You can keep my things, They’ve come to take me home

You can keep my things / They’ve come to take me home...a famous line from one of my favourite Peter Gabriel songs. 

I'm dealing with many 'things' this week in preparation for a yard sale I have decided to hold with my neighbour. Hosting a yard sale- eesh. Despite my better judgement and general loathing of garage sales and the like, I am busy gathering items to offer for sale to perfect strangers that I will invite into my yard, and allow to filter through my excess crap. 

The Peter Gabriel reference is due to the fact that I slogged through our collection of CD's this morning in preparation for sale.  I carefully examined each case and removed the empty ones, void of their contents due to thieves who helped themselves to the glove box of our car on numerous occasions.  Seeing the empty cases made me sad. Lost is- in my opinion a great selection of music. Very eclectic and the soundtrack of many road trips for Spouse and I as we cruised through our 20's and early 30's -pre-kids.  

We long ago abandoned owning a stereo system and  recently sold enormous Cerwin Vega speakers that my husband was having an affair with for years while we waited for the kids to get older and less destructive before investing in another system to power them.  I'm sure our neighbours will appreciate this sacrifice made by Spouse.  Those speakers have great sound, but create enemies.  We like our neighbours, but I'm certain they don't share our taste in music. 

Even harder to part with was the CD's themselves. I carefully reviewed, examined and weighed the importance of each disk. I was suddenly channeling Rob the main character in High Fidelity by Nick Hornby (which BTW is a great read that I highly suggest) Each disk marks a moment in time, a location where we lived and documents a decade or so of life for Spouse and I. 

How do you choose your favourites? It's like deciding which kid you like more.  Spouse and I are both kind of music nerds, not as hard core as some and for the last 10 years out of the loop when it comes to current trends-but we know what we like and enjoy it.  So I saved what I thought was iconic. Iggy Pop, Bruce Springsteen and Buffalo Tom.  I salvaged all of the "Best of" Albums and the rare Live selections.  Classics like The Jam, Billy Bragg and Wilco, all of the R.E.M. and Pearl Jam. I tried to be ruthless, knowing in my heart that I can likely find all of this music online somewhere. But something made me hang onto about half of the disks we had in our library. As far as decluttering an epic fail, but a small victory as I reluctantly part with some of the less favoured 'middle children'.   

I will place these discarded, carefully sorted disks on a table in a week or so and hope that someone will walk up offer me a dollar or two. Deep down I suspect (and maybe secretly hope) that I will end up bringing most of the box back into the house and carefully place each one back into the library of those saved from the yard sale. 
Alphabetized along with the U2 collection, wedged in between Hole, Ween and my Police collection (which will have to be pried from my cold dead hands).

I've saved the empty cases for reference. I have promised myself I will download all of those old favourites onto my iPod.  Thank you iTunes.  

I'm wiser.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDDNH7GwAWM

  

Lazy R Us

Hi, yeah I know it's been a while.
Well I've been busy, underwear doesn't wash its self you know. No one likes dirty gotch.
OK OK laundry isn't that time consuming.

I've also been keeping an eye on the numerous City crews who stand around that giant sink hole across the street, that at 8 or so months old still has not been repaired. At least now there are barriers and a shit load of lumber surrounding it. It fills an entire half a street so it slows the traffic if anything.
Speaking of City crews, don't get me started on the parade of trucks and workers that stand and stare at the massive scar that remains on my boulevard after a water main break last October. It now finally has some pretty pink paint. The purpose of the paint remains a mystery, but rest assured my eyes will be to the street.
I'm tempted to bury parts of a dismembered baby doll in the soil, just a foot or hand sticking out for the next crew of looky-loos just to see their reaction. Who knows maybe they'll actually fix something in response to zombie death doll.

Still not buying how busy I've been?

How about this, besides hiding from Church people that come to the door (a task that's harder than it sounds) I've been caring for kids. Feeding them, entertaining them, keeping them from killing each other and setting up the occasional slip and slide?

Still no huh. The doll thing took a lot of thought...no?  

Would you believe that I've just been lazy?

WINNER.

Yep. Been lazy. Caught up in the routine of day to day with both kids at home. Don't judge me. I have made an attempt or two to write, but the interruptions are relentless. The phone, the door, my kids, their friends, most days it's just easier to jot down an idea and save it for later then bugger off to the pool.

Don't feel sorry for me? Jeez. I'm dealing with a lot of stuff you know.
I am an Equipment Manager. Psychologist. Relationship Therapist. Wardrobe Stylist. Party Planner. Tutor. Personal Assistant, Chef and a Preschool Teacher.
I think I deserve to be a little lazy now and then. Still not buying it huh?

LAZY. Pure and simple. Savoring daylight hours spent in the sun with my brats. Enjoying watching their skin slowly turn brown and laughing at the electric blue Freezie smiles on their faces. I've learned that scraped knees are easily cured with a kiss and ice cream and it's OK to stay in PJ's all day and watch movies.
I'm relishing this time and know I'm spoiled for getting to spend it with them.
And you'd be SO proud of me. I rarely yell. REALLY. Well OK I've been known to scream a bit. Cut me a bit of slack, July and August spent with two kids can be, um, "challenging".

School is starting in a few weeks. 19 days to be exact. But who's counting.