Blast from the past
by chuckofish
My dual personality and the fact that I (am about to) have an empty nest have inspired me to begin some deep cleaning in my house. I’m starting slowly — a box a week from the attic. Some of these boxes have been up there for twenty years, so unpacking them is really kind of exciting. I’ve discovered some treasures:
A Lowestoft cup — antique Chinese export porcelain from my mother’s family (or that Mother bought because it matched? Dual Personality, do you know?)
A small Italian pitcher of unknown origin with a broken handle
Grandfather Chamberlin’s leather shirt collar case, full of collars (I also have 2 of the hand-made shirts that went with).
One of my mother’s unfinished sewing projects, a nighty with embroidered yoke she was to make for me. Her sewing was always so perfect. Someday, I’ll do something with this.
And this wooden ‘figure’ that I made in my Grandpa Cameron’s workshop when I was a small child (five or six?) and painted yellow at some later date. Note the rounded corners that I spent ages sandpapering to perfection and the happy smile, legs, and folded arms (hard to see in the middle of the pic) made of nails.
I Once, while hammering, I missed and got a big blood-blister on my thumb. But since it was very, very special to be allowed in the workshop and to have my grandfather all to myself, I choked back my tears a soldiered on.
Don’t you just love attics? I can’t wait to see what’s in today’s box. Stay tuned…
dual personalities 
I should be inspired by your cleaning efforts, the operative words being “should be.” If I opened one of the dozens of 20+-yr-old boxes in my house — attic, closets, corners of abandoned bedrooms — I’d probably find items very much like those you’ve shown. (I love the nighty and the leather shirt collar case.) In my case, I would examine each item, try to find something I can give away, but eventually put it all back and reseal the box. One tactic I’ve tried: I box up items that have no true emotional meaning to me in and label the box this way: “After Pam dies, you can take this box to Goodwill without opening it. There’s nothing of value or personal meaning to anyone in our family.” That might have the effect of making someone open it just to see if there are secrets inside but that’s their problem not mine.
I love that idea! I’ve been meaning to start cataloging the things that do matter, but it would probably also be useful to identify the things that don’t. Thanks for the comment!
Great post Aunt Sarah! I love the figure you made as a 5-year-old. Maybe you should try to re-create it in our basement the next time you are in Detroit!
What a wonderful post! The export china cup is from the Rand’s house in New Hampshire. The Italian cup is one Mira Chamberlin brought back from her travels. I wish I had an attic full of treasures!