Parents with dementia, how dealing with that has gone.

[California]

Hang in there.
It's a fight to balance the culture of consumerism with the finality of death.
"Stuff" we all on TBN have been bragging about (our "great" buys, tractors, attachments, tools, etc.) may seem worthless to our heirs.

As I move into the wrong side of 80 I'm taking small steps to do my own Estate Sales, to take some of the burden off my kids so they don't have to deal with the barns full of inherited stuff here.

But I'm surprised how the consumerism you mentioned, has so rapidly devalued things that are inherently useful. A while back I bought the long-nose version of HF's first-generation Earthquake impact wrench, the red one. So recently I looked at closed sales on Ebay to set a starting bid for the short-nosed version of the same thing that I no longer need. Surprise! At $5 starting bid, one that looks new has been listed three times now, with no bids. WTH?? This is a practical, useful tool.

Consumerism tells DIY mechanics that only the latest version has value? I don't understand.

 

[ArlyA]

Where's Sioux Falls?

South Dakota

 

[JasperFrank]

My dad built his house in the 50s. He had around 1000 square feet of thermopane floor to ceiling glass in that house. He said he got it for about $1500.

Around 1993-4 he shot a rock through just one 4'x4'ish panel with a snowblower. That one panel was $1500.

Yes, that style of house, all built in the '50s seems crazy these days. Floor to ceiling glass, slab foundations, ceiling electric heating and virtually no insulation. They are like weird time capsules of an entirely different era, when we thought nuke power was going to be free.

 

[MossRoad]

Yes, that style of house, all built in the '50s seems crazy these days. Floor to ceiling glass, slab foundations, ceiling electric heating and virtually no insulation. They are like weird time capsules of an entirely different era, when we thought nuke power was going to be free.

Ours was gas heat... two furnaces! No drapes, just light curtains in the bedrooms. It was heavy Frank Lloyd Wright influenced except we had high ceilings. Like living outside.

I asked my dad how he could afford to heat it. He said that in the 50s and 60s natural gas was almost free.

 

[tradosaurus]

As I move into the wrong side of 80 I'm taking small steps to do my own Estate Sales, to take some of the burden off my kids so they don't have to deal with the barns full of inherited stuff here.

But I'm surprised how the consumerism you mentioned, has so rapidly devalued things that are inherently useful. A while back I bought the long-nose version of HF's first-generation Earthquake impact wrench, the red one. So recently I looked at closed sales on Ebay to set a starting bid for the short-nosed version of the same thing that I no longer need. Surprise! At $5 starting bid, one that looks new has been listed three times now, with no bids. WTH?? This is a practical, useful tool.

Consumerism tells DIY mechanics that only the latest version has value? I don't understand.

I would think the low interest in an old tool is the unknown of how long it will last. Ebay is a decent place to figure out the price of used items (the ones that sold).

 

[ultrarunner]

There seems to be fewer do it yourself except with immigrants from what I’m seeing.

Slow drain… call plumber with. $180 first hour minimum…

Oil change take it in.

Car dirty… hand wash car wash down the street.

Lawn needs mowing or leaves raking hire a guy and complain how much he charges…

Grandpa’s power tools too dangerous.

 

[MossRoad]

Yet go into Lowe's, Home Depot, Menards, etc. and there's always people shopping.

Maybe getting a deal on cheese balls and not home improvement though....

Utz® Cheese Balls - 28 oz

Experience the ultimate cheesy delight with Utz Cheese Balls Cheddar. Bursting with rich cheddar flavor, these light and crunchy cheese balls are a snack lover's dream. Packaged in convenient 36.5 oz. barrels, this 2 pack ensures you have plenty of delicious cheese balls to share or enjoy over...

www.menards.com

 

[ultrarunner]

Yet go into Lowe's, Home Depot, Menards, etc. and there's always people shopping.

Maybe getting a deal on cheese balls and not home improvement though....

Utz® Cheese Balls - 28 oz

Experience the ultimate cheesy delight with Utz Cheese Balls Cheddar. Bursting with rich cheddar flavor, these light and crunchy cheese balls are a snack lover's dream. Packaged in convenient 36.5 oz. barrels, this 2 pack ensures you have plenty of delicious cheese balls to share or enjoy over...

www.menards.com

By far the local Home Depots are Spanish Language with Asian not far behind.

The box store lots have 30-40 day workers each morning waiting to strike a deal.

When I do see non Spanish or one of the Asian speaking patrons it’s in the garden or lighting sections or appliances/kitchen design.

I’m the first to say my experience might be a local annomoly…

Construction here is dominated by first language Spanish speakers… Doubt you could find a non Spanish roofing or foundation crew…

Lots of city work goes to companies where foreman on down Spanish…

 

[MossRoad]

By far the local Home Depots are Spanish Language with Asian not far behind.

The box store lots have 30-40 day workers each morning waiting to strike a deal.

When I do see non Spanish or one of the Asian speaking patrons it’s in the garden or lighting sections or appliances/kitchen design.

I’m the first to say my experience might be a local annomoly…

Construction here is dominated by first language Spanish speakers… Doubt you could find a non Spanish roofing or foundation crew…

Lots of city work goes to companies where foreman on down Spanish…

Back when my grandparents came over in the early to mid 1900s you had to speak Polish to get a decent job in the factories, or at the least, be friends with a Polish person that could speak Hungarian and translate for you.

Kinda interesting to see the old Polish, Hungarian, Belgian, etc. neighborhoods turn towards African, Mexican, Bosnian, etc.

Change is inevitable.

 

[Thall303]

Interesting is far from ideal!