Printable View
Well, mortality has just given me a kick up the arse. Had a heart attack 2 days ago; which I obviously survived, but it's driven home the fact that I've got a lot of stuff that the wife doesn't have the first clue about, that she'll have to get rid of, if I fall off my perch first.
Time to have tidy up, and do some cataloguing.
First thing to do is concentrate on your health! obviously follow your doctor's advice. But diet and when your ready, some light excercise can make a difference.
When ready, make a list of your collection and values of each article; so if one day it falls on someone else to look after them; they will have accurate information.
Wow. Keep up!!!
Wish you the best of luck and you recover completely.
Get well soon. Then you can sort out your collection!;)
Same thing here. Been selling off a lot of stuff putting the funds into home improvements. Still have a bunch to go. My hearts in poor shape for a 62yr old. I've managed to survive multiple heart attacks, but one will get me sooner or later.
And I thought you were looking so well at the HBSA Mid Range!
Regarding our "estates" I've already started to point out the valuable books and which gun dealers to call in.
Dont stress this too much. Along with cataloging (both handwritten and digital), I list special features of each one that enhances or detracts from the value so no one can talk them down in value. I also identified an auction house with the proper FFL to handle everything if they choose that route. A couple of phone calls, they pick it all up, auction it and send them a check. Relax, take your time, get healthy, and your family won't need that list for a long long time!
First of all, thank goodness you survived the heart attack!! Please take care of yourself first and foremost. As we all get older the reality of that fact really starts to set in and we all need to face that reality. I know I'm really starting to fee my advancing age.
I had a similar non health related wake up call about a year ago. We had the Bobcat Fire right on top of us for over a week and thought we would lose the house at any moment. I looked at my overfull safes, garage, storage shed and the attic above the garage and thought that there is no way I can save all of this stuff. Most of this stuff is going to burn up and will be gone forever. I started slowly loading up things that I could easily live without and started hauling to my dealer to move on. I was amazed at how much these "treasures" sold for. I cashed the checks and set that money aside as fun money and have been able to pick up some really nice pieces without spending any new money.
As I continue to downsize (removing quantity) and buying a few high quality pieces my collection is becoming more focused and of higher quality. My hoarding tendencies are now being replaced with the fun of turning pieces I'm not excited about into cash to obtain some new high quality pieces that I've always wanted. Don't get me wrong, the place is still a mess and I have a long way to go. Things I picked up for a few bucks are selling for outrageous prices. Of course the new pieces are higher priced as well. It's been a fun new way of collecting.
Anyway, just wanted to share my thoughts as I have shifted my priorities as well due to unforeseen circumstances. Keep mending and enjoy the collecting!!
Brian B
If you had a heart attack only 2 days ago and it definitely was a heart attack you need to concentrate 100% on your health right now and not worry about your collection. This is because when a person has a heart attack the blood supply to part of the heart is cut-off and the part of the heart that is affected, i.e. starved of oxygenated blood, dies. My advice is to follow exactly what your doctors tell you.
Since my father passed away I have been left with a hundred years or so of things to sort through. Apart from saving almost everything from his entire life my father saved many things from his parent's life and his grandparent's life. Ive come across many interesting things that I'll keep amongst the items I've disposed of/donated to charity shops. An interesting item that I came across the other day were some First World War ration books a less interesting item that I disposed of recently, that my father had saved, was his grandmother's commode dating from the 1950's.
Glad your still vertical, I had a H/A Sept 13 last year although had a very stiff 1 hour conversation with my wife about going up to ED, even though I pretty much knew the game was on, it was the pain in my jaw and the crushing feeling in my chest that signalled me a dumb ***, so get to ED already.
Anyway put me on a plane up to Fiona Stanley at 23:00, came in a 08:25 with the paperwork for the stent op I hardly got to read anything before being turfed onto a gurney and the rest is toast except they should have put 2 in instead of one in, so I had to have another op about a month later for another stent, my cardio down here well she was livid they neglected to do it the first time.
Two stories from Fiona Stanley after the op I was busting to go to the loo but had to lie on my back for 6 hours and not get out of bed after the op, as they had gone up through the femoral artery if you bust that stitching your in a whole world of hurt to say the least, try eating your tea lying flat on your back!
I managed to get 2 steps from the bed when on a chance the nurse came in Wow! what a roasting I got from her and rightly deserved, the other was a conversation I had from my bed with a nurse as I complimented the food at the hospital as being really tasty and good.
Without a pause in her stride "Your the only one here that likes it" guess country people are thankful for what ever meal they can get I suppose.
Take each day as it comes and enjoy it for what it is a gift, I too like allot of us here have amassed stuff that goes in all directions but mainly books and allot of ordnance/cartridges, I have good friends I trust to dispose of the latter as they are in the game, but the books of which is close to 1800-2000 of, I have started to itemise them on a XLS sheet with a guide value from ABE & Amazon.
Look after yourself and take care cherish those that love you as its a very scary thing to have happen not only for you but for them as well.
Get well soon! Having my wife deal with my collection is/was a huge fear of mine so that is why when I post pictures of my collection you will see a metal ID disc attached. I have inventoried most of the items with a description and ball park value. Value changes constantly but it will help her a lot in case she has to deal with it.
Get well soon!
Bob
Just had an adventure down that road. It's a wake up.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../EUPRrM5-1.jpg
All the best for your recovery.
Been thinning out my collection for some time. Problem is that She Who Must Be Obeyed sees a new kitchen on the horizon.
Did that last year and it almost caused me to have a HA....cause then it led to a remodel of the casita....and the back bedroom.....and....Quote:
Originally Posted by Enfieldlock
Good to see you though, hope all is well.Quote:
Originally Posted by MJ1
Thanks to all for the kind comments and good wishes.
It's back to work for me from Monday. Starting off with a couple of weeks "light duties", and we'll see how it goes from there.
Glad to read this.
Congrats!! Healthy and happy for the Holidays!
After the event I sat down and had a good hard look at where I was in relation to working in discussions with my wife we decided as a team that due to what I was doing Safety on large construction jobs for the last 12 years, we decided when this gig was up the hard hat went into the bin.Quote:
Originally Posted by harry mac
So I retired from construction after 41 years in the game 20+ odd of those years operating strut and hydraulic cranes.
In safety you have no friends either in management as they see you as a necessary evil nor on the floor as they see you as an impediment to how they want to do the job so you end up being everybody's punching bag and you know as soon as you walk away they are going to bend/break the rules.
I'm finding it a bit weird being a home body now as its only been 4 months but getting used to it though it does have benefits of getting out on my bikes allot more, so Harry take it easy take each day as it is presented to you.
Me I'm getting ready to start reading C E W Beans 12 volume set on the AIF in WWI should take me about 10 years on a part time basis.
All the best to you and your family.
CINDERS
The mortality issue has been on my mind ever since retirement but I intend holding onto my collection for so long as I can still enjoy it. I have a fairly sophisticated database covering every single item including history, rarity and approximate value.
Unfortunately, the only interest that i see in my three children is the dollar signs flashing in their eyes. So, some years ago, I made them a proposition. I would set an exam, the pass mark being 80%. Should I unexpectedly die those that passed would be entitled to one third of the value. Those that failed would have their share allocated to some of my collector friends. Following instruction and ample exposure to the dartabase they each wrote a different, but equivalent, open book exam covering use of the database, vulture control, historical significance, values, auction liaison and calculation of reserves.
Their marks ranged from 85% to 92,5%. At least if they get taken for rides, my conscience is clear! Perhaps it is time for some revision.