve still got 40-60 years to go…more than half of my life ahead of me.  But I’m starting to set some priorities in terms of hobbies and health.  I’ve been slowly working towards that anyways, but this is the first time that I’ve taken age and the aging process into account.

Probably my biggest deal right now is wanting to get my house clutter cleared up so that I’m no longer wasting time with it.  So I can get back into the hobbies I’ve allowed left, and get back into working on my health without feeling kept back by having to work on housecrap.  This shit’s GOT to get done already!!!  So I can live again!!