Shred Day in Dennis Township, NJ

MARK THIS DAY _JUNE 13 -I took 6 Trash Bags full of 31 years of old checks /receipts and INCOME TAX returns to my towns free shredding DAY.

I retired two years ago from the Federal Government after 31 years, and well lets just say I had to keep all my tax returns and canceled checks and receipts while I worked there. Or, I was compulsive enough to make sure I had them.

Anyway, I got there about 10:15 am -and ONLY the two men running the program were there. Apparently, it had been quite busy with folks arriving before the 10am start so when I arrived =I pulled right in no waiting.

I had called the day before and spoke to Mr. Ryan , who was running the event, and he said get here early -when the truck is filled -we will turn people away. It was from 10am until 1pm. I had a Creative Writer's group from 10 to noon -should I go to shred day -after? He suggested NO. I talked it over with my best friend, who also suggested I be there when it started. I agreed. (Yes, I was late because I was on the computer.)

The truck was parked at the back of the lot across from Township Hall. Secure Shredding. I was asked to sign a clip board , name /my township address/number of bags to be shredded. The list had two other names (maybe not the first page?). The other two people had two bags each to be shredded. Amateurs. When I had said I really had no idea how many bags -I had just kept filling up the back of my car. He said; estimate the number of bags -So I guessed -SIX.

He pulled over a hugh rolling trash can =and I started to swing the heavy plastic bags -out of my CRV's back and empty the contents -less plastic bag- into the rolling can. 1-2-3-4-5-6 YEA I guessed right. AND, I had filled the HUGH can. I felt Very Proud of myself. He rolled it over to the side of the truck and said Goodbye.

NO ! wait!

I want to see my stuff shredded. I have such little thrills in my life. LOL and my brother in law said to make sure they shred it in front of me.

The hugh rolling can was shoved up under a shoot next to the side controls. A small viewer was above the controls. As i watched; the can and the contents were sucked up. The contents -31 years of my life -were shredded in about 10 seconds. One piece escaped -I dont know what it was -and a couple were still in the bottom -so -Back went the can to the shoot and what was left was re-sucked up and shredding again took place.

I asked the Twp employee, Clarence Ryan, when the next shredding would be -I have one more room to go through and I have burned out two shredders so far. He said that would depend on the township response and the budget. It cost $400.00 per hour for the shredder truck. WOW.

For me it was a lifesaver in a cleaning frenzy that was long overdue. But now what? He suggested -"a little at a time? call the township office and maybe they will shred it in the office for you." What a nice man.

Maybe they will or maybe not. But I am glad I was able to take advantage of the shredding truck -today.

I should write a thank you letter to my township-by e-mail, no sense wasting paper that would eventually need to be shredded.

It was a good day.

Monday I load the car up again -this time with stuff for the thrift shop.

Cleaning and shredding and Downsizing is fun -

now if I could just get rid of my excess weight that easily.

Company's coming I need to clean!

I am cleaning out my guest room for a cousin that is coming to visit for a few days. truthfully, I told her not to come. She would be better off renting a hotel room. I know, rude. But my cousin loves me and said -"clean the room so i can walk to the bed and stop worrying about it." originally she was bringing her daughter and a friend -but the friend fell thru.

I really needed this -to get me moving. Retirement is so relaxing and I have gotten so lazy in the two years since i stopped working full time. It is really wonderful -but i am so unmotivated to clean out this house. So far I have found cash in a Christmas card from my parents/gotten 7 bags of shredding (all my old checks)/30 years of Income tax returns/At least that many bags of trash/ a sewing machine serger/gifts brought and never given because they were lost in the mess/a scanner/copier/fax modem/VCR movie camera/savings bonds/boxes of pictures and got rid of craft stuff I was really into at one time. I now know why I have no money. smile :)). I would gather up all the stuff off my kitchen table and throw it into a bag and toss it in the back room -when anyone came over -thinking I would go thru it later -I never did.

I also threw away years of Christmas cards I saved -except -what do you do with all the pictures people send with their cards? I have some pics that i would never even recognize -if i hadn't saved the envelopes with return addresses.

I would like to sell my house in two years. Maybe rent around the country -six months here and there. I always wanted to live on the west coast in Oregon. A storage unit near my brother for stuff I want in my old age but can not lug around the country. I know i will have to get rid of a lot then -but I am trying to reduce my clutter now.

i seriously think I may be doing it backwards. I should take out the stuff I want and then let the rag man (recycle guy?) go thru what is left and give me cash. It might be better in the long run. Less drama. But I never did anything the smart or easy way. :)) This way is sort of fun and very, very rewarding. I just found four scratch off lottery tickets in the Christmas cards. I will not scratch them off until I find out if they are still good!!!!!

The thrift shop of the ARC in Rio Grande -is the beneficiary of all my downsizing frenzy. I was spreading the stuff around. But i decided to concentrate on one shop.


It makes it easier -if i need to buy something back. :(((((((((((((