Dear Jessie and Jolie,
NOTE: This list is no longer complete, but the one in the email folder I labeled "Binder" is always being updated.
These are some things in the house that you might want to have when I pass away. You can have anything that was mine, other than furniture, household items, and appliances that Louie is still using. Jessie has a legal document that entitles you to these things. You will have to work amicably with Louie to go through my things. He loves both of you very much so this won't be a problem.
You might not even be interested in any of this stuff, but if you are, or if your kids are, then the information is here. And the pictures might even be enough of a memory.
In this picture list of heirlooms, I tried to use first and last names for clarity, especially with your Dad and Grampa, since they were both silver artists. Remember to get the photos and photo albums in the front closet and on the computer and external hard drive, any of the teaching materials that you might want, camping gear, Christmas decorations and ornaments, recipes, recipe books, cookie cutters, muffin pans, special cake pans, sewing machines, sewing supplies, craft supplies and equipment, quilts, any of the gifts you gave me, and your own things that you have stored in the basement. Jessie's quilts are stored in my closet too. They are listed on a separate list, which she has. There is a folder in the file with family tree stuff, but I gave most of that information to Jessie years ago. Jessie has the passwords to everything, and this blog too. I wrote this in 2016, when we were finalizing the title on the house, and the wills and trusts, so things listed here will change if I live a long time, which I plan to do. When Grandma Evie passes away, there will be a few additions to this list, which I will try to remember to add.
******If any of the things from my parents and grandparents are things that you don't want, you should offer them to Carl and Brody. And any of the things from your Dad should be offered to your sisters if you don't want them. *******
Please don't fight over any of this. It is only stuff, and your long-term relationship is the important thing, especially between the two of you.
Love, Mom
Heirlooms
These 3 bells belonged to my Grandma Doris Kast. My Mom wrote about them on the back of
the Christmas card I am enclosing with this. She used the glass bell when entertaining to call “the help”
from the kitchen to clear for the next course.
The blue bell was purchased in San Francisco and sat on her
coffee table. All her
grandchildren were allowed to play with this and bang it on the table. When they grew up she had the table
refinished with the dents and scratches left in. (This, by the way, was why I let the kids build blocks and
climb on my coffee table. The
dents and scratches are my treasures.)
The cow bell used to have the U. of Iowa emblem on it, was
purchased in the 1920’s, and was taken to and rung at every home-coming game
for at least 25 years.
My Mom gave these to me when I started collecting bells.
This was my Dad's shaving mug, razor, and brush. I have fond memories as a VERY little girl of him lathering up my face and pretending to shave me (with the back side of the straight razor) while I watched him by the sink. Later on he switched to a safety razor, but he always lathered up with the round cakes of shaving soap, never aerosol, and he never changed to an electric shaver.
This candy dish was always on my Grandma Doris Kast's coffee table, and it was always full of candy, often homemade snip candy. It is chipped up, because she always let her grandchildren handle it.
This pounded brass bowl was my Mom (Evie)'s, and it was often on our dinner table. She usually lined it with a cloth napkin and served dinner rolls in it. In between, it was the fruit bowl on our kitchen table, with ready snacks of fruit for us.
This atlas was the one that accompanied us on all our trips (before GPS, of course!) It has highlighted all our routes on the US map page. It is one of my MOST TREASURED mementos, because the trips themselves are etched indelibly in my memory! The routes bring the memories back instantly. I know you will want this, or at least a picture of the map page.
This photo group is of Grandma Evie and her sister Geri around 1932-ish.
I was published in this book. There are two copies here, one for each of you, if you want them.
This was the chair my Mom rocked my brother and I in. We called it the Bye-Oh chair (pronounced bio).
This was Grampa George's sewing kit when he was in the Army.
This apron was my Grandma Alma Christensen's, and she gave it to me. I am sure she made it.
Grandma Evie's Coin Collection and Stamp Collections are in the fire safe in the basement. These have some financial value.
There is a plastic tub of things in the south shelves in the basement labeled "Kim's Treasures." There might be something in there you want, such as my antique doll which was Grandma Evie's "Judy." She gave it to me, and I LOVED her! There are other things you might want, too.