As we wake up to another day, we realize just how fast time goes and that the World doesn’t stop, no matter who you are or what you’re dealing with.
Today Lori and I are going to the Denver Dallas football game with some friends. We’ve spent most of the past week with Tom and Ali dealing with what one has to deal with and starting to purge things up at the house. We haven’t scratched the surface but do have the food cleaned out of the kitchen and fridge. We’ve also managed to make it through some dresser drawers and papers. As I said above, the World doesn’t stop and the bills keep coming at Mom’s and there’s still upkeep that needs to be done around the house. Yesterday Shelly came out for the first time and looked through some things and gathered up a few important items to her such as some blankets and trinkets. We all feel sort of funny going through Mom’s stuff but it needs to be done. Again, there is so much stuff that this is going to take a long time.
Tom, Ali, Lori and I are the ones who have been cleaning things out as obviously we’re the ones who live here. I’ll bet we’ve thrown out 20 bags of trash although Mom probably thought it was all good stuff! Now I realize where I get my habit of hanging on to things that I have no need for. Mom though took this to a new level. She kept everything, and I mean everything! I’m glad she did as it’s fun to see all the old stuff like newspaper clippings about everything throughout the years but some of it just has to go. She has lots and lots of new clothes with the tags still on. Dozens of Ralph Lauren Polo sweaters, Christian Dior nightgowns, pants and shirts from Neiman Marcus, (I took some back yesterday and had them credit $400 to her account) and more. Too bad none of the girls wear size 6 shoes as there must be thousands of dollars of great shoes. Lori is doing her best along with Ali to find a coat or jacket to wear but there’s too many of them. We’d all need a new house just to store all the stuff. Then there’s the furniture, Lori and I pretty much have no room, I think Tom and Ali made room for Maybel’s chair by taking one of theirs out (good pet owners) and Shelly said she’d like the flowered couches but can’t take them for months until she gets a new place. Robin and Robert want an old couch and the butcher block in the kitchen but there’s bedroom sets, tables, chairs and more that we’ll need to sell. Tommy told me Robert likes this one painting in the kitchen which I gave Mom for Christmas which is great and also like this old wooden sled in the basement which was mine from 40 years ago. Robert, glad to know you like my taste, ha! We have a friend that owns a consignment shop up here in Vail that can probably come down and load up a trailer and bring the unwanted stuff up here as people tend to pay more for things up here.
As I said yesterday, Mom’s service is October 5th. I think we’re having a reception afterwards with wine and appetizers for a bit and then some of us will go to dinner with friends. I found a gorgeous drawing of Mom yesterday in the attic I want to hang in my house that we might use for the service. Looking through the many pictures, our Mom was so so pretty. The pictures of her when she was younger, like in her 40’s or 50’s are stunning. You don’t really look at your Mom thinking is she pretty or not when you see her daily as she’s just your Mom, but man was she a knock out.
Next week Tom and I need to get with lawyers and get the legal stuff going. This is going to be a big chore but between the two of us, we’ll figure it out, hopefully. Time to run, hope everyone is well, take care and God Bless.