Saturday, January 8, 2011

What's in the trunk?

We enjoyed a delightful afternoon with our adult children and grand baby Isla.
Isla and Grammy played on the floor with toys while the adult children conversed.
I cannot take my eyes off her...everything she does is the BEST EVER!

She is developing her ability to hold onto things, to pick them up and to put them into containers...
she loves the IPHONE app of animal sounds...laughs and grins and
grabs the IPHONE and tries to put it in her mouth!
Grammy does not have an IPHONE yet. (but if it would make Isla happy I'd buy one!)

Memories bubbled up and moments of "I remember when" surfaced...
oh! when you were this age...
and you had this habit of...
and her red hair is so like that of Mr. HB's cousins...
maybe it was the same shade that you had back in the day...
I think there is a lock of hair in the trunk.

Memories might be blurred and skewed compared to the notes and journals that one might keep to record events and milestones...

family artifacts...
baby books with weights and heights and dates are reliable sources for comparison.

We have several trunks in storage downstairs,
our daughter asked us to bring them up and open the contents...
so son and able Mr. HB dug them out and brought them upstairs...
after a dusting and a quick vacuum of the exteriors we were assembled and ready...
and they were opened...
there was a musty smell infiltrating the air...
it's been years since they have been opened
cautiously and reverently we proceeded to explore the inner depths...



The contents spilled forth trinkets of nostalgia and memorabilia...report cards, baby clothes


a party dress


a knitted dress from Greece


 a Junior Crew shirt from Poppie's boat

books, cards, a family Bible, school annuals, pictures, a minor league hockey jacket (Mr. HB's)
hand crocheted baby blankets made by great grannies...
and scrapbooks...
with concert stubs, dried corsages from dates and graduation,
cards and love letters...



a blue garter...circa 1974
 and my wedding dress!

Lovely daughter absented herself to put it on....






I wished that she had put on the veil and the train...
I am looking into finding a cleaner who will preserve this for the future...
after all it is nearly 37 years old.

I find it amazing that it fits her like a glove...
she is her mother's daughter.

I however cannot fit into it so it's appropriate that I model the veil!






Tonight I am feeling very happy and grateful
I have so many wonderful things that I have been blessed with...

 fate
destiny
 and choice
have all played their hand in my getting to here...


What a colourful tapestry 
of so many memories....

11 comments:

mette said...

I´m enjoying your post. It must be wonderful to be a grandmother. For Isla, the best.
It´s amazing, how you have managed to store all the significant things. How long have you lived in the Bungalow?
Your wedding dress looks so pure and innocent! Just like the picture of you two.
We have moved several times during our 37 years, so it has been easy/difficult to part with things along the years. Decluttering has become familiar already years ago.

La Vie Quotidienne said...

How wonderful to be able to relive all of these memories. Your wedding dress is lovely, I still have mine too...somethings just are too meaningful to give up.(-:

Bonnie said...

What a lovely trip through memories. I sounds like everyone had a good time. I love reading your blog. I found you through another blog. Your bungalow is charming.

LPC said...

Oh, a redhead? My daughter has red hair. Now I'm remembering too:).

Fiona Ferris said...

How fun that you kept all of this. The dress on your daughter is adorable! And I love your wavy hairstyle under the veil. Lovely.

Judith said...

You are storing up beautiful family memories for your family.Ida

Britta said...

Dear Hostess of the Humble Bungalow,
what a beautiful post - and beautiful 'memories through things' - a treasure-box is so wonderful! And your Bride's dress fits your daughter like a glove, gorgeous! One is so thankful for all these gifts!

Semi Expat said...

A lovely post Hostess... and how gorgeous you still have those special things in your trunk. Lovely daughter certainly looked most lovely in the dress and your viel is so beautiful too. Happy Days and memories. x

Annie ~ Red Roses and Crystal said...

What fun you all must have had opening the trunks and rediscovering forgotten treasures.
Hostess your wedding dress appears to be in mint condition.
xx

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

metscan- We have been in the Bungalow nearly 30 years. I have kept many things that are important to me...after opening the trunk I saw that I could part with a few more items.

La Vie Quotidienne- Oh maybe you could post about your dress too! I'd love to see it.

Bonnie-Welcome ! Happy to have you here.

LPC- I recall seeing a sweet photo of her dressed up for Halloween and she was so adorable.

Fiona- My hair is naturally curly, I usually flat iron it, I was too busy preparing lunch and getting ready for the family visit!

ida- I feel a sense of responsibilty for keeping track of the family memorabilia.

Britta- these "things" evoke such strong memories...I suppose that's why I keep them.

Semi Expat- I wonder what type of dress my daughter will wear when she gets married...I don't think mine is her style even though it fits!

Anne-Marie-The dress is in good order it just needs to be laundered to refresh it....and we did have fun. Thank you!

Anonymous said...

Oh those trunks are amazing. And what contents, i come from a family who never keeps anything, I don't even have a single baby picture.