The online training is super easy, though.

Football: My Packers are doing what they do so well (kicking Viking butt). M's Lions are not faring so well against the Pats. We are both ensconced on the couch, checking our fantasy scores & refereeing cat tussles. A good Sunday, all told.

Yawn. I had a rare non-sleeping night. Woke at 1:30 am and knew I wasn't getting back to sleep so I read until 7:30 then went back to bed until 1:30 this afternoon. Football is on, but not really paying attention.

That sounds like no fun, Zen. I never went to my sister's house this summer although it is only a couple miles from my place up north. She came to mine a few times but we mostly saw each other daily at Mom's. She is pretty much a hoarder and her house is way less than clean from all reports. I knew I couldn't go there without engaging her about the issue and I knew we weren't going to have time to deal with it even if she agreed since we were focused on spending time with Mom. I may make a winter visit just to see if she will let me help. A couple years ago when I was near I would just push a pile of stuff off a corner of her couch and make myself comfy and didn't engage her. But it is that much worse now from what my nephew, son, and DH have told me. Ugh.

Sorry to hear that, Laura. I strongly suggest you watch a few episodes of HOARDERS which are still available online. Both to inure yourself (and remind you that as bad as it might be, it could be a whole lot worse, like the guy who had to climb up two stories to his fire escape because the condo door was blocked solid) and also to see how the family dynamics sometimes play out, so you can be emotionally prepared to deal.

I haven't dared watch that yet. I know her poor son has tried. He got her a new fridge because there was spoilage issues with her ancient one. It still was sitting on the outside porch because only she can clean out the old one and clear the path. She is fiercely independent and gets super pissy with anyone that tries to help with anything. She has an incredibly busy and full life and is rarely at home, which was surely how it all started. But at this point it has been quite a number of years since people have been able to go there.

The only leverage I think I might have is her 4 yo grandson. She worships him and spends loads of time with him. Of course all time is spent at his house. I'm hoping that she figures out that he is going to want to visit Nana at some point. Of course eventually her excuses for always doing things at other people's houses should get tiresome for her you would think.

Like the rest of the family and friends, I have always ignored it. None of my family (except me) are neat freaks. Clutter and dishes and all that doesn't faze me in other people's houses at all. Whatever, I go to see the people, not the tops of their counters! But her living conditions are well past that point. Unhealthy. It upsets all of us, even the messiest members of the family.

I have been doing a bit of much needed holiday cleaning today. My house looks like we are only slightly hoarder-y now. Needs more work is what I am saying, but for now I've switched over to the also necessary grading.

Yipes, Laura. The Hoarders show went out of its way to humanize the subjects, even as the process of clean out stressed them -- very few of the people were unsaveable.

(Interestingly, it turns out that the sense of 'disgust' can be destroyed/modulated by brain damage -- for instance, Parkinson's can make you totally lose that visceral feeling entirely. That's not all hoarders' problem, of course, but it does give you a feel for how complex the problem is.)

Yes, hours in the day issues are real with house cleaning. It was A LOT harder with kids around.

I probably should watch some of the Hoarders shows just to prep myself some. If she would let anyone help I think it would be her sisters. My other sister would help too, but I don't think I can get her up there in the winter. I totally get being overwhelmed.

Every time we have this conversation I go looking for things to get rid of.

yes I was just thinking I need to go through a basket or two ( my clothes are in baskets )