On my way to Brighton, ON and the weather is groovy!

Today I left Toronto, headed for Brighton, ON, where my friend Christy (a fellow teacher) lives. The distance between Toronto and Brighton is 140km minus the 20km I pedaled today. I can't get over how mild it is outside, 13c right now even though the sun set 3 hours ago. Absolutely perfect for a little bike ride! 


Yup, it's 8:38pm on a Saturday night and I'm really living large sitting here in front of my computer. Though I do plan to meet Michael when he's done at Jambalaya, we might take in the new Twilight movie if he's done in time. 


In addition to sore knees from biking my hands hurt. I literally dug into the scary room that houses our furnace and hot water tank and where I used to do my carving until it became so full of our overflow of stuff there was no longer any room for ME! I didn't think to put on gloves til I noticed my hand was bleeding - yes it's like a jungle in there! 


See for yourselves: (I have no pride)

 Besides lots of junk (and a furnace - see it way over there?) this is a room full of tools, nails, screws, files, carving tools, sandpaper galore, ladders, snow shovel, coolers, etc etc etc. 

 Believe it or not that's my work table underneath that recycling bin, toolbox, hammer and other paraphernalia. Once upon a time (when I had no love life:) I would sit there for hours carving away creating wondrous sculptures made from stone, fossils, wood and soapstone....then I acquired a man and his life's accumulation of stuff and the wonder stopped! 

Not that I'm complaining (well, yes I am so shhhhhhhh!)! Usually my house gets super clean and organized over the summer when I'm off but that didn't happen this year as the moment school was finished we headed off to PEI and I put it all out of my mind. That's the thing about stuff though, it's quiet. As long as I kept the door to my workroom closed I could almost forget all that stuff was there. I think I'd be better off with noisy stuff that yells at me til I deal with it.


Stupid stuff.


I got about halfway through the room; here's what it looks like now.

 Yes, this room does have a floor. AND I found my cute black and white wellies and a nice pair of black boots. It's a bit like Christmas when you find things that you had actually forgot you owned! 

 Tools are organized and are feeling all happy now. 

And here's what's left to do - still a daunting day's work ahead of me - there's still lots to get rid of. 


And get rid of stuff I did!

 I'll be making a trip to the hazardous household waste depot this week - I'm getting rid of spraypaint and fixative some of which dates back to my days of teaching art almost TWENTY years ago. Yes, indeedy, we teachers like to hang onto stuff...just in case we might need it in another life...

 Many old cans of paint. That very bright pinky-orange is the colour Kazi wanted her room painted a couple of years ago. How many coats of primer do you think it's going to take when I repaint her room come time to sell the condo?

Along with several bags of garbage, already removed from this picture, I'm sending this stuff to Talize - more computer parts, Kazi's Hunter plaid comforters from her "bunkbed" period, old upright vacuum, curtain rods, wicker baskets and more. I'm really starting to make some headway and it feels grrrrrrreat!!


How did you spend YOUR Saturday??