After my sisters and I had gone through all of Mom's house and were satisfied that we had pulled everything that we wanted and had space for, the executor locked it up, and we all drove away.
I paused and took a photo of where my mother spent so many happy hours with both Gus, and her chickens. Had I not been so overwhelmed with fatigue, hunger, and emotion I might have taken a pic of her bluebonnet patch just beyond her chicken house. I didn't trust myself to linger.
One of the many treasures I brought home were her certificates, her 5 and 10 year pins from UTMB, her credential pins, all of her lead markers, cardboard "gestation calculators" for OB ultrasounds, notes she took in X-Ray school (handwritten in cursive!, in ink!),
and some old name badges.
My mother was the parent I admired and looked up to.
She was smart, resourceful, courageous, steadfast.
She had little things sitting all over the house in little dishes and in drawers - when I saw one that I couldn't put down, I added it to my collection. This sterling silver keychain looked well-loved, but I don't ever remember seeing keys on it. After I polished it up, I discovered that the yellow crescent glows in the dark.
While I was waiting out the eclipse, I took a pic of the back of the house. Repairs and painting are starting this weekend. The underside of the patio roof will be "Glazed Granite", the body of the house will be "Toasted Almond". It will have moldings and trim replaced, gutters cleaned and reattached, bricks power washed, then caulked and painted.
I watched the entire thing.
My neighbors were cheering and clapping at first, then at totality, a hush fell over the whole neighborhood. No birds, no dogs barking, no traffic sounds. Without trying to sound all woo woo, it was almost a spiritual event, and I sat silently crying and watching in awe. Yep, worth taking a day off.
My button collection has grown exponentially (thanks, Mom!), and I will be thinking what I can do with them. I made a cute button craft years ago, ornaments, and a couple of Christmas themed pillows. I've even sewn them on clothes, ha ha.
But I want to really think about how to use them for something I can enjoy looking at. There are so many antique ones made of shell.
Just so lovely.
Gina
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