Allergen Elimination Starts Again

Wife and I began the allergen elimination diet in hopes of toning down our fibromyalgia symptoms. Start date: 7-5-16
Current duration: 2.5 weeks
Effectiveness: mild
Things we are avoiding: corn, gluten, soy, dairy, nitrates, caffeine, nightshade plants, & sugar (limited).

I've done this before and had great results, became pain free once even. But, I've never had the stamina to test all of the categories before returning to my normal way of eating. With Wife, I think I can do this. Mostly.

Two weeks in, my leg pain went from a 8 to a 5/6. Then, I walked down four flights of stairs. Three days later and I believe my legs are starting to forgive me about that. Otherwise, I've not had a break in pain and Wife reports no relief yet. The expectation is for phase I (the nothing phase) to take 3 to 4 weeks. I pray that it only takes 3-4 weeks to have significant pain relief. Otherwise, I don't know what we'll do. It's hard to test a food if there's not a reduction in symptoms.

Today, I found this modified allergen elimination diet. It intrigues me. I've come too far to go backwards but if I need to start from scratch, I might try this one next time.

Onward, upward in this fibromyalgia journey.

RID 54

This weekend, I met my individual goal of spending 4 hours cleaning, organizing, and discarding. The results weren’t as fabulous as my shedding of last week but progress continues to be made.

45. Folk Alliance CD
46. Round baking pan
47. Loaf baking pan
48. More trash
      This included things that just didn’t need to stay, such as photographs taken out of focus and               forms no longer needed. I also came across things to shread.
49. 2 magazines

50. Thank you cards I never sent after my dad's funeral (sorry!)

51. Black telephone

52. White telephone

      Both phones were perfectly fine for answering but no good for dialing out as certain numbers did       not work on them. We came across another phone, which we believe works minus the ID box, so         I plugged it in as a replacement. Fingers crossed that it works once charged.

52.  When Good Robots Go Bad CD 

53 & 54.  I stuck Black Eyes Peas (The End) and KOS (Exit) CDs on the stack to burn to my computer, then move on. 

I feel like a bit more was discarded than listed but maybe not. Averaging 10 items per week wouldn't be bad ;). Most of these items were removed from my den. It has more floor space in one area in particular but all in all doesn't look any better. My coffee table is covered in something; it baffles my brain. I've been working from the west side of the room and completed the block of space I was working in. I told my wife I think we should consider working on pictures instead of putting them last because we literally have 7 boxes of "pictures" in the den. Until they are cleared, the den will not be complete. I began working on an end table this weekend, which seemed to inspire her to work on the other end table. Keeping tables uncluttered is a daily challenge in my life. All-in-all, I think I'm pleased with what's been accomplished recently. I just wish I'd get to "the end" faster :).

I've been listening to CDs to determine what to keep, what to rip, and what to just past own. One that I am absolutely keeping is Doria Roberts. Enjoy!

Growing Pains

RID 44

Yesterday, my wife and I attempted to unite to clean up some things around the house. Going in, I wasn't sure how much would be accomplished because although the goal was 4-6 hours of work, we had 3 different rooms of focus and scheduling 6 hours doesn't mean we'll stick to it. But, I was hopeful some progress would be made and some items would be marked for moving on.

What went out?
1. Trash, multiple bags
2. Star-shaped candle holder with candle
3. Green, square plate with matching saucers
4. White plates (2)
5. White plate with gold trimming
6. 7 foot long green rug. It's a lovely rug but the wife says green is not our color theme :). I gave it away in a local free group.
7.  Janet Jackson Runaway CD
8. Eliza Carthy CD
9. Lesser of Two CD
10. Tropical Oasis CD
11. Randy Roos PrimalVision CD
12. Pink pedometer
13 Lids
14. Large pots
15. Cookie pan
16. Greeting cards. Not all of them but I parted with a few from around 2012, including one that sings except the batteries were bad ☺
17. A book on conscientious shopping. It was short so I photographed it; perhaps I'll post it in a separate entry.
18. Votive candle holder
19. Cast iron skillet, small
20-21. Cassettes
22. Small, outside butterfly inspired table

3 bowls have been marked to leave the house but I have not yet decided rather or not I am going to hold on to them. I know I want to use one at work; I think the other two will be set free but stay tuned.

My wife parted with a a votive candle holder, 3 piece luggage set, and 3 piece rug set.

We are continuing to shed. The house looks worse now that we're done with our 5 hour session. It can be so frustrating how things look worse before they get better. We were supposed to join forces in tackling the living room so we can have a sleep over with nieces and nephews in a few weeks. There was some miscommunication concerning that but the main goals of that area were accomplished. I would feel fine with you coming over and sitting down in there. In fact, it makes me want to answer the other door so that is the space people walk into instead of the kitchen. The kitchen has parts that are more organized but there is also a bumfunk of stuff off center in the floor. My wife really wants to clear the kitchen floor. I remember when we did that before. I wonder how long it will last this time :/. It's the crux of the house and so many things land there as we move things from one side to another, clearing out one room or another. The den was the third room of focus and doesn't have much to rejoice over. I did empty out a box that was turned into a goodwill box, which is good for clearing things out. But, I have a ton of stuff on the coffee table from me pulling out and unwrapping trinkets but then being pulled to a different room before a home or even organized holding session for those items was created. So, it looks like a tornado threw up in here just a bit. Progress, not perfection. Bit by bit, almost room by room, we continue to push forward. Organize and rehome. RID.

RID 22

My current situation is a house with a combination of my excessive number of items, my recently marrried's belongings, and my deceased father's excessive number of items. I'm not sure what's left that belonged to my dad. He died nearly 2 years ago. You'd think his stuff was gone or being actively used but we continue to run across his belongings. This year's RID focus is in part a desire to move on his old items before year's end. I think part of the problem is his belongings kind of getting hidden amongst the other things. In organizing, I am up to the boxes marked "pictures." A lot of memories.

Anyhow, today's items moving on:

15,16,&17- portable CD cases, you know, the old school books. A niece has agreed to give them a home. I loved my music collection back in the day. I miss the doting, actually. It had more meaning.

18. Photos that never should have been kept. I made a pile, trashed them.

19. Bags, inserts, other paper trash. I made another pile and threw them away. It counts because I'm getting rid of stuff that was previously taking up some of my living space.

20. A cordless telephone. Needs a battery but otherwise lovely.

21. A manual lawnmower

22. Book, My Utmost for His Highest

Besides that, I found some items to return to my mom and continued to sort photographs into keep, scan, and put it giveaway box. And, I can see the shift in space.

RID 14

Marked for sale:
1. Vintage leather jacket like this
2. South Pole jacket
3. Stacey Adams Vest
4. Matching Stacey Adams Tie
5. Perry Ellis Pants

Added to Good Will Box:
1. Cream Dress Coat
2. Black Hoodie, formerly my can take it to a club and it's okay if it's stolen hoodie

Brings the total RID count up to 14.

Get My Mind Right

I read this quote and loved it: "“Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” – William Morris

The blog? http://www.becomingminimalist.com/the-simple-guide-to-a-clutter-free-home/

A challenge: http://bemorewithless.com/eliminate/

My Personal RID

Years ago, I came across this rid project and thought it was a neat idea. It was written to seem so simple but really, get rid of one item every day for a year?! I didn't commit to it but always kept it in mind. Today, I start my own, simplified rid project: 108 items across the remaining 36 weeks of this year (3 per week). Tonight, I marked for rid: a small TV, a jewelry box, a box for an old cell phone (trashed), artificial flowers (2 bunches trashed), a Halloween decoration (Goodwill), and a Mother's Day gift.