The Six Month Rule

Have you, like me, read somewhere the tip about keeping your clothes closet manageable? If not, what the "experts" say, and I use that term loosely, is that if you haven't worn an article of clothing in the last six months then give it away. Barring, I presume, seasonal reasons. Of course, that also presumes that you are continuing to add to your closet, something I do on a regular basis. Because the weather has been iffy, I've spent more time indoors than is typical for me, thus the closets, drawers, and rooms are getting organized. Another loose term for those who are perfectionists, and you know who you are!

What began as a clean up in the spare bedroom has spread to other areas including this drawer, formally jam packed with cloth napkins and placemats. Salvageable ones went to Goodwill, the remainder to the trash. While emptying out the chest of drawers in the spare room, I came across a stash of pennies, left behind years ago by Bill, the last one to leave the nest.

I could not help but think how times have changed so much so that sometimes I can hardly believe what I see with my own eyes. The penny collection reminded me of the first year of Bill and Dave's life when we had NO money to spare. Somehow, we did manage to scrape together enough loose change, allowing Bruce and I to go on ONE date that year. We were all of 25/26 years old. The dresser I was cleaning out belonged to my parents, and although it has been in service for more than 30 years in our home, it is time to let it go. Definitely more than the six month rule!

Looming storm clouds:

As evidenced by the puddle at the end of the driveway, round two was on the way! As I type, looking out my office window, the sky is not quite that dramatic, but I'm pretty confidant more storms are looming. Yesterday, once again, my tent returned home wet; the market closed just after 2 in the afternoon. Surprisingly there were plenty of people roaming the market before the storm. Prints, signed by you know who, went to Britain and Brazil, on the international front, AND a large canvas to Ohio, on the domestic front. So many people had expressed interest in that canvas and FINALLY a young woman bought it, much to my delight! As well, earlier in the week a large canvas of Street Art shipped to a loft in Dallas. :)

Jonathan and Alissa had such a great time in Japan, as in, fantastic. Their only complaint, and it was minor, was the heat and humidity. Coming from two young people raised in Florida, now living in Texas, that is saying a lot. Count me as very surprised to learn that a Japanese summer is very, very hot. A wedding reception, minus the wedding, is in the planning stages for their Christmas visit to Orlando. Mark your calendars for December 28!

So, thinking about that six month rule, I began to wonder if I shouldn't apply it to the scads of recipes torn from the pages of magazines, many of which were in big stacks, or make that folded globs of paper, in my cupboards.

Although I've not completed the project, I'm working on it, throwing stuff away willy-nilly. Friday, during my bike ride I bought two black notebooks ($1 each) at a nearby estate sale to at least try and put some order to the chaos. Surely I did not need six margarita recipes when in my entire life I've made only one batch of them.....

On my way to the mall I had to pull over...

...there was just something about the light and the juxtaposition of storage containers that compelled me to do so.

In all my years of buying fabrics, seeing this at Ikea is a first for me:

It goes without saying that this, among other reasons, is why there are no jobs--much is left to the consumer.

For what seemed like weeks, I waited to see what color the blooms on this orchid I bought several years ago would be...

With the sun shining through them they look lovely, don't they? As does this busy bee on a giant sunflower:

Finally, when I wrote the post about 2007, I neglected to add a photo taken that year during a visit to the lovely grounds of Bok Tower.

A lofty goal that pretty much sums up what I'm all about. Or at least I'd like to think so.