Sunday, May 13, 2018

48 Hours in Memphis

It seems like the only times I had to visit with my parents this past year have been weddings or when they have come to visit Denver.  That is fun, but really doesn't give us much time to talk uninterrupted by life, children, etc.  With a cheap fare on Frontier, I decided to fly out for a couple of days.

It is nice to be of service.  I helped out with some visa paperwork so that my cousin could attend my sister's wedding in the fall.  I helped my Dad update his coin inventory spreadsheet.  Finally I helped clean out some of their storage spaces.  All said we sent about 150 books, 50 articles of clothing and a few household items to Goodwill.  I also filled the recycling dumpster and trash dumpster with stuff that could not be donated.  A lot of this was paperwork, hindi novels, household goods and children's toys.

The books were especially interest as my Dad's library could be categorized into religious books, coin books, bridge books, business books, English composition and grammar books, self help books and novels.  The books to keep were religious, numismatic and bridge.  The rest could be discarded.  I was struck by how much my Dad struggled with professional business conduct, speech and writing.  Although he made it look easy, I now better understand the struggle to survive and advance as an outsider in a US based business.

We had some fun also.  I got measured for a tailored suit by a friend of the family.  We also made a trip down to Tunica for some casino gambling.

While my parents health is good, I am glad that I can spend some time with them.  It is also nice to get a head start on cleaning up the house in case they decide to downsize to something more manageable.

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