Here’s a question. How long should one hold on to sentimental stuff? Maybe things your parents left you or things from the past like school awards etc., or little doo-dads you bought years ago that are soooo cute but now? Gifts from your birthday or Christmas that just aren’t you. How about furniture?

I have a small cache of things I’m giving to our current YiaYia’s Attic. A real cute purse I bought from HSN several years ago that I just can’t fit everything into. It looked good on TV though. I’ve never really worn it and that’s in about 8 years. Then there’s the little one-person cooker from a famous chef on HSN. It’s for a single meal so you don’t have to cook in a huge pot etc. But, I always cook more than for a single meal hence I use a large pot. Ha! Used the thing twice about 6 years ago. Then I looked through my jewelry box at some nice pins for Christmas etc. and bracelets as well. Haven’t worn those it about 10 years. So there’s a baggie with some of those things in it. Time to go!

When I moved into my condo I had 2 nice chairs from my parents. They were restaurant chairs from the infamous Stockyard Inn in Chicago. The place closed and had a furniture sale…first-come-first-served. Dad was able to get a few chairs and some other stuff. Those chairs were nice and comfortable but didn’t match anything in my place. Although it took me a bit to sell them because of “parental guilt” or whatever it is, I did and to another YiaYia’s Attic. It’s interesting how you feel when you sell or otherwise dispose of stuff from your family. But once you do it’s sort of liberating in a way.

My Dad loved glassware. I did take a number of things when we cleaned out our parents house. I have beautiful wine glasses, brandy snifters, etc. I do use 1 or 2 of them somewhat regularly, at least during holidays. I also find myself wanting to have fine bone china as in Royal Albert tea cups etc. Those are great to have especially for holidays. But most of the time I don’t use the glassware. My Mom loved her silver tea set. Just beautiful. But none of us kids were going to use it so it was sold at a realtor run estate sale. People don’t don’t seem to have those types of things anymore.

Dad built some furniture. I have his secretary…a desk with 4 drawers and a pull-down writing area…like a desktop. He also built a grandfather clock for him and Mom and us 3 kids. Grandfather clocks are great but they aren’t my favorite. I love Cuckoo clocks which I do have. I also love mantel clocks with the spinning balls at the bottom which is what runs the clock. They have a glass covering. I actually bought one at YiaYia’s attic! So what happens with the Grandfather clock? How do I handle this? Do I keep it out of “Dad made it for me” guilt or try to find a buyer who really loves this stuff and can spiff it up and enjoy it!

Then of course you buy your own stuff. Cute little glassware of your own and decorative plates for your coffee table. Don’t forget some little antique glassware from the antique store nearby. And I have to say I bought a painting of flowers in a vase from my own church’s YiaYia’s Attic a few years ago. I put it in my living room. Who knew it would give that room a much needed boost especially when I practice piano and stare right at it. What a huge difference it made. I can hardly believe it! I also have a Geisha doll, a set of Russian nesting dolls, and a couple of Polish dancer dolls. I really love that stuff!

And I suppose the ultimate sentimental duo is my Chickering piano I’ve had since childhood, and the painting above it as well. It pictures a lady playing piano and a lady playing cello. I always thought somehow it was my sister and me.

So now we have collected our own sentimental stuff. Who’s going to want it when we’re gone you wonder. Maybe it doesn’t matter in the long run. Maybe all that matters is that it speaks to us now. How else would I have figured out a number of things about my parents if I didn’t have a few things of theirs to show me what was close to their hearts.

Ahhh yes, being sentimental. That brings me to pie. That’s a real sentimental entity from childhood! It never gets old or out of style. And it’s always good. Yum!

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