back in Panama, remembering New York

One of the more difficult, but enjoyable tasks we had to accomplish last week was to go through my grandmother's belongings.  I am proud to say we sorted, cleaned and donated:  all of her business clothes to Dress for Success, other clothing and accessories to the Salvation Army, her vintage dresses to Goodwill, and her linens to a homeless shelter.  I am glad that her material possessions are able to help others.
**note to readers: you can donate your old sheets and towels, no matter what condition as long as you wash them, to animals shelters! They are always in demand. My sister put me on to that.**

One of my favorite finds was her brown eye glasses with the rhinestones! I am lucky to now have various tangible reminders of my Nana (no, I did not keep the glasses!).  I know we do not need physical things to remind us of loved ones... but there are moments when being able to touch something helps more than the mind's eye alone.  It was also great to see her fashion sense over the decades; read the cards, letters from our childhood and my mother and aunt's as well; and most of all, see pictures.  My Nana was great at making photo albums and keeping her pictures organized.

Here are a few pictures I found, and photographed. I have so many! 

my Nana

Some gathering with family from both sides.

my two grandmothers at said gathering! This is the only pictures I have seen of them two of them together. I love it (hence why it is my fb profile picture)

here I am with my Nana at my first communion... looking like something special lol. 

I am a little four-eyed bundle of poofy innocence!

I don't know why this picture is turned over. It is not this way on my computer, but I love this one so I am sharing it sideways. My Nana at her surprise birthday party in... 1948? i think the back said. This is a great picture, don't you think??

and finally, one of my all time favorites, our first cruise (as you can see I had already surpassed my sister in height. I was about 8 here?)