Cleaning Out the Purse for Vacation by Kandy Derden

Things to Do Cleaning out the Purse For Summer Vacation

bought a new purse.

II It sounds simple enough, but finding the perfect handbag is hard work. One must consider the style, color, size, functionality and don’t forget the personality of the user.

Recently, I noticed how my faithful companion of several years was showing signs of age, not to mention extreme wear. As a result, I decided to start shopping, knowing it could take a several weeks, and possibly a few months to find that perfect replacement.

To my surprise, I found it on the second day of looking. I saw it on the display rack. Then I heard it beckon to me while hanging from the top row of hooks. While reaching for it, my fingers began to twitch in anticipation of exploring all the sections.

Even though my mind was already made up, I investigated each feature. I wanted to be sure because in my case, a purse becomes a family member just like my car. I’m not fickle. Once I make a selection, I stick with it for a longtime.

This was not always so. In college, I had a tendency to change my handbag almost as often as my shoes. Besides matching the shoes, the only benefit was keeping all the clutter cleaned out. I still have a few of those purses. I’ve given thought to removing them from my closet since they are no longer used. But I think I’ve found a new use for them. It has been suggested that for a purse without enough sections, use smaller pouches to keep everything organized. With age, my purses are getting larger and some of the totes I used as purses are so small, they now can be used as inner pockets.

With this particular new purse, that won’t be necessary because it has plenty of pockets – 12 to be exact. Imagine my surprise when I checked the receipt and noticed it was listed as a hobo bag. Now correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t the concept of a hobo bag derived from transients placing all their possessions on a cloth and tying up the corners to be slung over a pole or stick? This type of container didn’t have dividers or pockets. But this new purse sure does. This poses a new problem: placing all my critical ‘stuff’ in the best pocket. It only took me three days to get this done, but when I got finished, I needed a map to find everything. However, even with a roadmap, I spend a considerable amount of time looking for things.

We are going on vacation soon. This is one of my designated times to clean out my purse. The primary purpose is motivated by knowing I have to carry it all day, unlike work days when it stays tucked safely out of sight in my desk. I also do it if I am going to be spending a day doing something like visiting an amusement park, zoo or fair. Those are the days when I realize just how heavy coins are. And hand sanitizer. Sunblock. Daily prescriptions to be taken at a time when I won’t be home. Bottled water for washing down the above-mentioned meds can be exhausting to carry, even if they are the small bottles. Don’t forget the portable

By Kandy Derden Things to Do Editor

Cleaning out the Purse For Summer Vacation

snacks required when meds must be taken with food.

When I need to lighten the load a bit for just one day, I remove all extra pens and notepads, all extra lipsticks, tissues, nailfiles, granola bars, umbrella, spare socks and calendar.

This leaves me with sunglasses, chapstick, wallet, comb, phone and keys, one pen and notepad, three tissues, one bandaid and for the past two years, a mask. This allows room for souvenirs or whatever everyone hands me and says, keep this in your purse so I won’t have to carry it. You can imagine how heavy it is by the end of an adventurous day.

I guess I need to clean it out more often. Sometimes when I do, I find long lost items which are still useful.

For example, I cleaned out all my expired coupons last week and in the process, I found a recipe given to me by a co-worker. She made it sound so good, I asked for a copy so I could try it at home. This is a combination of ingredients which is impossible not to love.

Ham Alfredo Bake

16 oz. pkg. homestyle wide egg noodles ¼ c. margarine, cubed or sliced 2 jars Alfredo sauce (16 oz. each) 1 – 2 c. milk 8 oz. pkg. Swiss cheese, shredded 2 c. cooked ham, chunked or cubed ½ c. fresh grated Parmesan cheese, divided salt and pepper

Cook noodles as directed on package, then drain. Add margarine chunks and toss lightly. Set aside. Stir together sauce and milk to desired consistency. Microwave on high for about 5 minutes. Spray a 4 ½ quart casserole dish with non-stick spray. Pour a thin layer of sauce mixture into bottom of dish. Add a layer of noodles, Swiss cheese and ham cubes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Repeat layering. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.

Serve with your choice of vegetable or a crisp green salad.

This meal was so well received, I’m glad I found it. It was worth the effort to clean out my purse.

Alas, there are no leftovers and now it’s time to decide on something for dinner. I guess I’ll go clean out my purse again to find some more inspiration.