A weekend tale with unrelated pics...in a way

I've had a cold all week, and therefore decided that I couldn't go away this weekend as planned - too sneezy, snuffly and probably infectious.   But DH went anyway and it was the perfect opportunity for me to complete a task that has been bugging me to complete for weeks.  

I organized and cleaned.

I know that I've posted that I've done that before but this was Serious Work.   Let me describe it. 

My clothes closet was COMPLETELY emptied out, vacuumed and scrubbed out, ALL winter clothes got sorted to give away or put into those space bags for next year. Same with the spare room closet.  And the back hall closet, the front hall closet and the three attic spaces in the "bonus" room.  I found shoes that I had put in the attic for "safekeeping" - at least 5 years ago.  

I was ruthless with what I kept and what I gave away. Ruthless!  My closets now have some space between the hangers, and everything is organized.  In the pile of junque in the attic - I found that I had 8 carry on suitcases, some nice, some miserable looking.  Three are going to Goodwill, and the remaining ones are waiting for DH to come back to we can figure out which ones to keep.   I sorted yarn, and knitting patterns, and what to keep, and what to let go.  I am letting a lot go. I sorted out the holiday attic space, which is also where I keep our photo albums, and multitude of loose photos.

 Clearly I am looking to find something in all this struggling /cleaning - it's not just control and organization, but more of a needing to know exactly what is up in those nooks and crannies, and to eliminate as much excess as I can.  I want to think about starting afresh, and need to know exactly what I have and what I don't need.   I don't feel that I can think about starting a new chapter in my life unless I have the old one under "control" (hahaha - who is ever really in control?) 

I'm sore after 3 days of this, every joint aches, and my feet hurt.  But I also feel good about completing this task, I've been meaning to do it for years.  I still have a cold, and I'm glad that I didn't take a trip - although I did go to a cookout at a friends farm on Sunday.  We sat under giant maple trees with a gentle breeze keeping us cool - it was amazingly relaxing. 

I did find a few funny things - photo's that I had redeveloped  (must be 20 years ago that I found the negatives and had them reprinted)  of me at camp in upstate New York.  It was parents weekend, where your mom and dad came up for a visit and brought you goodies and then watched you do stuff.    I think I am about 8 years old - and it was 8 weeks away from home with only one visit from the family.  

Look at those knee socks. 

That's my mom in the background, with her white pants and white handbag.  I have no idea what is tied around my neck or waist - maybe a hat?

City girl goes country.  Oy. 

I also found a postcard that my folks had saved, which I must have written to them before they came up. It started out "Dear Mom and Dad - bring candy...."  

That was my weekend.  I feel a bit smug and every so satisfied that I have it done.  Now I feel that I can move onto another project - something that a dear friend is going to help me with - my family history cooking book.  

And more comics! 

I hope that you all had a good, satisfying, relaxing, remembering weekend.