Super Special Junky Trunk

One of my mom's sisters came into town with her boys, and we all took a pizza to my grandfather's house for dinner yesterday.  It was an enjoyable evening.  I always walk away from my grandfather with a smile, not so much because he's a cuddly, teddy bear like grandfather, but more so because he just blurts out whatever he's thinking.  He's never mean, but he's always brutally honest, and that can make for some fun commentary.

My grandfather's wife has been systematically going through all of their old stuff, especially photos, for years now.  She's been divvying up pictures among my aunts, uncles, cousins, and my sister and me forever.  I love the old photographs, even the ones with people I don't recognize.  It's a chance to learn about some of my family history, or just to admire the youth and beauty of people who mean so much to me.  I snagged a great photo of my Aunt Carmen when she was about 3 with my great grandmother.  I also took an adorable photo of my grandfather as a baby, and one of my grandfather and my Aunt Carmen taken some time in the mid 40's.  They will definitely be framed and displayed somewhere in my house shortly.

The best part about the visit wasn't the photographs, though.  While I was sitting at the table, talking about the photos, listening to stories of events that happened way before my time, my grandfather's wife asked me if I wanted the old trunk that my grandmother kept all of her photos in.  Want it?  Of course I want it!  It's just an old trunk.  The latch is broken, the inside smells musty, and the outside is a true mess, but I love it!  I'm sure she didn't specifically intend to give me that trunk, I just happened to be there when she was done with it.  I don't care about that either.  It was good timing on my part.  Jean wanted to get rid of it, and I was happy to take it off of her hands.

That trunk sat in my grandparents game room for as long as I can remember, probably since before I was even born.  It is where my grandmother kept all of her photographs, post cards, kids report cards and school memorabilia.  As kids, we used it as an art table, or a jumping board, a shield against imaginary attacks, or as an anchor for blankets used to make forts.  I can vividly remember sitting on their old (and super ugly) plaid couch and going through the contents of that trunk.  It is etched into my mind as an integral part of the game room where I spent so much time as a child, playing with my cousins, gathering with family or just hanging out and watching TV after school.

I don't know if the outside of it can be restored.  I don't know if it's worth the effort, or if it would even withstand a restoration.  It doesn't really matter.  It was my grandmother's, and it is beautiful to me.  I am elated to have this trunk in my possession.  It was a completely unexpected yet absolutely treasured Christmas gift, and I owe a big thanks to a long line of people for making it so special.


(Oh, and that's an awesome title, isn't it?  A little alliteration, a little rhyming.  Mrs. Harvey would be so proud!)