Going Retro

So: During my temporary lull in gainful employment, I agreed to do my parents a favor and stay over at my grandma's to keep an eye on her. She's been on her own for about four years since my grandpa died, and things were kind of getting out of hand.

I've been on a two-week cleaning binge (My new boyfriend: Mr. Clean) and have things somewhat under control. Karma's a bitch: All the housework I never did at my apartment for years and years, I'm having to do at her house all the time. This leaves me feeling very much like a 1950s housewife with a toddler, because she's acting like a three-year-old these days and I'm always making something for her to eat, cleaning up after eating, coming up with something to keep her occupied, answering the same dozen questions she asks over and over, telling her to do this or not do that, blah blah blah. It's exhausting.

Plus, my love of all things vintage is taking a bit of a hit from living in a house where everything is vintage. Some of it was judged manky and yuck, thrown out immediately, and replaced with brand new versions; some of it was boxed up and put elsewhere while I got out my newer/cleaner version for us to use; some of it was scrubbed thoroughly with Clorox and returned to active duty.

A few random things I found around the house ...

A souvenir dish from the Circleville Pumpkin Festival
(Been there!)

An "Akron: Rubber Capitol of World" bottle opener
(which needs editing; they mean "Rubber Capital ")

A bear lamp that my dad wants back
(Not pictured: The owl lamp in the other bedroom that my mom wants back)

Other fun finds: 

• Photos of some intergenerational family game night circa 1986
  
  My parents, sister, uncle, and grandparents were playing Trivial Pursuit at the dining room table. In one picture, I must have just missed a question because I'm clearly ticked and my sister thinks it's hi-larious. 

• A notebook documenting mileage, tolls, gas, and lodging expenses for the many road trips my grandparents took in the mid-1980s
  
  In September 1986, they spent $374.29 on gas and $120 on campgrounds during a 5,110-mile trip out west. Stops included Mitchell, S.D. (home of the Corn Palace!); Wall, S.D. (home of Wall Drug!); and Keystone, S.D. (adjacent to Mount Rushmore!). I've been to all of those places, actually, during the Hollis Vacation to end all Hollis Vacations: The Great West Road Trip of 1985. (My mom made a terrific scrapbook of that trip. I should scan all those pages and send a copy to my sister.)

• Birth announcements for me and my sister
  
  My sister just turned 35, so my dad and I decided to mail her announcement to her as a belated birthday gift, ha ha.