Mementos #1

I think I'm going to try a new daily project—only this one will be posted weekly. It'll be of things: things that decorate my house, things with sentimental meaning, things that I find amusing, things that I use regularly, things that I never use and should really get rid of. The stuff I've gathered, or that's come down to me. I've just scanned quickly through the zillions of photos on my phone (I do not like the fact that Apple has me so beholden to my phone, and to the Cloud, for the sorting and storage of my photos, but I don't have enough time or energy right now—or perhaps ever—to become unbeholden...) and singled out a few that count in this new project. So here they are. The first one, taken this evening.

A water glass, Arcoroc, made in France;
I found it in the middle of Carlson Blvd., El Cerrito,
right around the corner from where we were living,
back in 1985 or so. Today it is my wine glass of choice.

Some of my mother's many spectacles. Now that I am
becoming a connoiseur of spectacles myself (distance, reading—
and I'm getting close to a third pair, for computer/piano),
I appreciate the gift of vision that these gave my mother,
who suffered from macular degeneration toward the end
of her life of 93 years. Today I visited the eye doctor,
and he assured me that my own, growing collection
of spectacles is perfectly normal. In a few years,
a cataract operation will be in order, but until then,
I should enjoy all those stylish frames!

Dessert plates, painted by my grandmother,
Annie Hooten Skinner

My father's slide rules; he died in 1978,
at age 70, so never got to gain expertise
in computers, but I know he would
have loved them

There will be books in this project...

A bellydance scarf that adorns the floor lamp by my bed;
I bought it in a fit of optimism after a lesson
with my friend Carolee, thinking: yes!
I will be a bellydancer! if I have the scarf,
it will make it so! (it did not; but I like the scarf)

Okay. There's a sampling of what I envision. Let's see if I remember to keep this up. I'm thinking a Friday post, every week for... gulp... 52? Do I have that many things to showcase? We'll see!