Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Family heirlooms

Just before leaving Mom's house this spring, I took the spoons and plates in the dish drainer and put them away in the cupboards and drawers.

And in the utensil drawer lay memories. In all the work and focused effort to get the house on the market, my brothers and I had steeled ourselves to be unsentimental, to select only a few keepsakes, to avoid accumulating more junk, more things. And we did well.

But in the last fifteen minutes I spent in that house, I found these - the cutter Mom used when she made biscuits, and this Scottie-shaped cookie cutter. I remember making sugar cookies with it.

I wrapped them in a scarf and brought them home with me. Who could leave those memories behind?

Mom's house has been sold. She got the price she wanted. The closing is in mid-June. The first week of June, the company we contracted with will conduct a sale of the contents of the house.

We took what we needed. The rest will go to someone else to love.
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12 comments:

  1. Queenly ThingsMay 20, 2009 at 9:38 AM

    It is a far, far better thing you did than I could ever manage on my own. You picked the very best kind of heirlooms.

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  2. AnonymousMay 20, 2009 at 9:40 AM

    Those 2 special items will help you create your own memories.
    You've done some incredibly difficult work.

    Congratulations on selling.

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  3. BeverlyMay 20, 2009 at 10:37 AM

    Glennis, this made me cry. But, don't worry, it was a good cry. Sentiment is something we need to cherish in our lives.

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  4. mo.stoneskinMay 20, 2009 at 10:42 AM

    You keep that little thing in the utensil draw? Is that 'cos you use it, 'cos the Scottie likes it there?

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  5. GillyMay 20, 2009 at 12:22 PM

    Its so hard, isn't it, leaving memories behind? All the intangible things we can't take with us.

    But we have to move on, and in doing so, we are leaving behind heirlooms of our own, for other, younger family members to love when we are no longer with them.

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  6. Tristan RobinMay 20, 2009 at 12:37 PM

    what perfect momentos! - and I"ve never seen a cookie cutter like that scottie - how adorable (even without the memories attached LOL).

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  7. CaShThoMaMay 20, 2009 at 7:16 PM

    Ahhhh. I'm glad you have them. They are a link to your past.

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  8. shrink on the couchMay 20, 2009 at 9:54 PM

    Aw, that little scottie dog is adorable. A wonderful little keepsake. What a mixed experience this all must be for you.

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  9. dennisthemennis.co.ukMay 21, 2009 at 12:34 AM

    I wish I was as brave as you I just cant get rid of anything.

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  10. Gary's third pottery blogMay 21, 2009 at 7:04 AM

    ah, we had those cookie cutters too...

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  11. BrigetMay 22, 2009 at 9:42 AM

    You did do well. I had to put all my Mom's stuff in our basement, and it was three years before I was able to be detached enough to discern what to actually keep and what to let go.

    Passages...

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  12. UnknownMay 22, 2009 at 5:11 PM

    Very beautiful cookie cutters. Very beautiful memories.

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