Today I went up to the walk-in closet in the sitting room and took an empty trash bag with me; I filled it with things to throw away. I thought it would be easy; it was really not. First of all, I simply will not throw away anything with the Banana Rebulic Safari & Travel Company label in it. God, I loved that store. You walked in there and you were in the tropics – army jeep, jungle bird noises, khaki, khaki and khaki. Then the Gap bought it. A sad day.

Okay, Lands End is so soft and comfy, but I actually did get rid of a fleece hoodie that was snot green. I think it was on sale for a couple of dollars. It was warm but I started to hate it . . . along with the other one I had purchased at the same time for the same incredibly low price. Who knew snot green was just too hard to live with even in a darkened room.

Talbots – never, even if you have to relegate them to the paint clothes or toilet clean up clothes. Jones of New York – no. LLBean – no. Columbia – Heavens, no. And, of course, there is no way I can part with even the cheapest scrap of something that has Pacific Beach on it, with San Diego being a close second. The Crystal Pier, Kono’s, Skechers Outlet, my coffee shop balcony looking out over the boardwalk to the ocean, my walk down to the beach . . . and back. And, my special touchstone, Lifeguard tower 22. Well, the tower was down a little ways; number 22 was sort of like a big football helmet shaped shelter on a pile of sand.

Ah, better get a grip. Have to get Summer and bring her home. shudder