SWEATING FOR THE SWEATERS

What better way to spend a fabulous summer day than inside the house trying on sweaters.

Unfortunately, since I am determined to weed through my house and my life, some sacrifices (days indoors) are necessary.  I'm trying to limit these sacrifices to one, two tops, per week.  Today, regardless of its beauty, is the sacrificial day; today more thinning will be done.

I have the windows open, so inside is the same as outside but without the direct sun.  I also have some fans running because trying on long sleeve knit-ware can be warmish.  I can almost trick myself into believing that I am not wasting a perfectly fine day because I am making some surprising headway in the disposal process.  I just went through these sweaters a year or so ago, hanging them up nicely in my non-closet spare room, but now I am taking them all back down, re-folding most, and tossing several into a bag for disposal.

The object to thinning out the hoarding is to make the separation quick, like ripping off a bandage.  I know that I have to get the clothes out of my house before I have a chance to think twice about any of them.  I have some errands to run (oh, look, I'm actually going to make it outside) -- the bank, pick up my ailing sister's mail, deliver my ailing sister's mail, fill up the car's gas tank, hit the grocery store, get stamps, get beer, and wrap it all up at the post office dropping off my bills. 

Oh, yeah.  And drop that bag of sweaters into a bin behind the church.  There is no way that bag is coming back into my driveway with me.  It has to go; it has to go NOW.  I swing past the high school, through the construction zone, slalom through and over and around the raised road structures.  I am determined.  Nothing, not even an errant manhole cover, will deter me from this final piece of today's purge.

Perhaps it seems like a summer day fail.  I don't get to the beach, I'm not out kayaking, and I don't even take a walk.  (I did exercise this morning -- my biceps are impressive.)  I do, however, chink the armor that surrounds my random possessions.  I know, I know; it's just sweaters.  But still. 

I dust today, move a television, and fix the cable wire all by myself, too, but it's not nearly as invigorating as the sweater purge. Maybe I'll even take care of the empty hangers at some point.  Not today, though.  I know my "fabulous summer day" sacrificial limits.