Christmas Came Early

Like most people, I don't like to move. The upside, though, is that it's the only time my closets and cabinets are sparkling clean and organized. For a variety of reasons, I decided to move back into my house in Florida.

 The company that stored my stuff for the last two years brought it back to me a few days ago.  The guys were very nice and quick and made it an easy process.  They put all the furniture back where I wanted it and I started unpacking boxes.  I'm about 2/3 done and hope to be done this week.

As I opened boxes and unwrapped stuff it was much like celebrating an early Christmas.  Most things I recognized immediately and it was like reuniting with old friends.  I've collected so much stuff over the years during my travels that each time I cut the tape and unrolled the bubble wrap I was reminded of all the good memories that came with each item.

In some cases, it was about family.  The wooden music box that my father made for me years ago, for example.  I remembered the day he gave it to me and it brought a smile.

In other cases it was memories of where I was and who I was with when I bought something.  It was a delightful romp down memory lane of life before Samoa.  The treats I unwrapped made the time unpacking the more boring items like pots and pans easier to do.

I unwrapped one covered ceramic vase that I bought in Lombok, Indonesia in 2001.  I was smiling as I remembered the day I bought it.  Then I realized that there were slips of paper inside the jar.  What the heck?  I started reading the slips and they said things like "JB's Fishcamp", "hot showers" and "cheese enchiladas".

Then I remembered that at my going away party the week before leaving for Samoa my friends decided to play a game.  They each wrote the two things that they thought I'd miss most while I was away from my Florida home.

I'm planning a "I'm back!" fiafia, complete with Samoan food and lavalavas and ili for everyone once the holidays are done and I'm back in my house.  It will be fun to go through the slips of paper and see who was able to predict what I'd miss most.  I don't think anyone mentioned sleeping on clean sheets with no mosquitoes.