Here I am, enjoying a cup of coffee and pondering what to write about on my trusty laptop, Louisa May. I do name all of my devices, of course.
But that is a topic for another day. Today I am pondering how one action can start a chain of events and lead to something totally unexpected…serendipitous, even.
Above my office desk was a basket on the wall that was stuffed with greeting cards and various mementos. See below, I drew a square around the basket.
I had decided that it needed a purge—you know how much I have been purging lately—and this was an untapped spot in need of some work.
When I took it down and started sorting, I was surprised to find some photos, too, so I had to scan one of them. This one was taken in the winter of 1979, in the apartment I had rented after my divorce. It was a place for starting over.
And seeing the photo reminded me of the apartment, and the few things that I enjoyed about it. So I grabbed a photo album from that time period, and scanned a few more.
Below: I remember enjoying the arched doorways and the slightly Mediterranean architecture…and in the background, to your left, you can see the wicker fan on the wall. For those who were around during those times, back then, you could go into a Pier I or a Cost Plus store (now World Market) and see them everywhere. I lived in this apartment from 1979-1980.
The rust colored chairs…and the similarly colored sofa (below) were also remnants from those times.
I had this furniture for several years afterwards, until I was living in my townhouse a few years later (1988-94), when it became too worn and scruffy to be seen.
I love seeing it again, all bright and new, in these photos.
Note the table between the wing back chairs, in the second photo above: that is the ice cream table that I still have. (See below)
And here is the ice cream table (below) behind the rust-colored couch, circa 1980. I lived in the apartment pictured below from 1980-1983.
I do love hanging onto things, and sometimes I forget the various incarnations of each piece. All of my interiors have showcased the old favorites, as well as a few new things along the way.
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What is the point of showcasing these moments from the past? Well, in a sense, I am traveling backward in time and reminding myself of where I’ve been.
And this all happened today because I decided to clear out the basket of mementos in my office.
Do you ever find yourself traipsing through your past, studying and sometimes scanning the evidence of the many homes and belongings you have enjoyed? Do you get there unexpectedly, just because you were clearing out a room, or a drawer, or a basket?
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