Suzanne Schaffer

  My husband and son visited my parents this week while I spent time organizing and cleaning the house. They came home with this little Bible that I didn't remember but had my name and scribbles all over it. Apparently I'd given it to my neighbor when we were younger because he didn't have a Bible. His mom saved it all these years and recently returned it to my mother. It made my heart happy.   I used to write my name anywhere I could and writing on the edges of the pages of a book was fascinating to me. I still remember how fun it was.    I had a fantastic sticker collection in the early 80s. It was the best. I decorated this Bible with some, but sadly none of my scratch 'n sniff ones made it in there.   Apparently I decided that the end of Genesis needed an extra verse so I added #29 "Thou shalt not lie."    Not sure if I thought that adding a verse would keep me out of heaven, but I guess I tried to remind Jesus that I thought He was #...

Authentic Rick Springfield autograph. Though I wasn't a fan, my BFF in 1984 was and this would undo her. 1956 TV Guide. Check out the listings. Two old girls in need of repair. They sold for $1 Box of unused greeting cards. I bought this. World's Ugliest Christmas Ornament. 1940s Valentine Cards. I bought this too. I couldn't help myself with this one either. Bought it and am cleaning it up. Buddy L truck. The man bought this for himself. It works. 

My dad traveled internationally for business a few times in the 80s. He always brought things home for us when he went away. Always. My sister and I anticipated his arrival and these surprise gifts. I remember he went to Paris sometime around 1986. He brought me home real Parisian fashion magazines (these things weren't easy to come by back then) and these two pair of earrings. I still have them, tucked into my jewelry box. I no longer wear them, but I get them out every so often and remember his gift. I did get a lot of use out of them.  The cloisonne ones I'd wear with dress-up clothes. Maybe pull my hair up all fancy in a banana-clip  and let these dangle gently from my ears. The hot-pin and black ones I'd wear with my neon clothing. Maybe tease my hair up into a side ponytail, making sure my bangs reached new heights. Yes, the 80s were a wonderful time to be a teen.