Too tired to write this all down, so here’s today’s post in video format.

Update: So, this will be a double post, two-days-in-one… The video was created yesterday, but at over 1 gig, I was having issues loading it to YouTube from my phone (it was taking way too long), and after a long shower I’m finally putting it on my laptop. I am too tired to get this done now, at almost 4am, it can load onto YouTube while I sleep. So, the above video is for August 17, and below is my August 18th Daily-Ink.

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Today was absolutely exhausting. Loaded 164 boxes, each about 45lbs onto a UHaul and then took it to a recycling plant. I was able to use a dolly to get them on the truck 4 at a time…

But had to toss them out one at a time…

Doing the math, that’s 7,380 pounds of paper I threw out, and unfortunately there’s still a bit left behind.

Then after getting back to my parent’s house the basement cleanup started. We filled a friend’s trailer…

Truck…

And even his cab…

With everything from steel rods, a plasma cutter, tool boxes, solar panels, magnets. And more power transformers and duplicates of tools than any one person should ever own. There are two things my dad did that were beyond compulsive: one was printing and filing things he had read; and the other was compulsively buying far more of an item than he needed. If he needed one item, he bought three. If he needed 5, he bought 20. I wish that was an exaggeration, but it really isn’t.

My friend and sister joked that the local Staples and hardware stores were going to struggle financially now that my dad is gone.

I’m so glad that I was able to help out and get this stuff cleared out. It was cathartic, but also a little sad. First dumping his files that he spent decades collecting, then sending items off to auction likely for pennies on the dollar for what he paid. I’m glad the family is getting together for a memorial in October because I wouldn’t want the memory of today to linger.

Off to bed soon. I catch a plane back to Vancouver in the morning, then head directly to the ferry to visit my daughter I’ve barely seen since she returned from France in June. Tomorrow is going to be another busy day!