Spring Cleaning 2012 Part I

Well, as previously stated in a past blog, W and I went to a seminar on joint replacement at the hospital, St Luke's, where he will be having a total knee replacement done sometime in April or May. The actual date has not been scheduled yet. Why, I have no clue. The doctor's office is supposed to call.

It became clear to me, that the clutter I currently have both downstairs and upstairs (haven't seen my roofer, so no, my living room is not completely put together yet--don't even care to get into it.) I've been 'storing' stuff in my walk-in closet in my bedroom ever since we moved in. We had nine children, all ages, so my closet was probably the safest spot in the house. When I made a bedroom for my mother, I moved a bunch of sewing items into my bedroom. That was kind of a mistake. Well, if you plan projects, do other things instead, and they pile up, then it is a really bad thing. If you simply don't plan to do any projects, put the pristine sewing machine on the shelf and only get it out to repair clothing, then you are probably ok. Well, I have more UFO's than anyone I know. I also have almost more fabric. I do believe my friend Joan has more, but I could be wrong. I think my son in law, Joseph, is worried Deidre has inherited my tendency for ufo's and project stashing, and he is doing his best to nip it in the bud. Good luck, Charlie, is all I have to say. Deidre does pretty well doing her projects, as she doesn't yet have any little ones to take care of and throw off her schedule. There is nothing like a sweet little baby to throw a monkey wrench into your life, and take over your heart. I say, they are young for such a short period of time, ENJOY THEM! Also, when time passes, as it will all too quickly, enjoy your little grand babies even if you have to fly someplace, drive some place, or pay for them to come to you, as they too, grow very fast. I am thinking if you aren't 'mindless' in Depends in a "Home" someplace, the same goes for your Great grandchildren, too, though I haven't gotten that far in life.

What I am getting around to is the point of this blog: I am 'spring cleaning' my walk-in closet. I started maybe last Saturday, I am not certain. Of course, I didn't work on it Sunday. I was back taking stuff out Monday....Tuesday and today, maybe last night, I finally excavated to the back of the closet! Breezy, my mom and I hauled off an entire PT Cruiser full of my stuff and 14 of W's unwanted paperbacks. I tried to get rid of his stash of 1988 Men's Fitness Magazines, but I could tell it was bothering him, so I just put them back on the shelf and slightly, nastily said his kids can throw them away when he is gone! Seriously, most of our stuff is junk. I think it will be junk to the kids. Why have them have to sift through all of this stuff and take it to be donated or to the dump? W's mom is a hoarder. He is quite happy with piles and trails. He should be really happy, as we kind of have some of each right now. By the time he has his knee surgery, I don't want any clutter to trip him up. I just hope I can make it out of the closet, work on the bedroom, and finish it all up by the tentative ETA, as I really hate going through stuff. I decided NOT to ever go through his stuff which is stored under our stairs. It is mostly sentimental 'junk' he is attached to, and he won't get rid of any of it. Why waste my time going through it every five years? The kids can haul it off. I did want to downsize my house. I am thinking it might not be possible, as I'm just not the person to make him get rid of his stuff, when I want my fabric stash, and my UFO's. I can say, I gave away a complete sack of cross-sitch projects and books. I am in the 'do I want to get rid of more' mode right now.

Well, I do not have a 'before' picture of the closet and not to the 'after' point yet. I find I have to take breaks from it all--stacking years and years of taxes and getting them ready to take to shred at some point is not my idea of fun. Wondering how I got 20 years behind on organizing pictures and going through those has taken up more time and caused more stress. What kind of a crappy mom am I anyway? I'll tell you--I was busy driving them around, shopping, making meals, hauling them to church, doing a church calling, sewing for them, making costumes for them, holding them, watching them at sports, nursing babies, bathing kids, cleaning up messes, occasionally cleaning up a house, taking care of birds, dogs, and cats, and I have the pictures to prove it! (And a lot of them all over in my walk in closet in big boxes.)

I found some old Christmas decorations I didn't even know we owned and some handmade ornaments I made so I could give them to the kids when they grew up. The amazing thing is, even when I had say five kids, I made more ornaments so there are plenty for all nine kids! Why I kept their Christmas socks is questionable. They were cheap and kind of look moth eaten at this point. It is probably a W's mother kind of thing.

I stop and do some baby sewing, or cut something out from projects I am working on for the sewing group--just to make the destructing part more bearable. If I ever finish with the closet, and it looks improved, I'll take a picture. I'll probably be back here whining......as I have the bedroom, a hallway, the play room to paint, and my hoarder computer room/food storage/wedding crap, sewing stuff all over the place room to tackle and in that order. Just be happy you are you, and not me. I did cut out 20 yards of cheap flannel into over sixty  22" squares for preemie blankets.

I went to the college yesterday, and Breezy practiced drawing my blood and gave me six injections in my rear. Mom and I are going back to the college tomorrow, and she said she will draw up a lot of saline and really give me a lot more shots, as she has to do 20 of each type. I hope my butt is up to it. One thing, she has a big target. If you are in the area, drop by the skill center at Estrella, and ask for Breezy. She'd be happy to practice her injections on you!