1. The orange soda bottle Mike left on my porch one morning in high school, with an Eve 6 lyric scribbled on a piece of paper taped to it: “Here’s to the nights we felt alive.”
2. Every single letter ever written to me by a high school English teacher who became, and still is, a dear friend.
3. A wee pair of slipper socks with bunnies on them, which I wore as a little girl.
4. A necklace of colorful plastic heart-shaped beads, which I hope to hand down to a daughter someday.
5. My very first fan letter, written by the incomparable Julie, after reading my 2008 NaNoNovel.
6. Several worn stuffed rabbits, most notably one called Flopsy and one known as “The Best Bun.”
7. A cobalt-blue mug from the now-closed, always-beloved Ground Floor Coffee House.
8. A blue-and-white shard of china, found on the beach at Whitby, my first time there.
9. Every journal I’ve ever written in – they fill several boxes.
10. An old library copy of Betsy and the Great World, handed down by my mom. (And sooo many other precious books, each one with its own story…)
11. A tea tin from Betty’s, a legendary teashop in York, where Jacque and I braved the queues to sample its famous house blend.
12. Shakespeare’s Wit & Wisdom, given to my dad by one of his favorite college professors, and handed down to me a couple of years ago.
13. A half-finished cross-stitch picture of Noah’s Ark, attempted first by my mom and then by me. Maybe one of these days I’ll get around to finishing it…
14. A $1 shell necklace and a $25 sterling-silver hibiscus pendant, equally precious souvenirs of my month in Hawaii.
15. A pair of bride-and-groom rubber duckies, set out next to the guest book at our rehearsal dinner.
(I need hardly say that I’ve also kept boxes of photos, mementos from high school and college and beyond, notes and cards from my sweet husband and other things…but these seemed distinctive, and worth sharing with you.)
cakes, tea and dreams 
Katie, I LOVED my visit to Betty’s. My mom and I had high tea there on our day in York on a graduation-celebration trip from high school in 2001. I also bought a Stieff bear in York that I affectionately named Harrison. It was absolutely one of the best, most memorable days I’ve lived.
I still have my Betty’s tea tin too. It always confuses Mike as I keep “normal” tea in there now. He forgets and thinks it’s something “fru-fru”. lol.
Katıe I love this list. I don’t know what it is about this current trip I’m on that is making me miss home so much, but this list makes me want to get back to my roots. Thanks for sharing this list that makes me think of mine.