Kimmy's Cache

         Two year anniversaries abound...the night air has grown cooler - we love to leave the doors open and bring in the fresh air.  Halloween approaches.
          Cody got up into the attic the other day to bring down the boxes of Halloween decorations and costumes (Breanna and Autumn delightedly grabbed double handfuls wigs, dresses, etc and an impromptu fashion show broke out erupted!).  I noticed, in the fray of costumes that the girls left in the boxes, that some of them were costumes that Kim had hand made for the bambini.  The scarecrow.  The lion.  The fearsome dinosaur.  And, the Jack in the box.  I decided that I would clean out my Nana's cedar chest that we have in our entryway and store all of her incredibly and lovingly made costumes to better preserve them.
           I couldn't exactly remember what I already had stored in there...and when I lifted the lid, I found a bunch of old Cal Ripken Baltimore Orioles memorabilia.  A box of Wheaties with Cal on it.  A statue of Cal belting a home run.  A Cal bobble head.  A Dan Marino action figure.  Kim was a Miami Dolphins fan! A boxed set of Upper Deck Micheal Jordan cards.  A Mike Piazza tin of trading cards - yes, Kim was a LA Dodger fan, as well.  A Billy Kilmer Washington Redskin jersey from when I was 9 or 10.  Rolled Disney movie posters for Beauty and the Beast and Pinocchio that I had gotten for Kim when they were re-released in the theaters back in the '80's.
          And. Another cache of Kim's.  Memories.  As soon as I saw the heart shaped box, I knew I should buckle up...

            Kimberly had taped the box shut.  To keep her treasures safe.  For the day that I would stumble across them?  I like to think so.  I continue to wonder if I will find some last letter from her - and she continues to surprise me - our house just isn't that big.  Over the last two years, you would think I would have uncovered every last thing.  But, I have to tell you, I am so glad I have not.  It makes the darkest part of the night just a little bit less black.

          I hesitated, box in hand - did I want to open it - yet?  Autumn sauntered by.  "Oh, I love that box.  Did you get it for Mama?".  She broke me out of my daze.  Of course I wanted to open it - I look so forward to finding Kim's hidden caches, as if she chooses times to drop by and give a hug.

 

For such a small box, Kim managed to fill it with vintage '80's 'greatest times' that we shared.  Beginning with my Shippensburg University phone # (somebody dial this # and see if I'm still there...).

 

There were chopsticks and a business card from Oriental Palace.  The first Chinese restaurant I ever ate at.  Perhaps the first green veggies I ate in a decade, too!  This place was right next to the movies and we would eat here and then go see a show (Kim with a bottle of Cold Duck stashed in her suitcase sized purse for the movie!)

 

 

A letter, from me to Kim from Shippensburg.  Return address: Banana Man

                                                                                                   Dole, Africa

I can't remember what book or magazine I read - it may have been Mad Magazine.  They had letters with fake return address - always something witty that would make me laughed out loud.  So, each letter I would send to Kim would have a made up return address, hoping to get a giggle out of her.

 

A sorry card.  Apologizing for being a train wreck.  An yet she never gave up.  We loved the Little Rascals, trying impersonate them to make the other laugh.  "Get outta der Petey!  That's not for you!!" or "and there was a monkey with an alligator suitcase on his back!".  I'd always get a laugh out of Kim with one of these classic Our Gang quotes!

 

One of the movies we saw together at the aforementioned movies, was Gremlins.  Kim thought the Gremlins, pre-water, were so cute.  I ended up finding a plush Gremlin somewhere and buying one for her.

           A ticket stub from a Buddy Hackett show that we saw at Caesar's at Atlantic City, NJ.  Kim was the queen of travel deals.  Even before she mastered Kayak.com or Priceline.com, she could find incredible deals.  We paid $10 for a bus ticket to Atlantic City.  In return, they gave us $10 in quarters and a FREE Buddy Hackett ticket.  It was a surprisingly good show.  Kim liked Buddy Hackett because of his role in the original Herbie and the Lovebug movies.

 

A piece of stationary that Kim had designed and had made for me when I got a job with Toys R Us all the way back in January of 1988.

 

A key chain, from our favorite hotel on Long Beach Island, N.J.

 

Admission ticket stubs to the Arizona Desert Museum and to Old Tucson from May of '89.

 

                  Always fascinated by Inspector Gadget, I brought Kim this action figure home one time.

And a 1985 Date Book.

 

She appreciated everything, no matter how big or how small.  A rose.  She felt strongly enough about that single red rose to make an entry in her calendar book.  The best part about Kim?  Not only did she appreciate everything, she expected nothing!

 

She was pretty sweet...

 

 

There were a couple photos of Kimmy - here with her sister, Terri.

 

And on the couch with her two dogs, Whiskey (right) and Niki (left). 

 

                           Finally, actually way to soon, came the bottom of the box.  Strewn with memories of carnivals, night clubs, concerts, movies and favorite beers (mine, since Kim was not yet a beer drinker in the '80s, preferring Gin and tonics!).
                           The treasures within this box brought back so many wonderful memories, times, smiles...

                           There were some other photos, deep in the darkest corners of my Nana's cedar chest, a nostalgic breath of cedar captures your nose as the lid of the chest yawns open...

 

Holding each other at San Xavier Mission...

 

Scaling sand dunes at White Sands, NM.  Kim had a beautiful dress on that day...I LOVED this dress on her!!.  The dunes were steep, and you can see the track Kim had left sliding down the mountainous dunes...in a dress!!!

The dunes were beautiful.  So impressive.  We had Cajun with us and we literally ran in the sand until we were exhausted.  Sliding down hills, trying to run, awkwardly, back up them. 

 

Always looking back.  I loved this look - it always was if she'd look back, reach into my chest and just squeeze my heart!

 

 

One of our early, 'Climb 'A' Mountain' American Cancer Society walks!  Cajun proudly sits upon a boulder.  Cody is sleeping soundly in the jogging stroller!

 

Kim and Cody at Sabino Canyon.  Kim and I frequented the canyon - hiking the Butterfly trail and swimming in the many water holes along the creek. 

 

Cody helps Kim decorate our Christmas tree.

 

                            My Dad and Kim dancing at my sister, Laur's wedding back in '97.

 

Tonio and Kim at the Desert Museum...she blessed us with 3 wonderful bambini!

 

It was a great day to be thankful for the memories we made!!

 

The memories take their toll - someone recently asked if I'm sleeping at night.  Sometimes...others, I struggle...and although it's late again tonight, the memories I rediscovered today will take me deep...

 

Sweet dreams Kimmy!