I am “off the grid” for a few days of R&R with some girlfriends. No water, no electric, no cell service for 30 miles. Bliss!

Today’s post is about walking down memory lane. One of the chores I’m having to do with downsizing is going through boxes of pictures. I’m dividing them into separate boxes…one for each of the girls, one for each of their dads, and one for my brother. I’m keeping those I am particularly attached to and throwing away those scenic photos of leaves and caterpillars that I thought were ever so artsy back in the ’80s. Those photos that mom took with the tops of our heads cut off? Gone. Those pics my grandma took from 30 feet away at the family gatherings and unless you were there you couldn’t tell who any of the people are? History. Those snapshots taken of me when I was going through a particularly sad, dark time in my life? Who needs to be reminded how awful that was? Then I come across a portrait like this one. My baby girl. My last baby. The one who didn’t have to wear hand me downs…that I could play dress-up with and take to high tea. The one I indulged because I could, whether it was good for her in the long run or not. Look at that smile. She marched to her own drum from the day she was born. My lastling. She’s 24 now. A senior in college. She just started a new job. She’s a woman now….but in my heart, she will forever be the little girl in this picture. Love you, Moon Pie!