vacation

We took a week off work and only left the house for one night.  When we arrived at Grandma's we found her on a mission to purge.  At 82 she didn't want to wait until one foot was in the grave to declutter.  Out came the photo albums, the thrift store purchases, and the gifts and art I had given to her as a child.

The hand painted 'we love grandpa' sweater didn't really fit but I took it.  Even though I had the same edition in 'grandma' at home.  Somehow the eyelet lace dress my mum had made her in 1977 didn't seem to be with us when we unpacked back at home.  I felt guilty for not taking everything she had offered, if only to get it out of her house and make it easier for her new cleaner to dust.  I was worried that if I took everything she would go on a thrift store bender and replace everything that was gone.

The rest of the week has been spent gardening and of course, purging.  Grandma's treasures went into the junk pile, minus the best photos.  My husband asked if I was going to go through the whole house again now that every corner was clean.  I suppose we could downsize even more.  No one could have accused us of being hoarders in the past but the amount of garbage and recycling that comes with downsizing is disgusting!

I like to put the piles of stuff on the side of the road in front of my house and make a sign that says, 'free'.  In this manner I'm sure we've disposed of truckloads of stuff and I like to keep things out of the money system whenever possible.  It never fails to amaze me how people can be such scavengers!  We live in a somewhat high-end neighbourhood and have the only house without a manicured lawn.  Instead we have a giant organic garden that produces food which we enjoy all year.  I worry the neighbours don't approve of my free pile but it's never lasted long enough for a complaint to be issued.  Perhaps the same neighbours are now hoarding our old junk?