Old and new collide

Yesterday Caitlin and Mckenna came to use the FAX. I brought the antique child's rocker down from upstairs and she enjoyed rocking and getting in and out of the chair by herself, smiles all the time. The rocking chair was given to Don on his first birthday by Otis Jessup, his great grandfather. That would be Mckenna's great-great-great-grandfather! Otis received it for his first birthday! I realized it was a valuable antique when I saw one just like it at Henry Ford Museum. The original seat and back was carpet from new carpet laid in Otis' parents' home. When that became worn I replaced it with fabric from recovering our sofa. Then I researched carpet patterns at the library and found a design similar to what I remembered was the original. Sharon did the beautiful needlepoint on it today. I think all our grandchildren, even the Grants, sat in that antique rocking chair before they were too big. Now a great-granddaughter will enjoy it.

This morning the sleeve of Dad/Grandpa's pajamas caught the handle of the mustache cup where he keeps toothbrushes, a straight razor, tweezers etc. and the cup hit the counter and broke into many pieces! I knew we had received it from his Mother but learned it belonged to her father, David Drushal. Dad/Grandpa remembered his Mother had several mustache cups and wondered what happened to the others. A tiny bit of history gone. Now his things are in a Kemper Cabinets mug, from McDaniels Sales.

On Thursday afternoon Dad/Grandpa will be at Sparrow Hospital, a first class regional medical center, for arthoscopic surgery on his right shoulder. A light is inserted in one small hole and a knife inserted in a second hole and the Doctor expects to make his shoulder more comfortable by cutting and scraping. What a far cry from the medical care available when Otis Jessup received that rocker on his birthday in 1887!