today was a doozy

the extend of the holiday decor, it just didn't happen.

 Today, the mister and I decided to go through all the boxes of crappity-crap in an attempt to organize and make the new tiny casa more like home (a clean and organized home).  At some point I could tell the mister was losing it. Heck, I was losing it. There was stuffity stuff here and crappity crap there, it was so overwhelming I wondered how I would feel if I simply gathered it all, all, ALL up and tossed it. With each glance out the window at the mister in the carport attempting to organize suitcases of paper of all things, I could see his shoulders slouching lower and lower. We a-go-gos are pretty harmonious but today I tell ya, was not exactly a happy-go-lucky kind of day. Man, I have too much stuff. Not even stuff stuff...more like craft stuff. Some of it is easier than the rest to organize. Ribbon goes with ribbon, yarn with yarn, etc. But how do you organize a box of die cut shapes, glittery letters, laser cut keys and bound book innards? If you ever see me enter a craft store I give you permission to slap me. And it is not as if I purchased every last bit of craft crap, a lot of it yes but I also inherited oodles from my mamos and my granny. A good bit of it came from my old swapping days and other bits are thrift finds or craft scraps I cannot bear to part with and as I sorted and reminisced I found myself imagining my future as a withered little lady in a dingy dark space surrounded by old used gift wrap and books tied together with scraps of yarn that have been knotted together to extend their use. I will trip over cereal boxes I am saving for some use to set up a lovely tray of lemonade served up in old peanut butter jars. And then it hit me...I will be surrounded by crappity crap that is TOO PRETTY TO USE.

This needs to stop. I need an intervention. I managed to throw away actual trash and fill a box for donation. I teared up in frustration at my codependency with crafting supplies. I apologized to the mister so many times he blew his top and rode off on his bike to pick up a sandwich for us to share. I need to live near other crafty people so that they can come over and use up my supplies. I need to learn how to socialize so that I am not buried by buttons and itty bitty fraying fabric scraps. I need a new me. A better me. A me who is still me but can clear her noggin and create nifty creations and not hold on to things. Seriously folks, I threw away business cards from old crafty friends of years gone by and I felt guilty. I found old pX postcards and liberated them to the recycling bin with an apology to their sender. I thoroughly enjoyed rereading and revisiting so much of this and I was and am excited to have rediscovered crafty bits I thought had run away but I also felt weighed down, I DO feel weighed down so I need to think, think, think of how to move forward.

Of course, during this whole day, whilst greeting old forgotten fabric scraps with giggles and hellos, wanting to tear my hair out over the enormity of it all, my mind started to wander to my closet and the clothing I am holding onto and an idea to start anew and...and...and...

Slaperooni! Hold on a sec while I shake my head vigorously. Maybe THAT will clear it out. Drats...it didn't work. I will try again tomorrow. How ridiculous is it that I titled this post to write about the super nifty rummage/antique store I finally visited but instead documented the mundane day I and the mister had. If you are wondering, things are calmer. He made dinner and I sorted stationery and then we watched a little netflix. He's here on the sofa next to me as I tip-type away. He, huddled under a gray blanket and me in a polka-dotted bathrobe and mis-matching socks. I'm still ick with sick (it has morphed from cold to chest ick) and hack, hacking up a storm. We've got all our holiday stuff finished and a plan for tomorrow. So other than my magpie tendencies and his lack of magpie-ishness we're good. Tired and cranky, but good.

Hopefully tonight will not be as cold as last night (it was COLD) and tomorrow I will actually get the butter softened enough to bake gingerbread and some wonder cookies. Merry Christmas Eve Eve friends and Happy Hanukkah. Smooches from me to you!