This house has been in my family since it was built in 1889. But nothing is forever as the scriptures tell us.
About 2 p.m. yesterday a friend came over and that got me started with the serious packing. I had been procrastinating deciding which books to keep and what to send to the library.
What I discovered is that it’s hard to donate to the library! Three libraries told me the same thing – bring the books, they will go though them and then I am to take away the books we do not want.
The end of this story is that, thanks to Thelma, I am now about 2,500 books less.
It’s a funny thing – leaving my home of 51-years is easier on me than parting with the books.
For the first time since I knew the house was “gone,” I cried. Not because the house is lost, but because i had to get rid of books. Books are my family!
A significant portion of the books were given to me by people long dead who asked me to take care of their cherished books for them. A ton of old Swedish and German books.
Thelma came up with a great plan. I put books into to piles 1) I absolutely had to keep and 2) I didn’t absolutely have to keep, but didn’t want to get rid of.
We went through the second pile and she told me to just say, “Take care of this for me, Thelma” and she would do the “right thing.” So, what I can say this morning is that I didn’t throw away a single book.
When all was said and done and all the boxes packed, I had a second revelation. Except for the furniture, my entire life fit into the back of one pickup and the trunk of my wee car! I thought I’d have to make at least three trips, but we got everything into one pickup bed. I decided that when all is settled in the new place, I need to go though the boxes again and dispose of more “stuff.”
The furniture will be translated to the new place this morning about 9 a.m. My niece will come by about 10 a.m. and We will go though some things that I think she will want.
I’m getting rid of three of my four complete sets of pots and pans, two of the five sets of dishes, and all except two of my antique cookie jars. Also, I’m going to divide the Christmas things with her. She’s the only family member who will take care of the Christmas stuff—none of which is crap, as Fr. Jake can tell you, I went in for Christmas in a major way and I didn’t buy cheap things.
After that there remains only mopping, dusting, and vacuuming. I have the original front door key tacked to the front door for the new people. I have a bottle of champagne for them and I’ve left one of my ten mechanical chiming antique clocks on the wall for them.
So that’s the report for Saturday morning. I’ll let you know how the rest of the move goes. I may not have Internet service until Monday in the new place. Gosh, how will I survive Sunday!
I'll have the rector around sometime next week to bless the new place and then I'll be "home."
So, for the last time, Cheers from my ancestral home. Don't let the church do anything at all until I'm back online!
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