"People are gonna be lined up out here to get food, and we're talking about a damn ballroom. Don't lose the plot."

[slightlv]

28. I already carry dog and cat food...

generally for any poor critter I find along the side of the road. But I'm clued in to those who need it for their own pets. Separating people from their pets tears me up -- both for the people and for the pet. I've also been in a situation during the first of trump's furloughs where I needed help in the cat food area, so anything I can do now is simply paying back the kindness that was shown to me.

I'm trying to downsize the house. We moved from 3800 sq ft to 1800 sq ft. I have way too much "stuff" in this house. We have an organization in town that runs a free/low cost vet clinic, does rescues and fosters, and is generally all about pet welfare. One of the things they operate is a 2nd Hand Store that gives their profit over to the care and feeding (and rescuing) of animals. All this miscellaneous furniture I'd donating to them 100%, instead of being on consignment. Clothes, etc., I donate to groups (especially women's groups) who work to fill the needs of newly working women who need clothes suitable for that environment. Having lost enough weight that I went from a size 26 to a size 2, I've given away a lot of clothes... most of which are office environment clothing. Mom, when she died, left a huge box filled with stuff animals she collected... mostly gifts from me and my sister. These we donated to shelters for the kids... but also to animal shelters, so the lonely or scared dogs and cats could have something of their own to cuddle up to, as well.

If I'm lucky, by the time I'm done, we may actually have room to turn around and not bump into something for a change! Meanwhile, we've hopefully made someone's life better in some little way.