Culling through the years.....

Waiting

While I have been doing pretty much nothing except working, Dave has been sifting through the stuff that had been abandoned for many years in the garage.  I went out one day to try to help him but I really could not get into it.  There was just too much junk that I didn't know what it was, where it came from or if it was mine.  The only things that I could recognize as mine were my bikes that I haven't ridden since I opened the shop, a few old foot stools that I plan to fix and recover someday, a bee skep  and my old skis.  The bikes and foot stools can stay but the skis, which 20 years ago were awesome, can go into the dumpster.   It's funny how a sport that was so much a part of my life growing up and through my 20's could be forgotten.  Abandoned into a corner of the garage.  For most of my life skiing was everything (well, next to riding horses of course).  Almost every weekend in the winter no matter state I lived in I went skiing. Not whimpy little hills but rather the steepest and most bumpy runs that you could find at Killington.  Now, when my brother asks me to go skiing with his boys, a wave of panic goes through me....  what if I get hurt?  How would I get to work?  What if I can't ski like I used to? Maybe some day I will be brave enough to tackle the little CT hill near where he lives but I will have to rent my equipment.  Who wants to see those old relics on the slopes?

Stuff, mostly of unknown origin. 

 

 

 

 

The big ominous storage container sits on what was once an abandoned garden.  Lately the area had just grown some of the largest pokeweed plants I'd ever seen.  Maybe this will take care of them since pulling them out didn't seem to help.  This was the only place that the poor guy could put the container.  I thought he would have to return it his facility.

Here it is, all ready to be filled up!

While the driver was very good to get the storage container into the little garden space.  He managed to clobber the shrubs at the end of the driveway on his way out.  Maybe we were going to do something else there anyway?????

Oops :-(

Here are just a few examples of things that have been unearthed.  Has this happened to anyone else? 

 

How did this happen?

Tip of the iceberg for Dave's flag collection- who knew?

The iron cookware needs a little TLC but will clean up nicely.

Slow and steady progress

As you can see there is still a lot to do- each thing has to be carefully analyzed and deemed worthy of (1.) keeping, (2.) something to sell, or (3.) toss into the garbage.  If kept, then it has to be cleaned and organized for storage.  Maybe we should have gotten this container in June.  Thankfully Peter told us we'd better get it sooner rather than at the last minute.  Can you even imagine if we waited?????

Remember Paris....

While awaiting some activity with the house I thought to regale you with some pictures of my trip to Paris.  Last year at this time I was in Paris.  Ah, the City of Lights.....  for those of you who have spent any time in Paris you will know how enthralling the city can be.  Even though it was not my first time in Paris, it was my longest stay.  I don't understand why this is the case, but many guys don't want to go to Paris.  For that reason Diane and I left husbands at home to care for kids or animals and headed on a girls adventure.  The impetus for the trip was to go to the Paris Home Show called Maison d'Objet to buy goods for the shop.  We also did a fair amount of looking in antique shops in and around the city.  The most famous being Clingancourt.  A maze of little booths with the most amazing collection of stuff your eyes can ever take in.  I think I could have filled a container with things that I wanted to bring home.  But with only one suitcase I had to be selective.  I only got one linen sheet this time!

Here are a few things that I had to sadly leave in Paris....

This booth was amazing. 
I wanted the hutch but would have settled on a small bowl.
I was told that they were only props...

Great corner cupboard.  The paint was old and wonderful.
This was something like 8000 euros!

As hard as I tried I could not see how this would fit in my suitcase.

I did manage 2 of these in my suitcase- they are quite heavy!

This booth was a cooks dream!
Nothing I didn't like here

Speaks for itself!

Best omlette ever!  I can't believe that I didn't let Diane have even one taste.
I am a bad friend...

More from this trip another time....

I admit to having a problem....

OK, it is a little slow in the house project department.  Not much is happening with the exception of waiting for permits, the arrival of a very large and obtrusive storage container (still empty) and anxiety about starting.  Meanwhile I am trying to organize myself  (and this is more talk than action I must confess) in terms of stuff that I have accumulated over the years and what to put into this elusive yard sale that we keep pretending is going to happen.  When I told Dave that we should really start going through the stuff in the garage he immediately went to the hardware store for another can of spider spray.  With a new can of spray and that storage container do we now have any excuse not to cull through the stuff?

Meanwhile back in the house I have been going through my linens.  I admit it, I have a problem with antique linens.  Not the stuff that you find in Granny's attic mind you but real good linens.  While many go to the department store for their bedding.... not me- I went to France to find  old linen sheets.  Heavy, old and lovely linen sheets.  On hot summer nights like we have been having they are the coolest.  I am not ashamed to tell you that I stood in front of the Air France baggage check and shed tears because my bag was over weight (those suckers are heavy) and they wanted me to pay a huge fine (which they thankfully waived that time).  I am also not embarrassed to tell you that on another trip I did shell out 200 euros in a fine for the weight of my luggage.  That is all behind me now.  In the present, I am the proud possessor of these treasures.  I was telling someone about my quest for these sheets and their comment was "someone else slept on them".  Who cares... they're great.

While these are not my actual sheets- that would mean photographing the inside of my house which is an impossibility at this point in time- they are representative of what they look like.

Antique linen has a particularly unmistakable charming texture.

Antique sheets were made on looms so they always have a seam up the center.

Many of my sheets have wonderful monograms similar to this one.

My problem with linen does not stop with bedding but extends to the kitchen as well.  I have a lot of towels like these as well.

One of my best discoveries for new linen items has been the Brahms Mount bath towel.  Hand loomed in Maine (on antique looms but not antiques themselves) they are unbelievable (Brahms Mount Blog- Linen Towel).  Linen is about the most absorbent textile you can find.  This towel dries you and itself off in record time.  All my other towels have been banished from the bathroom and only used for company and dogs.  I am hoping to add to my collection later in the month as they always have a tent at the Common Grounds Fair in Maine.  Truly worth every cent of the investment!

Do you think that there is some type of textile's anonymous that I could join?