The purge

The Merriam-Webster dictionary gives several definitions for the word purge.  The two I am referring to right now are: to get rid of; or to make free of something unwanted. 

I have started the purge, which was the next phase of moving Madolyn's room downstairs and the home office upstairs.  I am purging all of the files that were stuffed into three two-drawer filing cabinets in the basement.  I began by bringing stacks of file folders with me to work, and in my free time, I'd sort, save and shred.  I would drag a huge bag of paperwork to work and return home with a much lighter, condensed version of the important stuff.  I repeated that process a couple days and felt pretty good about my progress.

Until I realized that the two other filing cabinets were still full.  The stuff I brought was stacked on top of one cabinet and in the 'working' drawer.  So next I spent an entire evening going through two of the three mini file cabinets I had things stored/stashed away in.  Holy Smokes.  I had every single one of our tax returns in there since we've been married. 

I found Lane's hospital pictures, whoa, they were frightening.  Madolyn decided Lane looked like a Guinea pig.  I can't say I disagree with her a whole lot...but don't tell Lane I said that.  I wonder what people really thought when they saw our little man.  I wouldn't be surprised at all if  "He's breathtaking" ran through people's minds.  (Re: Seinfield.)   I told Madolyn not to give Lane too much heck about the pictures, she looked like a sumo wrestler.  And if I could find them, I would show her.  I'm pretty sure it would shut her up.

By the time I was through with the purging of the files, I had a laundry basket full of sheets of paper, stacked one right on top of the other.  It was FULL.  I was shocked, especially considering all the shredding I had done at work.  My little man Lane came along and helped by making paper balls.  It's really not helpful at all, but he loves it. He used to do it all the time thinking it was useful for making fires in the wood stove.  Not really, but he would spend hours, no joke, crumpling up scrap paper.  As we speak, in my kitchen, there are two boxes of 'fire balls' and one laundry basket of paperwork ready to be burned...if the wind would ever calm long enough to do so without starting a forest fire.

The amount of paperwork that has surfaced is unbelievable.  Jay says it's because I am a hoarder.  I say it is because I am lazy.  I'm terrible when it comes to filing paperwork and organizing that garbage...because it makes my head spin.  I truly am hoping that having the office upstairs will make a difference. 

My mom is treating me to an early birthday present this weekend.  She is repainting the room.   As I had just repainted Madolyn's room in August of last year, I was fully prepared to live with the rather shocking turquoise walls.  Apparently there are other members of my family that can't stomach the thought, and hey, as long as I am not the one painting the room, I would love for it to have a little makeover...so I am picking out a new paint color tonight.  Yee-Haw.

I'm kind of excited about decorating a room for me.  No one else is going to have any say-so in what is going on with the decor in this office.  (Yes, Jay, that means you.)  There will not be one single dead animal hanging from the wall.  Not one.  It won't be fancy, but I hope to make it cozy and inviting...inviting enough that I will WANT to file away paperwork because I really am running out of excuses.  The office being in the basement was my last good one.