It appears that all she tossed ever (and I may be much in error on this; actually I REALLY hope so) was my complete TOPPS 1960 major league baseball collection. But, all the cards, post cards, letters, photos, bills, tax returns, etc, etc, they are all here, in glorious color. And one day I will have archived them all!
From about 4 treasure finds ago, I found the sheet music (for flute) that her older sister Cathy owned. WELL, I sure as hell had to call my cousin Bruce (the eldest of the Richardson kids) to let him know, and my timing could hardly have been better. Bruce and Cotty had not always, how shall I say this, gotten along so well, BUT, he was with her in those last dying days, and one of them, when she was pretty lucid by comparison she said, "Bruce, I want you to have my flute."
"But mom, I don't play the flute!"
"I know, but you're the only one I know for sure who won't sell it."
And he was excited as hell to learn of the sheet music treasure find!
Finally got around to sending it to him, probably, two weeks ago, and he just got it (phriggin US postal service) a couple of days ago. He was so thoughtful, he even reimbursed us for the postage (11.61, excedpt, for $47.00, could have had it out there express mailed the next day; what an insult THAT would have been to the memories of our mothers, daughters of the Great Depression who damn well knew and learnt the value of a dollar!).
SUBJECT: Got your generous check
Cain't let that stuff go by without acknowledging it, and thus, you get an intimate view of my e-mail to Bruce, complete with the dialect, and perhaps even the vernacular. I AM one crusty mother fucker!
And goddamned if Ralph didn't chisel me out of $1.61 - rofl - he was gonna give me the whole nut, for expenses (can't drink beer no mo' - blood sugahs too damned high - gonna be rot gut vodka from here on out, or in, I guess) but he seed dat 20 dollah and he done changed his tune to the double saw buck split, but, DAYAM, it bee feelin' good to have some scratch in my pocket.
I'm absolutely delighted that you were able to identify the sheet music Cotty got out your ways. My guess is that she got it after she and Con got married and they made those regular and blessed sojourns out this-a-ways and might have been music they were playing in one of those latter day photos of the sisters doin' they music THAYANG!
Watched the Centerville Vid again on Gay's birhtday with my beloved bridge partner and his long suffering wife, Saint Margaret. DAYAM, mon, you be one hell of a harpist - you be blowin' dah bluuze wid me now, y'all hear, when I gets my steenky ass outchore weigh to be playing my fund raisgin' thayangs.
Noticed things about Annie I hadn't noticed the first few times I watched it - clearly, she's having the time of her life (neices, nephews and all, who the fuck wouldn't) and her voice is as strong on key and on pitch as ever, but, shee-yit, she look so dayam tie-red, so wan, so small, so shriveled, hell, she was dying then and we didn't even notice.
I still blame the congenitive heart failulre, and along with that, blame her or her doctors or the whole damn lot of them, for not following up on the congenitive heart failure MUCH more regularly -- it was the pneumonia in both longs that ensured that even had they been able to re-ignite her, she was gonna be a permanent veggie. Live and learn we must.
Thanks for being so thoughtful about the postage!
ENJOY that music, and MAN, when I be gets my ass out dere, or you be gets yo skinny white AYASS outchheah, you best be brangin dat flaut thayang, and you, boy, best be able to plays me sumtin! Else wise I done gonna kicks yo' skinny white ass, no matter how fur up it I might lose my foot!
With LOVE to You, and ALL YOU LOVE,
MarKUSS (formerly room service for ... da boys)
