I had a garage attic that had almost a complete MGA (less engine & frame). I gave away all the doors, hoods, ft & rear fenders, etc. to fellow MGA lovers. I only kept the small but hard to replace stuff. I just gave away a huge basket of MG VHS videos to another friend. Like many of you I'm in doing my own downsizing at my pace. If only I could get my wife to join me!!!

 

For the last couple of years I have been throwing almost everything that I don't use away.


I even threw out some studio lighting, dont want to be bothered giving it away and sure as hell don't feel like listing anything for sale.

The trash guy sure likes stopping by here,

My motto is if its not used in 12 months than to the dumpster it goes.

 

I'd have thought the same thing, freq, but oddly enough horseback riding is something my former daughter in law could do even though she had a HORRIBLE back. She had several back surgeries and is totally uncomfortable in any automobile other than those land yacht Lincoln-type things. She can, however, ride her horses with no problem. I suspect Dave's +1 has similar back issues and is not riding jumpers. Maybe those big ole saddles and all that nice padding horses have cushions the ride. You may think I'm weird, but I believe that animals can sense health issues that their beloved owner/companions have and perhaps are gentler. I don't care if you think I'm weird, that's my belief and I'm sticking to it.

 

A few Month's ago I was looking for a book that I had given away. I can't even remember why I wanted to re-read it, but I at least I remembered I had pitched it.

 

Maybe their 'connected at the hip' (to use an old saying) and the big guy is just sharing her pain.



We've been trying to sell two of the three custom made saddles for months now, with no takers BUT in the meantime she did buy the custom made saddle for the horse she rents.

Since my oldest daughter has 6 dogs, my youngest daughter 3 dogs, and my son 1 dog...... I gave up trying to talk sense to animal lovers years ago.

 

Your daughter's sound like my daughter. My daughter has 5 Yorkie's. What she spent on these dog's, would make a very nice start to her retirement fund.

 

That is so true. Animal lovers are just animal lovers.

My sister and brother in law have always had two if not three dogs. They just lost a dog after 13+ years, and the last few years they had a lot of vet bills for the dog. When the dog died, they said they were going to stay a one dog house.

That lasted about a week. Someone let them know about this guy. A sheltie, corgi, beagle mutt.


He's about 2 years old, he's deaf and never lived in a house, he's been in shelters. They have their work cut out for them, but the dog is very friendly and is learning quickly.

 

As several people mentioned, a couple of large trash bags per week is the key.

Some years ago, we moved my brother-in-law out of the family home after he sold it. It was a (to borrow a term from the TV versions of "Heartbreak Ridge") a "cluster-flop." And a wake-up call.

We put 3 or 4 large trash bags out at the curb every week for about two months after that. As we cleaned out the basement, we found boxes with packing material for tv's and monitors that had long since been scrapped.

I need to do that again.

 

Dave, I know little about horses, but imho, that is a beautiful horse.

Occasionally I watch that tv show on A&E called HOARDERS. It realllllly keeps me in line! +1 has seen it a time or two and cannot understand why I like to watch it . . . I tell him I watch it to make myself get RID OF STUFF. Once in a while I miss something I've disposed of, but not enough to go out and buy another one. I agree with LB about the books. We probably keep too many but when my daughter comes, she goes through the shelves and selects things she'd like to have . . . I freely allow this behavior. On one shelf she discovered most of her childhood Little Golden Books and had several hours of fun looking through them. She remembered how much she loved them. They are keepers. I'm holding on to them in the event she wants to pass them on to her children she says she'll never have. We'll see. She took with her THE LITTLE ENGINE THAT COULD. I thought that was special and was pleased that was her fave.

 

Thanks for starting this thread, Dave. It prompted me to begin some long overdue "cleaning." Yesterday, I took 2 large garbage bags full of clothes to the Goodwill, in addition to the one I threw in the trash. My closet finally looks presentable!

Now, on to the basement, where I have boxes and boxes of my parent's stuff plus some furniture that I just couldn't bear to get rid of. I still may keep some for sentimental reasons, but otherwise, it's time for it to go.