Note to self: Do not be a pack rat.

The daunting task of clearing out my Grandmother’s packed to the gills apartment in Queens has begun recently.

My parents and I worked non-stop for hours and didn’t even make a dent. I think we all started having panic attacks at the seventh hour when we realized that this could take months. She kept every cancelled check, every receipt, every letter, every postcard, every birthday card and every Valentine. I learned that she had several male Valentine’s in her older years that all seemed to be nuts about her (very sweet). She actually remarried when she was in her 70’s to Francis, a U.S. W.W II veteran of the Normandy invasion whom was also an immigrant to NY from Europe. He was from Lyon, France.

I found drawings I did when I was two years old, maps of the 1964 World’s Fair, programs to every concert she ever went to, egg noodles in a suitcase, cereal boxes in the TV cabinet, newspaper clipping of the Pope, tons of issues of the “Queens Courier” and this!Merv Griffin passed away the same day as Oma so it was a bit ironic to find this mixed in with all the papers. “Gentlemen” were required to wear a jacket and tie and “Ladies” were to wear dresses in order to attend the show. I wonder why she didn't go?