Have you ever noticed that when you meet up with old friends that there are things they remember that you don't, and vice versa? I'm amazed sometimes at the things I DO remember, especially when I sometimes can't remember what happened yesterday! As you talk about old times, the visions of very specific things come back to you - like flash backs. You start to remember the exact time a picture was taken and where - simply by the couch or the drapes in the kitchen. Who's house, what room and how old you were, even without looking at notes on the back of the picture. I started thinking about the memories that lay in them and how, whether its an actual picture or a picture in your head, they are memories all the same.
When I was a kid, I remember looking through old pictures that my parents had. My mother would say things like, "That was in our neighbors driveway when I was 13", or "That was the year they had the first Ferris wheel at the state fair". I used to think to myself, how does she remember that, and really, why would she want to?? I was probably 12-13 years old and thought, wow, what a boring life they had. They didn't do anything fun if she can remember her neighbors driveway!
But then, you grow up. Those memories of riding down the neighbors driveway - the one with the BIG hill - on a Big Wheel with the seat pulled out. Or roller skating down a very specific sidewalk onto a driveway that NEVER had cars in it. This was usually the driveway that also had a basketball goal at the end of it. Always empty so we could play or skate or whatever! Or how about just playing in the woods and exploring for hours on end OR playing jump the creek with 2 sticks you found in the yard. All we needed were skates, a ball, a big wheel and some sticks to be happy!
I recently re-lived some of those childhood memories with an old neighbor - memories from when I was 3 or 4 years old til maybe 11 years old. I couldn't believe the details of what I remembered and vice versa. The specifics of what happened to who, who fell out of a tree and broke an arm, where we were when it happened. All those little things that I wish I had pictures of. But, do I really need the actual picture? The picture in my mind is as clear today as it was then.
Last night, the same thing happened. I re-lived memories from my teenage and early adult years. Those years from about 12-21 years old. Times when we spent time at the beach, dragged boys in the girls bathroom and terrorized them for messing with us, and playing quarters and dancing at a club! Sitting at the table with me were people that I have memories with throughout that time frame. Different times, different places, different attitudes. When I left, I reflected on all the different things we talked about (and laughed about). Its funny how people perceive you during different times in your life. Sometimes I forget that I really could be a B$tch sometimes! But with some of those stories I remembered that I was and I'm thankful that I'm not anymore! I've changed so much since then. I'm still the same Kim underneath, but I'm not nearly as volatile as I used to be!! I left wishing I had more pictures of the times we spent together long ago. But again, do I really need the picture? Because believe me, the picture in my mind is very clear!
So, why was I bugging one of my friends from last night to post the pictures we took? I don't know. I remember last night just like it was, well, last night! But how much of it will I remember in the coming years? When will I no longer remember riding a big wheel down the big hill, or dancing the night away at a club? How long will those memories hang on? Who knows. What I do know is that one day I'm sure I'll look back on all the pictures just so I CAN relive them - simply because I can't remember anything anymore. At that point, I'll be glad we relived our memories together, and captured it in a picture. My old friends, my buddies, my hopefully life long friends.
So here is a quote to my friends - the old, the new and the in-between!
"Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for a while, and leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never, ever the same." ~Flavia Weedn
Happy Saturday! 
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
The weather yesterday was unseasonably warm and what did I decide to get done?? Clean the basement! UGH! This is a chore that we complete about once a year although it should be done more often. It had gotten so bad down there that you could barely walk through without being molested by a bike pedal or extension cord! I talked a couple of weeks ago about holding onto stuff we don't need and mentioned a table that my youngest daughter wanted that was in the garage. Guess what?! It isn't there anymore! WOOHOO! My step son moved into his first apartment on Friday and we gave it to them with a stipulation. DO NOT ever get rid of it! I don't care what it looks like, but you better give it back when you are done. For what reason? Well, it was the only way I could get my daughter to agree to let it go - LOL! She would not have been so understanding about anyone else having the table, but for her oldest step brother, its all good. She loves him to death and trusts that the table will come back again - and so do I.
About the garage cleaning - This time is was not (we) that cleaned it, but (I) that cleaned it - all by my lonesome. I was perfectly fine with that. Sometimes it is nice to just have some time completely alone - even if it is while cleaning out a dirty, gross, dusty, spider-ridden basement! My hubby put his gorgeous Rousch Mustang out on the lawn and gave it a good cleaning and waxing while I was doing the basement. That baby of his comes first! He is too funny with that car! I wasted no time with the cleaning. I wasn't down there to do the whole "look through every box thing" - I was all about getting as many boxes behind closed doors, and picking up all the miscellaneous trash that had accumulated. My goal was met! Its so clean and open in there it looks like a ball room. Oh, how I can't wait until all the kids are in college so I can knock down a wall and have a pool table and bar down there. Oh yeah!
I did, however come across alot of old pictures while cleaning - pictures that I've been looking for a long time. I plan to scan some of said pictures for black mail purposes! (This is for you Leslie, so I hope you are reading this!) These are pictures from junior high, but first I must weed through them and put all the ones of me with my flip, feather bangs to the side. What was up with the hairstyles in 1978-79? Good Lord! I could have poked someones eye out with the points of some of those flips!
Speaking of my step son moving into his own apartment - we also gave him the furniture that we had downstairs in the den. I've had this stuff for about 12 years. It was the first thing I was able to afford to buy when I split up from ex-husband. I had an old futon in our dinky living room and that was about it and I had no money to buy anything. I put it on layaway and paid monthly until I could get it paid off and delivered. I remember the day they delivered that furniture like it was yesterday. Believe it or not, it was one of my "success" moments. A moment I felt like I had really accomplished something. Seeing new furniture delivered and watching my small children jump up and down on it like it was a Christmas present - well, I still have pictures of that day. Simple thing getting new furniture and something a lot of people take for granted. For me, it was another defining moment, a moment where I was moving ahead, putting that one foot in front of the other. And just like that, POOF, it was gone. I felt stupid for being upset about it and I didn't tell a soul - until now. It was old and worn out from all the kids, parties and such. But what memories that furniture holds for me are in my heart. My step son will go on to have good memories with that furniture also. Memories of his new place, his freedom. He will one day look back on that worn out furniture the way I looked at my old futon. And when he dispenses of it, it will be a step forward for him. And life moves on.....
So, on our "Spring Forward" day, let all take a spring forward into new memories. Here's to all the new ones!
Cheers! Happy Sunday! 
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
