Memories

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Wow, I have just been flooded with memories lately.

First off, there are the goats, Henry and Lulu.

While we've remembered them fondly (knowing they were in the loving and capable hands of our friend Sandee) I really had forgotten how very entertaining they are. Not that they seem to remember us too well, but they will come and greet us and seem really happy when we feed them.

That's Henry on the left and Miss Lu on the right.

But really it's the house that brings up so many memories, mostly good. I will have to say that I am once again amazed at the sheer volume of stuff we have acquired (and much of it brought to our union by me, so Terry is much less culpable than me).

Now everyone says they have a lot of stuff, but most people feel much better about themselves and their belongings once they see this place!

Background: I have always had the gift of finding great things at reasonable (if not ridiculously low) prices. Even when I was a young teenager, bargains just seemed to come to me. Or maybe it's that I am blessed with a good eye. Combine that with a real talent for the impulse buy and the result is that when you reach your 60s, you have a ton of stuff! If not for the intrinsic value, we would just walk away from it all, but the reality is that's just not an option.

So the plan is we will box up what I would like to keep for a later date (this really won't be a lot, but there is some artwork and some smalls I will be keeping), then, when that is done, we will have an estate dealer come in and handle the rest.

But before we can really get down to any of that, there's a ton of cleaning to do, both in the house and in the yard. Not something either one of us wants to do, but it must be done.

Then, before the estate folks come in, I really do want to go through most of it. There are family items and such that have been packed away and they seem to have gotten mixed up with all the other "stuff". So I think I'll have to go through it all.

And that's where the memories come in. When and where I got it, the people I met through it, the history of the pieces, it just sends me off in a thousand different directions.

I wish I could explain the pleasure I get from small things, but it really is indescribable. I have a fascination with tiny old pieces of ceramic and pottery.

I look at them and I see that once, a distant time ago, someone, a real live person had this in their hand and painted that tiny face, infused it with their own personality. Does that make sense? It certainly does to me.

I bought this guy in Disneyland
at the One of a Kind Shop
some 45 ears ago.

At that time, the One of a Kind Shop in New Orleans Square was a true treasure store, with individual pieces that the buyers has searched near and far for to stock the store. This was the first netsuke I had ever seen, and it started a whole collection. What I really like is when you tip him forward, his eye pops out of his head, cool, huh?

That's kind of the story of my life, I find one unique piece and it leads in a whole new direction.

There's also art, books, vintage paper, old kitchen pieces, linens, hats, purses, jewelry, the list goes on and on.

It truly does seem like a huge deal.

That said, I see very little of it that I need to keep, but I will take some time looking at each piece and remembering.

And maybe posting more pictures, just for memories sake.