We all have heard the saying you can’t take it with you. But what do you leave behind ?

I received a phone call today from my mother letting me know that a beloved member of our family had passed away.; my cousin Larry’s Wife Ruth. Having been plagued with devastating Rheumatoid Arthritis for all the many decades I knew her, never hearing her complain and remembering her good sense and sense of Humor.

This got me to thinking about when My cousin Larry’s Mother died 1998 at the age of 96 she being part of a triad of Women who doted on me and my brothers and sisters, cousins and my mother’s brother, sister her cousins at the family lake cottages from 1920’s and thru the 1980’s.

Having been in the Estate Sale Business since 1990 I have seen and handled many difficult situations and am always grateful that one of the best memories and story of a great legacy comes from my own family. Aunt Jean’s Life was filled with much hard work and devastating loss but she did not withdraw or ever give up. She lost a daughter in child birth, a husband in a tragic car accident and a Son in Korea. Almost giving up she decided to continue with here college education in her late 50’s getting a teaching degree and enriching the lives of many children until her retirement.

When Her older sister Aunty Gladys could not stay in her apartment she moved in with Aunt jean so many things were commingled together (Gladys a retired Teacher and Principle had no children).

I was just starting a large Estate sale store and business and undergoing a big shake up with partnerships and other struggles When I offered Cousin Larry a hand with cleaning out his mothers house, very inspired to help with all the memories of her love and support and The beautiful tribute and Eulogy he had given at her funeral.

Larry thought I had my hands full so he and some helpers cleaned the house gave helpful neighbors few things, Some family antique heirlooms went to grandchildren, donated and disposed of other things , Then knocked on the back door of my store while I was out on an appointment. When I got back they had left 2 loads of all the other furniture and good salable house items and an antique table. I called Larry to tell him I would do a consignment sheet inventory and he changed the subject then said forget it just keep it.

I was very touched because it sounded like something his mother would have loved.

The following summer when my mom and dad and other family were up at our cottages and visiting Larry and Ruth at there lake home they were taken down to the basement where Larry had built shelves putting all kinds of colored glass china and porcellain and serving pieces and told” Take anything you like I am leaving this up for a year and next summer donating the rest.

The follwing spring I came to the back loading dock door to find several boxes and suitcases filled with collectables… I started writing these on an inventory and calling around trying to figure out who left these things I was so caught up in my busy hectic life that it took me more then a week to finally figure out that this was Larry’s promise; he had packed all the remaining things up and didn’t want to argue with me about consigning them again I felt his mother was smiling her beautiful smile.

Right before my mom fell and broke her hip she gave a talk to a group of seniors about clutter.

It makes her crazy that people save all the clutter and stuff and say “I’ll leave it for my kids to sort out and fight over” I am going to work with her to turn her “Talk on Clutter” into an rticle we can post here next.

Thank you for checking out the new blog!
Brian