A few days ago I was looking for one of my favorite tops, a sleeveless, thin strapped, embroidered number with orchid and teal and toasty colors, and couldn’t find it. I made a mental note to reorganize my dresser drawers and look through the closet more carefully. Sometimes I fold and sometimes I hang.

Well this comprehensive organization I had in mind kept being put off and I did something I rarely do, which is to pick away at something without its being “the grand plan”. I went through my top drawer, no luck, but I put some stuff in a Goodwill box, and some stuff goes in the spare bedroom dresser for colder days, and the drawer is still too full. I made a mental note to deal with the other drawers. I organize by body – top drawer is tops, middle drawer is shorts, lowest drawer is jeans and other long, casual pants that don’t need to be hung. Who knew I’d ever have a “shorts” drawer. Florida does that to you.

Later I started picking away at the closet and tried some stuff on, and put at least 10 items in the Goodwill box. Note: if you keep saying no to something for 5 or more years, you are never going to say yes to it. Exceptions are the tailored, dark colored clothes I would wear in NY but not down here. I dream, so I keep them.

I put about 80 cleaners’ hangers in the trash. In NY, I’d return them to the cleaners, because it wasn’t a big deal. Down here it’s an expedition. One dotty clerk in a cleaning shop got belligerent and said she wasn’t buying the hangers, and I said I’m giving them to you Ms. Jerk. If I have to diss New York people, I choose the shop clerks who are paranoid.

I found my top in the closet, and then had to re-instruct myself to continue with my organizing because, very often, the catalyst that gets me started doesn’t last if I find what I am looking for.

I found a zip bag with parts to a Wahl clipper package, and I am tempted to throw these all out. I do not like to deal with a plastic thingy for that and change to a plastic thingy for the other. I will never use these parts. Also, the clippers, a large one with a cord, and a smaller one with a battery, do not work on the cats’ knotted fur. I neglected brushing and the knots are now unmanageable. I called the vet’s office and they said they don’t use Wahl, they use Oster and a good unit is about $300. Whoa. No wonder they work. I’ll be checking for a site that offers one for less. The vet lady said they would be glad to shave Chewy, the most knotted kitty, when we bring him in for a check-up. This would mean he would look like a male lion for a while.

I found a plastic box with “put aside for now” cosmetics and now I don’t need to buy lipstick for another 2 years. I think.

Ed bought a large canvas tote bag a few weeks ago (a bargain, of course) and I put it together with the other large cloth/canvas bags we have and am trying to find a place for them. I begged him not to buy anymore tote bags.

At Robb & Stucky (going out of business) recently, we bought two greatly discounted matching tables that will go under the new TV we will get when we can. While there, Ed found bedding for great discounts. He bought a king comforter that needs to be put into a duvet. It was, he said, “a steal” at $40. I’d like to get a “one-color goes with everything” duvet so we can use it without changing the other bedding. He also wanted to buy several incidental bed pillows, European sizes, needing another trip to find odd-size pillow cases. When we bought our last bed set, it came with two large square pillows, and three incidental pillows, as well as the king pillows you actually use. The spare pillows sit on the floor in the master bedroom. There is no space to store them and we don’t dress up the bed as so many non-pet people do, because the cats would ruin it if we did. Instead, I have a pet spread on top of everything. If they want to vomit on that, go for it, I tell them. So I went into gentle ballistic mode and said something like no way, no way. I don’t remember if I was smiling or snarling. I try to have these tirades without causing a war.

My mantra is it’s not a bargain if you will never use it and you have no place to store it. And we are not furnishing a motel.

I tried some things on and will have a couple of items taken in. I am amazed that I ever wore some things. I have a deep blue pull-over cotton dress with a crew neck and long sleeves, that I bought at Gap Kids (sized for a girl of 12 or so) for myself. The Gap Kids prices were ridiculously low. I think I paid $20. What a rip-off that you go next door to the adult section and have to pay $50 for something similar. The dress has a semi-fitted waist and, masks a multitude of bodily sins, should one need it to. It is so versatile that I keep it, although I haven’t worn it since 1992-3. But ya never know. I’ll take the stuff to be altered to Susan, who, I fear will have more than she can handle as she gets ready to close the shop and move to Wisconsin. All her customers are rushing to get their stuff done before she leaves.

I am losing a dear friend. We will keep in touch, I am sure (because I will make sure), but it was so comforting to have her nearby. And I am also losing Sally, her maltese mix, who is my go-to comfort doggie, and comes trotting out for a lap-hug when I walk in the door.

xx, Teal