mothwatch 2009

we are in full blown moth elimination mode here. my closet, once overflowing with textiles, is a barren wasteland:


callie has taken the position of foreman on this job, and is overseeing the work while snuggling into my winter comforter:


i think she's judging me a little, don't you? i see it in her eyes.

well, there's been some good progress here today with the freezing, the ironing, the washing of washables, the mothballing, the packing in cedar. i think there have been some silver linings to the moth cloud.

1. i found a new laundry detergent. mrs meyer's clean day, lavender scent. so far it smells heavenly and has cleaned my clothes well. and i have done all of my laundry. all. i even washed out the hampers.

2. i'm weeding out the clothes i never wear. i always feel so guilty getting rid of them, but now i realize they were the problem. those sweaters just sitting back there, month after month, never being moved or shaken or worn? moth playground! not only can the clothes i don't wear be worn by others, but i won't be ruining my own favorite clothing by keeping them. win-win.

3. as i was getting ready to vacuum, i thought about how it smells like burning rubber sometimes when i vacuum and how that can't really be a good thing. so i found my vacuum manual and did such things as change the belt and clean out the hepa filters. that was probably about 18 months overdue.

4. i am organizing my downstairs storage, heretofore not well-utilized. i even assembled the garment rack i bought a few months ago.

so, you see? what's one old (actually, rather new) wool coat compared to all of this gain?

sigh. i liked the coat.