The Estate Sale

I am tired from today, but for me it was productive and so much fun. An estate sale and a household sale in one day. Wasn't sure I was going to make it to the second one, but I did.

It's spring, and the sales are just begining in spite of snow flurries a few times today. Here I am weeding out my own extra stuff, but I'm getting more from other people's stuff.

The background at the first house was that the woman who died was 100 years old and died in her sleep. I believe that she and her husband came over from Checkoslavakia or Russia. The husband must have worked at Kodak. There were very old brownie cameras there that were before I had mine.

I don't think they came from Russia. That was a time when people couldn't leave the country. You can jump in here at any time. I do believe if people tried to leave Russia, they were quickly moved to Siberia.

I could almost see this woman's life story in front of my eyes. She took great care of all her posessions. There were some old large paperdolls in such excellent condition. All of her old dolls were there, porcelain I think.

Her doll house was there, very old, but in such great condition. I couldn't afford it, but just seeing it brought joy. It had been hand made from wood, complete with all the furniture. Tiny china plates and silverware were set on the round dining room table. All the tiny porcelain dolls were there, including the baby in a stroller. As I looked and touched I could feel what a delight these things brought to her as a child because I was experiencing delight just seeing them.

There were framed photos of ladys probably in their twenties. I found myself fantasizing about her life. She must have been very well read from all the books in several rooms on a very wide variety of subjects.

She was a cultured lady in Rochester. There were several lovely evening gowns in one of the bedrooms that she could have worn for concerts at The Eastman Theater, social functions, and charity events. She and her husband could easily have gone to social events at George Eastman's home(a mansion) on East Avenue.

Although their home was in Brighton(not low or middle class), they were probably in the upper crust of Rochester society. She could easily be in the social circles of Susan B. Anthony and Kate Gleason. She may have attended lunches at the Linsey's mansion(part owner of Sibley's) on East Blvd.

I did have the privledge of caring for Mrs. Linsey in her home for several days. There was the impressive stairway where the hostess could make a grand entrance with a small library at the top of the stairs. There was also a back stairway with an elevator for the servants use. Several bedrooms were in the back and upstairs for live-in help. I did hear of a ballroom in the basement, but I wasn't comfortable trying to find that.

I've just gone off on a tangent, but this is my site, so I can do that. I'm sure I will again and again. I love to ramble, and I'm having fun.

Sal