My front yard is currently an archeological dig. As the snow melts, layers of neighbourhood debris and offal are being slowly uncovered like the bones of a dinosaur. So far, we have discovered the following items: a thermos mug (not ours), half a Frisbee, a gouge in the ditch left by the snow plow, dog poop (too much to count), dead grass, two tonnes of sand and about six different dog toys belonging to other dogs in the neighbourhood that my dog has stolen. Because I live in the Hart, I still have a substantial amount of snow in my yard, so I will avoid the final clean-up until 95 per cent of the snow is gone. Then, like other spring-crazed people in this fair city, I expect that I'll clean up my yard, rake up the moldy leaves and dead grass that I should have raked before the snow fell and then attack the last of the snow with a shovel and distribute it gleefully around the yard for maximum meltage.
When I talk excitedly about spring cleaning, my husband glances significantly at the pile of stuff that I have accumulated around the house throughout the winter that I haven't dealt with. He hopes that spring cleaning means that I'll get rid of our (my) clutter and stop bringing in up-cycle projects. There is always a part of me that thinks that I'm still a student and I will say yes to anyone offering to get rid of something for free. I will clean out the basement and the closets and the increasing amount of junk drawers. If only to make room for the potentially great stuff that I find at garage sales this summer.
Garage sales are the best ways to meet your neighbours and other people who live in your city. Pawing your way through other people's gently-used belongings is also a great way to be incredibly snoopy. You can make up stories about their lives, find fabulous treasures and you get to pretend that you are an incredible negotiator. Tacky lamp you like is listed at $5? Offer $2. The owner is glad that the lamp that was bought as a wedding present 30 years ago is gone and you're happy that you got a great deal. Everyone wins. Then, when you realize that you've bought four tacky lamps from garage sales over the last few years, then you can have a sale and the cycle continues.
