I'm not sure what's going on but I'm in full-on spring cleaning mode. It could be a number of things;

1) my trip to Australia messed with my circannual rhythms and fall is spring
2) I'm finally getting over that debilitating, post-divorce stress syndrome or
3) I have no money, it's Saturday night and this is some kind of cheap entertainment

It's probably a combination of all three but whatever it is explains the overwhelming drive towards change (eg note the new hairstyle). Right now I'm cleaning out the pantry and clearly it's time. There are so many memories and emotions attached to the items I'm finding and it's not right that a person should get sentimental over dry-goods.

There's a tin of duck pate that Ryan brought home from his exchange trip to France in 1995. It was the first time he'd ever left the continent. He was 15 or 16 and and it was a more painful severing of the umbilical chord than the literal event. The expiry date on the tin is 1999. I don't know why I didn't eat it and can't say for sure why I packed and moved it in 2000. Maybe it was proof that he could leave home and return safe. And it's a good thing I got used to it because he'd caught the travel bug and never stayed home for long after that, leaving for Costa Rica within 18 months, university in New Brunswick for 4 years after that and tree planting in B.C. in between times. I never worried about him after that first trip to Vaux les St. Claude.

I am currently emptying assorted canned goods left behind by generous, or were they just too lazy to pack their food, former roommates. Ugh, maple syrup beans?? Who would put that in their body?

Then there are the left-overs from various fads; my Celestial Seasonings Tea phase (aka the great de-caffeination of 2001) and my "Just-say-no-to-gluten" diet, evidenced by half-used packs of rice flour spaghetti and Spelt pancake mix... and what's this...Chupa Chups? Ice wine? Cooking sherry? Oh hey! Crown Royal in the original purple felt bag. How long has that been up there? Thank goodness whiskey never goes bad.

Anyway, you get the idea. The clean-up is cathartic. It has reminded me that I've changed a LOT in the past few years. Regardless of whether it's for the better, it indicates movement forward and that's never a bad thing.

Once the out-of-date items have been disposed of, the actual amount of stuff that's MINE, bought by ME within the last 6 months will fit on one shelf. That leaves 5 big empty shelves to be filled. Just imagine what kind of a time-capsule I'll create in the next decade!