[craigster59]

I'm preparing to retire soon and will start going through stuff and thinning the herd. I've got too many spoons, guitars and fly fishing gear and no close relatives that have much interest in those kind of things so I'll keep what I can that will make me happy in my later years and sell the rest.

I've got some pictures and other mementos that I will pass on to Cousins and relatives. Without going into it too much I had an Aunt who was very close and was a big part of my raising. I was a bit of a rambler so when it came to diplomas, yearbooks, and personal stuff she would always say "Let me hold on to it. You move around so much it might disappear".

Well, she remarried and my step Uncle isn't a bad guy but he's a bit of an oddball. She would promise me her Scandinavian furniture she bought in Denmark back in the early 60's and 5 acres up in Shasta that was "mine". Also numerous heirlooms from my Grandmother and Grandfather that she held for safe keeping.

Well, wouldn't you know it she passed a few years ago, before my step Uncle who is still kicking. He was grieving and talking about how he wanted to go through everything and he would be sending me some things. I offered to drive up to Nevada City to go through stuff but he replied that he was in mourning and "couldn't deal with that right now".

Well, I started getting boxes of junk that didn't belong to me and "mementos" like the autographed program from the "Bruce Jenner Golf Classic at North Ranch" and some random posters from the Laguna Beach Pageant Of The Masters.

I finally asked him what happened to the furniture, jewelry, real estate and other heirlooms. "Oh, those ladies in hospice were so nice to Judy in her last days I donated it all to them. I needed it out of here".

Oh well. It's just stuff. Could really have used those 5 acres though.