Genus Packratus

I'm still here - just been busy. We had a 3 yard dumpster dropped off yesterday morning. We're a little late to call it "spring" cleaning, but cleaning house we are nonetheless. Actually, the garage to be specific.

We have a two car garage. But you can't get a car in there. In fact you can barely move at all in there. Crap. It's all crap. And it seems that we do this once a year. Where does it come from? Granted we moved from a house in SF that was almost twice as big as this place and there are boxes in the garage that haven't been cracked open since they came off the moving truck. But it seems that every year, we can easily fill a 3 yard dumpster and still have enough to toss out in the driveway on a Saturday morning for some extra change.

I am a pack-rat. There, I said it. Not to the point where 20/20 is gonna call and do a story on me, but I can't bear to throw out (or donate) perfectly good stuff. I might NEED it someday. Over at Jeremy's blog I just listed the eight (yes, 8) macs I have sitting in boxes out there. That's wrong. I shouldn't have 8 computers in my garage. But I never got around to wiping the hard drives. I wanted to donate them, but now I don't even know if I could get them to boot up. Besides who would want them? But I can't just throw them out either. You see my dilemma.. or maybe not.

Here's what we've shed so far:
3 large mirrors
1 refrigerator
many empty boxes and packing material
old pool ladder
lots of (s)crap lumber (but I saved a little for my workbench I am going to build)

In the tag sale pile went:
portable futon
TV
VCR
CD player (not working)
set of old patio furniture
pair of cowboy boots
bag of unknown clothing
3 framed prints
skateboard
leaf blower
comforter
2 speakers
many games
one ridiculous alien sized ashtray
box of misc. brass plumbing hardware
a garbage disposal (new in box)
a white board
2 portfolio cases
1 wheelbarrow (I'm keeping the other one)

Not too bad huh? And we're not done yet. I think we might actually be able to get one of my cars in there when we're finished. And you know who I have to thank for all this? Mopsa, that's who. After seeing her garage I came home with a serious case of envy. I want a space like hers. It's big. It's tidy. You can park a car in there. You can have a beer out there and not wonder what that was that just scurried in the corner. That's the good life right there... Thanks buddy!