Anticipation. That was the theme as we waited to see what was in the box waiting at the Kahala Post Office, unsure what could have survived buried under a rock on the side of Makaua Stream after being taken in a break-in at our house in Kaaawa somewhere between six and 18 years ago.

When we finally got the box home, Meda opened it to reveal the dirty and worn plastic Safeway bag, cut a slit in it and then peeled it back to expose the contents. That gave us our our first look at what was inside. It wasn’t a pretty sight.

At first, it just looked like a tangled mess. A rotted wallet. Disintegrated manicure set. Broken bits of jewelry, debris, and dirt. But Meda spotted a pair of glasses that had belonged to her grandmother, who she was named after. That boosted our spirits. Then she saw the small gold Phi Beta Kappa key she was awarded at Whitman College in 1968, remarkably unscathed, its engraving easily read. She then proceeded to methodically sort and separate the items, piece by piece, untangling chains and necklaces, trying to match broken pieces with their mates or missing parts. A long, slow and tedious process.

There were disappointments. Beautiful Ming’s ivory jewelry reduced to junk. That went into its own sad pile. Single earrings and bracelets that might clean up nicely, or might not. A few rings with colored stones. Brooches with missing or damaged pins. But slowly, as she untangled, sorted, repaired, and cleaned, we began to see that a remarkable number of things had survived.

Ever so slowly, the process moved forward, and led to more happy endings. Opal jewelry from made by her grandfather using gemstones he had collected in the Pacific Northwest, or obtained through trades with other collectors. At least one opal pendant we bought while visiting Australia years ago. Strands of freshwater pearls. One necklace of vintage glass beads. Silver earrings. A Tiffany silver pendant. Things we had long assumed were forever lost.

And here are the best items that emerged from the process. It’s hard not to be amazed, comparing these to the first photos taken when the plastic bag was discovered along the stream.

Next: Kaaawa Lost and Found, Part 4. Sorting out the history.