Clearing Out Our Parents home

This was a very hard weekend emotionally and physically. My Brothers and Sisters all agreed to meet Friday March 28th and work through Sunday March 30th for no less than eight hours each day clearing out everything from our Parents home. Our goal was to get everything that we wanted out first, then organize the remaining stuff for my brother James and his son Jeffery’s Estate Sale the following weekend. Seeing their things slowly being moved out of the home was like losing them all over again. My brother Louie referred to it by saying “it’s like another funeral.” Some of our parents furniture have been in the same spot since they moved in to the home back in 1965! My oldest sister Dianna was only 8 years old when they moved in. In other words this was the house we “all” grew up in.

We started in the garage and moved into the house, going through each room. We took turns in deciding what we wanted and to determine who chose first we rolled dice. I am the 8th child so if the dice hit 8 I would go first on selecting what I wanted from that room. We also had a “roll off” if a few people wanted the same item.

All in all it was a great weekend.

Amazingly, we cleared the whole house in less than 3 weeks. Dianna and Becky worked the week after the Estate Sale, digging up some of my Father’s fruit trees and my Mother’s rose bushes. After 43 years and over 50 years of marriage my parents most cherished items now have new homes.

I know it’s just a house, but it will take some time for me to stop feeling sad knowing that I won’t be able to go there anymore. No more “checking in,” no more bringing dinners or cleaning the house for my parents. But, at least I have had a great home, have great memories and had great parents. For that I am so grateful.

I will miss you house…3928 Vincente Avenue

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