I am the family archivist. At least, that's what I like to call myself, rather than a "packrat".
After years of start-and-stop work on the pics, I am now down to four large (and I mean LARGE) "packers" full of the things. In the packers, I have at least divided the pics into plastic bags full of each person's individual pictures and other categories such as "group pictures", "misc. relatives", "Grandma & Grandpa ______", "Dad's baby pictures", "Mom and Dad's wedding", etc. Then there are about a gazillion newspaper clippings, old post cards, souvenir programs, etc. that for some reason my grandmothers kept. And then.....there are all sorts of things that I can't categorize. My ultimate goal is to pick out a few hundred "representative" photos (great-grandparents, my parents when they were young, etc...) and make a CD of them. I'd give everyone a copy.
The problem is that all this stuff makes me sneeze like mad and gives me a sinus attack every time. I wear a mask and work in a well-ventilated room but it gets me every time. Between the disintegrating paper and probably mold, dust mites, and who knows what else, it's a toxic waste dump.
I'm not sure what or who I'm doing this for. The rest of the family isn't really interested and MY offspring certainly have no desire to have this stuff left to them. If and when I ever get this job done and make the CD, I'll send everyone THEIR pictures, whether they want them or not.
If I'm lucky, I'll die before I'm finished and the whole lot can be thrown out with the trash.....LOL.
