The Board of Directors Here at Spo-reflections say my latest entries have too much ‘shrink stuff” and not enough shouting and throwing of projectiles. They’re not wrong but then again if I did the later they would be remonstrating I should lay off the hand axes and write something serious for Odin’s sake. There is no pleasing them really. This makes me wonder what happened to my hand ax. I remember buying it when visiting a medieval torture museum in Germany.* It came as a set with a rod with heavy metal ball the size of lemon on the end of a chain. The ball had spikes all over it like a sea urchin. I brought both weapons home in my carry-on luggage can you imagine? I suspect one of my brothers used them during a Dungeons and Dragons game and forgot to bring them home.

I like to go shopping for things when on holiday. I don’t take many photos but I make a point to buy some knickknacks to remind me of the trip. Mugs are always a good choice as they are labeled such and they are used often. As I write this I am sipping from my ‘Receiver Coffee Company’ coffee mug, which I purchased when visiting chums on Prince Edward Island. Seeing it makes me remember my visit there and all that happened. I used to buy fabric to make a shirt to commemorate the trip but local fabric stores have become rarities, worse luck.

The accumulation of bricolage gets tedious after awhile as to where to put all these items. Discarding them is difficult as it feels like throwing out a memory. I am now more careful towards what I purchase as a keepsake. Small things are better, like buttons or jewelry items; these work nicely. T-shirts are not good things as they wear out or I outgrow them (just hate that). I used to collect interesting-looking rocks but after a while I can’t tell which rock went with what trip.

I probably should give up this system for I have enough mugs to fill a diner and I don’t need more ‘dust collectors’ as Grandmother Angela used to call such items on the shelf. I could try taking photos but I know from experience I never look at them. Perhaps I am at the age I now can just go somewhere and appreciate the experience without having to find a figurine to hold the memory for me. That feels ephemeral but isn’t that Life anyway?

Does anyone need some mugs? I have heaps.

When you go on a trip, do you take photos? Buy souvenirs? Do you come home with precious items or a suitcase full of dirty duds rather?

*I’m not kidding or exaggerating.