Blame it on the Rain

No, this post is not about Millie-Vanillie, but something much less exciting. Lately, it has been raining every afternoon. Not that I do not like the rain - it is very needed and I love it's side effects like thunder and lightening. It is that when it is raining, I cannot go riding. My horses sit all day during the wonderful morning and afternoon hours and when I am ready to leave the office - BAM! The clouds roll in and the gusts of wind pick up. That leaves weekend riding and I just can't seem to get enough in during two days. It makes me want to quit my job and be a bus driver. Oh, the American dream has no limits, does it?

I don't have too long to post as I am soon to be leaving work and therefore off of the wonderful dialer system waiting for the next call.

Oh, and what do you all think of Tom Cruise dating Katie Holmes? I don't know where that just came from but it had to be said. I cannot believe it. Was she even born when he was dancing in his underwear in Risky Business? It is quite repulsive to me but at the same time... perfect. He tends to fall for his co-stars, right? Watch out Dakota Fanning!

The Giant Pile of Junk

If you have been in my house since I moved in November 2003, you know my unfinished basement is the junk area. All the things we didn't have time to disperse throughout the house were thrown into the basement. The majority of these items were gifts from my mother-in-law. As sad as it is, I am the furthest thing from a pack rat and my theory is that if you love it and don't use it, take a picture of it and then sell it!

My husband is the exact opposite. He comes from a family that keeps everything. When I say everything, I mean it! His mom saves every newspaper. I believe they have a 5 or 6 bedroom home and all the rooms are full of boxes and such. They have to tunnel to their bathroom from their bedroom - and the two are connected! The kitchen table is piled high and I believe we have sat at it once for the four of us on Christmas Eve. I am allergic to cats and they have one. Because of all the stuff, cleaning is impossible and after being in their home for a few minutes my throat is closed as tight as a pickle lid. (Unopened, of course!) Anyway, now you have a little bit of background, the garage sale is a very challenging aspect of our marriage.

If I think he should sell something, he doesn't. If he decides to sell it, it is worth a fortune! For example, he found a briefcase of old cassettes. The whole dang Journey and Stryper collection. He wanted to list it on Ebay as a collectors item. CASSETTES!! Nobody even has players for those anymore! And, that is just the tip of the iceberg. A old skateboard, roller blades, and ancient walkmans are some of the beloved items laying on the driveway this instant. Heaven forbid he sells his 1997 baseball cards. Those are worth millions in his head.

See, I am very spoiled. I wear the pants in the family (as if you couldn't tell) and am used to getting my way. It kills me that he hangs onto things he won't use. I do not want to end up like his parents! So, when I do not get my way with things like that, temper tantrums usually emerge. I often feel sorry for my husband having to put up with such a strong-willed wife.

I have one other hurdle to conquer. After the sale I will have lots of stuff left, so I call a company to come pick it up and donate it. That is a battle! He wants to move everything back into the basement, and I will NOT have that. I am not looking forward to that again. I laugh when he says he wants to finish the basement. It is comical because we have nowhere to put anything. Also, from here on out, I am not taking things from the in-laws and if I have to, I am giving it away right away. In my wildest dreams I am wanting everything to sell (I would even settle for stolen) so I don't have to mess with it.

Thank you to all my wonderful friends that helped me price and organize things! I owe you my sanity this week!