Oh, I had hoped that you all were back at home. Good that the trash is out though and that you see progress. A nice new bed sounds like a priority :-)

I would also have a hard time pitching out family keepsakes, good luck with that. No rush to look at the big picture just yet, one day and job at a time.

Marilyn....I remember you had about 7 cupboards. Did any survive? Glad to hear your doing alright....under these circumstances.

Get you a bed, girl. You need to lay down and rest....take breaks. Sure wish we could all come help you.

I have more than 7 cupboards....the ones in the house all survived, but I have only been in one room of the other building/house, but I can see that one of the corner cupboards in another room is going to need some work. I think it will be okay. The others....I can't see or get to. I see one is tipped over, but it is very heavy wood and I am sure it will be okay.

PKponder....the stuff I have isn't family keepsakes. It is stuff I collected over the years. A lot of dishes...cookie jars, pyrex, vintage Christmas ornaments, and probably more than 30 big jars of marbles, dice and odd ball little things. Japanese fishing floats....lots of those. I got into the blanket chests and have washed all the old table clothes....the kind from the '50's with fruit or flowers or state maps on them. They say throw away everything that got wet. I couldn't do it. I washed them multiple times and I also kept my collection of old sheets, and my Pendleton blankets. I am not concerned about them. They were all in plastic. I thought they would have rotted after being in the chests for a month but they are all okay. Yes....I realize it is very weird to collect wool blankets when you live in a hot and humid climate. I am weird. Very weird. ;)

Sounds like the glassware will be okay anyway, fingers crossed that the textiles will be good too. Please sell me some of your fishing floats :-) I love those things and they look uber cool inside of a clear glass vase. Glass is my collector weakness.

Edited to say what I really meant. Should you decide that you'd like to sell any of your fishing floats, I'd like to be at the front of the line.

I always enjoyed hearing about your finds! I thought it was interesting too when you had all kinds of cupboards, windows, etc stashed away for the house. Glad some of the stuffed can be saved!! You certainly deserve a new fluffy bed!

ya but Marilyn,we like weird! ;)

>> It is too overwhelming to think of the "big picture".<<

That's how I get through jobs that look like they're too big to accomplish: set small goals. I will do this small bit. Yay! That's done. Feeling of accomplishment. Now I will do this small bit. By nibbling away it gets done and doesn't feel overwhelming.

When DD was small and didn't want to clean her room, I'd say, Put away everything with red on it. Now put away everything with blue on it. And so on. Her room got cleaned and it felt like less of a chore to her.

I love wool blankets...they breath..I put a wool blanket into a cotton percale duvet cover and its pure bliss. Any of you that live in a real winter area...try it, honestly you will love it.

Marilyn how are you washing all that wool? Do you have a true wool cycle on your washer?

Loving thoughts

I love wool blankets too, even though they make me itchy. They used to make them THICK and WARM--my sisters and I kept our mother's blankets. I'm glad all of them survived just fine--why do you have to wash things more than once? I love, love those 50's and 60's tablecloths, and have kept some of my mom's.

I'm still amazed at all the work you've already accomplished and am so glad to read Jody hired a helper. I hope you don't work yourself into being sick though, the two of you. Best wishes to you, Marilyn.

mama......we put the biggest down comforter we could find, in a duvet cover. :0)

The wool Pendelton blanket we put on top of the fireplace. The cat lays on it. :0)

Marilyn....the old cupboards were made really well! So glad they made it. Fixing/replacing 1 or 2...you did well!

When you feel ready to replace some Epis or orchids, let me know....they do better at your house than they do at mine and the epis need cutting back(so huge). :0)

Mamapinky, I washed them in my washing machine in cold water. I know they probably should have been dry cleaned but I had too many. Plus, if they turned out badly....no real loss, since I have never used them and probably never will. I washed them with Era and Biz and used fabric softener on them. I dried them in the shade....hung them on the fence. They all came out nice and soft. Two of the blankets are camp blankets and have the name of the camp on them....one is Ridgecrest...can't remember the other one....and the name of the camper. Another one has a tag that says Made in Australia, 1943. Then there are some with a Pendleton tag and some with other tags. I have about a dozen and about an equal number of wool throws.

I have a "new...to me" washing machine. At first I didn't like it very much. It is a GE, like my old faithful, and has an agitator but I am used to one that really washes hard and this one just sort of swirls the water through the clothes, but I am okay with it now, because it really gets everything clean.

Jody hired his helper again the next day, but halfway through the day, he hurt his back. He hobbled around in pain for the rest of the day....had to take helper home...and I thought he would be down for quite awhile. I hurt my back awhile back and it took a few weeks before it quit hurting. However, the next day, he was back at it and hasn't said much more about his back. Glad he had a quick recovery. ;)

We moved home two nights ago. We are sleeping on an air mattress on the floor. I will buy a bed and mattress as soon as I get a chance to go out and look for one. Probably this weekend. Still haven't got the horses home....still working on the fence. Lots of big trees fell on the fence. The old fence would have held my horses but Amos, the donkey, will be out with them, and he is very independent and he will leave if he sees an opportunity. He will come back, but the horses will follow him and it is dangerous, since there is a highway about 3/4 of a mile away.

We have done a lot but it is hard to see we have made any progress because there is still so much to do. We keep working on it.

You'll get there Marilyn. One step at a time. My thoughts are with you.

Marilyn, I bet that air mattress on the floor feels like the most wonderful bed in the world just because you are now at home, doesn't it? So glad you and Jody are finally there. I know you will be much happier when you get all the "critters" home! You two take care of yourselves.

It is good to be home. No cigarette smoke. My favorite cat has been mad at me since we left. All is forgiven now. ;)

I sure hope you can get a regular bed by the weekend. Getting up and down from the floor level isn't easy. Glad the cat has forgiven you.

I wish you were here there is a neighbor that has a truck load of mattresses coming in Friday giving out free mattresses to those who lost everything. We don't need one since the rv has one. I would gladly get you one if I can. If I can get you one do you want one? What size?

good news!

Raven, I would use a double but I don't have a bed to put it on right now. You know Hilton who is on tv all the time....sells furniture....used to have his kids in the commercials and was always saying, "That's a fact, Jack!" and had a chainsaw because he was cutting prices? Now he is on with that big wrestler guy....can't remember his name and their favorite saying is, "Let 'em have it!" Meaning no credit or bad credit....let 'em have it. Anyway, he is from Louisiana and a friend of Jody's. Jody is always giving him shrimp. He found out we lost almost everything and wants to give us a mattress. At the time, I thought we had a bed we could use. I know he would give us a bed too, but I will find a bed this weekend. He will give us a mattress. Thanks for thinking of me though.

Marilyn, always used just the metal frame and plopped the box spring and mattress right on top--I think there are a few slats. No danger of bumping shins and they're pretty cheap.

OK great. Yes I know exactly who you are talking about. Good deal!