Memories...

Today I was determined to clean/purge something in spite of not feeling well. The lower kitchen cabinet project isn't finished. I am only about half way through - even though the monster Tupperware cabinet is done I still have cabinets full of pots and pans, small appliances and dishes. So I selected the cabinet of least resistance - the cabinet with the least amount of stuff in it:

• 14 Fiesta serving pieces - KEEP


• 2 aluminum 1 cup measuring cups - KEEP - move to upper cabinet with other measuring devices


• 2 plastic canned pet food covers - DONATE - to daughter #2 (aka the crazy cat girl)


• a wind-up kitchen timer - DONATE - the microwave and oven both have timers, I don't think I need another one


• 00- size capsule filler - KEEP - I sometimes take vitamins that come in powder form and I make my own capsules - move to bathroom cabinet


• 00-size capsule tamper - KEEP - ditto above


• a bag of 00-size gelatin capsules - KEEP - ditto above


• a plastic 1 cup measure that goes with a food scale - KEEP - put with food scale


• a small wooden bowl - DONATE


• a sliver bread tray - KEEP


• a crochet liner for the silver bread tray that reads "BREAD" - KEEP (maybe I'll polish the silver tray and use it?)


• 2 pedestal cake plates - one milk glass that belonged to my mother, the other a gift from my sister-in-law - I love them both - KEEP


• 2 milk glass fruit compotes that belonged to my mother - KEEP


• 4 milk glass flower vases in various sizes (yes, they belonged to my mother) - KEEP


• a glass jar containing assorted tools for eating shellfish - KEEP


• a tin can covered with contact paper made in Brownies by daughter #1. This was used as a pencil/pen holder for years. I think it is time to TRASH - sorry daughter #1!


• 2 Weight Watcher food diaries - TRASH


• an antique syrup tin - KEEP


• a plastic bag containing 23 plastic cookie cutters - DONATE


• 2 large clear glass jars with lids - DONATE


• a 2-quart blue Ball jar, Pat'd July 14, 1908 - KEEP


• a ceramic colander - DONATE


• a blue Fire-King bowl that belonged to my paternal grandmother - KEEP


• an antique candy tin - KEEP


• a pink serving bowl - DONATE (it doesn't match any of my other dishes)


• a light blue serving bowl - DONATE (ditto above)


• assorted refrigerator magnets - TRASH


• 6 photographs that were once held to my refrigerator with aforementioned magnets - KEEP - move to photo box


• a postcard from daughter #2 dated March 2007 - KEEP - would it surprise anyone to know I save postcards?


• a piece of paper with a quote written on it by daughter #2 reading "Without work all life goes rotten. But when work is soulless, life stifles and dies." - KEEP - post in office


• a cartoon cut out of a magazine that was posted on my refrigerator for years because it was the funniest cartoon I have ever seen. A drawing of an elephant sitting at a desk writing with a pencil in it's trunk and it reads - "Dear President Bush: I am writing to request you no longer use an elephant as the symbol of your political party. I am ashamed to be associated with your administration and suggest you adopt a more appropriate image such as a crocodile or a Gila monster." How funny is that? - TRASH - I now have it recorded for posterity here


• 2 "report cards" from the dog groomer on the behaviour of my dogs when they were in for baths - TRASH

I am definitely seeing a pattern here. I can't get rid of the stuff that belonged to my mother or to my grandmothers. In the case of the milk glass, I don't really like milk glass, but I have memories of it in my mother's dining room hutch. The white glass always looked so pretty against the dark wood. But I don't remember her ever using it. It was decorative only. Maybe she got it from a relative and it held fond memories for her. Or maybe she was afraid to use it with four rambunctious children around.

The blue Fire-King bowl sat next to my paternal grandmother's sink with a plate for a lid covering it. She kept her vegetable scraps, egg shells and used coffee ground in it. She and my grandfather had a compost pile behind their garage. I have a compost bin in my backyard, but I have a special container with a lid and a filter that sits on my kitchen counter for my vegetable scraps, egg shells and used coffee grounds. None the less, I can't get rid of my grandmother's compost bowl - too many memories.

Should I feel guilty for keeping these things? No! When I began this purging project daughter #1 cautioned me not change who I am just to get rid of "stuff". Obviously it is in my nature to save things that make me happy and that is okay! I am not going to change, I am just going to get rid of the insignificant "stuff" with no memories attached. I think by getting rid of the items that have no real importance to me I will be able to enjoy the "stuff" that comes with memories attached.