Loose Change

Last year when I was helping Maggy clean up her apartment I came across a bag of loose change - complete with coin wrappers, earrings and odds and ends of hardware. I've long held a slightly guilty theory that money found in the laundry and on the floor belongs to the person doing the cleaning. I'm not sure that applies to change sequestered in its own container - but in the name of uncluttering Maggy's life, I took possession of the bag.

Last week, in my endless effort to conquer clutter in my house, the bag of change surfaced again. Maggy and I are not that far apart in clutter control.

This pile of coins also stirs that kid-like sense of the of finding a treasure. Sunday afternoon I couldn't resist sitting down with Prairie Home Companion on the radio and sorting through the coins. It seems to be about $50. There's a Euro and some miscellaneous European coins, a Sacajawea, at least one wheatie penny, several FDR dimes and Washington quarters to fill blanks in my collection and the little purple charm that says "I love you."

I got through the quarters and dimes. But the pennies and nickels are still on the table. I think I'm still missing something in the clutter control concept.