Anyone who’s ever visited my house knows that I have
thing about frogs. I guess you could call it a collection – that sounds much
better than “obsession” or “addiction.”
I have frogs all over the place, literally in every
room of the house. I have semi-useful items such as frog towels, frog soap
dishes, frog wind chimes, frog candlesticks, frog napkin holders, etc. The
majority of my frogs are decorative pieces. I have some elegant examples in
ceramic, wood, pewter and glass. I have some pitifully cheap ones in plastic
and even paper. I have lots of toy frogs, including some satin ballerina
frogs, and some bean-bag frogs. There are even a few that I stitched myself.
Pride of place goes to two plush frogs. One is
Ferrington, my very first frog, who was a Christmas gift the year I turned nine
years old. Ferrington went with me to summer camp, to Japan (where I was an
exchange student for a summer), to college, and even into my adult homes. I
knew my John was a keeper when he respectfully hopped Ferrington off the bed.
The other plush frog is Fred. He’s a replica of Ferrington, but much larger.
Fred was a gift to my big sister Helen from her high school boyfriend. Apparently
she thought I would enjoy this giant stuffed frog more than she did. Or more
than she enjoyed that boyfriend, for that matter.
I also have a shadow box with about 60 tiny frogs on
it. I knew my new cleaning lady was a keeper when she -- on her own initiative --
took the time to dust every one of those little guys. She was very relieved
when I told her she never had to do that again.
Over the years, I have purchased many of my frogs. I
can hardly resist a cute or interesting frog that’s not grossly expensive. My
friends and family realized early on that they could always count on my
effusive gratitude for a frog gift. Their shopping was always a no-brainer, and
my collection has been enhanced by my friends’ generosity.
I mention all this because as I prepare to declutter
and downsize, I am a little distraught about what to do with my frog friends. I
love them all, and it pains me to think of getting rid of a single one.
As we think about a new place to live, we’ll have to
consider proper places for the frogs. When we eventually move, we’ll have to carefully
pack everyone up for the journey.
And then there’s the problem of the ultimate disposition of my frogs. Should I give them away to friends and family in advance? Do I put them in my will? Do I leave behind a mandate about how the frogs will be cared for in perpetuity? I fear my children do not have the depth of feeling for the frogs that would lead them to love them appropriately.
In
short, I struggle with what will happen to my frogs when I croak.
