I did it! I actually starting work in the garage about 7:30 AM this morning - in the cool, cool, cool of the morning. I've headed out there innumerable times in the last two weeks; but I can scarcely get started and then it's too darn hot!
There are several special-interest areas in which only I can sort through, make decisions and piles and save, toss, give away, donate or sell the results. Let's see, there was my personal clothing, dishes, knick-knacks, art work, furniture, rugs, household equipment (who really needs five vacuum cleaners?), sporting equipment, books (I've already mentioned the number of cookbooks), cooking equipment - Cuisinarts, blenders, ice cream makers, slow cookers, fast cookers, baking pans, casserole dishes, pie weights, rolling pins, bowls, spoons, toasters, raclette party cooker, tagine, frying, stewing, boiling pans, Ebelskiver pan, yogurt maker, cherry pitter, coffee pots (3 large), coffee serving pots (3), boxes and boxes of family photo albums and loose photos, etc. You name it - if it's an interest, a hobby or a need-to-know that I have, I have every conceivable accoutrement imaginable. Once again, it's all just STUFF!
Today I really laid in to the collections of STUFF previously relegated to the garage and unseen by these two eyes for at least two years. I retired at the end of August, one year and eleven months ago, left for Guatemala a week or so later, and have essentially been 'on the road' ever since. Not seeing all of it for all that time and I didn't die or even get sick missing THINGS!
So, the BIG project for today was going through about a million skeins [balls] of yarn, partially finished knit and crochet projects, pattern books and knit/crochet magazines, needles (circular, straight, long, short, single and double-pointed, hooks, special scissors, measuring instruments, row
counters .... the list goes on. [I actually learned how to knit and crochet as a small child. I remember carrying crocheted booties projects in my lunchbox to grammar school. We lived on a little ranch and I had several cats who, of course, needed booties and bonnets. I made lots of "interesting" things back in those days; one project was a pair of knitted argyle socks for my dad. I knitted the first sock in navy blue with pink, white and baby blue in the argyle pattern; then I got tired of that color scheme so knitted the second sock in light blue with navy blue, pink and white in the argyle pattern! My retired Army Colonel Dad actually wore those socks - proudly - I think mainly when he mowed the lawn!]
Well, I sat on a foot stool amongst umpteen plastic bins of yarn and made decisions as to what stays / gets tossed / is given away or goes with me on my adventure. As it stands right now, I'm taking about four projects to work on along the way; three large plastic bins of very valuable yarn will go into storage; I gave a large Hefty bag of yarn to my neighbor, Bobbi, who's daughter is teaching her granddaughter to crochet; and, I gave two Hefty bags of yarn to Goodwill Industries.
Kari showed up about an hour ago with Avery, Tate (girls of the triplets), Malia and Samantha (twins of my son, Jeff); we all loaded Kari's SUV with donations that we delivered to Goodwill Industries. I feel so much lighter and freer! Maybe a little like this Blue Morpho Butterfly .....
Tomorrow morning - again early - I'll venture out to the garage again to tackle dining entertainment, cooking and baking equipment. Does anybody need pie or cake pans? Tablecloths? Giant glass salad bowls? 50 - 75 buffet plates and goblets? Oh, I need another bowl of ice cream!
