Memories!!!

OH my --- it's such a strange couple of days, and for the quilters among you all, I hope to get back to the quilting topics soon! Travel does make it a bit challenging, and I've no sewing machine! 

I did bring some prep work for one of my upcoming classes with me, and it's the kind of thing that one can do and visit simultaneously, so while I'm visiting today, I might just do that. If I said what it was, everyone in that class would jump on the bandwagon. So I won't. 

Before I know it, all the Zoom classes will begin again, which means loads of preparation. It will be one day at a time to get through it all. 

A few years ago, my Dad asked me to make him a T-shirt with a saying on it. Of course, I never did that! Didn't have time and didn't know how. I still don't know how, so before leaving for this trip, I asked my cousin if she would help. She delivered the T-shirts yesterday, and I forgot to get a picture of them - must do that today. But he was super happy to see them. And a HUGE shoutout to my cousin (Christine), who took time out of her busy weekend to make that happen!!!! THANK YOU so much!!!!!

I'm late again this morning because it's been a lazy morning, and I took advantage of some peace and quiet and finished reading my e-book! I should have had my butt outside for a walk, but I might do that right after breakfast. I started a new walking challenge the other day, and on the very first day, I'm already behind! Good grief -- I don't think that's ever happened before. 

Yesterday was an interesting day. We gathered a few family members and headed to the farm to see what we could find. My parents moved out 8 years ago (I know!), and it's a shame that we couldn't have had a coordinated effort from the beginning. But life just throws you curve balls, and you have to take things as they are. 

Lots of changes have happened since that move. People's ideas and goals have changed, attitudes have relaxed, and people are more open to change. I can only say that it was a pleasure to work with two of my aunts, a cousin, and a second cousin to go through stuff. I took pictures, but as you guessed, I still need to get my e-mail fixed and likely will only once I get home. The first thing I must do is fix that! 

As I've mentioned so many times before, this exercise has really been an eye-opener. That house has so many memories -- even though I only lived in it for one year. But I grew up in another house on the property, so that is the only childhood home I know. So, while that house doesn't have many memories, the contents do. Most of the things in the house were amassed by my Mom; there is only a little of Dad's stuff. 

And here's a comment from my Mom that I never thought I would hear. She mentioned to my aunt one day -- Why did she let things get out of control? How did she amass so much stuff? 

OH MY GOSH --- to hear that from her is HUGE. This is the turning point - it took a long time to reach this point, and you do not know how much this changes things. 

Here's a couple of observations -- my Mom loves to write. Hmm --- I wonder where I get that from? But all of her writing was done with pen and paper. She used a typewriter at one point, but she would have loved to have a computer. However, she is terrified of technology, so she'll never be able to take advantage of that technology. 

I found big envelopes with details of every trip they ever took. I grabbed a couple to explore further, but it is like reading a paper blog. She has snapshots of things, pamphlets, ticket stubs, and all kinds of goodies in each envelope! 

And I almost died laughing when I picked up one envelope to read the label -- School Trip to Edmonton, 1974. If you remember, last week, I said that I had only been to Edmonton on that school trip. Well, now I have the blow-by-blow of what happened on that trip! I grabbed that one to read through. 

One must try not to be too sentimental with all this stuff. It is years of accumulation, and I see all those memories, and it's hard to let it all go. But one must! So I'm of the mindset that it's fun to go through and read this stuff, but you can't keep it! It has to go! It sounds so harsh, but no one other than Mom will be interested in any of this stuff -- well, the more I go through, the more I find these little tidbits - like the Edmonton trip. But if I didn't find it, I could have lived. 

I think those memories are the hardest to let go of, but I'll keep a few handwritten pages because I think it's a nice memory. I know I have to start letting that kind of thing go, but I have nowhere near the amount of stuff that Mom has. I only have a few boxes in that office at home, and the blog is online for all to browse! My memories are electronic, so easy to store!

A few things left the house to be donated to someone who can use it. 

It's not so much the contents of the house that I care about - I don't need anything that is there. Whenever I'm here, I say this is the LAST time I'll go to the farm. It's no longer the same - the gardens have gone to weed, and a good portion of the yard no longer looks like it did when I was there, as many of the larger things have been sold and moved. Mom would be horrified to see the condition of her "flower" gardens. 

Perhaps I'll tell myself that I'll be back one more time so I don't cry like a baby when I go over the hill and it disappears from view forever! But that's OK -- we are allowed to have those thoughts -- it's my childhood home, and so many good and bad things happened there. But I have the memories and don't need to be there to remember those times!

Gosh -- what crazy thoughts!

I discovered a real treasure in the house that no one but myself could appreciate. It's in the car, and it's a piece of clothing. I'll share it with you when I get home because it needs a picture to explain. But my aunts got a kick out of it as well. Now I just need to repack those suitcases to bring home the one thing I purchased at the store and the few small things I found! 

There should be room in the suitcases -- I just need to shuffle things around a wee bit. OK -- so thank goodness for two suitcases instead of one. 

Well, it's time to get breakfast, and then I have a day of visiting planned, but not before I go for a walk!

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!