"Little boxes on the hillside, and they're all made out of ticky-tacky..."

Pete Seeger sang a song about "little boxes made out of ticky-tacky." He was singing about the mass-produced housing and consumerism that took over America during the 1950s and '60s, but it sounds like a good description of the plastic containers that have taken over my house. I have temporarily assigned a huge pile of empty ones to my balcony.

My friend Elaine was horrified to learn that I had purchase about 40 large plastic shoebox-sized boxes for storing my shoes and computer parts. I stand by the purchase, but I realize that I do have too many plastic containers, so I have temporarily moved many of my empty ones out as I continue to declutter my living room, dining room, kitchen and basement. I am not ready to dispose of the extras yet, but they can sit on my balcony until I know which ones I want to keep.

I'm working alone till Sunday afternoon, when Elaine is coming over for a while. I am hoping to have some real progress to show her, but that means that I will need to stay focused tomorrow, so that I can get lots done. I hope to impress her -- although her standards and mine are probably quite different.

I'm absent minded but dementia free!

I had good news from my doctor this morning: I do not yet have dementia. As my scatter-brained-itis gets progressively worse, I was beginning to wonder. I scored 30 out of 30 on a dementia-screening test. I have fit the stereotype of the absent-minded professor all my life, so I suppose it is somewhat normal that my house reflects my scattered mind.

I had better get to bed now so that I can put in a full day's work tomorrow.