The French "Appel" Pie Adventure

My Mum...in her 80's......

Gee....I wonder where I get my love of garb?   ;)

Nature vs. Nurture.  Hmm.

Ah, 'twas a bittersweet weekend this past.

My Mum, who will be 101 this coming June 5, had to recently move to a care facility.
We'll call it that.  It pains me to write the NH word.

The Goddess knows, we tried, against all odds to keep her with the family, but some things just aren't meant to be and one comes to realize that facility care offers a host of things that no human on earth can provide in a home setting.  Kudos to my daughter for holding out until the bitter end and medical care made it necessary to move her.  There is no way in the world I would have lasted a day.

So, with that said, there comes a host of other, even more daunting tasks.  The tasks of cleaning out her home.

There's naught for it and it must be done.  No other way around it.
But, if she were passed then I might feel differently.  It's a bloody knife in my heart as I go about the tasks that I promised her I would never do until after she was gone.

Crappy daughter, I.

There are many (many!) days ahead of sorting and deciding but I made a bit of a start this weekend.
I thought that I'd share a few of the more treasured things I found and remembered fondly.

***********

I have no idea what the pin on the left actually is but I do know that I shall wear it proudly upon my pirate hat!  The wee knife to the right is also on the piratey side!

I can sew the wee knife to my pirate garb and always be ready for a sandwich!  ;)

Going out on a limb, due to the look and age, but will say that this was my grandfather's pipe!

Remember......Mum is 100............   

I love these!  I played with them sooooo many times when I was small.

Who knew.......Mum was the original Steampunk Girl!   ;)

I adore cameos in any and all forms!  

And the wee mag glass will go nicely with my Vic garb!

Ok.  THIS is wild!  Clearly my Mum was corresponding to someone in Paris!

This begins in English and is a recipe for "French Appel Pie" 

The next two pages are meticulous instructions in flawless handwriting-in French-

for the pie!  It closes with sending more the "next time I write."

I'm actually rather excited to see if I find any more from this person!

A "French Appel Pie" Adventure!

Vintage beaded purse.  I was real good up until I opened it and smelled the inside.

It smelled the way my Mum smelled when I was little............

The Dog is mine....but the derby was my grandfathers!

It's sooooo old!  Fragile.  And I adore it!

The sales tag inside is handwritten and reads:  3052 Blk $2.00 51/4

The sewn in leather tag reads:  Bains, Oswego NY

There's so much more to do.

Torn betwixt wanting to honor everything and knowing that decisions will have to be made.

And....facing the 'lock box' wherein all my adoption information lies............

which is what, essentially, this blog is all about.........

But, I shall smile, because to do otherwise would be a failure to celebrate my Mums

long and wonderful life.........

Thank you so much for coming on this journey with me......

it's appreciated knowing that you are all out there to urge me forward....share a smile.....or break my fall.......

or perhaps peel a few *appels* with me along the way..........

Let the French *Appel* Pie Adventure start!

(with a humble nod to Maurice Sendak...who loved an adventure!)

(Right after this nap..........)    ;)

addendum:  My bloggie friend, Jinksy, just sent me a link to the bird's foot broach!
Amazing!
Thanks, Jinksy!
Bird's Foot Broach