Choices and Changes

Step-Dad is moving Saturday, to a new place he bought near his son’s home. He asked me to come over yesterday, to look at some things he had set aside as he packed. My step brother is thrilled, I could tell when I talked to him. Excited, glad to have his Dad coming home, so to speak. I hope they will have years of visits, fishing, ball games, lunches out, and all the rest of the things they enjoy.

The things that he offered me were relics of a past life, a few of my Grandmother’s things, and a few that might have belonged to Mom. A silver plate creamer and sugar bowl, a butter dish, and a set of sterling candle holders tell of a past time, when they resided in Grandma’s china cabinet in her dining room. Included was a cut glass oil/vinegar pitcher. There was only one, he said that was all he found, so the other must have been lost or broken.

There were a couple of things that Mom had, a pottery creamer with the top on it. The top actually would have fit a sugar bowl, which is missing. I do remember the teapot, that was probably broken years ago. The teapot he gave me was a newer one from Harry & David. We may have given it to them, or one of my siblings may have, or perhaps they bought it themselves.

The unusual item was an electric coffee maker on a tray. The darn thing is green, having been in storage for a long time. I remember also it from my Grandmother’s home. it is a Universal model:

UNIVERSAL
Made by
Landers, Frary & Clark
New Britain Conn USA
Volts 115/120 watts 420 No E9179
DON’T PUT IN WATER

The last patient date of my pot is 1919, that would be about 12 years after my grandparents married. With a quick internet search I found a few of the pots, some earlier, some later, some with cords, some without. The most interesting thing is the cover on the little hole in the center of the bottom, you can see it above. It says, “replace fuse”. None of the pots I found in my internet search had that little cover. There is no fuse under the little cover, so I guess I would need to replace it to use it. I will probably clean it up, and set it on a table somewhere for a while, then put it away.

I’m going to miss S-Dad a lot. He and I weathered some pretty tough storms during the time of Mom’s decline and death, kind of staying strong for each other, kind of surviving the waves. These days, when something sad or happy happens, I think of him, and call to tell him. I will still be able to do that. But I will miss him, unlocking the door, getting halfway in, then ringing the doorbell and coming the rest of the way. He’s been here for a while, and now he won’t be.