For those of you interested Only in TRAVEL, I (Jack) wrote the blog between MARCH 2010 and October 2010 during our travels west. We saw the most beautiful places and had the best time in our big truck and little trailer. See Blog Archive below.

Aug 14, 2012

Am I Getting Eccentric or Was I Always...

I'm Going to (try) to Tear a Page Out of Sherry and Sue's Books (Seems I can always cause confusion. The page I was taking out of Sherry and Sue's books was subtitling to make my blog easier to read. Had nothing to do with the subject matter in the blog.)

Yesterday was a busy day that I'm paying for, today. I had to empty the armoire so that it could be moved off to the side to be picked up on the weekend. The new TV and stand are coming on Thursday. Make way for progress? As I empty the cabinet, I wonder how I have collected all these treasures over the years. In my usual disorganized state, I look at the little jars, baskets, candlesticks, picture frames, doo-dads etc., and muse about each one and remember where or who they came from and what I was thinking at the time, and yes I love them. I also hate them. A job that should take 20 minutes takes hours and isn't done. I realize why I was so content living in my little trailer with no possessions other than necessities. It uncluttered my mind, yet kept my "other man's trash" safe. And, most importantly, the memories will always be mine and are stored for me to enjoy them for the rest of my life.


I Really Am Not a Hoarder...Just Sentimental

There's the basket that my middle son bought me when he was about 9 years old. So cute that he thought to buy me "furniture" as he called it. He's in the midst of moving himself and his daughters to a new home and stops in to say hello. He asks if I "got rid of" the armoire. Inside, I recoil (but I have already thought about what we were talking about when we bought it and console myself that it's going to a young girl that really likes it) so it's okay. I recount how I love the basket and I want him to have it in his new home. He humors me and says, "Oh, that would be nice, Mom. Thank you." He leaves. It's sitting on the coffee table. Oh, my. Look at the dust! At least he knows the story.

There is what at first glance looks like a squirrels nest in a small pewter pitcher. Forty years ago the young girl took it to a flower shop and had a beautiful dry flower arrangement put in it. Yesterday, the old lady put it in a bin. She took it out, today, and is going to throw the 40 year old dried flowers away. She is, but first she needs to think about the little shop and how pretty she thought it was when she picked it up and how pretty it looked on their coffee table, and how Rich smiled and told her that he liked it. She feels sad that the flowers will be thrown in the garbage so she decides she will set them free in the back yard. She knows that's the right thing to do. Maybe a bird can use some of it for its nest.


There's a candle stick made out of a spool that my good friend, Martha, gave me many years ago. I remember the day and how thoughtful she was to think of me. My kids will most likely wonder what it is, someday, so I write a note on the bottom. The dove I've had for many years--it looked so sad at the garage sale. I will keep that. Two more baskets from my Mother that I love already have a special place in another part of the house.

I went to Walmart and picked up a couple of bins to store the "treasures" to put them in my "attic" room upstairs, made a pile for throw away, and a little pile to keep with the new TV (DVDs and such). I did a little at a time with the old red clock that my Mother gave me and a few things still up there.

I have to get a chair to get them, today. Why is everything so difficult these days? There's a small vase that she also gave me. I dream (to myself) that I will take that to the Antique Road Show along with the baskets and clock someday. My back and shoulders hurt--they have been tested. I can't move in a room that was neat, yesterday. What happened? Jack thought he was lost behind a bin and I had to go get him. Is this progress? My sweet Jack. He doesn't think I'm peculiar. He just moves from place to place, staying at my feet.

No, I Don't Need a Flue Shot, I Just Got One

While out getting the bins, I need to pick up a prescription at the drugstore. The pleasant young pharmacist, Brian, asks, "Do you want to get your flu shot, today."

I reply, "Oh, no thanks, I just got one." He looks at me with a quizzical look on his face (and a smile) and asks, "Who gave it to you?" I answer that it was the other pharmacist, Thomas. He's looking at his computer and he says, "That was last October." I thought he was kidding. Where did the time go? Well, I don't have a shirt where the sleeve will roll up far enough so I tell him I'm going to find a corner and slip my arm out of my shirt and hope that he will vouch for me if I'm arrested for indecent exposure. He laughs--he's so pleasant. I manage to do a nice job of covering what needs to be covered and I'm ready for the shot. It's a high dose flu shot. Fluzone It seems that my advanced age gives me yet another benefit-a special old person's vaccine. ::scowl:: He gives a good shot, so it didn't hurt, but he says my arm might ache for a few days. Well, my arm does ache this morning, but it's my other arm. I have a list of side effects in my purse that I haven't read--that will prevent any of them.

I Start to Wonder if I'm Getting Strange

Well, I have to make the room neat, so I'll quit stalling and get busy. I think if I could stand for longer periods of time, I would go through the house and think about all the things that I need to put in the past...but first I must think about them and what each means to me and savor the memories. Then, let them go. Let them go to wherever they are supposed to be.

Jack Becomes Bored But Eccentric is Okay With Him



9 comments:

  1. It is hard to part with memories and things bring back those memories so easily. But I love not having all those things anymore. I still have the old memories if my poor brain can find them, but I want to make new memories without things. You are not strange - very normal in my book.

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  2. Odd, how my short term memory leaves a lot to be desired, Sandie, but the memories attached to anything that was in my life when Rich was alive is crystal clear. So, I don't feel that I'm getting rid of memories, just things. I just wish my back would allow me to get it all cleaned out and given away so I could get back into my trailer.

    I liked the simplicity in life when I was in the trailer for 6 months. If I'm ever able, again, the only thing that would make it perfect is if I got the hot water heater so I could have hot showers--I can do without just about anything, but not the shower. Before my back gave me problems, I bought a new Honda 2000 generator figuring that I could have a new hot water with an electric start installed. Now, I couldn't put the generator in the truck if I tried. Maybe I'll get my nerve up to call the surgeon one of these days.

    Thanks, as always for stopping by, and for saying I was normal. LOL Some would dispute that!

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  3. AT least you have photos of the things you are re-purposing!! I think letting the birds making use of your flower arrangement is a wonderful idea. The ultimate in recycling. It's hard to part with things because every item represents a memory and a time in our lives that we don't want to lose. I have been going through pictures (the old fashioned ones on paper haha!!)and purging so many of them. Some pictures I cannot even remember where they were taken and I didn't write on the back. How many pictures of sunsets and unnamed waterfall do I need? Not that many!! You are not eccentric, just sentimental like we all are.

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  4. good job on emptying the armoire!..one item at a time..and you are not strange just sentimental..it is hard to part with things that hold a special meaning!

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  5. Umm did you just write about me. LOL
    Since I have moved into this little trailer I have found so much un needed junk. Well it wasn't
    junk when I wanted it for some unknown reason. I am still going through things and emptying out boxes
    and bags. When I return to Tucson I have more piles to go through. The stuff at home are memories like
    yours. Not looking foward to that.

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  6. Well I'm not sure if Sue is eccentric but I know I am. But I don't actually have too much trouble parting with old things. David is the SERIOUS packrat. I really HATE clutter. We go round and round about it. Sometimes I think the most important things in choosing a mate should be "are you a morning or a night person"? Do you like to "collect" thing or "get rid of them". :-))

    So sorry to hear your back trouble continues and that standing for too long is a problem for you. I don't know much about backs other than my chiropractor was always able to do amazing things for me when I had problems.

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  7. I just clarified my statement on the blog itself. Your blogs are so easy to read, and you know me, I tend to run on. I was hoping that by putting sub-titles, I'd keep myself from wandering off subject and also make my blog easier to read.

    Chiropractic won't work under my circumstances. Sure wish it would.

    Rich and I were pretty compatible with most things although I was more of a night owl than he, but he got up and puttered around if I didn't get up early on the weekends. During the week, we were both up early because we worked, together. I don't really recall being attached to "things" until after he died. I think my memories associated him sitting in a chair or holding something or when we shopped for something. We were both neatniks, so that was never a problem. I never had to pick up after him even once throughout our whole marriage. Sorry you misunderstood my remark. You are about the LEAST ECCENTRIC person I know, Sherry (Sue, too).

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  8. Hi, thank you for following and leaving comments to our blog at Lowes RV Travels. Please check my latest blog as I have nominated you for an award:
    http://lowestravels.com/2012/08/17/the-lowes-rv-travels-nominated-for-an-award/
    -MonaLiza

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  9. I find once you "get rid" of something you don't really think about it anymore. Memories are always in your heart as my dad would always say...xo

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