Can we talk?

Closet Cleaning

         I'm the church clerk, which means I take minutes at quarterly business meetings and keep a notebook of all meeting reports, etc. For some reason, the clerk keeps everything, including old materials. Today, for the first time in 3 years someone called about notes from 1997. I said, "Sure, I'll look it up."

         For the first time, I opened up the plastic boxes and went through the old notebooks. I've only been using the books from the last 5 years. It turns out that my information starts in 1998. The previous clerk gave me everything she had. So we're missing all the things prior to that. The clerk before her has passed away, and so has her husband. So if she kept anything, it's long gone.

         I keep the old boxes in the closet in the foyer. We actually hardly ever use that closet. Dad jammed some things that had belonged to my late brother in there, along with other boxes. So when I went into the closet, I noticed some cobwebs in the ceiling of the unlighted closet. It has a tall ceiling, because the foyer is sort of big for this little house in the split level entrance. So I decided to clean.

         I pulled everything out and discovered lots of goodies. I didn't know the Pillsbury Doughboy lived in that closet, but there he was. There was a box of picture frames and some old pictures. There were two new, unused crystal vases! I also found a toy iron, a tennis ball with no bounce, an out of date necktie, a plain metal Slinky, and several boxes of candles for the Christmas Eve lights. I threw out the necktie, the tennis ball, and a small toss pillow. I played with the Slinky, realizing that they now come plastic coated in neon colors. I consolidated the candles, took the vases to the dining room, and mixed two other boxes together to make it roomier. I vacuumed the closet and the whole foyer. I even found a pair of my mother's boots. She passed away in 2007, so the boots are going to charity.

         Tonight, when the old man came home from work, I gave him a rundown on the inventory, so that he could find things. I also asked him to go through the coats and decide what he wants to keep, wash, or give away. He's already done his winter clothes in his bedroom and the snow shoveling jackets he keeps in the garage. One little phone call failed in its purpose, but boosted me to a small personal achievement.