And So It Begins…

It began in the kitchen, and it took about three hours. I went through every cupboard and started purging: juice glasses that we replaced but never got rid of…dishtowels and oven mitts that have seen better days…plastic organizers that came with our refrigerator but were never used because they take up too much room. I also went through every item in the pantry and the fridge and got rid of expired things–scary how quickly they accumulate now that my two ravenous boys are no longer living here. What remains stands like a field of soldiers ready for battle: poised and in tidy little rows.

I’m the sort of person who feels bad about throwing away good food, and I stared guiltily at the two pounds of ricotta left over from my Christmas lasagne making. And then I made a cheesecake.

This process feels really good, but I wonder how long it will last. To do it properly will take weeks, and my enthusiasm may wear off by then…or sooner. I’m also under deadline to finish a new book, and that pressure may supersede the purge. But I’m on it for now, and we’ll see where it goes.