21 June 2012

Hello again sweet friends!

When I paused to collect my thoughts for a few weeks and get some things done, I had no idea I would be gone so long.  I have many wonderful stories, events, and photos to share, but I will spread them out and not overwhelm you!

I realized once I started getting down to it, that many things in "my house" needed to be ordered.  Not just the physical items, although we'll get to those in a second, but also the stress and emotional items I'd been stuffing in boxes and piling on shelves around the place (and in my head).  So, I got down to work, sorted, trashed, sold, gave away, dealt with, and moved forward.  It was exhausting - and I haven't felt this good in years!

My neighborhood had a multi-house garage sale.  I took this as a sign it was time to finally attack the storage spaces I had been ignoring for years. You see, I had available space so I filled it and didn't really have to look at it, so it was easy to walk away from the mess.  I realized as I drug things out I hadn't seen in years, that some of it was the emotional baggage attached to the items.  They symbolized a past life that I needed to let go.  They brought good and sad memories, but mostly lightened my load when I could see floors and walls of closets again.  I donated bags of clothing, books, took 4 file size boxes of paperwork to the shred-it day (where you drive up and they take the boxes out of your car, hand it to the nice person working the monster shredder truck, and *poof*, all your important identifying info is gone), and hauled the rest to the garage for the sale.  Here's one shot as proof:


I had taken some great advice from some of the professional garage-salers I know and got ready for an early Friday crowd.  As I was setting out the signs in the morning, a couple folks circling the neighborhood followed me home and waited for me to open the door.  Then we were off running!  It rained off and on all morning, but I was still very pleased with the turnout and items taken to be enjoyed elsewhere.  Saturday it was sunny and breezy, just a really gorgeous day, which is why I didn't notice my pasty white skin turning into this, until it was too late:


After my success of both cleaning and purging my old baggage, I decided to buy some new luggage and renew my passport for future travels! 

I'll be back later in the weekend to bring you more from my time away - it involves cake, adorable people, traditions and tributes, ladies night out, stories from the past, and the wrap up of my spirituality class. Until then...



6 comments:

TexWisGirl said...

congrats on all the purging! but, yikes! on that sunburn!

Grandmabeckyl.blogspot said...

Thanks for the update. I was reading your last post just yesterday, wondering how you were doing. Good to get all the "stuff" gone and get new things you can use. Ouch on the sunburn indeed. I like your new blog look! Take care!

Linda said...

That sunburn looks painful! I know you feel better with purging some of the stuff - I am working on it, slowly and steadily. I take a carload about once every other month of things I have realized I don't need, or haven't seen in a while...it is exhausting though! Glad you are back!

Jan n Jer said...

I know the feeling of getting rid of clutter. We have a big neighborhood yard sale every year n boy do I clean out! Great way to do it too!
OUCH on that sunburn!!! Nice to see you back in the blogasphere!

Laura said...

that sunburn makes me want to cry for you, like for real. Owie! Way to go on not only getting rid of a ton of things (believe me, that is something I understand), but also having a garage sale which is a ton of work in itself. This is your virtual pat on the back, way to go!

Anita Johnson said...

I haven't stopped by your blog in awhile, so it was fun to catch up this morning...I enjoyed your post about visiting your friends grave sight...good friends are a treasure. I decided to stop and leave a comment on this post because i have similar legs from working in our fields...ouch! Rejoicing in the rainfall here!