I have been out of town a lot lately. Reading and attending poetry events and workshops. Lots of poems percolating. I got married for the first time in 1988. Registered for a set of grey Mikasa dishes. Have used them since then. A few pieces from the 8 place settings have been dropped and broken over the years, but the set is pretty much intact. For the past few months I've been on the lookout for a new set of dishes -- finally found some I really like. So it's time to get rid of the grey ones. As well as some white ones that came along with the current spouse (there are more of the white ones that I didn't bother to put in the photo). He prefers the new set too, so is willing to donate the whites. I plan on taking these to a transition shelter that puts together packages of basic furnishings to help people when they move to a new place. It's weird holding new mugs and seeing food served on a colour other than grey or white, but so far the new dishes are a nice change. I expect we'll be using them for at least the next 20 years. Bear always helps me pack my overnight suitcase.

Tags: kitchen, cats, February 2010

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the house. Who knew we had so many extra phones? And I'm just getting started on getting rid of the cassette tapes. I still have a player and I suppose I will keep a few, but really, I should just buy replacement music on iTunes and ditch the tapes. Was never fond of rewinding or fast forwarding just to find a specific song. I often put a song on repeat and listen to it two or three times in a row. Hard to do that with a cassette. The book was a tough slog. Never did finish it, though I found the self-absorption of the author quite fascinating. If you ever want to read every single detail about someone's life, every thought and brain burp, this is for you.

Tags: phone, books, music, February 2010

I have been pretty diligent about taking photos of everything I've gotten rid of, whether or not I wrote about it. That means I have some photos lurking on my drive that I can start to haul out when I don't feel inclined to go through the process of finding something, snapping it and posting it. Here are two things that were in the old shed. I didn't want them in the new shed. A pump and a frame for a chair. My friend Karen gave me the frame years ago, along with a paper pattern of how to rebuild the seat and chair back. Another project that was low on my list. Have to eliminate those projects -- I'm getting too old.

Tags: miscellaneous, February 2010

Never did know how to pronounce it properly. 27 magazines from 1995 to 2000. I'm sure some of the articles are still relevant. I took a quick look through and pulled out 2 with cover stories that caught my interest. "Wild at Heart: How pets make us human" and "The Trouble with Romance: Why our search for true love misses the mark." I know, I should have left them in the pile too, but I'll throw them on the bathroom floor and see if I have time to leaf through them. I posted the 27 on craigslist as a free giveaway. If no one wants them, I will donate them somewhere.

Tags: magazines, February 2010

Of course I'm posting a photo of you from 27 years ago. It's how we'll always remember you. Miss you lots.

I got sad news last week. Enough said. Not very inspired or imaginative discards today. Some small melamine dishes (actually 3 of them) that I used for cat food, but I prefer porcelain. A metal screen to stop oil splatter from a frying pan -- don't use it. And an insert for a pressure cooker. Don't have a pressure cooker, haven't used one since I lived with my parents. Can't remember where it came from. I need a drink.

Tags: kitchen, household, February 2010

I'm in the middle of a four day reunion with a group of poet friends. One of them is a train fan, so I'm giving her these two books. The blue book is a textbook of sorts called "A Real Book" about trains. The other is the story of building the railway from Mombasa to Lake Victoria. I've ridden the Nairobi to Mombasa stretch many times. It's an overnight trip. You start in Nairobi, high elevation, no humidity, just before dark and wake up in the morning to heat, moist air, mango trees and a hint of salt and ocean breezes (if you're lucky) and end up in Mombasa just in time for a late breakfast.

Tags: books, February 2010