Cleaning Out

JWise Photo of the Day

Navajo Loom in Phoenix, Arizona

What is it about springtime that kicks in the need to deep clean our nest? So it was once more as Caroline and I dug into the deepest recesses of our place and went to work in the closet. Consolidation and donation were this year’s theme as we organized Caroline’s extensive yarn and fiber stash and brought about 25 pounds of clothing and a bunch of other things to Goodwill. As for the loom above, it will be offered to the lady who taught us the techniques of Navajo weaving for her to sell or donate to someone who might benefit from it. The rug that still sits on the loom was one of my efforts from maybe ten years ago. Since I abandoned it, it has gathered dust.

The imperative to reorganize from time to time is essential as we are in a relatively small space. We have an outdoor storage space that is a small 40″ x 40″ in size, while our closet is probably about 6′ x 7′. So, within those confines are the things that might need to be accessed only a few times a year, such as empty suitcases, camping gear, and Caroline’s yarn supply, along with some dumb things like VHS tapes, cassettes, and CDs we are not ready to part with. Some of the yarn and fiber are stashed in our bookshelves that were bought with the intention of them acting exactly in that capacity, hence why some sections have doors for yarn storage while others don’t, allowing direct and immediate access to our on-paper artifacts.

We do not have a rented storage space or a garage; I’m pointing this out because we know people who have all of the above and a couple who are renting two garages. For the life of us, we cannot fathom what might be stored in a garage that’s worth $1200 a year in rental fees, while nearby storage units seem to cost about the same or more. Then, on our morning walks, we always pass garages stuffed to the rafters with a narrow path cut through the hoarded junk. The funny thing is that Caroline and I feel like we’ve fallen victim to excess consumption, and yet we are in a small apartment of a mere 874 square feet or 81 square meters. Should we ever move back to Europe, there’s a good chance we’ll be in something closer to 650 square feet, which means we’ll have to shrink our footprint even more.

Maybe spring cleaning should be a twice-yearly event in which “consolidate and donate” is always the theme.

Welcome Back, Vibrancy

JWise Photo of the Day

Springtime colors in Phoenix

I’m confused whether we are still in the midst of springtime or if we’ve jumped right into summer. The burst of color says spring, but the thermometer says something else. Approaching 100 degrees in early April and requiring us to turn on the air-conditioning is disheartening and portends a potentially super hot season on our horizon. Then again, I’m renowned for being incredibly wrong with my predictions of what the future holds.

This splash of vibrancy wasn’t meant to provide a place to vent about some minor atmospheric discomforts though. It is here to celebrate a side of life moving back to ecstasy. The birds are singing wildly, darting about looking to attract mates, while the mockingbirds return to leaping off their perches before fluttering back into place. Lizards are scurrying between shaded spots, bunnies dart across open spaces, and pollinating insects are checking in with the first saguaro blooms. Our skies are still a vibrant blue awaiting summer to officially arrive and wash them into faded shades of their former selves.

Then, just when you think the heat is here to stay, a break in the weather lets the midday temps drop back into the upper 70s. Mornings feel chilly at 60 degrees. With this potential last opportunity to feel the brisk fresh air, Caroline and I headed to a nearby frog pond for our morning walk. While there wasn’t any croaking going on out there, we did see a turtle and plenty of tadpoles plucking insects from the surface of the murky waters. It’s beautiful on this trail and surprisingly quiet. Maybe there could be a few more of these precious days before Phoenix turns into a blast furnace.

Vaccinated

JWise Photo of the Day

Vaccinated in Phoenix, Arizona

Wow, just a little more than a year later and Caroline and I are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. While masks around us are quickly disappearing due to an idiot governor more interested in political expediency than science and public health, we are willing to continue masking up until herd immunity is reached or the CDC signals that things are safe enough to do so. Now we need to hope that Europe hits the accelerator on getting its citizens vaccinated so the international travel market can reopen. Even if it does open this year and we’re cleared to not use masks, I’d venture that we’ll do that 11-hour haul across the United States and the Atlantic while covered up. I’ve already looked for an app where I could store copies of our vaccination records that might transition to an official vaccine passport but those are not easy to find, yet.

So how does life change? I’m not as worried about contracting a death sentence. Yes, it is my fault that I am obese which helped cause my diabetes and high blood pressure, but that still doesn’t mean that I should want to give up and sacrifice my life due to prior poor decision making. If that was a thing, many of us should have been thrown to the Soylent Green machine when we were teenagers or young adults. If we are lucky and enough fellow citizens follow suit or we get to vaccine passports quick enough, I’d like to get back to museums and concerts without worrying about the people around me. Hopefully, we’ll continue seeing millions of people vaccinated every day and can start to emerge safely from this ugly virus.