Treasure Hunt

My mother (79) passed away suddenly at the end of September. I feel very close to her now when I sort through her junk drawers. This is what I've found so far, neatly packed into an impenetrable mass:

30 plastic coffee can lids

40 metal caps to vitamin bottles from the 70's

20 packets of powdered silica from same bottles (kept out moisture)

25 plastic coffee scoops

10 nested plastic Robitussin medicine cups

10 keys from old style of sardine tins (which were discontinued sometime in the 80's or 90's)

1 miniature replica Swiss battle-axe (God knows why!)

a sheaf of junk mail dating from 1972

my 2nd quarter 4th grade report card from Mrs. Reis ("needs to finish assignments in a timely fashion")

a Ziplock bag w' about 50 plastic bread tags in a variety of colors, all neatly collated

12 mesh onion bags

50 matchbooks

25 boxes of birthday cake candles, some put back used (washed first, but still...eww!)

her 1957 Red Cross swim instructor membership card

ancient packets of soy sauce and ketchup from restaurants that went out of business 30 years ago

and enough Howard Johnson's sugar packs to stop an army of diabetics in its tracks.


I dreamt that she baked blueberry brownies (never had any like that) and left them in the refrigerator for me. I went to bed completely exhausted, but woke up feeling better after that.