Thursday, September 27, 2012

Little treasures...


As I've mentioned before, I am facing a move in the near future. Since I will be "downsizing", I am forced to cull excesses that I do not need to hang onto. This necessitated going through not only my own files, paperwork, photos, etc., but also many of my mother's I have been left with, and now my dad's. Mother had scores of scrapbooks filled with mementos from all her family and friends. These are some I salvaged from those books:



The above paper was one I must have sent to my mother. Today I brag about my children and grandchildren on this blog. However, during their early childhood years, I sent school papers, photos, and memorabilia to grandparents and even great-grandparents. Little did I realize at the time I would someday be in possession of some of these "little treasures" in my own senior years. The above school paper was one written by my oldest, Craig, in 1969. He was 11-years-old at the time, with a five-month-old baby brother! Now how does one part with such a treasure? Or the one below:

This was written by my daughter, Carajean. It must have been during one of the summers she visited my mother's home. If you look closely, you can see the straight pin my mother left in that Carrie used to pin it to the dress. Judging from the printing, she was very young. The following was written a few years later:


Carajean was 12-years-old when she wrote this about her three-year-old brother and the family's Siamese cat, Prissy, going fishing in her aquarium. Carrie saved her money to buy her own aquarium, plants for it, and of course, she paid for her fish! Matthew used the net she cleaned it with to catch the fish, then tossed them to the waiting, hungry Prissy! I'm not sure if Carajean ever forgave me for not punishing Matthew more severely. This story will never die.
The Innocents - Matthew and Prissy - 1972
At this rate, I may never "downsize" enough to move anytime soon. There are at least two trunks full of such little treasures as these.

Peace, and more space, please,
Marilyn