Records, References and Lists.

Records, references and lists are very useful things - I love them; use them and KEEP them. I think most of us do to some extent. Photos old and new are a visual record, and although I often don't like how I look in them I keep them as a record.

This old picture is of me at about age 5. I can tell that cause I still have my baby teeth and my hair long. I am wearing a dark red dress hand knitted by my Mum. My elder sister had one the same. Photos help me to remember events and times past, because I have looked at those same photos many, many times - each time restoring the moment - it helps reinforce that memory.

I am writing about this today cause I see that I have written 300 posts. (that seems quite amazing ).Blogging is a modern form of record and I love it and all it offers. When I was young I know I kept a diary on and off but got rid of them at some stage partly because I either didn't like what I had written or more likely how I had written and spelt it. ( shame really )

I know it was because I didn't like my own handwriting, no matter how many times I wrote , "A quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog." - which we did daily in Form 1 and 2.( in cursive handwriting ) When I was in my first year of teaching , the school I was at had a school style that was taught - script, and I had to quickly learn it and use it on the blackboard and in everything I wrote for the kids in my standard 2 and 3 class. I practised it and liked it and became good at it and use a version of it to this day - I now LIKE my own writing.

I have printed out my Blog from the very beginning so have a hard copy to keep as a record. I have already had occasion to use it as a reference.

Other records I keep are in list form. All the books I have read since 1982.The usual list of birthdays ,deaths etc.I have a record now, of major purchases, we've made: what: when and from where and price as well as the guarantee. When we need to know when the roof was last painted or the septic tank emptied I can look that up too.

For the orchard DH or R keeps Weather Records. Maximum and minimum temperatures, rainfall measured in a gauge and emptied early each morning, and wind if present. We have been delighted to record over 2

" of much needed rain in the last 2 days. THANK YOU MOTHER NATURE. We have noticed that at almost the same time last year the same pattern occurred in the weather.

I keep letters too. Some from family now gone.Others are not so old.( I can tell because I printed it out and kept it ) that I wrote my first ever email on the 29 th of July 2001.; to my younger son in London. His going there was the reason we first had to be on line. He is still there are we both write and send photos back and forth frequently. I have kept many email and photos for him in case in the future he wants them as a record since he left NZ.

Sometimes records and letters are so treasured; like the ones written by ancestors when they first made the journey from UK to NZ. We have some of those.

Are any of you record keepers? Why?

Now I should go and back up some of my computer files especially the photos as I haven't done that in a while.

Thanks to all those who leave me helpful and encouraging comments!