My mother's things...

Recently, my 92 year old mother made the final move to go live with my sister, Patsy and her family. She has a lovely room there with a walk in closet, a private bath with one of those uberexpensive walk-in/close door/fill up tubs. She left behind the home she's lived in since 1970. It was the first house my parents ever owned that wasn't an apartment attached to their business.

The house had a real yard with a mammoth oak tree and enough space for my mom to have a garden. Which she did until she was 91. The house has two levels, the kitchen being in the basement level. My mom, at 92, just couldn't do the stairs anymore. Even getting in and out of the house was almost impossible for her. So, to my sister's she went.

Today, I went over there to get the things my mom wanted me to have - her microwave, a couple of chairs, her bed frame, some Christmas ornaments, a variety of cook books. I also got what was left of her blue and white Currier and Ives dish set. It's the set I remember us using at holidays when I was a really little kid. It's not a complete set anymore - age and careless children have seen to that - but it's wonderful to have it. I intend to use it too. Not just display it like some moldy memory.

I got her old desk too. I'm sitting at it right now. I love this desk. It's tan with some scroll work. Nothing really to look at. But the treasure lies inside. If you pull out the ledge above the top drawers on either side you'll see it. Years of kids scratching their names into the the wood. I'm there, all my sisters, most of the nieces and nephews. Pretty much anyone who's ever sat at this desk has etched their names into it. I love that. I also love that when I opened the middle drawer my mom had tucked away her pin cushion and sewing kit with the extra buttons. And it all smells like home.

It was a bit weird going over to my mother's now empty house and taking these things. It seemed too "final". But I know my mom is alive and doing well. She's safe now and better off where she is. And I get to enjoy her things while I still have her with me. How precious is that?

By the way, that house my parents bought in 1970? They paid cash and bought it outright. How much? They paid $14000. That's right...fourteen thousand. Hard to believe...