In My Mother's Closet

Hello Blogosphere!

Welcome to my little corner of the net.  I've created this blog to share with you all a journey that I'm undertaking as well as keep you up to date about the comings and goings of my travel and career.  The main focus of this blog, however, will be to share my feelings and thoughts on the past year of my life and how I'm a changed person because of this tremendous year.  As many of you know, my sweet Mother passed away on January 27th, 2011.  It was the culmination of a year of illness and surgeries that left my family feeling depleted and my frequent flyers miles plentiful.  Although it was the biggest challenge I've ever encountered I count this year among the most precious of my existence.  This doesn't mean I wasn't frustrated or angry some of the time, but rather that the moments I had with my family solidified the knowledge that I already had: My family is amazing.  Never have I been so blessed as with the outpouring of love and support from our friends, colleagues and family members.  It still astounds me and you should expect quite a few blogs about you all!!  Get ready!

The title of this blog relates to the hours I spent this year in my Mother's closet.  After my Mother had a below the knee amputation this summer the decision was made that a renovation was in order to the back of the house. This would entail removing everything from the back walk in closet and bathroom.  I truly believe my Mother's closet was the 10th wonder of the world.  I have absolutely no idea how she had everything she had in there...IN THERE!  Years and YEARS of beautiful treasures were carried from the back of the house down the long hallway to the living room.  Our living room is perhaps the largest room in the house and her closet the smallest.  The living room was busting with items by the time we emptied all of the contents of that clown car of a closet.  It is one of the great mysteries of the world. How on earth did she made everything fit?  At any rate, when she came home from the rehab center it was the height of El Paso summer, beyond hot.  All of her clothes were on racks or laying on the many sofa's in the living room or in big rubbermaid bins.  We set her up in my room during the renovation and everyday it was my duty to "find" something for her to wear.  Bless her heart, her choices were limited at first because I simply couldn't locate anything!  Eventually I found a cache of summer items that seemed to suite her.  This went on for weeks.  I would walk down the hall, trudge through the fashion and emerge with something that may or may not work.  Once she realized I could move around in there she would make requests.  Well, I did my best but I must admit to being frustrated trying to find that special pair of white pants in a pile of perhaps 10 pairs.  During this process I also spent hours with Mom in the living room going through every single item from the closet.  I think I knew her wardrobe better than she did by the end of the process.  We bagged up about 25 bags to go to a local charity.  BIG BAGS.  When the closet was done it was a thing a beauty.  My Father and I spent a long summer day, 110 in the shade, moving all of those clothes back to their new home.  My biceps have never looked better.  I helped to organize the best I could but I know that a few weeks after I left my dear Aunt Katy came and helped Mom put everything in it's proper place.  It looked amazing.

When Mom passed I had a hard time going into the closet.  I had to go in there for items that were needed in the house; sheets, towels and the like.  It still smelled like her perfume and I wondered how I would ever be able to go through all those beautiful clothes.  Mom was an avid shopper, I come by it naturally you see.  She was quite fond of elaborate and colorful jackets.  She had probably 100 of them.  As my sister and I tackled the shirts and pants etc...we left the jackets alone.  We just couldn't give them to our local charity.  By the way, 28 bags were picked up yesterday morning.  I asked my great friend Katie to come and pick what she would like from Mom's stash.  She picked some great items.  Mom and Katie shared a similar style and Mom has sent things to Katie in the past.  It helped that Katie was taking these precious clothes.  I know she will wear them with pride and think of Mom as she does.  It seems like a trivial thing but I know Mom would adore that Katie has those things.  She loved my friends as she did her own children.

My sister and I went through Mom's beloved jackets and picked out a few for ourselves.  My Mother was a tall and slender woman.  She would never have described herself that way but she took great care of herself and was a healthy size.  I am a tall and...well, not so slender woman.  lol.  Those jackets don't fit me at all!  But they will.  That is one of the journeys I want you to come on with me.  I'm not calling it a diet or a weight loss plan but simply operation flashy jacket!  Pam and I made the decision to take this road together.  Don't fret, not every blog will be about OFJ.  I promise not to whine about celery or low cal dressing.  I simply want to document this part of my travels.  i hope you will enjoy the ride!

~Mel