Clothes

Two weeks ago, Steph left 4 bags of Pam's clothes for me to give to the Thrift Shop. I am sure Pam would have liked that. After Steph left, I felt overwhelmed that I had Pam's stuff in my garage and did not want to go through the bags. It made me sad that this was some of the last things of Pam's that were left. Every time I passed the bags, I was sad. Even Spike would stop and smell them, as if he knew there was important stuff there.
Today, I decided to start sorting. I wanted to go through the stuff at my house before I saw it all at the shop, as I knew there would be lots of crying. As I went through the bags, I was remembering Pam at all different times. There were shorts and tee shirts for summer, Fleeces and turtle necks for winter, khaki pants for anytime and floral skirts for spring. I will say, the tears were flowing, but as I found her bright orange Halloween sweater with the pumpkins on it and her Christmas vest and her fleece with the penguins on it and her tee shirt that said "Love" on the front- I started to smile. Pam was always into the celebration, in her spirit and her clothes. I pictured her at school on Halloween giving out candy to the kids with her orange sweater on. I pictured her on Christmas Eve at her house, soooo happy to be surrounded by her family. I see her in Michigan in her penquin fleece.
The "Love" tee shirt was my favorite. It's beatiful, it's simple and it says it all.
I will bring the clothes on Thursday to the shop and Pam's stuff will live a new life. I hope her spirit goes on with them.

Seeing Eye Dogs

I am down on Long Island this weekend because I have an interview for a maternity leave teaching position at Eastchester High School. I took Amtrak down from Buffalo. At the Amtrak station, yesterday there was a blind woman with a seeing eye dog. The seeing eye dog was a black lab. This would remind anyone of Pam. Something tells me that if she were there she would have chatted up a storm with the woman and her dog as well.

Fashion Show

At the Thift Shop, where I volunteer, we have been planning this year's Fashion Show. Today, we decided to watch a video tape of the 2007 Fashion Show so we could show a new volunteer what the show is about. When the tape started, they panned the audience and there was Auntie Pammie! Looking happy to be there and of course smiling. She had just had brain surgery about a month before the show, but she was determined to come. Eddie was in the show as "Eddie Potter" (Harry's cousin). It made me happy to see her and be reminded what a fighter she was. This was the Fashion Show that Pammie won a children's book basket. She was so excited to give it to Emma. That was quite a thrill!
We went back to my house and had rootbeer floats. A wonderful evening!