Kukka by Sally Kilgore: The Clean Out

Fate, TX (March 5, 2025) – I have been in accomplish and purge mode since January. I hope the urge is over soon, because I am tired. Stuff has been flying around this house, bags filled for donating, closets reorganized.

The pantry had been driving me nuts and had evaded conquering. It happened on a day when I had burst of energy, after having the crud. I was searching for a snack, and without intending to tackle the entire job, decided to toss a few outdated items. Stale chips and crumbling crackers that closely resembled cracker crumbs were tossed out.

One thing led to another, and I began straightening items on the shelves and check expiration dates, believing that I had been mindful of rotating items in my pantry. I found boxes of outdated cake and muffin mixes. All the gelatin and pudding mixes were long outdated. We don’t make much gelatin or pudding; however, someone kept us well stocked, in case the world ended.

I have a roomy pantry; it is well organized and looks cute. The pantry door has paned windows; thus the interior is visible. I keep two large, brightly enameled, cast iron Dutch ovens on the shelves, a few dishes, cookbooks (no one uses cookbooks these days, we are all on Pinterest, but I am old.) Assorted baskets on the floor contain paper towels, sodas, cat food, large stockpots; and the one filled with bags from the grocery store that our cat, Bob Kilgore, uses to vent frustration with his humans. When he has had enough of our misbehavior, he enters the pantry (Bob Kilgore opens doors) and has a big old hissy fit by digging out all the grocery bags and scattering them on the floor. Smaller shelved items are also corralled in baskets. An old pottery bowl holds the tomatoes. Clear containers hold flour, sugar, dried cranberries and dates. I had incorporated old mason jars, some containing dry goods and nuts; some empty, but kept because they were charming. They were space suckers and are gone after the clean out.

I was almost ruthless in the evacuation, and I am not sorry. Charming jars containing dried bean soup mixes were removed and the ten-year-old beans tossed. Please don’t tell me that beans last forever, they may, however, I don’t prepare bean soups because the B.O.B. (long suffering hubs) will not consume them, and it is possible that they give me gas. I keep the canned soup that the B.O.B. prefers on hand. Occasionally in the grocery store I’ll add a can or two to the basket, just to ensure we always have some on hand. Copious cans of soups lurked back in a dark pantry corner, most out-of-date. Finding a bottle of chocolate syrup that was just a month past its expiration, I had a weak moment and thought it might be ok for a little longer. Then I got hold of myself, admitting no one uses chocolate syrup here and pulled it out for tossing.

A black contractor’s bag was filling with beaucoup cans and boxes until I realized how heavy and full our trash bin would be. Deciding it prudent to empty cans, jars and boxes, I could responsibly recycle the tins and cardboard. I opened cans and boxes and dumped all the stuff down the disposal. This was not a short operation; it may have covered twenty minutes of dumping. Dump, dump, dump, turn on the water, take the rubber spatula and shove stuff down the hole with the disposal running. Rinse and repeat.

After a while, my nose began to twitch at an odd, hot smell, and the disposal halted, heaved a desolate groan, and then silence. Opening the cabinet under the sink, I could feel the heat. The sink still holding all manner of stuff, I scooped out what remained. Then I thought to dispense glassfuls of ice from the icemaker and chunk them into the mouth of the beast, in hopes of cooling it down. No joy there. With a bit of dread in my heart, I bagged up the remaining goods and hauled them to the bin in the garage.

Next, I tackled a folder filled with recipes, and the messy stack that developed when the folder was full. Recipes torn from the newspaper or magazines with good intent, but never tried. I kept a few, thinking they looked good, and I might try them one day. (Insert a wry face emoji here.) Someday I may quit trying to fool my own self and stop saving recipes. Wonder when that will kick in?

Once the pantry was nearly liquidated, I found a can of water chestnuts that had not expired. That can is nestled back in, near the cannellini beans. I have no clue why I returned it to the pantry, because I don’t care for water chestnuts. Maybe I was planning to try a new recipe.

I am mortified at the waste. I only need staples for two people and am refraining from picking up more until I check supplies (other than mayonnaise; if we don’t have at least two backup mayos, the B.O.B. gets panicky.)

A couple of nights after the pantry mission, the B.O.B. decided to try supplementing his hot chocolate with a squirt of chocolate syrup. I’ve put chocolate syrup on the list. The garbage disposal recuperated and is no longer being pushed beyond its capacity. I sure am ready for springtime and gardening, to keep me from further reorganization.

Sally Kilgore is a resident of Fate. She is married to her long-time flame, Judge Chris Kilgore. Sally’s work has been published in the Dallas Morning News, Blue Ribbon News, Persimmon Tree, and Orchards Poetry. She writes a blog on her website, SallyAKilgore.com. You can contact her by email via her website. 

Provided photo.

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