Treasure!

Another day at the house clearance coalface, this time helped considerably by T, Mt and the kids. Started by clearing the wardrobes in the main bedroom with T in the morning and found all sorts from my childhood which got me talking to T about things I could remember and what happened after my parents split up when I was a teenager (and realised I was the only one in my yeargrouo with divorced parents). Found my childhood pony tail (yes, my actual hair!), carefully wrapped in tissue in a box…I still remember the day it was all cut off!, and the crinoline lady brass bell that I loved playing with at my Gran’s house throughout my childhood but which I thought had disappeared after her death….so nostalgic and such a relief to find it again. Also lots of very old electrical appliances, still with Australian plugs on them (which they’d left more than 30yrs ago!), cameras, socks and more pictures.
Mt and the kids arrived after lunch and I told the little ones they could go and explore all round the house and if there was anything they fancied taking, after I’d checked it, they could. AR was in heaven (she’s a hoarder and loves trinkets) and kept saying all the sorting and packing and organising was her favourite job EVER. She accumulated china thimbles, little ornaments of dogs and ducks,, a crystal swan, lots of paintbrushes, history magazines and a portrait she was sure was Ann Boleyn. Mx found a round crystal, a dagger (letter opener), a world map, a balsa wood aeroplane and a medal. Then they both came across T’s stash of cash from the club and thought they’d have that too…much to T’s amusement! Mx explained that he ‘was just a kid, and kids don’t know how to use money’, so he’d ‘save it til he was a grown up’. T said he could look after it til Mx was a grown up and he agreed that would be fine…..AR was soon distracted by an ostrich egg and ran off to explore some more. Mx settled down to do my Duolingo for me…he’ll do anything to get access to a screen including teaching himself Italian!
T had to go back to work (it’s all frantic for him from now til the new year) and Mt took lots of boxes to the charity shop, along with another 15 or so paintings.
I managed to find someone on Facebook marketplace to take the display cabinets and a nest of tables so we’ll soon have emptied most of downstairs, but I have to say I’m glad I’ve got a break of a few days now…I’m so tired of doing it all. Mt took away lots of full black bin bags which he’ll take to their dump (T can’t go to the one here as he drives a van and they charge him to use the dump) and he set off home with the weans whilst once again I came back and collapsed after a lovely lasagne dinner at K’s. Very tired, but we planned some things to do in London the next few days. Will be fun!