Good-bye, Chair-And-A-Half

When Kris and I were in love, we commissioned a "Chair And A Half" so we could sit together in comfort. A regular overstuffed chair was too small to hold us both, and a love seat too big. We went to a place in Tacoma that built to order and thus our Chair And A Half was born. It has a very sold frame and comfortable cloth cover. I loved it and I believed she did too. When we moved into this house, Kris got a blue uncomfortable couch that became where she sat. It was proportioned badly for me, both stiff in the cushions and a little low and square for me. I asked her to sit with me as she had before and she declined. I should have seen this as a sign, but I didn't. When she moved out she left the item behind. I dithered between loving it and wanting to get rid of it. It was still comfortable but the cats scratched it quite a lot (...this was before the discovery of the scratching pole. We had never had those as kids so it never occurred to me to get something for them to use.) Ultimately I set it outside on the patio under cover of a tarp. It sat and deteriorated for a couple of years, hugely symbolic of my inability to move on completely. I could not really hold any parties with that in the backyard. Recently I have been moving on. I took a week off work to move stuff out - made great strides. I started posting more on "Buy Nothing Highland Park" on Facebook, and was greatly cheered when people took Rusty the Wheelbarrow and the Moccasin Birdhouse - things I couldn't sell or donate but still had life in them. I was ready. I googled disposing of couches in West Seattle. What did I find? for a small fee, the trash utility would pick up a couch. I set the appointment, then put the couch on the curb. Today it was gone. My patio is usable. A weight is gone. I wish I had taken a photo but otherwise this is all positive. I think I will be able to clear out all furniture with any reminder of Kris and have a much cleaner home. --- Also today I helped my Time Bank pal set up for another yard sale. She was way more stuff than I do so I need not feel that I am unusual in having difficulty in getting rid of things unneeded. It can be fun helping set up a canopy, arranging tables, and setting out items in an attractive way.