A basement flood can be a gift of sorts. I had to empty out a closet downstairs and came across a box labeled Mum's stuff. Obviously it was packed up after mum died in 2013 and I hadn't looked at it since. The newspaper used to wrap stuff was also labeled 2013 so I know I haven't looked at those things for thirteen years. It's hard to believe that she's been gone that long and I miss her still.
So what was in the box? This Hummel figurine for one, which I didn't realize I had kept. Mum had a few Hummel figurines that she had bought in Germany while we lived there. Mum had quite a few knick-knacks and they were part of my life growing up; each one had to be moved to dust underneath it on a regular basis. I have no memory of what happened to them when mum died but I kept one which I'm glad of. Mum kept a clean house. When I was growing up she cleaned the bathroom daily, something which just boggles my mind now.
There were also pay booklets that belonged to my dad when he was in the army during WW2 which will be 100 years old in just a few more years. There were letters and a few other things. Jack was with me when I opened the box and started pulling things out. I ugly cried and he gave me a hug. He's so very gentle and kind with me, sometimes. I didn't know what to do with the stuff, don't know who might want it, so I packed it up and moved it to an upstairs closet.
Everything that was damaged has been removed from the basement except for the utility sink which wasn't damaged but which was a piece of crap. I can't disconnect the sink by myself so my husband will do that. A bin will be ordered to put all the garbage in and have it hauled away. The new flooring has been picked out and once I get that our contractor will come back and fix everything up for us. Then I will put lots of shelving into the utility room and organize the room so we can find things. The bedroom will be set up once more and hopefully things return to normal.
Jack spent last night at the lake with his grandma and mom. His mom appears to be medicated, with what I don't know but her affect is blunted. Grandma will be with them supervising, I hope. Because we had the night off, my husband and I went out for supper and I ran into a nurse I worked with for years. She actually doesn't live far from us but we rarely see each other. It was nice to catch up with her and meet her baby grandson.
I don't feel 100% this morning, coughing and congested, so I called and cancelled my outing with Katie. I feel guilty because I know Katie will be upset but I also don't want to make her sick. Last night I thought it was just the smoke making me feel congested and making me cough, but it's a cold (not a man cold thankfully) so I will survive.
My mother, at age 91, cleans her house every day. Her floors are spotless. Mine, however, are not. And never will be. That was sweet that Jack offered you some comfort. Sometimes kids can be just the best therapy.
ReplyDeleteI hope your cold proves to be short-lived and that you feel better soon.
I always thought my house would be cleaner when I retired, that has not been the case. I care so much less now if the floors are clean or if the bathrooms are clean.
DeleteI had a Hummel in my possession for awhile. For the life of me I don't know where it came from, my family or Jim's. Now I don't know where it is. There are a couple of boxes in the basement that could house it, but I don't want to know that badly. Has the contractor fixed the cause of the leak? Our basement in West Seattle leaked, but they had thoughtfully put a trench around the room to keep the water contained, towels took care of it. Hope the cold resolves quickly.
ReplyDeleteThe leak was caused by way too much rain which came in through the window well, so nothing to fix except the mess it made.
DeleteSorry about your cold. I don't know about the figurines. Quite interesting. My partner's sister in England cleans her bathroom every morning. While I keep mine clean, I only properly clean it about once a fortnight, usually after a couple of days of telling myself it needs cleaning. No one sees it apart from me. How sweet of Jack to offer you comfort.
ReplyDeleteIt takes me awhile to get to bathrooms now, there's always more interesting things to do:)
DeleteOh, I remember Hummel figurines. They were quite expensive, I believe, and were considered VERY collectible back in the day. Now you never see them around any more. I wonder if they are still being produced? Will have to ask Google.
ReplyDeleteP.S. Google AI says yes, they are still being made but production has faced ownership changes and financial restructuring over the years.
Mum loved them but I don't know if she bought them for herself or if they were a gift from someone else. They remind me of her though which is lovely.
DeleteCould you perhaps make a scrapbook (or maybe one of those "photo scrapbooks" with your dad's paychecks and any other paper items you found in that box. Personally I think it would be lovely to keep with any other photo albums you might have! Oh and I'm glad you got a break from Jack, even if for just a short while, and hope you feel better soon!
ReplyDeleteI have another box upstairs with all kinds of paper in archival sleeves from the war, including pamphlets, in German, encouraging the German soldiers to surrender.
DeleteI'm feeling much better today and it was good to have a break.
That was an emotional trip, going through your mom's things. What a nice boy Jack is. I wonder if a military museum might like to have the pay books? They're interesting historic memorabilia.
ReplyDeleteThey are historic memorabilia and if nobody in the family wants them, I could donate them to the National War Museum in Ottawa.
DeleteThe hold these things have! I am with you here. It has taken me ages to finally part from linen and china and silverware, still have some very big and rather beautiful pieces of furniture, in use and stored in the attic. Not going to replace them with IKEA stuff despite the fact that it would be more practical.
ReplyDeleteMy mother always claimed that Hummel figurines wre specifically produced for military families stationed in Germany after the war. Not sure if that's true.
I read up about the Hummel figurines. They were stocked in American PX's after the war and were popular items for the soldiers to send home.
DeleteThe original creator, Sister Maria Innocentia Hummel was an artist and a nun. She created one painting, "The Volunteers", that Hitler hated. She died in 1946 from tuberculosis, probably from living in crowded conditions during the war and malnutrition.
I have some paintings of my mum's, a telephone table, and a side table. It's amazing how little cargo of a person's life stays with us, most of it dispersed after the funeral when we're still deep in grief.
Oh, the power of objects to move us emotionally! And this is why it's so hard to get rid of them which, at the end of the day, might simply be scraps of paper or old dresses or, yes, Hummel figurines.
ReplyDeleteThat flooding was indeed a blessing! But only because you have rolled your sleeves up and gotten to work, making it so. I do admire you, woman.
Clean toilets are almost good enough for me.
Now get well soon.
I'm feeling much better today, thanks:)
DeleteI often wonder what will become of all my "stuff" when I die. I guess it doesn't really matter, I'll be dead, but I do like looking at mum's stuff and remembering her.
Only the utility sink is left to wrestle up the stairs and then I'll pick up the new flooring and order a garbage bin. I like completely projects, which was probably why I enjoyed my work starting IVs, it was a clearly defined nursing task, unlike most of nursing which just goes on and on and on. Nursing is not unlike housework, it never ends.
I am so pleased you had Jack to comfort you. A sweet boy. A blessing among a disaster. That's welcome, if a bit sad. Feel better soon.
ReplyDeleteI feel back to normal tonight and yes, he is a sweet boy when he's not hungry or tired:)
DeleteSummer colds hit at weird times. After being exposed to me and other germy granddaughters, John is nursing a man cold. Sometimes we have to be forced to go through things by circumstance. Perhaps I should move and that would REALLY make me downsize. Glad you got a night to yourselves!
ReplyDeleteIt was so nice to have a night to ourselves. How big is your house? Do you want to downsize?
DeleteI do hope that you feel better soon. Nothing worse than what is termed "VD" (vomiting and diarrhea) and then the smoke and summer colds - bleurgh.
ReplyDeleteHow sweet of Jack to offer comfort. I sometimes wonder about my memorabilia. I do family history stuff and hope that someone in the next generation (nieces and nephews as well as daughters) would like the collection.
Thankfully neither Jack nor Katie had any diarrhea. What ever virus I had was short lived thankfully.
DeleteMy mom had a Hummel figurine too, but like many of her figurines, it had been broken and repaired at some point -- so when we died I don't think any of us kept it. Yours is in good shape. Nice to discover those family treasures, even if also a little painful.
ReplyDeleteMy mother had similar. She said someday all these will be yours, while we smiled and tried not to cringe.
ReplyDelete