For the past few months, I have been doing a sort of purge of the Little Bayou House. No, I am not tossing everything to the wayside. The place will still be filled to the brim with the oddities that interest, amuse or bewilder me. Those things that spark an idea or those things that bring comfort will stay. Great Grandmother's painting of a black sheep among white will hang next to the antique lithograph. Mom's embroidered picture of deer will proudly be displayed next to my daughter's drawing of Edgar Allan Poe. A possum skull will defiantly sit next to the framed catfish backbone and sea turtle shell (all found items). Also, porcelain teacups, wooden horses, antique jewelry and even a steampunk plague doctor's mask will randomly remain interspersed. Yep, the Little Bayou House is a "House of Curiosities" and I like it that way. It matters not what others think since, if it bothers them, they do not have to come. I do it for me...me alone. I admit to being a bit eccentric and love the eclectic mess that defines my house. Still, that purge IS happening. It is more an effort to return my kids' stuff to them. They are all neatly settled in their impeccable homes so it is time. It is time for their stuff to be their problem instead of "Mom, don't get rid of this! I want it but do not want to clutter up our home." Sorry...take it home or it is going out to the trash bin, being donated or being altered to become a clue hunt prop. Take your choice.
That said, one old steamer trunk held a surprise. All of my daughter's old dance recital costumes were neatly folded inside. They were amazingly well preserved after these nigh on 30 yrs of being stowed away. Well, they can go home now! I carefully hand-washed each piece and hung it to dry. Since my clothesline has still not been replaced, each costume was hung on a hanger then among the pear tree branches! Oh! What a colorful addition to the garden! (It is probably a good thing that I have no near neighbors to complain about my antics.) Anyway, the costumes dried nicely and are now packed in a box to be sent home with Darling Daughter. If...if she takes them. It did occur to me while washing them that the sequin covered fabric would make excellent doll clothes for the many (MANY) naked dolls she also left behind! (Wonder whatever happened to their clothes?) We shall see if that reuse will happen or if she decides to clutter her place with the costumes!
What I found humorous about this whole thing is that I sent her a message that I had gotten a new clothes tree and it was beautiful. I merely was trying to get her attention as my messages of "You need to come get this stuff." usually go without a response. So...I did get a response to this message! "Great, Mom! But what is a clothes tree?" Oh, my! Are clothes trees a thing of the past where no one even knows what they are any more? Geez! I am getting old! After a bit of an explanation as to what a clothes tree is, I eased my way into the costume dilemma. She was more interested in the clothes tree. Ok..ok...so a clothes tree is basically a hat rack! Mine is not! I was speaking in jest there! I sent a photograph of the brightly adorned pear tree. "Ooohh, my costumes! Those bring back memories!" Yes! You need to take your memories home! "But they look nice on the pear tree! It would be mite bland without the colors flapping in the breeze." Something tells me Darling Daughter is evading the issue here.
I will definitely give this "gift-giving" thing one more try before cutting the costumes down to become doll-size or turning the CD storage box into a clue hunt puzzle. Each kid will be presented a huge box of stuff when they are all gathered at the Little Bayou House for Thanksgiving. They can reminisce over their childhood and then either keep or toss. Those things that can be donated or reused will be reboxed. Those things that are beyond hope will be carted to the roadside for pickup. No excuses...no ifs, ands, or buts...no "Keep it for me so I do not clutter our house." It is up to them, this time! And I will definitely give them all a lesson in what a clothes tree is! Geez!
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