AUTHOR: Anonymous TITLE: DATE: 5:31:00 PM ----- BODY:

Productive Weekend – kind of… A few days ago, my boy/man child decided to hide in my bedroom closet. I call him my boy/man child because he is newly 13, his voice hasn’t changed and he likes to hide in closets. On the other hand he is 5’9” and 180 pounds – a strapping young man. Anyway, once I located him, he began in emerge from the closet and accidentally knocked the support post on my cheesy white wire closet organizer, which we inherited with the house, and the whole apparatus came tumbling down! It has always been our intention of replacing said cheesy white wire closet organizer with a more substantial wooden, modular closet organizer from Lowes. Unfortunately, in this instance, timing and $$ weren’t coinciding, so our dream of a new closet interior was not to be. We were only able to salvage one side of the closet system but the other side was a lost cause. Rather than investing in more cheesy white wire closet organizing accessories, we picked up a two tiered rolling hanging rack and parked it in my side of the closet. Taking the opportunity, I spent the remainder of the day sorting through years of clothes accumulation. My kids, looking down the hall toward my bedroom, could see clothing being tossed out the door at a furious pace, quickly filling up and overflowing the Goodwill box. I am happy to report I am no longer in possession of any late 1980’s shoulder-padded, shirtwaisted dresses. All our costumes are now stored and labeled in vacuum bags put away in a trunk. My husband, who was in construction for several years, had about 500 t-shirts (or so it seemed). I was able to donate quite a few, cut up several for cleaning rags and reserve 5 for when he gets the notion to do some work around the house. I showed no mercy. If it hadn’t been worn it in a year, out it went. If it didn’t fit (big or small), out it went. If it needed darning or mending, out it went. If I thought, “I could reconfigure this into a more flattering shape,” out it went. The majority of my handbags went. Suitcases that had seen one too many trips, went. Sad, tired slippers went, My huge pile of nylons went (I wasn’t going to spend my time looking for runs). I cut my shoe collection in half. I know in my zealousness, I probably threw out more than I should – but you know, it’s just STUFF. And I sure do feel good looking at a pared down closet. The rest of the house…it’s still a mess (sigh). ~~~ In knitting news I cast on the front of Marilyn. I am almost to the neck shaping. I haven’t posted a photo because it looks just like the back. If all goes well, I should be able to finish off the front tonight and perhaps cast on for the sleeves. I’m still working on the lacey hem on Marta. I should be joining in the round soon and begin the miles of stocking stitch. ~~~ From the Ally archives… Daughter and Ms. Ally Doo of the Evil Eyes.

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