Fast Trip to Minnesota

In mid June, Himself received a phone call from his elderly cousins in MN.  They are some of the family we visit every year on "The Pilgrimage".  He (S) is 94 and she (C) is 88.  This sibling pair (neither have ever been married) have lived in their home for 75 years... since their parents moved there.  

They decided it was time to move into a Seniors apartment and sell the house.

The world of real estate and estate sales is completely foreign to them.  So they asked if we could come up and help them.  They also asked that we not tell around that we had come up to do this until they were both moved into the apartment.

In less than a week we were in their small town.

We cooked the suppers and they treated us to lunches out at their favorite cafe.

I set up appointments with the real estate agent and with the ladies who are cleaning out the house AND doing the estate sale.  Then I wrote out everything in layman's terms so they could easily understand it.

There was a lot of sorting to be done.  I love these built in China cabinets in their Arts & Crafts home.

Yes, they still have a wringer washer in the basement and used it until a couple years ago when the motor gave out.

C and I went through some of the heirloom dishware.  There are pieces that were her grandmother's.  She told us to take whatever we wanted.  I asked if I could pick out some pieces to offer the other cousins.  She liked that idea.  Here we are sorting thru as she tells me about the pieces.

S gave Himself one of his 78 rpm records.  (That's the leavings of a meatloaf supper still on the table.  LOL)

In sorting, we found all sorts of awesome family history.

From this recipe of C's mother...

To this 1885 wedding document.

We did as much as we could to help in the time that we had.

Persia supervised from her new favorite place.

After a bit it was time to head back to Tennessee.

(S & C are now in the apartment and adjusting to the change.  It's been hard on them.  We are so grateful we could help them with this.)

We drove home through Iowa; down to Des Moines then slanting east across the state.  We hit really nasty scary weather going through.

Why do I mention that?  Exactly one month later this very area was hit by multiple tornadoes.  We had driven through several of the towns.  Wow.