Monday, March 24, 2025

Freecycle again, learning to dress, Knitting Ministry, and reading

 For people who missed my last explainer about free cycle


To start, you do a search on Freecycle.org to find your town to sign up. Choose a screen name, password, and you're in action. You can browse on the offers and want requests, and get the hang of how your own community does this. It's good to check what's been taken, too, for an idea of what's likely to go. Sometimes you can be surprised, too.

In other news, as part of my pre Helen-replacement prep, I started this morning learning to dress myself using the grabber. Because I don't want to ask handsome son for very personal assistance, this is a good thing to learn now. I will need his help with compression stockings, but that's not too personal.

And I'm currently listening to yet another Andy carpenter mystery while finally getting to the second glove, yarn courtesy of C. thank you.



His titles are great. The reader, Grover Gardner, does a nice job of sounding exactly the way I think Andy should, complete with timing on his jokes. 

And when I have to switch from knitting, I've started this on Kindle


I've liked other novels she's written, in the early quarter of the nineteen hundreds, around World War One and the aftermath. The characters, not visualizing there could ever be another world war, usually refer to it as the Great War.

She has quirky, daring women characters and is definitely worth a look.

Happy day everyone, try a new skill, or not, if you can't bear to learn one more thing.





30 comments:

  1. I have to admit I hadn't thought of the more personal aspect to dressing, good on you for learning this now.

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    1. I think I won't be in the mood for new learning after surgery.

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  2. Good ones for the book list. I wonder if there’s something like Freecycle here.

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    1. I don't know if Spain has free cycle. I think the UK does.

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    2. I have found Freecycle in a few cities in Spain, but not here in Córdoba. Oh well.

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  3. You are considering all aspects of life after surgery, Boud. You’ll be ready by the sound of it!

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  4. You are a good planner which will sure make your recovery easier. Good for you! I remember enjoying "Major Pettigrew's Last Stand" by Simonson so I have put a hold on this one, too. Thanks for mentioning it!

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  5. All right. I am going to tell you one of my favorite stories. I knew this older lady (I'm probably older than she was then but...) who had had surgery for carpel tunnel. Her name was Merle, and as we are in the south, we all called her Miss Merle. Anyway, Miss Merle was trying to get ready to go somewhere and was having trouble dressing with her hand and arm bandaged after the surgery. She asked her husband to please help her get her pants on. He studied the situation and said, "Merle, I ain't got no practice pulling your pants UP."
    I heard this story from Miss Merle herself. It still makes me smile.

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    1. That's hilarious!! You don't think about these things till they're there to be done.

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  6. Wise as usual, Boud. Plan ahead, get the hang of dressing with the grabber before the surgery. Very wise.

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    1. It's a coping strategy to deal with my nervous anticipation.

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  7. I wonder how many other people who are facing your surgery would be as prepared as you will be. I certainly wouldn't have thought of trying to dress yourself without help (btw - read my upcoming blog post on Wednesday which is more or less addressing the dressing issue).
    I've read several David Rosenfelt books but not this particular one. Will have to put it on my 'request' list at the library.

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    1. I'll look forward to that post. I love rosenfelt in both book and audio form.

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  8. The grabber thing is a good tool, glad to hear you're learning to use it. Hope each day get's better than the day before. Thanks for explaining how FreeCycle works. I've wondered when I've heard people mention it. I love audio books. Pretty color combination in your project. I often listen to my books while knitting or crocheting.
    Sandy's Space

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    1. I get a lot of things done while listening, including sometimes dishes and cooking.
      I often mention Freecycle and explain it, then new people ask about it again! It's worth knowing about for many reasons, one being it's an active community project, more important than ever now.

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  9. I had almost forgotten about Freecycle or in our case also FB groups. We have mugs to pass on and don't know quite where to take them.

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  10. I've never used my grabber for dressing...need to try that! Happy Monday to you.

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    1. Wow, I introduced you to a workaround! Let me know how it goes.

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  11. Years ago I was on free cycle. I gave away all sorts of things. And got a few things in return. But it soon became very obvious that the same people were asking and taking everything. We suspected they were using them to have garage sales.
    Even after stating that you could only put in four asks a month they persisted
    I got out of there pretty quickly. I just don’t handle greedy underhanded people at all. After I left lots of others did as well and I think the free cycle for our area closed down a shame really when used correctly it’s great for everyone

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    1. It's too bad when hard feelings get involved. I don't care what people do with items since my purpose was to pass them on. After that I don't mind.

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  12. I learned a lot when I unexpectedly shattered my arm. People had all kinds of suggestions but until it happens to you, you don't know what you need. I have everything I used in a kit, including clothig I could manage with one hand. It's my insurance policy although I do lend items to friends and family is needed.

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    1. That's great idea. It's quite true, you don't realize how much you rely on a body part until it's out of action. Then you learn in a hurry

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  13. Very smart to plan ahead like you are. I've had arm and hand injuries but when you can still bend and have one good arm you can manage a lot. Even had to learn to write with my left hand. I shall remember this tip when I will likely have to have hip surgery one day. Thanks! :)

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  14. I learned, when I dislocated my right shoulder many years ago, that my work computer password was stored in my muscle memory, not in my brain. I finally managed to slowly type it out while writing it down with my left hand. It was a very odd situation there for a bit.

    Thanks for sharing all your pre-surgery tactics, Boud. I'm taking notes, just in case.

    Chris from Boise

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    1. It's true about muscle memory. Weird experience. Well see if my prep actually works!

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