We can see that getting rid of things in storage will be a multiple-step process. Today we made progress, but it will take several long days to even dent the belongings that own us.

The eBay seller was first in line today, at 10 a.m. He picked up a dozen items. Then we started loading stuff into a minivan to take to the “waste transfer station” (what we used to call the dump). My brother and one of his business associates showed up to take some office furniture and miscellaneous. We have a lot of miscellaneous, so there was plenty to go around.

Eleanor sorted out dozens of boxes of outgrown kid clothing, housewares, and toys to be donated or given away. I identified boxes of ancient files (cancelled checks from 1992, stories I wrote but never finished in 1989, etc) and put them in a pile to be burned on the beach next week. Four or five boxes of paperbacks will be donated to rummage sales or local used-book stores. We’ll keep a handful for book exchanges at the campgrounds we go to.

Then we hauled the antiques to an auction house, packed the remaining stuff away, and vowed to return again. Next week we plan to hold an open house for our friends. Anything they want, except the furniture, is free if they take it away on the spot.

Bert & Janie Gildart showed up this evening in their Airstream Safari 28. They’re parked up in Shelburne, the next town north. They joined us for dinner on the deck, overlooking Lake Champlain. My brother and a couple of his friends also showed up, and listened to us swap stories of the great national parks of the west. Bert and Janie have some incredible stories about their travels.

I grilled hamburgers, Emma helped to shuck corn on the cob, Janie brought salad, and Eleanor prepared everything in the kitchen. After dinner, we sat by the table and had ice cream over blueberry coffee cake, and peeked at Jupiter and four moons through the telescope. It was superb evening … one we hope to repeat again tomorrow night.