From Home To House

In June 2012 Fester's younger brother was found dead, of natural causes, in the family home.  It was the house he was born in and lived with his parents until they both passed away.  Being his closest relative it was down to Fester, and me, to sort everything out.
I didn’t notice this on my Facebook trawl yesterday.

3 January 2013  ·

When does a home cease to be?

When the last mug is wrapped and packed and you can no longer offer anyone a cup of tea.

Mr Gobiron:  Sounds quite somber ...

Bentonbag:   

We've been back in Sheffield to finish off clearing out the Fester family home.   

All the furniture is gone, all the beds are stripped, but it was at that moment that, for me, it ceased to have a heart and turned into just a building.  

I wasn't there that often but it holds some very significant memories, particularly of Jean and Fred (my boys' grandparents) and when the boys were babies.   

I've learned so much about them through the sad task of dismantling the home they built for their boys.  

One more trip, one more carload of bits and bobs and that's it; 

up for sale and gone forever.

Strangely I didn't get a quarter as emotional about my family home in Wales going.  

Perhaps because I wasn't as involved with sorting and clearing it.   

Perhaps because I'd done all I needed to do there and lived away so long.   

I just feel someone ought to mourn this passing and it seems to be down to me.

Intimations of mortality - as Phil used to say ...