Day of memories

The past few days have been warm and muggy with rain showers off and on. Today started that way but then the sun came out, the temperature came down and the humidity disappeared. I have been feeling pretty good recently so thought I might be up to cleaning out Sally's office. So most of the day I was going through the desk and some cupboards seeing what was there. There was a lot of junk that was easy to toss, but there were also some gems that took a while to process. I was proud of myself that I was able to do this without losing it completely--which would have happened as recently as a couple of weeks ago. I think that having decided to stay in this house for now has given me the push to get things cleaned up and organized.

Apparently Sally's mom had saved a lot of our old Christmas letters--back to the early 70's. Reading through these was like reliving a lot of our life together--it was great. Sally wrote these letters and I would edit and type them. Her humor, love for family, and good will towards all come through so clearly. I'm keeping them still in her desk. I don't want to see them often, but it is nice to know they are there.

There were also a lot of old pictures that I need to spend some time going through and perhaps scanning. Most of the pictures were taken in the past 20 years, I think--but before digital cameras (can you remember what film was?) A few other special cards and notes were also there that were so typical of Sally. A scan of one of these is to the right. And on her desk were some of her very favorite things--a silk rose, some minerals (she loved collecting different minerals) and a couple of geodes that were split in half and polished. I'm just leaving them there for now.

I also found a plaque that was given to Sally by the Superintendent of Schools in Aurora Colorado, where Sally had volunteered for a few years--I don't think I had ever seen it. She also had a note of thanks from the teacher and a darling card from her school kids--some of my favorite student notes to Sally were: "Dear Mrs. Knies, Thank you for having the descustions with us!", "Thank you for giving some time to help us lurn", "Mrs. Nies, I really liked it when you taught us about self-asteam. Thanks", "Mrs. Nies, It really was fun in the groups. You have put in a lot of hard work in these groups--Love, Antwenette", Mrs. Neis, We all love you. You were a great help. I think that you should come back next year. (We will need you despratly)".

I finally got the courage to put all the funeral stuff away--Maybe some day I will want to look at it, but not now. They put together a nice printed book of all the pictures we had on the CD at the services, and that is nice. And then there were Sally's ashes--shudder. I have spread ashes at several of her favorite sites (China Cove, the La Costa Condo, our yard here, in Annie's back yard, our beach in Leucadia) and Lorrie spread some up in the Hill Country where Sally, Lorrie and friends would go each year for antique hunting. Kathie took some with her to New Jersey and spread some in "Sally's yard" at our old house in New Jersey. The current owners are the same ones to whom we sold it, so that is nice. And Kathie had the time to look up Sally's gardening soul-mate, Camille, in New Jersey and spread a few ashes there also. So there is a little of Sally coast to coast--and this country is better for it!!

When I finished, I went outside to enjoy our beautiful weather and to my pleasure the swan was swimming in the lake just outside our fence. The swan had not been around for the past week--but there she was.....

And I found this in Sally's desk:

"She who plants flowers

loves others beside herself"