by Margie SenechalToday is the last day of my ten-day staycation.
I began my vacation with this face on the patio.
I had big plans for my vacation--my first extended break since 2014. I even wrote out a to-do list which consisted of dump runs, cleaning out the garage, mowing the yard and getting the gardens ready for fall, organizing my desks--yes, plural...
If you know me at all, even just through my writing, you can probably guess that nothing on my list got done.
And I spent a day and a half at the coast where we got to see a Pirate ship at the pier in Ilwaco, Washington and enjoyed the sparkling shoreline on Longbeach. It really was a perfect fall day at the shore.
The rest of my vacation was spent cleaning out my father-in-law's apartment. For a man who didn't have much, it sure was tough cleaning it all out.
We found some things of interest--pictures of great-grandparents for my girls to have and a Senechal family tree that goes back about ten generations. Here in Vancouver, the Senechals all belong to one family, but I hear in France, they are like Smiths. Knowing next-to nothing about this side of the family, it was interesting to find out that they immigrated from Quebec to New Hampshire and then went west to North Dakota and somehow one of them, being my FIL's father, ended up in the Pacfic NW.
The biggest mystery is the safety deposit key we came across. We know where it goes to but because Pete died without a will, we have to wait 40 days to name a representative that will be able to open the box.
Of course, this writer's mind has been speculating what could be in the box?
Like I said, my father-in-law was a man of little wealth. He lived on a meager income from Social Security and in a section 8 apartment. He had like five bucks in his checking account and no other investments--not even a life insurance policy to cover his cremation.So, what's in the box??
I did find a file of inventions with paperwork that looked like he intended to apply for patents. Did he? And is that what he felt was worth locking up?
I want something interesting--stock we didn't know existed, another key to a bigger mystery, a bundle of money....
It's probably nothing, but....what if???
Hi Margie. So sorry about your father in law. I remember what it was like to go through my parents' things. It's never easy. Maybe your FIL put a will in his safety deposit box. Sometimes people put papers that are important to them in safety deposit boxes, like birth certificates, and insurance papers. Whatever's in there, it was important to him. All the best.
ReplyDeleteI doubt there's a will because really there was nothing of value to disperse--a broken down car, a t.v. and a computer that I haven't broke the password on yet. LOL I am interested in learning what was important enough to lock away...and let the mind wander at the possibilities.
DeleteI hope you find something lovely for the family. My aunt had a drawer with many savings bonds in it, which was nice, but also receipts for property taxes back into the 1940s. My grandparents lost their home during the Great Depression and I don't think they ever got over the fear of losing it again.
ReplyDeleteAfter my grandpa passed, we found some disposable cameras behind the dresser which we got developed. All we found is that my grandmother was a terrible photographer—lots of elbows and backs. Lol But, it makes a great story.
DeleteI, too, hope you find something that your family will treasure.
ReplyDeleteI’m enjoying the mystery until the 40 days is up. Lol
DeleteI just lost my mother-in-law on Monday. I loved visiting her house in Annapolis. It was full of wonderful antiques and lots of interesting paperwork, like wills that listed who was going to get which slaves (very old and very disturbing) and a receipt for a room full of furniture for $12. I managed to get some things, but there was so much I would have loved to have loaded up a truck. She just called Goodwill and had them come and get it. At the end, she had nothing really. She actually liked me more than Russ. LOL She would always stay with me when she came to visit. Probably no mysteries anymore. But it sure used to be fun to explore her basement.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a treasure trove of history, Chris! Sorry for your loss. I always wished my grandparents had a basement or an attic, but grandma never saved any “dust catchers”. Lol
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