You never know...

I am a "You never know.." collector. That means that my house is packed with a variety of items that may someday come in handy. You never know when someone will call and ask if you know where they can find...a picture frame, a quick birthday gift, a certain color of ribbon..You never know when someone will ask you to put on a dinner for 50, or perhaps just table decor for that dinner. You never know when someone may ask for a notebook, a guest book, a gift wrapping, a card, a sign. I could provide any or all of these at the drop of a hat. Which is why my third floor, in the words of a likewise-oriented friend, has more levels than the Pentagon. This is why my daughters could 'shop' in my closet for anything from a shower gift to a birthday card, a picture frame to a printer cord. I collect things against those eventualities. This is why I have three hammers, a multitude of yardsticks, a drawer full of CD cases, an office-load of office supplies, and paper that, if reconstituted to its source, would probably be a giant redwood.

It says something about me, I suspect. It says that I enjoy being a go-to person; someone who knows how to do things, or how to get them done. It says I can make flowers bloom in the desert, if necessary, or produce something clever and creative out of (apparently) thin air. If you need something, I've got it. If I don't have it, I can craft a substitute. I am superwoman. I am prepared.

Perhaps this is what enables my lifestyle. I can afford to coast along on projects until the last minute, because I know I can always pull something out of my hat--or my desk drawer. There's always something to decorate with, or make something out of, or wrap prettily and carry along. Until now.

Today, I've begun the Great Disassembly of the Gift and Entertaining Factory. The boxes of silk flowers--gone. Baskets, likewise. I bet noone else has a box full (yes, FULL) of picture frames. Not old ones, not containing pictures, just NEW empty picture frames of multiple sizes and shapes, in case I need a quick gift. (Frame that poem or picture or recipe. Wrap it up.) How many colors of computer paper does the normal person have on hand. How many weights and textures and patterns? (Don't ask. I'll never tell.) Take a guess at how many boxes of Christmas decorations are required for a 2-person house? (You don't want to know.) Then try Easter, or Halloween, or Valentines Day...

The time has come. I am hopeful that I can find deserving recipients for my stash. A pre-school, perhaps. Or a day camp. The problem I face is parting with it all. After all, you never know....