For the want of a car a wheel was lost...

For the want of a car a wheel was lost. For the want of a wheel the computer table was lost. For the want of the computer table some money for the charity shop was lost.

A week or so ago I had brought home a small table someone had left on the pavement to be taken away. So I was able to get rid of the computer table, used as a side table.

I checked with the charity shop yesterday that, in these days of lap-tops and tablets, they could sell a computer table, and they could. So today I wheeled it there, but it lost two of its wheels and the screws that held in the keyboard flap. So not in sellable condition!

I wheeled it home again, leaving it outside in the hope that the East European totters would take the metal and I could then fit the "wooden" bits in the wheelie bin. If I had passed a skip on the way home I would have heaved it in there, but the only skips were right opposite my house and outside the house two doors up.

This evening when I went to feed my neighbour's cats, the whole computer table had gone.

Most of the time I don't need a car, but every now and then like today it would be really useful!

Charity shops ungreen for the weak-willed

Charity shops are very ungreen for the weak-willed like me.

If I had, for instance, only china I'd brought in a department store, I would have a day-to-day set and a set for guests plus a few bits and pieces.

Because I get my china for charity shops, where the china is affordable and if I go away and think about it it could be sold to someone else, I have lots of china. I have pretty, flowery china, earthenware pottery, blue and white china, green with white inside denby, plus lots of bits and pieces. And rather unbalanced sets as well.

I'm a single woman who doesn't entertain often!

My mother was up for a long weekend, so she ate off a different plate for every meal. We had raspberry soya dessert and home-made chocolate pudding out of little blue and white, which was definitely the first time I had used them!

Successful outfit hinders clearout!

I went to a funeral on Friday. It was a celebration of the life of Violet, who had been a very creative, fun  woman so we were asked to not to dress all in black.

I wore a grey dress, very flattering fit, that I haven't been able to get into for several years, so very pleased to find it fits nicely now. I had a plastic handbag with a cat on (really nice, not "chocolate-boxy" at all) which Violet would have loved. I had lots of people admiring it. Then I had a long red scarf with embroidery at the ends which I got from Traidcraft years and years ago and haven't worn for years, a small red bag on a shoulder strap for my season ticket and keys which I got at a charity shop last year, and a red, plastic bangle I got from the same charity shop only a fortnight ago.

I was very pleased with the result.

The trouble is I want to have a good clear out of stuff from my house this year. But if I can use with such success stuff I haven't used for years it is going to make some decisions to get rid of stuff much harder!

So far I have got rid of several books and some china and glass. But reducing the amount in the dresser cupboard not as successful as I had hoped! But I plan to spiral in on the clutter, and this is only the first go round.

Spring weed and rescuing soft toys

This morning I have been out in the garden giving it a general weed. I find a good weed at the beginnning of the season helps to keep the weeds under control the rest of the summer. Let them get out of control now and it's hard, hard work for months.

I've left the foxgloves in the deep beds. I'll get most of those out when I start sowing the vegetables (and it's March so I should already have started!). Each year I scatter the seeds of foxgloves and poppies all over the flower beds but they insist on coming up in the vegetable beds!

Yesterday kayaking up the river Lea (not the Navigation) above stonebridge lock I rescued two Santa soft toys, a teddy in a Santa jacket, and a shark. I left behind one teddy that was too muddy to try saving. I had all 4 of the rescued toys in the washing machine this morning. They have come out better than I expected. One of the Santas is a dog toy, so I'll take that for my friends' dogs, Pip and Fred, to play with. The shark will go to the charity shop next visit, and the Santa and Santa teddy I'll take next December.

Freegle frustration

I put 4 things onto Freegle I didn't think a charity shop woiuld take 3 weeks ago.  Two things easily got rid of, one a little hiccup, but the third has been offered in turn to 3 people who wanted it before it was finally collected.  It is so much easier to take items to the charity shop that are acceptable and small enough to go in the shopping trolley that I am surprised so many people on Freegle offer stuff in that category.

At least in my list of "in" and "out"* I have been able to add 4 things to the out list.

*the lists don't count food, toiletries, cleaning products and books.

Knowing I will have to write down what I buy does make me hesitate before I purchase and that occasionally means I decide I don't need something afterall!