Are you attached to something silly???

**WV_mom_of2** · 01-13-2010, 12:03 PM

Here is a little background..

Growing up I didn't have much of a relationship with my parents. Life in our house was very tense for my brother and me.

My maternal grandparents were my saviors. They loved me and accepted me and were more like parents, even living 100 miles away, then my parents could have ever been. I was "their girl". I spent time on their farm every summer. I worked in the hay fields with Grand-dad and everything. Grand-dad died when I was 16 and Grandma moved down here to live. She and I were very close until her death in 2005. She was my kids primary grandparent, the one they spent the most time with, etc.

When she got sick my mom, my uncle and his B wife and myself took care of her. Grandma had always said she did NOT want the B wife taking care of her but she pushed her way in and took over and everyone was afraid to say something because we were afraid my uncle would get mad and not come back and that would have broken my grandma's heart. The wife is a real piece of work, loud, mouthy, know it all and out to get everything she can from everybody. My whole family hates her.

About the third week into my Grandma's illness we were all in there and the wife asks my uncle to get her flower pots out of the car. Grandma asks what she's going to do with flower pots and she informs her that she is going to dig up the impatiens my grandma planted beside the house(this is my grandma's house, not the uncles) and put them in pots and bring them in the house so Grandma can see them. I protested and told her if Grandma wanted to see them she could go outside(mom and I worked very hard to keep grandma up and moving and enjoying life as long as possible. Uncle and wife wanted her bedridden as soon as possible). She goes and does it anyway. Brings them inside and then announces to everyone that those are "hers" and she is taking them home when grandma passes on(woman is a B**ch!!)

Grandma asks me if I want to dig me up some of them. I tell her not really, they are just impatiens and will probably die in the house anyway. Grandma INSISTS that I dig one up and take home with me. Ok, I dig up a white one. I don't really like white ones but I wanted to leave the pretty colors there for Grandma. That dumb plant shrivels up and starts to turn brown, etc. I baby it and baby it and it just looks awful!

Grandma passes away and I baby that darned plant. I finally get tired of it and move it into the kitchen where it starts to liven up a little. On the morning of my Grandma's birthday that year I get up and darned if there isn't ONE little bloom on it!

Four years later and I am still babying that darned thing. It's huge now and blooms year round, pretty much non-stop. Problem is, it's in a tiny pot and needs to be re-potted. But I keep putting it off because I am afraid it will die if I repot it. Isn't that stupid? It's a PLANT for heavens sake!

Do you have an attachment to something silly like that???

**baxjul** · 01-13-2010, 12:14 PM

I have my mother's easter cactus. It used to bloom every year for my mom, but has never bloomed one time for me.

I think that it will be okay if you re-pot it.

**pop goes the weasel** · 01-13-2010, 12:21 PM

No that's not stupid. Your grandma is living through your plant and by blooming she is letting you know she's there with you. And if it does shrivel up and not come back there will be something totake it's place. You'll just have to realize what it is.
Now if this sounds stupid then so bi it. It's all in what you believe in.I believe that when a loved one passes they are still there in spirit to push you on to do something good or slap you on the back of the head for doing something stupid. Of course this is just my opinion.

**shoiji** · 01-13-2010, 12:35 PM

Doesn't sound stupid to me. What a wonderful way to remember you grandmother. All the nurturing you gave the plant has helped it grow. Go ahead and try replanting it. If you are unsure ask someone who knows what you should do.

**cab54** · 01-13-2010, 12:54 PM

I am very attached to all of the things I received from my grandma's kitchen after she died. If I had a living thing that was hers, I would feel the same as you. Not silly at all.

**mombottoo** · 01-13-2010, 01:11 PM

Yes, I do but it's not a plant. It's a lock of my mom's hair that I cut the day she died. Every year on Mother's Day and on her birthday I take that lock of hair out & rub it between my fingers.

**Josephhgoins** · 01-13-2010, 01:12 PM

mine is recipes, I have my grandmothers recipe box that I use all the time. The recipes from my other grandmother and grandfather were never written down, but I have them in my head and cherish them greatly.

Whenever I make them it brings me back to summers and weekends at my Granny and Paps's.

I have no heirloom pieces that I am really attached to though.

**shortstack** · 01-13-2010, 01:21 PM

My grandmother's hankies. I even had them framed. She carried them around always and blew snot in them for heavens sake but I still framed them.

Andrea

**pinetree** · 01-13-2010, 01:28 PM

I have and to this day use Grandma's angel food cake pan. I don't know how old it is, but I cherish it. I don't think you are sillly either.
You might call a nursery and see if they will repot the plant for you.

**WV_mom_of2** · 01-13-2010, 01:38 PM

I guess I should say that I have ALOT of my grandma's things. My mom got all the personal possessions and was kind enough to know what Grandma meant to me. She told me I could have anything I wanted as long as she didn't want it. I have a very old dish cabinet, a pie safe, her rocking chair, her old foot peddle sewing machine, her Hoosier cabinet, a crock, some of the kitchen gadgets, pieces of the first quilt she ever made, a dresser, etc. Everywhere you look in my house you can see something of hers. So it's not like I won't have anything left if the plant dies. I think I will wait until spring and then repot it and pray for the best.

**rudypoo98** · 01-13-2010, 01:42 PM

Cancelled checks that my dad wrote in the early 60's, for bills and of course beer.But they have his handwriting on them so are special to me.I have alot of things that were his mom's also I was the only one of us 4 kids that knew her.She died when I was 4 ,she was my favorite person in the world.I have the family bible,her dough board and rolling pin date,1897,wooden potato masher,plates,glasses,silverware,a pillow case she made for my dad,embroidered his name on it.Anything that was grandma's,my dad and mom's I treasure. I also have alot of things that were my moms,her pans things like that.Needle work she did a big embroidered picture of the Last Supper,quilts she made.

**andrew's mom** · 01-13-2010, 02:06 PM

I have my dad's book library from the 50's. He died almost 10 years ago but he signed the inside jacket of each one.

And no, it's not silly at all. I agree with Pop goes the weasel. It's just your grandma telling you she loves you. Her spirit lives on and she cares for you. Hang on to that plant, it's special.

God does work in mysterious ways.

**ShellyB** · 01-13-2010, 02:33 PM

Lovely stories all of them. Isn't it amazing how out of all this stuff, it's nothing that's worth a lot in $. When my Mom passed away last year it was really hard for me and my siblings because we had been taking care of her for the past 3 1/2 years. There is 7 of us and we all took turns (5 in town). My mom really didn't have much and what we all wanted of hers was her cooking items. Those meant the most to us. The way we divided them up was we all got together and whoever had the best story about the certain item, they got to keep it. It was a lot of fun and no arguments but we really never argue anyways. We all wanted my Mom's tin 1 cup measuring cup but my little brother got it because he told the story about Mom letting him use it to drink from when he was playing cowboy.

One of my favorite things I got was my Mom's big spoon she used to stir the spagetti sauce with.

**lilyrose** · 01-13-2010, 03:20 PM

These are all wonderful stories. I love them. I, too, have various things around from my parents and grandparents. However, the one I want to share is not something I have, but something my mom has that used to be her mothers. It's an old violin. Now, I never saw my grandma play, or even heard about it. I guess she had tried it out. My mom doesn't play violin. Even so, the violin is unusable and unrestorable. It's not out anywhere in her house. I guess my mom just likes the thought that it's in the house.

**JanieD** · 01-13-2010, 03:31 PM

Wow... I wish I had a story to share. These stories are wonderful. I think its important to hang on the little things that are special in life. I have so many items that I can't bear to part with that would be considered silly my most. These aren't treasures from grandparents or anything nearly as valuable, but I continue to hold tight to them. Some are things from my childhood like stuff animals or toys. Others are figurines or Christmas ornaments I collect. My biggest issue isn't others wouldn't "appreciate" my collections, but I'm running out of room to add more. Oh well, I not having too much of a problem just enjoying what I already have. Good luck repotting your plant this spring WV mom of 2!