I have many bins of letters and cards stored here. I know I save too much, but one time I did do a purge, and I can still remember which letters I threw out–and some of them would be useful to me now that I’m trying to set a novel during the time they were written. They’d help get me back inside the mind of a ‘tween girl of that era (the Cenozoic?).
I do have almost everything from my family after I started being able to control what I kept during moves (moves are great for purges; hell on archives), including delightful early correspondence from my nieces and perhaps occasionally a nephew (bad correspondents, those boys). I know people don’t often write real letters these days, so it tickled me when our great-niece Morgan recently sent out several to some family members that included photos.
I haven’t seen her for more than three years; she’s done serious growing up since then.
There’s no way, in this heat, I’m going to search for letters from her mother and aunt when they were the age Morgan is now. But I do have photos of them at that age–from the year that my father died, when Debby brought them and Josh to spend Thanksgiving with Mother, Daniel, and me. I gave the kids free possession of my closet, and these are the girls’ “modeling shots.” They are better at modeling than I was as their photographer. And they did know how to smize.
Hey, I have a great niece named Morgan, too. Only she’s a freshman at Missouri State University this year. BTW, you never need anything until you throw it away.
When our Morgan is college-aged, I’ll be…35!
Lovely letter, photographs and memories.
🙂
Thanks, Cari. =)
I always love a Morgan update … that Charlie’s Angels pic has to be one of my favorite pic of all time … although the modeling ones in this one come close to the top as well.
I can hear you shouting “Give me pouty … pouty …POUTY!!!”
OMG, I would love to do a photo shoot with the “new” kids and go all Top Model on them. I’m sure they’d put me in my place in no time.
Morgan sent the same letter to me, also. Only she signed it Sincerely, Morgan. Cracked me up. No love and kisses no love you grandma just Sincerely, Morgan.
I just adore her.
In the last two shots there is no smizing. Just that ultimate model look, “I’m prettier than you and can destroy your life.”
As it should be.