Where we are now, a house update

As you know, my dad passed away the day after Thanksgiving, November 23, 2018. He was 92 years old, smart as a tack, but he missed my mother, his wife of 69 years, his high school sweetheart, and his body was giving out. As he told my mother during one of her hospital stays, "It's like a car. The parts wear out!" We decorated my Dad's house for Christmas, putting up his small silver Christmas tree, hung some presents on the front door, set up 4 or 5 Nativity sets and after our individual family Christmases, we gathered at my Dad's house for dinner and Christmas preents, 30 of us. On a later date, my sister and I wrapped china, knic knacs, glasses, everyday dishes and boxed them for donation to Purple Heart. Towels and sheets got folded and put in garbage bags. We brought up old clothes that had been stored in garment bags. Had to sort through them because my Dad's basement is damp and some of the clothes were ruined by mildew. I carried boxes of photos up from downstairs and gifts of wine glasses, and a punch bowl and a complete set of Renaissance Green dishes by J & G Meiken of England. My brother cleaned and cleaned Dad's workroom. He did a fantastic job and the room sparkles in the sun. Or at least it will once the casement window is washed this weekend. So we had 4 upholstered chairs, a double dresser, a chest of drawers, a lift chair and 4 sets of mattresses and box springs. What to do? Fill the landfill? Fortunately, I posted on Craigslist and found a home for every item. And truly, without the help of these pickers, I couldn't have managed to carry the things out of the house. I feel close to my Grandparents and my parents when I handle items they used--my maternal grandmother's cookbook, photo albums that my paternal grandmother made or paint by number pictures she created. I shredded receipts and remember my mother as an astute shopper. And of course, I see my Dad everywhere. After all he built the house where he lived for 56 years. I see his projects. He replaced a toilet upstairs so made a new bathroom downstairs. We still have a to-do list. Clean out the ashes in the wood fireplace, hide the cleaning supplies in the garage, take some photos home, take care of some brush in the side yard, clean the new basement bathroom, make the windows sparkle like new. On Monday, the photographer is coming. We will list with a realtor next weekend. Memories have been made of family dinners at birthdays and holidays, of laughter and fun. And my dream is that a family will buy this house and continue of eat and laugh together.

Motivation

Last week, my doctor detected a heart murmur. Yesterday I had an echocardiagram. The results showed some thickening of the aortic valve, a bit of regurgitation. So it is extremely important that I lose weight, keep my blood pressure under control and exercise. My husband and I are already eating the Nutri System diet. We will have been on it one week on Saturday. And today I walked 10,000 steps and took my blood pressure meds. I'm thinking there is no way to reverse the thickening, but I can stop further damage. Also will try to eat more foods with good cholesterol. I read of a study where doctors are using a compound of good cholesterol to help thickened aortic valves.

Bad choices by famous people

Well boo...what is this scandal that involves my favorite actresses? Does a prestigious college really mean so much that lieing is necessary on a college application? What horribly bad choices these people made! Not to say that I haven't made bad choices. I'm lucky Othat my bad choices haven't been exposed on the internet for all to see.

Three generations of cookbooks

My brother, sister and I continue to get my Dad's house ready to sell. We recycled and donated items--household items to Purple Heart, a few pieces of furniture to Salvation Army, linoleum, floor tile and other building supplies to the Reuse Center. I had contacted my brother about 3 twin sets of bedsprings and mattresses, 3 upholstered chairs and a lift chair. I was afraid that we'd have to haul these items to the dump or have a big bonfire. It's funny how thought processess evolve. I thought, "what would it hurt to list these items on craigslist in the freebie section." Amazingly, every last item was taken. Someone picked up Dad's favorite chair to reupholster. A young single mom took the matching twin beds. Another couple took my mother's lift chair and Dad's 2nd favorite chair. A woman needed an upholstered chair for her apartment. A Dad picked up a beautiful double dresser for his daughter. I am so happy that the contents of my Dad's house have been repurposed! I am meeting with a realtor on Monday, and then hopefully we will get the house in pristine condition for the new owners--clean curtains and drapes, clean carpet, wiped down shelves, sparkling bathrooms. I want the house to go to a family and that happy memories will be made once again. And proudly on a bookshelf in my living room are three generations of cookbooks, my Grandmother's, my mother's and my own. In another corner, is my favorite collage of a picture, barometer and pllaque from Mackinac City about "A mother thinks her work is done until she becomes a grandmother."