Wool and Spice

I won! Barb Perry at Sheepgal is running a contest each week to name a special group of this year’s lambs. I suggested “Java” for Ewe Lamb #2 and Barb decided the name fit so I get a prezzie. (Don’t tell Barb but just having her pick the name is fun enough for me.) Go see the gorgeous little Ewes #4 & 5 that need names this week.  The naming theme is colors, with a liberal interpretation.  It’s extra special because these lambs are CVM/Romeldale lambs, a rare breed that Barb is just introducing to her farm this spring.

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More decluttering yesterday, this time in the kitchen.  When we cleaned out my mother’s house a few years ago, I pulled acres of plastic containers and glass jars out of the recesses of her cupboards.  My job yesterday was much along the same line.  I wanted to see empty shelf space when I was done.

I’ve inherited the gene that you don’t throw away items for which you “paid good money”, but at some point when does it stop being about thrift and start being hoarding? I use 60% of the items in my kitchen frequently, another 20%  a few times a year and the remaining 20% are there just in case I might need them someday. Or just because I paid good money for them.

I put my big girl panties on and made myself throw away yellowed plastic containers that are older than this house. Odd lots of canning jars. Honey jars I’ve been keeping because I like the shape (I kept one for storing hummingbird nectar this summer.) Little porcelain plates that came with a bottle of Saki over 25 years ago. The Saki is still here, guess I should throw that out tomorrow.  And 6 cheap wine glasses that we haven’t used in 20 years. I’ve been saving them just in case we ever needed to serve wine to more than 12 people. Like that’ll happen.

And look, I found a cake decorating kit, when did I buy that? I could have used it for the gingerbread men at Christmas.

Nearly used-up candles that aren’t good enough to display, but we might want them the next time the power goes out. (Hello, flashlights). A 35-year-old blender that leaks. And on.

By the end of the day, the car was full of boxes of household stuff that I dropped off at the thrift store today.

But I’m keeping the cake decorating kit. This year I’m making my own icing for the Gingerbread men and giving that pastry bag a try out.

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There’s been knitting going on too but nothing that seems to make a dent in any of the projects. The socka socka blanket is making slow progress, but is still fun. Kathy, Jan and Marianne have been generous with leftover sock yarns, so I’ve gotten some great colors recently.

I’m playing with another neckwarmer design. Playing as in I’ve got it all in my head, now I need to get needles and yarn involved.

And I finished Tourist Season by Carl Hiassen.  I went from being ho-hum about it to staying up late to finish it. If you gave me another of his books, I’d read it and probably enjoy it, but I’m not rushing to add him to my library holds. Maybe this summer.

Tags: decluttering, Sheepgal