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Hi everyone, I haven't posted in a long time because, well, it was always about by grandma and they are both long gone now.


But this Fall, my Dad and uncle finally bit the bullet and went to visit the storage locker they filled up after they sold her house a few years ago. They haven't been able to face it until recently I guess. Too painful maybe, and I do understand. But I guess it was time!


I'm delighted to say that I've been gifted with so many of my grandma's "treasures" and now they are no longer stuffed into old cardboard boxes or hidden in a musty old locker: they are out in the light of day and in near daily use and I feel like some part of our old family life is back alive again. Shall I tell you what I was given? Yes? Oh good, pull up a chair :)


First and foremost: her good china service! It's white and aqua and with a little gold border. And her Birks silverware set, in their little individual Birks blue felt pocket things that keep them from tarnishing. It was on the table for every christmas/easter/birthday/anniversary dinner we ever had as a family for 40 years. This Christmas, and this Fall for our wedding supper, my husband and I set the table with this, and some of her crystal, and my Dad said it felt like she was there at the table with us in a way. I'm using her good dishes as our daily set. Every day, damn the torpedoes!


Next, the dining table and chairs itself. Goodbye tacky old set, hello Grandma's lovely big dining table. Every meal, every day :) I'm so happy it's back in the action.


Next, her neat little buffet thing on casters that has a fold out top, and inside we keep all the silver and crystal.


Next, and very special to us, her little olive dishes. These weren't anything very special but whenever she had us over for a special dinner these would be out and always with the same things in them: olives stuffed with almonds, carrots, celery sticks.


Next: a silver chain with a silver walnut pendant. I thought it was old pewter because of how black it was but I gave it a good scrub just in case and it gleams like anything now. Walnuts had a special meaning for her since 1950 so I wear it and think of her.


A few other odds and ends. I wish I had her special dish that she used to serve Scotch Eggs in, but we haven't found that yet...


Sorry if this was super boring to read!!! But I am delighted and the only thing that would be better would be to be able to "go home again" but we all know we can never do that, haha :)


(Oh and on that note, I have not driven down her street since her house was sold. I have heard it was sold to a house flipper who did a tear-down job and rebuilt some kind of McMansion and I can't bear to look. I'd rather her house stay the same, in my memory.)

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Hazel, I really liked your post. I think some of what you are remembering through your grandmother's things are all those times she got those things out. Times when she was giving to you: food, time, nurturing, love. Recently I found my grandmother's beautiful old china tea set that I thought we'd lost forever, years ago. I always loved it as a child. My grandparents were English Edwardians, and the custom of eating High Tea each day stayed with them all their life. I remember the sandwiches, cold meats, salad, fruit and cream, with home made cake and freshly brewed tea. Now I've found this tea set again, I'm reminded of my grandmother's love, and I've told my family I plan to reproduce one of her High Teas for them to experience!
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God bless you - enjoying your grandma's possessions!
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Hazel,

I posted earlier saying how much I enjoyed your posting.

I have enjoyed reading the comments too!

I am curious. Will you put aside any of your grandmother’s items to be passed down?

Or do you have any other special things that you would want others to cherish like you are enjoying your grandmother’s items?

I have already given my girls belongings that they have always loved.
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That was a beautiful read. How great to see something so beautiful un the midst of a lot of heat ache that’s usually posted!!!
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When we moved Dad from the family home of 43 years, we thought it would be torn down for a McMansion but the new owners only intended to live there a few years and remodeled to suit their tastes. (Not mine.) A few years later, it was sold to a family who restored and improved it. They gave us a tour! I could let it go.
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I loved your post. I'm in the same place. Mom lost her mom 20 years ago, then we lost mom, and then Dad died a two years ago in March. Mom had packed up some of Grandma's pictures, crystal and antiques, which we moved with Dad to his apartment storage after she passed and then I discovered it after he died, so I now have boxes of Grandma's and Mom's stuff that I am just beginning to go through. Grandma labeled each item with the appraised value - which has mostly gone down - and I have my mother's good china in addition to my own, which I never use. But each of these has such a good memory for me. They were packed with care. I do have mother's dining set and absolutely no place for it but it is unique and I can't let it go just anywhere. It's in public storage for longer than I expected, due to the pandemic. I'm grateful that my sibs and their children took as much as they did because they all have good memories with them every day. Now what to do with all the slides (3500) and photo albums? Is consolidation even worth the time and effort?
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I loved reading this! I lost my 95-year-old dear mum in July, and went through her things after she passed. Luckily, I had the help of my brother to do this, and we were able to distribute her possessions to our other two siblings quite peacefully. I am by far the most sentimental of my siblings, so many of mum’s personal treasures came home with me, including some of her jewelry and a few of the many knickknacks she loved. Mum and I share a love of cats, so the cat ornaments reside in my china cabinet, along with her good china set. We were very close all through my life, for which I’m grateful, and it makes me happy knowing that a few of her treasures are still with me and are being displayed, used or worn. It definitely makes me feel closer to her and brings me comfort.
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I love old treasures. My mother has an old fashioned big rolling pin handed down to her from her mother. I use it with love each time I make a pie. I remember my mom in the kitchen in the fall making 8 apple pies. We picked the apples at our town farm. Coming home from grade school the smell of the pies filled every room. I try to keep up the tradition but my limit is 3-4 pies. Pies are hard work and takes patience.
My mother has a beautiful rose teapot we use every holiday. It is so special. It sits in our china cabinet proudly displayed. How special our holidays were with that teapot and homemade pie made from love.
We still have our childhood table in the dining room, it is old and still in good condition. My mom has an old end table from when she got married that is simple and lovely. My dads favorite shirt is hanging in my moms closet and my brothers hat is hanging in the stairway they both worn these often and it is heart warming to look at them and remember days gone by.
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Thanks for the nice post. It was not at all boring to read. I am now 70 and in good health. I expect to live for another 15 or 20 years, if family history provides any clue to longevity. Nevertheless, I am paring down on my possessions. One of the things that concerns me is the future of some of the things that I treasure because they were my grandmother's or a treasured aunt. Some more than 100 years old, some a mere 50 years old. Most with little intrinsic value. I hope that there will be some younger member of the family who will want to hear the stories and will continue to savor the memories. You give me hope.
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What a lovely post.

I feel the same about using a radio one of my beloved Uncles sent me as a gift, shortly before he died.

The radio is old style. Still, I love playing it because it reminds me of my Uncle and in the same odd way as you mention, it makes be feel as if he is still near.

Maybe he is.....in spirit.

Sorry to hear about the house tear down. I agree, that can be traumatic.

Sending hugs.
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I'm glad her stuff brings you a measure of comfort.

I have started using some of my mom's stuff recently - the most recent is her "meatball" pot...it's an old, green enameled non-stick dutch-oven style pot that she would put the meatballs in after she fried them up. It's gotta be at least 50 years old, I remember it from waaayyyy back in my childhood! But it makes me smile to use it.
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What a beautiful tribute to your grandma! I hope some day my grandchildren will feel similarly about my things. I inherited my own grandmothers China hutch, her China and crystal and silver and her aunt’s ring! Every time I wear that ring I see her hands in her lap at church next to me. I wear it to church myself and other special occasions. I wore it to my sons weddings. It was like bringing her with me. 🥰 I’m going to be using the China and Crystal a lot so my new DIL’s start to associate it with good family memories too.
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Oh your writing was beautiful and put a smile on my face as you shared your pure joy of bringing back the days you enjoyed together. When someone passes they live on in our hearts and memories and this is what you are experiencing. Grandma I do believe has a smile on her face too. My daughter also enjoys her Grandmas things for the same reasons you do. That is so special for each of you❤️
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This is so sweet. Thank you for sharing! I agree with the notion that they may not have "market value" right now but that their sentimental value is incalculable. They can make a living space very special with their presence. I have a mission style desk that belonged to grandmother. It was and still is pretty beat up and it isn't a "name" brand like Stickley. Still it gives me such joy to see my daughter (who was named after her) sitting at it in our living room, doing her homework and calling into zoom classes. I also have a painting by my great aunt in my kitchen. Every time I look at it I remember her telling me the story of how she came to paint it. They both died long ago but are alive and well in my memories and in our daily life, with the help of these and other modest possessions.
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I enjoyed reading that too! I have an old mahogany table I love. Its so old all the legs are attached at the bottom by a fancy pieces of wood. I've never seen another table like that. So there are people who love antiques.
There is a big used furniture warehouse, near me. They sell items like your grandmother's. Those items don't stay there long. That person just didn't want to sell that. They might want small items that sell faster In their store. Easier for cash/carry. The warehouse near me, just sells antique furniture. I think you have to be raised by people who love vintage/antique. I love going there.
Let us know if you get more items. Lov hearing about that.
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Glad you get to use and cherish your grandmother's items. As a kid I didnt get anything of my grandmother and great-grandmother. I wish I did. No one worried about giving anything to a kid. My great grandmothers house was comfortable, but no knick knacks. No extras. I dont know if she gave it all away or what. She wasn't poor.

But I have their memories. No one can take that. I found out when I went thru my moms items, my great grandmother helped a lot of people in the community. She helped them get jobs, loaned money and was a very good person. She would give you the clothes off her back. I had heard this as a kid. My mom kept christmas cards from a ton of people from the community thanking my great-grandmother for all her help.
Enjoy her items, they sound great. Your lucky. Dont just use her China for special occasions. If your afraid of damaging those items, use it once a week. Enjoy.
If you want to pretty up your table, a nice tablecloth can make make all the difference. I love putting a great table cloth on at Easter, 4th, Thanksgiving. Very festive. And more homey.

Glad you get to enjoy her items every day lucky you. They sound great!
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Thanks everyone for your comments! I'm glad to see it was an uplifting post to so many of you and that we share some sentiments :)

MidKid, that mink stole with the clasp teeth sounds AMAZING, right out of a storybook. Wow!

GreyGrammie, i know what you mean about thinking about the value of some of these old pieces of "good furniture..." but I'll tell you my experience with this. We were considering actually trying to sell them this Fall, because we already had our own dining set... and absolutely no antique dealers in the city would touch them! They all told me the markets are flooded with "old brown stuff" and nobody wants it, it's just unsellable, no matter how good quality it is. This was quite an eye opener for me! The dealer just looked at me and said "so is it oak, or mahogany type stuff?" and when I said I thought so, she sadly shook her head. "No one wants it, sorry."

So we thought, ok great! We'll keep it! And that's just what we did.
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TREASURES they are not just "things" but the memories that they evoke.
Your Grandma is with you everyday she was before but now you can feel it so much more.
Treasure that and the feelings that come with it.
You are building memories upon memories
Enjoy those treasures and tell the stories that go with them that's important.
Her favorite meal will taste so much better on the plates she served it on!
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Graygrammie, don't refinish the table. You'll probably destroy any value it has if you do that. That's the first rule of antiques - don't mess with the finish of anything before you talk to an expert or two. True antiques are worth more in their original condition, and so are sentimental ones.
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This is exactly what I wish and pray for when anyone loses a dear one - comfort in loving memories. You have been blessed with a bouquet of wonderful memories.
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Very nice memories and I'm sure she's saying it's about time my Granddaughter started using my things. 😇
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Your words made me smile!

I have my grandmother's dining room set. We never found the table pads and it is obvious she didn't use them -- she paid bills and wrote letters on that table and some of what she wrote can be seen in the surface of the table with just the right angle and light. So, I have my grandmother's handwriting and signature on that table! To me, it is a treasure!

Folks have told me that I'd increase the value of the set (apparently it is quite valuable) if I would have the table refinished. No way! My mom was once telling me that when she dies, I was supposed to get her dining room set and my sister was to get her bedroom set. Mom said, "Then you can get rid of that old set from Nanny." I didn't tell her, but I will never get rid of that "old set from Nanny."
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Family treasure’s exactly what they are! Enjoy them and pass them on when it’s your time to do so ❤️
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Such a great post. China every day, I love that. ❤️
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My granddaughters have got my grandmother's mink stoles. They play a big role in every play they put on.

One is one of those 'chains' of minks where it's the 'whole body' and the mouths are little clasps that grab the tail of the other mink (am I making any sense?) It's beyond glamorous and totally ratty. Also a full mink stole which smells like a wet cat.

The girls ADORE the stories of their GGGrandma. She was a kick in the pants, for sure.
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I loved reading your post. So sentimental and loving. I am so happy you have such treasures from your dear grandmother. Enjoy the memories of her and keep her close to your heart always. Hugs.
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A lovely story. Its wonderful you can experience that joy. I too live with alot that was passed down and have given my 3 adult children items they wanted..I wished they wanted a little more. Maybe my grandchildren will one day. My 5 and 7 year old granddaughters do love to visit my jewelry case in my closet which is mainly costume.
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How wonderful! Thanks for sharing and helping some who may be in the darkest part of their grief to see what could be beyond it.
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cwillie - glad i made you smile!!

sjp - olive dishes (i think?) are just her little cut crystal dishes with little compartments for "pickies" as she used to call them. Nibbles, I guess.

NeedHelp - she would indeed. She was a sentimental lady herself!

Daughter - yessss the rolling pin! I hope you make biscuits with it too :)
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Thanks for sharing such a nice story. I have a few treasures from my grandmother’s home, a place where I had so many happy times. Her home wasn’t anything grand at all, but it was her castle and she treated it as such. I also have committed to never seeing her home again, I’ve heard from others that it’s in a terrible state of disrepair, so it’ll live as it was I my wonderful memories. I have her rolling pin, the one that made endless biscuits from scratch. I’m glad you’re using your treasures, what good are they otherwise?!
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