Friday, October 15, 2021

Argh


On Tuesday we went up to visit Son and family. This was lovely, but I'm not allowed to post pictures of the children so you'll just have to imagine them: Medium Granddaughter is now 5 and at school, an enchanting little wiry fairy with blondish hair and hazel eyes. She's very loving towards us, which is unbelievably wonderful considering that she doesn't really see us very often. She gave me a red balloon which she blew up all by herself. Little Grandson, 2 and a half, is a beautiful, smiley little person with big blue eyes. He's a bit more wary of us - chats away but doesn't offer cuddles as his sister does.


Mr Life helped Son to put up monkey bars in the garden. I suppose it's partly genetic - Son and DIL are energetic types - and partly that the children are taken to playparks a lot, but both the children are very physically agile. They've both been able to jump high on trampolines for a long time, and Medium Granddaughter is very good at swinging herself hand-to-hand along the monkey bars. Her little brother tries his best to copy everything she does. 

It's so awful, really, just to see them every few weeks, as visitors. However I realise that we're also lucky to have them. I love them so much. I just hope that we live long enough to establish a real relationship with them that they'll remember when they're grown up. It's not very likely, though, since we're 71 and 73. Ah well. 

We're still in the toils of decorators - mainly just one, a nice Lithuanian chap called Egis. He's been working steadily and has now finished the hall and stairs and is working on our bedroom and the downstairs bathroom. The house is in chaos. Even in the hall/stairs/landing we normally have a chest of drawers, a set of shelves with various doo-dahs on them, a grandfather clock, four child's chairs, a dolls' house, a large bookcase and quite a lot of pictures and plates on the wall. All of this is now either in an upstairs bedroom or in the sitting room. (Fortunately we have a second, smaller, living room also.) But now all the contents of our bedroom are also in the sitting room, including all of our clothes (the fitted wardrobes are getting painted), as are various things from the bathroom - essentials such as bathrack (bookrack), pictures, a glass paperweight and duck... . 

Of course when we staggered through with all of our clothes, it was brought to our attention that there are lots of them that we no longer wear, even though they're quite wearable. These are mainly left over from our working days, which I have to admit are ten years ago now. I might wear these smartish skirts and blouses again but - let's face it - I've spent the last ten years not really doing so. So we swear that we're going to have a sort out and not just put them all back. But - argh - it's going to be so much work just getting the house back to rights again without making stern decisions as well. And then there are the books! It makes sense not to keep more books than will fit on the shelves (or than we'll ever have time to reread). But which to take to charity shops along with those redundant clothes? And which day to summon up the resolve to do so? I'm exhausted at the thought, but am trying to tell myself how much better we'll feel once we've done all this. 

In three weeks' time, I'm telling myself, we'll be in a tidy, slightly decluttered house, with pictures back up on walls and nice fresh paintwork. That will be very nice. At the moment, however: ARGH.

 

7 comments:

  1. Gosh - I do feel for you! Would it help break the task down to try my trick. Every time I move from Winter to summer clothes, everything goes through the wash (just in case) and then I have two rubbish bags, labelled with masking tape BIN and OP SHOP. And I on't pack neatly those things I am going to use. And, conversely, as I'm getting the new season's clothes out, quite a few of those end up in the Op Shop bag too. I'm wary of being too radical and regretting it, but six months later I often feel less attached to old favourites.
    It is a daunting task though isn't it.
    I hope your time with the grandchildren will increase very soon. They're small for such a short time.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Grandchildren know when they are loved. There are so many ways to ensure this, without seeing them every day, week, month or even year, especially with the technology available now. There are hand-made gifts, cards, letters, phone calls and the creation of very special times when you do meet. You should not be surprised that they love you and remember you. I write from experience!

    ReplyDelete
  3. You are doing the best you can and maintaining a close relationship. Different children have varying personalities and that particular grandson may not be super snuggly. I nearly went crazy when my bathrooms and master bedroom were being torn apart. I feel for you and understand! I didn't get rid of clothing like I should have, so don't make the same mistake I did. I'm sure it will look beautiful. I hope you are taking before and after photos!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I would love to come on and offer reassuring noises but all I can offer is sympathy! In the past 9 months we have sold 3 houses, emptied all 3 and tried to rationalise the contents into our one new house. During a global pandemic. When the charity shops are not taking donations. Thank goodness we have an outbuilding where we have been able to stuff the overflow (and into which I am now scared to go!) Good luck - and yes, I have thrown out most of my "going into the office" clothes already!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Selling three houses seems a lot! I hope the new one is nice and big. And are you retired already, you young person? Goodness!

      Delete
    2. Nope, just working from home in a nicer location than before! We are now just south of Chirnside in the Scottish Borders - come and visit us for a cup of tea! We need visitors to stop us completely losing our social graces!

      Delete
  5. Oh how I feel for you. I keep hoping you'll have a magic elixir for sorting out all these things .. archives, books, clothes, etc. I often wake in the middle of the night worrying about such things, being aware of our advancing age and that they'll all be the problem of our children if we don't do something. But it's just SOOO hard. And books are the worst. I think we went too far when we cleaned out Mom's books -- I kept some but I've had so many moments when I'll think "Mom has that book" and then I'm overcome with sadness as I know we don't have it anymore. And speaking of books, have you seen the decorating trend where they put books on the shelves backwards so that the pages are facing out? It's because they want a creamy, neutral decor, but what. is. the. point of them if you can't see what they are???

    ReplyDelete