The incomparable Izzybella has, for years now, maintained that I don’t carry a handbag. I carry a suitcase. I’ve always argued that point with her. Sure, I like large bags, but that just means I like large handbags.
Tonight, however, I may be forced to concede her point. Here is everything that I pulled out of my handbag tonight when I emptied it:
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cell phone
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prescription medicine bottle (I had called in for a refill and never put the almost-empty bottle back where it belongs)
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padded envelope I was planning to use again but is now so battered I must throw it in the recycle bin
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book: The Wisdom Well – Ivarna Kalinkova
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printouts of 4 Indian recipes, 4 Thai recipes, and 4 Korean recipes (what? I like Asian & Indian food)
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Flyer about a grand opening from a drugstore (great deals & some good coupons)
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My 2008 Weekly/Monthly At-A-Glance calendar with an article from Soleil’s yoga magazine
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book: Low Calorie Indian – Manjit Singh Gill
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Wadded up receipt for my last Avon order
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drugstore receipt that needs to go into my medical receipts folder
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book: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone – J.K. Rowling
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catering menu from Chili’s
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book: Chakras and Their Archetypes: Uniting Energy Awareness and Spiritual Growth – Ambika Wauters
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small hairbrush
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book: Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo – Obert Skye
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letter from a friend that I haven’t yet opened because I shoved it into the bag and forgot about it
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wadded up envelope from a greeting card I purchased for the picture
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My art therapy journal
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book: Strong Poison – Dorothy L. Sayers
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script: Keely and Du – Jane Martin
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checkbook for the family account
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CD: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Once More, With Feeling
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wadded up Arby’s receipt when I got dinner for myself and Joe the other night
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wadded up Whataburger receipt from breakfast the other day
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wadded up Sonic receipt (there appears to be a theme here. I eat fast food too often)
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keys (they don’t belong in my bag; they belong on the hook by the front door and they’re going there as soon as I finish this list)
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wallet, containing various forms of identification, cards, insurance cards, wadded up receipts, and 4 pennies
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coin purse containing 4 pennies
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lipstick
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Biofreeze (it’s for when I get muscle pain and it doesn’t stink and it’s in a handy roll-on tube and I can’t believe I just pulled that out of my bag)
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Aveeno Intense Relief Medicated Therapy lip balm
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wadded up Popeye’s receipt
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wadded up straw wrapper
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purple roller ball pen
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wadded up Half Price Books receipt
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wadded up business card with a hairstylist’s phone number on it
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empty wrapper from the root beer barrel I had after dinner last Saturday night
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checkbook from my personal account
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wadded up 7-11 receipt
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wadded up receipt from China Town (they have great hot & sour soup)
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pair of scissors (huh?)
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headphones & iPod nano
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sunglasses
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1/3 of a roll of antacids
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blue roller ball pen
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black roller ball pen
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another black roller ball pen
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another wadded up straw wrapper
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receipt from library showing the items and due dates of material I checked out on February 10th
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a quarter, a dime, a nickel, and two pennies
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a pair of reading glasses
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a glasses case with another pair of reading glasses
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a tube of Burt’s Bees lip balm
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4 dimes
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a hematite ring
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a small bottle with the healing oil Amethyst compounded for me
I think Izzybella may be right. However, the receipts and straw wrappers are now in the trash. The books and recipes are about to be put into the bookcase; my cell phone’s going to get plugged in; the keys will be hung up, and my purse will be about 10 pounds lighter. So it won’t be a suitcase anymore.
Until I’ve got it loaded up again by next Friday night.
