Golly....

My mother keeps sending me boxes of treasures--the latest was mostly photos, newspaper articles, and about 30 napkins (clean) from our wedding in 1995.  (Ironically, I think I have about that many stashed somewhere, thinking long ago that we'd have a vow renewal at 10 or 20 years...I guess we've missed those dates...maybe at 25?)

 Anyway, when I told her that she was a week late because last week was my fall break and now I "don't have time" to deal with the treasures she said she is doing me a favor, that I can sort it all now, rather than later...Um, thanks?  In any case, I think I do have a plan for a new system...but it requires me making a mess first, so I'm not sure I'm up for it yet (Look out, Christmas break!)--I need to take all the assorted cardboard boxes of debris, sort them by type of item (photo, clipping, postcards, letters, misc debris) and by family (mine growing up, the Mr's growing up, and our kids) and repack them (labeled) in better (archival?) bins...In any case, every box I receive inspires me to cart out a box of my own and sort it, so I guess its all good...

Mom went on to say that "all her friends are downsizing" and that it seems like every week someone she knows, and not like just "knows from the community", but friends passes away.  I know that I am nowhere near that stage in life yet, but it has been a rough fall. and I sympathize with her (or is it empathize?  Which way is "I don't know what you're feeling, but I know it must stink"?)  First, my friend, Lisa, then my friend, J's, dad (that is a story in and of itself, Mike deserves his own post, but not today), and this one of my mentor-teachers, Dan passed away.  Dan, unlike Mike and Lisa, has been ill for several months.  We knew this was happening, it was just a matter of when.  As I told a mutual friend earlier this morning, I'm happy for him, that he is no longer in pain, but I'm sad for us.  I know that all three of these folks are in heaven, but golly, I"m sad for those of us left here.  

Then this afternoon I sat down to start reading a great book recommended by a friend...read about ten pages and thought..  "this seems really familiar"....but I kept reading.  Then I looked at the end. Hmm.  Don't remember it.  Read a little more.  Finally, looked at the publication date and looked it up...yep.  I read it in 2014. Apparently, it really made an impression, since I have no idea what happened, but it was familiar enough I have no desire to re-read it.  Sigh.  At least I have a pile of "next" books (including one for a class) that I can move on to. 

In happier news, I'm working on a greenhouse warming system (not heating, unfortunately, although if I can find a solar powered poultry heater I'll be in business...I don't want to run an extension cord all winter...).  If they survive the cold snap of the next few days we'll have beets, potatoes, and kale later this winter.  We also held a very early 13th birthday party for the Boy...his birthday is in December, but he wanted to have his friends Z and M over to watch a movie...and this weekend was very well the last Friday/Saturday/Sunday we'll be home until snowboarding season is over in April.  We'll still do something in December, perhaps with his snowboarding (yet to be made) friends, but it was nice to watch Purdue/Nebraska (Der, Purdue, really?Lead the whole game and then...sigh) and eat gluten free snacks.

Anyway, this is kind of a random post, so hopefully, you won't all think I am experiencing early onset Altizmers... (although some days I wonder)...Happy Halloween..perhaps I can organize another Halloween post for this year...