General Chat

Just phoned my mum, who recently went back to Portugal, where she lives, after having a major heart operation over here.
While she was over here, she let the sister of a friend and her family from England stay in her house for a free holiday, on condition they fed & walked the dogs.
She also had (English) painters in - but only to paint the outside of the house.
The only other person in the house was Elena, her cleaner.
While watching Antiques Roadshow, someone had some old seaside 'dirty' postcards.
Mum remembered she had some that used to belong to my late gran, in a photograph album on the bookshelf, .
Mum got the album down - to find the postcards missing!! Everything else was there - ordinary postcards from the late 1800's onwards, photographs we took of family homes, birthday cards from my ggranparents to gran etc - just the 'dirty' postcards were missing.
It is unlikely to be Elena - she's been with mum for years and wouldn't jeapordise her job, besides which she's Russian and probably wouldn't realise the postcard's worth.
What's really galling is that those postcards may have monetary value, but to us it was the writing on the back - and an insight into our family humour.
It's also nasty to think someone went through her stuff!!
I have suggested when she sees the friend, whose sister stayed, she mentions that she was going to send them to me, they're not in the album so she supposes she must have taken them out and put them somewhere - and how age is catching up with her - and watch his face. Once a thief always a thief and perhaps his sister or one of her family has done this sort of thing before.

I am so angry!!

maggie

You are right

Scum

Hope mum gets them back

Jan x

I don't blame you, Maggie. Rest assured though, what goes around comes around; the beauty of it is that you don't have to do a thing.
Mind you, it'd be nice to see justice done sooner rather than later.
(((HUGS))) to your Mum - and you.
x

I don't blame you Maggie, her trust has been breached, and if you cannot trust family and friends, who can you trust.......the trouble is that she will not be able to prove it.......what miserable people to do such a thing.......mind you they could have taken the whole thing......at least she is left with something.....

Sorry to hear about it and hope this will not be a setback to her....x

So sad that she had her trust broken!

xx

Thanks for your support - I'm slowly calming down - had to be very restrained on the phone!!
Mum has scanned the fronts of the postcards on to her computer, and written down what was on the back - but it's not the same - just wonder if we could circulate them - but then, who to!!

maggie

Julie Ann - no Portuguese are involved!!

sorry maggie i always miss read

its so frustraiting isnt it that they took such valued sentimental stuff,
hard for her to trust someone again

Just who can you trust nowadays-such a shocking thing to do - bless your Mum - hope you gets them back. XX.

A dreadful shock for your dear Mum. I hope that she eventually gets them back.. A kind offer of her home while she was in England and, that happens..... Beggars belief.
Love Maisie

Maybe, when talking to the 'friend', mention that the postcards were scanned and that the authorities have been informed in case anyone tries to sell them. Also is there any way you can let Ebay know they have been stolen?

Ann
Glos

Would the painters have gone inside to use the toilet, or have a cuppa? The friends could have been out of the room at the time, so dont be too hasty judging them.

Did think of that - but would they really have time to take every album (and there are lots!!) down from the bookcase and search them?
As far as they were concerned they just contained family photographs - and it seems unlikely they would be interested in mugshots of strangers!

There's also a loo and kitchenette thingy in a utility room by the pool - so no need for the painters to come inside.

maggie

Whoa just a second!

Is this a case of guilty until proved innocent?

Before site members point fingers and call people scum they should make sure they have the correct facts. Also, these people that fingers are being pointed at may even use this site and, if innocent, would have a pretty darn good case!
Julie Ann's comment about Portugese stealing kids is slightly puzzling too and I hope she meant it as some sort of joke!
If that is not a joke, Julie Ann, then I hope you retract your remark and apologise to the Portugese who may be deeply offended by such a remark.

Whoever did this is scum and this must be so upsetting for your mum but people should be careful of pointing fingers with a total lack of evidence.

Incidentally, Maggie, how is your mum following her operation?

Maggie,

When was the last time your Mum had a look at the album..

We don't have "antique roadshows over here" so I doubt that a local would be interested.

As for "Julie Ann" I would dearly like to give her a "mouthful" but shan't spoil your thread...

I truely hope that you get the problem sorted.

Lindy ;)))))))))))))))

Sorry Maggie, I didnt realise there were several albums and they were all photo albums rather than just postcard albums. It certainly does look as if it was somebody who had plenty of time to look through them.

Errol,
I suppose it does seem like I am pointing fingers - but for the life of us we can't think who would have had the time or interest to go through copious albums!!
If she is on here and says it wasn't her or her family, so be it, I would apologise. I haven't mentioned any names apart from Elena, who we both regard as innocent.

Lindy,
Mum last looked at the album before she came over here for her op - she was getting everything sorted, preparing for 'the worst'.
Since then, no-one has been in the house alone, as her husband was there, until he came over to look after mum following the operation.

Mum's doing well thank you, Errol. the only problem she has is, because of the drugs, she isn't allowed out in the sun without covering herself in a high factor sun screen!! Oh, and not being able to pour concrete and lay flag stones any more LOL

maggie

So was the Antiques Road Show shown before the friends stayed or after?

Hi Lindy, if you have the right dish and card you can recieve Sky, even here in Madeira. We need a 1.8m dish, but should be slightly smaller on the mainland. We also receive BBC World and BBC Prime on Cabo, but programmes aren't that up to date. But I agree the locals wouldn't be interested in watching Antiques Roadshow.

Rosalind

Maggie
could your mum not contact Antiques Roadshow on the off chance who ever took the post cards in might be remembered by them ?

Hope she gets them back, it's never nice when trust is breached