A Deep Look

As I get older, maybe wiser, I know my life gets shorter. I've had some close calls with allergic reactions. My friends have as well. Last week I had a day where I couldn't do anything without having difficulty breathing. I began my steroid taper. A latex allergic friend suggested taking mucinex, too. What an improvement, very slow, but an improvement.

All this got me to thinking more than usual about the last years of someone's life, anyone or mine. I read the obits weekly, but as a nurse, I have always done that. I slowly find more people I know in there. Maybe I should give this up, but many times it reminds me to value every minute I have here.

I was checking estate sales last night, looking through all the pictures for two different sales. Both sales were similar, reminding me of life in the 50's. There were many religeous figures for each, showing a very devout wife. Both had tons of barware and bar memorabelia showing the husband side of their lives. The one I didn't go to also had a collection of Playboy. The old black and white tv in a blonde console with knobs and dials was featured at one.

As I looked through all these pictures last night, something began nagging at me. I'm not sure what it was. It could just be taking prednisone for a week. Steroid therapy, even for a week, can change mood and eating patterns.

I have been whittling down some of my stuff, but still have a long way to go.

I went to one sale today, not the Playboy sale. :) :) :) I saw lots of sales on the way that I thought I would stop at on the way home.

The woman who died had outlived her husband, but everything was there. Nothing had ever been thrown away or given to others. The bar was in the basement just like when I was growing up. This one had a wet bar which must have been added later. There were furs and lots of women's clothing in the basement and filling every closet in the house. Some still had sales tags on them.

I found 2 irons and 2 ironing boards. There were 3 tables of costume jewelry in the livingroom, many duplicates that were still on the cards. There was a quart size ziploc filled with women's watches. Halloween decorations filled a folding table in the basement. Christmas decorations had a table in the basement, and every closet had at least 3 boxed iluminating figures. There were Christmas decorations on what had originally been the breezeway, but was now enclosed.

The whole sale was pretty overwhelming for me. I could tell others were having similar feelings. We weren't having fun. It was very quiet. Conversations were going on, but no one was joking like what usually goes on during a sale.

I recognized myself in this woman. I had my days of being a shopaholic and buying at least 2 of everything. I recognized having clothing that never had the sale tag removed before it was passed on to someone else or donated. It's been a long time since I did that, but once in a while I do buy something that I will never wear. I still have my collections and stashes of fabric, yarn, and dolls.

Already, there was a long dumpster sitting in the driveway of this home. When I left, I just couldn't stop at any of the other sales, even though they were garage sales.

When I go, I don't want that. It's time to whittle faster. I need to sew, knit, or give it away to someone who will use it way sooner than I will. If it can go on EBay, it will go there.

I remember hearing if it doesn't get used in 5 years, it's time to get rid of it. I think that needs updating. If I haven't used it in a year, it should go.

I also think I'll take a break from estate sales and just stick to moving sales.

Sal