Plans today - going to my folks' old house (funny saying that) and meeting my five siblings so we can hash out who gets what before the remains go up for auction.
Should be "fun."
Should be "fun."
Plans for today (2019-2022)
- Thread starter Lullabelle
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We are one step ahead of you. The Auction people came yesterday to my parents' house.
My sister an I are going to their house today to load my rental truck up with stuff for the thrift stores. Then we need to go to my parents' new place to take care of some things.
CD
Hope it doesn't end in family warfare...
My sister and I had no quarrels over who gets what. I pretty much knew what she wanted, and it was stuff that I didn't want. We didn't even argue over which pieces of original artwork that we wanted, which was a bit of a surprise. That stuff is very valuable. But, we divided that up with no objections form either of us.
CD
Well, I never expected any out-and-out fighting, but I did expect my sister to steamroll over everyone, and one of my brothers to just take whatever he wanted without thinking of anyone else, as it just doesn't occur to him.
However, it was beyond civil. The whole day was everyone asking everyone else, "Do you want this? No? Are you really sure? Really? I'll take it then, if no one else wants it."
It was actually quite nice and I'm proud of my siblings for being so generous with each other. I have one brother who is so non-confrontational, there was no way he was ever going to even hint that he wanted anything, and he would have just waited until everyone else chose their stuff, and my oldest brother was savvy enough over the last couple of months to pay attention and picked up that my quiet brother seemed interested in my mom's Hoosier cabinet, so he clued us in ahead of time, and we made sure he got that by continually saying, "Oh, I don't have room for that," or "I don't really need that."
My mom and her sister barely speak these days over the way their parents' house and things were divided up 25 years ago, and my wife's family...that got ugly in the moment and I know there are still some hard feelings that get suppressed, so I was thrilled everyone was so generous.
I failed to mention what I got, as far as items go.
I'm getting my granddad's grandfather clock, though my parents are keeping that for now, and I'm getting a massive colonial-style floor-to-ceiling walnut corner cupboard my dad and I built, a kooky side table my dad built, and a cedar blanket chest/hope chest that my granddad built, all my dad's records (including a Sun Records 45 of Jerry Lee Lewis singing "Big Legged Woman"
), his audio equipment (not that it's that great, but it's not bad), a working VCR for my wife (she will not give up her VHS tapes 
), and some miscellaneous things.
By far the best was a pic of me at five years old, in school:
Do I hear "Sharp Dressed Man" playing across the years?
I'm getting my granddad's grandfather clock, though my parents are keeping that for now, and I'm getting a massive colonial-style floor-to-ceiling walnut corner cupboard my dad and I built, a kooky side table my dad built, and a cedar blanket chest/hope chest that my granddad built, all my dad's records (including a Sun Records 45 of Jerry Lee Lewis singing "Big Legged Woman"
), his audio equipment (not that it's that great, but it's not bad), a working VCR for my wife (she will not give up her VHS tapes ), and some miscellaneous things.By far the best was a pic of me at five years old, in school:
Do I hear "Sharp Dressed Man" playing across the years?
I'm glad to hear it worked out that way. Like I said, my sister knew what I would want, and I knew what she would want.
Hoosier cabinets are major league cool. My ex MIL has/had two of them. My ex wife probably has them now, as her mom is as old as mine, and was not in great health 20 years ago.
We've effectively taken my dad's car away, although he still owns it. He is planning to give it to me, eventually, but we are not pushing him on that. My sister and I are in 100-percent agreement that he can not continue to drive. I was reluctant to make that call, but over the last few trips down here, I realized that my mom and sister were absolutely right -- he can't safely drive anymore. His car is at my parents' old house for now, and I managed to get both sets of keys. I'll probably take it home to my house at Thanksgiving. I'm pretty sure he knows he's not getting the car back. I just want him to give me the title when he is ready. I don't want to ask for it -- it's a dignity thing.
My dad can still do things like balance a checkbook, and is still sharp in some ways, but when I ask him something, there is a time lag between when I ask, and he answers, where he just looks at me for several long seconds. Not difficult questions -- simple questions like, "What did you have for lunch." He does answer, but your mind needs to work a lot faster than that to drive a car, especially in a city like Houston.
CD
I failed to mention what I got, as far as items go.
I'm getting my granddad's grandfather clock, though my parents are keeping that for now, and I'm getting a massive colonial-style floor-to-ceiling walnut corner cupboard my dad and I built, a kooky side table my dad built, and a cedar blanket chest/hope chest that my granddad built, all my dad's records (including a Sun Records 45 of Jerry Lee Lewis singing "Big Legged Woman"
I already have my grandfather's grandfather clock. I got it when he died. My sister is getting my mom's. Mine is nice. My mom's is incredible -- big and beautiful.
Funny story. My grandfather clock stopped working about ten years ago. It would only run for about 20 minutes, then stop. Nobody works on them anymore, so it just sat there for ten years. Last month, I brought some stuff from my parents' house to my house in a U-Haul truck, including a huge leather sofa. To get the sofa into my house, I had to take the front door off of its hinges, and put it aside. To get the sofa into my living room, I had to move the grandfather clock. I moved it, got the sofa in, and moved it back. In the process, it started to run... and it has been running ever since. It keeps perfect time, too.
CD
rascal
Forum GOD!
No plans, lousy weather and feeling rough with round 2 of this damn cold
I've had a head cold for 3 weeks.!!
I'm over it.
Russ
rascal
Forum GOD!
Funny things happen to people when a parent dies.
My mil died and her 3rd younger child of 9 was first on the scene. Organised power to be cut off first then loaded his car with goods. Along with his wife. We turned up to see this happening. Wife put her foot down and made them put it back. Everyone else turned up and sanity prevailed. My wife and her sister were executors. House sold and her brothers rang every week wanting their payout. Greed Is a horrible thing. She strung them out for pestering her
Russ
My mil died and her 3rd younger child of 9 was first on the scene. Organised power to be cut off first then loaded his car with goods. Along with his wife. We turned up to see this happening. Wife put her foot down and made them put it back. Everyone else turned up and sanity prevailed. My wife and her sister were executors. House sold and her brothers rang every week wanting their payout. Greed Is a horrible thing. She strung them out for pestering her
Russ
My parents are both still alive. They have just moved into a seniors community that is a safer place for them to live at this point in their lives. Almost all of my parents' assets are in accounts that either my sister or I are listed on, or both of us. They are JTROS accounts, so there is really no room fo any fighting, not that there ever would be. It is all pretty much pre-determined.
CD
Lullabelle
Midlands, England
I am lucky not to have that but similar has happened to other family members, a real shame when people behave in that way.
When dad passed, tvc and I were the only ones with a key so no one else could get in without us present.
Lullabelle
Midlands, England
Last night I was in bed for 7pm, felt awful but a good sleep has helped so feel a bit better today.
Today will be a quiet one then hopefully another good sleep will help, later to bed though, maybe 9pm.
Lullabelle
Midlands, England
My dad got rid of a lot of stuff over the years so the only things left were stuff that was personal to them, holiday snaps and trinkets etc..most stuff went to a local charity, I only kept old photos and my dad's old camera-that has a lot of sentimental value.
He did however give away an old China cabinet which had been passed down through a couple of generations, my sister wasn't happy but neither of us wanted it anyway so wasn't an issue for me.
Had to look this up as they aren't called that here. I can see why they are major league cool so long as one has a sufficiently large kitchen.
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