Found it

I thought I'd update the blog. I apologise for the short hiatus.

I had a super super busy month, and I have another 3-4 weeks of busyness before my life hopefully settles more.

We had a garage sale on the weekend just past.



Last October, we met H, an 83 year old man, through my father in law's work. My FIL was contacted from hospital to collect H post operation and take him home. That night was the first of many months of caring for H. We have all become very attached to H, even though I haven't even met the man!

H's wife passed 35 years ago and he hasn't been able to cope since. No housework had been done since so the house needed repairs, cleaning, laundering etc badly. It deeply disturbed and worried my FIL, and through him, us too.

H's orders were that his home be demolished and land sold. But because my MIL loves going through estates and I appreciate mid century pieces (H and his wife only bought quality), we decided on sorting the trash from treasure and either return them to H (cleaned of course) or sell/donate.

So we spent months going through his belongings, cleaned and scrubbed, priced and held a garage sale, a culmination of almost a half year long's labour of love.



We discovered that under the piles of newspaper, papers, tins of food, plastic bags and household rubbish hid many treasures. H has lived a very full life (well, prior to 1976). We found 250 rare jazz collectable vinyls, 150 collectable theatre programs (with newspaper reviews and ticket butts), complete sets (untouched) of dinner and coffee sets, brand new linen and rare motoring slides.

There were 35-40 year old unopened kitchen scour pads, kitchen towels and napkins.

His furniture was pristine condition from the 1970s just very dusty.

But best story, my FIL came back from the second visit to exclaim, "He's got boxes and boxes of unopened wine under so much paper and crap." I sat up with great interest... H only bought quality... I asked what sort of wine and my FIL (who don't know much about wine) said, oh some Penfolds Grange something or other. I nearly fell off my chair. H had 2 cases of Penfold Grange 1986. Those bar a few bottles and his other wines have been auctioned off to the tune of $30k.



H has no children, no relatives. He leaves his sizeable estate to a charity organisation here. And we've shed many a tear thinking about the fact that no one will miss him, no one will remember him, he leaves no heritage.

It's got me thinking that our lives are so fleeting. H's leaving nothing, no memories, no heirlooms... Despite living a full life with his wife all over the world, he now has nothing to show for it. It's quite tragic.

I've been challenged to live a full(er) life and become a better friend, mother and wife. Trying not to leave mental, emotional and physical clutter ... but a heritage of inner and outer beauty.

So, preparing for The Garage Sale of 2011 took all our time of recent.

Then I had one day to prepare for my daughter's fifth birthday :) It poured, we had prepared for a tea party, the girls wore frocks... but everyone loved it! The mothers were totally enchanted by our simple set up.









I am so tired, I can't even begin to describe it!

And now I have 6 days to move! And we haven't begun to pack!

After living in a shoebox (granny flat) for just about 14 months, our growing family is moving (again!) to a larger rental.

Thanks to my in laws who've lovingly let us live almost-rent-free in the aforementioned shoebox at the back of their property.

To another rental which will become our home for the next I-hope-2-years-till-we-buy. Stay tuned as I embark on another can't-wait journey to make that bland space mine ('course, I can't change paint or go nuts on pics on the wall)!