Tuesday, August 19, 2008

It’s Late And It’s Raining

This is going to be (relatively) short and without pictures. I was busy all day sorting out the junk…er, treasures that I brought home from Auntie90’s house and integrating them into my household. That’s a euphemism for hiding the lot somewhere around the house so we don’t trip over any of it. I finally finished washing and ironing all the old textiles, not just Auntie’s but some that I inherited decades ago from my cousin’s grandmother, plus stuff I got from my neighbour (since passed away) from his late aunt who collected them from estate sales as a hobby, and some that my birth mom and sister had bought from folks who collected them from estate sales to resell yet again. Whew! I figured it wouldn’t hurt to launder them all and repair a few holes, iron, fold and put them away all fresh. Done. Except for the sheets that I need to dye and cut into squares for my rag quilt. It’s going to have to be after I get back now. I’m running out of time before we leave on the 30th.

Auntie’s remaining stuff has been assessed and the good stuff will be packed and off to auction. Next the remains will be disposed of and her house sold. She’s remarkably cheerful about all this. I think it’s actually a huge weight off her mind. She’s one of those people who is haunted by their possessions. Unlike me who has nightmares about something bad happening to it all or having to try to pack it all up and take it with me somewhere. What is most important? So far to me, all of it. Or at least, most of it. I still haven’t resorted through it all yet again. I’m sure there’s still a lot to dispose of before we’ve honed it down to the good stuff. However for Auntie it was a burden and a mess she was unable to clean up. That’s why she feels released now because it’s being dealt with. Hope she doesn’t suddenly ask for anything else that’s gone! We have a box of her photos here and they are fascinating: T-Man’s great-grandmother who died when she was only 48. (No cause given.) Pictures of Auntie and her two sisters when they were young. T’s dad, their baby brother when he was indeed a baby. For that matter, T’s granny when she was a baby. Auntie90 and her late husband when they were courting. Lots of people we can’t identify. Please, ALWAYS write the date and who’s in the photo on the back! Just sayin’…

Not that I was always that careful myself. Of course you know where you were and who that is. 40 or 50 years later, not so much. Other people looking at the photo — ????

No knitting today. Just cleaning and picking garden produce before the rain set in. One freezer bag of blueberries (and some for the fridge) plus two bags of blackberries. Even outside the fence I found lots that others had missed. Guess they don’t know the trick where you grab an unripe berry and use it as a handle to pull up the branch so you can pick the yummy ones hiding underneath. All the best berries are hiding where you can’t get them without delicate maneuvering to avoid getting caught on the prickles. I’ve been picking blackberries since I was a girl and I’ve had a lot of experience. There also was beans, summer squash, tomatoes, basil and even a few peas that still survive against all odds. We had zucchini and beans (baked in mushroom soup with curry) and chopped tomatoes with onions, garlic, peppers, basil and asiago cheese to go with barbequed pork chops. Yum.

Ooops, T’s gone to bed so I’d better get my rump in there too. I should have beat him to it since I didn’t sleep well last night and was up before the crack of dawn but I’m surprisingly wakeful. Guess it’s nighty-night! In spite of myself.

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