Like many Cancerians I loathe any change in routine...but I had a seasonal urge to 'Autumn clean' and there was a desperate need to make space in our tiny Hovel (originally a little 'one up one down' for a farm labourer and presumably his wife and numerous children). We negotiate little pathways round furniture, books, magazines...all much needed of course! As I said, I am a fairly typical Cancerian. But a big clear out has been on the cards for years, and we had acquired some old bookcases (an unheard of luxury). It all started well; taking things apart is the easy bit...
But what to do with the stuff we didn't want? Enter Freecycle. Give stuff away, or take other people's unwanted treasures. Win-win situation. Within hours of putting a couple of offers up, I had a taker for my battered old accordion and several boxes of jumble. A whole car load to be sold in aid of the RNLI. It was actually incredibly liberating to let go of so much stuff I simply have lost interest in. Times and tastes change, even for Cancerians. We still haven't found a home for the partially knackered midi system, in tasteful black ash laminate, which we've been carting about since student days. If you live in the Oxfordshire area and want one, with big speakers, e-mail me...at least half of it works, including the record player.
The best give-away was the accordion. I remember buying this from a charity shop when I was 17 or so. I never did learn it, or get round to mending it. Bit of a specialist job, I suspect. After 21 years, it's time for it to move on. A lovely woman from the local amateur dramatic society popped round, thrilled to have another prop for their upcoming production of 'Frankenstein'. During our chat, I found myself tentatively volunteering my services as a scenery painter at a later date and promising to buy a ticket for the play. Whoever said the Internet would kill real social interaction, severely underestimated human nature.
Time also to pack away beloved frocks which will never quite fit in the same way again. Or at all. Some things I happily put in the recycling or jumble pile. I am not a sweatshirt kind of girl any more. Several old or valuable friends have been carefully wrapped in newspaper (a classic remedy for repelling moths) and cedar scented cards tucked inbetween. The pretty rose scattered Liberty frocks, my threadbare purple tie-dyed hippy top, the 1960's yellow daisy mini-dress, the gorgeous vintage emerald lace number I picked up for pennies and never wore - the same tale of good intentions to mend it and never getting round to it.
Gradually we are getting straight again.
