October is usually the time I slowly get ready for November – it’s a busy month.
Up until 2020, I would use time prepping for National Novel Writing Month, which runs all November, and for a 12-hour scrapbook crop, which usually the first Saturday of the month.
But the last week, I have worked on a project I have had on my wish list.
For awhile I have wanted to scan the slides I inherited from my grandparents after they passed away.
It’s one of those things you want to do but then the thought fades away for awhile. Then, it comes back and a snap of the fingers – “oh yes, I remember you.”
Then, it would be off to Google and the Amazon wish list to see what I can do. There is at least five scanners on my wish list and the thought of getting it done has lingered this year.
I even posed a question on Facebook in the local mom group and local scrapbooker group. There were a good mix of answers. A few made me worried and even thinking about it gets me worried – try this company and send them away. Eep! But these are my paternal grandparents’ memories – what if something happens to them.
For a second I thought I can just hold up to the light and take a photo of the slide. It worked really well for a tester slide of my aunt at her bridal shower.
So, I made my Amazon wish list and just put a pin in the scanning idea, moving on to something else – probably another to-do list. I do love making lists.
Then, Clarkston Independence District Library announced the CIDL Vault. I skimmed the items and the Kodak Scanza, a digital film scanner, jumped out to me. It even beckoned me – fulfill your destiny, actually scan those slides.
It took two tries to check it out and that was only because the first time it was already checked out.
The second time, I walked up to the check out desk and was directed to the Information desk for a slip. Then, back to the check out desk to get it.
I was handed the bag and off I went to test it out because I really did have to test it out to find the right settings for the entire photo to show.
I glanced at the boxes holding the carousels – 14 boxes with each carousel holding at least 50-70 photos, some with just over 100.
I had to make a plan and after the first carousel the plan was clear – only scan slides with people I knew.
My grandmother was very detailed with most of the boxes with number of slide, when it was and who is in the photo. But a lot of the people I don’t know. Six boxes into this plan my husband, Mike, said scan them all – never know what will happen. A valid point but for the time being a quick scan.
There were reasons for the quick scan. One, time – check out is only a week and I was going to go over. Sorry CIDL and library patrons. Two, really I wanted to find photos of my dad so I could sit down and work on his memorial pages for my scrapbook. I am ready to do that.
The first carousel went fast it was the 50th anniversary for my great grandfather and great grandmother so close relatives it was.
Two carousels later, a Michigan vacation for the Reardon clan – going over the Mackinac Bridge, Castle Rock, the Tahquamenon Falls. I may have taken just as many photos in 2014 as my grandmother took.
Along the journey, I came to a box labeled “Florida 1.” I opened it up and on top is notebook paper which my grandmother wrote her notes. I turn over the page and I see it in her cursive handwriting – Disney World.
My mouth dropped and the excitement was bubbling over. My grandparents went to Disney World in the 1970s.
I took out some of the slides and glanced at them. Oh yes, these would definitely be getting scanned.
The process slowed down a little bit. I will admit it put borrowing from the vault for longer than intended. But, now that I know the process is pretty easy and I know the best setting maybe I will look into getting one. Maybe…books and patterned paper tend to distract me.