Comments on: The Museum of Me http://mothersofbrothers.com/the-museum-of-me/ All about life with boys...and life in general Sat, 21 Dec 2019 17:09:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: MemeGRL http://mothersofbrothers.com/the-museum-of-me/comment-page-1/#comment-7708 MemeGRL Wed, 19 May 2010 18:19:14 +0000 http://mothersofbrothers.com/?p=2413#comment-7708 Clearing out the house after my mother's unexpected death was incredibly difficult. Selling my old dolls felt like a betrayal. And somehow we didn't snag the huge 48-star flag before it went to auction. But I really don't miss much else. I miss the house. I miss the memories. But mostly I miss my parents. That's a little hypocritical; I still have a storage unit full of "the stuff we didn't get to" before we ran out of time. I had run out of energy in a big way by then. Some things, my kids are growing in to now, which is great, but complicating. So my own personal project now is to go for more of that spare aesthetic. It's not working. But I have it in my mind. Clearing out the house after my mother’s unexpected death was incredibly difficult. Selling my old dolls felt like a betrayal. And somehow we didn’t snag the huge 48-star flag before it went to auction. But I really don’t miss much else. I miss the house. I miss the memories. But mostly I miss my parents.
That’s a little hypocritical; I still have a storage unit full of “the stuff we didn’t get to” before we ran out of time. I had run out of energy in a big way by then. Some things, my kids are growing in to now, which is great, but complicating. So my own personal project now is to go for more of that spare aesthetic. It’s not working. But I have it in my mind.

]]> By: jennifer http://mothersofbrothers.com/the-museum-of-me/comment-page-1/#comment-7450 jennifer Fri, 30 Apr 2010 20:44:22 +0000 http://mothersofbrothers.com/?p=2413#comment-7450 I used to ask what am I going to do with all of this junk. Now, I am resigned to that being the childrens' problem. I used to ask what am I going to do with all of this junk. Now, I am resigned to that being the childrens’ problem.

]]> By: Louesa http://mothersofbrothers.com/the-museum-of-me/comment-page-1/#comment-7430 Louesa Fri, 30 Apr 2010 01:07:37 +0000 http://mothersofbrothers.com/?p=2413#comment-7430 My father was always distressed by entering restaurants that had other people's family photos displayed on the wall - just as decoration. He made it quite clear that he would rather have family photos destroyed than to end up elsewhere and be viewed by strangers. I think I can respect that request! My father was always distressed by entering restaurants that had other people’s family photos displayed on the wall – just as decoration. He made it quite clear that he would rather have family photos destroyed than to end up elsewhere and be viewed by strangers. I think I can respect that request!

]]> By: jennifer http://mothersofbrothers.com/the-museum-of-me/comment-page-1/#comment-7422 jennifer Thu, 29 Apr 2010 13:43:21 +0000 http://mothersofbrothers.com/?p=2413#comment-7422 Debby, great observation on the explosion in photography. And unlabeled photos - so true. Once the person who can provide IDs is gone, all hope of knowing who is who also vanishes. Even worse, the photos labeled "Mother" or "At a picnic." Be specific, people! Future generations will thank you. I'm with you on boycotting the storage unit. That only defers the problem, expensively. Debby, great observation on the explosion in photography. And unlabeled photos – so true. Once the person who can provide IDs is gone, all hope of knowing who is who also vanishes. Even worse, the photos labeled “Mother” or “At a picnic.” Be specific, people! Future generations will thank you. I’m with you on boycotting the storage unit. That only defers the problem, expensively.

]]> By: Debby http://mothersofbrothers.com/the-museum-of-me/comment-page-1/#comment-7410 Debby Thu, 29 Apr 2010 01:26:29 +0000 http://mothersofbrothers.com/?p=2413#comment-7410 Yes and yes. It feels easier to decide what you really want to keep, and then recycle the rest. Making positive decisions feels better, somehow. Going through my dad's clothes was heartbreaking, but I kept his Air Force uniform and some of his jewelry. Those things recently went to a nephew who got old enough to want them. I now have cartons of things from my mother that are loaded with items that no one else knew what to do with (pardon the bad grammar.) Most of them are old files and old pictures (not labeled). I think I like the old days when people took ONE picture each year - not 1,000! Best advice: Don't get a storage unit (from my mother's mover). Good luck! Yes and yes. It feels easier to decide what you really want to keep, and then recycle the rest. Making positive decisions feels better, somehow. Going through my dad’s clothes was heartbreaking, but I kept his Air Force uniform and some of his jewelry. Those things recently went to a nephew who got old enough to want them. I now have cartons of things from my mother that are loaded with items that no one else knew what to do with (pardon the bad grammar.) Most of them are old files and old pictures (not labeled). I think I like the old days when people took ONE picture each year – not 1,000! Best advice: Don’t get a storage unit (from my mother’s mover). Good luck!

]]> By: jennifer http://mothersofbrothers.com/the-museum-of-me/comment-page-1/#comment-7409 jennifer Thu, 29 Apr 2010 01:13:48 +0000 http://mothersofbrothers.com/?p=2413#comment-7409 Louesa, your mom's situation sounds like my parents, down to the year the house with ample basement was built. My mom definitely stockpiled the artifacts from previous generations down there - much has been transferred to me, but lots of the paper records still remain to be sorted through. Someday. Becky, the story of your mom's sewing cabinet is so bittersweet. Let's hope a vintage nut bought it and cherishes it to this day. We both know that can easily happen. Louesa, your mom’s situation sounds like my parents, down to the year the house with ample basement was built. My mom definitely stockpiled the artifacts from previous generations down there – much has been transferred to me, but lots of the paper records still remain to be sorted through. Someday.
Becky, the story of your mom’s sewing cabinet is so bittersweet. Let’s hope a vintage nut bought it and cherishes it to this day. We both know that can easily happen.

]]> By: becky up a hill http://mothersofbrothers.com/the-museum-of-me/comment-page-1/#comment-7407 becky up a hill Wed, 28 Apr 2010 23:28:09 +0000 http://mothersofbrothers.com/?p=2413#comment-7407 Yes and yes. The Estate sale. It was hard. My older sisters decided somethings. We were not going to sale our parents clothes. For us that felt to private. Somethings we wished we had kept, somethings now I wished I had parted with. Very emotional times. I'm glad it's over. My older sister spotted our Mom's sewing cabinet in an antique store a few years later. It felt weird and sad. Yes and yes. The Estate sale. It was hard. My older sisters decided somethings. We were not going to sale our parents clothes. For us that felt to private. Somethings we wished we had kept, somethings now I wished I had parted with. Very emotional times. I’m glad it’s over. My older sister spotted our Mom’s sewing cabinet in an antique store a few years later. It felt weird and sad.

]]> By: Louesa http://mothersofbrothers.com/the-museum-of-me/comment-page-1/#comment-7405 Louesa Wed, 28 Apr 2010 22:52:07 +0000 http://mothersofbrothers.com/?p=2413#comment-7405 Did this ever strike a chord with me! My mom is still in the house my parents built in 1968, and because for many years the basement was unfinished and space was available, there are household items from both sets of my grandparents. For a substantial period of time my parents talked about needing to schedule time to go through everything. After my dad died 18 years ago, my mom began mentioning to me that the two of us needed to find a time to go through everything. Now she just apologizes that I'll have to deal with this at some point in the future! I come from a family of savers, and realized at some point that retaining "stuff" from one generation to the next is a serious burden. Who wants to be the one to get rid of an old quilt or a steamer trunk that dates from the 1700s and has been passed down through five generations?! Did this ever strike a chord with me! My mom is still in the house my parents built in 1968, and because for many years the basement was unfinished and space was available, there are household items from both sets of my grandparents. For a substantial period of time my parents talked about needing to schedule time to go through everything. After my dad died 18 years ago, my mom began mentioning to me that the two of us needed to find a time to go through everything. Now she just apologizes that I’ll have to deal with this at some point in the future!

I come from a family of savers, and realized at some point that retaining “stuff” from one generation to the next is a serious burden. Who wants to be the one to get rid of an old quilt or a steamer trunk that dates from the 1700s and has been passed down through five generations?!

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