I didn’t get all that far on packing up my bedroom because there’s A LOT OF SHIT packed in there. I can’t believe some of the crap my dad was saving in there. Old sleeping pads, three Boy Scout Handbooks, old copies of a magazine called, California Bonsai, congressional transcripts of the Japanese internment, books on Asian religions, books on gardening, and books on prejudice. I’m recycling a lot of paper, including old paintings my dad did for a correspondence art course. I’m not halfway done at this point.

My sister was here but is very little help. She was going through stuff to take, but she didn’t take much and really just got in the way. I asked her to take a carload of stuff to Goodwill since her husband was talking about going later today, and she flat out told me no. Our friend Megan was here as well and she took more stuff and also distracted me with beer.

I also called the contractor and asked him just how much I had to clear out of the room and he didn’t call me back. His wife told me that his usual mantra is, “Throw everything away.” At least that’s what he tells her all the time and she doesn’t listen to that advice. If I’m lucky I’m already close to getting enough stuff out of the room and I can start to work on the basement. If I’m unlucky then I have to move a lot of furniture.

Oh, and the second least favorite thing about the bird people: their garbage.