I was raised poor. Some days, dirt poor. But my mom had that precious thing-- a sewing machine. She made me beautiful clothes, and she covered anything unlovely in our various homes with tasteful and pretty fabric.

From her I learned never to throw out fabric because, no matter how worn, there is always a piece with life in it. With that philosophy Hardi and I created a 5000 square foot home furnished (once we'd blended households) with less than a small apartment's worth of halfway decent furniture (laminate plus green stamps), and one genuine antique dresser (primitive), plus Goodwill and FreeCycle and discarded parishioners' pieces.... that 5000 sq feet was the only rental open, the summer we arrived. I just gave away--to my extreme pleasure-- the double mattress/spring I treated myself to right before we married, to a lady starting over and going for custody. Barely used, totally clean, plus maple frame left in the garage rafters by the house's sellers. Four more bags of seller's abandoned 'stuff' also came down which I also gave her and her helper to use or sell. The only item I brought in-- a hand-crocheted afghan throw-- in the color scheme of our newly-forming guest room in time for a weekend housemate. Baby afghans, brand new boots/shoes-- gone, plus a bulky twin mattress.

Tent, kept for evaluation. Tall enough, I'll sleep in it when I travel. Kept duffel to stow it in too. If not, give away.


~S~

Yay!