Fall cleanup

I had grand plans for a fall cleanup this year. We have a bedroom in the basement -- it serves as guest room and storage right now but within a year or two will need to be torn up and remodeled to create a legal bedroom for Garrett. He wouldn't sleep there now but it won't be long.

The room has a double bed, the cherry dresser we used in the nursery, a side table from my grandparents' house, a couple of bookshelves, and a closet FULL of stuff. Old Boy Scout and cheerleading uniforms, my old Army uniforms, dress and BDUs, my wedding dress in its lovely preservation box, the Christening dress worn by me, my brother, and all 5 of our kids (also in a preservation box), old Fisher Price toys, my great-great-great grandmother's china that was brought over from Prussia but is too fragile to actually use .... oh my goodness. You get it. It's a nightmare.

I *think* I'm getting rid of a bunch of Spencer's Dora and Diego toys today -- I listed them on Craiglist and it appears they will go in one big lot. They are nice, and he played with them a lot, but he's gotten past them and they take up a lot of space.

Also going? The Play Doh stuff. I have a TON and it is also on Craigslist, hopefully to be snatched up by a bargain shopper soon. Can't be soon enough for me.

I have a bag of pajamas and winter hats and mittens for a drive my friend Kara does every year. It all will go to the Women's Shelter here in Rochester. I just have to connect with her and run it over to her house this week.

I guess it's good for me to be busy; occupying my mind and body with stuff is better than sitting around being miserable. But now there's not enough time; my parents arrive Wednesday for the Thanksgiving holiday. My mom will stick around afterward because she's retiring and we are looking forward to a little girl time; but we have the memorial service for Kris to attend in Chicago on the 4th of December, and then there is simply time to gear up for Christmas if I'm lucky.

It appears that I need to make a list or two and do some goal-setting here again. Wish me luck!