The Dresser in the Garage
5/17/13
A
few years ago we moved “the dresser” and accompanying bedroom furniture to a
storage unit of my mother in laws. It had been in my husband’s grandmother’s
house for ages. After she passed away we began the process of “shuffling”
furniture. You what that is right? When furniture that someone deems still “useable”
wants to keep the family furniture but there’s no one to take it – they either
don’t want or don’t have room for it. Look in your attic – silver, old china,
baby clothes, etc. If you don’t have anything in your attic yet, take a peek
into that of your parents. All that will be yours some day. It’s like winning
the lottery…sometimes!
As
I digress….
The
dresser sat for 5 years in the storage unit, along with 4 mattress/box spring
sets. Nasty. No one wants a used mattress, especially one that is 40+ years old
(with that age entails). Before my
mother in law (now called the MIL) passed away, the hubby worked tirelessly to
clean out the storage unit, chopping up old mattresses, throwing away the junk
she didn’t remember was there, and otherwise doing the furniture shuffle.
At
some point I looked at the dresser a bit more closely. It was in great
condition, solid wood, and virtually untouched by the elements. Knowing my
middle school dresser that I’m still using (yes, do the math) is busting at the
seams, I decided the dresser needed to shuffle on over to my house. The hubby
was delighted <insert sarcasm>. I thought it would be nice to have
something that was hers in our home…i.e. something representative of her
legacy.
That
was over a year ago. My MIL has since passed, and there is a void in our lives
that is hard to fill, and even harder to explain. Still, the shuffle has
continued in the garage. From one corner to another, boxes stored on top, boxes
removed etc. Meanwhile the middle school dresser is screaming at me “no more
clothes” – kind of like when you tell the grandparents you’re full. Ha! It’s a
challenge! I finally decide the shuffle needs to stop with me. Period.
The
dresser was sanded this weekend, now it is waiting to be primed and painted. It
felt really good to finally DO something with it…kind of giving it new life.
Much like my relationship with my MIL, there are some cracks in the wood and a
couple of scars that cannot be sanded out, but all in all, it’s solid. Time to breathe new life into something
from the past; time to give it a future. Progress is refreshing.
Pics later. Thanks for
reading! Wishing you….
Peace.Love.Interia.
