Oy! What a year!
I suppose I should update this thing, now that my life is somewhat less busy.
My aunt (father's sister) died in January, aged 93, the day after my mother's 95th birthday, and then two weeks to the day later, my mother died. I have been out of Toronto since Feb. 2, clearing out her house and getting it on the market to sell. It has been an ENORMOUS job. She was born in that house and lived in it for 95 years, and never threw anything out. We rented a 20' x 8' x 4' dumpster and my sister and I filled it just from the basement. Thank god there wasn't an attic. I filled 2 garbage bags with greeting cards; Valentines, Mother's Day, birthday, Easter. I even found cards congratulating her on the new baby...me! Who keeps cards for 63 years? The local museum loves me, as I made twice weekly trips with stuff I found. There were letters home from my great uncle from the war - WWI. My parents were both antique collectors, and the house was full of stuff - most of it chipped or cracked.
Then, in April, a very good friend of the family passed away at 98. I suppose it wasn't a surprise that they all went, it was just that it was bang, bang, bang.
I inherited from all of them, so then I had to go and make a will. I actually have an estate! Now my apartment is full of good antique furniture from my parents, and I can get rid of all the Ikea. Except that I leave for my summer gig at the theatre in a week and won't have time to arrange it all. I have little pathways through all the stuff, so I can get around. Talk about clutter.
I now have a new mantra - "Throw it out!"
During the week that my sister was helping me, she declared that she was going home to throw stuff away. She said "I'm NOT doing this to my kids."
Now all we need is someone to buy the house. Anyone want to move to central Ontario?
My aunt (father's sister) died in January, aged 93, the day after my mother's 95th birthday, and then two weeks to the day later, my mother died. I have been out of Toronto since Feb. 2, clearing out her house and getting it on the market to sell. It has been an ENORMOUS job. She was born in that house and lived in it for 95 years, and never threw anything out. We rented a 20' x 8' x 4' dumpster and my sister and I filled it just from the basement. Thank god there wasn't an attic. I filled 2 garbage bags with greeting cards; Valentines, Mother's Day, birthday, Easter. I even found cards congratulating her on the new baby...me! Who keeps cards for 63 years? The local museum loves me, as I made twice weekly trips with stuff I found. There were letters home from my great uncle from the war - WWI. My parents were both antique collectors, and the house was full of stuff - most of it chipped or cracked.
Then, in April, a very good friend of the family passed away at 98. I suppose it wasn't a surprise that they all went, it was just that it was bang, bang, bang.
I inherited from all of them, so then I had to go and make a will. I actually have an estate! Now my apartment is full of good antique furniture from my parents, and I can get rid of all the Ikea. Except that I leave for my summer gig at the theatre in a week and won't have time to arrange it all. I have little pathways through all the stuff, so I can get around. Talk about clutter.
I now have a new mantra - "Throw it out!"
During the week that my sister was helping me, she declared that she was going home to throw stuff away. She said "I'm NOT doing this to my kids."
Now all we need is someone to buy the house. Anyone want to move to central Ontario?