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I think I may have mentioned my husband’s obsession with crap useless vintage items. I’ve spent nearly four decades watching him sort through dusty boxes at yard sales, flea markets and antique stores…. but last week he surprised even me.
When we moved back to Maine 20 years ago he had to start a new job before we sold our house, so I stayed down south for a few months while he bunked with a relative. Since he didn’t want to make the trip empty handed, he filled his truck with boxes and stored them in an uncle’s attic. I thought we’d collected all those boxes long ago, but after taking his uncle out to lunch last week we were told some of them were still upstairs.
.
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Did we find the boxes? Yes, after 3 seconds of scanning from the top step I pointed them out. Did that stop my treasure hunting husband from searching someone else’s junk for a heretofore unknown copy of the constitution or a Honus Wagner rookie card? No. It did not.
I’m happy to report he found nothing but junk which thankfully stayed where it was. And after opening our leftover boxes, I would have been happy to leave some of those there as well. They were heavy as hell and mostly filled with books and clothes.
.
.
It was a bit like a time capsule. My Pat Conroy phase reared it’s head.. and 20 years later I had to wonder why I felt the need to schlepp those all the way to Maine. But it was when I examined the clothes that a little piece of me died.
.
.
Because it was at that moment I realized I am literally twice the woman I used to be, and not in a good way.
.
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Lord Dudley Mountcatten helped me sort when we got home, though to be honest it wasn’t a tough job.
.
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Not one single thing fit. I mean, hell… it wasn’t even close. If there’s anything more depressing than being smacked in the face with your weight gain by a box full of size sixes and eights, I don’t know what it is.
😫
.
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Oh, well. I did manage to dig out a few pieces of long lost jewelry … and they don’t care what size I am.
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River's world..... 
We don’t care what size you are, Rg. You are the right size for us. (Not to mention few of us are the size we were in our 30s! I was a 6′ 140 lb broomstick when I met my ex-wife. She quickly beefed me up to 180 lbs. Then I got colitis, during which 99% of people lose weight. Me, I blossomed to 260 lbs.) Now, 30 years later, I am down to around 200, but I lost 2″ in height with my backbone shrinking. The longer we live, the more our bodies change, and there is nothing we can do about it. I still love myself. I bet you do too!
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I’ve come to terms with myself, can’t say we’ve ever had a real love affair.
😉
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Aw, to me that is sad. I do not mean egotistical love, but always trying my best to be the person I know I can be, AND WANT TO BE! I screw up, but I try to learn from all my screw-ups. The more I learn, the less I screw up.
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I suppose I’m happy with who I am as a person. It’s my body that’s dropping the ball lately…
😉
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Ahah! Therein lies the rub!
I could say I hate my body, it has failed me in so many ways. But since it’s the only one I have, I don’t judge it. The ways I chose to live were not always the best for it, so, c’est la vie! I’m probably getting what I deserve…
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How many more attics do you have stuff in?
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One more. That I know of….
🥴
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First off, you went to lunch with a friend and spent $340+ on about $25 worth of food, so I call that even with your husbands love affair with collectibles. Second, weight gain is inevitable as we get older (never mind the skinny asses that maintain size 2 forever), but based on your penchant for eating out……well…you can connect the dots. 🙂
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If you’ve been grocery shopping lately you know it’s more like $50, but yes. I take your point. Eating out is an extravagance but we enjoy it. As for the dots, I brought half of mine home for another meal, so there.
🤣
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Hugs!!
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I feel your pain, believe me. And more boxes of “stuff?” But oh those brooches girl, love those!
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They were definitely a nice surprise.
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Brutal.
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Thank goodness the Uncle didn’t charge for storage space!
I too am twice the woman I used to be because frankly like you I/WE WERE EXTRA SMALL. No one stays EXTRA SMALL forever. It was bound to happen.
I feel down about it on occasion, but then I’m also quietly celebrating that all my parts are intact and mostly working.
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I’m a few miles ahead of you on highway of life… and at this exit things are starting to crack.
🤣
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“Searching someone else’s junk” can get you arrested in some states.
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At least he kept it in the family.
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The jewelry is really pretty. As for your old clothing, guess it was just a reminder that you are moving forward.
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And outward, yes.
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Just look at it this weigh:
Now there’s more of you to love.
That’s all I’ve got to say
When push comes to shove.
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Sadly, that’s very true.
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I feel ya. But even if you could fit into it, would you wear it these days? If you had a sewing machine you could recycle some things – but I don’t think you’re a sewing machine kinda gal.
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You’re correct, I’m not. But hey, shoulder pads will come back into fashion any day now and I’ll be unprepared….
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