The world is round and the place which may seem like the end may also be the beginning. ~ Ivy Baker Priest

What a breezy, beautiful day!  I'm on vacation for most of this month while my grandsons' other grandma is visiting from Texas.  Last week I was gone quite a bit.  This week I'm looking around and thinking of little odd jobs around the house that need to be taken care of but never are because I usually have two more-than-willing helpers to step in and lend me a helping hand.  That doesn't work so well when it's painting or grouting or sanding down an old desk, all three of which I need to do.  I got the desk done today and it turned out very well, if I may pat myself on the back here.  It's a desk I'd inherited from my paternal grandmother when I was 10.  I don't know any history behind it, outside of the fact that it went out to Aberdeen, Washington, with her from New Hampshire back in the 1940s.  Then I got it and it moved to my hometown.  When my family moved to Vancouver, Washington, in 1966 it moved with me to the 3 different houses my family lived in there.  When I married Dear Hubby it moved with me to our first apartment.  Then to another apartment.  Then to a little mobile home tucked back in a couple acres of woods.  Then to a house on the Columbia River flood plain of Woodland, Washington.  Then to a little house in Chehalis, Washington, and to a townhouse apartment in Battle Ground, Washington.  A house in Portland....then to another house where, finally, we settled down for 28 years.  It was probably thinking, "Whewwwwwww!" by that time and figured it would live out its life there.  Not so.  One more BIG move, almost 2400 miles and 2/3 of the way back to New Hampshire with us to Michigan!  As we moved it into our house here I looked at it and thought, "You poor thing!" and decided when I had some time I'd give it a complete facelift.  I have no idea whatsoever just how old it is...but I know it's a lot older than me!  So Dear Hubby helped me take it out to the garage on Saturday and today I spent a few hours very lovingly sanding it down and rubbing about half a bottle of Old English Furniture Oil into its very thirsty wood.  It's a beautiful old piece of furniture...but I had no idea how beautiful until I sanded off years of dirt and grime and scratches.  The burn in the wood from the time a stick of incense I was burning tipped over and scorched it is still there...but those things are 'life scars'.  I look at it and I remember being 16 again.  I wouldn't want to be 16 again, but I don't mind remembering it.  Not much, anyway.

Isn't the internet an amazing thing?  I re-posted yesterday the 9/11 tribute I wrote a couple of years ago for one of the victims who died at the World Trade Center.  I saw her name scroll across the bottom of the TV screen yesterday as the names of all the victims were broadcast.  Eskedar Melaku.  It was such a strange emotion I felt.  I didn't know her personally but I almost feel like I did.  This afternoon I went to check the comments that were waiting for publication on my blog and I found this one:

"Eskedar was my friend since 1st grade. She was one of a kind. I miss her so much. The last time I saw her was exactly one year before 911. Rest in Peace Esku! Miss you some much!"

The person who wrote this didn't leave their name but if they ever come back I want them to know how much I appreciated what they had to say.  Because by researching and reading about Miss Melaku I'd learned that too...that she was one of a kind.  And even tho I never truly did know her, I miss her, too.