Changin' the calendars today

10 a.m. and I'm sitting here with my second cup of coffee.  The load of laundry is in the dryer and the dishes are washed.  The kitchen area is full of boxes and bins that I've pulled from the garage and nooks and cranny closet spots.  I'm determined to sort through my various "junk boxes" and toss out (meaning give to the thrift store) all odds and ends I keep accumulating and can't seem to let loose of.

This is not an easy project for a person who finds it necessary to save those handy coffee cans with handles, shoe strings that aren't frayed, little toys that still work, cords that must go to something, marbles in a jar because they're so pretty, vases because I might get flowers, picture frames because I might want to change the decor of the walls, and on and on.

It's like preparing for a yard sale. You're forced to look at and evaluate everything you see and decide---do I discard or will I need it next week?  It's giving me a headache.

I've got a large supply of aida cloth for counted cross stitch (much of it still in its packaging) and I have more than enough hoops.  My sewing basket and sewing notions really need a thinning down. Some of the stuff I'm holding onto just came in grab bags at garage sales---like a dozen plus zippers.  I know I'm never going to make something requiring a zipper. One of the scariest boxes to work on is the one full of telephone wires, computer wires, extension cords, and other misc. pieces that I know I'm probably safe tossing but I'm afraid.

I need to go through my clothes too, and my music collection. I've probably got 200-300 cassettes and I want to get them converted to disks.  Not every song, just some of them.  But that's another day.

I don't know what brought this on. I think a combination of seeing the people down south and in the east having to deal with losing everything.  It also might be because I invited a neighbor in yesterday and gave her a tour of the house.  I had "projects" and "stuff" everywhere and I saw it through a stranger's eye.  Time to tidy up.   So....that's what I'm doing---one box at a time.

I'm finding a few things I forgot I had and I'm missing things as well. Like my binoculars. I found the case---not where are the glasses?

First day of school for the kids today so I know they're excited.  Maddie is a big "list maker." The last one I found said:  "What to wear".  I guess 6th graders have their priorities. Hunter is partial to his favorite clothes as well. I can still remember (vaguely) the first day of school.

Mary Gaboury called a few minutes ago and is spending the weekend in Port Townsend. We're way overdue for a visit so we're gonna meet at the casino on Saturday night to play bingo. Been ages since I played.  I received a postcard from the casino yesterday telling me to come get my birthday present.  Hope it's something good.

Well, back to work. The sooner I finish, the sooner I can work on my latest quilt.