Cheerful Mementoes

(Is it just me, or does "mementoes" look funny? Mementos. Mementoes. Perhaps we should just say memorabilia and be done with it.)

All winter long, we've been linking up with Planet Penny for Reasons to be Cheerful. Penny (who started this weekly review-of-all-things-happy mainly to get us through the dark days of the chilly season) has announced that next week will be the last Cheerful linky party for a while. So I'd like to start off by thanking Penny for this pleasant tradition. It's given me something to look forward to each week, and, more importantly, has helped me to look for (and appreciate) moments of joy - even when life seemed bleak. (I guess that makes you my first Reason this week, Penny.)

Of great comfort and cheer in the last two weeks have been the loving and thoughtful comments left here, by readers and friends around the world, in response to my posts about my Mom's death. Thank you all, so very much, for your prayers and kind thoughts during this difficult time.

All of my other Reasons came from my parents' house, and travelled home with me from California a few days ago. In the general clearout that accompanied my mom's transfer to a nursing home (and her unexpected passing away a few days later), I fell heir to some wonderful little treasures which give me great joy:

First, my mom's old juicer. I don't know where she got it, but I love the size and the heavy green milk glass - and the "Sunkist" inscription on the side. Part of my California childhood, now transplanted to Wisconsin, it will be used often and lovingly. (I suppose an electric juicer would be more efficient, but Mr. M and I like to use hand tools as much as possible.)

Next, Mom's darning egg. Family legend has it that once upon a time Mom used to knit sweaters and argyle socks for Dad. I never saw her knit anything, or darn anything for that matter, but this darning egg was always in her sewing basket and always fascinated me. Now it has passed to me, and who knows? Perhaps it will inspire me to knit a pair of socks (if only for the pleasure of learning to darn them with the help of this charming tool).

And here's a very useful item: my Mom's old rolling pin. This has been part of her kitchen equipment for as long as I can remember. As a child I learned to roll out cookie dough and pastry with this wooden behemoth, and now it will find a new life in my kitchen. (I actually needed a new rolling pin and had almost ordered one from Amazon. I'm so glad I waited.) I love the peeling red paint on the handles.

Then there's a beautiful little square plate covered with happy roses. (I'm a sucker for square plates.) No one in the family knows where this plate came from, or how old it is - I suspect it to be a memento from one of Mom's relatives. But it's pretty and cheerful and will remind me of Mom whenever I use it.

(Not pictured is a lovely soft grey cashmere cardigan from Mom's closet. Dad told all the female family members to help themselves to any of Mom's clothing they liked, as the rest would be given to charity. I wore Mom's sweater the day I flew home and felt just a little closer to her each time I looked down at it.)

Not a great inheritance by the standards of some; just a few useful, beautiful items that remind me of my childhood and my Mom. They make me cheerful.

What's making you cheerful this week? Share the joy by leaving a comment below. And don't forget to hop over to Planet Penny - where you may see her beautiful Valentine's bouquet and a cunning little Alice doll, and find links to other Cheerful posts.

A happy weekend to all.

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