My sister, my brother-in-law, and I spent quite a bit of time this past week cleaning out the family home. The latest news is that the sale of the property should be completed next week.
The Front of the Family Home
SOURCE: The Front of the Family Home in Albany, New York. Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 29 Dec 2007.
The Back of the Family Home
SOURCE: The Back of the Family Home in Albany, New York. Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 29 Dec 2007.
Parquet Floors in the Family Home
SOURCE: Parquet Floors in the Family Home in Albany, New York. Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 28 Dec 2007.
The Front Hall in the Family Home
SOURCE: The Front Hall in the Family Home in Albany, New York. Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 28 Dec 2007.
My sisters and I hung our stockings from the radiator in the front hall, above. The dining room, sitting room, living room, main hallway, and front hall all have parquet floors with the pattern shown above.
Copyright © 2007 by Stephen J. Danko
What a beautiful home to have spend your childhood! It has a lot of character and beauty. I can just imagine your family life there.
I understand the emotions of going through a family home. I have done it twice in my life. The first time was in 1969 after the death of my father’s sister, who lived with his mother and served as her “companion” all her life. We went through my aunt and grandmother’s home. I was still in high school and my opinions were overridden often, but I still managed to amass a wealth of my grandparents’ papers, books, and other family possessions. (And I still have them all!) The second time was in 1988 when my widowed mother decided (abruptly) that it was time to move into a retirement home. What a difficult job that was, especially with her overseeing my older brother, sister-in-law, and me — and agonizing over every item that needed to be discarded, tagged for movement to my home in Chicago or my brother’s in Greensboro, NC, or to her new independent living apartment. We all made mistakes, but they were far fewer than you’d expect.
You and your sisters will have some regrets, I suspect, but it sounds as if you all value the family and its treasures. I’m sure you’ve made the right decisions.
Remember the family home as it was, not as you cleaned it out. Always remember your family there and the good times. That will fill your heart for the rest of your life!
Hello first time hear . good reading .. your home was beautiful I just thanks you and your sis had a beautiful life . god bless
Steve,
I realize how difficult it must have been for your and your family to part with the family home. I went through a similar event this past March when my mother died. Hold on to the lovely memories you spent there.
Happy New Year
Janice
What a lovely home to grow up in. I know letting it go is probably hard but think of all the little children who will get to grow up happy there.