Purgin' like a Sturgeon

I cannot take credit for coining this phrase. Some years back, when I was coaching high school football in a small southern Minnesota town, during a water break in the sweltering August heat of our fall football camp prior to our first game, one of our beloved Senior athletes (Paul) rendered this quip about just how much sweat was pouring out of my body after my full participation in demonstrate skill drills in an attempt to prep our team for their upcoming contest. Sweat emitted from every one of my pores (even ones I'd forgotten I had) and onto my soaked coaching t-shirt. He remarked "Hey coach, are you Purgin' like a Sturgeon?" By volume of sweat, I, in fact, was, as was the rest of the team and coaching staff, Purgin' like a veritable school of Sturgeon. It felt good, freeing and healthy. The mysteries of youth vernacular and our middle aged coaching staff's vain attempts to interpret them were highly comical and notoriously entertaining. That's a whole other blog waiting to explode - for another time.

As preparations slowly ramp up in our 4 year plan to transition to a floating existence, the Purgin' like a Sturgeon activities have begun here in landlocked Minnesota. Only this time, it's not sweat, but rather the copious amount of material possessions accumulated over these past years by a family of 8. Paperwork, clothes, furniture, recreational equipment (our kids are very sports and artsy leaning) and wow. It's more than astounding how much stuff this family can cram into a 5 bedroom home. 

Now it's time to set it free.

I admit - I am a junior pack-rat. My attitude is that "you never know when we may need that ___? again". Some times, that proves true, and I can cite many instances where a particular item has saved us a trip to ___ store and $$$ to replace it. Some times it doesn't. It's often hard to predict the difference. My loving wife is a purger: "If we haven't used or looked at in in a year, out it goes!" Stuff in our house that I can happily live amongst are impediments to Rachael's visual harmony. Immovable rock vs irresistible force. Like the tides, sometimes things stay put, other times things have to go.

Last weekend we made some strides in the "have to go" department. 15 year old boxes full of at one time important paperwork met their demise in the shredder or fire pit. A veritable host of no longer fitting or useful athletic gear and accessories were parted out to neighbors with grandkids or to the thrift store, to be enjoyed once again by another generation. Some of the more "valuable" items were cataloged and photographed for sale on the local Craigslist and for sale sites, whose proceeds could be used to bump the Cruising Kitty should they materialize. Basement and garage shelves were culled down, "hierlooms" parted with and I believe the house actually rose from the earth a modicum once these had departed the premises. 

What is encouraging is that this process has begun, and we are both in the mindset of parting with things that we know we will never need and cannot come with us when we go. Much of what is left, however, still needs the timely sorting through and expunging that the motto "Purgin' like a Sturgeon" requires - quick and healthy shedding of baggage that will no longer serve us as we Transition to Water.

First of many vans full of thrift store purge. It felt good, freeing and healthy.