Old memories, New life

A few months ago, the mother of one of Jake's best friend's passed away. She had been ill for several months, but was not old, and it was quite sad. Jake's friend and his sister have been going through the process of dealing with their mother's estate - a task that is never short or easy. Yesterday they had close family friends over to their mom's house to look around and see if there was anything that sparked particular memories, as well as to get help cleaning up of some of the more non-sentimental items like wooden spoons and the like. 

Jake spent a lot of time with this family when he was growing up and things at his own home weren't ideal. He even spent one summer living in their shed/gazebo in the backyard. By all accounts, they were unfailingly kind and generous people who took their children's friends in as their own.

They have passed that generosity on to their children and both J and W were extremely encouraging and kind - they wanted their mother's possessions to go to people who would remember her and would use them - give them new life, as it were.

I have only gone through the complete clean-up process once in my life, for my Oma. She had downsized several times to eventually live in a one-bedroom condo, but it was jam-packed with all the articles that make a place a home, and it was rather surreal to be going through it with my aunts, uncles, and cousins, choosing keepsakes and the like.

Objects have a history, and this is what is fascinating about them. Buying everything new means there is no soul (although I guess eventually they would get a soul if you kept them long enough :) ) but when you can buy a set of pots for $15 from Ikea, and most of our other stuff is plastic, they don't seem to carry the same potential for greatness.

All that to say that our new (from the inside out, at least) home has gotten some injections of old soul into it, and we are extremely grateful and excited to give these things a new life.

 These chairs were built by W's dad, and he believed firmly (so says Jake) that wood should be left in its natural state to do its natural thing. Consequently these chairs are a little prickly, but also incredibly gorgeous (Jeope could have done much better pictures than I did). As Jake says, even if we don't sit in them often, looking at them from the front porch is enough. He has many memories of being around a fire with his friends, over looking the river in these chairs.

 (I really need to figure out the macro setting on my camera!)

 Mary (W and J's mom) also apparently had an eye for Danish style, and I am SO amazed to able to have these incredible pieces. We brought a magnet to the house just incase there were pots (induction stove means magnetic cookware is a must), and these are all cast iron, so they fit the bill. Not to mention, they are all gorgeous.

 This is the 'stew pot' that Jake and I both love the most. The proportions, wood handle and lid all combine to make this a pot I plan to use daily for ever. We made spaghetti sauce in it tonight, and it performed wonderfully.

 This pyrex is from my Oma's kitchen, and although I hardly ever make pies, I jumped at the chance to own her pie plates. There is something eternally Oma-ish about pie. Our wedding pie will be served out of this plate (one of them, anyway :))

This last item is one that Jake and his sister do battle over every time they are in the same place. It is an enamelled colander from their mom's kitchen. Jake says it could be older, he isn't sure. It is another daily-use item that will be treasured long beyond our lives (we hope!)

All of these precious items (except the chairs, obviously) were photographed on the Apple Table from my Oma's house. It was where, every fall, we cored, peeled and sliced apples for dried apples. I have had it for a while and love it, though it is but a simple table. It is one of the pieces, when we were negotiating furniture when I moved in, that was non-negotiable for me and it has found a cozy little home under the windows under the back sunroom. We eat there, hang out there, dream there, discuss there. It is an anchor for our lives right now, and its sentimental value grows daily.

In life in general, I eschew shopping. I don't get such a thrill from bringing home new things from the store. It seems that more often than not, what we bring home from the mall will be garbage at some point, and it is pointless to me to have it in my house for a while before sending it to the landfill. This is why I am drawn so intensely to older items - all of the things pictured will last and last and last as long as someone is around to make them useful. We are honoured to continue the chain of useful-ness for W and J's family, and will do so for our own as well.