September Morning Still Can Make Me Feel That Way

Fact: I’ve started the delightful tradition of waking up to “September Morn” by Neil Diamond. It’s really quite wonderful.

Fact: “Low Carb Lifestyle” Special K is pretty much the same as cardboard, also similar to that thick and scratchy construction paper.

Fact: I’ve eaten a banana a day for almost a week now.

Fact: Our house is now 5 garbage bags lighter of my stuff.

Fact: Until yesterday (and the garbage bags) I had in my possession every letter I’ve ever received in my life. Ever. Since childhood. That includes cards, notes passed at school, those little Valentines with pictures of Barbie and Scooby Doo on them, everything. I kept a few, but most of them are gone now. I feel surprisingly great about it.

Fact: I’ve also kept pretty much everything I’ve ever gotten from anybody. Until yesterday. You have no idea how great it feels to be rid of so many boxes of stuff.

Some of it was a little hard to part with, and some of it was not. Love letters from my nieces and kids I used to babysit, written in big crooked handwriting that breaks your heart. Envelope after envelope of photos I never look at. Picture frames that probably came from Pic’N’Save. Every paper I wrote in college, high school, middle school, and elementary school. Shoes I’ve kept for no reason other than the hope that one day I might find platform flip-flops attractive again. All my “thoughts” from girls’ camp (example: “Prayer is like shaving--even if you do it today, you still have to do it tomorrow!”—pink Bic razor attached). My old CPR mask from lifeguarding class. A nightgown with pictures of hedgehogs on it.

“Look at what you’ve done—why, you’ve become a grown-up girl.”

Fact: I just love fall.

Fact: I really need some fuel. That cardboard stuff just didn’t cut it. Banana time!