What the heck?

[lindafishes8]

I've been on a cleaning/straightening and pitching rampage these past few weeks. If I haven't used it, worn it or read it in the past 10 years, out it goes. Three trips to the Good Will store have me cutting down on all my "stuff

Comments

[rosywonder]

Ah, clearing out! Such a wonderful activity. It is incredible to think what one keeps and what you can discover when you have a really good sort out.

Regarding the baby shoes. I do agree that the bronzing of baby shoes sounds a strange thing to do. I think it did happen in the UK, but I don't think I know any English friends who've done it. For myself, I have to confess that I do have my baby's (now just about to celebrate his 30th birthday) first shoes, all wrapped up in their original box. I get them out occasionally and just touching them brings back some very special memories. Very Proustian - the touch and smell of them - a la recherche du temps perdus.

[lindafishes8]

Funny, I don't have any feelings at all when I hold my baby shoes. All I see are ugly baby shoes.

Thanks! I learned a new word and some French.

[rosywonder]

Perhaps the bronzing makes them hard looking and thus very un-babylike! Tom's shoes were the ones he took his first steps in (he didn't wear shoes before then) so they hold special memories for us.

[spikesgirl58]

*yay* for the closet cleaning. I did the same thing yesterday, having to wait until TBG is out of the house.

My mum did my sister's and my brother's, but not mine. I never quite got the whole bronzing thing myself.

[lindafishes8]

Then it's not just me with the bronze shoes. What a relief!

I'm not done with the purging yet. My basement looms. there's tons of Halloween stuff (at least 25 tubs/boxes) and my baking supplies of which there's a lot.

I want to give away the Halloween decorations, much of it is new.

Coffin for sale! Used only once.

[spikesgirl58]

Wow, I wish I was closer. I'd take it off your hands!

[lindafishes8]

Why? You in the market for a used coffin?

One year I went all out with the front yard- cemetery, picket fence, rolling fog, lamp posts and tons of signs. One sign read- Used coffin for sale. Only used once. Inquire within.

Would you believe a guy knocked on my door to ask about it? He was seriously looking for a coffin.

Later, I happened to notice a police car parked in front. A cop was in my yard, reading all the tombstones!

[bonniejean1953]

My mom did mine, and they were attached to a picture fram (as the base) where she displayed my first professionally done baby pictures.
I did not do Colin's or Aeden's but I have both of their first shoes in a trunk. You can still have it done here in the states, one company has been in business since 1938.

[lindafishes8]

I'm wondering how much bronze is worth if I take them to the scrapyard. In general, I have no emotional attachment to 'things.' especially ugly things.

When we had to clean out my dad's house to put it up for sale, I was the one who bagged up all the stuff no one wanted and set it out as garbage. My younger sister said I was throwing away our dad's life. (She was upset) I told her he would always live inside each of us and his belongings were only 'things.' funny, I was the one who donated his clothes to the Salvation Army. No one else could do it.

[snailbones]

Manic cleaning and clearing are fabulous - go you!

I've never heard of bronzing baby shoes - maybe it's not a British thing?

[lindafishes8]

My manic cleaning is now focused on the basement where the Halloween decorations live. Oy! Lots of baking supplies from my catering days also. Need a few hundred cookie cutters? Some were custom designed for me.

My two older brothers had their baby shoes bronzed also. A rather odd custom here if you ask me.