Drama packed weekend

Friday night at the show we had so many things go wrong. I wonder if it's a sign?
First of all we weren't getting paid. Then the sound system was playing up and there was a really loud buzzing noise in the speakers ALL night, which was really really bad and putting us all off. Then it was really hot on stage. Normally it's hot, cos you're under lights and you're a bit nervous, a bit buzzed and doing a bit of a dance or whatever, but this was extra hot. Poor Elvis wears these suits that have about three layers of padding in them and by the end of the show he was wrecked. He's not well anyway (long story) but this just pushed him over the edge and in the last number (Poke Salad Annie) he passed out and fell face down on the floor, out cold. He was as white as a sheet, actually he was more of a grey colour. We had to take him out the back and strip all his clothes off - which was hard because the suits are pretty fitted and he had been sweating so they were all wet. I fanned him with a wet towel for about half an hour in between running to the bar to get more jugs of water to rehydrate him. He's was feeling much better when DH spoke to him yesterday, but it scared the absolute shit out of us all.

Apart from that DH and I got some good work done yesterday clearing the "clutter" out of our double garage. There's a big pile of stuff to go to St Vinnie's and we took the rest to the tip yesterday.

Wow, haven't tips changed. I remember when I was a kid - my brother and I used to go to the tip with Dad. First of all it stank - bad. Secondly you would just back your car or trailer or whatever up to the rubbish pile or mountain depending on how long it had been since the bulldozers had been in - and push all the stuff on top of the pile to make a bigger pile - whilst trying to dodge seagulls, cockroaches and rats etc.

Anyway, it's completely different now. It doesn't smell at all, which is such a bonus. You get a designated "drop off" space depending on what kind of "waste" you're dumping off. Basically you back up to a covered area where it's like a carpark with bitumen and proper designated car spaces and you put your stuff into big bins, which i'm guessing get sorted later. It's amazing.

So I guess it's not really a 'tip' or a 'dump' anymore it's a Waste Regeneration Plant or something? Now i'm just remembering it's probably about 30 years since i've been to a tip so now as well as feeling amazed at the process i'm feeling very old.

When you drive in the guys ask you what you have to drop off, and when DH said "we just de-cluttered the shed" the guy behind the booth gave a knowing smile and a 'I-know-what-you-mean' kind of nod of the head and gave us our ticket. It's all a very strange experience.

They told us if we had anything we thought other people could use, to put it to one side. How do you decide that? We made a St Vinnie's pile at home - and that is mostly furniture, some sun lounges that we never use, a plastic stool that I had when I was pregnant to help me be able to shave my legs in the shower which is a violent pink colour (i'm only allowing neutral colours into the new house) my backpack from when I went to Europe and a suitcase that we don't use anymore. There's nothing wrong with any of this stuff, it's just not "us" anymore or we have no use for it. As for the tip stuff - well it might have meant something to us but it's not for me to decide if it's worth "leaving aside". I had to throw out a clock that my Dad and Step mother gave us for a wedding present. I didn't really like it anyway, but it got broken when we were moving stuff around in the shed. We had it up not long ago but then I replaced it (we only have a limited supply of hooks in this house as we're renting and not allowed to put extra hooks in) with a picture of DS that was taken at Daycare. I just put the clock in the garage and didn't pack it up or anything cos I didn't have time. Oops! Now I have to work out how to tell my father that it's gone and (fingers crossed) convince him that I don't need it replaced!

I also got rid of a linen set that I bought a couple of years ago. It's really sad, it cost me a small fortune (about $500). It's Cathie Maney from Linen House and I loved it. I had the sheets, dooner cover, pillow cases, shower curtain, bath towels, hand towels, flannels, toothbrush and soap holders. The reason i'm getting rid of it is because it's bright pink and red and it just won't go with my new house. It's sad, but i'm sure someone will like it - at least I hope someone will?????

DH and I were very very ruthless yesterday. We threw out heaps and heaps of stuff. I kept saying "geez we'd get heaps if we sold that on Ebay" but who has the time for that crap. So we threw it all away, a lot of good memories, a lot of dusty memories and a lot of useless crap that would mean nothing to anyone else, but to us it was part of who we were and for that matter, who we are. That stuff was there through good times and bad, mostly just sitting in dusty old boxes - but we knew it was there and if we needed it we could go dig it out, not anymore. It's all gone - gone forever.

And you know the worst thing - it cost us $9 to get rid of the stuff - $9 - $9 !!!!!- I thought my life was worth more than that!!!!!

Anyhoo, today i'm sorting out the baby clothes and then i'm going to be ruthless with "The Tardis" (ie the linen cupboard) and the bathroom cupboard. Wish me luck!!!!!

Bri