Well, kudos to mom and dad for working their tails off to have the largest yard sale I've ever seen! I know it was a lot of work and I know they had some help, but they really did the majority of it themselves. I went over last night to see if there were any last minute things I could do to help. They were in great shape, so I was mostly there for moral support. But, I did have the opportunity to wipe down some furniture and feel like I contributed a little. I couldn't believe how emotional I got looking at all of Gramma's furniture sitting in my parent's driveway, waiting for someone to want or need. Her lovely old dining room set that we spent MANY Sunday afternoons using while we ate fried chicken, zipper peas, cornbread and other yummy veggies. I remember she always used a pretty table cloth...usually one she had cross-stitched herself. We always used the same plates, utensils and even cups at each meal. She also had the roughest, scratchiest, sand-paper-like dinner napkins that we used for dinner. They weren't very comfortable to use, but they were Gramma's and they were just part of the traditional meal, just like the fried chicken was. I also saw her bedroom suit, that was mostly in Papa's room, but the dresser was Gramma's, and I wish I had somewhere to put it, just for nostalgic purposes. I remember she had pictures on her dresser in her room, (I think) one of dad and Aunt Linda and one of us 3 grandchildren. Her room was always neat and tidy and simple. Then I saw her living room coffee table and end tables. We sat in that room probably more than any other since it had the couches in it. We would all sit around and talk after eating that delicious meal and enjoy the family time. Gramma took lots of pictures while we were young, always with the LOUDEST camera that you could hear a mile away, and so she had tons of albums of pictures of us. Of course, us grandkids loved looking at pictures of ourselves in all those albums. We would choose an album from underneath the coffee table and laugh and make fun of each other and just remember. I guess that's what all Gramma's furniture made me do...remember, sitting in mom and dad's driveway, waiting for the next family to make new memories with it. I just remembered how much time I spent with my gramma and papa and how much fun it was. Of course, it makes me sad that Gramma isn't in her house anymore and that she's not using that furniture anymore, but I know that's just the reality of life. So, all that brings me to the title of my post, Gram's Rocker. I remember that rocker sitting in the den next to the fireplace/furnace thing. I think it always sat there. I'm not sure how long Gramma had it or anything, but I do remember her sitting in it occasionally. I really remember my papa sitting in it. I think it was a nice upright seat for him to sit in with his oxygen tank. Anyway, I was very excited and nostalgic about bringing it home to my house for us to enjoy. I put in my den for us to all see and enjoy. I don't even want to change the chair cushions yet, because they smell like Gramma's house. There's something neat about smelling her house and remembering times over there. I thought it was really neat that as soon as Bradley saw it, he climbed up in it and said "rock". He has really taken a special interest in the new rocking chair and likes climbing into it. I'm sure it's mostly because it's "new" to us, but it's neat to think that he's enjoying a chair his great-grandparent's used to enjoy rocking in. There's something so soothing about a rocking chair and I'm sure we'll all enjoy rocking in this one.
