Leaves on this Family Tree

Withering Away

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

This is My Magic Footlocker


This is my magic footlocker.

I am sure you are impressed . . .
NOT!

It has,
however,
changed itself
many times
over the past 60 years. 


This is more 
than your
everyday footlocker.
I am sure
if this footlocker could talk
it would have a million stories.

It started out
as an army issue footlocker.
Dad had all of his gear
for National Guard
summer camp stored in it.
when he 
would come home
from summer camp,
this footlocker would
find it's way to the
middle of the 
living room floor
where we 
would sit 
and watch Dad unpack.
We really didn't care
to see his dirty clothes . . . 
my brother and I
knew there would be
something for us
inside this
magic box.

When Lee went to college,
Dad had retired 
from the National Guard,
and Lee used it
to pack up all of the necessities
of a college student
in the late 1960's.

Four years later
he was married
and I had come to possess
this army issue, green box,
which was now painted
my favorite color . . . 
blue.

When I left for Ball State
in the fall of 1969 . . . 
except for my clothing 
and typewriter,
everything I needed 
 was packed inside the box.
When it was unpacked
it became our "coffee table."
 Coming home
for summer vacation that year,
Not only did I have 
what I had taken
but I had enough
to fill the back end of
our Plymouth station wagon . . . 
wonder how those things
in that box
had multiplied that winter?

The next trip it took
was to Brownsburg . . . 
where I found
my 1st teaching job.
Again, packed with
the necessities
and used as a "coffee table.

As time progressed,
I bought my 1st new
sofa and chair.
This is when the 
army issue green,
turned blue
turned it's final
stained antique red.

As life changed
the living situations changed . . .
apartments became
rental houses.
Rental houses became
houses that I owned.
In each and every  stop
along the way,
I had an stained, 
antiqued red
footlocker in my living room.

It had changed itself
from a vessel
to carry army supplies,
to a college transport box
and finally to a "coffee table."

It is now in it's last
incarnation. . . 
and has been in this mode
for too many years to count.
It has been the holder of 
all things cross stitch.
Well, 
 it was,
until the eyes gave out,
then 
it became the holder
of all things crochet,
with a few remnants
of cross stitch in it . . . 
those sampler patterns
that I had never made
yet hoped to  . . . 
someday.

Low and behold . . .
it is now a cross stitch
vessel again.
Today I cleaned out
all of the crochet books
that were in it,
replacing them
with the beginnings
of my new 
cross stitch pattern
collection.

Crochet books 
will go upstairs
to a book case.
I shall place all of
my 12" x 12" square
 patterns in a 
3-ring binder 
which will stay in the 
footlocker.
Any other crochet pattern,
that is a fall back pattern,
will find their  way into
their own binder.

Now, 
to get
all of the crochet I owe done
so I can start 
cross stitching again.

Just the  thought
of a round/wooden hoop
in my left hand
and a needle with floss
in my right hand
makes me happier than 
you would ever know.


Signed,
Signin' In The Rain
(It just started to rain outside . . LOLOL)
(14,067)

3 comments:

  1. So, back to cross stitch.... does that mean no more crochet? You switch it up? It's interesting to see how people work. Some do just one craft at a time while others mix it up a bit. The foot locker sounds like it has a lifetime of meaning to you. I wish we could see a photo of it.

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  2. WOuld love to see a picture of your footlocker. I'm so happy your eyesite is back! Are you going to show all your new stash? How are those auctions going?

    Smiles - Denise

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  3. I love it!! I haven't done cross-stich in years... I have a big bin of floss I should just send to you. If you want it. I think I have some cross-stich patterns, too. (Sunflowers)

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