Letting Go and Weekend Work

On Saturday after work ended I gathered my things and went to my sister-in-law's home to join in her 70th birthday celebration. There was still some food available (they had been waiting for me before putting the leftovers away) and they had also waited for my arrival before serving the cake and singing the birthday song. It was sweet that they waited, so I ate a bit and had some cake in the light rain. After things were cleaned up and put away, we all went across the street to my father-by-marriage's house so that each of the grandchildren and great-grandchildren could choose something(s) of his for themselves. It actually was rather civilized, although shark-like in other aspects. You know, the time when chum is spread from the ship and the sharks come and circle...

The younger children were, of course, the worst because they really didn't know him that well. They just saw the stuffed animals, old books and games and the other things and "I want" became a primary part of their vocabulary. But they were reined in by their parents. Many things went where we really wanted them to. Mary got the really beautiful carving of the Madonna that had graced the fireplace chimney for years. Annie and her hubby who live for the green and white of the Irish got a lovely folk-art carving of St Patrick that I had bought for my mother-in-law many years ago. And I got...

Well I ended up with six framed drawings that my DH had done in high school. I have always loved the drawings which were hung in the living room. They are beautifully executed and I can't wait to find the perfect wall space for them in my own home. I also ended up with five (yes...FIVE) bows and two quivers of arrows. There is a fiberglass bow which will be a good starter bow, two general bows and two hunting bows. All of them are either long bows or recurve bows that my father-by-marriage had made many years ago. They look in good shape and I can hardly wait to get new strings and start practicing some archery.

After an hour or so of collecting, wrapping, negotiating, bagging and boxing, the assorted people left and we locked up the house and went home. It was very hard on my DH, seeing things he had grown up with going in a variety of assorted directions. There were a couple of things that caused him to tear up, but he pulled through the day in fine style. I reminded him that his father would have wanted his things to go to family members not just strangers.

What a great looking armoury this is! We're not anywhere close to this level, so
no worries...

On Sunday we went back over to continue cleaning and to box up things that belonged to my DH and had been kept in his old bedroom. This mostly comprised a variety of lovely pointy things - swords mainly. Yes - I definitely married the right man. Swords and archery - what more can a girl ask for? LOL Five music boxes that belonged to my mother-in-law will join my small collection of music boxes (I adore the two lovebirds box that plays the theme of "The Godfather"). I also got another wok because one can never have too many woks - LOL.

We then started cleaning up the garage. I took the sidewalk trimmer and edger - I've wanted it for years - so now I have it and can edge my driveway. The garage made my DH happy. Many of the tools that we had borrowed from my father-by-marriage over the years - things ranging from trowels to pipe wrenches - found their way into my car. They will be well used by us and we will think of his Dad every time we use them.

Many of the flower beds were solid weeds so it wasn't a pick-and-choose
task as much as an obliterate task. John did a great job and I'm very grateful.

My nephew John came by (I warned him that if he came I'd put him to work). He started weeding the garden, the rock wall and a patch between the driveway and the alleyway that was overgrown. I had him working hard but he was really sweet about helping and the help was really needed and very appreciated. An hour or so later, my nephew Michael came with his panel truck to collect the china hutch. That was a bear. We were all hoping that it would separate into two parts, but no such luck. But the guys got it out of the house and into the truck. John followed him north to help him unload at his home. Michael will be back this coming Sunday for the bedroom suite - a chest of drawers with mirror, headboard and two end tables - that his wife decided would do well for their youngest daughter.

The hutch was quite similar to this, but the bottom side sections
had solid instead of glassed doors. It was quite nice but
nothing that I needed. I was pleased to see it go to a good home.

So the house is slowly getting cleaned out. It will take a lot more work and looking through boxes and cubbyholes, but we're getting there. Eventually items that haven't been claimed by one person or another will be collected together and put out for an estate sale. But with our large family, a lot of the things will be claimed before then. After we cleaned up, DH took me out for dinner and a drink. It was well deserved, and we enjoyed our good food and drink, then relaxed with a relaxing few hours and an early sleep time. We were beat. It was a hard weekend, but a good one.