You Done With That&;#063;

Anything not used daily takes space that can be used for air. Get
rid of it, was my motto! I always said, 'when the kids are grown we'll
move to a smaller, clutter~free place.'

While ten kids turned into people the size of me and passed down their
belongings from one to another before moving out, I'd been getting rid
of other items; the plastic cups, the swing set, the out-grown bikes,
and bunk beds and dressers. It was a constant turn-over of riddance and
renewal.

After the last child had gone, we moved to a nice little two bedroom
flat and were fairly clutter~free for the first time in our lives. Our
oldest daughter and her new family came to visit for the first time,
and I knew that we didn't have enough towels or blankets, and had no
toys or furniture for her kids. We bought things and brought in our
futon from the garage in preparation.

I spoiled those grand kids rotten and bought them anything they wanted,
whether they needed it or not. Soon even our small yard was content
with skooters, toys and skates. After a busy week I was sad to see them
go, and I looked around my quiet home and noticed work that would fill
that initial 'missing them' period. I now had too much furniture, a big
wheel, pillows and blankets stacked in my tiny closet, a little plastic
pool and a sand box that the grandkids would surely out~grow, and a
small plastic dinette set; just to name some of it. My friend called
and I told her I was thinking of having a sale.

"Why? I think you ought to be collecting things," she said. "Your
daughter will hopefully be back next summer and your other kids will
have families some day too. Why sell and replace all the time?"

Suddenly I'm not sure our new home can accomodate us; even for just a
weekend! We got by with the futon this time, but now that I think about
it we also need a hide~a~bed couch, a spare room with bunkbeds in it, a
bigger kitchen with those little plastic cups and a basement for all
the stuff we only use once a year! I wonder where I'll put the swing
set? And wouldn't it be nice to have enough yard for an Easter Egg
hunt?

So..... instead of advising young mothers to 'get rid of it'.... I say,
'you done with that?'...