As often happens when couples reach a "certain age" they begin thinking about future prospects and choices. Our recent 50th wedding anniversary brought some of those thoughts into the open. Closets and boxes that hadn't seen the light of day for years were opened and examined. I was informed by the management that it was time for us to begin downsizing our material possessions. Among the first items to go were my blonde baby hair from that first haircut, carefully preserved in an envelope as well as a rock hard piece of birthday cake from 1942.
My mom and me in 1941.
When the following item appeared for discussion though, I drew the line. My dads Uncle Paul and Aunt Christina lived on a farm in southern Minnesota. She made "rag rugs" from discarded clothing saved by all the relatives. I was the first to use this one for "naptime" in kindergarten. And then my two brothers and then our eldest son. No discarding this treasure. Methinks downsizing is going to be a long and argumentative project in this household.....:)
I hear ya and agree about this rug!
ReplyDeleteYou've got it. Downsizing is a long drawn out procedure.
ReplyDeleteOr you could buy a fork truck and lease a warehouse.
ReplyDeleteThat piece of 1942 birthday cake must have set some kind of record. NASA might be interested in taking a look at it. Some of these manned missions to Mars and beyond will take decades.
I think it's wonderful to go through old memorabilia, but agree-it's tough to decide what to keep and what must go.
ReplyDeleteOne thought on this: Take photos of those items that you want memories of , offer the items to offspring or other relatives, and it's gone, but you still have the photo, hence , the memory.
There are some things you just can't throw away... ever! I am at the sorting out stage, thinking twice or more times about discarding.
ReplyDeleteMy aunt made rugs from cut-up clothing. I had forgotten that, thanks for the reminder.
They say that "Your kids don't want your stuff," but we tend to hold onto things just in case.
ReplyDeleteYou threw out your hair, but somewhere in this house I have a lock of my father's hair.
Those rugs last forever. Neat how each user was recorded. Out ironing lady made them from old clothing, the best being my fathers white shirts that stained or wore out.You used it the year I was born.
ReplyDeleteI have a treasure box that nobody gets to touch but me. Thank heavens I've forgotten about it so I don't add to it much any more. I love that old rug! :-)
ReplyDeleteMy own mother was never a sentimental saver so I have very few things from my childhood. I am now making my own children take some of their things I saved. And they are absolutely delighted to have them. You are absolutely right. Some of those things must remain in the family along with a brief history.
ReplyDeleteYep that rug is a keeper. I use to make those when I was a preteen. Sadly in all my moves, my keepsakes have gotten lost. Hey, it they mean something to you, hang on to them.
ReplyDeleteYes, my wife have made the move and lots of things just had to go. We did bring things that still need to be sorted and while sitting among all the boxes it is easier to let it go. I didn't go out to the dumpster once to retrieve anything and I was certain I would do that.
ReplyDeleteOh, my. I could not have parted with either. Sigh... it's so hard, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the recent visit and comment. Would love to catch up. Drop me a note at journeythroughgraceATgmailDOTcom?
Awww, a beautiful baby you were and your mother was a lovely lady. That's why we keep the memorabilia, to remind us of what once was. Definitely keep the rag rug! Funny, but I am also going through all those "boxes that hadn't seen the light of day for years" that are stored so haphazardly in my garage in plastic lidded bins. The VHS tapes were converted to CD's and so they were thrown away. Now I have to go through each picture, one by one. Some will be tossed while others will be preserved as I scan each one for digital storage. Good luck with your task!
ReplyDeleteWe each get a memory tub and you can fill it with whatever and how ever much will fit. But that is all you get...one tub. See if you can get that going. Who knows? You may be allowed 2 tubs. ;)
ReplyDeleteThose are great treasures! I would have kept the hair and the birthday cake, too.
ReplyDeleteWe have close relatives who are now seriously disabled, so unable to physically sort their treasures. Sad, yes. But this has meant that the rest of us were recently filling the dumpster. That was difficult too. But whatever you don't decide on will be decided by people too busy to contemplate each item.
ReplyDeleteSome things are so hard to part with! :) Good luck with your project.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on 50 years together. My husband and I had just 32 years before he died so I envy you. I'm sure you are more in love now than ever and your wonderful post remembrances show that.
ReplyDeleteYes----as we get older, we definitely need to downsize... (I remember saying that I don't want to leave a mess for the kids to have to clean up---like we did with Mom and Dad Adams' home.) WELL---- it's time for us to 'get with it'... BUT--it's so hard... I too have a lock of hair from my first haircut.... Who would want it but ME????? Dang it --this is hard... ha
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Betsy