I Believe in Time Travel

A mysterious letter arrived in my mailbox. A friend from high school was thoughtful enough to return a letter, newspaper clipping, and pictures to me. This friend and I used to write letters back and forth, from high school all the way into our college days.

In the middle of  de-cluttering an attic trunk last spring, I had actually found his high school picture in an old wallet. The photo had been stuck to the plastic of the wallet's photo section for three decades. I had looked at the picture, smiled, then tossed it into the waste can thinking, "I will never hear from him again."

Ironically, the very next day I received a Facebook friend request from this same friend. This is how he was able to deliver some very amusing documents to Hillcrest Cottage.

Look! A Real Letter with a Real Stamp!

I opened the letter quickly, not even realizing it was more than junk mail. After all, who receives a real-live, personal letter these days? Imagine my amazement as these photographs began to emerge from the white envelope. High school junior and senior pictures!

Some of my young friends, who have just completed their catalog-layout type senior picture sessions with location shots and three clothing changes, had been asking me, "Ms. Bev, what did you do for your senior pictures?"

Well, the answer is right here: the blue senior drape... with the Dorothy Hamill hairstyle.

A Much Younger Me Began Spilling Out.

By this time, it was obvious that something really special and unique had just arrived! Time to pour a cup of Community Coffee dark roast with whole milk and sugar from the Keurig, which I love dearly. Time to do some heavier- than- expected reading. ( Hot Tip: See my new iPhone5 which I was able to get for free because I use the money from selling old phones to get it. It's one of the smartest things we do.)

That's Me in the Left Picture... My Awesome Rival on the Right.

The true date is revealed when I see the letter I had written to my friend, being returned back to me! What an insight into my old self. As I have been going through the de-cluttering process, I have returned pictures, letters, books, and knick-knacks to friends and family. So much more fun than tossing stuff into the trash. It takes more effort, but the joy it brings to the recipient can not be measured!

A True Time Capsule from My High School Senior Year

Soooo... apparently I wrote goofy letters about trivial things. I talk about the Carter-Ford election, homecoming court, a new ice skating rink in my town, visiting the University, needing to get back to my homework, and plant fertilizer which was making my room smell like "dirty tennis shoes".

O-kay.

This Might be an example of a Girl with Too Much Time to Kill

My favorite part of the envelope's contents was a photo I had not seen since 1976. The picture was taken during track practice the spring of my junior high school year. I am coming around the last curve on the track; I can tell by the way my foot is planted that I am so not enjoying this work-out. 

More fun than seeing my awesome calf muscles in action, however, was the expression on my face... looks like my 19 year old son. 

Weird. I guess we are related.

The Grueling Daily Work-Outs for Track Team

I do believe in Time Travel because it just happened to me. What a fun excursion back to 1976.

This time capsule came unexpectedly back to me in the midst of furniture painting and Etsy/Ebay posting and all the crazy stuff I do in my artistic life  here at Hillcrest Cottage.