Togetherness

For the last 2 weeks my house has been full - 5 extra people, 1 extra dog and lots of stuff. Three generations together! My oldest son and his family have had a 3 week gap between moving out of their old house and moving into their new house. So they are camping out with me.

As a social experiment this intergenerational living isn't bad. I've gotten to enjoy the unscripted moments with the grandchildren over the breakfast table; the whoops of delight when a video game goes well; the boundless energetic sword fights; a quiet conversation on the porch over popsicles.

There have been moments of frustration, consternation and anger, on all sides; but isn't that part of life? Messy at its best.

My son and daughter-in-law have made it their mission to make my life easy. They have climbed up to high cabinets to empty and clean, cooked some awesome meals, and arranged for a cleaning lady to keep the dust and dirt at an acceptable level. I feel loved and appreciated.

We have 4 more days before the big move out. They are ready for their own space, but they have been good housemates, and I will miss them even if it is only a 7 mile drive.

I plan to enjoy our last few days of extreme togetherness. Hooray for family!!!!

I Meant to Do My Work Today

Poet - John LeGallienne

I MEANT to do my work to-day -
But a brown bird sang in the apple-tree
And a butterfly flitted across  the field,
And all the leaves were calling me.

And the wind went sighing over the land,
Tossing the grasses to and fro,
And a rainbow held out its shining hand -
So what could I do but laugh and go?

Here's hoping everyone has a day when they can enjoy the pleasures of nature! Thanks for the inspiration of the pics, Allyson and Tyson.

Another Sleepless Night

Okay, enough is enough. I need my sleep.

Does anyone have any ideas about how to get rid of stuff? If it were you, what steps would you take? Your thoughts will be listened to and appreciated.

J is helping me with pictures of furniture this week.

 

 

This is the master bed, or should I say BED! I found this in a barn in Pennsyvania in 1970's. Love it. But we have no idea of age. Looks like it is handmade. Much of it is pegged. Through the many family moves it has some splits in the frame, but it is still sturdy.

I'm finding that craig's list is a limited tool. Most responses are spam! "Send us your private email because we like your 'posted' so much." That is one example of the responses to my listings. A little aside, I have met 2 amazing crocheters who between me have given great homes to my yarn stash!) Now we (J and I) are thinking about trying Etsy. We'll see if that is a better audience.

AND, what am I going to do with Annarella Girl? Any ideas? I've never been wildly successful but steady orders and a few shows have been good to me. I've kept busy while exercising my creative muscles. At the end of a year I usually break even or a smidge on the plus side. I can't see quitting - I need a reason to get up in the morning. But what form will my business take? One idea that niggles at my dreams is to do 3-4 shows a year. Keep participating in Red Poppy Festival, Georgetown, and Wilmington Flower Market, Delaware. I'd love to find a late summer and fall show - maybe near Chattanooga or Jacksonville.  Now all I need to do is sucker, oops mean entice, someone into helping me. I'll be toying around with this dream for a while, so you have plenty of time to give me input. (If you think the time has come for me to stop making dresses, I'd like to hear from you, just be gentle!)

Oh, my, I see more sleepless nights heading my way.

Anxiety Reigns

Or maybe that is anxiety rains. I've just been cruising along. Sorting out closets, cleaning drawers, searching into the darkest reaches of cabinets. I'm not breaking any speed records but just trying to keep moving forward in the great "GET RID OF IT ALL" project.

Screech!!! That's the sound of brakes locking up. Wide awake at night wondering - who's gonna buy or take all this stuff?, how can I get all this sorted?, what do I do about Annarella Girl?, why did I think changing my life so drastically was a good idea?. (Even as I write this I can feel my heart pounding.) In short, what were we thinking??????

So welcome to my anxiety week. You might want to tune out at this point unless you enjoy a good whine!

I'm frightened by the sheer volume of the stuff we own. Furniture - antiques, vintage, and modern; art - oils, prints, pastels, contemporary and varied; china - fine, everyday and in-between; pottery - vases, plates, cups; silver - serving pieces, bud vases, sterling, silverplate, cutlery; linens - tablecloths, runners, towels good for rags; kitchen wares - small appliances, utensils, baking tools, casseroles, bowls, knives; tools - lawn and garden stuff, hand tools, screwdrivers, assorted nails and screws; glasses - some crystal, water, wine and cordial; and more craft supplies, books, cds, lamps, miscellaneous office tools. And all this is just a sampling of what we have. How am I going to find homes for all? 

There is some good stuff which should not be thrown out. My dream is that someone will enjoy and treasure the art as we have. Some of the furniture is worthy of a good home where it will be treated with care. Some of the furniture will be good for a student apartment or house. I live in a small community which probably doesn't have enough homes for everything. That is the reality. So some things will probably wind up at a Goodwill or even a dump.

Today I concentrate on putting one foot in front of another in hopes that baby steps forward will eventually leave anxiety far behind and the end goal in clear sight. My heart says that change is good even when scary. On pinterest I'm collecting pictures of beaches and oceans to remind me of what I can anticipate.

 

Heart racing, palms sweating, hot flashing, teeth grinding I leave you and go tackle another cabinet.

Travels with Dunbar Furniture

So how does it go? I'm moving along here. I have sorted through my dining room. Lots of STUFF!! But now it is organized and priced for the BIG SALE (sometime in October). I've posted the dining room furniture on Craig's List just to see if there is any interest.

mid century modern Dunbar table

What memories form around this dining room set. We purchased it second-hand in Syracuse, NY in early 70's for our very first house. It hosted our first dinner parties. We were part of a dining club where each couple would take turns planning and cooking a themed meal. I remember doing a French menu. With a newly purchased copy of Julia Child's "The French Chef Cookbook," and we were into some delicious food. (I still have that cookbook complete with food stains. Imagine it is 40+ years old.)

mid century modern upholstered side chair by Dunbar
 

Two kids, station wagon and all our worldly goods next traveled to Illinois, Naperville to be specific. Brr, didn't like the winters. Once a visitor's car actually froze to the driveway. But we endured 5 years. Our dining furniture hosted many spirited discussions as we made some lifelong friends. The table still bears faint fork marks from a wild cajun making his point. Yes, here we are years later still friends.

 

mid century modern upholstered end chair by Dunbar


 

Onto Wilmington, Delaware into a unique house in a unique community, Arden. Known as an artist's community we overlooked the green where dogs and kids romped. A too short sojourn close to family. and off to Houston.

mid century modern Dunbar credenza

For 5 years these chairs held friends and neighbors for large, frollicking holiday meals. Did I ever tell you about the time we forgot to turn on the oven to cook the turkey?  That happened to be the first year of the butterball hot line. Did you ever wonder who actually calls that? We did and their advice was wonderful!!

On to Geneva, Switzerland, to Atlanta, and finally the final spot here in Georgetown, Texas. This furniture has seen a lot, held some excellent food, and the wine, ooh-la-la. As I sift through my memories I see many special people. Strangers who have become family in all these places, who have shared our joys, who have supported us during troubles. I am reminded of the rich, vibrant life I have led.

I hope that the next family that owns this furniture has as much fun as we have had. On our island we will continue in the tradition of good food and visitors but without these beloved pieces.

A Pause

Monday, finds me with a full list of "to do's, " but my mind is on my son and his cat. A phone call tells me that Fyodor, the cat, has died. So what's the big deal, you ask? Fyo has been a part of my son's life for a long time, and, by extension, a part of our family.

In the wisdom that sometimes animals have he chose my son on a stormy day. Kind of a "look what followed me home" story. A miserable day in Baltimore this black cat is hiding from the rain and cold under my son's car as he comes out of his apartment to go to class. He runs away but remains in area until T returns. Wet, miserable, hungry he shows himself and follows T inside. A friendship begins. They lived together for 15 years, made at least 5 moves, got married and adopted a tiger-striped friend, Fiona. It has been a long life.

But he is only a cat, you say. Sure but like all good pets, he has offered unconditional love to my son. What a wonderful gift our pets give us. They are always so glad to see us. They bring us smiles with their antics. When life gives us challenges, they are there to cuddle and purr. They make us feel needed and important. So when they leave us, there is a void.

So this morning I salute Fyodor, the one eyed black cat who showed such wisdom 15 years ago to pick my son to be his owner. Way to go, Fyo!!!

Polishing Silver

My days are filled with research as I catalogue my dining room. Silver, silverplate, pewter, china, and linens. Bits and pieces of family history. Some things ignored for long periods of time - very tarnished - but others used lovingly at holidays. Some pieces of silver will find a new home with a sibling so they will continue in the family. A damask tablecloth and napkins made by my mom and used by me frequently will be taken by a sister-in-law. If they could talk, they hold over 50 years of family meals, celebrations, laughter, excellent food. Oh, the stories they could tell!

I am enjoying the slow, steady, warm memories that flow from the handling of all. So much of what is in my house contains stories. For example, as I polish the silver so it will look pretty, my memories start with my childhood. My hands turn gray with tarnish just as it did as a kid. Polishing silver was a chore my siblings and I handled. We complained. But now, as then, I'm fascinated by the soft glow of a knife or vegetable dish as it sheds the dirty looking tarnish and returns to its splendor.  An enduring splendor.

I can't help but regret that my children don't have the same awe of using objects over and over. They seem to be more concerned by the time and energy used to take care of china, crystal and silver. These things have to be handwashed, hand dried, and carefully stored. For me that is part of the celebration. Holidays are good food and special presentation. Ahh, the old fogie emerges. Yes, the most important part of a family meal is the people who share it whether on paper plates or fine china.... But as I handle the cloth napkins, the crystal wine glasses, the special plates and silverware I remember past meals shared with absent friends and family; how we laughed, what we ate, the promise of more good times. Do paper plates evoke nostalgia? Am I an old fool for even caring? (You all don't have to answer that!!! lol)