I HAVE A PROBLEM



 I thought twice before picking this picture to use for my blog. Not because my two older sons are featured, but because of the "BOOKS" you can see.
If your thinking ,"she has a lot of books", your correct. Not only do I have a lot of books, but I have a lot of magazines.

In fact I have an overwhelming amount of books. Upstairs in my office/computer room, I have 4 bookshelves filled. Downstairs, as in this picture, I have one more bookcase like this, and two larger ones on each side of the fireplace.

My problem is,  I can't throw a book away. Even though bags of books went to the library, there are still more, many more, and some that no one would be interested in but me. It is hard for me to choose. Sometimes I become a child in play, going, enie, meanie, myni, mo, catch a tiger by the toe", you get the drift." which ever book my finger lands on, that is the one to go. I love all that I have, if I didn't, I would not have saved them.

Like all lovers of books, I love to browse in a bookstore. I could spend hours just looking. but, if  I see an interesting book or magazine, I buy it.  My husband says -"Why do you go into a bookstore, when you have so many?"  "Ah," I answered, "It would be like you going into a hobby shop, you just intend to look, but then find something you want to buy."

My books became a pain in the arse whenever I asked my husband to paint the living room. I looked at it as a day project.
 I didn't think it would be much of a problem at all. I was so wrong!
As always when my darling husband starts a project that should be easy, he makes it difficult. I should of remembered this, being married to him for 49 years and 4 months. (hm, I wonder if I am to type the words forty nine and four or leave them the way I have them?)
He is putting up crown moulding, plus he decided that the two large bookcases on each side of the fireplace will be replaced by the two little ones. He said "Books are overtaking our home",  you have to do something about this collection. 

All because I asked him to paint our living room - sigh. Oh, by the way, in case your wondering, he does not allowed me to paint.

We have a small home, I thought it was huge when we first built it. In fact we did not have enough furniture to fill it.  But, we have a small dining room and our living room is long and narrow, while our kitchen is a gallery kitchen. We don't have a family room downstairs, just the computer room upstairs. We have lived here since 1971 and raised our four sons here, but through the years, I have accumulated so much "stuff". 
ILast year I finally packed away my collection of McCoys, except for a few. I packed away all my lighthouses, except for a couple, and my tea pots.
Truly, I should just give them away or sell them, they are no use to me being packed away, I can't enjoy looking at them. I doubt if any of my sons would want them.

BUT! Today is the day!  I have heard the saying," if you haven't put on clothing in a year then get rid of it." I do that with no problem. But today this is what I intend to do with my books and magazines. I have been awake and at work since 6:30 this morning weeding through reading material upstairs in the office. So far I have three grocery bags full of magazines.

These are educational magazines on writing, and I kept them because of all the useful information they contain.  I haven't looked at them for over a year, so they are not very useful just taking up space in my bookcase.
The books on cancer were much more difficult to toss. I had to take my time and look through them to see if they were a keeper. I did toss some, but kept more then I tossed. I know some people who have had cancer throw away everything that reminds them of that time. I am not one that can do that, those magazines were a lifesaver at the time.

I have a long way to go, and I have to make a lot of room, so that the books I save from downstairs have a shelve home upstairs.

Now, I am taking a break. I'm downstairs with a hot cup of tea, and instead of playing games on my iPhone, I'm typing this. When I'm done, I will continue the process of elimination.  What would really be nice is for someone to come in and do it for me. In this way I would not have to pick the ones to stay or the ones to go.

Less is more, I know, and I am striving towards that today. Wish me luck.