THE DAY AFTER THE WILD CHRISTMAS PARTY

PRINCESS TRIXIE

I LIVE IN THE SAME TOWN I GREW UP IN. I HAVE THREE SONS AND TWO DAUGHTER-IN-LAWS. ANDY BEING THE OLDEST(32) AND HIS WIFE TRACEY. JOHNNIE WHO IS THE MIDDLE(26) AND HIS WIFE KAETI. AND JUSTIN THE YOUNGEST(21), WHO IS A COLLEGE STUDENT IN HIS THIRD YEAR. I MARRIED MY HIGH SCHOOL SWEETHEART, CHARLES.

I HAVE FOUR DOGS: TRIXIE, MY 13 YEAR OLD MINIATURE POMERANIAN, SADIE, A 7 YEAR OLD BLACK AND TAN MIX, BABY, WHO IS A 5 YEAR OLD BEAGLE MIX, AND MAXWELL, A 1 YEAR OLD CHIHUAHUA.  AND TWO CATS: ORION, WHO'S 5, AND A DOMESTIC SHORT HAIR(BLACK AND WHITE), AND PUDDLES, WHO IS ALSO 5, AND HE IS A MAINE COON MIX. ALL OF MY FOUR LEGGED CHILDREN WERE ADOPTED, AS THEY WERE ABANDONED WHEN THEY WERE YOUNG, BY THEIR ORIGINAL OWNERS, WHO SEEMED TO THINK THAT ANIMALS ARE JUST THROW-AWAYS.

I HAVE BEEN COLLECTING OR INHERITING STUFF ALL MY LIFE. AND I SEEM TO BE A PACK RAT WHO DOESN'T LIKE GETTING RID OF THE ACCUMULATION THAT I HAVE. BUT, THERE COMES A TIME WHEN ONE MUST TRY TO FIND SOME SEMBLANCE OF ORDER IN THE CHAOS THEY HAVE CREATED.

MY FAMILY HAS HANDED DOWN MANY THINGS TO ME, AND I HAVE DISCUSSED WITH MY SON'S AT LENGTH, IF THEY WANTED ANY OF IT, AND THEY ASSURED ME THAT THEY DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE TO SORT THROUGH THE MULTITUDE. I SUPPOSE ONE CAN'T BLAME THEM, THEY ARE INHERITING QUITE A LARGE ASSORTMENT OF USELESS STUFF, BUT IT DOES HAVE SENTIMENTAL VALUE, IF NOT MONETARY.

I HAVE COLLECTED OR INHERITED: FICTION BOOKS, CRAFT BOOKS, COOK BOOKS, YARN, CROSS STITCH ITEMS, KNICK KNACKS, COSTUME JEWELRY, FORMAL DRESSES, , QUILTING FABRIC, THIMBLES, TOYS, PICTURES, OIL PAINTINGS, JEWELRY, PHOTOS, CHILDREN'S TEA SETS, ANTIQUE COFFEE POTS, CARNIVAL GLASS, LENOX ITEMS, CRYSTAL, AND ON AND ON AND ON. IT SEEMS ENDLESS TO ME. BUT:

ONE MAN'S TRASH IS ANOTHER MAN'S TREASURE, OR WOMAN'S IN THIS CASE.