Also, I have apparently been completely out to lunch for the last couple of weeks: the Writing Goddess over at OCPD - Scattered Thoughts from the Front Lines has an interview with me up over there. I mean it's not like I didn't know I'd been interviewed, I just hadn't realized she'd posted it. I have been totally out to lunch.
Warning: there is rather a lot of honesty involved.
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
About This Blog
Documenting our frustrations and triumphs as we clean up after a compulsive hoarder, our dad. He saved forty years worth of junk including old cars, piles of lumber, refrigerator drawers full of rusty bolts, bent nails, shingles, transmissions, broken power tools, &c., &c., &c.; so basically we grew up in a junkyard. At one point there were 78 cars on this acre and a half (residential) lot.
So there will probably be some venting. If you are a hoarder, or sympathetic to hoarders, you will want to avoid this place. You will certainly want to avoid leaving hoarder-sympathetic comments. At any rate we'll make it easy for you: we'll delete any such comments promptly, because this is meant to be a safe space for the children of hoarders.
So there will probably be some venting. If you are a hoarder, or sympathetic to hoarders, you will want to avoid this place. You will certainly want to avoid leaving hoarder-sympathetic comments. At any rate we'll make it easy for you: we'll delete any such comments promptly, because this is meant to be a safe space for the children of hoarders.
About Our Authors
Thalia and Tara grew up in this place. It kind of sucked. Since our father went in a nursing home and could no longer prevent us, we've started to clean the place up (he has since died). It's not much fun, honestly.
The Yard At Its Worst
Countdown With Rusty
Sixteen Down, Ten To Go
Iron Removed
Since March 2008 (at least):
Number of trips to the scrap yard: 61
Pounds of iron removed: 46,440
In tons: 23.22
Number of trips to the scrap yard: 61
Pounds of iron removed: 46,440
In tons: 23.22
He Saved What??
A fifteen-foot long rubber raft. I'm not even sure dad could swim.
Old electrical cords. Not extension cords, mind you, but scary frayed things cut off of old lamps or appliances.
The waxed paper from inside cereal boxes.
Rinsed-out paper cups from the free coffee from Building #19.
Old electrical cords. Not extension cords, mind you, but scary frayed things cut off of old lamps or appliances.
The waxed paper from inside cereal boxes.
Rinsed-out paper cups from the free coffee from Building #19.
Take Out The Trash by They Might Be Giants
Iron Man by Black Sabbath
Junk by Paul McCartney
Number One by The Rutles
9 Secret Steps by They Might Be Giants
Trash Day by Weird Al Yankovic
Metal Guru by T. Rex
Metal Detector by They Might Be Giants
It's All Too Much by The Beatles
Take It Away by Paul McCartney
Climbing the Walls by They Might Be Giants
Uncle Walter by Ben Folds Five
We Live In A Dump by They Might Be Giants
Followers
Other Blogs by Children of Hoarders
Labels
- Before and After (32)
- Best Little Hoardhouse (19)
- Books (7)
- Breezeway (4)
- Cartharsis (7)
- Cellar (14)
- Don't Wanna Know (2)
- Garage (26)
- He saved that? (1)
- History (13)
- I Am Iron Man (50)
- Lemonade (4)
- Magazines (4)
- OCPD (10)
- Precioussss (25)
- Progress (38)
- Rusty Say GOODBYE (21)
- Saab Story (15)
- Shed (22)
- Shop (29)
- Show Stuff (4)
- Tires (6)
- Unraveling (12)
- What Is THAT? (7)
- Where we were (5)
- Who Knows (2)
- Yard (54)
- Year In Review (4)
5 comments:
I have tremendously enjoyed your interview and your blog. I did not grow up in a hoarded home, yet I find myself fascinated by the Hoarders tv shows and blogs like yours. I finally put my finger on it. Although not a hoarder, my father is a narcissist and his crazymaking is very similar. I realized I watched the shows and related to the children continually telling their parents how they feel, that they are upset, and it having absolutely no impact on the parents behaviour. You are helping many children of these types of parents by helping them see the dysfunction. I'm with you on the rage thing!
Thalia - dear woman, I did everything but send up a smoke signal to you.
You are and were an incredible brave and amazing soul, and I feel honored that you were willing to share with such raw honesty and courage. Thank you.
I already said over there, but I loved these.
Loved the interviews. I didn't grow up in a hoard, I grew up in the opposite of one, a museum. My mother who is probably BPD/NPD has some OCPD tendencies and I can relate to much of the stories here about control and rules and the illogical-bent to it all. My mother's museum living conditions were likely a retort to her parent's hoarding tendencies. The odd thing is her relatives of the same age also live in these museums. Everything is 'just so' and you can't tell people live there. Not a book or shoe out of place. This type of living is also incredibly invalidating because the message is the same - you (kids) don't belong in my (MY!!) space. I totally get the rage. Totally.
TWG rocks in SO many supportive ways!!! This an amazing triumvirate.
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