Cleaning the Garage

After years of shopping and materialistic excess

I've noticed our garage is a "mell of a hess."

It's time. I believe, to put things in order

Or risk being labeled a sloth or a hoarder.

I'll start in one corner and sort it all out;

I'm sure it won't pain me to do without

That old tennis racquet from back in the day;

See, I can do it; I'm throwing it away.

If I don't need the racquet, then the balls can go too;

With this kind of progress, I soon will be through.

That chair in the corner has one leg that's missing;

And why keep a rod when I never go fishing?

I'm pitching the cans filled with petrified paint;

I'll do it responsibly so I'm sure not to taint

The water that flows in our local watershed.

Who wants to see hundreds of fish floating dead?

But wait, I digress, and I must stay the course.

Oh, no!  Is that Little Jamie's rocking horse?

I never said I'd throw everything away;

And what if I have grandkids one day?

I'm starting to sweat, and I may need a break

From all these decisions I'm having to make.

Who thought all this junk would make me so sentimental?

I'm starting to think . . .

                              I need a storage pod rental.

Happy Anniversary

It just so happens that today is our 37th anniversary . . . and I'm cleaning out the garage.  Well, let me say I'm starting to clean it out.  It obviously will take several cullings (and weeks) to get the job done.  Some might suggest today wasn't the best day to begin the challenge.  Afterall, it's our anniversary.  I should be at the salon getting a mani/pedi, or devotedly preparing George's favorite dinner to serve by candlelight, or at the very least scattering rose petals throughout the house.  But if you think about it, it might be quite apropo to be cleaning the garage; for an anniversary is a day to reflect on the years you've spent together, and let's just say the garage is filled with plenty of momentos.

Did I mention that it's 94 degrees today?  That would be outside the garage.  I'm inside, and I refuse to open the garage door.  You see, we live on the corner, and our garage is highly visible to anyone who passes by.  Athough our garage is a mess, we ourselves have managed to present a fairly normal image to our friends and neighbors.  Opening the door would change all of that.  I'll probably wait until dark to load the car for my first trip to the dump.

I considered writing to HGTV.  They have that one show where they come and help you clean the garage.  I  like their process.  The husband and wife each get a blue tarp that is placed on the lawn (for the whole world to see).  A third tarp is there for "throw away" items.  If and when you run out of tarp room (and they always do) then the item has to go.  It's a reasonable strategy if you don't mind all of your trash or treasures (depending on your mind set) on display. 

You may have heard the term "goumet garage"?  That's my goal.  Cabinets installed around the perimeter.  Tools hung neatly on a pegboard.  Clear plastic bins neatly labeled and organized.  Does it get any better than that?