Things I've Held Onto Forever

For something a little different I'm sharing a few things that I've held onto for a long time, usually for sentimental reasons. Let's start with the most recent and work backwards, shall we?

4 years- This is an old pair of track pants, and rather than throw them out I've used them for work around the house. They have countless colours from many painting projects. Most of the white is acrylic caulking from when I installed the crown moulding in our living room/dining room area. I think at one time in his life every guy has had some ratty piece of clothing that should have been tossed out long ago, and this is mine. Although in my defence it's still a solid piece of clothing if you can look past what's on it. Which after four years is pretty much impossible.

24 years- My Serengheti glasses. I've owned a lot of cheap pairs of shades in my life and they've come and gone, but these aviator-style driving glasses were $150 new when I bought them in 1988 and I always took care of them. They rarely even left the car. Then one day I couldn't find my safety glasses when I needed to use the weed eater on the lawn and I decided to just wear these. Bad call; when I took them off I realized they were pitted from all the fine dirt and gravel that got kicked up. This week I picked up a pair of Maui Jims and they're definitely only being worn when I'm driving.

35 years- Nail clippers from Ireland. When I was twelve my parents divorced, and during that time my dad took me to Ireland. I have lots of good memories of that trip but the only souvenir I still have are these clippers. They work as well as the day I got them, which means either they're really well made or I haven't clipped my nails as often as I should have!

45 years- My koala. I carried this little guy with me everywhere, all through my two-finger sucking phase and beyond. He's lost some of his stuffing but none of his meaning and I'll keep him for the rest of my life.

What have you held onto for years that you refuse to let go of?