My weekend

I just spent the entire three-day weekend trying to organize the house in LA, and only managed to make a mess in the living room and an absolute nightmare in the garage. I now join my neighbors in parking my car on the street, because my two-car garage is full of junk.

Dawn and I prided ourselves on not being pack rats, but I realize now that we were just better at hiding it. In one closet I pulled out three blankets, five pillows, two comforters, six old cameras, an old clock, a coffee can of rolled change, an inflatable bed, a set of sheets, two rolls of wrapping paper, a bag of stuffed animals, and a portable outdoor propane heater. Oh, and clothes, too.

In another closet I had put all of the Pennsylvania paperwork -- everything related to the restoration, tourism, the business, etc. A year ago, it was all neatly filed in a dozen binders. Now it looks like an illustration from "Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout." I started to sort everything into piles, but then I just stuck it all in a box (and put it in the living room).

Our garage has overhead storage that was filled with paint cans, golf clubs, board games, computer stuff, and enough exercise equipment to start our own gym--none of which had been used in at least two years. Did I take the opportunity, then, to just put it all out with the garbage? No, I put it in the "Dawn review" pile. I'm pretty sure Dawn will just slide it to the "move" pile.

I also bought a cat carrier for our iguana, in preparation for driving her to Pennsylvania. (Iguanas can't fly because they can't adjust the pressure in their ears.) I can see us now: The top down, Bob Seger on the radio, just me and the iguana rolling down Route 66. That is, until Dawn calls and tells me to get my butt on the interstate.

If anyone needs car care products, beach chairs, a table saw, a relief map of Los Angeles, a laser printer, a bag of wooden shower curtain rings, a trellis, a bicycle with flat tires, or a box of 5" white tiles, please be sure to stop by our garage sale in a couple of weeks.

P.S. If you noticed I'm adding entries more often lately, it's because my Tivo broke.

This has nothing to do with me, but Dawn's been going nuts trying to figure out the exact shade to paint the dining room.