Norm has a problem with "stuff". It's not quite hoarding, but it's pretty darned close. The garage has gotten to the point where you have to duck under stuff, slither sideways past stuff, and at times find your way blocked by stuff that has fallen from items piled high. I have compared him to the dragon who sleeps on his hoard, guarding it, and he (in his more lucid moments) agrees.

[and don't get me started on his computer room]

You know where this is going. While he's in the hospital, I'm gradually widening the pathways and throwing out recyclables and garbage. It's sad, really, so many items are still in the original packaging, never opened, or have obviously been used only once or twice, with the instructional stickers still on them.

Max, the Manx who lives in the garage, has probably had more use out of them as nesting material than Norm has had with repair and building projects.

There are things, like the band saw and the workmate bench, that he will never use again, but I don't dare sell them right now. So back into storage they go. A shame, really, since I'm sure there are many people who could afford a used set of tools but new ones are far too expensive.

And speaking of tools, I'm finding duplicate sets of almost all of them. The garage was so much in "hoarding" mode that he never could find a tool when he needed one. So he'd go out and buy a complete new set. I may sort them out and sell one set of each duplicate. I'd love to have a giant garage sale and clear out the place, but that won't happen so long as he is alive. He would be devastated; he defines himself by what he owns, has collected.

He collects friends, too, and, like his possessions, he doesn't treat them properly, but counts them over, like the old dragon perced on his treasure hoard, collecting dust and mice droppings. He contacts them when he needs something in their area of expertise.

Anyway, little by little, the garage is getting straightened out, and I'm eliminating what I think won't be missed. I'm sure I'll be surprised, though, by what he remembers and I'll just have to admit to my own need to clean up and organize. He'll try to send me out to buy them all over again (try being the operative word).

Back into the cobwebs, leaves, old oily rags, tools, equipment, compressor, wet/dry vac, etc. Have a great Sunday! Supposedly a little cooler today. We'll see.