The snow melts on the mountain
And the water runs down to the spring,
And the spring in a turbulent fountain,
With a song of youth to sing,
Runs down to the riotous river,
And the river flows to the sea,
And the water again
Goes back in rain
To the hills where it used to be.
And I wonder if life’s deep mystery
Isn’t much like the rain and snow
Returning through all eternity
To the place it used to know.

William Randolph Hearst

Seagulls, hundreds and thousands of seagulls, ravens, blackbirds, and crows flying overhead and making quite a ruckus.  My mind goes back to early childhood Sundays spent at the county dump with my old man when he had to rid the yard of tree parts too thick to burn or too light to stay put.

As a young girl of eight or ten years old there was no better way to spend a Sunday early morning or even late afternoon than riding along with pop in the old blue Chevy to the local dump.  I loved the smell of sun drenched fabric and windblown woodpiles mixed with soil and old broken bottles.  I could watch the big black bears dig deep into the hills of mulch looking for a special treat to feed them and their offspring.

The thought which caught my mind from early on was one of wonder and curiosity.  Why on earth would anyone throw out a perfectly good pair of shoes, pants, or even a rain bonnet?  What occurred to them that would allow for the families who frequented this dump to waste so much food, housing items, and even rare or collectible antiques and family heirlooms?

From the early age of childhood until I sit here today at over 50 years old, I simply don’t understand why someone would let that unwanted item rot in a landfill or be ruined by the elements when someone just down the road might pay them for the privilege of re-homing it or take it for free.  I know for a fact that most things can be moved to another venue and appreciated for years to come.  I have proof that when need be, one can sell almost anything he no longer needs as there is always another person in another situation who could use a perfectly good pair of trousers.  Always.

My job is a blessing in and of itself. I get paid to be nosy and see new things, learn more history, find out new trivia.  I earn my living by taking things from a family who no longer has a use for them, and placing them in the hands of another that needs them desperately and most times is so grateful to acquire them.  What a life!  Supporting my daughter on other people’s burdens lifted.  What a great thing to teach her in helping those around us.

Years back when I came upon a house with a dumpster in the front drive, I wondered aloud why they might do that.  Why would these people send for me, then the day after they called and made an appointment, order a dumpster to toss everyday useful items into?

The thought occurred to me then and there that they hadn’t a clue.  These well-meaning individuals were so very distraught and overwhelmed with the challenge they came upon when they got into town, that after burying their parent, they simply wanted to empty the home and leave as quickly as possible.

The sad part was, in the next few days my crew and I spent most of our time unearthing many expensive trinkets and valuable treasures, cleaning them and organizing, pricing and advertising them for sale.  They could have skipped the cost of the dumpster altogether saving them just over $400.00 and a phone call to boot.

This is just one incident where families who have hired me have made errors of calculation in deciding how to empty their parent’s homes and clean up their lives.  In the end, most times they have said they wished they knew then, what they know now and they would act upon the situation much differently.  It would be much less work for them and also go much smoother.

The fact is that my crew and I always set aside any family items, money found, coins, gold, or valuable antiques for the family to go over prior to marketing or selling them.  We don’t simply get rid of your photos without your saying so.  We don’t pretend that the money we find in a book or canister is ours.  We know the right thing to do and do it.

Our crew is meticulous in separating and categorizing your precious memories for you.  If need be, we will shred or destroy things you want to keep private.  Otherwise all items that are of a personal nature will be returned to you safe and sound and you can decide what to make of them.

With all our hearts, we wish you the best of luck in getting what you want out of life.  If there is any way my crew or I may be of service to you in your time of need, don’t hesitate to call on us for help.  That’s what we are here for.