Well, it's been a hot day, but not as hot as other places, so no complaint here.

Aside from Bob's back going out, I have been ferreting through the first of 9 boxes of photos chronicling our lives.

It's hard to say bye to so many good shots, but one has to exercise real discernment over what to keep.

I can't help but think of those who never got a chance to grab their most prized possessions before a flood or earthquake or tornado.

I talk about us trying to minimize our stuff, but getting to that point is a lot of work. Emotional work.

If an earthquake hit our place, all the work I'm devoting to this effort will be squash. Kaput.

My goal is to scan/crop/save the best of the best. Time-consuming and tedious, I know. Maybe the logic is that an album of dvds full of life chronicled is easier to grab and save than 9 storage boxes full of memories.

Over and over, when reporters interview people who have undergone their losses, the question is: what do you wish you could have saved?

It's not the diamond ring or china. It's not the designer chair or sofa. It's a beloved pet and photos.

Once I've achieved the goal of recording images onto dvds, my "inventory" will have considerably shrunk, but again, getting there is a hardship.

Bye to an adorable smile by your child, who for the 1000th time, captured your heart in a Kodak moment.

Bye to one of a bizillion kisses someone is giving to someone else.

Bye to moments of true significance marking milestones.

But then, in each of our lives, aren't there a lot of those?

[deep S I G H . . .]