Space difficult to find

By Carol Weimer
Canastota Corner

It’s almost time to be putting the air conditioners in the windows again, just after I found a place to store them during the winter months.

The shelf where we used to store them, in the opinion of the person who carries them there, isn’t strong enough for two units.

I think it is, but to please him I decided to go along and find another place to keep them. Folks know I am a pack rat. The new winter spot for the air conditioners were already full of other things. It was a challenge, but finally it has been cleared for them. They were sitting in a spare bedroom until now.

It wasn’t a simple task to make the spot available. Nothing could be thrown out, in my opinion.

When I started making room, I did discover many things I had forgotten were there. For instance, a typewriter — electric, not that old — but it doesn’t work any longer. I saved it because it might come in handy for parts.

OK, it may hurt, but I’ll get rid of that.

There’s also a basket full of things I really need. A screwdriver, two screwdrivers in fact, one Phillips and one regular; a pair of pliers, a small hammer, a variety of miscellaneous nails, clothespins and assortment of sizes of duct tape and Scotch tape.

These are all the tools that I use on the second story of our home. When you live in a two-story home and you run into a fix-it job you can wear yourself out running up and down the stairs for the appropriate tools, so over a period of time I have accumulated extra tools and keep them in the upstairs for use. I have saved many a trip up and down stairs.

Also in the space is my dad’s Skil saw, along with my cordless electric drill. The drill was a Christmas gift and I love it. Have you ever tried to drive a nail into oak framing? I must admit many a cuss word escaped my lips before my electric drill.

Another item in the space was a box of construction paper, many colors, sizes, and patterns of various subjects that were used in my Sunday School classes and my Brownie troop during the days when I was active in these groups. Added to it were a variety of colored stars and pipe cleaners and all of the things that can be used by kids to make gifts for their parents and other relatives. I have now decided they will be passed on to someone who needs them.
Is there more that I haven’t mentioned? Don’t ask. There is now room for the air conditioners when they’re packed away in October or November.

The biggest problem is that it’s going to be hard to keep the space cleared off until then.