Is the anticipation worse than the event sometimes?

marsaday

Registered User
Mar 2, 2012
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Know what you are going through K. I have just put parent's house on market after a 2month clear out and spruce up. I haven't been posting much lately because of this and also haven't posted properly to say that my Dad (some of you may remember the alcoholic/abusive one) died suddenly in the house at the start of the summer.

Mum is very much deteriorated and moving from her lovely supported living into a nursing home so she doesn't know. So it's all been very complicated and I haven't felt like posting but I do read them and I always keep an eye on your story as, like mine, I know your Mum is very dependant on you.

But Yep I know all about 40 years of hoarding. We got 2 skip loads, many runs to charity shop plus one collection. Might try that freecycle thing for the last few items in garage.

The hardest thing to know what to do with was the hoards of holy pictures and ornaments-anyone else had that? The ones in good condition went to the St Vinncent de Paul shop but most were badly damaged and chipped including 2 hip height statues of Mary and Joseph that had been in her family for years. Well I must confess I'm not religious at all and no-one in the family wanted them... can anyone guess where Mary and Joseph went?
 

Noorza

Registered User
Jun 8, 2012
6,541
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Know what you are going through K. I have just put parent's house on market after a 2month clear out and spruce up. I haven't been posting much lately because of this and also haven't posted properly to say that my Dad (some of you may remember the alcoholic/abusive one) died suddenly in the house at the start of the summer.

Mum is very much deteriorated and moving from her lovely supported living into a nursing home so she doesn't know. So it's all been very complicated and I haven't felt like posting but I do read them and I always keep an eye on your story as, like mine, I know your Mum is very dependant on you.

But Yep I know all about 40 years of hoarding. We got 2 skip loads, many runs to charity shop plus one collection. Might try that freecycle thing for the last few items in garage.

The hardest thing to know what to do with was the hoards of holy pictures and ornaments-anyone else had that? The ones in good condition went to the St Vinncent de Paul shop but most were badly damaged and chipped including 2 hip height statues of Mary and Joseph that had been in her family for years. Well I must confess I'm not religious at all and no-one in the family wanted them... can anyone guess where Mary and Joseph went?

To a stable?:D
 

marsaday

Registered User
Mar 2, 2012
541
0
I wish I'd thought of a stable-there are plenty round here. Imagine a neighbours surprise if they found them one morning-near christmas. Oh dear too late-they went in the skip. It was either that or keep them til next 12th July (I live in NI) and give them to the bonfire collectors for the top of their pile-yes they really do that in some parts over here!!

Ok Potted history-In case anyone is ignorant of our sophisticated system over here:

The loyalists celebrate the victory of King Billy over King James every 12th July with very large bonfires on the 11th night. This is usually the local ya-hoos and much drink is taken and much slandering of the pope and if you have a statue to put on your "boney" all the better. Then on the 12th there are the famous parades by the orangemen (supporters of King Billy)

The nationalists protest against the parades by causing a bit if disturbance here and there or the sane ones try and keep a low profile

The couldn't-care-less brigade get the hell out of the country for the week - if possible - which is no mean feat as Easyjet are onto the exodus and hike their prices up to silly money at this time. Or, one can always drive to Dublin and try and escape from there with even sillier prices on Aerlingus or endure the punishment of a flight with Ryanair...Sorry rant over (Obviously I'm in the final group)
 

Katrine

Registered User
Jan 20, 2011
2,837
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England
We only had a small stash of religious artefacts, due to MIL going off God for personal reasons. However, our statue was Jesus himself, so no way could I bin Him. Fortunately another family member decided she would find drawer space for Jesus and the rosary collection. :eek:

BTW, the estate agent is very pleased with how the house has been decorated and says it should sell within a few weeks! It is sad to see her home go, but the sale will release funds to give her more options for where she lives in the future. I wonder who will live there next, and imagine them being excited about their new home, just as MIL was when she moved in all those years ago. :)
 
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marsaday

Registered User
Mar 2, 2012
541
0
Well, although I put them in the skip, I did wrap them in a thick coat and lay them gently in- now they were already damaged but I couldn't bring myself to just chuck them on. I felt they deserved a bit of dignity.

Hope your day of clearing out goes well Kingmidas. Let us know if it was as bad as you expected.
 

marsaday

Registered User
Mar 2, 2012
541
0
Sorry Norza what I actually did with them seems to have got lost in the middle of my post-Mary and Joseph were gently laid to rest in the skip wrapped up in a nice warm thick coat.
 

Noorza

Registered User
Jun 8, 2012
6,541
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Sorry Norza what I actually did with them seems to have got lost in the middle of my post-Mary and Joseph were gently laid to rest in the skip wrapped up in a nice warm thick coat.

Sorry got confused between the religious artefacts. I'm going to give mum's to the church if the family don't want them and the parishioners can have them when the time comes.

Catholic recycling for me. :D
 

kingmidas1962

Registered User
Jun 10, 2012
3,534
0
South Gloucs
So there we are - all done and dusted!

It was nowhere near as bad as I thought (hence the title of this post, I guess...) and actually now I'm back at home I feel quite uplifted, which is not what I expected at all! Physically I am knackered (not as young as I used to be :D) but mentally I feel great.

I found some amazing things - some favourite childhood stuff ... a little brown jug which I remember filled with custard for pudding after dinner ... a 'whimsy' (remember those?) figurine of a tortoise which I always loved ... a beautiful abalone shell which dad got in Cornwall... it was a real trip down memory lane - but not painful. It was actually lovely to reminisce and I enjoyed relaying stories of my mum and dad to my friends sons who'd come to help out.

I found my dads apprenticeship contract (he only ever had one job his whole life until he retired) and an award he won in 1936 (he would've been 9!) for his handwriting, plus 4 exercise books filled with the most beautiful copperplate script.

And the jewel in the crown (for me) was the photo collection, including mum and dads wedding album, my dads army album from his National Service in Egypt .. and this. I believe this is my great-grandmother.
 

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Noorza

Registered User
Jun 8, 2012
6,541
0
So there we are - all done and dusted!

It was nowhere near as bad as I thought (hence the title of this post, I guess...) and actually now I'm back at home I feel quite uplifted, which is not what I expected at all! Physically I am knackered (not as young as I used to be :D) but mentally I feel great.

I found some amazing things - some favourite childhood stuff ... a little brown jug which I remember filled with custard for pudding after dinner ... a 'whimsy' (remember those?) figurine of a tortoise which I always loved ... a beautiful abalone shell which dad got in Cornwall... it was a real trip down memory lane - but not painful. It was actually lovely to reminisce and I enjoyed relaying stories of my mum and dad to my friends sons who'd come to help out.

I found my dads apprenticeship contract (he only ever had one job his whole life until he retired) and an award he won in 1936 (he would've been 9!) for his handwriting, plus 4 exercise books filled with the most beautiful copperplate script.

And the jewel in the crown (for me) was the photo collection, including mum and dads wedding album, my dads army album from his National Service in Egypt .. and this. I believe this is my great-grandmother.

Wow, wow and wow again. I love historical things and to find that picture from your own family.

Every cloud.


I am so glad it's done for you. xx