A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE!

I had no intention of spending quite as long in the garden as I did, again!  It was warm and just the right day for pottering.  Pottering, however, forms a picture in my minds eye of generally tending to things, in a very gentle way.  Gentle it was not!  After repotting some more plants, I got out the outdoor hoover and vacuumed the grass.  It took much longer than expected, and when I had finished, I just was ready to just flop down and do very little.  It was a 'hot dog' sort of night and we made our own chili-dogs, and watched a film.  

Monday morning was quite warm.  Presidents' Day is always a mystery when it comes to weather.  Last year we were enduring the coldest weather on record, without power, but this year hit highs of mid eighties.  It was not the hottest on record, but then again it was not far off!  I drove to Samantha's house and from there we ventured out to the mall.  I needed a new pair of trainers, as mine had developed holes and my makeshift repair job was wearing thin!  After the mall, we went to Pro Bass Fishing Shop.  What a store!  I have been there before, but it is just so different!  Obviously, there are 'sports' shops around, but this is unique.  Every section is a like a professional's dream.  Obviously, not being a professional at fishing, hunting, sailing, hiking, or any other outdoor sport, but merely being a partaker in some and hope to try others, I cannot actually state that it is a professional's dream, but those (whom I know) who actively, and regularly fish, hunt, sail and hike, really like the store!  I got lost within seconds of entering.  Samantha was on a mission for some new hiking boots, and I just wandered through the sections.  There were no aisles, so to speak, but sections, and each section led to another, with equally exciting equipment, most of which I had not a clue how it would be used.  However, I felt as if I was on an adventure!  

After our adventure, we went to the DIY store, and bought a couple of shelving units for my next indoor project.  It was a glorious day, and when I arrived home, I did not bother unpacking the car, but headed to the pool, with my book.  I had emptied the skimmers the previous day, so I did not need to dip my toe into the water to know that it was exceptionally cold, and nowhere near even paddling weather, but I took up residency in my chair, and read for an hour.  It was the sun disappearing behind the trees that prompted me back to reality and back to the condo to put together at least one of the shelving units. 

Although not bought from the Swedish store, the instructions were in pictures.  The expression, 'You get what you pay for', is all well and good when you are buying something that you do not expect to last, but buying a cheaper set of stacking shelves should not mean that they do not fit together.  It would possibly mean the quality is not too good, or that it may not last, should you be putting too much pressure upon it, but it should fit!  Square pegs and round holes is the phrase that comes to mind!  Although the pegs were not exactly square, they did not fit properly in the round holes, and the picture of the mallet, below the instructions, would indicate that one is needed!  Needed it was, although not only to bash the peg into the appropriate crevice, but to reshape the peg.  I thought about returning it to the store and showing the unenthusiastic 'helpdesk' people the problem, and watching them look at each other as if to say, "What does she want us to do about it?" (sorry to stereotype but experience has been such in the past) or to just hope that I could reshape with the mallet.  After a few swift blows, I managed to get the peg into a reasonably shape, and after another few harder blows, it settled into place.  However, when I did the same with the second peg, the first fell out.  The five minute job took a little longer than anticipated and the second 'inside job' was put in the back burner!

Back to work after a long weekend always makes me wish I had accomplished more, but I would have to wait to get the next project underway.  However, I was determined to make some headway and when Samantha and Grant had finished their 'work out' I headed upstairs to get the first bag!  First bag?  It was time to purge.  Being a bit of a hoarder, I had far more things than I need, and most of those are 'just in case'.  Just in case items are invariably kept by me, should my kids want their kids to have them, experience them, see them.  They are basically, a waste of space!  The first bag of soft toys were going to have to be sorted and there was going to be some very difficult decisions to be made. To throw or not to throw!  Obviously, most of the items are sentimental to me, as the kids outgrew them years ago, and their memories of most of the things are not their memories, but mine!

After the fourth bag, Grant asked "How many more do you have?" He was astounded!  They were all in space saver bags, so as we discarded items, the bags filled with 'donations' were as many that were emptied!  "You can't get rid of that!" said my daughter to some things, and when I asked if she wanted to take them with her, she shied away and had to rethink her comment/statement/demand!  Of course, she knew there were some things that I would not put in the 'donations' bag and she just looked at me with willing eyes!

It did not take long to realise that the shelving unit would not store as much as the boxes that had just been stacked. However, it was because of the difficulty of maneuvering the boxes that the shelves seemed a necessary option.  My weekend was going to be busy!

Temperatures dropped again on Wednesday, and the outdoor plants were put to bed, under their green coverings, and although were not read bedtime stories, knew that they would be in hibernation for a few days! 

The whipping winds brought the 'feels like' temperatures down considerably, and I 'layered' up on Thursday morning.  Checking to see if the post had come, was like going out into a blizzard.  We had a few flurries, and it was freezing.  Returning home, I continued to climb the north face of the Eiger, to wit the mountain of stuff still to be sorted to make room for the shelves and revamping of the wardrobe space.  I try not to move things from one place to another in an effort to maximise space, but I do tend to do it more often than not.

Friday was another cold day, and spring seemed like it was taking a long holiday before arriving home!  My winter wardrobe was really getting some wear this year!  

Rain started to fall on Saturday morning, and it was a sloppy day.  Shopping was done, and after I had put everything away, I set to again with the sorting.  Reminiscing is my downfall when clearing out, and after going through several birthday cards, new baby cards, photo's, invitations and the like (yes, I do keep some, not all, but too many) we headed out for dinner.  It was cold, windy and wet, but the restaurants were all packed!  I was happy to see business booming!  I was dressed in jeans, jumper, boots and hat, and felt like I had just finished a days work on the farm and gone straight out to eat, without washing up.  I normally like to wear something a little less casual, although not many follow suit here!  However, the compliments were flowing!  My jacket was so cute, my hat was awesome, and my outfit was just so cool.  I wondered why I bother 'dressing up' at all!  What was nicest about the whole experience was that it was like Austin again!  Everyone being so complimentary about each other, and not afraid to say it!  Despite it being cold, wet and windy, dark and dreary, everyone was smiling and happy!  

It was slightly warmer on Sunday morning, and the sun shone quite brightly.  The birds sang, and our little wren returned to the garden.  She must be getting on a bit now, and I am not sure if it is the same bird, but she hopped around as she (or her counterpart) does in the spring, ready to bring her gentlemen friends over to play!  I know, I should not encourage such immorality from my feathered friend, but I am not her mother, despite feeling somewhat maternal each time she arrives!  

My afternoon is going to have to be quite structured and I am going to have to be very disciplined if I want my room back again!  Hopefully, I will be focused enough to realise that a birthday card sent to my son, on his eighth birthday, from someone who was in his class for ten minutes, does not need to be stored with those more poignant items!  Yes, I am that bad!  I do have the urge to purge though so I should get on with it!

March is knocking on the door, and both my sister and daughter-in-law celebrate birthdays next week, as well as my younger grandson! Temperatures are set to rise, and stay stable for a week, but time will tell.  I will no doubt let you know whether I made any headway in my quest to get rid, all to be told in .............. another story!