Why Do I Have So Much Stuff?

While it is a rhetorical question, it is also serious. How much stuff does one person need?

I really like long jackets. Jackets that come almost to the ground. I have a long wool cloak, a fake fur cloak, a leather jacket that comes to my calves and some other assorted jackets that come to my knees. This is all well and good but there are two problems. One- I live in So Cal and all these jackets are too warm and Two- I never go out to a place where I could wear a nice jacket.

I have other stuff along the same lines. Holiday decorations, fancy hats, stuff left over from when I was a kid. When you live in a small place, you don't have room for all this stuff. I had good storage opportunities at this house. At my new house, I'm going to have even more, so I'm worried I will accumulate more stuff. I'll have to be careful.

Of course, some of my overflowing stuff is legitimate. Uniform pieces I was issued at basic training but haven't had a use for (yet,) various luggage pieces- civilian and military, and books. Lots of books. Books are a pain to move, but I won't get rid of them. I love my books. I read my favorites over and over. I have lost count of how many times I've read "The Blue Sward," "The Hero and the Crown," "Podkayne of Mars" and "To Say Nothing of the Dog." I have many other favorites that I have read just as often but I don't have time to list them all. Nor do I think people are very interested. Recently I have tried to branch out and read new books, instead of re-reading my favorites. Which is how I came to read "Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell," which it turns out is Claire's husband (the Famous Army Man's) favorite. I also read a few Agatha Christies, "Duma Key" by Stephen King (good but everyone dies as is typical SK) and others which I don't remember. Then after being so different, I reverted back to my old ways and re-read the entire Harry Potter series. The last one is particularly good.

I began reflecting on all my stuff since I put about a 1/3 of the small stuff in my car. That Buick holds quite a bit, which is why I bought it. It is medium sized, but with all the rear seats out, it has a large volume cargo capacity. In addition to the load yesterday, I reckon I have one more load of stuff that I can move before we move the furniture and TV and things on Thursday. Today I didn't unpack everything I put in. I was too worn out by putting it all in. Tom arrow I'll unpack it at the new place and maybe do my last load on Wednesday, or at least start it on Tuesday. I'm going to skip agility.

Someone came to look at the place today. She didn't ask to fill out an application, and I couldn't tell if she liked it or not.

Knotty (the pup- named for the knot in her tail) is still doing great. The general consensus is she has kennel cough and not the deadly and dreaded distemper. But I won't know for sure unless she suddenly gets very sick or in two weeks we can re-do the test. Lady in the Lad books had distemper as an adult and recovered after three months. The golden retriever in The Watchers also got it and recovered. When he caught it his owner found him collapsed on the floor with the words "Fiddle Broke" spelled with scrabble tiles (he was a genetically engineered dog with human intelligence) and every time I check on Knotty I'm hoping her fiddle isn't broken. (Fit as a fiddle.) I considered naming her Fiddle, but that didn't strike me as a good dog name.

Now I'm off to start changing my address with all of the utilities, agencies, clubs, etc. I'm getting pretty good at this. Our new house has a 2 year lease. Maybe I can live there until I die. Assuming that I die as an old lady and not next week.