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A new year – a time for new traditions and habits.  This tradition, or habit, grew out of necessity – the necessity to help clear stuff off the kitchen island.

I love our big work space.  It fits a lot of working hands and generous platters of food, but between gigs it also multi-tasks as an amazing family catch-all.  Baskets have always been a good solution for keeping bills, and mail in general, in one designated spot.  But as for the spare change that usually ends up here and there on the island (and parts unknown) – a few years ago Rick had the oh-so-simple, yet brilliant, idea of establishing a bowl for wayward change.

Now, as a natural matter of course, when I spy any loose coinage hanging around, I immediately scoop it up and drop it into Rick’s Bowl.  Over the years, we have grown to embrace this habit with two-fold reasoning: the beauty of organization and the element of surprise.

You see, each summer, right before our annual Cape Cod pilgrimage, Rick cashes in our bowl brimming with coins (it gets pretty heavy) at our local supermarket, and we are always surprised by how much pocket change accumulates in the course of a year.  Without even knowing it, this has become a family tradition – a fun way to feel like a kid again and treat ourselves to a couple of really nice dinners, knowing that our humble little stash footed the bill (and not a credit card) makes it all the more appreciated and special.

It’s the little things that make all the difference.

Love, Nora

3 Comments

  1. Paul on January 4, 2013 at 4:33 pm

    Nora,
    I have been doing the same for the past few years WITH the same intent. We go to Provincetown every summer, so we “accumulate” change all year in our frog bowl and the week before P-town go to the change machine at the store and go for it…our biggest win was last year with over $225! Who knew we had that much change laying around all year! 🙂

  2. Catherine on January 4, 2013 at 4:54 pm

    I love today’s post! It made me smile. My family keeps an old circus monkey tin on the top of the refrigerator. We dump all our loose coins in it and then cash it, same as you mentioned Nora, before we leave on a vacation. We are always amazed at how much money is in there! It is such a nice treat!

  3. Deb on January 4, 2013 at 7:56 pm

    In the past it came in handy for Christmas, school books, trips & now treats for grandchildren… You are so right, it is the little things that add up special memories. I so love your posts !

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