Home ... for now

Oh my, it is so very good to be home. I was in a filthy, single wide, trailer with no television or Internet. On the bright side I did have heat, light and telephone. The best part of my time away was that I made a new friend. She is funny, generous, warm and just the best person you can imagine.

I thought that I was going to go to Surrey and that Sonia would be along in a few days and we would get everything cleared away and disposed of. Well, Sonia won't be showing until April 9. But I was already there and we needed to gather information for the lawyer. So, my new best friend, Trish, and I began. I am unable to do much physical work but Trish is energetic and able to do a lot despite having problems of her own. Neither of us are spring chickens.

I sorted through books and filled seven 2 cubic foot sized boxes to be taken away by the Rotary club for their annual book sale. The money goes to charitable ends.

Then I waded through mounds of paper. Most of that was taken to the curbside in recycle bags. Some was put aside for shredding if it had personal information on it. That all took considerable time. My brother-in-law had clipped many magazine or newspaper articles, had subscribed to every medical or quazi medical magazine / newsletter, and so on. He kept every little slip of paper. And were they organized? Of course not. I would be checking every page and after fifty pages or so would find something that may be of importance.

Once I managed to sift out the paper that had some meaning I had to start sorting it. I found that he had kept stuff from as far back as the 1970's. Hmmm. But I sorted and filed and now it is all there to be accessed if needed. I took everything I thought the lawyer would need and put it aside to take home with me.

Meanwhile Trish was busy sorting through clothing and preparing it to go to the Diabetes Association (the only ones who were collecting in our area at this time). She also took care of the bed linens and more to also be picked up. There was quite a pile of stuff for them when they arrived to pick up.

Trish arranged with her son (a hunk of a fireman) to bring in a large dumpster. Then he and another fireman arrived to remove whatever we couldn't use for any other purpose. There was a ton of stuff and in fact the dumpster was overflowing when they finished. The carport was full of things that were badly weathered, rusted, broken or badly damaged. The living room furniture was in a bad state. The couch, armchair and lazy-boy type chair all had to go. Also the china cabinet had been damaged and had to go. We saved a bookcase and entertainment centre but not much more. We save many small household appliances, tools etc to go for a garage sale, with leftovers to go to Value Village or somewhere similar.

All this took time and energy and there is still lots to do to brighten the place up to be sold. But we can start on that when Sonia comes up in April. Also we need to carry out the last wishes regarding his ashes. So lots to do.

For the next couple of weeks I will be here at home trying to clean and ready it for company first and trying to de-clutter so I will be ready to move. Maybe I should invite Trish and her gorgeous son to visit and bring a dumpster. Somehow it would be a lot more difficult to dispose of my own belongings. We were quite ruthless in Surrey, but that is what is needed - a dispassionate view.