Saturday, August 28, 2021

The Things We Carry Our Things In


I have been a complete waste of the planet's resources today. I just have not been motivated to do a damn thing. I really thought I'd get out and work in the garden at least a bit but every time I went outside to do anything the heat and humidity were just so horribly oppressive that it felt as if the very air were pushing down on me and I couldn't begin to entertain the thought of putting on overalls and socks and shoes and going out there to pull weeds. Neither did I feel like taking on any projects inside although I sort of slid sideways into dealing with my purses. 

My purses. 

I have spoken about my purse addiction before. No need to go into my theory of why I love  bags and baskets and bowls so much (womb association) but take my word for it when I tell you that I have way, way too many purses. I'm not talking about hundreds or anything like that. I'm not the Imelda Marcos of purses. But I have too many and I am emotionally attached to some of them and the idea of getting rid of those is a bit wrenching but I find myself at a place where getting rid of the ones I do not feel such an attachment to seems not only doable but necessary. My children and some of my friends know that they can purse shop here anytime and I have given away some nice bags. I've also lent some, especially to Lis, but she always brings them back! What's up with THAT? Today in a purse that I'd lent her I found her driver's license snapped safely into a pocket and a guitar pick. I felt as if I had her essence in that little bag. 
Anyway, I started cleaning up some of the purses, which they were all sorely in need of. Dusty and mildewed they were practically crying out for attention. And some of them are quite old. When eBay really got started, I soon realized that I could find some very, very fine bags there for a fraction of the cost of buying new. And so I did. I loved one Coach backpack so much that I ended up buying it in three different colors- black, brown, and red. I guess I've lent or given away the red one because I didn't see it today but I have the black and brown one and I cleaned them up, rubbing leather cleaner into them with a soft cloth. And then I moved on to the others, making decisions as I went as to which ones I was ready to donate, which ones I really wanted to give to people I love, which ones I can't bear to part with. 

I always have had the idea that if I could just find the one perfect bag, I would not ever have to buy another. It would have to be the right shape, size, be comfortable to wear, and have a few pockets to keep things readily at hand. I do love a good backpack purse because it frees up my hands and I can wear it while I'm doing my shopping and not have to worry about it being purloined if I turn my back on it in the shopping cart. 
Which has never happened to me but which is a sort of small neurotic fear of mine. 
I guess the bag that has come closest to being perfect for me is the one up top there. I got that purse at Goodwill and I remember buying it. Vividly. It called to me and I joyfully answered the call. I've always called it the cargo shorts of purses because it is sturdy, utilitarian, and comfortable. It has no brand name in it, only a very small tag saying, "Made in Mexico". 
Obviously a match made in heaven. 
I have taken the bag with me to Mexico more than once. It has gone many, many places with me and despite all the use and milage on it, it is still absolutely perfect in that not one bit of the lining has torn or ripped or come unsewn, all of the hardware works like the day it was made, and despite the scratches and wear, the leather is still whole and intact. I retired it some years ago and I'm not even sure why. I probably bought another bag and in my new love blindness, I left that one to hang on a closet door where it's been for a very long time. 
I picked it up today and cleaned out the inside, wiping down the nylon lining with Dr. Bronners (dilute! dilute!) and then I carefully and lovingly rubbed it with leather cleaner and behold! It lost its stiffness, it's mildew-green tint, and looks like it's supposed to look. 
I am thinking I'm going to start using it again. 

So that was a part of my day. I felt like a treasure hunter, going through the old bags, finding hair pins and lipsticks, mints, handkerchiefs, some solid perfume that I used to love to wear. Casswell-Massey's Elixer of Love, No. 1. 


I found free drink cards handed out by guys in Cozumel, drumming up business for beach bars, all of them with someone's name written in ballpoint on them. I suppose they got a peso or something for every card used with their name on it. And I found so many peso coins. I swear- I have more pesos in the change part of my wallet than I have American money. I do not know why. Probably all of it does not add up to be enough to buy a beer if I suddenly found myself in Mexico, tele-transported I suppose, but I cannot bear to take them out, set them aside. I am a little superstitious about this, feeling that if I didn't have them at hand, I might never go back to Cozumel. 

It's raining again and I am hoping that we do not lose our power tonight. I probably should not even talk about it, jinxing myself as I did last night. One night was an adventure. Two would be a drag. And I want to make that curry. I just looked at the radar and satellite images for our area and when I enlarged the map, I saw what Ida looks like now. 


This is not good at all. That's a huge storm. I am not worried for us, we'll get a few rain and wind bands but nothing, NOTHING compared to what Louisiana is about to get. 
Unless one has been in a hurricane of powerful strength, say a category three or four, the experience is unimaginable. And until it passes, there is no way out. All of the things we think of as modern life are suddenly taken away and we huddle in the darkness and hope with all we have in us that our roofs and windows and walls will not be taken away too, with the winds, the fury, the scream of the storm as it dumps unbelievable amounts of rain on top of us, so much that we cannot see what might be going on in our own back yards if we have the foolish bravery to go to a window and look out. Everything that has seemed so important to us is suddenly shown to be nothing compared to the ability to continue breathing, to continue to live, to protect ourselves and our loved ones. 

This is what the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center says: 

...IDA RAPIDLY STRENGTHENING OVER THE GULF OF MEXICO...
...LIFE-THREATENING STORM SURGE, POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC WIND 
DAMAGE, AND FLOODING RAINFALL EXPECTED TO IMPACT THE NORTHERN GULF 
COAST BEGINNING SUNDAY...
They are not kidding. They are not exaggerating.  

Meanwhile, I am going to make that curry tonight. Unless, you know, I can't. 

May everyone be safe. May everyone be well. 

A foolish hope, but a hope. 

Love...Ms. Moon


21 comments:

  1. you have been in my thoughts all day....with your outage last night, and the impending hurricane, which appears may miss you other than wind and rain. That in itself is enough...and may you escape it relatively unscathed. Darn that you chose to keep that gorgeous purse/pack pictured.....I wanted to tell you that I COVET that purse/pack......but better off that you enjoy it's comfort! Be safe and well.......I keep you and yours in my heart. I hope you get to make your curry!
    Susan M

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    1. That bag still smells rather mildewy and probably always will. Oh well. Right?
      We are fine here. Thank your, Susan.

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  2. Yes. May everyone be safe and well. I have terrible memories from Andrew.
    Xoxo
    Barbara

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    1. Were you in Miami? That one was a monster. So much damage.

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  3. Sandy, which was the collision of two storms, right overhead, roaring wind unbelievable noise, couldn't hear the rain over it ir the trees crashing all around the house. Onto many houses, all the roads, water, wind, live power lines trees. Near as I've come. Twelve hours of fear, whole house swaying and creaking, fear of losing the roof. I pray for the people in the path of this hurricane. I have just a glimpse.

    That comment back there : "One night was an adventure. Two would be a drag"
    Think of all the situations that can apply to in the course of human life..!
    Take care, stay safe.

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    1. No, Liz. Sounds like you've experienced exactly what I was talking about. And I forgot to put in the part about trees crashing. God, that sound. The rip, the brush, the crash.
      You're so right about how many situations that statement could cover!

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  4. Your description of a full blown hurricane sounds exceedingly frightening. The worst weather I remember here ( SE England) was a powerful wind one afternoon. My youngest son, who is now 33 and sitting next to me at this moment, was 18 months old and I had to get him back from the friend I had left him with. Held his hand very tightly in case he got blown away! Slates were crashing onto our drive from the older house next door as we went home. The 2 older boys were at school and middle son was brought home by a friend . A whole roof had lifted off the double wooden classrooms and landed on the teachers cars. Eldest son had just started at senior school and I was expecting him to arrive home any time off the bus, but I got a call to say he had missed it and could I go and fetch him. Took the younger ones to a neighbour and set off in the car. Lots of trees down, so I had several changes of plan to get to him. Eventually all the children were home safe. A huge poplar tree came down in our garden at one point and my husband had to walk from St. Albans. The train he was on couldn't get any further due to trees on the line and the main road was littered with fallen trees, so walking was the only way. That was my worst...nothing like a hurricane though! Glad it is mostly missing you.

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    1. Was that the huge storm in the late '80s that knocked down so many trees in England and France? It uprooted ancient trees at Versailles, as I recall! There's a sign on Hampstead Heath marking some ancient trees that were destroyed there as well.

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    2. That sounds a lot like a hurricane, Frances! That sustained fear and adrenaline. Just horrible. What a terrible experience that must have been, trying to get all your babies home in that storm!

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  5. Thank you for showing the Caswell Massey Elixir of Love....I used to use that fragrance many years ago and I love the fragrance. I just ordered some. Thanks for the memory.

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    1. That's so cool! I'm glad I could remind you.

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  6. Thinking of you today as Ida approaches.

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    1. Thanks, Jill. We're good. But I'm worried sick about the people I know in La.

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  7. this morning Ida is a few miles short of being a cat 5. and it looks like it's going to land closer to the Florida panhandle. I'm sure your old house is rock solid like my old house in the city was.

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    1. We're not getting hardly anything here, Ellen. A little rain now and then.

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  8. I've been thinking about you as well as my husband watches the news of Ida. Glad you are not in it's path

    As for purses, I have 2. One for parties which I go to so often obviously, and one for everyday. When I buy a new purse it's stressful because it must meet a lot of criteria for me. But once I buy one, I commit and give the old one away so I can't change my mind:)

    Holidays are nice but I miss home now. Husband has a sore knee and one if the dogs has a very sore back. I miss my kitchen the most but the Holiday has done its trick, I want my home. Pixie

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    1. You are such a practical woman! Buy a new purse and give the old one away. Wow!
      I, too, have smaller bags. I used to use them when I went out. I have held on to some of them because I do love them.
      I can totally relate to missing your home. Although when I go to Mexico that never seems to happen.
      Hmmmm...

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  9. Jesus, that looks like a big storm. Glad it's not headed your way, but yeah, sorry for whoever is in its path. In all the years I lived in Florida -- the first 34 years of my life -- plus in all my annual visits since, I have never been in a hurricane. Had some scares, but never got hit. Hurricanes used to be rare on the west side of the peninsula, but that may not be true anymore.

    It must feel good to have worked through the purse collection!

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    1. I cannot believe you've never been in a hurricane. I have no idea who many I've been in but it's more than a few. And some of them were pretty insane. You're lucky!
      It did feel good to work through the purse collection.

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  10. I don't think there is such a thing as a "perfect purse" because (for me at least) I tend to have different uses for them, i.e. sometimes I need a huge thing to take on a plane with me and other times a much smaller day-to-day purse. I don't know, but I also had a purse fetish at one time (and a coat fetish, and a shoe fetish - that sounds kinky doesn't it). But your purse is beautiful and looks soft as a baby's bottom. On another note, stay safe - that hurricane looks awful!

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    1. Well, that's true about needing different types of purses for different situations. So true.
      I've never had the coat fetish. Of course- I live in Florida! I used to like shoes a lot more than I do now.
      I have too many and I never wear them.

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Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.