Hi Guys,
Well, I don't believe it! After 3 months in my new job I have actually started on the inside of the house. Will wonders never cease!
This current wave of activity is somewhat due to my daughter's insistance. Her boyfriend wants to meet me and she wants the place presentable. I just say to her, explain my situation. That and had she included some time into her busy social calendar earlier then this would be a mute point.
She set a day aside last weekend taking into consideration my back and that I had to go to work so chose a Saturday so I could recover on the Sunday prior to work.. We started methodically in the lounge of what was still there plus the corridor. Alot of it was papers that had to be looked at. I threw out alot of things including getting rid of anything remotely broken and items for the Sallies.
We had to move furniture at one stage to make the room work better. My son helped out with cups of tea and lifting heavy boxes. My daughter before starting this had visions of tackling the lounge as well as the kitchen! She realised later that day that that was not going to happen. It is finally starting to sink in the magnitude of the job and the energy and time required in which to do it.
Sadly, I had to let go of my Grandmum's wooden rocking chair. I just don't have the room at the moment.
The lounge area we started on is looking presentable. However, we didn't even touch on what was behind the buffets cupboard doors. That is for another day. We really only skimmed the surface. And that took us ALL day.
Those in this situation generally need assistance to get this job done. As it is, there are now piles of rubbish bags outside under the carport to fit into bins, which will take several weeks. I only have a small council bin. Along with the bags filling the porch to go to the Sallies. And last, the broken items that need to be sent to the tip or into a skip. My daughter will take the bags and bags to the Sallies and I will work on the rubbish. As for the broken items we will have to figure that out later on as my council only provide one hard rubbish removal a year. Very inconsiderate and inconvenient.
When I moved the last of Mum's boxes from my neighbours garage back under my carport, I tossed heaps of magazines along with fabric, wool, kitchenware, furniture, clothing (baby, childrens and adult), shoes and anything else you can think of. On reflection, it does get somewhat easier. I cannot believe I only left myself with 6 pieces of my furniture in the end from the garage, which includes a spare fridge. Which looks like my daughter will take when she moves out later next year! Bright side is, after I get through with what is still left, which by the way is still abundant, I can start afresh. Woohoo. But I cannot celebrate just yet. Ahhh, that distant tantilising light.
I just want all this to be over now!
The day spent with my daughter was fantastic. We worked like a well oiled machine with not one disagreement throughtout. It is a relief to finally have her on board with a positive outlook rather than the negative one in the past. Such a difference to the outcome. This meant no matter how tired we were we were relaxed to handle the task at hand.
In the past I felt like I had to fight to be understood as to my methods and sequence of going about my humoungous downsizing. This growth in her is remarkable and feel so proud of her for taking that leap of faith in trusting my process.
I am trully blessed with 2 of the most wonderful children. They now embody what I have been trying to impart to them all these years. But a mother's job is never done and neither has my decluttering for that matter.
A person in amongst my friend circle has suffered a blow in that his entire house was fire bombed and lost the lot. I will be giving him one of the Christmas trees that is still its box unopened that Mum had along with some key items to get his family back up. These items can be replaced for those they would like, but in the meantime it means my Mum's things will serve a purpose and that idea I really like.
A friend has offered to come over in the holidays to speed up this process and we will work on downsizing what's in the cupboards in the lounge and if possible including the kitchen area. Then when I go through what's left of my boxes - if it doesn't fit - I will have to either give it away or change it for an item in that cupboard. I just don't want to end up with only my Mum's stuff. I still want my items as well. But you don't need 5 dinner sets. I have already given away 2 sets and I think I am down to 3 so one more to go. This is where the hard part comes. Deciding which to keep!!!
It truly is a dilemma of all magnitude. I may have to resort to 'eany meany mo' method! No joke.
Then there are the Latvian books. There are soooo many. I will keep the historical ones for sure. The dictionaries, bibles, history and geography books, but will have to seriously look at the novels. I just cannot keep them all. Another huge job in itself.
The there are all the photo albums and negatives as Mum was a prolific photo taker. I will need to ensure who is who in the photos and take stock as in amongst her albums are Grandmum's albums as well. You can see where I am heading here. Yet another time consuming job.
Then there are all the letters and paperwork she kept. I have the original tredle sewing machine she bought in the early 50s in Western Australia. It is still in working order, with the original sewing tin and kit that came with the machine along with the receipt! This totally blew me away. Such history. That will stay where it is and a hex to anyone who removes it. There are some things you just don't mess with.
Oh, by the way, my gorgeous Peter Jago hat did not sell... and yes, true to my word, off to the Sallies it went. Now, that one wasn't easy. I love my hats even if they no longer love me.
Christmas is fast approaching and I am thinking ... would it be in poor taste to gift some of this good stuff! More than likely yes... but hell what am I to do? In the area of cashflow, that side is ever so slowly improving, but again, I am in no way out of the woods as yet.
I have for many years now helped out at one of the Sallies branches for their Christmas drive in packaging and handing out bags of gifts for families so the children will have something under the tree, along with food vouchers and a Christmas fare basket as well. I love doing this as it brings home how hard life is for others other than yourself. It helps shift one's focus on the greater community rather than be self involved. It also means you gain a greater appreciation for when the good times do get to come so you can share... and they come when one's attitude to receive is right. You cannot receive if you do not give.
Some people do go through life without a care or a thought for those around them and never help out their greater community. If you choose not to help out your fellow man, then how can you expect to be helped yourself if you ever fall on hard times. To lend a hand is divine and you gain more than you give. To see a smile or a tear in another is a gift in itself.
I love my Sallies Chapter as they have stood by me and helped me through some very dark times without judgement or pressure. Now that I am able to stand on my own once more is their reward. They help all without question and sometimes I think, but this particular person is obviously going to the market to sell what you have provided. And as one member leant over and quietly said, 'one day there maybe nothing of market value to give and instead a loaf of bread, then there will be no more market, but there will be food'. They will still help these types as there usually are children involved so they find other ways in which to provide so that the children do not suffer. Amazing people if you ask me.
Anyway, while my friend Kezza has been away she lent me her GPS. As I am repping and on the road, even though I know my way around Melbourne more than most, I still have found this contraption invaluable in time saving. I have now purchased one that was on sale and I talked them down for one that also give live traffic updates so I can avoid sitting in traffic. I love it... thanks Kez.. you are a gem. However, I still like the visual of a good old fashioned Road Map and hope they never stop printing them. But I fear that that type of expertise my diminish. Such is progress.
My front garden that was looking gorgeous now has weeds again. Didn't have enough dosh for the mulch. Will have to kill the weeds once the rains die down and hopefully by that time will have the dosh to get the mulch to avoid the regrowth. As you can tell I do not possess a green thumb. That gene skipped me. Living on the land is in my heritage, but it escaped me. Sad, but true.
Four more weeks till my Christmas break which will be for 3weeks. Time to get my projects under way and either complete or more than half way done. Also, have a few laughs and some small snippets of serious downtime with the family. Really looking forward to it for the first time since Mum died.
It is time.
It is time to allow myself to receive joy.
And time has been very kind to me in some ways.
The week prior to Christmas I will be busy with getting things ready for Christmas Eve, but I will be planning on still 'chucking' the stuff out also. Let's hope I actually do it.
The next few weeks will be busy as with my head down and bum (bottoms to you guys overseas) up with the silly season upon us.
Shopping centres are to be avoided at all costs at Christmas time if you ask me. However, my job takes me into this very horror zone each day!
I will survive!
Till next time my friends. Trust your preamble to Christmas or whatever celebration you have will be a fruitful and happy one.
Cheers from less loaded
Anita
xxx
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