I have to confess that I dragged my feet getting to this particular piece of furniture in the great project to turn my master bedroom into a Sanctuary. It is a bookcase.
I sort of nibbled around the edges over the weekend, vacuuming around it, shifting a couple of books to another room, removing the old tax files to a different form of storage. I promised myself I would start on it Tuesday. I promise I spent more than half an hour on it. But it felt as though I'd got nowhere.
I still have piles of things too complex to even think about what to do with them. A stack of financial stuff. A stack of family history stuff. A couple of "raw materials" things.
But as for "what to do next"?
I have backed up piles of things to donate, and a guilt complex about HOW to donate them!
I have a bag of family history transcripts that my older sister put together and gave me TWO copies of everything, one copy of which was for my son, but he so far has shown no interest in receiving said copies. I know they have meaning, so again, a guilt complex about what to do with them!
Wednesday morning, I put down on my planner two tasks: get the donation items to the car, and deliver them to somewhere! I did a quick lookup on Google and determined where: The Humane Society for a few dog items that Ember no longer uses or never took to. And the People's City Mission (one of my son's recommended charities) for personal use items. Soap, deodorant, etc. that was either delivered here in error, or that I never much cared for the fragrance and had bought a six pack of. Toothbrushes that always come home from the dentist, even though I use an electric. About a dozen combs that came in a multipack that I only use ONE of. You get the idea.
Ember was whining as I loaded the boxes into the car, and since it's cooler out I can leave her in the car while I do stuff. So I harnessed her up and off we went. Deliveries made, and I somehow feel much lighter!
New experiment. I got sucked in by another ad for something to "help" your dog. Elevated bowls. Ember tried this out for the first time on Wednesday.
A little suspicious at first, but there is food involved, so...
She takes a bite, drops it on the floor beside the bowl, then bends down to finish consuming it. So much for the intention of eliminating the need for the dog to bend down to eat!
While Ember was off to day care on Thursday, I went and got my flu and Covid-19 (updated for 2025-2026) shots.
The decluttering is moving very slowly at this point. I have only two days a week, 15-minute sessions scheduled for this. Once I get started, I rarely am able to stop immediately at the 15 minute mark.
Today I put back some shelves that had been sitting on the bookcase since 2018 (I know that's when they came down from the nook in the office; that's when the office got painted). It was frustrating because the support arms would not hook into the strips and stay there, then the shelf placed on them would come down. I finally decided I don't need all of those shelves in that nook, and two of them are going in the discard pile, along with their support arms!
The maintenance of the area already decluttered led me to taking down cobwebs and "dusting" the walls. Also put up a framed art-box that my foster grandson gave to me I think it was a year ago Christmas time! I put it where I did have a wall calendar, but I like the look of kid's art better for my sanctuary feeling.
Thursday I went and got both my flu shot and the most recent Covid-19 booster. I seem to get amnesia between Covid shots, forgetting how they kick my fanny!
In any case, I was worthless on Friday, and poor Ember had to play nurse-maid. She's very good at the job, by the way.
Saturday morning I felt as well as one does on recovery from any side-line, and we went on a nice neighborhood walk, on leash. It was soggy, having rained most of Friday. Which is part of the reason we missed our Friday walkies, it wasn't just Mommy being flattened by the shot.
Life is good. Keep Sparking, my friends!
By the way, if you're interested in nostalgia, I have started copying Kevin (MOBYCARP) blogs from his SparkPeople 1.0 days. I only copy about one a day. I am dating them with the date he posted them on SP 1.
They are here. I have only got through the first month, and I find myself laughing as I copy, because of course I read as I copy. They are #1 so totally my brother! and #2, so classic newbie at Spark, too. Who could guess, from those first few entries that this man would become a Boston Marathoner? Or that he would have less than 8 years left to inhabit the earth? He did a LOT in those last 8 years.
You’re doing a good job decluttering. It’s a journey!
ReplyDeleteSo sorry that you were laid low w/the covid shot. Knocks me out, too. But hope you’re feeling better. And so wonderful that your Ember is such a good nursemaid. Our fur babies. know! And I tried a raised food/water dish for Miss Lilly , too. NO GO. Who knew!
Glad you’ll feature your art box in your sanctuary. You’ll see it all the time that way.
I am enjoying reading Kevin’s blogs. Thank you for sharing.
Yes, thank you, I am bounced back from the shot.
DeleteLOL... the things we try for our dogs that turn out to be worthless because they were designed for someone else's dog's problem! Anyway, I got rid of another boxful of those kinds of things today, donated to the shelter.
And I can't even describe how much lighter I feel with the mementos of my foster grandson inhabiting places of honor in my sanctuary. You get a gift but you're drowning in stuff, and you put it somewhere because other things are more urgent right now... when the other things settle down and you can take the time (and put the priority and energy into it) to honor the gift... it just feels better! More complete.
Glad you're enjoying the "blast from the past" in the form of Kevin's old blogs. It's a labor of love, and given that he sparked for 8 years? Is going to take a while.
For the family stuff that no one wants at this time, I got two storage bins and labeled them Keepsakes and stored the stuff with notes added so they would know why it is kept. I kept it to two bins only and pitched the rest (or donated) I now look at stuff with the eye - what will the girls do with this after I am gone - most answers are - they will throw it away. Then I ask - do I want this anymore. Most times I say No. Anyway, just a suggestion for that family stuff if it might help lighten your load. You are doing really great getting that stuff out of there and donated though. We spent the week trying to keep Tigger with us and not cross the rainbow bridge yet (sad blog this week) Hope you have a lovely one.
ReplyDeleteYep. Not my first rodeo with letting go. Periodically I'll ask son if he wants this or that, and last Christmas I took him the old wooden train set that started with my 1986 working time in Rome, Italy. We extended it over time here in the states, but the first pieces I bought in a little shop in Rome. I have not asked what he did with it. I might not like the answer. But I did my part, both preserving, and letting go so that the decision is in his hands!
DeleteI went and read about Tigger's ordeals this past week. Be gentle and savor what time you have with her. I would like to hope she recovers, but I certainly understand that sometimes the kindest thing we can do for them is to ease their crossing.
It sounds like you are making real progress on that bedroom sanctuary, even if it feels like a slow crawl sometimes. Tackling a bookcase is no joke, especially when it turns into a whole emotional journey through old paperwork and family stuff. Giving away those extra supplies and dog items was a huge win, and getting them out of the house always brings such a relief.
ReplyDeleteEmber dropping her food right off the elevated bowl to eat it on the floor is so typical. Dogs really have a way of completely ignoring our best intentions for them. It is great that she stepped up as a little nurse-maid while you were recovering from those vaccines, though. Those shots take it right out of you, so taking a day to rest was definitely the right call.
Putting up your foster grandson’s artwork sounds like the perfect touch for your space, way better than a basic calendar. Reading about your brother Kevin’s early blog posts is such a special way to remember him, too. It is amazing to see where his journey started and how much he squeezed into those years. Keep taking it fifteen minutes at a time—you are doing great. (((BIG HUGS)))
Thanks. We live minute by minute, really, don't we?
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