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The routine last week

August 9th, 2005 at 06:00 am

It was nearly routine last week - 1.5 hr drive from Milwaukee to Oshkosh, then to the farm. At the farm, pawing through paper in a hard target search for assets and pieces of paper that will help us file dad's last IRS return.

We put on a vinyl LP and began...

My mom was a serious clutterer. I'm debating whether she was a hoarder or not. One minute I was flipping through newspaper clippings from the 80s, the next, grandpa and grandma's wedding picture. On which side you ask? Found them both. We found my birth certificate, my sister's birth certificate, my mom's birth certificate, my dad's birth certificate, grandpa's wedding license, a school assignment my mom wrote when she was 8, pictures of my great uncle in WWII when he served in New Guinea. I also found scraps of paper with a note or a sentence or a book list written in my mom's hand and stacks and stacks of newspaper. My sister was luckier - she usually found money. (I guess that's why I have to save it. Smile )

The important papers we hoofed to Milwaukee, the rest to recycling. Here's another reason why clutter is bad. Its totally exhausting for your heirs who will never share your opinions about its value!

On the bright side, except for gas, we had several no spend days. We ate Dad's food and drank his soda and found his high school class ring, all without his permission.

Sister and I started an email chain of decisions that we made and agreed to so its written down. Sister is in Milwaukee, so she will be doing the heavy lifting in this. I feel so guilty about this. I sorted and organized the papers until late in the evening - my way of keeping busy.

2 Responses to “The routine last week”

  1. Anonymous Says:
    1123597536

    That's another reason why people should fill out something like that Financial Freedom Kit I refered to in one of my posts. It helps your heirs figure out what you have and where it's at. I'm always telling my parents they aren't allowed to die until they get their stuff under control (which means never LOL.) I'm sorry you have to deal with all this, it must be very difficult on a number of different levels. Best wishes for coping.

  2. Anonymous Says:
    1123647834

    Thanks - you have my permission to use my story to convince your parents. Stuff under control is stuff well loved and less likely to be pitched out on the curb. I know we treated grampa's safety deposit box and his items with a lot more respect. He respected them and it was a hint that we should also.

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