Just let go already

Do you ever find it hard to let go of things? Especially stuff that has been in boxes for years. Typically that "stuff "meant something to you at one time in your life, but as the years went by, that "stuff" found it's way into boxes and then into some deep, dark hole. Suddenly five years go by and you've never given it a second look or thought. When you finally get around to blowing the dust off it, you find that it doesn't usually have the same meaning or value that it once did.

This week I've been blowing the dust off a few boxes from the garage and discovering what's inside. I haven't touched the boxes for several years. So I figured it was time to pull them off the shelves and to start getting rid of whatever was inside.

I would consider myself the antithesis of a packrat. I'm usually pretty good about clearing and cleaning out old "stuff." Abby can atest to that. But for some reason, this stuff has been a little harder to get rid of. I'm having a hard time dropping it in the trash and forgetting about it. It's brought some good laughs to Abby because she finds it amusing that the "anti-packrat" can't part with a few things.

So what is it that has been so hard to get rid of for me? Nothing particularly important. One shoebox was full of notes that I received from friends in middle school. You know, they're the sappy ones that are marked private, traded in secret and hidden from all others. The ones you don't want your friends reading or teachers catching, and least of all your parents or dreaded siblings finding. The notes are full of important things like: "I have nothing to write about"; "we're watching this really boring video in class"; "Mr. Bunnel is soooooo boring"; "My parents won't let me talk on the phone all evening"; "My sister is so annoying"; "BFF"; "WBASAP"; "Are you mad at me?"; or "Will you go out with me."

Some of my more astute friends put dates on the notes. Most of the notes I have saved are from my 8th grade year - 1995. I can hardly believe that was 13 years ago. Wow. You'll be glad to know that I no longer have those notes. They went out with the recycle bin this morning. It feels good to let go. That's one less box in the garage. And that was the easy box.

I have other, bigger boxes that are full of sports memorabilia. Some of the stuff is from my years of playing soccer all over the state and country - medals, trophies, plaques, pins, etc. And some of it is autographed pictures, balls and cards from professional sports players. You know, the stuff that "will be worth money some day."

I find this stuff particularly hard to get rid of because it could be worth money. Probably not. But could be. I need to find the motivation to look it up on the internet to see if I could get any money for it. If I can't, then I'll find people who may want it, or I'll manage to throw it away.

My hope was that if I moved this "stuff" from the garage to the living room and took it out of the boxes, that it would motivate me to get rid of it. So far it's working.

Anyone want to buy some signed Ken Griffey Jr. stuff? I have hundreds of his baseball cards.

He's just a little guy

I brought the recycle bins this afternoon when I got home from work and found this little guy on the side of one of them. It's always fun to find a frog. Obviously the cooler, wetter weather has brough them out. While I was holding this guy, I heard another one croaking from somewhere else in the yard. This is the second frog I've found in my yard in two years. Kind of fun.

Apple and pear sauces

One of Abby's favorite meals is pork chops and pear sauce. It might sound like a weird combination, but they actually pair (pun intended) well together. She loves, and I do mean LOVES, that meal.

She has spent a better part of this afternoon peeling, chopping, boiling and canning our apples and pears into sauce. She tried something new this year - apple-pear sauce.

We had planned to do the sauce together, but I woke up with a cold this morning. She's keeping me away from the kitchen. Doesn't want me to contaminate the sauce. I've been holed up on the couch watching football and Seinfeld.

Been carpooling for 5 years

This coming Monday, Oct. 6 is my five-year carpooling anniversary. I can't believe that I've been carpooling with the same guys to and from work for five years. It's unbelievable. Work is going to use our story within the department and outside the department to promote carpooling. Supposedly we're going to be on the cover of posters and other paraphanelia. Fun times.

Here are some of the benefits we've enjoyed from carpooling for five years.

• 2,611- reduced number of two-way trips between Bellingham and Burlington
• 130,550 - reduced number of trip miles and wear and tear on our personal autos
• $76,371.75 - reduced cost of automobile ownership ($.585/mile)
• 5,222 - reduced number of gallons of gas consumed (@ 25mpg)
• $14,932.50 - reduced expenditures in gas purchases (ave $2.75/gal 2003-07, $3.75/gal 2008)
• $10,090.00 - received commute trip reduction incentive payments

These stats were based on the following:

• MPG Ave – 25
• Trip miles, roundtrip – 50
• Gas $/gal 03-07 - $2.75
• Gas $/gal 2008 - $3.75
• Incentive - $2.50 per day

Carpooling has never been about saving the world for me. It's always been about saving money whenever and where-ever possible. As you can see from our benefits lists, we've saved a lot of wear and tear on our cars and we've gotten paid for doing it. Granted the money we've made doesn't cover all of our costs, but something is better than nothing. One of the nicest benefits of carpooling is that I don't have to drive every day. Some days I just snooze in the car. Then I don't have to nap when I get home.

Deception Pass Bridge

I truly think I have a wonderful and fun job. Check out where I got to go for work this week, the Deception Pass bridges. I gave my boss' boss a tour of my area, so we stopped at the bridge for a gander. He's in the middle of the picture.

Also, many of you have heard me reference Dave (my office mate) in many of my stories. He's in the picture, on the right. Now you can put a face with the name. You know, Dave is the one who thought the song lyrics were "shake it like a corduroy t-shirt", when they were really "shake it like a Polaroid picture."

Little piece of trivia - there are actually two bridges at Deception Pass. The larger one is the Deception Pass Bridge, the smaller is actually named the Canoe Pass Bridge. Did anyone know that already?

Celebrating five years of marriage in Maui (and my birthday)

The last week of September Abby and I skipped out on work and toured the island of Maui. We celebrated five years of marriage while we were there. What a perfect place for a celebration. The weather was perfect. Nearly 90 every day, sunshine, a few clouds, warm water, a nice condo and a wonderful spouse to share it with. Life is GOOD. The Lord has blessed us. We even found time to celebrate my (Dustin) 28th birthday that fell right in the middle of the vacation. Sweet!

Just finished snorkeling.
Just finished dinner and took in the sunset.

Lounging by the pool.

The pool at Kamaole Sands, our condo/resort complex.

Enjoying the beach at Big Beach.

Posing for a picture while cooking dinner on the Kamaole Sands grounds.

Cooking steak on BBQ. It was my meal of choice.

View of the water and sunset from our lanai (deck/porch/balcony).

The most beautiful beach we've ever been to - Keawakapu.

I love what you do for me Toyota (at Keawakapu beach).

We are the champions, of the world (at Keawakapu beach).

We love what you do for me, Maui!

Bountiful harvest

Hand-picked fresh from our garden: Asian pears (two varieties), Fuji apples, carrots, cucumbers and rhubarb. That's what I call organic. All picked in less than an hour.