Last year before Dave and I left for England and eventually Scotland, my sister Dori sent me a very colorful little metal tin in the mail. Inside it was a wonderful note and two $50 bills for me to spend. I did take those $50 bills with me and I did spend them. Unfortunately, I was unable to tell her what I bought because she suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm while we were in London. We cut our trip short to rush back home to be with her. She never woke up.

So, it was with a heavy heart, but very fond memories that I actually took the tin Dori sent me to Scotland with us last month and I picked up some pieces of Scotland to put into the tin in her honor and bring them back. Once I told Helen about this, she was terrific in picking up some small things for me to include as mementos.

We gathered some small seashells and one connected shell that won’t fit in the tin, but it survived the flight and has a place of honor. Helen picked up a sort of pussy willow and a tiny blue flower that didn’t do so well on the trip, but it’s included. I also brought home some of the pretty white sand from the Silver Sands of Morar.

I’m not sure why I did it, but I just felt it was a way to have Dori with me on the trip and to bring her back some kind of souvenir. However silly it may seem to others, it had great meaning to me and I’m really glad I have those with me now in that colorful tin that Dori took the time, when she was battling back surgery and in great pain, to send me.