kinda' morose..

...from going through a box of moldy papers, exhuming lots of pieces of the past, with my dad's handwriting and signature. Lots of cancelled checks with my mom's impeccable name written on the signature line.

Spent several hours yesterday afternoon going through a box of papers that came from my parents' house. There was a file cabinet my methodical dad kept all his important papers in. I emptied the whole thing into a box to go through and be certain I was not putting anything important in the trash. Wanting to shred stuff that might have financial significance, though he has been gone for fifteen years.

I found dozens of cancelled checks with my mom's beautiful handwriting: her signature perfectly formed. I found lots of yellowed, ancient (from the early and mid 1940s) paperwork my dad kept from his active duty military service. As well as lots of documentation about his retirement benefits. Hundreds of pages of statements illustrating his careful husbandry of invested funds, diligently earned and methodically, wisely socked away for their golden years.

Amusing and bittersweet original receipts and invoices from equipment he purchased thirty years ago. Tidily typed letters he sent requesting information about replacement parts/operating manuals for ceiling fans, roto-tiller, home heating system/thermostat, electric hand tools, chain-saw. He was from the Christopher Columbus School of Typing: 'find the keys and land'. A two-fingered typist who could type rings around me, even after my two years of typing class. And his signature on all those letters and forms. Hard to let it go. There won't be any more.

I actually got tired (and hot and cranky sitting out in the carport going through musty, moldy papers) of the shredding.  Putting four or five sheets at a time - I'd still be doing it, if I had not completely lost interest.  And decided to take them to my friendly neighborhood State Farm agent to put in the big bin they send off to a commercial shredder. Still anxious about just putting the paperwork in the trash, so want to know it has been shredded, turned it into mulch. Wish I could get it back to put in my garden!