Special possessions

[Airehead]

What is the one special possession that you have that you would hate to lose?

 

I have a little stone that my youngest gave me when she was like three.  She said, this is for you, it si a love rock.

[Parr8hed]

My grandfather Griffin had a little ceramic wiener dog that sat on his dresser.  The head would hold a watch and the tail your rings.  The middle was where you put your wallet.  It's all I wanted when he died.  My mom got it for me.

[ChrisL]

Probably a P38 (military rations can opener) my oldest brother gave me before I left for basic.  I have carried it with me on my key chain for 37 years.  

Some years ago I was going through a screening at a court house.  The screener wouldn’t let me take the P38 in and told me to remove it and he’d hold it for me.  The hell you will, I’ll put it in my car.  You will have to wait in that line, you may miss your hearing, just let me hold it for you.  I’ll take my chances... Something tells me I would never have seen it again.

[Kzoo]

I don't get too tied to possessions so I would have to think about this.  My dad worked commercial construction for many years and had a nice (very nice for the time) hammer drill from the late 60's.  It's industrial grade in a nice metal case with lots of masonry bits.  He gave it to me in 1984 when I was building my first house and he had recently retired.  I use it maybe once about every 2 years and I certainly appreciate the hammer power when I need it.

 

[Kirby]

I tend to be sentimental, so it's hard to narrow it down to one thing.

When my parents were recently married, my Dad saw a pin he wanted to get for my Mom.  It was a gold circle pin with a pearl and he thought it was lovely.  But they were young and didn't have much money.  He walked by the store that had the pin in the window many times on his way to work, really trying to decide if he could afford it.  After much evaluation, he got the pin and my Mom always loved it.  I'm sure he eventually purchased jewelry that cost more for her, but probably nothing that was such a hit to the budget at the time.  When he talked about it decades later, I could still hear his worry and excitement about the purchase. 

Some time after my father died and we were discussing  household things, I mentioned to my Mom how beautiful I thought that story was and that I didn't care about other jewelry but I'd like to inherit that at some point.  The next time I visited she gave it to me, saying it's better to give it with a warm hear than a cold hand. 

[Kirby]

But as I said, I'm sentimental and keep a lot of things because of their emotional value.  I still have the teddy bear I got on mu first birthday and my childhood Raggedy Ann and Andy.  I have a few of the pictures that hung in our house when I was a kid.  And the paintings that my parents did at some art classes put on by the church one year.

And some pictures that a dear sweet old lady painted for me.  I thought she was an incredibly nice person and I loved her enthusiasm for all sorts of little things.  Those paintings remind me of her great spirit and excitement for life. 

I also have the replacement for my beloved blue clock.  I saw the clock in the window of a stamp redemption center that we passed every time I went to the orthodontist as a kid.  It had a glimmery blue face and I thought it was beautiful.  But our local store didn't give those redemption stamps. So my kind parents spent a summer driving to stores far away to get enough stamps for me to get the clock.  Eventually the clock got lost over time.  It probably broke after I went to school but somehow it was gone.  I later found the same clock on ebay and had a reserve bid for an incredibly high amount for an old, dated clock.

My Mom had a "lucky bracelet" that she wore for pretty much every important event in our lives - exams, medical procedures, travel etc. I feel oddly obligated to wear it when my nephew gets married.

I could keep going which partly explains why my house is messy. 

[petitepedal ★]

I am also sentimental..and love old family stuff..but having lost my mom 40 years ago..the people and memories are more important than things...but that said I have lots of "treasures"...DON'T MAKE ME CHOOSE. 

[MickinMD ★]

My family and friends pictures and video collections - print and digital.

I was very fortunate to recover them intact from the house fire.

[ChrisL]

I have a bottle of Electric Shave in my medicine cabinet & I don’t even have an electric razor.  My wife stopped asking me decades ago about it, I finally told her I bought it for my dad for Father’s Day but he passed a few days before Father’s Day so I never gave it to him. 

So I just kept it, since 1981...

[goldendesign]

A little "book shelf" I made in woodshop class back in middle school. It contains the American flag I got when my grandfather passed. The local VFW gave the flag to me when they rolled out to salute the passing of another WWII vet. 
The flag has never been flown nor unfolded. 

 

[Airehead]

37 minutes ago, Kirby said:

 

I was pretty certain the clock would come up in this thread.

 

26 minutes ago, Kirby said:

But as I said, I'm sentimental and keep a lot of things because of their emotional value.  I still have the teddy bear I got on mu first birthday and my childhood Raggedy Ann and Andy.  I have a few of the pictures that hung in our house when I was a kid.  And the paintings that my parents did at some art classes put on by the church one year.

And some pictures that a dear sweet old lady painted for me.  I thought she was an incredibly nice person and I loved her enthusiasm for all sorts of little things.  Those paintings remind me of her great spirit and excitement for life. 

I also have the replacement for my beloved blue clock.  I saw the clock in the window of a stamp redemption center that we passed every time I went to the orthodontist as a kid.  It had a glimmery blue face and I thought it was beautiful.  But our local store didn't give those redemption stamps. So my kind parents spent a summer driving to stores far away to get enough stamps for me to get the clock.  Eventually the clock got lost over time.  It probably broke after I went to school but somehow it was gone.  I later found the same clock on ebay and had a reserve bid for an incredibly high amount for an old, dated clock.

My Mom had a "lucky bracelet" that she wore for pretty much every important event in our lives - exams, medical procedures, travel etc. I feel oddly obligated to wear it when my nephew gets married.

I could keep going which partly explains why my house is messy. 

 

[Zephyr]

I have my Great, Great Grandfather's pocket watch from the 1870s.

I also have a wooden tall ship with leather sails.  It was a gift to my great uncle from his friend Sir Maxwell Aitken (Lord Beaverbrook), who was a member of Churchill's inner circle during WWII.  My great uncle had a riverboat and Aitken was a big sailor, so they spent many evenings over drinks debating sail vs. power boating.  Aitken would send my uncle gifts several times a year, and they always were sailboats.  It sat in the same place in their house my whole life.  My great aunt left instructions for it to go to me because she said I loved it my whole life.  It sits in my living room.

[Longjohn ★]

14 minutes ago, MickinMD said:

My family and friends pictures and video collections - print and digital.

I was very fortunate to recover them intact from the house fire.

^This, I have a bunch of photo albums that are water damaged. I should go through them and throw out the ones that are too damaged and put the good ones in new albums. I may be the only one who remembers these people. My parents are both long gone as is my father in law. They would have remembered our foster kids. 
I have guns that my dad bought for me when I started to hunt. I don’t hunt anymore but I still keep the guns. My father in law gave me some guns too but most of those I passed on to my son.

[Thaddeus Kosciuszko]

3 hours ago, Airehead said:

What is the one special possession that you have that you would hate to lose?

My sanity.

 

Whoops!       Too late!

[Kirby]

When my Mom moved from the big house to the one bedroom apartment, I scanned in tons of pictures and put them on a digital frame for her.  I made copies of the usb for each of my sisters so we all have backups.   That digital frame was oddly mesmerizing.  We'd go over for lunch and find ourselves staring at the pics like something out of the Twilight Zone.

[jsharr ★]

A hand made nail from the cabin my ancestors built when they came to Texas in 1847.

A ratchet wrench that my grandfather made for himself.  

I hope to inherit my grandfathers Dallas Fire Department badge from my parents.  My brother has his fire helmet that he inherited from our uncle when he passed.

[Kirby]

50 minutes ago, Airehead said:

I was pretty certain the clock would come up in this thread.

 

I was going to mention the spring fever green tumblers and the formerly unfortunate but now a sign of parental devotion pink tumblers, but I thought my list was getting too long already.

[groupw]

I’m sentimental, but I don’t have any 1 physical item that I value more than others. I value the memories and stories above all. That is my mission now is to document what I have learned and remember to pass on to the next generations. 
A few years back, we had dinner with several of my cousins at a family reunion. The only cousin older than me had recently passed due to cancer so I was now the group leader. Our grandma had died of cancer when I was 14. Grandpa passed when I was in my early 30s. 
After dinner, I asked each to share memories of our childhood events together. I then asked to share memories of the grandparents. I shared one of Grandma’s quick humor. A cousin just a few years younger said all she had was images and moods, but no real stories. She was 9 when Grandma died. I realized I need to document what I had so it isn’t lost completely. 

[Kirby]

My uncle recorded a number of cassette tapes with stories from his childhood.  He was an English Professor and a great storyteller. The stories included silly things like wacky lunch orders from the local deli when they were kids.  It wasn't anything dramatic and huge, just childhood memories.   The tapes were mainly a gift for his wife and kids, but he gave copies to his siblings as well.  When we were cleaning out the house, I found the tapes and had them converted into a digital format. At that time my uncle had passed, and it meant so much to my Mom to relive these childhood memories and especially to hear them in her brother's voice.  She spent many happy hours listening to those stories.  I'd definitely recommend your preserving those stories, @groupw and to use video so that people can hear you and other family members sharing those stories.   Even if someone just recorded a dinner at another family reunion where people discussed those memories.

[Zephyr]

29 minutes ago, jsharr said:

A hand made nail from the cabin my ancestors built when they came to Texas in 1847.

This is awesome.

[Randomguy]

I have a number of things that have great sentimental value.  I have a polished stone bottle opener that my grandfather gave me at one point, then I have the last Kong ball I bought for my dog while she had cancer.  I have a Starbucks insulated travel mug that reminds me of camping and road trips taken with my friend with the brain injuries, the 3,000 tigers guy.  Then there are RO's stuffed animals I keep with me, particularly Frosty and Slothie and Kitty.  There are lots of others, I guess I am way more sentimental than I thought!

[Prophet Zacharia]

3 hours ago, Parr8hed said:

My grandfather Griffin had a little ceramic wiener dog that sat on his dresser.  The head would hold a watch and the tail your rings.  The middle was where you put your wallet.  It's all I wanted when he died.  My mom got it for me.

Did they create the character of Butch Coolidge after you? Did you keep your grandfather’s war watch on it? 

[maddmaxx ★]

I don't think I have anything of great sentimental value any more.  I was really bummed when the Daytona got toasted and it took a couple of years to get over.  Nothing has replaced it.

[Prophet Zacharia]

I have a bunch of hand drawn birthday and fathers’ day cards from my kids when they are little. I was looking at these last night, this will be my answer.

I don’t think I have anything from my father. His watch was “lost” in the hospital at the time of his death. 

I’ve worn one watch for about 25 years. For my 50th birthday I was given a new one. I plan to pass these on to my two boys when the time is right.

[Mr. Silly]

My paternal grandmother was a well known china painter.  She was choses as part of a cultural exchange delegation to go to China when Nixon normalized relations with them.  I'd be heart broken if any of those pieces broke.

 

[ChrisL]

39 minutes ago, Prophet Zacharia said:

I have a bunch of hand drawn birthday and fathers’ day cards from my kids when they are little. I was looking at these last night, this will be my answer.

I don’t think I have anything from my father. His watch was “lost” in the hospital at the time of his death. 

I’ve worn one watch for about 25 years. For my 50th birthday I was given a new one. I plan to pass these on to my two boys when the time is right.

Oh man we have boxes of that stuff too. We just can’t get ourselves to unload it.

[Kirby]

1 hour ago, Mr. Silly said:

My paternal grandmother was a well known china painter.  She was choses as part of a cultural exchange delegation to go to China when Nixon normalized relations with them.  I'd be heart broken if any of those pieces broke.

 

It's certainly not the same as the actual china, but I hope you've photographed the pieces. Sometimes even pictures can remind us of sentimental things.

 

[Parr8hed]

1 hour ago, Prophet Zacharia said:

Did they create the character of Butch Coolidge after you? Did you keep your grandfather’s war watch on it? 

5 long years I wore that uncomfortable hunk of metal, up my ass...

[Dirtyhip]

Nothing. Maybe my wedding ring. I don’t keep too many things that have special value.  My grandfather gave me some trinkets. I sold most all of them that had any value. I have no heirs and don’t care too much about keepsakes like that. 
 

I do like the rolling pin that my grandma gave me. Julia would be proud cause it is not a tiny one that is toylike. It’s beefy. 
 

we have a cast iron Wagner Ware pan that I am fond of. 
 

I keep next to nothing and my home is very Spartan. I like it this way.

[Digital_photog ★]

have my great-grandparents Seth Williams  mantel clock.  Made in the 1890s.  It runs but could use a cleaning again.  I think after visiting @Airehead that she may appreciate that one too.

[Prophet Zacharia]

27 minutes ago, Parr8hed said:

5 long years I wore that uncomfortable hunk of metal, up my ass...

I know this was a kangaroo, but I couldn’t think of anything other than Butch’s speech to Fabienne when you posted. 

[BuffJim]

I carelessly lost a maple walking stick that my sister-in-law made for me in the late 80s. I used it so much over 30 years that the wood was worn smooth as Tennessee Whiskey. And I left it at a trailhead in the Adirondacks. I went back (30 mile round trip) the next day. There were 4 or 5 walking sticks, but mine was gone. 

[Airehead]

3 hours ago, Kirby said:

I was going to mention the spring fever green tumblers and the formerly unfortunate but now a sign of parental devotion pink tumblers, but I thought my list was getting too long already.

I love that story. 

[jsharr ★]

4 hours ago, Zephyr said:

I have my Great, Great Grandfather's pocket watch from the 1870s.

I also have a wooden tall ship with leather sails.  It was a gift to my great uncle from his friend Sir Maxwell Aitken (Lord Beaverbrook), who was a member of Churchill's inner circle during WWII.  My great uncle had a riverboat and Aitken was a big sailor, so they spent many evenings over drinks debating sail vs. power boating.  Aitken would send my uncle gifts several times a year, and they always were sailboats.  It sat in the same place in their house my whole life.  My great aunt left instructions for it to go to me because she said I loved it my whole life.  It sits in my living room.

Who left you those three boobs?

[Zephyr]

8 minutes ago, jsharr said:

Who left you those three boobs?

Now I can only see boobs and not whales......  

[jsharr ★]

Just now, Zephyr said:

Now I can only see boobs and not whales......  

@Razors Edge will only see three legs, so there is that.

[12string]

I'd be hard pressed to come up with an item.  Our house is full of stuff that's really stories, but we'd still have the stories if the stuff went away.

But I'm REALLY enjoying reading all of your stories!  Thanks!

[Mr. Silly]

3 hours ago, Kirby said:

It's certainly not the same as the actual china, but I hope you've photographed the pieces. Sometimes even pictures can remind us of sentimental things.

 

Oh yeah...

This is my favorite.  She painted it for me as a house warming present when I got my first apartment.  It is atypical of her work.  She usually painted flowers and some china dolls.  She didn't think I'd like a flowery vase because she thought I'd think it wasn't masculine enough.  She painted the wintery branches for me though.

 

This pitcher is my typical of her work.

 

[Airehead]

2 hours ago, Digital_photog said:

have my great-grandparents Seth Williams  mantel clock.  Made in the 1890s.  It runs but could use a cleaning again.  I think after visiting @Airehead that she may appreciate that one too.

I love clocks

[maddmaxx ★]

44 minutes ago, Airehead said:

I love clocks

Oops.  Bad eyes.

That was a near disaster.

[Ralphie ★]

The green ceramic cat that used to sit watch in my grandparents' front picture window now sits watch in a side window looking oot on people coming and going in our driveway.

[Dirtyhip]

1 hour ago, Airehead said:

I love clocks

We had a Seth Anthony from my family.  It got a good price on eBay.  

[Further]

My finger has grown around my wedding ring, the only way it is coming off is cutting, either the finger or the ring.

I'm not supposed to wear jewelry at work, but the ring has never been noticed.

I have some old furniture from my mother, and a few old pictures, but I wouldn't miss them if they were gone tomorrow.

I expect to be cremated wearing my wedding ring.    

[Square Wheels]

[Mr. Silly]

My father had a hat.  It was an ugly tan corduroy fedora.  He wore it when he was coaching his hockey teams.  To my father, youth hockey was as important to my father as Boy Scouts are to JSharr.   To me, it was part of his identity,   When he passed, Mom was with my sister and I and asked if there were any personal items of Dad's that we wanted.  I said I wanted my dad's hat.  Both Mom and my sister looked at me like "WTF?".  I displayed the hat for a  long time in my living room even when all I had was a crappy  1 bedroom apartment.  

I got married.  We bought a house.  We adopted a dog, Lucy.  I displayed the hat a little bit low and Lucy saw it as a toy.  I still remember the day when Mrs. Silly called me at work to say that Lucy destroyed the hat.  She thought I would be devastated.  I was saddened by the lose because it was a part of my life story.    I didn't dwell on it much though and I don't know why.  Maybe Dad asked Lu to destroy the hat so I could move on.  I don't know.  I don't care,  It was just an ugly hat.  

Since I am writing about it,  maybe I do miss the hat.

[Dirtyhip]

11 minutes ago, Square Wheels said:

Yup.

Sell the clock, the watch, the figurines and other things that bog me down.

[shootingstar]

1 hour ago, Square Wheels said:

Well, this is partially true for objects here and there.  And if that is really true, then squarewheels, also we should not love people in our lives too much?  Loss is grief and it's huge for awhile.

I treasure....my mind/memory.  

I have a few things...some which have been shown in this forum in other topics.  We have no photos of any grandparents and older.

So it's my mother holding me as a baby and she is wearing a cheong-sam dress with high mandarin collar, a photo of my parents just after they married within months after my mother landed in Canada as a picture bride.

[ChrisL]

2 hours ago, Square Wheels said:

Can I have that fancy new Trek then? You can’t get attached and therefore suffer if I’m riding it! 😁

[Square Wheels]

54 minutes ago, ChrisL said:

Can I have that fancy new Trek then? You can’t get attached and therefore suffer if I’m riding it! 😁

Sure, if you need it, you can have it.

[Prophet Zacharia]

12 hours ago, Dirtyhip said:

I keep next to nothing and my home is very Spartan. I like it this way.

“The things you own end up owning you. It's only after you lose everything that you're free to do anything.”

Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club