There would have been less guilt if I'd just gone through the box and tossed things. But, no. It wasn't handled that straightforwardly. In one of the more recent iterations of clearing the garage, we found a box of old school things. It looked at first like is was mostly my Dear Son's things.
Did I toss it? No. I had set it aside, with the idea of going through it to at least see what was there. It was in a cardboard box. It got left on the back porch and ignored for weeks. Minor guilt every time I went out the back door. Then it got rained on. I hauled it in to dry. Shoved it into the front room for "someone" to go through. I knew it should be me, but was sort of hoping someone else would deal with it. A few weeks ago it someone shoved it into my bedroom during a "someone's coming over" clear of the front room.
I shoved it into a corner. Now I'm tired of it being there. So there will be tossing.
It's mostly Dear Son's old school reports. There are reports on:
Pandas
New York
Homo Sapiens
Walt Disney
Yellowstone
There's a quarterly report from his GATE class, report cards (sheets, really), letters to me, and art assignments from elementary school.
Ah, there are things from Beloved Son as well. I feel worst about that.
His high school football pictures and letters. Fortunately, those are in ziplock bags. No mildew.
A file full of grade reports, school newsletters, art work, and citations. Also letters to me
Reports on:
Richard Byrd
The Solar System
The Beaver
Mexico
Alaska
At least one manila folder of Eldest Son's things. There are letters to me, worksheets from the second and fourth grades, his high school graduation announcement,
There are also envelopes of my old taxes and the original loan papers for the house. The taxes are old enough to go. I have a different loan, now, so most of the loan papers can go. I may want to keep the original inspection report. I'll read it and see.
About five sixths of the old school things can go. And I can mail most of the things for Beloved Son to him. I'll take photos or scans of the school certificates that have their pictures on it. Pictures are good.
The box can be recycled with the rest of it.
