I am so frustrated with things getting out of hand in the house, that I forced myself to put “one” thing away today. It was a box of coffee packets from BJ’s. This brand’s box is larger than the one I used to get and it wouldn’t fit in the same space, so I cut it down and still no good. I took everything out of the drawer. Oh, oh, bug dung. Everything out, wipe with Clorox cloths, get another box from garage, transfer bags.

Some stuff would be more convenient if it is stored in cabinet over the coffee maker space. Look in there, no room. Take stuff out. Go to computer and Google shelf life of various items. Everything goes: What, you may ask. Gift bags of coffee used once. Decaf for guests who won’t drink regular and never come again. Most of it more than four years old and info on line is keep it for a few weeks once opened. Reassuringly, info says that old coffee isn’t unhealthy, just not tasty. So I am thinking, pour out the decaf, recycle the plastic. Oh, ha. The stuff is now like concrete. So I am soaking it. Nonfat dry milk bought just for Bella, dearest friend, now gone. Nice remembrance, but she gave me a stainless teapot, so I’ll focus on that.

What else? Aunt Jemima’s flour for pancakes, not used since 2004. Uncle Ben’s rice, very old. When I’m finished, I’ll have space for stuff I can throw out next time I clean.

Meanwhile, my Swiffer electric sweeper charger won’t work; I couldn’t find the right replacement on line. Searching for one was taking up life time and since this keeps happening, I am buying an Oreck cordless that my gtf Nadine says is great. But Ed is so busy with his guardian duties, that he can’t drive us to Fort Myers to the Oreck store. Meanwhile, I am picking up cat hair with a wet paper towel.

The throws I got for the sofa and love seat that are designed to specifically protect from the cats will not stay in place. So Nadine said I should get elastic and attach at the sides and run around the back. I tried rug-to-rug sticky mats and all they did was offset sticky stuff on the leather and now I am having trouble getting that off. Not only that, I also cut to size some material from the mat package to use for its real purpose and after a week of anchoring some throw rugs, it is not working, and the rugs are roaming just like they always did. But any store carrying wide elastic is also at least half an hour away by car so I have to wait on Ed for that as well.

And I just remember noticing some throw-up next to the silk sofa in the living room -- I practically never look there so I've forgotten about it. Have to get to that too.

How I miss New York, where my autonomy was awesome.

xx, Teal