Contained Clutter

Tidy– for now
I love our house the morning after a party, especially when I manage to get things cleaned up and back in their proper places. Everything is still so tidy! (I had help!)
Before the party, I squirreled away the clutter that lived on surfaces, multiplying whenever I looked away. The now tidy surfaces are a good place for memories to dance.
And what memories! Last night – at the rescheduled birthday blowout – Doug thanked God for all the people helping us celebrate – half of whom were twelve and under. Best presents ever!

Celebrating — NOT counting!
Shortly, though, the clutter will remerge . . . mainly books, papers, and bits and bobs of our lives. However, I am determined to find better places for this stuff.
Following the suggestion and example of friends, I’ve relinquished three bags of clothes and books.
I’ll keep at it, I hope.
It’s Lent, after all.
What better time to inventory all that I have, and share . . . not junk, but practical, clean, and attractive things I would buy. No spotty tee shirts, no books with torn or defaced pages; no worn out, scruffy shoes.
MEMO: Give away good stuff. The junk, take it to the dump.
Remember — I am giving to bless people not distress them! (see Dear World, Let’s Stop Giving Our Crap to the Poor.)
The excellence of a gift lies in its appropriateness rather than in its value.– Charles Dudley Warner
So, my big challenge will be — in the remainder of Lent – one I set for myself. Give so I fill a bag a day, or there about. I’ll keep you posted. I come up with great ideas; follow through is not always a given.
BTW: Yes, I am still knitting. Maybe by Easter, I will have assembled the patchwork of “squares.” As you can see, I have learned again that making knitted squares is an art and a discipline. I was told, cast on the same number of stitches, and use a counter to know when to end it. This is a true truth.

Knit, Knit, Knit
I always pass on good advice. It’s the only thing to do with it. It is never any use to oneself. ~Oscar Wilde, An Ideal Husband, 1895
Happy belated birthday to my sweet Uncle Doug! Love you dearly and appreciate the post. Mark loaded five bags for me last night to take to donate. Keep up the good work!
Hooray for you . . . an due, too. Filled bag this week . . . slowing down.
The patchwork lap blanket is beautiful, what a blessing it will be to one of our veterans.
I’m off to fill a bag of stuff that can be used, the junk will go to the dump. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you good friend for reading . . . I did one small bag of clean shirts and sweaters — this am.
xoxoxoxo
Yeah you!