Let me just say this: I'm feeling delightfully lighter in February. After 48 straight days of Absolutely No Sunshine Whatsoever, we've been treated to several bright, happy days of sun. Yesterday and today, I took my daily walks without a coat or a jacket in 60 degree temperatures. Yes, it will all come crashing down next week, but until then, I'm basking in this Joy.
And fresh air! My windows are open! Can you even imagine that--in Northeast Ohio! in February! What luck!
Another reason I'm feeling lighter is that this morning, I watched as a volunteer from the Vietnam Vets of America came to my home and picked up bags of clothes and several boxes of dishes, shoes, purses, and two pieces of furniture from my porch. All that stuff is now G O N E from my home. Hooray for decluttering and giving to a good cause.
Now let's see if I can declutter my head a bit and dump off a few things here.
1. This ad was in the Cleveland Plain Dealer a little while ago and hurt my eyes and my feelings:
First of all, absolutely nothing in this estate sale interests me, thanks to the ad's key words and phrases: Every room full (they were hoarders); CB radios (no one ever left the house or had contact with the outside modern world); precious moments (dust bunnies galore and stuck in the 80s); bennie babies (Precious Moments turned out NOT to be the moneymaker they thought, so they glommed onto these, which tanked even worse, and, again, dust); seasonal (my experience with this is that many Collector-type people also collect tons of Xmas and holiday tchotchkes which also sit around collecting dust; these types of items do not sell, even at garage sales, trust me).
Also, let's talk about The Spelling now, shall we? Obviously, it's Beanie Babies, not bennie babies, like some sort of homage to Bennie and the Jets or the drug benzedrine. And it's collectibles--the noun form--not collectables--the adjective form. An easy way to remember is "if it's an Investment, it's a collectIble." Sigh. I know, I know, I should stop reading the Classifieds.
2. On my walk today, in addition to a dandelion, I saw this and it made me smile:
This is a neighbourhood stray who hangs around on various porches. It's the first time I've seen it on this particular porch, however, and I'm rather surprised. This is where a St. Bernard lives. There must be something really good inside that Chewy box. You know what they say: no risk, no reward.
3. Finally, this conversation occurred on Monday night:
Nance: I'm exhausted. I was so busy all day. (proceeds to list all chores accomplished that day)
Rick: Wow. Well, thank you. That was a lot.
Nance: Oh, and by the way, I barely had enough battery left to finish using the leaf blower on the porch. Then I saw the charger wasn't even plugged in. What's up with that?
Rick: You what?
Nance: I used the leaf blower to blow all the peanut shells and sunflower seed detritus off the front porch. It's ridiculous out there, you know? And the battery went dead, and I had to put it in the charger, but first of all, the charger was crammed behind stuff on that shelf, and then it wasn't even plugged in.
Rick: I unplugged it.
Nance: But why?
Rick: (carefully, looking right at her) Because I assumed that we wouldn't be needing A LEAF BLOWER in the WINTER.
Nance: (light finally goes on) Oh!
So tell me--What's lightening up your life in February so far? (And do you have the Winter Dumbs like me? Sigh.)
It has been sunny and warm. (I'm trying not to link it to climate change which would drag down the tone you're going for here, but...just know I'm thinking it.) It's been nice not to have to wear my big winter coat to walk the dog.
ReplyDeleteCats love boxes. They just do!
NGS--Of course we're all concerned about climate change. Goes without saying. But I can still celebrate lovely days when they're given to me, especially after so very many grey and yucky ones in a row.
DeleteMy cats are now very picky about boxes. They used to be quite pleased when I'd toss a box out into the dining room for their enrichment. These days they sort of sniff at it and rarely even try it out.
It doesn't FEEL like winter, so of COURSE you need a leaf blower!!!!
ReplyDeleteLove the photo of the cat claiming the Chewy box.
What's lightening my life? A) That you used "lightening" and not "lightning," which are so often mistaken for one another. B) FRIENDS. I feel like I have finally built some solid, meaningful friendships and they are filling my days with light and laughter.
Suzanne--I'm so glad you understand. I almost did a little gardening, too.
DeleteA) I ALMOST POINTED THIS OUT! It's a constant irritation to me when people write about "lightening" during a storm. Not enough to stab myself in the eye, but pretty close.
B) This is great news! I know you recently moved. It's not easy to settle in, let alone find Your People, so this is a terrific development. I'm truly happy for you.
What a weight off your shoulders watching that stuff leave your house! It's amazing.
ReplyDeleteThe weather here has been pretty un-wintery here too - but yes, I know, it's coming to an end. BUT, we are so much closer to spring so I think I will manage.
Gigi--Thank you for recognizing this. It was the result of a great deal of effort just getting all the stuff out of the attic/crawl space, and deciding to part ways with the breakfront and table. Now that it's all gone, I do feel relieved and stronger.
DeleteAnd yes! We are so much closer to spring. The robins are already here, so I know it's true. We can do this!
Robins? Already? Jealous.
DeleteMary--It's incredible, but they've been here since the last week of January! I saw literally dozens of them at one time, filling small trees in a shopping centre parking lot. I was amazed and thrilled. Now they've migrated into neighbourhoods, and they're giving the blue jays a hard time as the age-old territorial disputes begin anew.
DeleteDespite all the stuff going on, I've been feeling amazingly optimistic--and I realize it's probably because of all the sunshine we've been having the past few days. So I'm feeling upbeat for the same reason as you are! (My decluttering bags are out of the house... but they're still in the garage. I plan to drop them off in a week.)
ReplyDeletemaya--Sunshine really does have a terrific effect on our moods; it makes us feel far more capable of taking on whatever our days have in store for us. I'm glad you're getting some of that celestial optimism, too.
DeleteDropping off your bags may provide some symbolic help, too--like you're unloading some baggage/troubles. Go ahead and tell yourself that! The psyche is a powerful thing. 😉
Please do not come to the soup sale at one of our local fire stations (not OURS, thank goodness). They have vegetable soup, tomato soup, and ham and been. The snarky side of me wants to know just what this soup has been. Could it possibly have BEEN chili or could it have BEEN Navy bean? We'll just never know because I am NOT taking any chances on what it has been.
ReplyDeleteDee--Oh. My. I don't think I'd be able to go to that soup sale, period. I'm not kidding. That's just criminally sad. Or, if I felt I had to go to support them, I'd have to get any other soup but that egregious, erroneous soup.
DeleteOn second thought, I could not go. I just could not BE SEEN THERE.
Dee, your snark is well-placed and wonderful. (And so clever.)
I'm still de-cluttering just for my sanity and in case I do move. It is endless, though. We have way too much "stuff." I've used the Vietnam Vets. Using a new one now; they also come to the house to pick up everything. Donate a percentage of the sale of the items to a charity of your choice (mine is always the Senior Dog Sanctuary). Now whether they do, I don't know, and I also don't know how much...but I hope it is something. My house search is still on. Off to open houses today here in Hudson and then Cleveland Heights; will see what turns up.
ReplyDeleteElle--I like the VVA because 97% of the money they collect goes directly to the Vietnam Vets. They have an excellent rating. I've also used Easter Seals.
DeleteYour point about decluttering for sanity is well taken. I think I do it for that reason as well. Purely selfish. In the winter I just start feeling Encroached Upon by stuff. And I don't ever want Jared and Sam to have to be burdened with going through a bunch of junk that I allowed to simply sit in storage for no apparent reason.
Good luck in your search for a new home. I know little about the market right now, but it never hurts to look.
Oh man, I love that feeling of getting rid of stuff. I actually looked up the Vets to see if they could come get some of my stuff, but unfortunately here, they do not do pick up. However, I could send them a box, so maybe I will do that. I have a few pieces of furniture I am looking to offload though and am still looking for a pickup option.
ReplyDeleteI laugh at bad grammar too. Once at work, a toilet had a big sign on it that said "broke" and I was wondering what it had spent its money on! And how? I guess toilets go on shopping sprees too?
Kyria--I've also used Easter Seals. They do pickup here in NEO. And I've taken things to Goodwill locally (I don't use the Salvation Army because they discriminate against LGBTQ+ individuals). Furniture is always tough. Do you have a Habitat ReStore in your area?
DeleteLOL on the broke toilet sign. Good catch!
Yup, I do have Restore and they will take things, so that is an option for sure. I was trying to see if there was anything else and I will check Easter Seals to see if that is available here! Thanks!
DeleteI picked *light* as my word of the year so you know I love this post. The cat photo is delightful. I enjoy getting rid of stuff, too. It's the ultimate in feeling light, first world style.
ReplyDeleteAlly--Oh my gosh, getting rid of extra stuff really is a First World Thing, isn't it? Yikes.
DeleteI just came in off my porch where I was sitting wearing just one sweater. In Eastern Ontario in February. Oh, my. There is an interesting sidebar, however, as the record temperature for this day was set sometime in the 1990's. And JG washed both cars yesterday afternoon. And drained the hoses afterwards, this being, February (etc, etc.).
ReplyDeleteI am decluttering. My closet is full of the bags into which the clutter is migrating. Slowly. And I already wrote my decluttering post.
We have an oak tree by the house that keeps its leaves all winter. Most oaks here do not. It is weird and if your leaf blower is plugged in and ready ... well, it is a way to come. I am pretty positive that a March Wind will do for them.
Our neighbour is owned by a cat like that. An orange Tom, with attitude.
I have to get to work, now, and make the Hall Annual Financial report fit on one page. That also may do for the leaves on the oak tree.
Mary--How lovely to see you here in Comments! I do hope it means that you are well and perky.
DeleteI'm so glad you're getting this springlike weather way up there, too, and that you were able to enjoy it. I'm shamed by JG's industry; my car has needed a good wash for aeons now. But today we have rain, so it will wait again. Sigh.
We have many oaks here that retain their leaves though they are brown and crinkly. As you said, they will be downed by the end of March. Just in time for buds! In the meantime, they're providing shelter for sparrows and robins.
Again, so nice to see you here. Make JG shuttle that clutter to a donation centre for you. It will help in your recovery and your preparation for spring. 😘
I just typed a long comment & then hit something the wrong way on my keyboard & deleted it. Let's try this again!
DeleteI have a lot of Tom Clark gnomes and Madame Alexander dolls. I like the gnomes because they kind of go with our decor, but I don't really have anywhere to display them & even if I did, they are a Pain to Dust. (Really, they need actual baths instead of dusting.) The dolls were much beloved when I was younger (Argentina! Peru!) but I'm not interested in displaying them either. The gnomes and dolls are theoretically worth some money, but I don't have any original boxes, & really who wants these things in the Year Twenty Twenty-four of our Lord? No one I know!
The good news is that I finally got that pile of clothes & shoes off of my bedroom floor (where they had been sitting for almost a year) and into the back of the car. Next step: TAKE THEM SOMEWHERE & LEAVE THEM.
Not feeling particularly light these days. I would blame it on turning 60 next month, but I'm actually kind of excited about that (is this my Crone Decade? Please say yes!). I should probably take a Stupid Little Walk for my mental health.
Oh! And I laughed at your leaf blower conversation. Down here we're giving up on the possibility of actual winter & contemplating prepping our lawn mowers for an early season. Sigh.
Bug--I've never heard of either of those things you've collected, the dolls and gnomes. I get how so many people hesitate to get rid of things that are possibly valuable, but the way I look at it is this: they're only worth it if someone is willing to pay that. And do you really have both the Time and the Inclination to clean them up, post them on a site like Ebay to sell them, store them until the Hypothetical Person shows up to pay for them, and then box and ship them off? My answer is always Hell No. I donate all that stuff and let them be someone else's Potential Treasure. It's too much work and a TimeSuck for me.
DeleteI'm not at all sure what a Crone Decade is, but I've enjoyed my sixties thus far (aside from the normal effects of aging, which I am dismayed by). I do plan on continuing to Age Naturally and as gracefully as possible. I recommend it. So much less work and upkeep.
Hooray for you Sort Of Decluttering...! Kick it into gear and get rid of that and more. You'll be glad you did. I've yet to miss a single thing I've let go of, and I've always been gratified by the space gained and the feeling of perhaps doing a favour for someone else who may have been looking for That Thing I Had.
RE: lawn mowing. I could swear someone in the neighbourhood mowed theirs this week! Their lawn looks suspiciously neat and detritus-free, and that can only be from mowing with a bag attachment. IN FEBRUARY! Good heavens.
When I saw bennie babies all I could think of are benne wafers - LOL Bravo to you for decluttering. I cannot wait to start doing that...soon!!
ReplyDeleteVera--Your comment sent me to Google. I'd never ever heard of benne wafers. Where did you hear of/taste them?
DeleteOnce you retire, you'll probably start your own Decluttering Mission in earnest. I remember starting with our basement. It was like I couldn't get to it fast enough!
Just a quick addition - all the pretests are positive, and I am waiting for the surgery date.
ReplyDeleteMary--I'm glad to hear that they can do the surgery. Keep me posted, please. ❤️
DeleteI just donated bags of Bennie Babies; most still had tags and are considered collectables.
ReplyDeleteAre your eyes bleeding?
The Cat is giving you a death stare. I was afraid just looking at the photo! I'm going to assume the Saint Bernard owners will just give-up the Chewy box to the feline?
I had a good chuckle at your conversation with Rick. I too forget what season we're in, but here it's easy to do.
BB Suz--Aaarrrggghh! At least you capitalized the name, though. LOL
DeleteGood point about that tough cat. It looks as if it could hold its own with just about anyone or anything.
Poor Rick. It's hard for him to find the humour in some of my more dense moments. Thank goodness for his innate patience.
I'm envious of your decluttering success. I guess that will be the one bonus to having Ed move out. He will be taking his stuff with him. I plan to look for any extra stuff that he might be interested in loading in the truck. The misspellings in that ad were funny. I hope poor young Bennie is going to be OK without his Beanie Babies. I particularly enjoyed your interpretation of their items for sale. Hoarders with Christmas decor that no one wants. Well, all of it that no one wants. The fact that they collected one thing and then switched gears to collect another flop? Yikes. I get hives just thinking about that sale, and I love a good sale. The weather has been glorious. I was at the zoo on Thursday with my 7 charges and we barely needed coats. It was a wonderful little gift that has reminded me that spring will arrive soon. I think I'm gonna make it.
ReplyDeleteErnie--Do yourself a favour and make sure Ed takes as much of his stuff as he can. I'm still tossing stuff from Sam over here! Just found another box of his in the basement. And I still have his acoustic guitar in the attic--why?
DeleteYou took 7 littles to the zoo? Those parents have NO IDEA what a treasure they have in you as a care provider. I'm glad you got out and about in the wonderful weather and that it gave you a boost. We can definitely endure if we get little reprieves like this. Hang in there.
My friend, who also babysits, usually does outings with me. She couldn't go, but it was gonna be near 60 - so I did it on my own. I got lots of 'look at that crazy lady' looks, but I didn't lose anyone and we had a great time.
DeleteI did a touch of decluttering, my sock drawer now only has socks that I like and that have a mate. I had plans to be productive and clean out cabinets and so on, but I haven't gotten very far yet. I'll get back to it at some point. Congratulations on your accomplishments in decluttering!
ReplyDeleteThat newspaper ad sure sucked, didn't it?
J--I keep threatening to get after my sock drawer. (Why did you mention yours!?) I'm proud of you and jealous of you by turns. Mine is a disaster. I long ago decided to have only black socks and little Peds--those no-show footies--for the rest of my life. The rest are just crammed farther and farther back and ignored. Who knows what's in the Way Back of that drawer?
DeleteYes, that classified ad made me long for the days of copy editors. Now, the newspapers just take what the customer puts in the digital form. Sort of another type of clutter, isn't it?
Oh, that ad, ouch! Yeah, pretty sure I would hate that sale anyway, but the spelling, whew. Congrats on your decluttering; I have a few projects in mind but haven't made a dent recently, and it needs to be done.
ReplyDeleteccr--I've really tried to lighten up about spelling, but yikes! That ad...just painful.
DeleteSometimes, I sort of get On A Roll with decluttering, and it's so helpful. I'm like a machine at that point. EVERYTHING MUST GO. I ride that momentum until it's completely exhausted because who knows when it will come around again?
Oh, my goodness, those errors. So painful to see.
DeleteYou know how I love a good Rick and Nance chat!
That cat photo is bonkers and the bonkers factor went up exponentially when you shared that the cat doesn't live there. I've never had a charity group pick up my donations but I love that the option exists in many areas for many folks. There are several areas of my house (and property for that matter if you consider downed limbs and such) that I need to purge right now. I read a meme that said "You spend the first two-thirds of your life acquiring things ... and the last third getting rid of them." Sadly, all too true although I'm not sure how many folks really taking the getting-rid-of-stuff phase seriously. Many just leave it for their loved ones to deal with, which is such a burden for them.
The power of the sun in lightening one's mood is so very powerful. It can make one feel pretty much invincible!
Shirley--How nice to see you here, my dear friend❤️
DeleteThat meme is hitting home with me, for sure. I'm still getting rid of things. I just took down all of the artwork in my dining room and hallway and, in my travels, dropped it off at Goodwill. It just no longer fit in with who Rick and I are, and I was sick of it. Same with our living room clock. Right now, I'm enjoying bare walls in the dining room and a spare, unfussy large clock with big numerals in the living room. Rick is purging in the basement, finally cutting sentimental ties with a lot of ancient hand tools from his grandfather that, really, no one would ever use. We're both feeling better, knowing that Jared and Sam won't have to deal with all that.
Our sunshine took a pretty big break, as did our milder temperatures, and we now have an inch of snow on the ground! UGH. It won't be here long, thank goodness. Temps will be back up in the 40s and even 50s by next week. Hooray!
I hope you get some help with your downed limbs and other concerns. But until you're feeling tip-top, I think you should just put all that on the back burner. It can wait.