It is my last chance and responsibility

When you read about downsizing they always recommend keeping what you "really" love.  Well I "really" love it all.  Now that the move is in progress I lay in bed thinking how can I use this or that at the new house.  A good example are two simple but very large benches in the gazebo (like 9 ft. long) I had them stacked and used them as shelves.  I must find a place for them.  They are 2"x 12"s  nine feet long and old growth lumber...worth their weight in gold.


I have a good-sized collection of old shutters and not to mention piles of fabulous well-weathered old wood. The largest set of old shutters I have found a use for and luckily I had four of them.

 I used to collect porcelain knobs and painted on them and had a box full left.  I have now been using them mix-and-match in the new kitchen.  I even have some clear antique cut glass ones that I must use somewhere.   I also had a large seed bag filled with funky stuff to donate to Habitat for Humanity  like brass and glass door knobs, old hinges, etc.  I may give it a second look....  It's amazing that now that I have the new house I am looking at all this old stuff with a renewed interest and thinking of new and different uses for it.... It is my last chance and responsibility to give these things a new life.

Several times lately I have walked by this old shelf in the gift shop from the nursery days.  I hand painted all these tiles 30 years ago and it would be a sin to just abandon them...right??? At first I was thinking of using the gazebo benches near the front entry in the new house until I measured them and knew they wouldn't fit.  I could never cut such rare old wood.... but now I think the tiled shelf could be used there.  Actually there are two tiled shelves.. maybe both. They're a bit grungy but should clean up easily enough.

  Our realtor was a bit worried about all the stuff I had to get rid of. ...solution...take it all with me.  Definitely taking ALL my garden angels...And OMG how can I leave my marble stepping stones.  I have been collecting marble cutting boards and cheese boards for years to use in my paths...................And all my hand held power tools - sanders, drills. saws, staplers, air brush compressor, nail guns. etc.  On second thought I really shouldn't be using skill saws or power sanders  any more.