I have to admit - I told myself I could keep a few things - a small trunk and put it in the attic until I decide to get rid of it or some use for it comes along.
I was pretty ruthless, though - very brave! Gone is Grover, Jessie's very first, floppy eared dog, and, as Jennifer put it: the "last known puffalump in America".
This and only this made the cut (so, just a small box - unless I start pulling stuff out of garbage bags later):
Ryan has his work cut out for him. There is more in the closet, but I ran out of garbage bags. Will get them tomorrow and finish up with my gutting.
But as I was working, I slowly realized that I was not done, not tonight ... not now. See those three pictures peeking out from behind the mountain of garbage bags and storage containers? They are not part of the donation - they are something entirely different.
Quite a few months ago I was at the home of a woman for a church luncheon. A beautiful home - a beautiful, noble, kind and generous woman. She was redecorating with the most wonderful things she had collected from all over the world and had a room full of stuff that she was moving around, sorting, getting rid of. I mentioned that her set of three floral prints leaning against one wall were beautiful ... well, because they were.
We finished the luncheon and as I was leaving, she pulled me aside and told me that she wanted me to have the framed prints. I told her that I couldn't, but she insisted ... gently, kindly and humorously in a manner that a 'no' was not going to be accepted! I thanked her profusely and loaded them in my car and off to my house - with visions of Gary hanging them above my jacuzzi tub.
Now, Gary is not a flower guy and just looked at me like I was from another planet when I told him my plans. I could not do it myself since the bathroom has a very high vaulted ceiling, they would have to go above the towel rack and I could not put a ladder in the tub since it was angled - Gary probably wasn't even tall enough to hang them. So they sat, and sat and I was bothered because I liked them so much.
I realized a few months later that they would look nice in Jessie's room and carried them up. And there they sat for more months - waiting for me to ask Gary to hang them.
And then tonight came. I placed my first bag down and saw the prints and my heart broke. Every time I placed a bag by those beautiful prints, I looked at them and my heart broke just a little bit more. I completed my task that I had set out to do, but realized that I was not done. You see - this kind, generous, gracious, noble woman is very ill now with a rare, incurable disease and not expected to live much longer. Every one that knows her is devastated and as I watch her family graciously accept this situation I am at awe at their strength and at a loss for words. I don't know what to say, I don't know what to do, I just feel completely helpless.
So, I stared at my beautiful prints, remembering the vibrant woman I served with, worked with ... missing her - and cried. Then I dried my tears, went out in the garage and started rummaging around.
Because THOSE PRINTS WERE GOING TO BE HUNG ... TONIGHT!
I was going to do this!
I could do this!
I NEEDED to do this.
Gary and I had hung Art Project #1 and #2 so I had a clue as to what was involved. Didn't realize the secret was a measuring tape, a little math and those plastic things you put in the drywall and screw into - I always thought you used nails ...
Found the candy I told you to hide, Gary ... it is safe for now (although the spice drops are in serious jeopardy). Never found the ginormous level - so decided that a tape measure, measuring from the ceiling down to level them would have to suffice. Gathered my equipment and headed upstairs:
Just threw crap on the shelves that was clogging up the shelves in my craft room - so they look crappy - but I will work on it. It is a work in progress. There are some dolls there that were part of Gary's late mothers doll collection. They might go live with Jessie's stuff - I just don't know what a guest room should look like ...
9 comments:
I think you made good choices of what to keep. Those were the items that, when I read your last post, I thought to myself, "Oh, she should keep those."
I remember when you were given those prints. You felt a little guilty, but as you said, she was very insistent that you have them. I think they look beautiful in Jessie's room. And what a nice reminder to have of an amazing, generous, loving woman.
Gary called me from Singapore just a minute ago and said I need to keep more. What fun! Now I have to go through all the bags and pull out the things he wants me to keep!
I'm so glad that you got those prints hung on the wall before we lost that wonderful woman for good. I needed a good cry this morning!!
I'm also so very proud of you for the job you did of deciding what to keep in Jessie's room. I know that had to be tough for you.
Wow, Lori. You are made of steel, in the magnolia sense. How fitting, you really are a steel magnolia. I can't believe you were able to clean out Jessie's room - that is amazing.
And I am really touched by your floral prints. You were right, they look fantastic in there. It's perfect that they live with someone who can appreciate them for every aspect of their beauty and meaning.
Gary, you are a good man. I love you, man.
And, as a side note, I think guest rooms should look like places you want to spend time in, yourself. My personal requirement is a place I want to read in.
I'm sure that must have been really hard for you to do and I'm glad you were able to keep some of it and great job on hanging the pictures - they look professionally done!
My vote is to put much of what you think you want to get rid of in boxes and revisit the decision in a few months.
I remember when our house got cluttered with toys. I had the impression I needed to give the best ones to a family in the ward. They were SO THRILLED with them, that I've never wanted them back. BUT, if I didn't know they went to such a good home, I might have second thoughts.
You go girl! I loved the mooses (meeses?) too and thought they should have a place during Christmas to show their stuff. I think a guest room should have some spare space for guests to put their stuff, but should have some personality and personal stuff too. Who needs to have it look like a motel room? Loved the story of the pictures, what a tribute.
I'm so impressed with this post. I can barely clear space on the shelves at the library, let alone get rid of things that have sentimental value.
I love those flower pictures. They look lovely in that room and you did a fantastic job hanging them. What a beautiful reminder of an amazing woman. (Your post made me tear up a bit.)
Thank you, Lori--I love you.
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