Pat Rack Junior...

OK, here are the after photos. I have taught my daughter too well. She is a pack rat extraordinaire...She is much worse than I am. Purge is not a word in her vocabulary. I, on the other hand have little difficulty with it. Why I buy in the first place (bargains?) is another question. But today, while the girls were at school I tackled Nicole's room. Her satellite orphanage is now set up and won't be shut down by children and youth. I have purged three large garbage bags and three bins from her room. Some of her dear possessions will relocate to the storage room, some will go to Hand Up, some to a yard sale, and some to a family whose girls are the perfect size. Now, sit down before you look at the before photo...

This is what it was. Never mind finding clothes that were clean. Don't even think about coordinating matching anything. It was a nightmare, partly because it become one of the last depositories for all things Nicole that were all over the house. The Saturday Box is going to make its 2009 debut. If it is out and doesn't get put away, it goes in a Saturday box, to be reclaimed on Saturday, but only if it goes back where it belongs, otherwise it will end up at HUF, never to be re-purchased again.

I had my mom take my picture and I swear the flash did go off, but you could never tell.

I have been thinking about renaming my blog. My friend Theresa thinks it should simply be,
"Welcome to Kathy's World." I am somewhat partial to, "Living Life on the Edge Trying Not to Fall Off" and also under consideration is, "Flying Through Life by the Seat of Your Pants."

So, here are the things that could have caused me stress today, but did not:

• Nicole's room.
• My mother brought yogurt with her from NY and put it in my pantry instead of the fridge.
• A phone call from a friend giving some sage advice about financial matters that my dad needs to take care of ASAP. Only problem is, he is in London, and no one could give us the correct city code for London. I had to pay $7.95 for International Directory Assistance.
• I have been working on arranging for a visiting speaker for our church this weekend and now we are getting a foot of snow; prudently he cancelled, but I am bummed because I wanted to hear him speak (Sherman Bradley, City Gospel Mission, Cincinnati) and was having a dinner party tomorrow night. I get psyched up for these things, so it not happening is bumming me out.
• Howie is not happy that somehow the fish tank that was in what is now our shared office is taking up 25% of the surface space of his desk, and my mom is not happy that the filter is not plugged in. One frog and one sucker fish have been managing without bubbles and gold fish food for sometime now.
• My mom is a pack rat also, (what can I say, it is a family trait) and is preparing for Armageddon now in her new bedroom, storing cans of Progresso Soup under her bed instead of putting them in the kitchen.

Sigh.

So what's your vote for new blog title?

PS In trying to figure out what is the best way to go about re-booking the airline tickets (why pay a change fee when more than likely the flight will end up cancelled anyway?) I spoke with a lovely Travelocity agent in India named Balwant, and I even pronounced it correctly! Score two points for me!

Peace. And stay warm and safe, and if the snow is flying in your neck of the woods tomorrow, hunker down, bake some cookies, and pull out a game.