March 6, 2019 – Clear out – as the English say and Rattlesnake eggs

         I’ve been having a serious “clear out” as the English say – not just tossing out worn clothes or things. But, a real assessment of every item in every cupboard or closet in this house.

         I often watch the series entitled As Time Goes By with Judi Dench and Geoffrey Palmer on the PBS station.  On more than one occasion there has been a “clear out” to make room in her closet for Lionel [Geoffrey] to move in and then another “clear out” for Sandy to move in.

         I like the phrase because the object is “OUT” not just straightening up or looking for rummage for the annual church rummage sale. The “OUT” seems to motivate me better.

         Then, as I am re-decorating two rooms, a close girlfriend visiting asked, innocently,

         “Do you need all these books?”

         She wasn’t being rude, she was being inquisitive.  At first, I brushed the comment off, but then I started to assess the depth of that question.

         No, I don’t really need all of these books.  Many I had purchased at various local library sales for 50 cents or a dollar or at thrift stores.  Others I had purchase from Alibris my favorite used book store. And, of course, others were posh coffee table books that I’d bought when I was making a serious income.

         Her question suddenly became the impetus to reduce my books by one half or more – but my one-half was my beginning point – for this round of clear out. 

         When I first read Marie Kondo’s tidying up magic book – [see my January 17, 2017 blog for more details] – I carried out bags and bags of books to a local library.  It was refreshing and I set up a row of books not yet read and have been reading and sending them along to a better home in the last year.

         My dear friend had a point.  Read it – send it on its way.  If it is a classic and you want to re-read it, you probably can get it at the library or through library-loan. The internet has massive amounts of information that are at your fingertips and you don’t need 20 gardening books on the shelf to look things up.

         Out went the entire collection of flower arranging books.  Out went all but one of the garden design books – I had them just about memorized anyway.  Out went three-fourths of the vegetable gardening books – I can recite the spacing of most seeds by heart because I’ve been at it for years.

         Then – out went the collection of coffee table books – those big glossy books filled with pictures that I’d read and re-read hundreds of times.  As I opened the first one, I finally realized, it is time – they no longer give me any pleasure as I already knew what was coming on the next page before I even turned to it.  I am actually down to three.  One is Kansas City, one is Spartanburg, South Carolina, and one is Provence – it is a cookbook – travel book. The first two are now “history books” for me – where I lived, where I worked and the last one – I haven’t finished trying all the recipes or finished reading it.  Provence is truly the one place I want to visit on my “bucket list”.

         Do I still have more books than I need?  Sure, but I will continue to read, or re-read and toss.  I’ve removed two six-foot book shelves so I had no choice but to toss out 12-shelf feet of books. When I get to the closets, [where I have more books] – I will re-think their fate as well.

         I have this aversion of tossing books in the dump. I remember the films shown by our history teacher of Nazi’s tossing books into a fire that left an indelible impression on me.

         So, I lovingly boxed up my books and took them to assorted thrift shops.  I am a firm believer of:

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

         

         You are probably wondering what a “clear out” of books has to do with Rattlesnake eggs.

         Well, a small 3 x 6 Kraft envelope with the front marked:

         “One dozen Rattlesnake Eggs; CAUTION:  Keep in cool place to prevent hatching . . . .” was used as a bookmark in one of my favorite gardening books.

         The bookmark is a familiar item to me; my husband and I have had lots of laughs with it.

         My dear Mom sent it to us when we lived in Missouri where we heard and saw many rattlesnakes.  We heard stories of “rattlesnake roundups” from new friends who had participated in them.  Just the memory of those tales still gives me goosebumps.

         At Christmas, Mom sent us this unusual envelope in our Christmas box and I immediately picked it up, read it and turned it over and cautiously opened the back flap.  Below is a You-Tube video of the type of reaction I had some 40 years ago.

         It was a great practical joke.  Knowing that I always wound up the washer on the rubber band which is the basic principle of this trick and replaced it in the envelope after each occurrence so that I’d get that “thrilling laugh” the next time I ran up on this little time-capsule treasurer, I was so darn disappointed when I opened the flap and “nothing”.

         Upon inspection, I found the rubber band had turned to dust which means – it really is time to part with this little treasure.  But, I wanted to memorialize it here.

         I still wonder where my Mom found such a great gag gift.  She would have been pleased to know we’d used it on unsuspecting friends, and neighbors in all the places we lived.  It was often pulled out of a drawer or cabinet for a good laugh.  Mom loved good humor.

        

Youtube of outcome of rattlesnake gag:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8xXCUi2ts4