Alternachicks - TA-DAs!

Hi everyone! I think I am in inspirational mode today and in the interest of self esteem, motivation and mental pats on the back I am starting this "Ta da!" thread.

I thought we could use it to post things we have accomplished, something that we did for ourselves or something that we have been meaning to do for a while and finally got around to doing.

It doesn't matter how big or how small the deed - if it made you feel good then post it!

Okay, it may sound silly :dizzy: but I am proud of the fact that I finally got rid of two dead plants that have been hanging around the house for 6 months!

I spent an hour cleaning out the soil and rotting plants and washing out the planters. Then I repotted one of my other (still living ;) ) plants - Vern the Fern - in one of the newly available planters and gave him a trim off of dead leaves, a dose of vitamins and thorough watering.

It felt good to throw that stuff out and the act of repotting Vern was very relaxing and therapeutic - I would love to have my own garden someday :)

This weekend I also managed to rearrange my kitchen cupboards and throw out some of the &*(%$#@ tupperware containers that fell out onto the floor every time I opened the cupboard door! I am now free from tupperware angst! :D

I finished raking the wet leaves out of my back yard today. Next sunny day I do pruning!!!

I splurged on a new bird today. I was feeling guilty because Hendrix my cockatiel doesn't sing as much up north. He missed hearing the outside birds. We have double paned glass here, and you can't here them inside. So I bought him a friend. I love listening to them whistle!!! He is a white face (lack of the orange rosy cheeks) I am at a loss what to name him. I will think of something!!!!

I rearranged the garage and finally got the treadmill set up, along with the stereo. It took all freaking weekend, but I got it done! *happy contented smile*

And then I even worked out this morning!!

Yesterday I finally connected my new printer! Works better when you follow the PC instructions instead of the MAC ones! :shrug:

This morning, in prep for Gail, I finally packed away all the tablecloths from Christmas that have been hanging over the upstairs rail. I also found a stack of embroidered (antique) linens, dresser scarves and such, which I packed away. Talk about vintage! Some of the stuff is gorgeous!

So....despite the snow....I've done some TA-DAs. :D :D :D :D

(Great thread, Mauvaisrouge!)

Well, I actually cleaned out my closets & drawers this weekend and took a huge load of stuff to the Salvation Army - can't WAIT until my next big trip when I get rid of all my fat clothes!

I also balanced my checkbook, paid all my bills & answered all my email - feels so good to have that out of the way! :wizard:

What a coincidence, Mauvais! Yesterday I cleaned out my tupperware drawer! I threw out a ton of stuff with no matching lids/bottoms.
And I paid a nasty 600 dollar heating bill that was kind of ummm, mounting up. :rolleyes:

Flower... I don't want to hear about you raking leaves when we just got a dump of almost 2 feet of snow the other day!!

I just cleaned the kitchen floor, which was needing it! And I may just wash some sheets too.

When I finally get to the post office I will post it, as I have been putting that off for awhile.

Such excitement, huh? I may have to go lie down with a cold dishrag on my head to calm down!! Heh heh heh...

Lidian

I got the living room cleaned up over the weekend, and survived a party with a bunch of 13 year old boys!!!

That's amazing Den- don't think I would have survived that :lol:

I have managed to have our lunches ready and my clothes laid out for work at night before I go to bed for two days in a row!

This is a small miracle for me since I am not a morning person and am usually rushing around having a nervous breakdown every morning :D

I went to Reno and got a cabinet for my bathroom. Now I can unpack that room. FINALLY!!!!

I have one week soberity..ya for me! It's been quite awhile since that has happened. I went to 3 A.A. meetings this week, cleaned my entire house and did a smudging. I also worked out on my treadmill 5 times,managed to stay in school, took my daughter to a museum, ate fairly well, paid all my bills, started seeing a new counselor for EMDR treatment,watched four girl fims, read two books, and started talking to you lovely ladies!
Goal for next week:
Go to bookstore and buy the book "Women who do too much"..and read..of course!
blessings,
blackbird

I have Ellis's damned cold but I still did my Tuesday afternoon errands although bed and a nap looked good.

Blackbird, :bravo:!!!! One week is great. Keeping busy will help.

You girls are all just amazing. Friggin' amazing.
Blackbird, YOU WIN THIS WEEK'S DRAW FOR WOMAN OF THE WEEK!! Good for you!! :cb:

Ruth, so sorry you've got my cold, hon. Don't go outside. Stay in bed. With a book. And a whiskey. xoxo

Today I'm doing something totally bizarre. I'm cleaning. I've got a little basket of toxic cleansers (sometimes you just have to get out the big guns), and I'm giving some areas the once-over. What really annoys me is that no one will notice. They notice when it's dirty, though!

I feel that I deserve a treat...

Black Bird! Way to Go!!!!

I finally went out and bought an address book for the computer. I wanted something to track all those freaking passwords/id names and web addresses. I had been using a spiral chunky notbook but who wants to go thru 200 pages til you find something??? Now I have them alphabetized and all neat. I am feeling so organized!!!!!

I filled my new bathroom cabinet already. That took all of a half hour. I rarely wear makeup, but I sure have alot of it. None of it is very old either! But it is all organized and neat looking!!!!

I did a Ta-Da, yesterday..... Did not make me feel too good though....

DD had puppy follow her home from school on Thursday... absolutely precious little ball of fur. With the best of intentions I said we had to look for it's owners.... It rained all day Friday, I worked Friday and Saturday so it was Monday before we could post any flyers.....

SMALL LOST PUPPY
OWNER MUST ID


In 4 days you can get really attached to a cute fuzzy little puppy with a great personality and the ability to house train.....

Well while the kids were at Karate last night the owner called and we reunited said puppy with said owners..... They were very happy... I cried....

I would have felt really bad, if I had not tried to find his owner especially since it was just a block or so away. I did the right thing even though it made me unhappy....

Amy

Good for you Amyjo!

Even though you cried over the puppy just think how unhappy the owners were without her and how anxious they were thinking she may be lost or hit by a car or something. You did the right thing and a big gold star for you!

You girls rock. :)

I did a little ta-da - I finally called to find out from my landlord what kind of dryer I need to buy. Of course the big ta-da is actually buying a dryer.

Blackbird-WAY TO GO!!!!!!!! You are truly an inspiration!
:dance: :bravo: :grouphug: :dance:

Amyjo-I know it must have been hard, but you DID do the right thing.

Mauvais-I BARELY survived!! Things got a little dysfunctional between some of the kids at the end of the party. (Some of his friends don't like each other, and weren't sensitive enough to try to hide it for his birthday party.) Nothing physical, but whoever said teenage girls can be *****y doesn't have SONS!!!

Ellis-YOU'RE CLEANING? OMG!!! Do you have a fever?

Ruth-Hope you feel better soon!!

Well, my blood pressure has taken a significant drop, and I haven't been exercising or eating less salt.......Do you think maybe it is the increase in the Paxil? (I told the doctor 10 years ago that it was stress!!)

Way to go alternachickies! :bravo: :

Doesn't it feel good to get stuff done? Especially if you have been procratinating? :cb:

Every night this week I have managed to have the dinner dishes washed and put away, lunches made for the next day, and my clothes picked out for work, even DH is helping out!

This makes me feel good :) to be organized and being able to eat breakfast in the morning and leave on time for work everyday instead of running around like a chicken with my head cut off in the morning and just making it to work on time :stress:

I have been able to have a cup of tea and a chat with my co-workers in the morning. :D

Good going, girlies!!! :cb:

I signed up DD and I for yoga classes today. I'm pretty excited... she and I both get terrible tension headaches, and I'm looking forward to getting LOOSE!! :D

Went to the post office today to mail stuff...only been meaning to for about 3 weeks!

Ta-da!

Lidian

Ellis- I LOVE yoga!!! Only one thing....you already ARE a loose woman!!!!!!!
:o :lol: :o

Hey! No mud slinging in here Den! That would go under the Exercise forum under Mud wrestling ;) :lol:

I finally did something I have been meaning to do for a long time. As I travel for a living and am on a plane all the ding~dong time I regestered with Northwest to give me only no fat meals. They suck, but hey, even the 'good' ones suck.

Hey Ginya that was a great and smart thing to do since you travel so much. Good going :bravo:

Well thank you VERY much, Den! :lol:

.....I meant it in the "NICEST" way!!! (Okay, the most FUN way!!!);)

Well, I finally picked up all the used Kleenexes lying on the floor beside my bed. I'll try to do something more useful and TA-DA this morning. Frassing cough!

Poor Ruthie. Get better soon, sweetie. For today's TA-DA, why don't you flip your pillow over so that the drool is on the other side? You don't want to overdo it. :D

*lol* I hope you feel better Ruth.

My big Ta-Da was scrubbing the kitchen floor and all the lower cabinets this morning. I figure that counts as my workout, too. Now I don't have to do it this weekend!

YOu girls are really inspiring me. Black bird, FANTASTIC! Good for you. I am so disorganized, slob, messy, terrible housekeeper, and I could go on. But you have all inspired me to do something with this place. I am going to clean my kitchen between today and Sunday. Then tackle my living room, and possibly even start to redecorate with the wall paper and border I have had for over a year now. I am such a big fat slob. I need to get my *** movin'.. Have to go to work first though.
Virginia

Virginia, have you ever tried FlyLady? It's pretty good. Too many damned emails, but there's a 15 minute cleanup that's great and a 27 Thing Fling that's good, too. And the laundry reminder...
"Where is your laundry?" ... oh yeah... it's been sitting in the washing machine for three days and it now smells like old socks.

Ok I just have been reasonably motivated today, no idea why. But I have managed to get a number of things done, including laundry, grocery shopping, going through a few weeks worth of mail, a ton of magazines and other junk (enough to fill my recycle bin), cleaned my bathroom sink, cleaned out my linen closet, cleaned my kitchen table, and by the end of the night I will finally have an empty sink. I have had dishes in the sink for weeks, not the same dishes, I just haven't managed to do all of them all at once. The ultamite goal is to get together the package I have wanted to mail for months.

Ta DA, I unpacked the 4 boxes at the foot of my bed that I kept tripping over. I bought paint for my living room and the tape. That is tomorrows project. I paid my bills, even paid for my April's morgage!!! I used up the leftovers too. Oh yeah, I bought a street map book for all of my town and the surrounding towns. I hate not knowing where anything is and I only go to the same street in Reno because I am afraid to get lost. But now, who cares, I can find home again!!!

I painted my living room. Basically behind the japenese futon is a grid. A faux rice paper screen. I left the "wood" white, and the "rice paper panels" a chinese red. The only problem with it is that I have seriously textured walls, and as careful as I could be, the red bled thru the tape in spots. You can't tell just passing by, but you can if you are looking at it for the first time. So, I will have to get some opinions on it from family. I was thinking I could gold leaf all the panels edges. That would add a lot to the panels as I am not hanging any wall art on it. But where in the world am I going to find gold leaf in this tiny town? I am sure Walmart doesn't carry it. :) I have to go to Reno this week so I suppose one more stop won't hurt me! I have also ordered bamboo stencils to make some greenery on some other walls. Check them out at stencilease.com

My other ta da is that I finally got the copies made to send to the credit bureau. I am still trying to clean up my credit from that fraud who stole my idenity. What is so not fair, is she doesn't have to put up with my sh***y luck either. As my step mom says to me, if I didn't have back luck, I wouldn't have any at all! I should be annoyed, but I am not. I did win something at my sons schools raffle. I am going to go pick it up in a little bit. 3 floral switchplate covers from the local silk florist. If I don't like them, I am sure they will make fine Xmas presents! :)

Your living room sounds cool, Flower! If I were you, I'd just pick up a can of gold spray paint.

I had a second thought...I am going to go get black electric tape and edge the "boxes". Or if honey is feeling crafty, he could make molding frames... Since everything is 2-D not 3-D, I couldn't use spray paint. I am not that talented! :) I will add gold somewhere else for the little bit of sparkle!

I forgot, I did another TA DA yesterday. I bought new underwear. A pack of my current size, Haynes high cuts and a pack in the next smaller size. Modivation ya know! I am tossing out the old comfortable ones that I would be so embarrassed to let anyone see. (Ya know when moms told you to wear the nice ones just in case you were in an accident. :) )

Your room sounds gorgeous flower !

Speaking of rooms...Ellis how is your kitchen coming along?

My ta-da for today is that I managed to wash, dry and put away the dishes right after dinner! I usually leave them to the next day or wash them and then let them dry on the rack for 2 days :lol: and I got my laundry sorted out and ready to do tomorrow night :)

Clothes are picked out for work tomorrow and most of the lunches are ready-I have to leave the tomato salad until the am or it turns out funny if you leave it in the fridge overnight.

Boy it feels good to be organized :D

Wow, you are oganized!

My tape idea is a no go. I put it on 2 of the squares. The tape doesn't stick to walls, besides I didn't like it. Small molding would be much better! I need how to learn hown to do miter joints anyways! :)

Hey Mauvais, you ARE getting organized! Good for you, girl! :cb:

My kitchen? Ummm, not much happenin'. But my pantry is looking pretty good! Actually, it's good that the kitchen plans are going slowly, because I've just changed my mind again as to the plan. :D It's going to be U-shaped with a counter under the window. I like the idea of looking out the window while I'm working. Now my NEIGHBOUR may not like it! I'll be looking right into HIS kitchen window! :lol: We can grin at each other across the driveway. ;)
Still not sure about the colour yet, either. Next time we do dim sum with Ruthie you can give me your input, Mauvais. :)

Flower-SOUNDS GREAT!!!

Mauvais-WOW!! I usually do the dishes the next day too, and store them in the rack until I use them again!!!

Ellis-I like looking out the window while I do dishes. Except my view is of aluminum siding next door. Maybe THAT is why I don't do dishes! (YUP! That's the ticket!!)

Feeling pretty depressed lately. :( So in order to focus on the bright side of things... here are my tadas for Monday:

1) rearranged my living room furniture and vacuumed up the yuck underneath the couch and chairs and area rug.

2) did two loads of laundry and they have almost made it up to the bedroom from the basement.

3) prepared and sent out resumes for two great jobs.

4) emptied the dishwasher and loaded in all of the dirty dishes that were sitting on my counter.

I'm still scraping off wallpaper backing in the upstairs bath! It will be a big TA-DA when I finish.

However, TA-DA, Harry and I bought a gorgous new woodstove yesterday and sprang for a custom made tile hearth! It won't be installed until later this month but this means the back room is finally up to scratch.

I picked up my prozac renewal today. A BIG Ta-Da, I assure you. DH won't get them for me anymore. He says it's part of my therapy to get out of the house and get them myself. DAMN!! :lol:

Ruthie, the new woodstove sounds lovely, dah'ling.

Sojo, hope you're feeling a bit better, hon. Your Ta-Das were smart ones... :yes: Messes can make us feel crappy.
Aaaaaah, for maid service... :D

GOOD FOR ALL OF YOU!!!!! GIVE YOURSELVES A BIG PAT ON THE BACK!!!!!

My TA DA? I have been having a hard time getting out of the house lately, and I went to work today. And did enough soldering so that I can work at home tomorrow if the expected storm comes through!!!

Good for you, Den!! I know how hard that is for you... :dance:
Storm?

YUP!! We got a lot of snow overnight!! Even DH has the day off, which is unusual. Ask me if I'm glad...DS #2 came home from school yesterday, and told me (but not until 7 pm) that he needed to buy a new viola string and that the All-City orchestra concert had been moved up two weeks to TONIGHT!!!!
Now that he has a snow day it will be cancelled and I won't have to run around today making it "happen!" PHEW!!!!

Felicitations on your cancellation. :)
Uh huh... we're getting one right now. Speaking of storms, my 40 year old girlfriend just brought over her 1 year old. He poured two cups of water all over my keyboard, there are bits of cookie all over my (believe it or not) freshly waxed floor, he got into my flour bin, and he got into my CDs and books... they're all over the place. And the remote for my stereo has disappeared. And there's a dirty diaper on the verandah that'd make you reel.

Okay how exciting is this: My hubby and I went out for mexican tonight. You gals know that bowl of chips they put on the table? I did not eat a single one!!!!!!!!!! I am awesome! Ta-DA!!!!!!!!

Miss Chris

Yip yip, Miss Chris!!! :cb:

Ellis,
That is terrible. Your friend, altough I am sure is lovely, really needs to watch her son more closely, especially in someone elses home. I feel bad for you as it is very frustrating to have just comepleted a job only to have it ruined.
My tada for this week was my porch. I completely cleaned it and moved it all around. Now on to my kitchen! AAAAHHhhhhhh!
Virginia

Well, no ta da yet...but I just found out a business licence, fictious name, resale # everything to start up a company would just be 200$$$$. Next week when I get my tax return, I am finally gonna do it!!!!! Dad said we could use his, but I want to keep things seperate. He bought an awesome art program and a fabulous printer. So, I can seriously get creative!!!!

Ellis .. this person was a *blink* friend? /boggle

Flower .. what kind of company are you starting?

Chris, wow. No *way* could I have done that. I just avoid the restaurants altogether at this stage of the game. /applause

I am going to start a crafts company but not that cutesy stuff. Nothing I make is cute, just cool. :) I make beaded ceiling fan pull chains, sculture, mobiles, silk florals, stationary, jewelry, decorated bottles...what ever I feel like ! :) I get bored easily making the same things!

My Ta-da! for today is that I stood in line at a store and resisted the urge to buy a Cadbury's Easter Cream Egg! TA-DA!!! :queen: (couldn't find a smiley that bowed- so queenie wil have to do :lol: )

WOW!!! Congratulations to ALL of you!!!! In particular YOU Miss Chris; I honestly would NOT be able to do that!! I bow before you oh strong one!!!

ooo Flower .. will you set up a web site so I can see your stuff?? or do you have one already?

My dad just bought a site. He promised me a page or two. When I get it up and running, I will definately tell you all! My ta da...I finally got 2 programs on my computer to run. I was using a copy that wasn't supposed to be copied. :) But at 300$ a piece, I am not buying it! My dad was silly enough to pay that much, so I am taking advantage of his generosity! But it sure was a pain in the butt. I do have the disadvantage of not having the books that go with it!!! Almost worth the $

I was feeling pretty impressed with myself, but now ya'll have me grinning ear to ear. Thanks for the support!!!!!

Miss Chris

I finally got at the kitchen wallpaper that Miss Lucy removed last Spring. My patching and replacing job looks great! Now, let's hope it sticks! I have to get some glue before I do the border but it still looks good. I can't believe I stalled on it so long although a torn rotator cuff and wrist operations did hold me up a bit!

Quite the accomplishment, Ruthie. Must give you a pick-me-up every time you look at it. :yes: How do you mend a rotator cuff? My Dad's are torn, and he can't raise his hands above his head. Mine just hurt.

Today I washed the most disgusting looking thing in my house. My mattress protector. Right from day one, it's suffered blood stains, kids throwing up, ... you know. It's so ugly. I guess that's the whole point, right? Better that than my mattress.
And no, bleach doesn't work. :rolleyes:

I unpacked at least a dozen boxes, did 3 dishwasher loads of dishes (cookie jars that were packed dirty ect...) (I know EEEWWW) I hung up some art work, I put away books and cookbooks and glass bottles (no booze-colored glass) I am airing my house out. It is sooo nice out.