Breaking Down a Lifetime

KTMom91

Well-Known Member
Before my Granny died, she asked everyone what one thing they would like to have, even Miss KT, who was about 5 at the time. All I wanted was the collage of family pictures. I've reframed it, and made it a LOT smaller, but I have the pictures hanging in my living room, and I love them.

She also remembered the ginger jar for Miss KT - also in my living room.
 

donna723

Well-Known Member
I sympathize, Lisa. When my 97 year old pack rat grandmother died, it took them months to go through all the 'stuff'. She had lived in the same big two story house for 60 years and she hadn't thrown away a thing! Her basement was still full of my dad's and his siblings toys and games from the early 1900's! Sadly, I think the biggest part of it was tossed out due to the sheer volume of it! My grandmother (who had met my grandfather at the 1904 St. Louis Worlds Fair) had a large postcard collection in several albums that went to my aunt. She THREW THEM AWAY when they moved and her daughter complained about all the 'junk'! I would have KILLED to have those post card albums ... but they're gone now!
:(
When my mother died it was fairly simple because she had lived with us and most of her things had already fallen by the wayside. When we were kids and moved from St. Louis to Florida she had allowed some of her goofy cousins to talk her out of almost every family heirloom we had. Gone was the beautiful antique dining room furniture with buffet and china cabinet. And the huge hand-carved rocking horse with a real leather saddle and horse hair mane and tail that was already old when my grandfather and his siblings were given it back in the 1880's! The military moved us so it wouldn't have cost a dime to move it! And the christening gown! There was a gorgeous long handmade muslin christening gown that my grandfather wore as an infant in the 1890's, my mother was baptised in it back in 1917 and we wore it in the 40's ... now it's gone too! I would have loved to have had that for my own kids, and now their kids! Sadly, it probably hit eBay years ago.
:D
But you never know what you will find. There were several dusty old plastic bags crammed into the back of dresser drawers and closet shelves. When I finally got around to looking in them, they were filled with old documents and certificates, rolled up and wrinkled. There was my grandfathers baptismal certificate handwritten in German from 1890, his confirmation certificate from 1903 also written in German, my grandparents marriage certificate from 1916. These aren't the little computerized versions they have today. They're big elaborate hand-lettered scrolls with beautiful pictures. I salvaged all of them, had them framed, and have them hanging in my back bedroom that is furnished with antiques. I have these horrible visions of my own kids, some day after I'm gone, pulling up to the front door with a dumpster ...
 

susiestar

Roll With It
I am glad that the issues are fixed. I think it was rude of niece to get upset because she wanted china but not THAT china. After saying she didn't want any she should NOT turn up her nose just because the only set left is one she doesn't like.

Star, sweetie, even donkey express doesn't deliver that often in one day.
 

Hound dog

Nana's are Beautiful
*side note*

I will not be taking family pictures other than great grandparents, grandparents, and husband. The reason is because mother in law never told the family "stories" to my kids. By then she was too old to go over it all again. lol So my kids don't know who any of them are. They have a cousin who is a History professor and a lover of history during the time from of this historical books/letters/pics and the like. He also is working with several other cousins on family geneology.......so this info will be placed with that to add pics to facts and fill in spaces.

Unfortunately for me, I'm the only grandchild on my mother's side to have any clue about the family history, pics and the like. Grandma spent a lifetime filling me in and teaching me. So when my Mom passes...........all of that stuff will be passed on to me to care for and pass to the next generation. So I honestly.....really don't want to care for husband's family's too. I'm glad they're going somewhere safe.....and it's not me. lol
 

mstang67chic

Going Green
Wow....sometimes I'm really glad I'm an only child on my mom's side! Although...*sigh* the house she and my step-dad live in was his mom's house. They moved in after she died and there is still a lot of her stuff there. Even after, I might add, 2 of my aunts on dad's side came in after Grandma died under the pretense of getting some pictures and took a LOT of stuff out. Furniture, carnival glass, all sorts of things. (And THEN had the kahonas to order this huge floral arrangement for the funeral and send the bill to US!) Because of that, the first thing I will do when the house becomes....um...unoccupied, will be to lock it up tight. There is still valuable things in the house (antique funiture and figurines) that I will hand out if need be. None of dad's side has really shown any interest in how they are doing and the ones who have been by, only come when they want something.

Personally, there's not much of their own stuff that I would want and only 2 things that were Grandmas that I want. Mostly I will want to keep pictures and sentimental stuff. There is still something floating around that was my maternal grandmother's that I want. An aunt has it now but doesn't have kids and knows that I want it. It's just a little thing and I seriously doubt any of my cousins will complain if I get it.

On my bio dad's side though....that will be easy. The nice furniture (antique) that they have was passed down to step-mom from her side so that will all go to my sibs. Dad's stuff could be a bit more difficult but I think we'll work it out by age/need/sentimental etc. Plus, some things my step-mom has already passed down. My oldest sister for example, received a ring that step-mom got when she turned 18. It had been SM's grandmother's, passed to her mother, then her and she gave it to sis when sis turned 21.

I do dread the thought of cleaning mom's place out when the time comes. That house was built by dad's father and has been there for over 60 years. I wouldn't say Grandma was a pack rat, she just kept stuff till it was useless but she took care of her stuff. I don't envy you guys at all Daisy!
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
Its never easy. I have not opened drawers in some of the furniture yet. I have several boxes that havent been gone through yet. I know the drawers are packed full of papers that I dont know if I am up to reading.

I have an electric waffle iron that was probably sold in the late 40s early 50s. I am not sure if it was my grandmothers or my moms. It may have been a wedding present...lol.
 

ThreeShadows

Quid me anxia?
Some months ago I stumbled upon a web site on which one can post pix of unknown relatives in the hopes that someone will identify them. I can't remember its name, does any one here know???
 

mstang67chic

Going Green
I've never heard of that but if you find it, please post it! That sound very interesting. I always think it's sad when I see old photos, family photos especially, in antique stores or flea markets. I always wonder what happened that no one is left to keep them or no one cares.
 

AnnieO

Shooting from the Hip
The package I ordered Monday and was supposed to deliver Friday or Saturday came today.

So, Star, I just checked your mailbox too. In hopes. Sorry hon... Nothing yet!

::biggrin::

ANYHOO... I have a lot of WWII memorabilia that my Dad's Dad has sent me. I am the only one of 4 grandchildren and 3 children who has shown any interest... So I get the prize! I have no idea what to do with this stuff but MAN is it COOL!
 

Hound dog

Nana's are Beautiful
Starbie, I'm sad to say...........we didn't find a single solitary donkey. Actually there weren't too many what not's........I'm guessing mother in law got rid of the bulk of them before moving to this small town 16 yrs ago. So if there was a donkey.......it probably went then.

Of course come xmas........I could always snitch you one from the manger. ;)
 
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