Treasured Memories

Yesterday marked the second anniversary of my Dad's passing. I said each year that I would share a memory...I guess it's my way of keeping him alive. Porter and Ruby will likely not remember their Grampy, but this way, they may feel they know him in some way.

So about 10 years ago Lisa and I were visiting Dad at his apartment.  I'm not sure how we came across it, but we found a binder filled with letters, cards and drawings that Lisa and I had sent him throughout our childhood. This binder stayed with Dad for more than 30 years. I remember how it touched me. And now, what a treasure indeed.

There were several letters and cards, but here are a couple of my favorites:

I thought I was pretty clever using pictures for words and saying " see if you can figure this out"...haha. That sentence was actually written in silver marker, remember those markers that you used to have to shake before they would work? What ever happened to those?


And there were lots of letters like this one written Feb 4th, 1986.  I would have been 10 years old:

Unless you have a magnifying glass, you probably can't read that. So let me share ( I'll keep the spelling mistakes in so it is completely authentic):

"Dear Dad,

I usually start with "hi, how are you, fine I hope" so I won't because I think that is getting boring. So I'll start with How's the weather? Are's is ok I guess. It's always cold in the morning when I walk to school, but I'm usually warm because I'm dressed warm. Well I hope you are doing o.k. I know you are not going to like what I'm saying next but I'm just trying to start a conversation. The kittens are doing great, there both lying on the tub chair licking each other. ( This is an inside joke because my Dad hated cats, although I think he secretly liked them:)  My room stays pretty neat now.  School is doing fine. Nanny MacNeill is doing fine too. I'm in a play tomorrow called Cinderella, it's in french. I'm a stupid stepsister but I do have alot of lines. Well I'm absentminded of what to say so I better go. I used absentminded because I just learned it in school.

See ya soon

Love always, Raelene

I added " Don't mind my messy writing" and lots of hugs and kisses on the bottom:)


Isn't that a hoot? Every now and then I take the binder out and read through the letters and every single time, it fills my heart in a way I can't describe.

Thank you Dad.

xoxoxo