The Joy of Pack Ratting

I know I have a problem with stuff. Everyone who has ever been to my house knows I have a problem with stuff. But sometimes stuff is really cool. I saw some papers sticking out--said to myself "I wonder whose obituary that is," because that is about all I save from the newspapers anymore. Sure enough, one page with two obits--New York drama critic Walter Kerr and violinist Gail Denny Schwarzbart. Of course I didn't cut out the part of the paper with the date. Gail's younger sister was two years older than I. Our Junior High orchestra conductor always held her up as an example to us--concert mistress of the Willard Jr. High orchestra, the Berkeley High School Concert Orchestra, the University of California orchestra--everyone in the violin section wanted to be Gail. Gail died at 55 in October 1996 (thank you, Google). OK, that was interesting. I also found a Pillsbury Bake-Off winner from Feb 1996 for a Macadamia Fudge torte--won by a man from Redwood City that I don't know, but the cake sounded good--I haven't made it yet. I was going to throw that away, but I looked at the recipe again and it looks good--so maybe not yet. Also mildly interesting.
The coolest thing I found in that pile today was the hospital bill from when I was born! I knew I had it somewhere just wasn't sure where. 4 days in the hospital at $12.00 per day, $48.00/ Gas and Oxygen-Local-Spinal $3.00, Delivery room, $30.00, Baby Necklace $1.00, Clinical Laboratory $1.50, Pharmacy #2.92, Surcharge, $.20 for a grand total of $86.62. My mother paid $85.00 cash for me and she got the dollar back for the baby necklace. I wonder if the hospital still wants the 62 cents balance. Nah--they stamped it paid July 20, 1947. Now, is that cool, or what? My children can throw it out in the future. I'm not letting that go. Maybe I'll frame it.
xxooxx