Today I had lunch with a childhood friend of my mothers. I knew her growing up, and got to know her really well when I went to University in the town she was then living in. She and her husband kind of adopted me, so I went to their place for dinner a lot. We've stayed in touch since then through cards and letters. Well now she's sold her home and is preparing to move into a retirement home in another city to be closer to her kids. She had invited me to lunch because she said she had some things she wanted to give me. She had a bunch of photos of my Mom and Dad in their 20's and of my grandparents that she wanted to give me. That was really nice because I don't have many photos of my parents from when they were young, My Dad gave my brother all the old photo albums and I didn't have any pictures of my grandparents so that was also sweet of her. She also gave me a tray that I remember from my house as a kid, that my parents brought back from Portugal when they lived there. My Dad must have given it to her after my Mom died. She also gave me an African art painting that my parents had given her after coming home from Angola, It will go great with my other African art which I inherited. And sweetest of all she gave me two china cups and saucers which were wedding presents to her - one from my grandma and one from my Great Aunt. I don't really need any more china, as I inherited all of my grandmother's, but I like the sentimental story attached to them.

I thought it was really sweet of her to remember me like this, when her life is being turned upside down and to give me all these lovely things that will help me remember my parents.

--splitimage