A Facebook Memory...

 

From 5 years ago...

 If the print is too small, Joan was proclaiming, "I can't imagine wanting to live anywhere else," talking about our home here in the Tropical Tip.  Things change, huh?  We're still riding, but the scoots have changed.  The boat is gone.  Still enjoy seeing the dolphins when we see them from the bridge (not the same as sharing time with them while on a boat).  And Rufus is still handsome... and a good boy.

He really is a good boy.  And not "mean looking" at all.

Another balmy day here in the Tropical Tip.  The breeze came up this morning.  "How much?"  Thanks for asking... the wind came up enough that it was moving the bacon around on the griddle while I was cooking this morning.  Well, more wind direction than strength.  Fear not, all the bacon made it safely onto the plate.  Along with the sausage.  And the French toast.  But, I digress.  No, I didn't really digress... that's all I have to say.

;-)

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Speaking of memories...

In 2006 (when we retired), Joan and I shredded what seemed like tons of old checks, income tax returns, etc, etc.  In 2011, when my Mother passed away, we went through her stuff and did more of the same.  Seven years after we sold the studio, we started the annual process of shredding that year's records.  The the huge storage we have in this house, it has been easy to keep documentation.  As we empty closets, drawers, and cabinets, we again have that chore to deal with.  Along with personal photos from decades.  Most of that stuff hasn't seen the light of day in years.  Bumper stickers, posters, contracts, and photos of a bunch of different bands... it reminded me that I made decent money (for the time) making music.  Several photo albums of candid images from different bands... stuff that means something to only me, and only for the memories.  It feels like "disposing of memories."  In spite of what Joan might tell you, I have most of my marbles and I'm able to remember where I put them... why are we talking about "marbles"??

When my sister, Joan, passed away, John gave us a bunch of photos.  There are images of teen parties we had at their house, where the band I played in was the entertainment.  Joan was good about documenting a lot of my younger years.  Those are images I have copied digitally.  Because, again, I am the only one it will mean anything to.  I don't want Steph to have to go through boxes of images and ask, "Who are these people?" or try to figure out what financial records are important after someone dies.  More stuff being chewed up by the shredder.

Do I really need to keep my Dad's Army discharge papers from 1945?  Or my Mother's death certificate?  Or even my own birth certificate?  How about the program from when I had the lead male role in the Class Play when I was in 9th grade?  Photos of the first fish I caught?  Is that a memory I'll ever need?  I have no grandkids, so is there anyone who needs to know about this stuff?  If I do eventually lose my marbles, will I know whose dog that was or who those long-haired guys are?  Even if one of them was me?

There are titles to houses that we moved away from decades ago... I'm assuming the chain of ownership who have bought and sold the houses since then probably have their own paperwork.  Promotion material sent out to studio clients (some of that was pretty impressive for the time).  W-2s from 1979??

There is a large box to be shredded (seriously, where does this stuff come from - I thought we had been through this years ago??); another box to be tossed (with no person information to be gleaned).  And a small box worth to keep.

But stuff like this is important...

The VW bus that Joan and I had when we were first married.  The first vehicle to have both our names on the title.  Yeah, she made those curtains that are in the window.  Or this one - the Porsche I restored and Joan's Z...

A lifetime of memories.