Today I join my fellow bloggers in "serving up a slice"
for hosting this meeting place each Tuesday
and for nurturing our writing lives.
Stair climbers . . . I remember my first encounter decades ago at a health club. Modern man's instrument of torture, second only to the stationary bike. I banned both from my life. But yesterday I indulged in stair climbing with weights.
In June 2013 I brought home several boxes and crates from my classroom promising to spend some time organizing them over the summer. Sunshine, lunch on the deck, good books, and walks with friends enticed me more than organizing. I never moved those boxes back to school. If there was something that I couldn't find, I just reminded myself to look in the boxes and crates in the guest bedroom.
Fast forward June to 2014, the end of the school year and the end of my teaching career. I moved 30+ boxes out of my classroom and into the garage at home. My husband kept reminding me that the boxes had to gone by January since our contractor would need the garage space during our kitchen remodel project scheduled for February. I whittled away, a box or two a week, but as the weather grew cooler working in the garage was not on my list of desired activities. So in December I moved the remainder of the boxes into the guest bedroom. A perfect activity for the slow days of January, right? And then a friend took a medical leave, and I stepped into her shoes as school librarian for six weeks. Plus I had my share of moving and packing of boxes to do in preparation for the kitchen project.
Yesterday I lugged the teaching boxes and crates upstairs into my son's former bedroom, now dubbed the junk room by my husband. My son, Blake and his wife, Stefi were coming for a quick visit. No one wants to sleep in a room surrounded by boxes.
My organizing project has reached the end of the road. There's nowhere else to go, no more stairs to climb, no other place to stash my treasures. It's time to purge and organize. My six weeks in the school library are done, and I'm filled with hope.
I can so relate with this picture. When I moved grade levels I had many lower level books that I boxed up. My daughter is going to be a teacher and I wanted her to have them. They are in our basement and looks just like your picture. But looking on the bright side - think of the calories you burned just moving them!
ReplyDeleteYour classroom "stuff" will bring new learning opportunities to other classrooms, Ramona, and your teaching self will live on. Good luck with this endeavor!
ReplyDeleteI still have packed boxes that I brought home when I retired. I guess it is time to go through them and see what I really need to keep.
ReplyDeleteI love the photo - my pile was just as large. I also had a husband who told me we had to clear the garage. It was hard to see old friends (my go to books) move on but move on they did.
ReplyDeleteI hope you enjoy the new kitchen - I love the one we just finished. It must be a fad - retire and re do your kitchen.
I love this idea of shuffling the boxes from place to place, with no place left to shuffle. Although, I am not sure those boxes look as messy as what you made them sound. I think they might be able to live in the guest room for awhile...
ReplyDeleteYou remind me of the many "moves" in my career. These boxes are your legacy. Not easily put away.
ReplyDeleteIn due time, you will handle the boxes for the final time, but you can choose that time. What's the rush? Right?
ReplyDeleteI just had to chuckle as I read your post. It's difficult to let go or deal with procrastination...maybe a little of both. Those boxes look pretty comfy right now so no hurry.
ReplyDeleteOh, Ramona, I have to do this in June, don't know how, but at least you've given me hope that it can happen. I plan to have a big garage sale too. I'll give some away at school, then move the rest home-no garage, looks like 2nd bedroom will have to do. Best wishes to you in this "quest"!
ReplyDeleteI really don't have a a problem giving away other things, but books are a different story! Good luck on your organizing journey! Perhaps this too will stretch you in a new way, and maybe you will find a treasure or two!
ReplyDeleteGood luck in your organization quest, Ramona. And enjoy your beautiful kitchen!
ReplyDeleteHi Ramona! It's me Kim, from NCTE. Oh my! I've been there. I know about all kinds of places to stash. I will bet there are lots of teachers who see your picture and wish they could help you work through those boxes. I'm sure there are treasures just waiting to be used. A new kitchen! How exciting!
ReplyDeleteI can so identify --- I have about the same amount of boxes that were once in my garage, and then on the west wall in the basement, and are now on the east. All these school things, these classroom things, I keep thinking --- someone should want these...and I keep thinking about a garage sale too. Then, I also keep thinking --- if I would just work on unpacking a few a week, it'd be done. But, alas....this looks like next summer's task. Scratch that --- we'll be at the pool. And, I'll endulge in all the TV I miss during the school year. And, again I'll be back to unpacking whenever the spirit moves. All this the long way of saying, I get it. Good luck, Ramona. And, awesome that you'll get to enjoy a new kitchen!!! Post pictures!
ReplyDeleteYou make me smile. I'm happy to be reading your words on the first of March.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Ruth
I wish my piles looked so organized! Good luck with your purging. Can't wait to see photos of your new kitchen!
ReplyDeleteOrganizing little by little. I bet stories will grow from the memories stored.
ReplyDelete