Stuff

Stuff.  We have been experiencing a lot of stuff lately.  Not drama stuff, literal stuff.  As soon as we seem to have things under control, more stuff arrives at our door.  We like gifts and presents.  But this here is a tricky one.  Walt's folks are downsizing.  In fact, in 5 years they have downsized from a 5000 sq foot home to 3000 and now, just this week to a 1500 sq ft apartment, without a garage.

Walt's sister lives in Alaska.  She does not plan on transporting stuff to her place.  She has some of her stuff and some of the folks stuff in a storage unit, to use when she and her husband retire to the Hill Country of Texas.   I marvel at the clean, organized garages of our retired neighbors.  They seem to live lighter and with more bounce.  I think they too have given their stuff to their children.  Their children now walk out into their garages and just sigh.  What used to be a place to park 2 cars and maybe some tools and a bike or two, is now the holder of the past.   Dare we sell or give away Grandma's quilts?  How about Grandpa's tools?  Well, your parents held on to them a long time and now it's your turn.  You are the keeper of the memories now.   We will dust, move, shift and polish the stuff.  We will show other friends our ancestry via old books, blankets and furniture.

In the meantime, we collect treasures of our own.  Our children bring home papers, art and collectables.  We buy them new toys when their old toys get boring.  The toys barely make it out of the package sometimes..and the kids want another to replace it.  Kind of like Hugh Heffner and his band of girlfriends.  That was random.  I was trying to lighten the conversation.   I bet Hugh Heffner has a lot of stuff.  Many memories stuffed into that tiny mansion.  Many memories stuffed into those tiny bunny outfits. Again, random.   I wish I had a bunny outfit.  I would wear it in my backyard on Tuesdays.  It would be Bunny Outfit Garden Day.   Walt would never work on Tuesdays.  My neighbor, who we have never seen..except for the top of his head..like the guy from that Tim Allen show, would be out gardening more as well, I presume.  Probably not because I am wearing the bunny outfit he can not actually see, but he would observe that the tomatoes were doing extremely well on the other side of the fence and would get competitive because of the 7 ft Big Boys.   Then we would have a tomato competition to see who's tomatoes were the biggest and the tastiest.   Then if I won, I would have to tell the people of the neighborhood my secret Bunny Tuesday Garden fun plan, where we talk to our vegetables and dance in the backyard, like it's May Day.  They would probably not want to talk to us again.  They would give my neighbor the trophy instead and he would have to collect it over the fence, as to not be seen and keep his mystery.  Just an ordinary day in the suburbs of Cedar Park.

So why do we collect all of this stuff?  I love George Carlin and his rant regarding this same subject.   It rings true every time we open the garage door for God and all to see.  I now have been opening the big garage door only 1/2 way.  Thinking that maybe people would only 50 percent judge me.  Walt is a master organizer.    Lately he just walks into the garage and shakes his head.  We need a garage intervention.  I love giving things away.  I always threaten to hold a garage sale, then think about the people trying to bargain and then I chicken out.  If I put 25 cents on a toy..for the love of Pete, it's 25 cents.  Not 22.  No one at Goodwill ever says to me..I'll only take that from you if you throw in a pillow.  No.  They are grateful, friendly and give me a tax write off.  I love loading up my car with bags and bags of goodies and going to the drive through at Goodwill.  I feel so light after I give stuff away.  I can not think of ONE thing I have donated that I regret.   They smile and say, "Thanks for putting good people to work".  Not, "Did you know if that I could probably get this at The Dollar Store for less?"   God bless you if you can hold a garage sale without punching out the early birds.  They wear those strange fanny packs too.  What's in those fanny packs?  Lip balm?  Mini diamond looker eye things?  Cell phone from 1994?  Kids, do not bring back the fanny pack.  I already have seen you try and sneak MC Hammer puffy pants into the 2000's.   Neither are sexy.  Neither should have made it  past the fashion quality control of the Universe guy.  

I have a new friend named Mary.  Mary loved the Texas Hill Country so much, that she decided when the time was right, she would move here.  She lived the majority, if not her entire life,  in Minnesota.  She sold everything.  Everything.  She moved here with 2 suitcases.   Can you imagine?  2 suitcases.  I take 2 suitcases on a 2 day gig.  One for my shoes and one for clothes.  God love ya, Mary.  You should write a book on how to really downsize.  How freeing it must have been to do that.  How scary too.  Maybe her kids have garages full of the past.  Mary might be one of the free-ist people I know.  

How much do we really need?  How much do I need?  I kind of love my computer..so I need that.  I love my Chippewa Boots.  I love my son's artwork and husbands recordings.  I love my guitar.  I love my Bill Worrell necklace.  I love the coral jewelry my mom gave me for my 40th birthday.  That right there is about a suitcase and a half.   My mother in law, Marion, told me of a trend that is happening around Waco, where they moved from.  People are having  House "Cooling" Parties.  Instead of bringing a gift to the folks who are moving, friends come to the house and You give Them something.  Such a great idea.  Maybe we could have a Garage (not for) Sale and just flat give things to people.   That would really freak out the neighbors.   I might keep the bunny suit though.




Friday, May 10 2013   11:12 pm  Husband playing Poor David's Pub in Dallas.  Child and dog sound asleep..in my bed.


Comments

  1. Cheryl and I were at that show. Walt sent you a pic of us on his phone I believe. He was fantastic that night...just like so many others. Thanks for sharing him with us. And next time, you come sing and he can stay home. Oh hell,ALL of you come!

    Steve

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