I’m an enabler! Part One

Help me!  I’m an enabler.

Armed with a list of some stuff that I was to look for, I headed out to the farm by myself. It was weird because I don’t think I’ve ever been out there by myself ever since I left the farm many, many yeas ago.

There are some things that Mom would still like but a lot she just wants to donate. But what she doesn’t realize is that a lot of her stuff isn’t even worth donating. I don’t mean that in a bad way - but some things are just so dated or like the mixer (probably an antique) that your father can put a new cord on and it can be sold. Oh?????

I puttered around the house for most of the day. I went through all the books in the bookcase. Found some interesting stuff which will be passed onto the historical society including a book of minutes for the local community dating back to 1915! And found a book that outlined the plan to bring the railway into the small community. It’s cool stuff and that kind of stuff needs to be donated. But old Tupperware? That needs to stay put.

I did bag up some new stuff that could be donated - shoes, slippers and some clothes. Still in the packaging. I did dig out some cushions that my Mom had made. She’s in the process of taking the cushion form out and the crocheted part can be rejigged into afghans that can be given away. The entire back seat of the car - FILLED with cushions.

What has stunned me once again are the boxes and boxes and boxes (floor to ceiling) of BRAND NEW stuff that she bought from Avon when she was involved with them years ago. This is stuff that has never seen the light of day. Why did she buy so much? Who knows? The same reason that people are buying scads from The Shopping Channel or whatever other sites they can find. They buy because they can. What’s sad is the amount of money that she has spent (wasted) over the years. Books, knick knacks, and god knows what else. I don’t mean that it’s a shame that the family won’t see that money, but that it’s sad that she found it fitting to spend her meager income from picking berries, or writing stories for the local newspaper that way.

But I did stumble across a treasure for me when I was searching the bookcase. I found the manual for the antique sock knitter that I have. There was a bunch of paperwork bundled together and it’s going home with me. That was a real and unexpected find. Didn’t even know it existed. Now I might actually get the thing to work.

There are boxes and boxes and boxes of craft stuff. Some of it is supplies, some of it is half finished and some of it is finished stuff. The problem is that a lot of the finished stuff is knick knacky stuff and not really of any purpose or value to anyone. I think of the hours and the dollars that my Mom spend on this stuff. It wasn’t enough to make one decorative thing - she had to make dozens and dozens of the same thing. Some of it she was able to sell and if she could sell one, she could sell a hundred, except she didn’t sell a hundred because they are still at the house.

My goal was to get to the point where she wouldn’t ask for anything any more at the house. God - I’m such an optimist - sometimes I think someone should take me out and shoot me. What the hell was I thinking that I could accomplish that? So I have a plan.

I’m going back to the house today. I’m going to continue to poke around in stuff and see what’s there. Some of this stuff would probably sell at auction. Not for much, but it could sell. I found some cute little dolls (I think they are porcelain). All brand new and dressed up like little John Deere (tractor) kids. Seriously - I took a picture and I’ll post it when I’m home. There’s a little hat, and a cute little tractor in the boxes. There are three of those.

Oh - and I know why I’m getting frustrated with the entire process. There is ZERO progress being made. Well - it looks like that.