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Surprise

Too much junk in the garage? In the past, I’ve donated to the ARC or given it away at birthday parties. Take the following:

Old urinal found on a construction site and forgotten behind the freezer? Clean it up. Line it with aluminum foil. Fill it with cookies. Perfect gift.

How to get rid of the Russian/English dictionary and assorted coins from a trip in 1990? Throw them in a box along with a furry hat that has pull-down earflaps and draw Lenin’s portrait (red crayon, of course) on the outside. Think Marxist friend. Everybody has one.

What to do with Backstreet Boys video and New Kids on the Block band biographies? Bundle them up with a cheap Ricky Martin poster as well as an A Menudo cassette tape and surprise your sister or her roommate from college. (What girl doesn’t like boy bands?)

But this week I stumbled on a new strategy. I took the wig, the framed Last Supper, the costume jewelry, the Jewish Holidays coffee table book, and hid them at a friends house – under the couch, up on the mantle, inside the dog’s bed, piled on the bottom shelf of a bookcase – each one a happy surprise for my friend to deal with (and wonder about) later.

As for me, I’ve made it to three homes since Friday and am almost two boxes closer to a clutter-free existence. I feel smart.

under the couch, up on the mantle, inside the dog’s bed, piled on the bottom shelf of a bookcase – each one a happy surprise for my friend

PO Box 751 . Newberg OR 97132-0751
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