Posts in the last 5 days:

StronginHim77 5-Sep-10 In all my years on AAC, I have NEVER felt comfortable posting on Coffeehouse, despite multiple, kind-hearted invitations. I finally figured out why: my eating disorder. The focus on food descriptions, warming drinks, etc. blow me out of the water. My mind just can't go there. Weird, but true. This isn't a put-down for the thread. (I admire the fact that so many of you can post here comfortably and write so descriptively about such sensory experiences!) I'm just somewhat relieved to figure out why this thread was always so hard for me to read and possible to post on. There. I've done. I finally posted on "Coffeehouse!" - Ma Strong

Bitsy 5-Sep-10 Thanks Chelonia. Ma, it's good to see you here.

chelonia mydas 5-Sep-10 Bitsy and Ma, glad you stopped by. The coffeehouse isn't just for eating you know. We also talk about art, music, movies, books. In addition we have an extensive garden, nature trail and huge porch with lots of hammocks, comfy outdoor chairs and nice fountain. And one of my favorite features is the wardrobe, just like the one in the Chronicles of Narnia except this one takes us wherever we want to go. The coffeehouse is whatever we make it. If food is what is keeping you out, than lets go on a hike to the waterfall just down the path there in back of the garden.

Bitsy 5-Sep-10 I'd love to. Let's go swimming as well.

Anam Cara 6-Sep-10 Ma Strong - welcome! I have often noticed how much people admire you and notice how the thread many times reaches the top of the boards. Today we only serve a listening ear so do please come in and bless these halls. Love. AC

chelonia mydas 6-Sep-10 I'd love to go swimming today. Its a perfect day for it too, not too cool and not too hot the water is the perfect too. Clear and fresh and warmed by the summer's embrace. I have something to share with my friend's here... Ive continued with my Chelonia in motion cleaning plan, where I don't set goals or expectations other than to be in motion for a set amount of time working on whatever I want as long as its something that is related to getting cleaned and organized. The past 3 weeks I've kept notes about how much time I've spent doing different things. I've realized that I spent less than 2 hours a week on housecleaning, no wonder I live in a pig sty!! So each week I try to put in a little more time on cleaning. I discovered that I'm very resistant to it and have been doing a lot of reflection on why. For now I'm going to have to just work around it because its too much to face the why of it. So I've adopted the view that my pets deserve a clean place to live and realized that I simply have too much stuff. So I'm giving away anything I haven't used recently. I'm also getting rid of all old dishes. I have so many that I could go for a week or longer without washing dishes, then would be overwhelmed with the task, especially since I don't have a mechanical dishwasher, its just me, a sink of soapy water and a dish drainer. So I'm going to simplify and only have 4 place settings, thats it, no more. So I put it out to the universe that I wanted new dishes, but they had to be reasonably priced and I wanted them to be purple, blue or green and microwave safe. I went to Target and on their clearance shelf found the most beautiful set of dishes that are dark blueish purple, royal blue, green and white all together in a spiral pattern. So I bought the whole set along with new cobalt blue glasses in real glass. I was inspired to go through my kitchen and clean out all the old stuff and bring in my new dishes with the intention of keeping the kitchen clean. That will be my priority this month... just to keep the kitchen clean. So silly I know, but baby steps. Just thought I would share my realization with all my buddies here. Thanks for always being there.

Bitsy 6-Sep-10 You know Chelonia I am a big fan of the Flylady (flylady.net) She says just do 15 minutes at a time. Set a timer. Yesterday I cleaned for 15 minutes and set the timer and did what I wanted for 10 minutes then got up and repeated the cycle. Last night I slept in a cleaner house with a freshly made bed. She also says housework done improperly still blesses your "family". This week we are in the kitchen and the mission for the day is just to take a broom and knock down any dust or cobwebs that are up on the ceiling or higher cabinets. Great deal on the dishes!

chelonia mydas 7-Sep-10 Flylady is great. Its actually what lead me to come up with the concept of "Chelonia in motion"... to just set a timer and do SOMETHING, anything as long as its cleaning and eventually it will get better. This morning it was so nice to wake up and see the kitchen counters organized and cleaned. Made me feel so much better about myself and more hopeful that I can do this and I am worthy of living in a clean and organized space.

Bitsy 7-Sep-10 Well you know she says it all starts with the kitchen sink. I have got to spend some time in the "office" and throw away papers and organize files. I really need to get into my garage and get rid of stuff. I can't seem to make myself do it though.

chinadoll 7-Sep-10 Hi Coffeehouse friends! I am back home from my trip. I got home Sunday night. I started school again today. Right now I am having some hot green tea and watching a little tv. I need to go thru papers, too...and shred them. I have a box of papers that I need to shred and I can't seem to get around to it. I also need to start organizing my checkbook and stuff. I keep checking my account on-line but I need to get more organized about that. I need to know exactly how much money is in the bank, rather than "about" how much...especially after spending for the trip. I'll do it...it's just taking me some time to get back in my routine.

Anam Cara 8-Sep-10 say, chinadoll - bring your laptop into the coffeehouse and do your stuff here! I will serve you a nice special.

darkeyes 8-Sep-10 Hi All!!kettle on!!...dropped by each day but didnt like to disturb!!hugs Dark!!

chinadoll 8-Sep-10 Hi Coffeehouse friends! It is mid-afternoon, well, getting closer to evening time, and I had to make some coffee since I felt like I was starting to fall asleep!! I think I am still trying to get used to the time difference. It is way too early to go to sleep, I haven't had supper yet!! dark, why would you think you are disturbing us?!! That is silly! Come in and have a seat and stay as long as you like!! Have some coffee with me! Anam Cara, yes, a special sounds very good! The nice thing about being back home is that I can eat whatever I feel like making at the moment, or not. It is nice to travel, but when you stay at a hotel, and don't have a kitchen, it's not like you can just walk in and make a snack for yourself. Well, the nice part about staying at the hotel was not having to do dishes!! Ha! Ha! We have a mechanical dishwasher, but we don't use it too often. With just my Dad and me here, we don't dirty enough dishes to fill it, so I end up cleaning them by hand. Most times, it's not so bad, but some days, my Dad manages to dirty a few, and he just leaves them by the sink!! It's no use for me to get upset, I accept that this is how it is. Since my Dad does not charge me rent to stay here, it's my way of helping out, I suppose. My Dad got so used to my Mom doing everything for him. At least when I was on my trip, I got a little break. And he did clean the house before I came home, so that was actually nice. From the sound of it, tho', he probably left it a huge mess until the day before!! Ha! Ha!

Anam Cara 9-Sep-10 Yes, it is nice to travel - the wardrobe gives us such opportunities to do so. I have something beginning to set into my mind. It was in a Cotswold Pub that I visited for a pint last week. Would you like me to take you there -Ok shout at the back of the wardrobe over in the coffeehouse corner and i might hear your answers if you crowd it into one big YELL!

Anam Cara 9-Sep-10 OK OK - come on then into the wardrobe with you. First I want you to sit still and shut your eyes - imagine this. You will arrive in a street of a most generous nature and of a time (despite some 400 hundred years), has never worn these fine standing buildings. Cotswold stone houses - The chimneys are worth a mention, tall as a soldier they are . Straight and true refusing to budge - wind has never shifted them an inch since the mason laid them back in ancient times past. The roofs are also stone clad - lichen creeps over the stone shales and the robin sings to the lower parts. Tall Pink Balsam flowers are only shadowed by taller Hollyhocks which freely seed around in nooks and crevices. "The Neeld Arms" of Grittleton --- the ale house is alert to invite you into sup its hop brewed wheaten beer - four hand pumps stand in a row upon the bar - horse brasses hand polished over the centuries, are hung about the walls. Each table has a candle glowing standing ridged fixed by by melted wax - when a voice in a fine English tones softly enquires - what can I get you fine ladies and gentleman. Having placed our wet oral desires - it is time to look at other customers sitting in dark corners. I think in 'The Neeld Arms' sits Ghosts of past users, because they seem to be rooted at there tables leaving just a few places for live visitors to sit and enjoy this scene. I was told by the Landlord that the ale house is haunted - yet perhaps he also is just a happy spirit enjoying lively visitors such as us who by some time warp, has come into the village of Grittleton. This house also has rooms to let - yet I fear we would better be now left or we may all be so captivated to stay. With a wave and words wishing us welcome to come back we walk back looking for the wardrobe - Yet I have a secret wish that we never find it!

chelonia mydas 9-Sep-10 What a grand adventure to the pub, I can just see the ghosts now lingering over a pint or two. What a great description. Thanks for sharing as always. Bitsy and China, I'm right there with you on having to organize stuff. Bought a shredder last week because I kept thinking I would take my box into work and its now accumulated to 3 boxes, so in the spirit of being cleaner, I spent $30 on a shredder. Dark, you are one of the main fixtures of the coffeehouse, your presence only enhances our visit here. You have never been nor will you ever be considered a disturbance. The kettle just isn't the same unless you have been around to make sure there is always something hot for weary folks drink. Anam, perhaps those aren't ghosts afterall, but maybe they are the readers who stop here and don't post. Even if all you can share is HI, that brightens our space and widens our circle of friends. Welcome to all :)

mom23 9-Sep-10 chelonia mydas- I love the way you see things! I would love to join you on the nature trail as well! And after our walk sit in one of those comfy outdoor chairs! Perhaps another day I'll stop in and say hello!