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After 56 years in the same house， my mother was selling to move into an apartment in an 1）assisted-living facility.
My father had died five years earlier and the house was becoming a burden. Mom had broken her hip the previous spring and could no longer handle the stairs， the garden or the daily maintenance that is required of a homeowner.
The list on the refrigerator of service people—furnace repairman， gardener， appliance service man—rivalled her list of doctors and health-care providers.
Her biggest concern was not selling the house， but how to 2）dispose of a lifetime of treasures collected over 60 years of marriage and travel.
She could not take them all with her and she could not leave them behind. She did not want to donate them to a charitable organization and she did not want to sell them at a garage sale for strangers to purchase for a fraction of their value. Disposing of her cherished possessions became a cause of stress and sleepless nights.
Always resourceful， my 91-year-old mother devised a course of action. She decided to host a tea and gift party. She invited her children， grandchildren， brothers， sisters， nieces and nephews. She served party sandwiches， cakes， teas and juice boxes for the younger generation.
When we got to her house， all her treasures were laid out on display. There were linen tablecloths， 3）sterling silver dishes， servers of every shape and size， crystal bowls， vases and pieces of unknown origin or purpose.
There were sculptures and artworks collected from all over the world， oil paintings and watercolours. There were kitchen and cooking 4）utensils， including an original 5）Mixmaster that my mother had received as a wedding gift in 1946.
Some of the items had been brought by my mother’s mother from Romania when she immigrated in the late 1890s.
And there were books： cookbooks， novels， histories， classics and so much more. My father was an eclectic reader and had a vast library.
Everyone was told to tour the house and take what they wanted. One of my cousins had always coveted a silver serving platter but felt badly taking it. I told him to bring it home， enjoy it and invite my mother over for dinner， serving her with the platter.
Everyone had a ball， but the most laughter and tears came over the photographs. My mother had sorted a lifetime of family photos into two dozen dollar-store plastic trays. Everyone chose the pictures that held the most significance for them. There was my uncle’s first wedding （which came as a surprise to the children of his second marriage， who didn’t know he had been divorced）. There were holidays and family gatherings and pets long dead. We 6）hooted over the fashions and hairstyles. And we couldn’t believe what beauties some of our older relatives were in their youth. It’s hard to imagine the aunt with grey hair， false teeth and a walker as a babe with a Marilyn Monroe figure in a two-piece bathing suit.
There were pictures of my dad and my uncles in their Second World War uniforms， looking so young and handsome. And there was a group photo of servicemen. My mother cried as she put names to the faces and recalled the boys who never came back.
We called to mind family members and friends who had passed away. My cousins and I laughed until we cried as we recounted many “remember when”stories.
It was an incredible afternoon. No one wanted to leave the warmth of a house that had been the centre of so many happy gatherings and occasions. At dusk the food was gone， the sun was setting and we were still sitting around chatting and reminiscing.
I was so proud of my mother. Many people her age can’t let go of the past or their material possessions. That day， everyone took home something of great value—fond memories of Aunty Mary and a 7）tangible reminder of her love and generosity.
My mother was thrilled with the whole event. Her beloved treasures will live on in the family for generations to come. She was also able to offer a lesson on the value of giving and sharing.
There was still a lot of stuff to pack up and dispose of before the big move. We had a contents sale that didn’t make much money， but did reduce the clutter. What was left unsold we donated to an organization that helps new immigrants get settled.
Mom is now settled in her retirement home. When one of her many nieces and nephews come to visit， they share stories of how lovely her things look in their homes and how much they enjoy having them. This was truly a meaningful gift.
在同一所房子里度过了56年时光后，我的母亲打算把房子卖掉，然后搬进一间提供生活助理服务的公寓里。
我的父亲在五年前去世了，而这所房子就成了一个负担。母亲在刚过的那个春天摔伤了臀部，无法再打理楼梯、花园，或者进行每个屋主该做的日常保养。
冰箱上贴着的服务人员名单——锅炉维修工、花匠、电器服务员，与她那张列着多名医生和保健员的名单“相互辉映”。
她最大的担忧不是卖房子，而是如何清理掉在超过六十年的婚姻和旅行中积攒起来的一生的珍品。
她无法随身带走所有的物品，也舍不得将其丢下不管。她不想将这些东西捐给慈善机构，也不想在车库拍卖会上以很小一部分的价值将它们卖给陌生人。处置她那些珍宝成了引发压力和失眠的源头。
母亲总是那么的足智多谋，91岁的她想出了一个行动方案。她决定举行一个茶点与礼品派对。她邀请了她的子女、孙辈、兄弟、姐妹、侄辈和甥辈。她为年轻一代准备了派对三文治、蛋糕、茶水和果汁。
当我们去到她家时，她所有的珍品都已经摆出来了。有亚麻桌布、纯银碟子、各种形状和大小的托盘、水晶碗、花瓶和各种不明来源和用途的器件。
有搜集自全世界的雕塑和艺术作品，有油画和水彩画。还有厨房和烹饪用具，包括一台原版的“混合霸王”万能搅拌器，那是母亲1946年时收到的结婚礼物。
有些东西是我外婆在19世纪90年代后期移民时从罗马尼亚带来的。 还有一些图书：烹饪书、小说、历史书、名著等等，多不胜数。我父亲是个阅读广泛的人，家中藏书不少。
妈妈让每个人都在房子里走动，拿走自己想要的物件。我的一个表亲一直垂涎一只银餐盘，但不好意思拿走。我让他把盘子带回家，享受其带给他的乐趣，并且邀请我的母亲去他们家用餐，就用那个盘子为她上菜。
每个人都玩得很开心，但最多笑声和泪水的时刻来自翻看照片之时。我的母亲将毕生的家庭照片都分门别类放在二十多个一元店的塑料盘子里。每个人都选出对自己而言最有意义的照片。其中有我叔叔第一次结婚时的照片（这让他的二婚子女吃了一惊，他们并不知道叔叔曾离过婚）。其中还有假日和家庭聚会，以及那些早已离世的宠物的照片。
我们嘲笑那时的服饰和发型，不敢相信我们一些年长的亲戚年轻时竟是那么的漂亮。难以想象那位满头白发、一口假牙、推着助行架的阿姨，曾是那个穿着两件式泳装，拥有一副玛丽莲·梦露般身材的靓妞。
有我父亲和叔叔们穿着二战军装的照片，他们看起来那么的年轻英俊。还有一队服役人员的照片。在母亲对照他们的脸说出名字时，她回忆起那些一去不复返的男孩，泣不成声。
我们回忆起过世了的家庭成员和朋友。我和表亲们一直都在笑，直到我们说起很多“想当年”的故事时，我们都哭了起来。
那是一个令人难以置信的下午。没有人想离开这所温暖的房子，这里曾是众多快乐聚会和场景的中心。黄昏之时，食物都清空了，斜阳西下，我们依旧坐在一起聊着天，回味往事。
我实在以母亲为荣。许多像她这般年纪的人都无法放开往事或是那些物质财富。那一天，每个人回家时都带走了一些有重大价值的物品——对玛丽阿姨的美好回忆，以及一个能令人想起她的爱与慷慨的有形之物。
我的母亲因为整个活动激动不已。她珍爱的宝贝将在好几代人的家中继续焕发生命力。她也为我们上了宝贵的关于给予和分享的一课。
在母亲大搬家前还有很多东西要打包和清理。我们举行了一场物品拍卖，没赚什么钱，但确是清理掉了那些杂物。没有卖掉的东西，我们捐给了一个帮助新移民安居的组织。
母亲如今在安老院安顿了下来。当她众多侄辈、甥辈中的其中一个到访时，他们都会一起分享故事，说她那些东西在他们家里看起来很漂亮，而他们也很乐意拥有这些东西。这真是一件意义深远的礼物。
My father had died five years earlier and the house was becoming a burden. Mom had broken her hip the previous spring and could no longer handle the stairs， the garden or the daily maintenance that is required of a homeowner.
The list on the refrigerator of service people—furnace repairman， gardener， appliance service man—rivalled her list of doctors and health-care providers.
Her biggest concern was not selling the house， but how to 2）dispose of a lifetime of treasures collected over 60 years of marriage and travel.
She could not take them all with her and she could not leave them behind. She did not want to donate them to a charitable organization and she did not want to sell them at a garage sale for strangers to purchase for a fraction of their value. Disposing of her cherished possessions became a cause of stress and sleepless nights.
Always resourceful， my 91-year-old mother devised a course of action. She decided to host a tea and gift party. She invited her children， grandchildren， brothers， sisters， nieces and nephews. She served party sandwiches， cakes， teas and juice boxes for the younger generation.
When we got to her house， all her treasures were laid out on display. There were linen tablecloths， 3）sterling silver dishes， servers of every shape and size， crystal bowls， vases and pieces of unknown origin or purpose.
There were sculptures and artworks collected from all over the world， oil paintings and watercolours. There were kitchen and cooking 4）utensils， including an original 5）Mixmaster that my mother had received as a wedding gift in 1946.
Some of the items had been brought by my mother’s mother from Romania when she immigrated in the late 1890s.
And there were books： cookbooks， novels， histories， classics and so much more. My father was an eclectic reader and had a vast library.
Everyone was told to tour the house and take what they wanted. One of my cousins had always coveted a silver serving platter but felt badly taking it. I told him to bring it home， enjoy it and invite my mother over for dinner， serving her with the platter.
Everyone had a ball， but the most laughter and tears came over the photographs. My mother had sorted a lifetime of family photos into two dozen dollar-store plastic trays. Everyone chose the pictures that held the most significance for them. There was my uncle’s first wedding （which came as a surprise to the children of his second marriage， who didn’t know he had been divorced）. There were holidays and family gatherings and pets long dead. We 6）hooted over the fashions and hairstyles. And we couldn’t believe what beauties some of our older relatives were in their youth. It’s hard to imagine the aunt with grey hair， false teeth and a walker as a babe with a Marilyn Monroe figure in a two-piece bathing suit.
There were pictures of my dad and my uncles in their Second World War uniforms， looking so young and handsome. And there was a group photo of servicemen. My mother cried as she put names to the faces and recalled the boys who never came back.
We called to mind family members and friends who had passed away. My cousins and I laughed until we cried as we recounted many “remember when”stories.
It was an incredible afternoon. No one wanted to leave the warmth of a house that had been the centre of so many happy gatherings and occasions. At dusk the food was gone， the sun was setting and we were still sitting around chatting and reminiscing.
I was so proud of my mother. Many people her age can’t let go of the past or their material possessions. That day， everyone took home something of great value—fond memories of Aunty Mary and a 7）tangible reminder of her love and generosity.
My mother was thrilled with the whole event. Her beloved treasures will live on in the family for generations to come. She was also able to offer a lesson on the value of giving and sharing.
There was still a lot of stuff to pack up and dispose of before the big move. We had a contents sale that didn’t make much money， but did reduce the clutter. What was left unsold we donated to an organization that helps new immigrants get settled.
Mom is now settled in her retirement home. When one of her many nieces and nephews come to visit， they share stories of how lovely her things look in their homes and how much they enjoy having them. This was truly a meaningful gift.
在同一所房子里度过了56年时光后，我的母亲打算把房子卖掉，然后搬进一间提供生活助理服务的公寓里。
我的父亲在五年前去世了，而这所房子就成了一个负担。母亲在刚过的那个春天摔伤了臀部，无法再打理楼梯、花园，或者进行每个屋主该做的日常保养。
冰箱上贴着的服务人员名单——锅炉维修工、花匠、电器服务员，与她那张列着多名医生和保健员的名单“相互辉映”。
她最大的担忧不是卖房子，而是如何清理掉在超过六十年的婚姻和旅行中积攒起来的一生的珍品。
她无法随身带走所有的物品，也舍不得将其丢下不管。她不想将这些东西捐给慈善机构，也不想在车库拍卖会上以很小一部分的价值将它们卖给陌生人。处置她那些珍宝成了引发压力和失眠的源头。
母亲总是那么的足智多谋，91岁的她想出了一个行动方案。她决定举行一个茶点与礼品派对。她邀请了她的子女、孙辈、兄弟、姐妹、侄辈和甥辈。她为年轻一代准备了派对三文治、蛋糕、茶水和果汁。
当我们去到她家时，她所有的珍品都已经摆出来了。有亚麻桌布、纯银碟子、各种形状和大小的托盘、水晶碗、花瓶和各种不明来源和用途的器件。
有搜集自全世界的雕塑和艺术作品，有油画和水彩画。还有厨房和烹饪用具，包括一台原版的“混合霸王”万能搅拌器，那是母亲1946年时收到的结婚礼物。
有些东西是我外婆在19世纪90年代后期移民时从罗马尼亚带来的。 还有一些图书：烹饪书、小说、历史书、名著等等，多不胜数。我父亲是个阅读广泛的人，家中藏书不少。
妈妈让每个人都在房子里走动，拿走自己想要的物件。我的一个表亲一直垂涎一只银餐盘，但不好意思拿走。我让他把盘子带回家，享受其带给他的乐趣，并且邀请我的母亲去他们家用餐，就用那个盘子为她上菜。
每个人都玩得很开心，但最多笑声和泪水的时刻来自翻看照片之时。我的母亲将毕生的家庭照片都分门别类放在二十多个一元店的塑料盘子里。每个人都选出对自己而言最有意义的照片。其中有我叔叔第一次结婚时的照片（这让他的二婚子女吃了一惊，他们并不知道叔叔曾离过婚）。其中还有假日和家庭聚会，以及那些早已离世的宠物的照片。
我们嘲笑那时的服饰和发型，不敢相信我们一些年长的亲戚年轻时竟是那么的漂亮。难以想象那位满头白发、一口假牙、推着助行架的阿姨，曾是那个穿着两件式泳装，拥有一副玛丽莲·梦露般身材的靓妞。
有我父亲和叔叔们穿着二战军装的照片，他们看起来那么的年轻英俊。还有一队服役人员的照片。在母亲对照他们的脸说出名字时，她回忆起那些一去不复返的男孩，泣不成声。
我们回忆起过世了的家庭成员和朋友。我和表亲们一直都在笑，直到我们说起很多“想当年”的故事时，我们都哭了起来。
那是一个令人难以置信的下午。没有人想离开这所温暖的房子，这里曾是众多快乐聚会和场景的中心。黄昏之时，食物都清空了，斜阳西下，我们依旧坐在一起聊着天，回味往事。
我实在以母亲为荣。许多像她这般年纪的人都无法放开往事或是那些物质财富。那一天，每个人回家时都带走了一些有重大价值的物品——对玛丽阿姨的美好回忆，以及一个能令人想起她的爱与慷慨的有形之物。
我的母亲因为整个活动激动不已。她珍爱的宝贝将在好几代人的家中继续焕发生命力。她也为我们上了宝贵的关于给予和分享的一课。
在母亲大搬家前还有很多东西要打包和清理。我们举行了一场物品拍卖，没赚什么钱，但确是清理掉了那些杂物。没有卖掉的东西，我们捐给了一个帮助新移民安居的组织。
母亲如今在安老院安顿了下来。当她众多侄辈、甥辈中的其中一个到访时，他们都会一起分享故事，说她那些东西在他们家里看起来很漂亮，而他们也很乐意拥有这些东西。这真是一件意义深远的礼物。