Yesterday was a regular Sunday afternoon at our house. It was glorious autumn weather, and after putting up a birdfeeder in our backyard, I planned to sit in the sunshine with a book. But then I got a text message
Just over a year ago, we moved from our 5 acre property to a home in town. We are well settled here, and as far as I know, so are the purchasers of our old place. As it turns out, they have plans to do some insulating in a space formed by a bedroom wall and the slope of the roof behind it. They opened up that space and that is where the hard work (for them) and magic (for us) began.
The message I received said that they had found a desk and some other things sealed up behind the wall. Just after we moved there, many years ago, the side wall of a small closet was open to the unfinished area. I had forgotten, but I do recall my son putting a small desk that he had no use for into that space. Later, the hole was covered with drywall and the desk forgot forgotten.
Well! As it turns out, there was a whole lot more there than an old desk. The current owners had every right to kick what could’ve been seen as junk to the curb. Instead, they said they’d found some things we might want to pick up.
Boy, oh boy, were they right.
Inside the boxes my son had put there, shortly before taking himself off to university in Virginia and staying there ever since, we found a summary of his sporting life. He played hockey well, and baseball better, and the first things we unpacked were plaques and trophies. This confirms my feeling that our family had spent a lot of time in arenas and at ball diamonds.
We found newspapers – – not just clippings, but entire sections of newspaper in excellent condition– – commemorating great sporting events. There were old jerseys and outlines of the fantasy league ball teams that my son and his dad did together. Best of all, these include the handwriting of his dad, my late husband, who passed away in 1998. Interestingly, the league is still going strong.
My daughter was thrilled to go through things, unwrapping her own good memories. When we had set everything up, she FaceTimed her brother and they looked at everything together. What a great day!
I want to publicly thank Helen and Al for not chucking this stuff into the garbage, which they could have so easily done. I am incredibly grateful that we had the chance to relive long ago memories on a gorgeous October afternoon.
Canucks! And a sweatshirt that Scott’s teacher gave him when her son outgrew it.
Everything has been cleaned of mouse contamination, washed, and boxed for my son to go through the next time he comes home. ♥️
Great story and memories
Love this story! The current owners are wonderful people. They deserve your amazing property. Our son left a set of expensive pots and pans that were a wedding gift to them, in the stove drawer when they moved. Hours later they contacted the new owners who denied seeing any pots and pans in the stove drawer. Not nice! Thanks for the heartwarming story.
I do not like that story, Ruth. Thankfully, most people are decent.