My films on Louie and Darlene
I have finally uploaded the films I did on my parents as a part of the Minnesota History Center’s Greatest Generation Project. I am forever indebted to Melody Gilbert for her encouraging me to make a film on my father in 2007. I didn’t think he had a WW2 story, but found out that everyone […]
After the sale
It’s over. A lot sold including the dining room table. Someone got a very good deal on that. Enough said. It was surreal arriving to the frenzy of discount day. Stuff was flying out the door. I ran into Jan Elftmann, artist extraordinaire, who said she found some treasures including my old brownie uniform that […]
Letting go.
My Mom did want to go to the house one last time before the sale started. I warned her that it would be hard. We went on Sunday and it was hard. I told her to just tell me anything she wanted to keep and I’d put it in the box. She did find some […]
Estate Sale next week
When I met with the estate sale folks on Tuesday to sign the contract I asked her when she was going to start setting up. Right now she said. Wowza, that put going through the last things in high gear. I moved the last of my mom’s art work and the portraits of me and […]
Keepsakes
I may not want the china, the Waterford Crystal, the Hummels or the dining room table, but I am keeping my Dad’s “restricted” training manual for being a bombardier at the end of WW2. The artwork inside each of these is pretty intense, especially this page from the preflight manual, class of 1945. It says […]
Christmas Dinner
We had a most wonderful Christmas today. I couldn’t have done it without the help from my friends Calvin Janssen and Janet Bayliss. Calvin decorated my place with many of my mother’s things including her china that was a wedding gift, her sterling silver flatware, and crystal wine glasses. I also found old cards my […]
Packing on a gray day.
Today was a meeting with an estate sale company. It’s mostly a service and not about making big $$$. My parents style of collections hold little value. To me the service is worth it to have someone else sorting through and at least getting rid of some of it. I’ve heard about Bridging as a […]
Darlene in her glory
Decorating for the holidays. My Mom so enjoys her fantasy villages. I suppose I should appreciate that she has that going for her as dealing with my father’s dementia grows worse each day. Their house has been sold, and closing is scheduled for January 29th. That is the one year anniversary of when they moved […]
Transition
The packing has begun. After almost a year of the “trial” with assisted living, we finally have the thumbs up from my mom to sell their house. Thirty years ago they moved into their dream home. The house before this was my childhood home. Today I remembered that move and in true Scandinavian fashion, we […]
Voting today.
I am always moved when I see new immigrants involved in the political process. Yesterday at the Cedar Cultural Center GOTV rally was no different. I’m curious to know in percentages of voting turnout among the new immigrant citizens compared to those of us who are long ago descendants of immigrants who came to America […]
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