Are You a Hoarder?

I am. I suppose it was inevitable, with both my parents falling into this category. My father would go to lots of local sales, farm or otherwise, and bring home all manner of things--golf balls (he didn't play golf), gallons and gallons of paint and linseed oil, old harness, rolls of cotton cloth, and once even an ancient violin with broken strings and bow. I think he thought he had found a long lost Stradivarius! Most things went up into an upstairs part of the old farmhouse, known as the "wee stair" where it joined forces with my mother's collection, much of which were stored in the old ten gallon milk cans from the dairy, now redundant since the building of the milking parlour and the bulk milk tank. She usually recycled her stuff and could supply any child with a costume fashioned out of some old pieces of silk, velvet or otherwise when the school play called for them.
Moving house was a nightmare for us.
My most recent "collection" has been show catalogues. Some reside in the car and others are beside the phone and the computer for telephone numbers etc. but most are filed in boxes, filling cupboards and taking up most of the space under dressing tables.
Last week I decided that enough was enough and I would have a clear-out (I had no more storage space). I had got up to 2005, completely filling the recycling wheelie bin when I had a phone call. Did I keep show catalogues, championship show catalogues in particular? Could I furnish this lady with some information on the sire , dam and breeder of various dogs? Of course I could. How much of a coincidence was that? I do not know the enquirer very well and why did she phone me? I'm not one of the "big names". Another half hour and I couldn't have helped. Anyway I was glad to be of assistance and all those catalogues hadn't been kept for nothing!