The Silver Gypsy: Soroptimism is Optimism

With a rather long 4-tier flight in my near future, I took a really good look at my wardrobe.  I absolutely refuse to pay the airlines for baggage.  I will take a regulation-size, wheeled suitcase packed with 2½ months worth of clothes.  I bought some Space Travel Bags to squish my clothes into that unbelievably small space.  Of course, it will weigh 468 pounds! 

This intricate planning prompted me to actually look through all the shelves, cupboards, and closets for possibilities.  I do not indiscriminately throw anything away.  Clothes are no exception.  It was both an eye-opener and storage emptier.  This will seem extremely wasteful but I’m positive I bought some of them for a terrific sale price and expected to wear them.  I had beautiful lined skirts and matching tops with the price tags still on them.  I always preach to follow your dreams.  I was pushing it!  Only after I have been pushing up daisies for several years, would I be able to get into those outfits.

When in doubt, make stacks.  So, I made stacks after trying on whatever I could get on.  The first stack was everything I could actually wear; the second stack was, “possibly by fall,” and the last one was marked, “in your dreams.”

I don’t know about you but just one of my bad habits is wearing the same favorites over and over.  I have two sleeveless eyelet blouses, one pink and one white.  They lived in a drawer for several years before I even wore them.  Now I have to cut off pieces of wayward thread and occasionally sew up the sides again.  One blouse had Clorox splashed on it so I took the little bow off the front, cut out the size tag in back, sewed the bow on the back and I wear it the other way around under an open blouse or shirt.  If I hang them to dry with four clothespins holding the bottom hems straight, I don’t have to iron them.  (I hope nobody from church reads this.)

This, however, is the last summer for both of them.  They aren’t making the cut for the trip.  Before I leave, they will be reduced to eight pieces and stored in a drawer to live out their lives as paint or mop rags and ultimately into the trash they’ll go.  I’ll have a ceremony.

I finally had only a small stack of clothes I would wear.  The “possibly by fall” stack wasn’t very high either.  The “in your dreams” clothes were carefully folded into two big black plastic bags.  After swim class on Monday, I’ll take them to the Soroptimist Thrift Shop in Wickenburg. 

I never thought about what Soroptimist meant so I looked it up. “Soroptimist is an international organization for business and professional women who work to improve the lives of women and girls in local communities and throughout the world. Over 80,000 Soroptimists in 120 countries and territories volunteer time and contribute financial support to community–based and international projects that benefit women and girls.  The name, Soroptimist, means ‘best for women,’ and that’s what the organization strives to achieve. Soroptimists are women at their best, working to help other women to be their best.”  

We have learned together.  God Bless until next week.

Winter in the Wilderness, the first e-book novel published by Minshall, is offered through Amazon and most Internet book sites.  A print edition may be obtained from Amazon or you can order an autographed copy from the author at Box 1040, Congress, AZ for $7.95 plus $3.50 for postage and handling.  The fourth edition of RVing Alaska and Canada is available through Amazon.com.  

Sharlene Minshall - The Silver Gypsy

At 45, Widow Minshall began 20 years of solo full-time RVing throughout Alaska, Mexico, and Canada. Sharlene canoed the Yukon, mushed sled dogs, worked a dude ranch, visited Hudson Bay polar bears, and lived six months on a Mexican beach. She lectured at Life on Wheels, published six RV-related books and wrote a novel, “Winter in the Wilderness.”