Monday, February 4, 2008

Moving on..

Another day of shredding and shedding. I can't quite believe how much old paperwork I have been hoarding in the innocent-looking white boxes I bought from Ikea. At the time (5 years ago) I thought it was a cool plan to file everything away in these boxes, and they look pretty good stacked up in my Study. But, and it's a big but, they were simply hiding the real problem - why couldn't I get rid of all the rubbish?
Selling Son's flat has proved to be the catalyst for a huge clearout. Once I started emptying files and shredding paper, I just couldn't stop. I'm now on green poly sack number three, and nowhere near finished. I'm not just shedding paper weight am I? No, there's a lot of emotional junk being shifted along with the physical junk. I'm space-clearing I guess, to give it a Feng-Shui label. But it feels very good, whatever you call it.

The other good thing about all this paper shuffling is that I've re-discovered all my writing, which has been hidden away in the afore-mentioned boxes. It was, I suppose, convenient to tuck it all away, especially when Daughter and Grandson erupted into my life three and a half years ago. I tried manfully (or womanfully) to keep going with the book I had started, but the impact of a four-month old Grandson and a Daughter who'd been dumped by her partner (in fact he had completely disappeared one night, and didn't reappear for a year!!) was an implacable force. They had to move in with me (they had nowhere else to go) and he had left Daughter with a four thousand pound debt to go with the baby. Nice! For a while, my dining room was full of boxes and black plastic sacks, stacked four feet high. Daughter was completely shattered by the whole experience, and Grandson was a delight. The little darling ate and slept and smiled through it all. And eventually Daughter and I caught up with him. And here we are, much later, having survived and moved on. It's amazing what you can get through isn't it?

Anyway, I digress. I've re-discovered my book, and am quite determined to start writing again. Three cheers. Let's see if I can do it.

How are my family, you may wonder? Well Daughter and Grandson are settling in nicely with the Boyfriend, and Grandson starts his new Nursery School tomorrow. They are coming down for the day on Thursday, for my Birthday, which will be lovely. Son is still (I assume) getting on with buying the flat in London. I haven't heard much about it, but hope I will see him and maybe the Girlfriend at the weekend. It's strange to be semi-separated from them after so long being intimately connected. I guess I was very lucky to have them so close for so long.

So, M. French President Sarkozy has married his model. How cute! Apparently he is very short, or should I say vertically challenged. And she is probably quite tall. I'm sure he makes up for this in other ways though.

Post Script (which I should send to my Aristocratic BF, because it concerns a Mobility Scooter, which she says she can't wait to have): I read in the Guardian on-line that a poor woman had been knocked down by a hit-and-run Mobility Scooter!! She is eighty-something, and in hospital with broken bones. Apparently the driver of said scooter ran her down, saying that he didn't have time to stop, he was in a hurry! Dear God, whatever next...

9 comments:

Donna said...

What a familiar story! Our daughter Crystal and her 2 precious little ones, came to live with us after Her hubby, of 10 yrs, told her he was having an affair with his Best Friends Wife...Hummm..She dumped him and come to us...Hope you get your book "going"!! hughug

Potty Mummy said...

Hello Margot, thought I would pop over after your nice comment on my blog. Getting rid of paperwork is cathartic, isn't it? Not that I can ever bring myself to, of course. I can see the scene in 20 years time; I will still be sitting agonising over whether to throw out Boy #2's first collage from nursery...

A Mother's Place is in the Wrong said...

Donna - how amazing that this seems to happen so often! We must be strong to survive it all, musn't we?

Potty Mummy - I've just literally discovered 20 year old drawings and paintings hiding in the filing system! What do I do with them?

Expat mum said...

Hi there.
I suggest framing the drawings and paintings - you don't have to chuck everything out. Even if you don't think they're that good - most things look better with some matting and a frame around them!

Dusty Spider said...

An all too familiar family story I'm afraid. I've been through trauma with my son's relationship that gave me my first grandchild. Not sure the new way of "walk out rather than try and fix it" isn't damaging the next generation.

I too have kept my children's pasta paintings from school 30 odd years ago. Should throw them really but can't bring myself to discard their first artistic efforts.

Go on - write your book!!

A Mother's Place is in the Wrong said...

expatmum - thank you, you're right, it's not necessary to shed everything, and they would look great framed.

dusty spider - how come so many people seem to think it's OK to abandon a relationship and children? I hope our grandchildren will survive intact.

Stinking Billy said...

Margot, I hope you have a bigger and better shredder than mine, which can only take 5 sheets at a time. Shredding is the most long-winded, boring job imaginable to me.
Our married daughter borrowed mine and as far as I am concerned she can keep it. The next time I have a heap of papers to get rid of I will burn them in a bin, inside our outhouse, or wherever.

It will no longer be a loss to the recycling authority because they no longer take shredded paper. It's too difficult for them to recycle, apparently.

aims said...

Why not give them to whoever made them?

And do get on with the book - and good luck!

A Mother's Place is in the Wrong said...

Hi Billy, actually my shredder is about the same, so it has taken ages to get it all bagged. I'm putting it all in my big green bin!

Dear Aims, good suggestion as always - and good encouragement. I'll keep trying...