Moving Sale

As I mentioned a few posts ago we had a moving sale at my Grandma's house.  It has been bittersweet.  It's the last house my Grandpa lived in.  It's the house my Mom died in.   It's the house I ate almost every Sunday brunch in when I was growing up.  It's where we celebrated Christmas and Easter. 

It's full of memories. 

And that's the reason Grandma is leaving.  For her the memories of grandpa are too strong.  And as she's getting older and wasn't driving as much.  And our local private college owns an assisted living place just a few blocks away. 

My aunt Pat spent weeks at the house after Grandma moved out organizing what was left and getting ready for the sale.  Then several other family members dumped their stuff off and messed up her wonderful organization.  Sorry!  But we stayed and helped for the two day sale so I think we're forgiven:)

I could tell you about the heat...or the lack of people...or the $52 worth of drinks the girls bought to resell to make pool paint money...or the amount of people that asked how much I'd sell the Eos for.  One guy even asked me to put the top up and down for him.  He was so cute.  About 70 and wearing his overalls.  I love old men:c) 

But instead I'll just show you two pictures that I took that are so simple, but mean so much.

I don't know if I ever heard this album played, but the cover was so cute I had to take a picture.  The memory it brought back was the stereo console that always sat in front of the window in the living room.  I can remember playing records on it or coming in and hearing the radio on.  Even after it wasn't used anymore, it was still a fixture in the living room.

And then there's this.  I cried.  I'm crying now.  Grandpa wore hats all the time.  He always wore the old guy 'snaps in the back to tighten' hats.  But this one, this one is special.  There's a local restaurant that had commercials with a guy named Earnest that always talked to 'Vern'.  Earnest went on to make movies.  But I'll always remember him from the commercials.  I don't know where Grandpa got the hat, but it's so perfect for Vernon.  

I put this photo on Facebook and a few people shared memories of my sweet Grandpa.  So I basically cried....off and on all day. 

So even though the house hasn't sold yet, Grandma has moved into her apartment and all the stuff is gone. 

But my memories will be with me forever.