Last week I saw my aunt Pam, and she sent me home with a bag of items previously owned by my Grandma Connie, including some amazingly fabulous glasses and  prescription sunglasses. Most of my memories of my grandmother involve her wearing sunglasses no matter if she was indoors or out. It never occurred to me when I was younger that she just considered them her glasses. Seems her vision was terrible, the glass in these is about a quarter inch thick. I’ll probably never wear them, but I enjoy having them amongst my things.

She also gave me a handful of Connie’s dresses, which I am taking to the tailor PRONTO. They are straight out of Mad Men, only real. The best part? they all have these adorable little  tags in them. You better believe if I start a clothing line, it will be called “INT’L LADIES GARMENT UNION.” please, no one steel that, k?

I am not a keeper. I am a firm believer in regular purging of things, but surprise gifts like this are making reconsider this choice. My aunt’s bag also included photos of my mother that I’d never seen, and notes from her announcing the birth of my sister (swearing at one day old she was saying “da da”). I cringe to think of all the notes I’ve tossed over the years that would someday seem magical to my neice, or to my future-kids. Its a little late for resolutions, but here goes anyway: 

I know I can’t keep every card, or every photo, but I will do my best to keep some, and scan as many as possible. And, after I have kiddos, maybe I’ll hang on to the items that become my uniform? They may be happy to have my cardigans and vans someday, or then, they may want to through them out. But, I’ll let them decide.