Yes, that’s right. I’m unpacking. I’m trying to clean up the guest room, in anticipation of having tons of company tomorrow. The bed is made, the desk is cleared off and this computer is on it. I’m sitting in Del’s wonderful desk chair. But I still have … stuff. So I thought I’d go through it so this room is really awesomely clean — like going to Dottie’s.
One thing I was avoiding was this huge box. It says Gateway on the side, and my father brought it to Syracuse right before I moved in 2002. I have no doubt that there are things in there from that time! You have to understand that I was coming from a frugal Franciscan mentality, which probably explains the soap slivers — like I really needed to bring those with me? Was I worried there was no bath soap in Wisconsin? I have enough disposable razors to last a decade. There were Time magazines from 2003. Honestly, though, one of my favorite discoveries was a piece of paper approximately four inches by four inches. On it was written the number 5. That’s it. 5. No lie. That really needed to be moved? Because you can bet that when I lived in Wisconsin, all I did was ADD things to the box!
I know that because Betty was two when I moved, and I found a birthday card she made me. She could write her name and some letters, so I’m guessing she was 5 or 6. I was eleven, according to the number of candles on the card, bless her heart. I found wonderful cards from parents and students at St. Matthew’s — my last school in Syracuse. I found a phone message telling me to call Dottie and another to call Sr. Collette. I needed those?
I found a pinky ring — I have no idea if it’s “real” or not, but it is comfortable so I have it on. There were mystery keys, but I kept them anyway. All the pens and paper clips will come in handy, but I’m not sure any human being really needs that many index cards. This is all just the tip of the iceberg!
In other news, last night I went to Winterhaven with Buz, Jemma, Dottie, and Jaeden. It was a walk through night, and it was cold! Well, to me 40 is cold. But there was a certain … community (because I can’t spell the word I want to use) in walking. For those who don’t know, Winterhaven is one of the neighborhoods in town, but each year it is VERY decorated. We used to just drive through, but now you can only do that on some nights. The rest you walk or take a horse-drawn carriage. That would be cool! Some of the houses’ decorations won various awards. In the newspaper they talked about one man who went blind last year but still decorated this year as he had so many times before. Taking Jaeden added to the fun because there were an incredible number of train-themed decorations, which he loves. But dang, it was cold!
I have a lot of company coming tomorrow, and probably won’t write again until after the holidays. So I’ll wish you now all the blessings of the season, the merriest of Christmases and the happiest of new years.
