That’s the title that came to mind. What does it mean?? I’m not certain!! ~~ I haven’t followed my friend’s suggestion to go out into the sunshine. I got out of my pajamas about one o’clock; took a shower and washed my hair. (I “go to work” tomorrow at Habitat for Humanity thrift shop.) I’ve puttered in the kitchen; I’ve balanced my check book. I did some bookkeeping and looked at my monthly expenses. Maybe “heavy, heavy on my chest” is an elephant sitting on my chest?? The weight of the luxury of my “garden spot” RV site at CARE and the physical difficulty of breathing?? ~~ People used to refer to me as the Energizer Bunny because I kept going, and going, and going. No more!! Today I don’t have the energy “to smell the flowers.”

 Similarly (with a play on words), I need to clean the T@B while it is cool. Yes, I have procrastinated over the last five months BUT we have had so much inclement weather!! I could not unload the T@B because no place to put all that “stuff.” No space in my Carriage 5th-wheel trailer, nor back of KIA (still loaded), and specifically not the overloaded small storage building!! I finally dragged the very heavy mattress out… and failed to cover it with a tarp. It is water-logged and probably ruined!!

It was so discouraging to find the stains remain after several attempts to remove. The fabric was dry after the fan blowing on the area since late yesterday afternoon. What do I try next?? ~~ I’m at the computer because I can only take so much dust and mold. My breathing is difficult; I’m coughing and sneezing!! (Even with clothe covering my nose and mouth.) ~~ Granted, no one but me will know the stains are there **BUT** I want the area spotlessly clean. Repeat: What do I try next?? (Publishing this at 11:00 AM; time to go back to work in the T@B; delightful 71 degrees outside.)

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Back to my question; back to the Internet (at 11:30) to find information about Thieves Essential Oils. There are numerous sites. This may be my specific answer?! (I learned about Thieves from a comment posted on Standing on my head!!)

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STOP the merry-go-round, I want to get off!! Every time I return to the project, I find a new area demanding attention!! Even with the door and windows open, with plenty of ventilation, I have trouble breathing. Imagine: I was living with some–or all–of that mold in November, December and January. Soaking rains started in October and there were many days with the T@B all closed up (no ventilation). I kept comfortably warm with a small electric heater but the warmth probably spawned more mold. I have to praise God that I didn’t get deathly ill (because articles on the Internet consider mold a serious health hazard). ~~~~ (Two PM: This is sun tea, iced tea time; 79 degrees outside.)

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Read Standing on my head, Rome wasn’t built in a day, Mold in T@B–part one,  Mold in T@B–part two, Mold in T@B–part three. and Mold in T2B–part four.

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“Uncle”!! It’s 3:55 PM and I haven’t an ounce of energy. More sun tea, iced tea time; beautiful 81 degrees outside.

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Everything “under cover.”

73 degrees at 7:25 PM.

When I pulled items from under the bed, I found this postcard. If I remember correctly, it accompanied a gift I receive in June 2010. I was attending a “Teardrop” (trailer) Rally at Fish Creek Pond, in the Adirondack Mountains of New York state. The couple in the adjacent site would leave early each morning, in their kayaks, and explore Fish Creek Pond (a small lake) and connecting streams and lakes. They told me about the Loons and later presented me with the wood carved Loon. ~~ I checked all the Tab Teardrop Travels (re: the Rally) and see that I failed to mention the gift from Chris and Rick. But I have not forgotten their thoughtfulness!!

Fish Creek Pond State Park — Tuesday June 8, 2010

Life’s Lessons: Taking Things for Granted

Fish Creek Pond — June 9, 2010

Fish Creek Pond — June 10, 2010

Fish Creek Pond — June 11, 2010

Fish Creek Pond — June 12, 2010

Fish Creek Pond–June 13, 2010 

Bear Scare — June 14, 2010

Fish Creek Pond — June 14, 2010

The Wild Center

Fish Creek Pond — June 15, 2010

Fish Creek Pond — June 16, 2010

Out of the Woods

The cool weather is greatly appreciated; I’m not complaining!! I’ll get more done in the little trailer today. It’s raining hard as I prepare this message (7:20).

When I looked out the window, a Shepherd’s Hook with two feeders has toppled over. The ground is so soft, plus the weight of the feeders; I’m not surprised. (Yes, I could have opened the door to take the picture but I like the raindrops on the window.) Hard to believe: I had to turn on the furnace for a few minutes to take the chill off the trailer.  A few days ago I needed the air-conditioner!

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Later.

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More. ~~ Sunshine at last; 60 degrees outside. Time to go to work in the T@B. Fortunately, I am right-handed. Recently I got my little finger, left hand, caught in the metal hardware under the table. It was the first time I tried to use the self-storing table leaf and my finger was in the wrong place!! Oh, such pain!!

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Livingston, Texas, weather (yesterday)
Tuesday May 13, 2014
AM Rain
PM Rain
67°F High at 9:25 am
59° Low at 11:45 pm
Precip: 2.95 inches Past 7 Days
Precip: 9.32 inches Month to Date
Precip: 9.32 inches
Wind Speed / Gusts: NW at 13 mph gusting to 21 mph
Average High & Low: 84° / 65° Record High: 91° (1964) Record Low: 47° (1981)
Monthly Avg Precip: 4.88 inches
Sunrise: 6:26 am
Sunset: 8:06 pm
Moonset: 5:37 am Moonrise: 7:13 pm

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Near the end of the day:

72 degrees at 5:00 PM.

Quite windy and “feels cold.”

I’m tired!!

Beautiful cool morning!! Still only sixty-six degrees, at 1:00 PM, as I prepare this message. First: Lug the heavy vacuum cleaner out anticipating it will suck up the mold stains (which had been saturated with undiluted white vinegar and now fabric was completely dry). It didn’t!! Second: One by one, I scrubbed with plastic bristle brushes. No improvement. Third: Prepare the Borax solution and ask myself “Is the Borax solution ‘the‘ solution?”  Fourth: (Actually first and foremost) covering my nose and mouth so I don’t inhale the flying mold particles (kicked up from vacuuming and/or brushing). Fifth: Sponge on the Borax solution. Sixth: A toothbrush worked better than the large brushes. Seventh: Let it dry and see if the mold problem has been resolved. Eighth (in the near future): Try another recipe?? Several more ideas are listed below (and I’ll do more research on the Internet).

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How to Kill Mold with Borax

1. To kill mold using borax, create a borax-water solution using a ratio of 1 cup of borax per gallon of water.
2. Vacuum up any loose mold with a HEPA filtered vacuum cleaner to lessen the number of spores stirred up into the air during the cleaning process.
3. Use a scrubbing brush with the borax-water solution to scrub the mold off the surface.
4. Wipe up any extra moisture and excess mold particles or dust/debris to prevent them spreading into the air once the surface has dried.
5. You don’t need to rinse off the borax as the solution will prevent more mold beginning to grow on the surface again.
6. Leave the surface to dry completely.

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Upholstered furniture and mattresses may need the attention of a professional cleaner. But if the damage is limited or you’re determined to use natural products, try the two-step process of detergent and rubbing alcohol. After exposing the pieces to the sunlight for at least two hours, brush or vacuum the pieces while they are still outside, discarding vacuum bags or loose mold when you are through. Sponge on natural detergent or dry soap with a damp sponge, and wipe up any excess with a clean cloth or sponge. Mix 1 cup rubbing alcohol with 1 cup water, and dip a cloth in the formula to apply it to the piece. Leave the furniture or mattress outside until it dries completely.

Obviously, I can’t follow that suggestion but a reader might like that information?!

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Upholstered articles, mattresses and rugs
First, remove loose mold from outer coverings of upholstered articles, mattresses, rugs and carpets by brushing with a broom. Do this outdoors to prevent scattering mildew spores in the house.

Run a vacuum cleaner attachment over the surface of the article to draw out more of the mold. Remember that the mold spores are being drawn into the bag of the vacuum cleaner. If the appliance has a disposable bag, remove and dispose of it immediately. If not, empty the bag carefully (preferably outdoors) to avoid scattering mold spores in the house.

Do everything conveniently possible to dry the article — use an electric heater and a fan to carry away moist air. Sun and air the article to stop the mold growth.

If mildew remains on upholstered articles or mattresses, sponge lightly with thick suds of soap or detergent and wipe with a clean, damp cloth. In doing this, get as little water on the fabric as possible so the filling does not get wet.

Another way to remove mildew on upholstered furniture is to wipe it with a cloth moistened with diluted alcohol (1 cup denatured or rubbing alcohol to 1 cup water). Dry the article thoroughly.

Sponge mildewed rugs and carpets with thick suds or a rug shampoo. Then remove the suds by wiping with a cloth dampened with clear water. Dry in the sun if possible.

Use a low-pressure spray containing a fungicide to get rid of mildew. Respray frequently, especially in localities where mildew is a major problem.

Vapors of paradichlorobenzene or paraformaldehyde, used in enclosed areas, will stop mold growth. See the section “Store with a mildew inhibitor.”

If molds have grown into the inner part of an article, send it to a reliable disinfecting and fumigating service. Such services are often listed under “Exterminating and Fumigating” or “Pest Control” services in the yellow pages of the telephone directory.

FYI: The mattress got wet during the rain storms (although it has a plastic cover). Because it is so heavy, I’ll never put it back into the T@B. Perhaps I will use it to sleep outdoors on hot Texas summer nights?!

Read Rome wasn’t built in a day, Mold in T@B–part one,  Mold in T@B–part two, and Mold in T@B–part three.

This is the scene when I looked out my window at seven o’clock. It rained **all** night!! The gauge couldn’t contain all… so I speculate more than two inches of rain. The ground was very soft (near the rain gauge) and my foot was ankle-deep in mud. The weather needs to clear before I can upright the planter and attempt to rescue my beautiful Calibrachoa plants. A mole has endlessly tunneled around my yard. I speculate the soft ground plus the weight of the planter caused it to topple over. (Click each picture to enlarge for better view.)

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Postscript, Thursday, May 15, 2014, 7:30 PM: The Calibrachoa looks remarkably good after the traumatic experience.

By this time faithful readers know I would rather work in the garden or take pictures, or prepare a blog. Cleaning mold and/or “downsizing” is not on my priority list!! Having said that, it is time to clean more mold from my beloved T@B. It is a cool, cloudy day; rain has stopped.  I think the Calibrachoa (Million Bells) will survive and thrive.

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This old body doesn’t bend and twist to conform to confined quarters!! After an hour cleaning mold, I was ready to stand tall and breathe fresh air in the garden. How could I assure the planter would not topple in the future? Bright idea: Move the cement slab under the fountain. I’m trying to kill an old tree stump but don’t want to look at it!! Eureka!! From my overabundance of “stuff,” two plastic lids that have long-since been separated from their containers. Gratefully, a solution to a problem without spending any money!! (Gotta save to pay the electric bill!!)

The message about my flooded yard was **NOT** the message I originally planned for this morning. I had a very vivid dream last night and I’ll share the details. Curious… because we seldom remember dreams. Curious… because I wonder where those thoughts came from?!

I was with two other unidentified people; we were in a mall with carnival-like atmosphere. Not a tawdry carnival–an elegant beautiful setting with music and gaiety. The other two people were buying expensive items from handsome and beautiful people. The more they bought, the more “points” they accumulated. They could exchange “points” for trips to far-away locations. But, unexpectedly, their purchases were inferior and they could not get a refund. They were very deep in debt for the purchases. One spectacular item was an antique automobile identified as “White” (but looked like an old Packard or Duesenberg). A search of the Internet produced this link and that is the car I saw. ~~ That’s it; either I woke up or the hard rain pounding on the roof disrupted my dream. Isn’t that peculiar??

When bored with my “stay at home” information, and pictures, check the blog with pictures and details re: travelers en route to Alaska.

Check Walkabout With Wheels.

I met Eric and Ginny–in October 2013– when they stayed at Escapees Rainbow’s End RV Park–and visited CARE.