Back to the basement

I purchased more plastic tubs and went back into the basement. Cardboard is disappearing but the amount of stuff doesn't seem to be going away. I can't believe the amount of stuff we accumulate over the course of our life times and of course that's added to by the death of our parents and the things we inherit from them. For ten years these boxes have been sitting down there undisturbed until a recent water line break caused us to have to move things around and disruptted what we had come to feel as organized clutter. Suddenly things were everywhere and there were more boxes than we had before. I have boxes of clothes from over 10-20 years ago. Please! I won't ever fit into them again and even if I did they would scream some other decade. Out they go! Old luggage is going out. It's in good shape but no one uses suitcases anymore. They're huge! The very last box I opened was marked sports equipment. How thrilled was I to discover the tennis racquets that my hubby and I thought had disappeared years ago never to be seen again. They're wood! Yes, wood! I've had mine since I was 16 when my then boyfriend gave it to me for my birthday. Few more years and it can be called an antique, I guess. All kinds of treasures were unearthed today. A little tin wind up tank that I remember playing with for hours when I was a kid. It is coming apart but I didn't want to mess with it since I think those kind of toys have some value and it's better to let an expert fix it up. Most of my toys disappeared but there was a metal tea set tucked away in the same box. Some very old marbles, too. It will be kind of sad when I finish going through everything. No more surprises!

I made a run to the real estate office today to grab the handful of stuff that I had in my desk and mailslot. This whole thing has triggered the feelings that I went through back in 1991 when I lost my corporate job through downsizing. I'm understanding post traumatic stress a little better now. I still haven't made a decision as to what I'm going to do. I don't want to go to the office they're moving us to but if I don't then the several referrals that I have out there will be forfeited. Should be our turn to win the lottery and then it won't matter anymore!