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Friday, August 12, 2016

Sorting Out My Life

I sorted out my top dresser yesterday, and realized that it's almost a time capsule of my life. It looked pretty good when I was finished.


I did not take a before picture because I didn't realize it was going to provide fodder for a post. But here is just some of what was in there (and yes, it's actually a pretty big drawer):


  • my jewelry, which is what is supposed to be in there. Mostly costume of course, but there is a watch on a chain that belonged to my great aunt, and an ivory scarab bracelet that was my grandmother's, I believe.
  • a silk hankie that belong to my mother
  • a jar of buttons
  • a bag of small stones from Ireland along with pamphlets, tickets and other memorabilia from my Ireland trip last year
  • a stack of paint chip cards
  • a stack of bumper stickers I love but have never yet put on a bumper
  • large wood pegs used to hold logs together on that last pre-Civil War log cabin we disassembled
  • folding scissors
  • jewelry pliers and wire
  • a packet of needles
  • pictures of grandchildren
  • a box of dirt from my son's grave
  • a container of cool beads and bits and pieces that I just like
  • a little envelope of chips of glass, rocks, a feather and other items I collected on my walks at Davis & Elkins during my week teaching storytelling there in 2012 for the Augusta Heritage series
  • a string for string games
  • Irene McKinney's book of poetry, Six O'Clock Mine Report
  • one of my journals
  • a silverplated brush and comb set
  • a box of oddments mt granddaughter Hannah put there years ago, with a Do Not Touch note.
  • a tiny plastic baby from the cake the workers in the computer division at the State Capitol brought for the surprise baby shower they gave me for my youngest son (I was the security guard in the hall outside their office)
  • silverplate hooks made from spoons by my nephew
  • three little bottles of essential oil--rose, lavender and cinnamon
  • a little glass box with a bird on top
  • my name badge from when I worked at the Antiques Road Show a few years ago
  • a pair of wool gloves that need to be mended
  • my mother's wedding and ruby engagement ring and wedding ring, put together on a chain for me by my Dad, and my English Granny's first wedding ring (which I wore for years)
It's all tidy now, but I don't think I can--or would ever want--to say that about my life. I expect it will eventually be cluttered again as more memories are made and more tokens are collected. And you know, that's all right with me.


Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.

5 comments:

  1. Not even one, John! In fact, no pens at all. That's very odd, come to think of it. But there were screwdrivers, and glue, and tape.

    ReplyDelete

  2. Very interesting what we corral and cling to, isn't it.
    My drawers look like they belong to a hoarder.
    I believe they do, :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. I went through three boxes of stuff on Thursday, when it was too miserable to work outside. Just a few of the many boxes sent by my brother when he emptied our parents' house. Some treasures from my childhood, some from my parents, and a few useful items - I actually needed a butter dish, and now I have one, a nice surprise! The hardest part for me is all the saved papers and cards and such...some to be saved again, but a lot that could be looked at, thought over, and gently discarded.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I enjoyed this. I think I will go categorize my top dresser drawer for my children to have some day.

    ReplyDelete

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