Treasure!!!!! - an upbeat post for this section!

[Tender Face]

I cannot begin to thank everyone on TP who has helped me over the last few days - weeks, months, well years actually!!!!!

I thought it might be nice to share something good here ....

As many know, I nick-named my mum 'Gigglenicks' sometime back .. for an awkward, prudish, difficult (!) mother at times she always had a twinkle in her eye - not often for me but everyone else!!!!!! But we shared many laughs too over the years ... and lots of tender moments (hence Tender Face) ... and giggles in later years even to her last few days which I will forever treasure ....

I am still sat here not caring or daring to open boxes brought back from the house - bar one item I unpacked last night ..... intrigued by a video marked 'Family Holiday 1992' found at the eleventh hour of house clearing ... I didn't know it existed ... but turns out it was a film made by friends we met on holiday when mum, dad, hubby and I ventured away together ..... barely a few months later dad was diagnosed as seriously ill, and we figure the first signs of mum's dementia were appearing then, with glorious hindsight .....

Gigglenicks was definitely the right name for her ...... bent over double at times with laughter (as were the rest of us!!! - perhaps something to do with the ouzo???!!!) ... sound quality is terrible .... but the laughter clear as finest crystal .....

There is no real legacy in money or material things, are there? I am left with a small financial inheritance, keepsakes I will treasure .... , they matter not.....my most prized and priceless inheritance is now a 17 year old previously unknown video which means the whole world to me ....... and what a legacy to have in case I ever forget the love and the laughter? (Not that I would!!!)

Wonder if anyone else has found a 'hidden treasure'?

Love and thanks to you all ...... Karen, x

 

[Vonny]

Dear Karen,

What a find!!!! It's better than winning the lottery.

Keep it in a very safe place

So happy for you

Vonny xxx

 

[Margarita]

my most prized and priceless inheritance is now a 17 year old previously unknown video which means the whole world to me ....... and what a legacy to have in case I ever forget the love and the laughter? (Not that I would!!!)

Wonder if anyone else has found a 'hidden treasure'?

Wow what a lovely find, it is surly is a treasure, worth more then anything that money can buy.

I found one in a Mini video tapes. It got mum in when it, just before she told she had AZ, but its right at the ending of the tape mum only in it for a few seconds. We never had a video recorder when my father was a live . Now I know the value of the meaning of recording family life on a video recorder, as you new know what is around the conner in life .

 

[christine_batch]

Dear Karen,

I found a video I had taken of Peter before he went into E.M.I. Unit On it was our youngest Grandson on a sleep over.

It was full of laughter. Admittedly Peter did not know what Cian and I were lauging at but he just joined in.

The other very special thing I found was a dictaphone where I had Peter's voice.

They are going in my special memory box and I am so thrilled I have them.

Take care
Love from
Christine xx

 

[Skye]

Karen, what a lovely find. Word of advice -- get a DVD made, before video players become obsolete -- in fact I don't think you can buy them any more now.

I have a video made from old super8 films we took when the kids were small. The quality is terrible, and some of the reels are out of sequence, so the kids suddenly get younger, but I treasure it. I've often thought of having a DVD made, it could then be properly edited, but I was too scared to lose it. Fortunately when I had it done I had a copy made for my son, and he's going to get his sorted out.

These videos are indeed treasure trove, and I know how much it means to you.

Love,

 

[DianeB]

When my brother died 4 1/2 years ago I had to go to his house to see if we could find any information that would help us, (he died in Korea, English teacher either suicide or muder will never find out) anyway the date was the 3rd July, our wedding anniversary, we got married at 3pm 1982, the date was then 3rd July 2004. I really couldn't celebrate our day anyway the grief and shock was too much. Whilst looking through some things I found a brown paper bag just left on the floor, not knowing what was inside I opened it and found a bag full of badges. I didn't know Dave collected badges so I called my hubby over, we gently poured the badges on the floor and they fell into an open circle, everything in the bag was a badge from around the world ..... EXCEPT one thing that was there right in the middle of this open circle a silver horseshoe it had come from my wedding cake I remember it but didn't know Dave had taken it!!! We looked at the time 3.25pm 3rd July, the EXACT time we would have been taking our vows, David was our witness, it was like he was looking down on us, knowing it was our special day. I can't tell you how much I sobbed, a river maybe, but the next thing I picked up was a book inside was a piece of paper with an insurance in it, I phone them up and the money we received from it paid for my brothers ashes to be brought back to England.

 

[nellbelles]

Skye
And anyone else.. vidio recorders/players are still available..

My new toy is a vidio/dvd recorder with freeview, so I can record from vidio to dvd, plus all tv channels..

 

[Skye]

Hey, I need one!

I didn't know about those, I'd just heard that places weren't stocking video recorders any more.

Thanks!

 

[Pollyanna]

Hi

I think this is a lovely thread.

My Nan moved into a care home recently and the family home has had to be cleared.

Although it has been upsetting, it's been a great comfort to have opportunity to remember by Grandma as she was.

By her bed we found a letter she had written to my Grandpa on the day they got engaged, describing their day together and how happy she was.

It was beautifully written and so full of emotion, it was easy to imagine the day that they spent together and we could share her hopes and dreams for the future.

We don't think my Grandpa ever read that letter and suspect it was never sent. Instead, it remained by her bed for over 50 years.

She still wears her wedding ring and she knows she got married, but her memories of her husband have faded. She doesn't recognise herself in her wedding photos.

There is no real legacy in money or material things, are there?

I agree! That letter brought a young couple alive to us. It's priceless.

Polly

x

 

[barbara h]

Hi Karen

What a lovely surprise to find this video with lovely memories for you. Pleased for you, it seems to have given you a lift.

My Dad had a cine camera and took film of my sister and i when we were young and also in later years a video camera which he took video of their three grandchildren growing up.

When we emptied mam's house last year we found all of these and the old projector to play the old cine movies on which we hope to still find working when we get around to looking at them.

I think it's a good idea to get them made into dvd as eventually videos will become obsolete and these are memories that we all want to watch for ever.

lots of love
barbara h

 

[Cate]

Hi Karen

I do have some videos of mum taken when she came on holiday with us, but to date I haven’t been able to watch them.

My find...... a cousin. We lost touch a long time ago, (daughter of my mum's deceased sister). I found her again doing my 'family tree'. Why is she so treasured? Well during many many conversations with her since mum died she has re kindled so many happy memories pre mums AD, memories of when we were both children.

Even more so its her voice. People used to say they couldn’t tell the difference between mum and her sister on the phone and me and mum on the phone. When I talk to my cousin, she sounds so much like my mum, especially her laugh. At first it quite unnerved me, but now I take real comfort in it, apparently I sound just like her mum, so nice for her too.

I am so pleased you found the video of you all, something to really treasure for all the family.

Love
Cate xxxxxx