MrsBrown's philosophy of life and stuff

This morning I snuck out of the house for some retail therapy on my own.  You can do that sort of thing at 10am on a public holiday when everybody else is still asleep or in bed.

As I drove home I heard a reading from a book.  It described the grief and then sense of freedom 6 months later the author felt when he didn't own any books anymore.  He described the book as something that sits on a shelf, decaying.  He also recounted an anecdote from an art dealer who had observed that serious art collectors didn't own significant book collections.  The author suggested this was because book collections are ugly.

I really identified with these observations.  I have spent a long time feeling overwhelmed by the stuff I own, not just books.  I know one of the reasons I enjoy holidays in rental houses is because of the peace that is available from a space that is clear of clutter.  I think my renovation needs to include library space and a major book and stuff cull. 

I should probably start on the book/stuff cull sooner, but I'm also overwhelmed by the thought of getting rid of stuff in a sustainable/unwasteful way.

When I got home, I looked up the book.  It's actually a "bibliomemoir" and describes this man's life through the books he's read.  That's sorta cool.  Although I worry about the spirals in my life with the books I re-read.  Am I still 8 years old when I re-read the "Little House" books each year or two?

Today's task?  Going through my fabric.  I'm going to measure all my fabric and cut samples so I know how much I have and where I can find particular things.  Its part of a facebook challenge that looks sort of fun.  The pinking shears I bought this morning will help I'm sure - I certainly couldn't start until I had them.

The other task is cutting and drying apples.